Rig Veda 1.33.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 33, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.33
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उपेदहं धनदामप्रतीतं जुष्टां न श्येनो वसतिं पतामि । इन्द्रं नमस्यन्नुपमेभिरर्कैर्यः स्तोतृभ्यो हव्यो अस्ति यामन् ॥
upéd aháṃ dhanadā́m ápratītaṃ júṣṭāṃ ná śyéno vásatiṃ patāmi | índraṃ namasyán upamébhiḥ arkáir yáḥ stotṛ́bhyo hávyo ásti yā́man ||
ನಾನು ಆ ಅಪ್ರತಿಹತ ಧನದಾತನ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಸೇರುತ್ತೇನೆ—ಪ್ರಿಯ ವಸತಿಗೆ ಶ್ಯೇನ (ಗಿಡುಗ) ಹಾರುವಂತೆ. ಯೋಗ್ಯ ಅರ್ಕಗಳ (ಸ್ತುತಿಗೀತೆಗಳ) ಮೂಲಕ ಇಂದ್ರನಿಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕರಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ; ಯಾತ್ರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ತೋತೃಗಳಿಗೆ ಹವ್ಯ (ಆಹುತಿ)ಯಾಗಿ ಇರುವವನು—ಆಹ್ವಾನದ ಉತ್ತರವಾಗಿಯೂ ಪೋಷಣವಾಗಿಯೂ ಆಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.
Word by Word
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root उप (उपसर्ग) / upa
- इद्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Root इद् (निपात) / id
- अहम्
- IPronounपुं/स्त्री (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / aham
- धनदाम्
- the wealth-giver (f.)Noun (epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धनदा (प्रातिपदिक; धन + दा) / dhanadā
- अप्रतीतम्
- unopposed; not resisted / not turned backAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (धनदाम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot अ-प्रतीत (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति-√इ/ई ‘to go/approach’ → प्रतीत ‘approached/accepted’, with privative अ-) / apratīta
- जुष्टाम्
- favored, pleasingAdjective (PPP)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (धनदाम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot जुष्ट (PPP of √जुष् ‘to enjoy, favor’) / juṣṭa
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न (निपात) / na
- श्येनः
- a falcon, hawkNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमान-कर्तृ) / appositional to अहम्Root श्येन (प्रातिपदिक) / śyena
- वसतिम्
- dwelling, abodeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वसति (प्रातिपदिक; √वस् ‘to dwell’) / vasati
- पतामि
- I flyVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √पत् / pat
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (नमस्यन् इत्यस्य)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) / indra
- नमस्यन्
- doing reverence; worshippingVerbal (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अहम् इत्यस्य)Role Kartā (सह-क्रिया/भाव)Root √नमस् / namas (denom. verb ‘to do reverence’)
- उपमेभिः
- with the best / with excellent (ones)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot उपम (प्रातिपदिक) / upama
- अर्कैः
- with hymns, praisesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) / arka
- यः
- whoPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अस्ति इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / yad
- स्तोतृभ्यः
- to the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तु ‘to praise’ + तृ) / stotṛ
- हव्यः
- to be invoked/offered; worthy of oblationAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (यः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (अस्ति इत्यस्य; विशेषणरूपेण)Root हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘to offer/call’ → ‘to be offered’) / havya
- अस्ति
- isVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √अस् / as
- यामन्
- in the course/at the time (of the rite/journey)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वेदिक रूप; ‘यामनि’ अर्थे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यामन् (प्रातिपदिक) / yāman
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उप | इद् | अहम् | धनदाम् | अप्रतीतम् | जुष्टाम् | न | श्येनः | वसतिम् | पतामि || इन्द्रम् | नमस्यन् | उपमेभिः | अर्कैः | यः | स्तोतृभ्यः | हव्यः | अस्ति | यामन् || 1) उपेदहं = उप + इद् + अहम् (इद्-निपातः; संहितायां इद् → एद्, तथा उप + एद् → उपेद्; ततः उपेद् + अहम् → उपेदहं)
- 2) धनदाम् अप्रतीतम् जुष्टाम्—त्रयः विशेषण-सम्बन्धाः (स्त्री. द्वि. एक.) एकस्य कर्मपदस्य (धनदाम्) विशेषणानि
- 3) नमस्यन्नुपमेभिः = नमस्यन् + उपमेभिः (अन्त्यन् + उ- आरम्भे संधिः; लेखने ‘न्नु’)
- 4) अर्कैर्यः = अर्कैः + यः (विसर्गस्य यकारे लोपः/रकारादेशः: -ैः + य- → -ैर्य-)
- 5) यामन्—वेदिक सप्तमी एकवचन (यामनि इत्यर्थे) नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक ‘यामन्’
The meaning
Outer meaning
I fly to the unopposed giver of wealth like a falcon to a beloved home. Bowing with fitting hymns, I honor Indra who is the oblation for the singers in the journey.
