Rig Veda 8.32.9: Mandala 8, Sukta 32, Mantra 9
Sukta 8.32
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī or Anuṣṭubh-like short meter
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
उत नो गोमतस्कृधि हिरण्यवतो अश्विनः । इळाभिः सं रभेमहि ॥
utá no gómatas kṛdhi híraṇyavato aśvínaḥ | iḷā́bhiḥ sáṃ rabhāmahi ||
हमें धन और सोना दे के अमीर बना दो। घोड़ों की ताकत दे। इला देवी की शक्ति से हम इस सब को पकड़ लें।
Word by Word
- उत
- and; also; moreoverIndeclinableनिपात (समुच्चय/अथवा-भाव)Root उत (निपात)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessive relation)Root अस्मद्
- गोमतः
- of cattle/wealth in cows; rich in cowsAdjective (used substantively)षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (गोमत्-धन/गोमद्-सम्पद् as neuter collective)Role सम्बन्ध (source/possession with कृधि)Root गोमत् (गो- + मतुप्)
- कृधि
- make (it); make (us)Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ-प्रेरणा (addressed to the Aśvins: ‘make’)Root कृ (करणे)
- हिरण्यवतः
- of gold; rich in goldAdjective (used substantively)षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (hiraṇyavat-wealth as neuter collective)Role सम्बन्ध (with कृधि)Root हिरण्यवत् (हिरण्य + मतुप्)
- अश्विनः
- O AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)सम्बोधन (vocative), द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधन (addressee)Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इळाभिः
- with refreshments/offerings (iḷā); with invocationsNounतृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole करण (means/instrument)Root इळा (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग (verb-prefix)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- रभेमहि
- we take hold; we grasp; we obtainVerbलट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole कर्ता (we as subject)Root रभ् (आलम्भे/ग्रहणे) + सम्
Sandhi Notes
- उ॒त नो॒ = उत् + नः (निपात + सर्वनाम)
- गोम॑तस्कृधि = गोमतः + कृधि (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः; sandhi: -तस् + कृ- → -तस्कृ-)
- हिर॑ण्यवतो अ॒श्विन॑: = हिरण्यवतः + अश्विनः (visarga before vowel: -तः + अ- → -तो अ-)
- इळा॑भि॒: सं र॑भेमहि = इळाभिः + सम् + रभेमहि (उपसर्ग ‘सम्’ separated in pada-text style)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Make us possessed of cows (gomat), of golden riches, and of horses; by the powers of iḷā may we firmly seize (attain) the plenitude.
Inner meaning
The prayer is for inner riches: go (cows) as rays of knowledge, hiraṇya as golden fullness (luminous value/beauty), and aśva as vital energies for action. With iḷā—receptive inspired intelligence and right-formed speech/vision—the seeker ‘grasps’ (saṃ rabhemahi) the plenitude so it becomes stable attainment, not a passing glimpse.
Universal truth
A complete growth needs knowledge (light), value/joy (golden fullness), and energy (horse-force), unified by receptive intuition (iḷā) that can hold what is received.
Themes
Illumination as wealth, Inner prosperity, Nourishment and right distribution, Empowerment
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.130 (go as light-rays theme), RV 8.48 (Soma and inner riches motifs, stylistic kinship)
Family tradition
Pragmatic-yogic petitions typical of Kāṇva Indra hymns: light, gold, and horse-force as a triad of inner prosperity.
Significance
The seer seeks integral perfection: illumination (go), fullness (hiraṇya), and energy (aśva), stabilized by iḷā (intuitive order).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan (giver), Somapāḥ (contextual), Goṣṭhā (protector of the cows—implicit Indra function)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī/Iḷā, Bṛhaspati (opening the cows), Soma
Cosmic role
Opener of the cows (rays) and releaser of treasures; empowers the life-force for divine works.
Inner power
Illumination that brings knowledge, enriches substance, and energizes action; integrates gains through iḷā.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra boon-request within Soma ritual frame
उ॒त नो॒ गोम॑तस्कृधि॒ हिर॑ण्यवतो अ॒श्विन॑: । इळा॑भि॒: सं र॑भेमहि ॥
उ॒त । नः॒ । गोऽम॑तः । कृ॒धि॒ । हिर॑ण्यऽवतः । अ॒श्विनः॑ । इळा॑भिः । सम् । र॒भे॒म॒हि॒ ॥
uta | naḥ | go-mataḥ | kṛdhi | hiraṇya-vataḥ | aśvinaḥ | iḷābhiḥ | sam | rabhemahi
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4 × ~11 syllables (approx.)
