Rig Veda 5.30.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 30, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.30
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अवाचचक्षं पदमस्य सस्वरुग्रं निधातुरन्वायमिच्छन् । अपृच्छमन्याँ उत ते म आहुरिन्द्रं नरो बुबुधाना अशेम ॥
ávā́cacakṣaṁ pádām asya sásvar ugráṁ ni-dhātúr ánvā́yam icchán | ápṛccham anyā́ṁ uta te ma āhur índraṁ náro bubudhānā́ aśema ||
ನಾನು ಕೆಳಗೆ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಹಾಕಿ ಅವನ ಪಾದಚಿಹ್ನೆಯ ಪಥವನ್ನು ಕಂಡೆನು—ಉಗ್ರನಾದ ಸ್ಥಾಪಕನ ಮುಂದಿನ ಆಗಮನವನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕುತ್ತ. ಇತರರನ್ನು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದೆನು; ಅವರು ನನಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದರು: ‘ಇಂದ್ರನನ್ನು ನಾವು ಪಡೆಯೋಣ’ ಎಂದು ಜಾಗೃತರಾದ ನರರು ಘೋಷಿಸಿದರು.
Word by Word
- अव
- down, forth (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root अव (उपसर्ग) अव-
- आ
- towards, unto (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग) आ-
- चचक्षम्
- I have seen / I beheldVerbलिट् (perfect), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root √चक्ष् (चक्षँ दर्शने)
- पदम्
- footstep; track; placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पद-
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सस्वरु॒ग्रम्
- having a resounding/whistling point; sharp-soundingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (पदम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Karma (विशेषणम्)Root (समास) स-स्वरु-ग्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- निधातुः
- of the placer/setter (one who sets down)Noun (agent) / Kṛdantaपुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root √धा (धाञ् धारणे) + नि- (उपसर्ग); कृत्: तृच्/तुः (agent-noun) → निधातृ-
- अन्वायम्
- in sequence; along; accordinglyIndeclinable (adverbial) / Nounअव्ययप्रयोगः (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root अनु-आ-√इ (इण् गतौ) → अन्वाय- (प्रातिपदिक) अथवा अव्ययभावः ‘अन्वायम्’
- इच्छन्
- seeking, desiringVerb (participle)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; कर्तरिRole Kartā (to the seeking subject) / सहक्रियाRoot √इष् (इषँ इच्छायाम्)
- अपृच्छम्
- I askedVerbलुङ् (aorist), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root √प्रच्छ् (प्रच्छँ ज्ञीप्सायाम्/प्रश्ने)
- अन्यान्
- othersPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अन्य-
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableनिपातः (समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे)Root उत
- ते
- of youPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root त्वद् (युष्मद्)
- मे
- to me; for mePronounचतुर्थी/षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (to me) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- आहुः
- they saidVerbलिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root √अह् (अहँ वचने) / √ब्रू (पर्यायार्थे) — वैदिक ‘आहुः’
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (of ‘आहुः’/‘बुबुधानाः’)Root इन्द्र-
- नरः
- menNounपुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot नर-
- बुबुधानाः
- having awakened/realized; understandingVerb (participle)लिट्-कृदन्त/परिप्रयोगः: ‘बुबुधान’ (perfect middle participle), पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to नरः)Root √बुध् (बुधँ अवगमने)
- अशेम
- may I attain; may I reachVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (optative/benedictive), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root √अश् (अशँ व्याप्तौ/प्रापणे) — वैदिक प्रयोगः
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘अवा॑चचक्षं’ = अव + आ + चचक्षम् (उपसर्गद्वयसमास/सन्धिः)
- ‘नि॑धा॒तुरन्वा॑यमि॒च्छन्’ = निधातुः + अन्वायम् + इच्छन् (उच्चारणे र्-लोप/संहितापाठ-प्रभावः; पदपाठतः पृथक्)
- ‘अपृ॑च्छम॒न्याँ’ = अपृच्छम् + अन्यान् (नासिक्य/अनुस्वार-परिवर्तनं संहितायाम्)
- ‘आहु॒रिन्द्रं॒’ = आहुः + इन्द्रम् (विसर्गसन्धिः: ः + इ → र्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
“I looked down to perceive his track, seeking the onward coming of the fierce establisher. I asked others; and they told me: ‘May we attain Indra,’ the awakened men declared.”
