Rig Veda 3.39.1: Mandala 3, Sukta 39, Mantra 1
Sukta 3.39
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्रं मतिर्हृद आ वच्यमानाच्छा पतिं स्तोमतष्टा जिगाति । या जागृविर्विदथे शस्यमानेन्द्र यत्ते जायते विद्धि तस्य ॥
índraṁ matír hṛdá ā vacyámānā́cchā́ pátiṁ stóma-taṣṭā jigāti | yā́ jā́gṛvir vidáthe śasyámānéndra yát te jā́yate viddhí tásya ||
ಹೃದಯದಿಂದ ಉಚ್ಚರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ, ಸ್ತೋಮದಿಂದ ರೂಪುಗೊಂಡ ಮತಿ (ಸ್ತುತಿ-ಚಿಂತನೆ) ನೇರವಾಗಿ ಇಂದ್ರನ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ—ಸ್ವಾಮಿಯ ಕಡೆಗೆ. ವಿದಥ (ಯಜ್ಞಸಭೆ/ಅನ್ವೇಷಣಾಸಭೆ)ಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜಾಗೃತವೂ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಾನವೂ ಆದ ಆಕೆ ಘೋಷಿಸಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಹೇ ಇಂದ್ರ, ನಿನ್ನೊಳಗೆ ಏನು ಜನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ (ಪ್ರತ್ಯುತ್ತರ-ಶಕ್ತಿಯಾಗಿ), ಅದನ್ನು ನೀನು ತಿಳಿ—ಅದು ನಮ್ಮೊಳಗಿನ ನಿನ್ನದೇ ಪ್ರಕಟನೆ.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रम्
- Indra (as object of praise)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मतिः
- thought; inspired hymn/intentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक; √मन् ‘to think’)
- हृदः
- from the heartNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vedic: abl. sg. in -aḥ)Role अपादानRoot हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (गत्यर्थ/आगमनार्थ)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वच्यमाना
- being uttered/recitedParticipleवर्तमान कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (मतिः-विशेषणम्)Root √वच् ‘to speak’
- अच्छा
- towards; straight toIndeclinableगत्यर्थक अव्ययRoot अच्छा (निपात)
- पतिम्
- lordNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमतष्टा
- fashioned/formed as a hymn of praiseAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘स्तोमेन तष्टः’)Role कर्तृ (मतिः-विशेषणम्)Root स्तोम-तष्ट (समास; √तक्ष् ‘to fashion’)
- जिगाति
- goes; comesVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √गम् ‘to go’ (Vedic perfect with reduplication)
- या
- which (she)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (द्वितीयपादे)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जागृविः
- wakeful; vigilantParticipleकृदन्त (परस्मैपदी/परिप्रयोग; ‘जागृवस्’ प्रकार), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (या-विशेषणम्)Root √जागृ ‘to be awake’
- विदथे
- in the rite/assembly (vidatha)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- शस्यमाने
- while being praised/recitedParticipleवर्तमान कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (विदथे-विशेषणम्)Role अधिकरणRoot √शंस् ‘to praise, recite’
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whatever (that which)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (अत्र: ‘यत् … जायते’ = ‘whatever’)Role कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जायते
- is born; arisesVerbलट् (आत्मनेपद), प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √जन् ‘to be born, arise’
- विद्धि
- know!; recognize!Verbलोट् (परस्मैपद), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √विद् ‘to know’
- तस्य
- of that; thereofPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): इन्द्रम् | मतिः | हृदः | आ | वच्यमाना | अच्छ | पतिम् | स्तोमतष्टा | जिगाति || या | जागृविः | विदथे | शस्यमाने | इन्द्र | यत् | ते | जायते | विद्धि | तस्य । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) वच्यमाना + अच्छ → वच्यमानाच्छ (अ + अ → आ; छ्-आगमः)
- (2) शस्यमान + इन्द्र → शस्यमानेन्द्र (ए + इ → ए; संहितायां संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The heart-born thought, fashioned into a hymn, goes straight to Indra the Lord. Wakeful in the assembly, being praised, it is proclaimed: O Indra, whatever is born in you, know that as yours.
