Rig Veda 4.23.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 23, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.23
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
कथा शृणोति हूयमानमिन्द्रः कथा शृण्वन्नवसामस्य वेद । का अस्य पूर्वीरुपमातयो ह कथैनमाहुः पपुरिं जरित्रे ॥
kathā́ śṛṇóti hūyámānam índraḥ kathā́ śṛṇván ávasām asya veda | kā́ asya pūrvī́r úpa-mātayo ha katháinam ā́huḥ pápuriṃ jaritré ||
呼ばれつつあるとき、インドラ（Indra）はいかにして聞くのか。聞きつつ、いかにして扶助の業を知るのか。彼の古き尺度と範（upamā）とは何か。讃える者（jaritṛ）に向けて、人はいかに彼を「飲む者」と語るのか。
Word by Word
- कथा
- how?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययRoot कथा (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- शृणोति
- he hearsVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, एकवचनRoot √श्रु (श्रवणे)
- हूयमानम्
- being invoked/calledParticipleवर्तमान-कालिक कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्/मान), पुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot √ह्वा (आह्वाने) → हूयमान (कृदन्त)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कथा
- how?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययRoot कथा (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- शृण्वन्
- hearingParticipleवर्तमान-कालिक कर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ), पुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot √श्रु (श्रवणे) → शृण्वत् (कृदन्त)
- अवसाम्
- of the helps/aidsNounनपुं., षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘help, aid’)
- अस्य
- of him/of this onePronounपुं./नपुं., षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वेद
- he knowsVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, एकवचनRoot √विद् (ज्ञाने)
- का
- which?/what?Pronounस्त्री., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of himPronounपुं./नपुं., षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वीः
- former/earlierAdjectiveस्त्री., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपमातयः
- comparisons/likenessesNounस्त्री., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उपमा-ति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘comparison/likeness’)
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/particle)Root ह (निपात)
- कथा
- how?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययRoot कथा (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम; एनद्-प्रयोग)
- आहुः
- they have said/they sayVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण), परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, बहुवचनRoot √अह्/√आह् (ब्रुवणे; ‘to say’)
- पपुः
- they have drunkVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण), परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, बहुवचनRoot √पा (पाने)
- अरिम्
- the enemyNounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अरि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘enemy/foe’)
- जरित्रे
- for the praiser/singerNounपुं., चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘singer/praiser’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): कथा | शृणोति | हूयमानम् | इन्द्रः | कथा | शृण्वन् | अवसाम् | अस्य | वेद | का | अस्य | पूर्वीः | उपमातयः | ह | कथा | एनम् | आहुः | पपुः | अरिम् | जरित्रे । प्रमुख संधि: (1) हूयमानम् + इन्द्रः → हूयमानमिन्द्रः (म् + इ → मि)
- (2) शृण्वन् + अवसाम् → शृण्वन्नवसाम् (न् + अ → न्न)
- (3) उपमातयः + ह → उपमातयो ह (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-परिणाम)
- (4) कथा + एनम् → कथैनम् (आ + ए → ऐ)
- (5) एनम् + आहुः → एनमाहुः (म् + आ → मा)
- (6) पपुः + अरिम् → पपुररिम् (उः + अ → उ र)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks how Indra hears when invoked, how he knows the acts of help; what are his ancient measures/standards, and how they describe him as the drinker for the praiser.
Inner meaning
The mantra explores the mechanics of grace: how the higher Mind (Indra) ‘hears’ the soul-call. Indra hears not as an external deity but as the awakened luminous consciousness within and above that responds when aspiration becomes true invocation (hūyamāna). ‘Knowing the helps’ (avasāṃ veda) indicates that illumination carries precise, timely interventions—intuitions, forces, protections. ‘Ancient measures’ (pūrvī upamātayaḥ) are the eternal laws/forms of inner realization—tested pathways of ascent. ‘Drinker’ (papuriṃ) points to Indra receiving Soma: the divine bliss that fuels illumination; psychologically, when the seeker offers delight and intensity of aspiration, the illumined mind is fed and grows active for the jaritṛ (the one who affirms/praises).
Universal truth
When the call is sincere and aligned, the higher intelligence responds. Help comes according to timeless inner laws, and joy (bliss) is not a byproduct but a necessary nourishment for stable illumination.
Themes
Invocation mechanics, Divine knowledge of help-acts, Tradition and ancient measures, Indra as Soma-drinker
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.17, RV 4.24, RV 4.26
Family tradition
Gautama hymns often combine praise with epistemic questions—how the gods operate in consciousness.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s inquiry is itself a method: questioning becomes a ladder from mental doubt to intuitive knowledge.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śṛṇvān (the Hearer), maghavan, soma-pā (Soma-drinker), satyaśravas (true-hearing, by sense)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati, Maruts
Cosmic role
Receives the Soma offering and, empowered, releases light and force; establishes wideness and victory.
Inner power
Intuitive hearing and decisive intelligence that responds to mantra-vibration; bliss-fed illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma praise in Soma-yajña; could accompany pressing/offerings where Indra is invoked as Soma-drinker.
