Rig Veda 5.39.1: Mandala 5, Sukta 39, Mantra 1
Sukta 5.39
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यदिन्द्र चित्र मेहनास्ति त्वादातमद्रिवः । राधस्तन्नो विदद्वस उभयाहस्त्या भर ॥
yád indra citra mehanā́sti tvā́dātam adrivaḥ | rā́dhas tán no vidadvaso ubhayāhastyā́ bhar ||
हे इंद्र, जो भी चमकदार खज़ाना तुम्हारे पास है, वो हमे दो। तुम दोनों हाथ भर के लाओ। जो भी तुम दे सकते हो, वो पूरा हमपे बरसा दो।
Word by Word
- यदि
- ifIndeclinableconditional particleRoot यदि (avyaya)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounmasculine, vocative singularRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (prātipadika)
- चित्र
- bright, wondrousAdjectivemasculine, vocative singular (agreeing with इन्द्र)Role सम्बोधनRoot चित्र (prātipadika)
- मेहन
- gift; bounty (lit. ‘benefit/boon’)Nounneuter, nominative singularRole कर्तृ (of अस्ति)Root मेहन (prātipadika)
- अस्ति
- isVerbpresent indicative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)
- त्वात्
- from youPronoun2nd person, ablative singularRole अपादानRoot त्वम् (sarvanāman)
- आतमत्
- self-possessed; of one’s own power (as a boon)Adjectiveneuter, nominative singular (qualifying मेहन)Role कर्तृ (with मेहन)Root आत्मन्/आत्मवत् (prātipadika; Vedic form)
- अद्रिवः
- O wielder of the stone (press-stone)Nounmasculine, vocative singularRole सम्बोधनRoot अद्रिवन् (prātipadika)
- राधः
- wealth; bountyNounneuter, accusative singularRole कर्म (of भर)Root राधस् (prātipadika)
- तत्
- thatPronounneuter, accusative singular (correlative to राधः)Role कर्म (of भर)Root तद् (sarvanāman)
- नः
- to usPronoun1st person plural, dative (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (sarvanāman)
- विदद्वसः
- O bestower/finder (of wealth); O giverNounmasculine, vocative singularRole सम्बोधनRoot विदद्वस् (prātipadika; Vedic epithet)
- उभयाहस्त्या
- with both handsAdjectiveinstrumental singular (feminine/collective used adverbially)Role करणRoot उभय-हस्त्य (prātipadika; compound)
- आ
- hither; towards (us)Indeclinablepreverb to √भृRoot आ (upasarga/avyaya)
- भर
- bringVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot √भृ (भरणे)
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution: यदि॑न्द्र → यदि + इन्द्र (sandhi: i + i → ī, written here as juxtaposition in saṃhitā)
- मे॒हनास्ति → मेहन + अस्ति (a + a → ā)
- त्वादा॑तमद्रिवः → त्वात् + आतमत् + अद्रिवः (t + ā → dā by external sandhi/voicing in saṃhitā)
- राध॒स्तन्नो॑ → राधः + तत् + नः (visarga before t → s; final t of तत् before n assimilates in saṃhitā)
- उभयाह॒स्त्या → उभया + हस्त्या (compound/close sandhi). Accents are as in saṃhitā text
- pada-forms shown without accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer asks Indra for whatever brilliant, overflowing bounty he has to give, requesting that he bring the treasure “with both hands,” i.e., fully and without limitation.
Inner meaning
The soul-as-seeker turns to the illumined Mind-Power (Indra) and asks that whatever luminous abundance is ready in the higher consciousness be poured into the human nature. “Both hands” becomes the image of a complete descent: light for the mind and force for the life, knowledge and power together, not a partial gift.
Universal truth
When we align our aspiration with the higher Intelligence, the true riches descend as a plenitude—integral and unstinted—transforming thought and action simultaneously.
Themes
boon request, abundance and fullness, Indra as bestower
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.39, Rig Veda 5.40, Rig Veda 5.41
Family tradition
Atri lineage known for hymns of illumination and right ordering of the inner sacrifice; a seer-family emphasizing inspired speech (giraḥ) as a vehicle of power.
Significance
Atri represents the concentrated seer-will that calls the higher Light to descend into embodied life; the Atris often speak as a collective of inspired utterance and disciplined aspiration.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- citra (luminous/wondrous), adrivaḥ (stone/bolt-bearer), vidadvasu (finder of riches)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Releaser of the waters and the cows (light), breaker of the coverer; establishes the victorious movement of the gods in the human field.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence that strikes through resistance and brings a full descent of force and clarity into the seeker’s nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotras/ukthas in Soma-yajña contexts; general Indra invocation for prosperity and victory.
