Rig Veda 3.43.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 43, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.43
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī or Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
आ च त्वामेता वृषणा वहातो हरी सखाया सुधुरा स्वङ्गा । धानावदिन्द्रः सवनं जुषाणः सखा सख्युः शृणवद्वन्दनानि ॥
ā́ ca tvā́m etā́ vṛ́ṣaṇā vahāto hárī sakhāyā su-dhúrā sv-áṅgā | dhānā́vad índraḥ sávanaṁ juṣāṇáḥ sakhā́ sakhyúḥ śṛṇavád vándanāni ||
ແລະ ໝູ່ຜູ້ມີພະລັງທັງສອງນີ້, ຄື ມ້າສີທັບ, ທີ່ຖືກຜູກມາດີ ແລະ ມີຮ່າງກາຍແຂງແຮງ, ຈະນໍາພາທ່ານມາຫາ. ຈົ່ງໃຫ້ ອິນທະ, ຜູ້ອຸດົມດ້ວຍເມັດພັນທີ່ເພີ່ມພູນ, ຮັບເອົາການຄົ້ນບິນ; ໃນຖານະເປັນໝູ່ຂອງໝູ່, ຂໍໃຫ້ພະອົງທູນຮັບຄໍາສັນລະເສບຂອງພວກເຮົາ.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) अथवा अव्यय
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकRoot च (निपात)
- त्वाम्
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद्
- एता
- these twoPronoun/Adjectiveप्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृRoot एतद्
- वृषणा
- the two vigorous/bull-like onesNoun (epithet)प्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृ (एतयोः विशेषणम्)Root वृषन्
- वहातः
- carry, conveyVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचनRoot √वह् (वहति)
- हरी
- the two bay steeds (Harīs)Nounप्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृ (एता/वृषणा इत्यस्य अपि)Root हरि
- सखाया
- two companionsNounप्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृ (हरी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सखि
- सुधुरा
- well-yoked, having good yokesAdjectiveप्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सु-धुर
- स्वङ्गा
- well-limbed, of good formAdjectiveप्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot स्वङ्ग
- धानावत्
- rich in grain/oblationAdjectiveप्रथमा एकवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (इन्द्रस्य)Root धानावत् (धानावन्त्)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounप्रथमा एकवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृRoot इन्द्र
- सवनम्
- the Soma-pressing, libationNounद्वितीया एकवचन (नपुं.)Role कर्मRoot सवन
- जुषाणः
- enjoying, acceptingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), प्रथमा एकवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (इन्द्रस्य)Root √जुष्
- सखा
- a friendNounप्रथमा एकवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृRoot सखि
- सख्युः
- of (his) friendNounषष्ठी एकवचन (पुं.)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सखि
- शृणवत्
- may he hearVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √श्रु
- वन्दनानि
- praises, acts of worshipNounद्वितीया बहुवचन (नपुं.)Role कर्मRoot वन्दन
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): त्वामेता → त्वाम् + एता
- वहातो → वहातः (द्विवचन-लट्)
- हरी सखाया → हरी + सखाया
- सुधुरा स्वङ्गा → सुधुरा + स्वङ्गा
- धानावदिन्द्रः → धानावत् + इन्द्रः
- जुषाणः सखा → जुषाणः + सखा
- सख्यु: → सख्युः
- शृणवद्वन्दनानि → शृणवत् + वन्दनानि. (स्वरचिह्न/उदात्तादि पाठानुसार यथास्थानं, अर्थे न बाधकः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The two mighty bay steeds, well-yoked and strong-limbed, bring Indra. Indra, rich in grain, accepting the pressing, as friend of friend, may he hear our adorations.
Inner meaning
The twin powers of dynamic energy (harī), harmoniously yoked (sudhurā), carry the illumined Mind into the field of practice. ‘Dhānāvat’ indicates the abundance of increase—growth of inner substance and capacity when Indra accepts the savana (the pressing: extraction of Soma from experience). Indra is invoked as sakhā sakhyuḥ—friend of the inner friend: the divine responds intimately to the soul’s loyal aspiration, and ‘hears’ (śṛṇavat) the vibrations of true mantra (vandanāni), turning them into effective force.
Universal truth
When energies are well-yoked and disciplined, higher intelligence arrives naturally; growth follows as consciousness accepts and assimilates the distilled essence of experience, and the Divine answers sincere adoration.
Themes
Indra’s conveyance, Acceptance of Soma, Friendship reciprocity, Hearing of praise
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.32, RV 3.34, RV 3.35
Family tradition
Emphasis on yoking (yuj) of energies and forging stable instruments for descent; friendship motif as psychic relation.
Significance
The seer stresses that right yoking of forces is prerequisite for Indra’s action; the mantra becomes a living relation—friend to friend.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛṣan (mighty), Dhānāvat (abounding), Sakhā (friend), Savana-juṣāṇa (accepting the pressing)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Pūṣan (path/leading)
Cosmic role
Giver of increase and victory; receiver of Soma who then releases light and power.