Inner meaning
Matí is the inspired thought-power shaped (stoma-taṣṭā) into mantra: not random emotion but crafted truth-speech from the heart-center. It goes ‘straight’ (acchā) to the inner Lord, Indra, because sincerity and right formation create direct contact. The thought is ‘wakeful’ (jāgṛviḥ): conscious, vigilant, luminous in the inner vidatha (session of seeking/sacrifice). The closing is intimate and yogic: whatever response, force, illumination is ‘born’ in Indra through our call is also his manifestation within us—divine action and human receptivity are one movement.
Universal truth
True prayer is a crafted movement of consciousness from the heart that establishes direct relation with the higher Power. The divine response is not external reward but an inner birth of the same power within the seeker.
Themes
Indra-invocation, mantra-as-force, awakening/knowledge, inner reciprocity with the deity
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Kauśika (Viśvāmitra line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.54, RV 3.62, RV 3.33
Family tradition
Strong emphasis on mantra as crafted instrument (taṣṭa) and on direct experiential reciprocity with the deity.
Significance
Shows the core of Vedic yoga: heart-born, wakeful mantra establishes contact, and the god’s power is ‘born’ as our own awakened capacity.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- pati (lord), receiver of heart-born mati, inner-born power (jāyate)
- Related deities
- Agni (carrier of offering), Bṛhaspati (lord of mantra), Sarasvatī (inspired speech)
Cosmic role
Lord of luminous mind; responds to true invocation by increasing power and light in the human field.
Inner power
Awakening illumination that is born in response to aspiration—clarity, courage, victorious intelligence.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise as śastra/stotra; also suitable for opening an inner ‘session’ (vidatha)
इन्द्रं॑ म॒तिर्हृ॒द आ व॒च्यमा॒नाच्छा॒ पतिं॒ स्तोम॑तष्टा जिगाति । या जागृ॑विर्वि॒दथे॑ श॒स्यमा॒नेन्द्र॒ यत्ते॒ जाय॑ते वि॒द्धि तस्य॑ ॥
इन्द्र॑म् । म॒तिः । हृ॒दः । आ । व॒च्यमा॑ना । अच्छ॑ । पति॑म् । स्तोम॑ऽतष्टा । जि॒गा॒ति॒ । या । जागृ॑विः । वि॒दथे॑ । श॒स्यमा॑ना । इन्द्र॑ । यत् । ते॒ । जाय॑ते । वि॒द्धि । तस्य॑ ॥
indram | matiḥ | hṛdaḥ | ā | vacyamānā | accha | patim | stoma-taṣṭā | jigāti | yā | jāgṛviḥ | vidathe | śasyamānā | indra | yat | te | jāyate | viddhi | tasya
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4×11
Direct and ‘arrow-like’; suited to the idea of speech going straight to the Lord.
Centers attention in the heart and projects it upward; fosters wakeful concentration.
- मति (mati)
- Literal: thought, intention. Symbolic: inspired thought-force (mantra-consciousness) arising from the heart
- हृदः (hṛdaḥ)
- Literal: from the heart. Symbolic: psychic sincerity; inner center of offering
- स्तोमतष्ट (stoma-taṣṭa)
- Literal: hymn fashioned/tooled. Symbolic: disciplined mantra-craft; speech shaped to truth-vibration
- अच्छा (acchā)
- Literal: straight toward. Symbolic: direct inner contact; unobstructed aspiration
- पति (pati)
- Literal: lord. Symbolic: Indra as governing power of illumined mind in us
- जागृवि (jāgṛvi)
- Literal: wakeful. Symbolic: vigilant consciousness; not mechanical recitation
- विदथ (vidatha)
- Literal: assembly, session, worship. Symbolic: inner gathering of faculties in sacrifice/meditation
- जायते (jāyate)
- Literal: is born. Symbolic: descent/manifestation of divine power as an inner realization
Indra-invocation in Soma-yajña contexts; suitable as a stotra/śastra-type praise for strengthening Indra’s presence in the offering-session (vidatha).