Enumerative and building (go → gold → horse), ending with a firm ‘grasp’ cadence.
Gives a sense of accumulation and consolidation—helpful for integrating meditation gains.
- go-mat
- Literal: possessed of cows. Symbolic: filled with rays of light/knowledge, illumined perceptions
- hiraṇya-vat
- Literal: possessed of gold. Symbolic: luminous richness—inner value, splendour, refined substance of consciousness
- aśvinaḥ
- Literal: having horses. Symbolic: endowed with vital energies and effective powers of action
- iḷābhiḥ
- Literal: with iḷās (powers of iḷā). Symbolic: intuitive-receptive intelligence; inspired formulation that makes truth workable
- saṃ rabhemahi
- Literal: may we seize/hold together. Symbolic: stable assimilation and integration of higher gains
Boon-request sequence: asks for go/hiraṇya/aśva as inner riches; iḷā indicates ritual nourishment and right sharing; may be used in contexts of dakṣiṇā/wealth prayers within soma worship.
After praise, when asking for prosperity and strength
Recitation with offerings; request for ‘gomat/hiraṇyavat/aśvin’ prosperity
For students/creatives: chant to invoke light (clarity), golden value (confidence/inner richness), and energy (execution), then sit to ‘hold’ the insight.
go-mat ‘having cows’ (go as light-rays). hiraṇya- ‘gold’ (radiance; in RV often solar/brilliant). aśva- ‘horse’ (PIE *h₁éḱwos). iḷā́: RV term for ‘refreshment/nourishing offering’, also a goddess-name of ‘nourishment and right distribution’; √rabh ‘to grasp’ (cf. semantic parallels in Indo-European ‘grab’ not direct cognate).
illumination (go), plenitude and right enjoyment (iḷā), integration/firm possession (saṃ-rabh)
iḷā represents right arrangement—ṛta in intelligence—so that gains are harmonized.
The ‘cows’ are satya-perceptions released from concealment.
Unveiling and stabilizing the hidden riches in the ‘cave’ of the being.
Aurobindonian symbolism: cows as illuminations; horses as life-energy; gold as luminous substance (ananda/value).
Cows = rays of understanding; gold = solar fullness of consciousness; horses = prāṇic dynamism under a higher lead.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The acquisition of the ‘three riches’—light (cows), radiance (gold), force (horses)—so the aspirants can ‘grasp’ (rabh) the plenitude through iḷā, the nourishing right order of offering and enjoyment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva- continues PIE *h₁éḱwos (Latin equus, Old Irish ech). The possessive -mat (go-mat) is an old Indo-Iranian adjectival formation for ‘having X’, reflecting inherited morphology for possession.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks a transformation of status (‘make us go-mat…’): Indra’s gift is not external goods but capacities of consciousness—illumination, radiance, and force—so the community can securely hold the attained state (saṃ rabhāmahi).
Integrate illumination into life: receive rays of knowledge, then mobilize energy to act; end by ‘holding’ the realization steadily.
Ājñā (light/cows) + Maṇipūra (horse-force) with a stabilizing base in Mūlādhāra (holding)
Inhale imagining golden light (hiraṇya) filling the brow; exhale sending it into the belly for action (aśva).
Bright, empowered, integrated.
After chanting, write one clear intention (iḷā as formulation) and take one small action—this is ‘saṃ rabhemahi’ in practice.
Follow saṃhitā accent marks; keep compounds (gomatas, hiraṇyavato, aśvinaḥ) smoothly connected.
Slight emphasis on the enumerated riches; land firmly on ‘saṃ rabhemahi’ as a consolidating cadence.
‘gomatas’ with clear dental t, ‘hiraṇyavato’ with ṇ and vato (va-to), ‘aśvinaḥ’ with ś (palatal) not s, ‘iḷābhiḥ’ with retroflex ḷ (tongue curled)
Bright and clear, with a grounded finish.
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