Rig Veda 3.49.1: Mandala 3, Sukta 49, Mantra 1
Sukta 3.49
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
शंसा महामिन्द्रं यस्मिन्विश्वा आ कृष्टयः सोमपाः काममव्यन् । यं सुक्रतुं धिषणे विभ्वतष्टं घनं वृत्राणां जनयन्त देवाः ॥
śaṃsā́ mahā́m índraṃ yásmin víśvā ā́ kṛ́ṣṭayaḥ somapā́ḥ kā́mam ávyan | yáṃ sukrátuṃ dhiṣáṇe vibhvatáṣṭaṃ ghnáṃ vṛtrā́ṇāṃ janáyanta devā́ḥ ||
われは偉大なるインドラを讃える。彼のうちに、ソーマを飲むすべての民はその願いを織り込んだ。強き意志をもつ彼は、二つの霊感（ディーシャナー）において形づくられ、障碍を打ち砕き、ヴリトラを撃つ者として――神々により生み出された。
Word by Word
- शंसा
- praise (as an utterance)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot शंस् (धातु) / शंसā (प्रातिपदिक) भाववाचक
- महाम्
- greatAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यस्मिन्
- in whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (कृष्टयः विशेषण)Role KartāRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- कृष्टयः
- peoples, tribesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot कृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमपाः
- Soma-drinkersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (कृष्टयः का विशेषण)Role KartāRoot सोमपा (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पा ‘पीने वाला’)
- कामम्
- desire, wishNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot काम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव्यन्
- they attained / obtainedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot अव् (धातु) ‘रक्षा/तृप्ति/प्राप्ति’ (वेदिक प्रयोग: ‘प्राप्त/लभ्’)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुक्रतुम्
- of good resolve/powerAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (यम्/इन्द्रम् विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot सु-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- धिषणे
- the two Dhīṣaṇās (inspirations/insights)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot धिषणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- विभ्वतष्टम्
- fashioned mightily / widely hewnAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (यम्/इन्द्रम् विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot वि-भ्व-तष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √तक्ष् ‘तक्षति’ + उपसर्ग वि; ‘भ्व’ तीव्र/विस्तार सूचक)
- घनम्
- smasher, strikerNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (यम्/इन्द्रम् विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot घन (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्राणाम्
- of the Vṛtras/obstaclesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनयन्त
- they generated/producedVerbलङ् (इम्परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot जन् (धातु) ‘जनयति’ (णिजन्त)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): शंसा॑ | म॒हाम् | इन्द्रम् | यस्मिन् | विश्वाः | आ | कृष्टयः | सोमपाः | कामम् | अव्यन् । यम् | सुक्रतुम् | धिषणे | विभ्वतष्टम् | घनम् | वृत्राणाम् | जनयन्त | देवाः ॥ मुख्य सन्धि: (1) यस्मिन् + विश्वाः → यस्मिन् विश्वाः (सन्धि नहीं, पदसीमा) (2) आ + कृष्टयः → आ कृष्टयः (उपसर्ग/निपात ‘आ’ पृथक्) (3) सोमपाः + कामम् → सोमपाः कामम् (4) धिषणे + विभ्वतष्टम् → धिषणे विभ्वतष्टम्
- स्वर/उदात्त-चिह्न पाठानुसार: शंसा॑, इन्द्रं॒, यस्मि॒न्, विश्वा॒, कृ॒ष्टय॑:, सोम॒पाः, काम॒म्, अव्य॑न्, सु॒क्रतुं॑, धि॒षणे॑, वृ॒त्राणां॑, जनय॑न्त, दे॒वाः
The meaning
Outer meaning
I proclaim great Indra in whom all Soma-drinking peoples have woven their desire; him, strong-willed, fashioned in the two Inspirations, smiter of Vṛtras—the gods brought to birth.
Inner meaning
The collective aspiring parts of the being (‘all the peoples’) weave their desire into Indra—the awakened luminous Mind that can hold and fulfill the soul’s seeking. Indra is sukratu: of good will and effective intention; he is shaped in the two dhiṣaṇā (the twin inspirations/powers of understanding—often read as thought and intuition, or the two luminous faculties that frame right knowledge). Thus formed, he becomes ghana of vṛtrāṇām: the striker of inner coverers. The ‘gods’ (higher powers) bring this Indra to birth within us when aspiration and right inspiration cooperate.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes collective and coherent, higher faculties shape a new governing intelligence in us; that intelligence naturally destroys obstruction and leads the evolution.
Themes
praise as power, collective aspiration, birth of the champion, obstruction-crushing
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Kauśika lineage in later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.49.2-3, RV 3.53, RV 3.62.10
Family tradition
Vision of collective aspiration and the birth of a greater governing consciousness—characteristic of Viśvāmitra’s widening movement.
Significance
The rishi emphasizes ‘birth’ of divine powers in the human: here Indra is generated by the gods through inspired faculties, suggesting an inner evolutionary process.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- mahān, sukratu, vṛtra-ghna (ghanaṃ vṛtrāṇām), somapā (contextual)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Sarasvatī (inspiration), Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Central power of luminous sovereignty enabling the worlds to expand and function in right order.