At the start of recitation sequences to establish contact; in modern use, as a pre-meditation invocation.
Offer the crafted hymn-thought; maintain wakeful attention as the inner sacrifice proceeds.
A mantra for ‘heart-to-light’ alignment: before japa, set intention that the response be born inwardly as clarity and strength.
Key terms: (1) matiḥ: from √man ‘to think/measure/form in mind’; in Vedic often ‘inspired thought’ that becomes mantra. (2) hṛdá(h): ‘heart’, locus of inner seeing; not merely emotion but the secret mind (hṛd). (3) vāc-/vacyamānā: from √vac ‘to speak’; mantra as effective speech. (4) stoma-taṣṭā: taṣṭā from √takṣ ‘to fashion/carpent’; suggests deliberately crafted mantric form that can ‘go’ to the deity. (5) jigāti: desiderative/intensive of √gam ‘go’; conveys quick, purposeful movement of aspiration. (6) jāgṛviḥ: from √jāgṛ ‘to be awake’; symbolic opposition to tamas (inertia/ignorance). (7) viddhi: imperative of √vid ‘know’; knowledge as illumination rather than inference. (8) jāyate: from √jan ‘be born’; inner ‘birth’ of Indra’s force/response in the human instrument.
inner speech (Vāc) as effective power, awakening versus tamas (ignorance/inertia), manifestation/birth (jan) of divine force in the psyche
The straight movement (acchā) and wakefulness indicate alignment with ṛta—right channel between human and divine.
Stoma-taṣṭa: truth shaped into effective vibration; not mere feeling.
Divine birth within the human field—deity’s power manifesting as inner realization.
Yoga of inner sacrifice; anticipates Upaniṣadic immanence (deva within).
Heart = psychic center; straight path = sushumnā-like directness of aspiration; wakefulness = conscious presence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic action is not an outer combat but the ‘sending’ of a crafted hymn-thought (stoma-taṣṭā matiḥ) to Indra, causing an inner birth (jāyate) of his force/response. This is a core Rigvedic mythologem: the mantra/insight travels to the god and returns as power, light, and victorious capacity within the sacrificer.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The command viddhi ‘know!’ is from √vid, cognate with PIE *weid- ‘to see/know’ (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit). The semantic field links knowledge with vision/illumination, aligning with the verse’s wakeful (jāgṛviḥ) inspired cognition. Likewise jāyate from √jan reflects PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget, arise’ (birth as emergence of power in consciousness).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- It is reciprocal and interior: the ṛṣi offers a consciously fashioned formulation (stoma-taṣṭā) arising from the heart (hṛd), not mere ritual sound. Indra is asked to ‘recognize’ (viddhi) what is born as his own—i.e., to seal the offering by manifesting his power in the human vessel. The exchange is thus: inner aspiration/speech → divine acknowledgment → inner birth of force and clarity.
Send a single heart-born intention to the inner Indra; then sit to feel what ‘is born’ as response (clarity, courage, wideness).
Anāhata (heart) with Ājñā (illumined mind)
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min). Chant softly on exhale; rest in silence for one breath between pādas.
Wakeful calm; intimate devotion without sentimentality.
Before chanting, place attention in the heart and craft one sentence of truth-intention. Chant once slowly; then remain silent for 3 minutes, noting the exact quality that arises—treat it as Indra’s ‘birth’ in you.
Triṣṭubh; keep udātta prominence on índram, matíḥ, hṛdáḥ, pátim; preserve svarita resolutions at pāda ends.
Let ‘hṛda ā vacyamānā’ be gentle and intimate; increase clarity on ‘acchā patim’ to convey directness.
indram: clear dental d, matiḥ: short i; visarga ḥ audible but light, hṛdaḥ: vocalic ṛ; visarga, stomataṣṭā: retroflex ṣṭ; long ā at end, jāgṛviḥ: vocalic ṛ; visarga, viddhi: doubled ddh—fully voiced
Warm, inward, heart-resonant; precise consonants without force.
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