Inner meaning
The seeker searches for the ‘track’ (padam) of Indra—signs of the higher mind’s movement within the lower nature. ‘Looking down’ suggests introspection into the layers of mind-vital-body to detect where the divine force has passed and where it is resisted. Indra is ‘ugra nidhātuḥ’—the powerful establisher who sets the foundations of a new consciousness. Guidance comes through the community of the awakened (bubudhānāḥ)—inner or outer companions who confirm the direction: aspire to attain Indra, i.e., stabilize illumination.
Universal truth
Progress is accelerated by discernment (tracking the movements of consciousness) and by association with the awakened—those who have already recognized the signs of truth and can point the way.
Themes
seeking the divine track, collective testimony of the awakened, approach of Indra
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.30.1, Rig Veda 5.30.3, Rig Veda 5.30.4
Family tradition
The Ātreya voice here is diagnostic and experiential: it tracks the divine movement and consults the awakened, reflecting a mature yogic temperament.
Significance
Atri presents a method: observe inner signs, seek the line of force, confirm with awakened insight, and persist toward attainment.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- ugra (mighty), nidhātu (establisher)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (path-finder of the Word), Agni (leader of the inner sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Establishes the reign of light by laying foundations in consciousness; his ‘track’ becomes the path others can follow.
Inner power
Discriminating force that sets right bases—clarifies, organizes, and stabilizes illumination in the mind and life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti within Soma context; also fits as a ‘seeking’ verse in recitation sequences.
अवा॑चचक्षं प॒दम॑स्य स॒स्वरु॒ग्रं नि॑धा॒तुरन्वा॑यमि॒च्छन् । अपृ॑च्छम॒न्याँ उ॒त ते म॑ आहु॒रिन्द्रं॒ नरो॑ बुबुधा॒ना अ॑शेम ॥
अव॑ । अ॒च॒च॒क्ष॒म् । प॒दम् । अ॒स्य॒ । स॒स्वः । उ॒ग्रम् । नि॒ऽधा॒तुः । अनु॑ । आ॒य॒म् । इ॒च्छन् । अपृ॑च्छम् । अ॒न्यान् । उ॒त । ते । मे॒ । आ॒हुः॒ । इन्द्र॑म् । नरः॑ । बु॒बु॒धा॒नाः । अ॒शे॒म॒ ॥
ava | acacakṣam | padam | asya | sasvaḥ | ugram | ni-dhātuḥ | anu | āyam | icchan | apṛccham | anyān | uta | te | me | āhuḥ | indram | naraḥ | bubudhānāḥ | aśema
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Investigative, stepwise movement; strong caesuras mirror ‘tracking’ and inquiry.
Encourages inward looking and discernment; settles the mind into careful observation with a final uplift of aspiration.
- padam
- Literal: footstep, track, place. Symbolic: trace of divine action in consciousness; the ‘station’ where higher mind touches the being
- avācacakṣam
- Literal: I looked downward. Symbolic: introspective observation into lower layers to find the hidden working
- sasvar
- Literal: with sound/cry; resounding. Symbolic: the vibration-sign of truth-force—mantric resonance indicating Indra’s passage
- ugra
- Literal: fierce, mighty. Symbolic: intensity of transformative power that does not compromise with ignorance
- nidhātuḥ
- Literal: placer, establisher. Symbolic: the power that sets foundations—establishes new law (ṛta) in the nature
- anv āyam
- Literal: onward coming, approach. Symbolic: descent/advance of higher consciousness
- bubudhānāḥ
- Literal: awakened, those who have woken. Symbolic: parts of the being (or companions) already illumined; the inner witness-consciousness
- aśema
- Literal: may we attain, reach. Symbolic: realization—stabilizing contact with Indra’s illumined mind-force
Quest/recognition motif within Soma hymn: locating Indra’s ‘track’ before full praise; functions as inner orientation prior to invocation.
