Rig Veda 8.32.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 32, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.32
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
यः सृबिन्दमनर्शनिं पिप्रुं दासमहीशुवम् । वधीदुग्रो रिणन्नपः ॥
yáḥ sṛ́bindam ánarśaniṃ pípruṃ dāsám ahī́śuvam | vádhīd ugró riṇán ápaḥ ||
इंद्र ने जो स्रबिंद को मारा, वो बड़ा उग्र काम किया। पिप्रु नाम का दुश्मन था, वो भी गिर गया। उसने पानी को तोड़ के खोला, जैसे बंद पानी को बहाया हो। यह इंद्र की ताकत है जो अंधेरा हटा के धार को आज़ाद करती है।
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / य-
- सृबिन्दम्
- Sṛbinda (a foe/leader)Noun (proper/tribal name)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot सृबिन्द (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- अनर्शनिम्
- without a weapon / unarmedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (सृबिन्दम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot अन्-र्शनिन् (प्रातिपदिक; न-उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण)
- पिप्रुम्
- Pipru (a Dāsa foe)Noun (proper name)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot पिप्रु (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- दासम्
- the Dāsa (hostile non-Ārya)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (पिप्रुम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot दास (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहीशुवम्
- not having swift arrows / arrowlessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (पिप्रुम्/दासम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot अ-हीशु (प्रातिपदिक; न-उपसर्गयुक्त) + -व (वन्/वन्त्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण)
- वधीः
- he slewVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot वध् (धातु)
- उग्रः
- the fierce oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (यः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रिणन्
- injuring, harmingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (उग्रः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot रि / रिण् (धातु; ‘to injure, harm’)
- अपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जल’)
Sandhi Notes
- मन्त्रपाठे ‘यः सृबिन्दमनर्शनिं पिप्रुं दासमहीशुवम् । वधीदुग्रो रिणन्नपः ॥’ इति। संधिविच्छेदः: ‘सृबिन्दम् + अनर्शनिम्’ (अन्त्य-म् + आद्य-अ → म्-अ यथावत्), ‘दासम् + अहीशुवम्’ (म्-अ), ‘वधीद् + उग्रः’ (द् + उ → दु), ‘रिणन् + अपः’ (न् + अ → न्न). उच्चारणचिह्नाः (॑/॒) वैदिकस्वर-निर्देशकाः
- पदविभागे रूपपरिवर्तनं न कुर्वन्ति।
The meaning
Outer meaning
He, the fierce one, struck down Sṛbinda—Pipru, the Dāsa, serpent-aimed—cleaving open the waters.
Inner meaning
Indra’s illumination-force attacks specific formations of inner darkness and bondage: Sṛbinda and Pipru symbolize obstructive, enclosing powers (Dāsa = enslaving nature) armed with serpentine, subconscious movements (ahī-śu). By the blow of awakened mind, the blocked ‘waters’—streams of life-energy, inspiration, and feeling-knowledge—are opened and set flowing again.
Universal truth
When consciousness becomes fearless and lucid, it can name and strike the binding patterns; then the pent-up energies and inspirations release into free movement.
Themes
Vṛtra-type combat, water release, demon-slaying, liberation
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.32.3, RV 8.32.4
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns often catalogue Indra’s ‘slayings’ as symbolic victories over inner resistances, not mere tribal history.
Significance
The seer’s vision discriminates inner enemies by name—precision of insight is part of victory.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- ugra (fierce), vṛtrahan (theme), apāṃ bhartā/releaser of waters (theme)
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Breaker of the coverer; opener of the life-streams; champion of the gods’ light.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force that confronts subconscious fear and inertia and restores free circulation of consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma sacrifice; recited to invoke victory and release (apāṃ srava)
यः सृबि॑न्द॒मन॑र्शनिं॒ पिप्रुं॑ दा॒सम॑ही॒शुव॑म् । वधी॑दु॒ग्रो रि॒णन्न॒पः ॥
यः । सृबि॑न्दम् । अन॑र्शनिम् । पिप्रु॑म् । दा॒सम् । अ॒ही॒शुव॑म् । वधी॑त् । उ॒ग्रः । रि॒णन् । अ॒पः ॥
yaḥ | sṛbindam | anarśanim | piprum | dāsam | ahīśuvam | vadhīt | ugraḥ | riṇan | apaḥ
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4 padas × ~11 syllables
Martial, expansive, narrative of conquest
Energizes courage; evokes the sense of a decisive inner ‘breakthrough’.
