Rig Veda 8.91.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 91, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.91
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इमानि त्रीणि विष्टपा तानीन्द्र वि रोहय । शिरस्ततस्योर्वरामादिदं म उपोदरे ॥
imā́ni trī́ṇi viṣṭápā tā́ny indra ví rohaya | śíras tátasyorvárām ā́d idáṃ ma úpa udáre ||
यह तीन दुनिया, यह सब जगह, इंद्र, इनको ऊपर उठा। उसके सिर से वो खेत निकाल जहां बरकत हो। यह भी मेरे अंदर, मेरे दिल के पास रख दे।
Word by Word
- इमानि
- thesePronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रीणि
- threeNumeral/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- विष्टपाः
- worlds/regions (the three realms)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot विष्टप (प्रातिपदिक) < वि-√स्तभ्/स्तम्भ् ‘स्थापयति, आधारयति’ (व्युत्पत्त्यर्थः: ‘स्थापित-स्थानानि/लोकाः’)
- तानि
- those (same)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper) संबोधनपुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन; एकवचनRole (सम्बोधन)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषक)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- रोहय
- make (them) ascend/raiseVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √रुह् (रुहँ आरोहणे) + णिच् (causative) → रोहय-
- शिरः
- head, summitNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ततस्य
- of the stretched one / of the expanseNoun/Adjective (genitive)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root तत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘तत्’/‘तत’ = stretched/extended; RV में ‘तत’ ‘तन्तु/विस्तार’ से संबद्ध)
- उर्वराम्
- the fertile field/earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot उर्वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- unto, up toIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (समन्तात्/आगमन/आरोहण-भाव)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- इदम्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- for me / of mePronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole Sampradāna (beneficiary)/SambandhaRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उपोदरे
- in/at the lower belly; in the wombNoun (locative) / Adverbial locativeनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot उप-उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): इमानि त्रीणि विष्टपाः तानि इन्द्र वि रोहय । शिरः ततस्य उर्वराम् आ इदम् मे उपोदरे ॥ 1) तानीन्द्र → तानि + इन्द्र (स्वर-सन्धि/स्वरवृद्धि के साथ संहितापाठ)
- 2) त॒तस्यो॒र्वरा॒म् → ततस्य + उर्वराम् (स्वर-सन्धि: अ + उ → ओ; संहितायां ‘स्यो’)
- 3) आदिदं → आ + इदम् (आ + इ → ऐ/ए-प्रवृत्ति; संहितापाठ में ‘आदिदम्’)
- 4) म उपोदरे → मे + उपोदरे (ए + उ → ओ; संहितायां ‘मोपोदरे’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to raise up the three worlds/regions; from the head of ‘that one’ bring out a fertile field, and place it within me near the belly/depth.
Inner meaning
The ‘three viṣṭapās’ are three ordered planes of consciousness (physical, vital, mental) that must be lifted into their true growth by Indra’s illumined force. ‘From the head’ suggests drawing out from the highest principle (mind’s summit / higher consciousness) a ‘field’ (urvarā) of increase—fertility of truth and power—and establishing it in the seeker’s inner depth (‘upodare’), i.e., in the embodied life so realization becomes stable and fruitful, not merely mental.
Universal truth
Spiritual life is not escape upward alone; it is the raising and harmonizing of all planes, and the bringing of higher light into embodied living so it becomes a field of growth for works, character, and joy.
Themes
Triple world uplift, Inner growth, Fertility as consciousness-increase, Indra as raiser
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.91.3, Rig Veda 8.91.4, Rig Veda 8.91.6, Rig Veda 8.91.7
Significance
A distinctly integral aspiration: not only illumination above, but a fertile transformation established in the bodily-life depth—suggesting a yoga of embodiment.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- World-raiser (implicit), Bringer of growth (vi-rohaya)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Uplifts and stabilizes the worlds by releasing light and ordering powers.
Inner power
Ascending force of illumination that reorganizes the threefold nature and makes it fruitful.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within offerings seeking increase and establishment
इ॒मानि॒ त्रीणि॑ वि॒ष्टपा॒ तानी॑न्द्र॒ वि रो॑हय । शिर॑स्त॒तस्यो॒र्वरा॒मादि॒दं म॒ उपो॒दरे॑ ॥
इ॒मानि॑ । त्रीणि॑ । वि॒ष्टपा॑ । तानि॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । वि । रो॒ह॒य॒ । शिरः॑ । त॒तस्य॑ । उ॒र्वरा॑म् । आत् । इ॒दम् । मे॒ । उप॑ । उ॒दरे॑ ॥
imāni | trīṇi | viṣṭapā | tāni | indra | vi | rohaya | śiraḥ | tatasya | urvarām | āt | idam | me | upa | udare
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4 × 8 (approx.)