Inner power
A newly born governing intelligence shaped by higher inspiration, capable of unifying desire and breaking resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma ritual cycles; also general stotra for strength and victory
शंसा॑ म॒हामिन्द्रं॒ यस्मि॒न्विश्वा॒ आ कृ॒ष्टय॑: सोम॒पाः काम॒मव्य॑न् । यं सु॒क्रतुं॑ धि॒षणे॑ विभ्वत॒ष्टं घ॒नं वृ॒त्राणां॑ ज॒नय॑न्त दे॒वाः ॥
शंसा॑ । म॒हाम् । इन्द्र॑म् । यस्मि॑न् । विश्वाः॑ । आ । कृ॒ष्टयः॑ । सो॒म॒ऽपाः । काम॑म् । अव्य॑न् । यम् । सु॒ऽक्रतु॑म् । धि॒षणे॑ । वि॒भ्व॒ऽत॒ष्टम् । घ॒नम् । वृ॒त्राणा॑म् । ज॒नय॑न्त । दे॒वाः ॥
śaṃsā | mahām | indram | yasmin | viśvāḥ | ā | kṛṣṭayaḥ | soma-pāḥ | kāmam | avyan | yam | su-kratum | dhiṣaṇe | vibhva-taṣṭam | ghanam | vṛtrāṇām | janayanta | devāḥ
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4×11; declarative praise with strong third pāda punch on ‘ghanaṃ vṛtrāṇām’.
Proclamatory and stately; balances breadth (mahām) with striking force (ghanaṃ).
Gives a sense of collective gathering and inner birth; stabilizes aspiration into a formed power.
- śaṃsā
- Literal: I proclaim/praise. Symbolic: articulation of truth that strengthens the invoked power
- mahām indram
- Literal: great Indra. Symbolic: vast illumined mind beyond ego
- viśvāḥ kṛṣṭayaḥ
- Literal: all peoples/communities. Symbolic: all parts of the being (thought, life, senses) turning upward
- somapāḥ
- Literal: Soma-drinkers. Symbolic: those capable of receiving Ananda as nourishment
- kāmam avyan
- Literal: wove desire. Symbolic: integrated aspiration, a unified longing
- sukratu
- Literal: good-willed, good in resolve. Symbolic: effective spiritual intention aligned with truth
- dhiṣaṇe
- Literal: the two Inspirations. Symbolic: dual luminous faculties shaping right perception (intuition and discerning thought)
- vibhvataṣṭam
- Literal: fashioned mightily. Symbolic: powerfully formed inner capacity, not accidental
- ghanaṃ vṛtrāṇām
- Literal: smiter of obstructers. Symbolic: force of illumination that breaks coverings
- janayanta devāḥ
- Literal: the gods brought to birth. Symbolic: higher powers awaken the illumined mind in the seeker
Praise-hymn framing Indra as the collectively invoked power in Soma rites; supports communal invocation and aspiration.
During communal rites where collective intention is emphasized; before key offerings seeking victory/plenitude.
Proclamation (śaṃsā) as a strengthening act; aligns group mind with the deity-power.
Group meditation/chanting to build a shared field of aspiration; useful before collaborative work to invoke clear collective intelligence.
krátu from √kṛ ‘do/make’ with sense ‘effective resolve’ → inner executive intelligence. avyan from √ve/√vī ‘to weave’ → aspiration woven into a coherent intention. dhiṣáṇā is a Vedic term for inspired intelligence; dual suggests paired powers (vision + execution). ghná from √han/√ghn ‘strike’ → ‘smasher’.
kratu (effective will), dhī/dhiṣaṇā (inspiration), weaving (vāy) as formation of intention, Vṛtra as obstruction
Indra’s birth in dhiṣaṇā indicates r̥ta as right cognition shaping right action.
Truth becomes effective (kratu) when desire is woven into a single aim.
The gods ‘generate’ a new power in humanity through inspired formation—an inner creation.
Vedic psychology leading toward Upaniṣadic innerization (birth of divine faculties in man).
Weaving = integration of aspiration; Soma = Ananda nourishment; birth = awakening of higher faculty; striking = breaking subconscious coverings.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra is ‘generated’ by the gods as the obstruction-crusher, while humans ‘weave’ desire into him: a co-creative myth where divine origination and human aspiration meet to manifest the victorious power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Weaving as a metaphor for poetic/ritual construction is pan-IE. The heroic epithet system (mahān, ghna) and the abstract kratu (effective resolve) reflect an early IE capacity for psychological abstraction in ritual poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s praise is not descriptive but generative (śaṃsā): it aligns the collective kāma (aspiration) of the faculties/people with Indra’s kratu, enabling the ‘birth’ of the champion-force in the present moment.
Unify scattered desires into one upward aspiration; invite the ‘birth’ of a governing clarity shaped by intuition and discernment.
ājñā (formation in inspiration) with sahasrāra (descent of higher powers)
Alternate-nostril breathing 6 rounds to balance the ‘two dhiṣaṇā’, then gentle natural breathing with silent repetition of the verse.
Collected, widened, quietly powerful.
Before chanting, gather all parts (body, breath, emotions, thoughts) and offer a single intention. After chanting, sit 3 minutes in stillness, noticing a new ‘center of command’ above the mind.
Udatta emphasis on índram, víśvāḥ, sómapāḥ, sukrátum; observe svarita falls at phrase turns per śākhā.
Keep breadth on ‘mahām indram’; sharpen articulation on ‘ghanaṃ vṛtrāṇām’.
‘kṛṣṭayaḥ’ with retroflex ṣṭ; keep short aḥ ending, ‘vibhvataṣṭam’ articulate bhv and ṣṭ clearly, ‘dhiṣaṇe’ retroflex ṣ; long e, Avoid turning ‘avyan’ into ‘avyan’ with extra vowel—keep two syllables a-vyan
Stately, expansive; increase firmness on the third pāda.
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