Inner meaning
The seeker’s consciousness rises swiftly (śyena) toward the unresisted source of plenitude (dhanadā, apratīta). Indra is not merely a distant power; in the very movement of the path (yāman) he becomes ‘havyá’—the living offering and answering presence for the aspirant: the call, its response, and the nourishment it brings. With upamā-arkas (well-shaped, fitting hymns), the seeker aligns speech and mind to the right vibration, making the inner flight homeward to the divine seat (vasati).
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes single-pointed and heartfelt, the divine help is experienced not as external reward but as immediate sustenance on the path—guiding, feeding, and answering the call within the journey itself.
Themes
approach to Indra, falcon symbolism, hymn as vehicle, inner journey
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.33.1, RV 1.33.3-13 (Indra stuti sequence)
Family tradition
Gautama hymns often show a refined relationship of prayer and inner approach—precision of word (arka) and direct ascent (śyena).
Significance
Embodies the yogic method: right speech + right aspiration = swift approach to the divine home; the deity becomes experiential nourishment, not concept.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Dhanadā (giver of wealth), Apratīta (unopposed), Havya (the oblation for the singers, here)
- Related deities
- Agni (carrier of offerings), Soma (delight that rewards the ascent), Bṛhaspati (power of the word/arka)
Cosmic role
Receives and answers the call; grants victory and plenitude; carries the journey through the mid-world by illumination.
Inner power
Responsive luminous intelligence that becomes tangible support in practice; transforms aspiration into lived strength.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma setting; also general praise as approach (upasthāna) to the deity.
उपेद॒हं ध॑न॒दामप्र॑तीतं॒ जुष्टां॒ न श्ये॒नो व॑स॒तिं प॑तामि । इन्द्रं॑ नम॒स्यन्नु॑प॒मेभि॑र॒र्कैर्यः स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ हव्यो॒ अस्ति॒ याम॑न् ॥
इत् । अ॒हम् । ध॒न॒ऽदाम् । अप्र॑तिऽइतम् । जुष्टा॑म् । न । श्ये॒नः । व॒स॒तिम् । प॒ता॒मि॒ । इन्द्र॑म् । न॒म॒स्यन् । उ॒प॒ऽमेभिः॑ । अ॒र्कैः । यः । स्तो॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । हव्यः॑ । अस्ति॑ । याम॑न् ॥
upa | it | aham | dhana-dām | aprati-itam | juṣṭām | na | śyenaḥ | vasatim | patāmi | indram | namasyan | upa-mebhiḥ | arkaiḥ | yaḥ | stotṛ-bhyaḥ | havyaḥ | asti | yāman
44
4×11
Soaring and devotional; imagery of flight gives lift to the cadence.
Creates an upward pull in attention; supports bhakti-infused concentration and approach.