When invoking Indra’s approach and confirming signs/omens of divine presence in the rite.
Recitation accompanying reflective pause—seeking confirmation of Indra’s ‘coming’ and readiness of the offering.
Use as a contemplative inquiry mantra: after meditation, review the ‘track’—what movements brought clarity, what brought obscurity; then reaffirm aspiration.
ni-dhātuḥ (ni + √dhā ‘set, place’) frames Indra as the power that establishes foundations of r̥ta in the being; bubudhānāḥ from √budh (PIE *bheudh- ‘be aware/awake’, cf. English bid/forbid?; more secure: German bieten is different; but ‘Buddha’ is same root) signals the awakened human faculties that can ‘attain’ (√aś) the god-force.
awakening (budh) as condition for divine attainment, establishment of order (ni-dhā) as r̥ta-function
Indra as nidhātu establishes ṛta—right foundations—within the seeker’s nature.
Truth is recognized by its ‘track’—consistent signs: clarity, wideness, strength, and harmony.
Founding of a new inner order; descent leaves a path that can be followed and stabilized.
Yogic phenomenology of consciousness (Aurobindo): observe movements, detect higher influence, stabilize it.
Footprint/track → subtle indicators of higher working; sound → mantra-vibration as diagnostic sign of truth-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘search for the god’s track’—a recognition myth: the seer tries to locate Indra’s approach and confirms it through the awakened community. Psychologically, it is the inward turning (ava-) to detect the subtle signs of descending force and to align with collective knowledge/tradition.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh (bubudhānāḥ) continues PIE *bheudh- ‘wake, be aware’ (cf. English be- in ‘be aware’ is not cognate, but Germanic *beudan ‘offer’ is different; the clearest cognate is in Slavic buditi ‘to wake’). √prach ‘ask’ parallels PIE *prek̂- ‘ask’ (cf. Latin precor ‘pray/ask’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi is a seeker and verifier: he searches, asks, and receives confirmation from the awakened ‘naras’. Indra is approached not by blind ritual but by awakened cognition; the god is ‘attained’ when perception (cakṣ) and awakening (budh) converge.
‘Tracking practice’: observe where clarity has moved in the day; identify the signature of Indra (strength + light).
svādhiṣṭhāna (subconscient review)
Slow exhale-led breathing (1:2 ratio) while scanning sensations and thoughts; end with one fuller inhale on ‘indraṃ… aśema’.
Witnessing awareness with aspiration—quiet mind that can detect subtle shifts.
After chanting, sit 2–3 minutes: (1) look ‘down’ through body-vital-mind; (2) note the ‘padam’—where light recently touched; (3) affirm: ‘May I attain Indra’—stabilize that touch by repeating the last pāda mentally.
Keep clear pitch steps on padam, ugraṃ, indram; the verse benefits from distinct svarita falls at phrase ends (per marked recension).
Mark the investigative pauses: after padam asya; after nidhātuḥ; then lift on indram.
avācacakṣam: split as avā-ca-cakṣam; keep ‘kṣ’ crisp, padam: short a’s, sasvar: pronounce ‘sasvar’ with clear ‘sv’, ugram: hard ‘g’, nidhātuḥ: long ā; visarga audible but light, anvāyam: pronounce anvāyam (sandhi) with clear ‘nv’, bubudhānāḥ: bu-bu-dhā-nāḥ; retroflex? (dh dental), aśema: ś palatal; long e
Inward, investigative, slightly hushed; final line more affirmative.
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