Inner power
Assimilative illumination that turns distilled experience into growth and capacity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savana (Soma pressing) acceptance by Indra
आ च॒ त्वामे॒ता वृष॑णा॒ वहा॑तो॒ हरी॒ सखा॑या सु॒धुरा॒ स्वङ्गा॑ । धा॒नाव॒दिन्द्र॒: सव॑नं जुषा॒णः सखा॒ सख्यु॑: शृणव॒द्वन्द॑नानि ॥
आ । च॒ । त्वाम् । ए॒ता । वृष॑णा । वहा॑तः । हरी॒ इति॑ । सखा॑या । सु॒ऽधुरा॑ । सु॒ऽअङ्गा॑ । धा॒नाऽव॑त् । इन्द्रः॑ । सव॑नम् । जु॒षा॒णः । सखा॑ । सख्युः॑ । शृ॒ण॒व॒त् । वन्द॑नानि ॥
ā | ca | tvām | etā | vṛṣaṇā | vahātaḥ | harī iti | sakhāyā | su-dhurā | su-aṅgā | dhānāvat | indraḥ | savanam | juṣāṇaḥ | sakhā | sakhyuḥ | śṛṇavat | vandanāni
44
4 × ~11
Strong, balanced lines; yoking imagery matches the steady Triṣṭubh beat.
Stabilizes and ‘yokes’ breath; supports a feeling of harnessed power and attentive listening.
- हरी (harī)
- Literal: two bay steeds. Symbolic: twin dynamic energies—force and speed of luminous action
- सुधुरा (sudhurā)
- Literal: well-yoked. Symbolic: disciplined, harmonized life-energies under higher guidance
- स्वङ्गा (svaṅgā)
- Literal: strong-limbed, well-formed. Symbolic: integrated faculties capable of bearing descent
- धानावत् (dhānāvat)
- Literal: rich in grain. Symbolic: abundance of growth, increase of inner resources
- सवनम् (savanam)
- Literal: pressing (Soma session). Symbolic: distillation of delight/essence from practice and experience
- वन्दनानि (vandanāni)
- Literal: adorations. Symbolic: mantric affirmations that tune the being to higher truth
- सखा सख्युः (sakhā sakhyuḥ)
- Literal: friend of the friend. Symbolic: the Divine’s intimate reciprocity with the soul-power (psychic being)
Concluding invitation: emphasizes Haris as conveyance and Indra’s acceptance (juṣāṇa) of the pressing; request for attentive hearing of praises
At Soma sessions when inviting Indra to accept the pressing and hear the stotra.
Offering Soma; praising Indra’s steeds and asking him to listen to invocations.
Use to harmonize energies before meditation—‘yoke the horses’—then invite higher clarity to listen within.
(dual): Indra’s steeds; symbolically harnessed energies. -: ‘good-yoked’ (dhurā ‘yoke-pole/burden’), indicating right harnessing of forces. -: ‘good-limbed’, integrity of the vehicle-powers. : from ‘grain, seed’—in RV can suggest abundance and the ‘seed’ of increase. : √ ‘to hear’ (PIE *ḱleu- ‘to hear’, cf. Greek klýō, English ‘loud’).
Right harnessing of energies (su-dhurā), Reciprocity of sakhya (friendship as mutual attunement), Śruti as efficacy (hearing = acceptance)
Sudhurā embodies ṛta as right arrangement of forces.
Śṛṇavat: truth responds when vibration is sincere and ordered.
Increase through assimilation: pressed essence becomes nourishment for consciousness.
Vedic yoga of energies (prāṇa/force) under illumined mind; psychic friendship as key relation.
Horses = prāṇic/vital energies; grain = accumulated power and nourishment; pressing = extracting essence from experience into bliss/clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Haris convey Indra to the Soma pressing; Indra accepts and hears the praises. Innerly, the ‘steeds’ are disciplined energies that bring the illumined power into the rite; the hearing signifies conscious reception—divine attention that makes the mantra effective.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ (śṛṇavat) reflects PIE *ḱleu- ‘to hear’ (Greek klýō). The chariot/horse formula is a pan-Indo-European poetic complex (divine arrival on a vehicle), here ritualized into Soma liturgy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for a fully responsive presence: not only arrival and drinking, but attentive hearing. The friendship motif (sakhā sakhyuḥ) frames the rite as mutual recognition—human praise meets divine consent.
Yoke the life-energies; invite illumined mind to accept the ‘pressed essence’ of practice and to listen inwardly.
Maṇipūra (energy harnessing) → Ājñā (guidance/listening)
Even-count breathing (e.g., 4-4-6) to ‘yoke’ prāṇa; silent pause after chanting to ‘hear’ within.
Collected, harnessed, attentive.
Visualize two currents of energy (ida/pingala) becoming balanced and drawing a radiant presence into the head-center; then offer a single sincere ‘vandanā’ (inner praise).
Rigvedic accentuation; keep clarity on compounds (sudhurā, svaṅgā).
Mark the caesura naturally after pāda halves; keep ‘dhānāvad indraḥ’ as a strong declarative rise then settle.
: retroflex ‘ṣ’ clear, : nasal ‘ṅ’ before ‘g’; avoid ‘swanga’—keep ‘svaṅ’, : syllabic ‘ṛ’, dental ‘n’, final ‘t’ crisp
Steady, controlled, resonant; slightly softer on ‘śṛṇavad’ to evoke listening.
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