Rig Veda 4.32.19: Mandala 4, Sukta 32, Mantra 19
Sukta 4.32
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
दश ते कलशानां हिरण्यानामधीमहि । भूरिदा असि वृत्रहन् ॥
dáśa te kalaśā́nāṃ híraṇyānām adhīmahi | bhūrí-dā́ asi vṛtra-han ||
ພວກເຮົາວາງບາດຄໍາສິບໃບຂອງຄວາມອຸດົມສົມບູນຂອງທ່ານໄວ້ຕໍ່ຫນ້າຈິດໃຈໃນການພິຈາລະນາ; ເພາະທ່ານເປັນຜູ້ປະທານຄວາມອຸດົມ, ໂອຜູ້ທໍາລາຍສິ່ງກີດຂວາງ.
Word by Word
- दश
- tenNoun (Numeral)(विशेषणवत्) नपुंसकलिङ्गे/सर्वलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन-रूपेण ‘दश’ (अव्ययवत् अविकारी संख्या)Role विशेषण (कर्म-सम्बन्धे) — ‘कलशानाम्’ इत्यस्य संख्याRoot दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- your / of youPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) — ‘ते’ = तव/तेRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘कलशानाम्’ इत्यस्य स्वामित्व/सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कलशानाम्
- of the jars (vessels)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘हिरण्यनाम्’ इत्यस्य अधिकरण/सम्बन्ध-समासार्थे ‘of the jars’Root कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
- हिरण्यानाम्
- of gold / goldenNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (विशेषणवत् ‘कलशानाम्’ प्रति)Role सम्बन्ध/विशेषण (षष्ठी) — ‘golden’ (jars) / ‘of gold’Root हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधीमहि
- we would obtain / we would win (for ourselves)Verbलट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगसदृशः वैदिकः; उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद (महि)Role क्रिया — कर्ता: ‘वयम्’ (अध्याहृत)Root √मा (माङ्) ‘माने/मिमीत’ (वेदे: ‘माप्/माङ्’ धातोः ‘अधि-’ उपसर्गेण ‘अधि-मा’ = ‘प्राप्तुम्/अधिगन्तुम्/अधिमातुम्’ इत्यर्थे; RV-प्रयोगः: ‘अधीमहि’ = ‘अधिगच्छेम/अधीयामहि’)
- भूरिदा
- bountiful giverAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (प्रथमा) — सम्बोधनार्थे स्तुतिपदRoot भूरि-द (प्रातिपदिक; ‘भूरि’ = बहुत् + ‘दा’ = दाता)
- असि
- you areVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया — कर्ता: ‘त्वम्’ (सम्बोधितः)Root √अस् (भू)
- वृत्रहन्
- O slayer of VṛtraNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (वेदे ‘-हन्’ अन्तः; voc. ‘वृत्रहन्’)Role सम्बोधन (आह्वान) — देवता (इन्द्रः)Root वृत्र-हन् (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् ‘हनने’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: दश | ते | कलशानाम् | हिरण्यानाम् | अधीमहि | भूरिदा | असि | वृत्रहन् । 1) ‘दश ते’ इत्यत्र संधिः न विशेषः (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’). 2) ‘कलशानाम् हिरण्यानाम्’ — षष्ठी-षष्ठी अनुबन्धः
- उच्चारणे अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-प्रभावः सम्भवति, परन्तु पदरूपे पृथक्। 3) ‘वृत्रहन्’ वैदिक सम्बोधन-रूपम् (प्रातिपदिक ‘वृत्रहन्/वृत्रहन्’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer sets before Indra ten golden vessels for contemplation/placement; Indra is the giver of abundance, slayer of Vṛtra.
Inner meaning
The ‘ten golden vessels’ are complete receptacles of consciousness—structured capacities (often felt as the full instrumentation of our nature) made luminous (hiraṇya). The seeker places them before the inner mind (adhīmahi: we contemplate/hold) as offerings and as receptivity. Indra, who breaks the Coverer (Vṛtra), fills these vessels with abundance—powers, joys, wideness—once obstruction is slain.
Universal truth
Spiritual fulfillment requires prepared receptacles. When our faculties are made ‘golden’ (purified, luminous) and offered in contemplation, the higher power can pour abundance into them after breaking resistance.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, abundance, luminous receptivity, contemplative offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.16, Rig Veda 4.17, Rig Veda 4.26, Rig Veda 4.27
Family tradition
Gautama hymns frequently combine Indra’s victory motif with images of offering and receptivity (vessels, Soma, rays).
Significance
Vāmadeva’s seeing teaches that victory over resistance is paired with preparation—purifying and arranging the inner instruments to hold the descent.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Bhūridā (abundant giver), Vṛtrahan, Śūra, Maghavan
- Related deities
- Soma (delight poured), Agni (will that prepares), Bṛhaspati (word that opens)
Cosmic role
Opens the sealed riches of existence; pours plenitude after shattering the cover.