- उग्रः (ugraḥ)
- Literal: fierce, formidable. Symbolic: the uncompromising intensity of awakened illumination
- दासम् (dāsam)
- Literal: slave/enslaver (Dāsa). Symbolic: the force of bondage in lower nature
- अहीशुवम् (ahīśuvam)
- Literal: serpent-aimed/serpent-shot. Symbolic: subconscient impulses that strike like a snake
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: currents of inspiration, life-force, and conscious flow
- रिणन् (riṇan)
- Literal: cleaving, breaking open. Symbolic: opening the sealed passages of inner energy
- वधीৎ (vadhīt)
- Literal: struck/slain. Symbolic: decisive overcoming of resistance
Indra-śastra/stotra material in Soma rites: recounting demon-slaying and water-release to invoke the same liberating force.
When seeking Indra’s help for overcoming obstacles; in stotra/śastra sequences (general)
Recitation accompanying offerings to Indra; remembrance of his victories
Use when feeling blocked: chant and visualize a sealed channel opening and energy flowing.
vadhīt from √vadh 'strike, slay'. ugra 'fierce' from a strength/force semantic. apas 'waters' are multivalent: physical waters, and symbolically streams of inspiration, life-force, and clarity. ahi 'serpent' is the constrictor archetype; a-hīśu-vam suggests a serpent-weapon/serpent-impulse. dāsa in RV often denotes hostile/other; inwardly, the enslaving habits of ignorance.
release of blocked energies (āpah), ignorance as constriction (ahi), Indra as liberator and opener
Waters flowing again signify re-entry into right order.
Seeing bondage clearly (Dāsa) is a form of satya; the blow follows truth-seeing.
Release of the waters as a recurring creation-motif: order arises when obstruction is broken.
Integral yoga psychology: subconscious resistances (serpent) must be confronted by illumined mind.
Waters = free movement of prāṇa and inspiration; serpent = coiled subconscient; storm = dynamic awakening.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Indra-combat and water-release pattern (Vṛtra-complex): Indra smites obstructing powers and opens the waters. Psychologically, he breaks the inner dam of inertia and releases currents of life and inspiration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The storm-god combat motif is broadly Indo-European (a heroic deity overcoming a constricting serpent/obstructor). The lexeme ahi 'serpent' parallels Indo-Iranian serpent terminology (Av. aži-). apas 'waters' is a well-attested IE noun (*h₂ep-), seen across branches.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi reactivates Indra’s archetypal victory through recital: by naming the obstructors and the opening of waters, the hymn calls Indra to repeat inwardly what he did cosmically—slaying constriction and freeing the seeker’s streams.
Identify one binding pattern; invoke Indra-force to cleave it and restore inner flow.
Maṇipūra (force to break inertia) supported by Ājñā (clear seeing)
Brisk, even breathing for 9 cycles, then slow chanting on long exhale.
Dynamic, battle-ready clarity that turns into relief and flow
After chanting, sit quietly and sense where energy is ‘dammed’; imagine a luminous strike opening it; then rest in the flow.
Maintain udātta lifts on key verbs/names; keep cadence steady across four padas (exact svara requires source).
Strike ‘vadhīd ugraḥ’ with firm emphasis; let ‘riṇann apaḥ’ descend into a sense of opening/flow.
sṛbindam: consonant cluster sṛ- clean; short i, anarśanim: keep ṛ/ś clear; avoid ‘sh’ blur, piprum: short i; final m audible, ahīśuvam: long ī; śu as palatal ś + u
Firm, resonant, percussive consonants
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