क॒था शृ॑णोति हू॒यमा॑न॒मिन्द्र॑: क॒था शृ॒ण्वन्नव॑सामस्य वेद । का अ॑स्य पू॒र्वीरुप॑मातयो ह क॒थैन॑माहु॒: पपु॑रिं जरि॒त्रे ॥
क॒था । शृ॒णो॒ति॒ । हू॒यमा॑नम् । इन्द्रः॑ । क॒था । शृ॒ण्वन् । अव॑साम् । अ॒स्य॒ । वे॒द॒ । काः । अ॒स्य॒ । पू॒र्वीः । उप॑ऽमातयः । ह॒ । क॒था । ए॒न॒म् । आहुः॑ । पपु॑रिम् । ज॒रि॒त्रे ॥
kathā | śṛṇoti | hūyamānam | indraḥ | kathā | śṛṇvan | avasām | asya | veda | kāḥ | asya | pūrvīḥ | upa-mātayaḥ | ha | kathā | enam | āhuḥ | papurim | jaritre
44
4×11 (approx.)
interrogative yet flowing; alternating ‘kathā’ creates wave-like inquiry
Encourages inner listening; the repeated ‘kathā’ slows reactivity and turns attention to the subtle response of consciousness.
- हूयमान (hūyamāna)
- Literal: being called/invoked. Symbolic: the soul’s active aspiration and inward cry
- शृणोति (śṛṇoti)
- Literal: hears. Symbolic: conscious responsiveness of higher mind to true vibration
- अवस (avas)
- Literal: help, favor. Symbolic: interventions of grace: guidance, protection, empowering force
- उपमाति (upamāti)
- Literal: measure, standard. Symbolic: archetypal law of realization; stable criteria of truth
- पपुिर्/पपुिरिम् (papuriṃ)
- Literal: drinker. Symbolic: the power that ‘drinks’ Soma—absorbs bliss to act victoriously
- जरितृ (jaritṛ)
- Literal: praiser, singer. Symbolic: the affirming mind/voice that sustains aspiration through mantra
Reflective/interrogative segment: clarifies how invocation is received—relevant to correct performance of stotra and inner calling.
During Indra stotras or recitations seeking aid and victory.
Calling Indra, offering Soma, and affirming his standards/paths.
Use before chanting sessions: cultivate ‘true call’ (hūyamāna) and then sit to notice how guidance arrives (avas).
hūyámāna- from √hū ‘call, invoke’. ávas ‘help’ is a recurrent Vedic grace-term. úpa-māti-: upa ‘near’ + √mā ‘measure’ suggests ‘norms/standards by which one understands/approaches’; also resonates with upamā ‘comparison’. pápuri- (acc. pápurim) from √pā ‘drink’ with perfect participial formation: ‘having drunk’ → Soma-drinker Indra.
Hearing as divine receptivity (śruti principle in seed), Avas (grace/help), Upamā/measure as law (Rita-like standards)
‘Ancient measures’ imply ṛta as the timeless rule by which divine help operates.
Right hearing/knowing: the divine cognition that does not err in timing or measure.
Soma-fed powers expand consciousness and release hidden light.
Integral yogic hermeneutic: mantra as vibration that opens the supramental/intuitional hearing.
Call = aspiration; hearing = inner receptivity; Soma-drink = bliss energizing illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hearing god’ and the law of invocation: Indra is the Soma-drinker who responds to the call, but the hymn asks for the ancient standards by which this response operates. Psychologically, it is the question of how the higher force becomes attentive and active when summoned by aspiration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ and √vid ‘know’ form an archaic pair: divine audition and cognition. The emphasis on ‘ancient measures’ (mā) echoes inherited IE concern with measure/order as a cosmic principle (later explicit in ṛta).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks not only aid but understanding of the deity’s operative law—how Indra hears, knows, and measures his helps. This is a mature reciprocity: the human asks for a conscious, law-governed collaboration rather than a random boon.
Transform calling into a steady inner vibration; then practice receptive ‘hearing’ for guidance.
viśuddha (mantra/voice) and ājñā (inner hearing/intuition)
Ujjāyī lightly during chanting; then silent kumbhaka (comfortable pause) to ‘listen’.
Receptive intuition (śravaṇa → pratyakṣa-like inner knowing).
Chant 3–9 times, then ask inwardly: ‘How does the Light hear me?’ Wait for a measured, peaceful clarity rather than excitement.
Observe marked udātta (॑) on indraḥ etc.; keep ‘kathā’ clear and even; do not over-accent unmarked syllables.
Maintain long vowels: kathā, śṛṇvān(n), avasām; keep anusvāra/ṃ in hūyamānam nasal and light.
kathā: aspirate ‘th’ (dental), śṛṇoti: retroflex ‘ṛ’ clean; ‘ṇ’ retroflex, hūyamānam: long ū; ‘y’ consonantal, avasām: ‘v’ not ‘b’; long ā, papuriṃ: ‘pa-pu-riṃ’ with final nasalized ṃ
listening-oriented, smooth, not forceful
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