यदि॑न्द्र चित्र मे॒हनास्ति॒ त्वादा॑तमद्रिवः । राध॒स्तन्नो॑ विदद्वस उभयाह॒स्त्या भ॑र ॥
यत् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । चि॒त्र॒ । मे॒हना॑ । अस्ति॑ । त्वाऽदा॑तम् । अ॒द्रि॒ऽवः॒ । राधः॑ । तत् । नः॒ । वि॒द॒द्व॒सो॒ इति॑ विदत्ऽवसो । उ॒भ॒या॒ह॒स्ति । आ । भ॒र॒ ॥
yat | indra | citra | mehanā | asti | tvādātam | adri-vaḥ | rādhaḥ | tat | naḥ | vidadvaso | itividat-vaso | ubhayāhasti | ā | bhara
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative, suited to invocation and descent imagery.
Builds a strong upward call (aspiration) and a felt downward pressure of receiving (ā bhara), stabilizing confidence and vigor.
- indra
- Literal: Indra, Vedic king-god. Symbolic: Divine Mind/illumining consciousness that releases light and power
- citra
- Literal: bright, variegated, wonderful. Symbolic: Luminous consciousness; many-sided light of insight
- mehanā
- Literal: pouring, overflowing, abundant. Symbolic: Downpour of higher energy; abundance of consciousness-force
- rādhas
- Literal: gift, bounty, treasure. Symbolic: Spiritual riches: light, strength, joy, right action
- adrivaḥ
- Literal: stone-holder (wielder of the bolt/stone). Symbolic: Power that breaks inner obstruction; decisive force of illumination
- ubhayāhastyā
- Literal: with both hands. Symbolic: Integral giving—mind and life, knowledge and force, fully received
Soma-liturgy petition for rādhas (bounty) at Indra’s invocation; encouraging the ‘full-handed’ giving of the god.
During praise sequences to Indra, especially when seeking strength, rain/abundance, or victory in contests.
Recitation/chanting of ṛk with offering and mental intention of inviting Indra’s bounty.
Used as a mantra of integral receiving: invoke clarity + force before work, study, or decisive action; set intention to receive ‘fully’ rather than partially.
mehanā-: from √mih/√meh ‘to pour, to rain’ (cf. megha ‘cloud’), hence ‘abundantly streaming’. tvā-dātam: √dā ‘give’ emphasizes gift as a descent of power. rādhas-: often ‘bounty/grace’; psychologically ‘increase of being’ rather than material. vidad-vasu: √vid ‘find/know’ + vasu ‘good, wealth’—wealth as ‘goodness/essential substance’. ubhayāhasti ‘with both hands’ is an idiom for overflowing generosity.
rādhas as increase of inner substance, descent of divine giving (√dā) into the human vessel
Indra’s bounty descends when the seeker’s aspiration and offering align with ṛta—right movement and sincerity.
True riches are those that carry truth-power: light that organizes life, not mere gain.
Descent of higher plenitude into the human field; increase (vardhana) through right invocation.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent–descent dynamic, transformation of nature by higher consciousness.
Rain/overflow = descent of higher force; stone/bolt = decisive illumination breaking knots; treasure = gathered powers of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘full-handed giver’ Indra: after victory over obstruction, the god pours out rādhas (grace/treasure). The image ‘with both hands’ mythically encodes inexhaustible divine largesse; psychologically it is the ungrudging descent of force and joy into the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dā ‘give’ reflects PIE *deh₃- ‘give’ (cf. Greek dídōmi, Latin dōnum). √vid ‘know/find’ reflects PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’ (cf. Latin videō, English wit). √bhṛ reflects PIE *bʰer- ‘carry’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi approaches Indra as the conscious source of rādhas, not as chance fortune. The reciprocity is explicit: praise names Indra as ‘finder of wealth’, and the seer requests that this defining power become operative ‘for us’—a transfer of divine capacity into human life.
Receiving the higher Light and Force integrally—ask for the ‘best you can receive now’ and open to descent.
ājñā (illumined mind) with support into maṇipūra (will/force)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while repeating ā bhara as a downward ‘pouring’ cue.
Dynamic quietude: alert, uplifted, receptive.
Begin with a brief offering (Agni-will), then invoke Indra for clarity in decision and strength in execution; feel the gift descending ‘with both hands’ into thought and action.
Default Ṛgvedic accenting: udatta on marked syllables, svarita on following, anudatta elsewhere (exact pada-svara requires śākhā-specific notation).
Keep clear lift on vocatives (indra, adrivaḥ); emphasize ā bhara as the decisive downward call.
indra: roll light ‘r’, short ‘i’, citra: ‘ci’ as ‘chi’ (palatal), crisp ‘tra’, mehanā: aspirate ‘h’, long ‘ā’, adrivaḥ: clear ‘dri’, visarga as soft echo before pause, ubhayāhastyā: articulate compound: u-bha-yā-has-tyā
Bright, firm, invoking; end each pāda with a gentle settling to suggest descent.
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