Directive, imperative rhythm; feels like a constructive command to the force of illumination.
Elicits upward lift in the spine and a sense of widening/grounding simultaneously.
- त्रीणि विष्टपा (trīṇi viṣṭapā)
- Literal: three abodes/regions. Symbolic: threefold world of our nature (body-life-mind) to be reordered by illumination
- वि रोहय (vi rohaya)
- Literal: cause to grow/ascend, raise up. Symbolic: evolutionary uplift and expansion of the planes into their divine possibility
- शिरः (śiraḥ)
- Literal: head. Symbolic: summit of consciousness; higher mind/source of directive light
- उर्वराम् (urvarām)
- Literal: fertile field. Symbolic: productive wideness—capacity for growth of truth, force, and right works
- उपोदरे (upodare)
- Literal: near/within the belly; inward depth. Symbolic: the embodied center where life is digested and assimilated—making realization organic
Soma praise/Indra stuti with transformative petition; imagery of ‘raising the three worlds’ aligns with ritual elevation and inner ascent accompanying Soma inspiration.
When invoking Indra for ‘growth’ and ‘increase’ (prosperity/expansion)
Recitation accompanying oblations; symbolic ‘raising’ of the sacrifice’s worlds
Mantra for integration: after meditation, chant to bring higher clarity into daily life and the body’s habits.
: from vi-√ā/√sthap ‘to stand, be established’ with nominal formation; ‘established abodes/levels’. : causative/imperative of √ ‘to rise, grow, mount’ with vi- ‘apart/upward expansion’. : ‘fertile ground/field’, connected with √/uru ‘broad, expansive’—symbolically the wideness that can receive growth. : ‘belly, interior’; in RV often a locus of holding/containing—psychologically the vital receptacle.
triple world/triple being harmonization, expansion and ascent (vi-ruh) toward ṛta-order
The request is to align the three planes into Ṛta—true order and functioning.
‘Head’ as Satya-source; truth must become ‘field’ (productive reality).
Manifestation: higher principle becomes fertile ground in embodied existence.
Integral Vedanta (Aurobindo): transformation of mind-life-body by descent from higher consciousness.
Spring (suggested by growth/fertility imagery)
Inner terrain becoming fertile: the psyche as a field where light-seeds can grow into stable qualities and works.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the power that ‘raises’ and establishes the triple world/being—an ascent-myth (worlds set in their right stature) rather than a genealogical tale. The ‘urvarā from the head’ encodes emergence of fertile wideness from a summit of consciousness (vision generating abundance).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘rise/grow’ is an Indo-Iranian continuation of a PIE growth/ascending semantic complex (cf. Germanic *reuh- ‘rough/hairy’ is different; but the ‘rise/grow’ family is well represented in IE with various roots—here the key is archaic causative usage). √ā in viṣṭapā reflects PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’ (clear cognates: Latin stāre, English stand).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi petitions Indra to act as cosmic architect within the human: uplift the ‘three’ and place the fertile wideness into the aspirant’s inner center. The relationship is pedagogic and transformative: Indra reorganizes the being into a higher, growth-capable order.
Lift the threefold nature upward; then seat the gained light in the belly-center for assimilation.
Manipura (assimilation/fire of transformation) with support from Ajna (head/summit)
Inhale: feel ascent through spine (‘vi rohaya’). Exhale: settle light into navel region (‘upodare’).
Widened, organized, embodied clarity.
After invoking Indra, visualize three layers (body-life-mind) rising into harmony. Then concentrate at the navel, imagining a golden field where the higher light becomes workable power and steady habit.
Svara not certain without source; chant with uplift on imperatives ‘indra vi rohaya’.
Mark the triad clearly: ‘imāni trīṇi viṣṭapā’; pause slightly before ‘śiraḥ’.
: viṣ-ṭa-pā (retroflex ṭ), : ro-ha-ya (clear ‘h’), : ur-va-rām (soft ‘v’), : u-po-da-re (light dental ‘d’)
Commanding yet steady; a ‘builder’ tone.
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