- धनदाम् (dhanadām)
- Literal: giver of wealth. Symbolic: bestower of inner plenitude—force, clarity, capacity
- अप्रतिइतम् (apratītam)
- Literal: unopposed, irresistible. Symbolic: the higher power that ignorance cannot ultimately block
- श्येनः (śyena)
- Literal: falcon. Symbolic: concentrated ascent; swift, direct movement of aspiration
- वसतिम् (vasatim)
- Literal: dwelling, home. Symbolic: the soul’s true seat in the higher consciousness
- उपमेभिः अर्कैः (upamebhiḥ arkaiḥ)
- Literal: with fitting hymns/verses. Symbolic: right-formulated mantra-thought aligning mind to truth
- हव्यः (havyaḥ)
- Literal: fit to be offered / oblation. Symbolic: Indra as the very substance of offering—divine presence received in exchange of aspiration
- यामन् (yāman)
- Literal: journey, course. Symbolic: the ongoing sadhana-movement through life and inner worlds
Soma praise: the poet’s approach to Indra with arka; emphasizes right-formulated hymn (upamā) and the experiential 'journey' (yāman) of the sacrifice.
When invoking Indra as giver and responder during the rite’s ‘journey’ phases (processional/sequence of chants).
Namasyā (bowing) with arka; offering through speech and intention.
Chant before meditation to ‘take flight’ from distraction; use as a short prelude mantra to enter the inner dwelling of calm.
Key terms: (1) dhana-dā 'wealth-giver' from √dā 'give' (PIE *deh₃-). (2) a-prati-ita 'unopposed' uses prati 'against' + √i 'go' → 'met/checked' → negated. (3) √pat 'fly' (PIE *pet- 'fly'; cf. Greek pétomai). (4) arka 'hymn' possibly from √arc 'to shine, praise'—praise as luminous utterance. (5) yā́man 'path/journey' from √yā—ritual movement and inner progression coincide.
yāman as inner path, devatā as havya (answering power to invocation), right speech (arka) as luminous formation
Fitting hymns (upamebhiḥ arkaiḥ) are speech in ṛta—sound that carries consciousness rightly.
Indra as ‘havya’ in the journey: truth becomes nourishment, not abstraction.
Ascent and return: the soul’s movement back to its home in the higher light.
Mantra-yoga orientation: sound-form (arka) as vehicle for ascent (śyena) into higher consciousness.
Falcon = gathered aspiration; home = stable higher poise; journey = unfolding sadhana; unopposed giver = higher grace beyond resistance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The falcon-flight motif: swift ascent/approach to the divine dwelling, often associated with bringing Soma or reaching the luminous realm. Here it becomes the inner movement of the practitioner flying to Indra, the giver of plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pat 'fly' has clear PIE cognates (Greek pétomai). The formula 'fly like a falcon to a dwelling' reflects inherited Indo-European poetic simile structures (animal-speed imagery to express spiritual/heroic motion).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not merely offer; he 'flies'—actively aligns his consciousness—using fitting hymns. Indra is described as havya 'the invoked one' in the yāman, indicating a reciprocal presence: the god becomes accessible and effective in the very movement of aspiration and praise.
Visualize the mind as a falcon flying straight to a quiet inner home; feel Indra as the living response within the breath and mantra-sound.
viśuddha (mantra/arka) rising to ājñā (directed flight)
Inhale silently ‘fly’; exhale softly chant the verse (or key phrase) keeping one-pointedness; keep breath smooth and unforced.
Devotional concentration (bhakti + ekāgratā) with a felt inner ‘arrival’.
Refine your ‘arka’: speak inwardly only what is true and needed. Let the mantra become the offering; then wait—Indra’s ‘answer’ appears as strengthened clarity and quiet joy.
Tri-svara; allow a natural rising contour on śyeno and patāmi (flight words); keep udātta clarity on índram.
First half should feel like ascent; second half like reverent settling into bowing and offering.
uped ahaṃ: sandhi—keep e of upe- clear; do not insert extra y, apratītam: long ī; keep t dental, juṣṭāṃ: ṣ retroflex; long ā nasal lightly, patāmi: short a, long ā in second syllable, namasyann: double n with clear nasal; avoid dropping the final -n
Light, focused, devotional; slightly brighter timbre on ‘flight’ phrases.
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