Inner power
A force of luminous conquest that both removes obstruction and increases the capacity of the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma ritual context with kalaśa (vessel) imagery; offering to Indra
दश॑ ते क॒लशा॑नां॒ हिर॑ण्यानामधीमहि । भू॒रि॒दा अ॑सि वृत्रहन् ॥
दश॑ । ते॒ । क॒लशा॑नाम् । हिर॑ण्यानाम् । अ॒धी॒म॒हि॒ । भू॒रि॒ऽदाः । अ॒सि॒ । वृ॒त्र॒ऽह॒न् ॥
daśa | te | kalaśānām | hiraṇyānām | adhīmahi | bhūri-dāḥ | asi | vṛtra-han
32
8+8+8+8
Firm, offering-like cadence; two clear halves (presentation → affirmation).
Centers attention; gives a ‘placing before the altar’ feeling, then a victorious uplift on vṛtrahan.
- daśa
- Literal: ten. Symbolic: totality/completeness of the instrumental nature; full set of capacities
- kalaśānām
- Literal: of jars/vessels. Symbolic: receptacles of consciousness; capacities to hold force, joy, knowledge
- hiraṇyānām
- Literal: golden. Symbolic: purified, luminous, sattvic receptivity
- adhīmahi
- Literal: we place/hold in mind, we contemplate. Symbolic: steady concentration that prepares reception
- bhūridāḥ
- Literal: giver of much. Symbolic: the divine power that increases being and capacity
- vṛtrahan
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: breaker of inner obstruction/covering resistance
Soma/Indra praise with imagery of vessels; may align with offering implements and the mental ‘placing’ (adhi-dhā) of the oblation and intention.
At moments of presenting Soma or symbolic wealth to Indra; prayers for abundance and victory
Presentation of vessels/offerings; recitation affirming Indra’s power to break obstruction
A contemplative ‘offering of faculties’: mentally place your senses/mind/heart as golden vessels before the Divine Mind and ask for obstruction to be removed.
kalaśa- ‘jar/vessel’ (ritual container; inwardly receptivity). hiraṇya- ‘gold’ as light-substance. adhīmahi from adhi- + √dhā ‘to place’ → ‘set in mind/consider’. vṛtra- from √vṛ ‘cover’ + -tra instrument/result → obstruction/covering; han- ‘to smite’ (PIE *gʷhen- ‘strike/kill’).
vṛtra as psychological obstruction/covering of consciousness, receptacle symbolism (vessel as inner capacity)
Vṛtra’s fall restores the free flow required by ṛta.
Golden vessels signify truth-receptivity rather than mixed desire.
Release of plenitude from concealment into prepared forms.
Yoga of receptivity and descent; Vedic psychology aligned with later Vedāntic ‘adhyāsa’ removal (covering) by illumination (echo).
unspecified
unspecified
Gold = solar clarity; vessels = stable containers of force; Vṛtra = the dam that blocks the flow.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Vṛtra-slaying is explicitly invoked: Indra as the breaker of the covering that withholds the waters/lights. The ‘golden vessels’ become inner containers prepared to receive the released plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- han- in vṛtra-han continues PIE *gʷhen- ‘to strike/kill’ (cf. Greek phénō ‘slay’ is debated, but Indo-Iranian preserves the root strongly). The compound formation (bhūri-dā, vṛtra-han) is characteristically Indo-European poetic morphology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi ‘sets’ (adhīmahi) luminous receptacles in consciousness—capacity and intention—while naming Indra’s essential function: abundant giving through removal of obstruction. The boon is grounded in Indra’s nature (bhūridā) and his victory-work (vṛtrahan).
Create inner receptacles: senses quiet, mind clarified, heart opened—then invite Indra to fill them after breaking resistance.
maṇipūra (power/victory) refined by ājñā (illumination)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for 3 rounds, then chant; feel ‘vessels’ stabilizing
Collected, strong, receptive.
Visualize ten golden cups in the inner space; with each chant, let one cup become steady and bright. On ‘vṛtrahan’, offer your main obstruction to be struck through.
Rigvedic accenting in three tones; keep ‘vṛtrahán’ with clear final stress contour (do not flatten).
Pause slightly after ‘adhīmahi’ to mark the offering/comtemplation, then deliver ‘bhūridā asi vṛtrahan’ with firm certainty.
daśa: dental d; short a, kalaśānām: retroflex ṣ not present—use ś; long ā, hiraṇyānām: retroflex ṇ; ‘hiraṇ-’ smooth, adhīmahi: long ī; dh aspirated, vṛtrahan: vṛ (syllabic ṛ) clean; ‘han’ with light nasal
Steady, resonant, victorious on the second half.
12
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
