Rig Veda 4.32.22: Mandala 4, Sukta 32, Mantra 22
Sukta 4.32
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्र ते बभ्रू विचक्षण शंसामि गोषणो नपात् । माभ्यां गा अनु शिश्रथः ॥
prá te babhrū́ vicakṣaṇa śáṃsāmi goṣaṇo napāt | mā́bhyāṃ gā́ ánu śiśrathaḥ ||
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າປະກາດເຖິງສອງສັດສີນ້ຳຕານຂອງທ່ານ, ເຈົ້າຜູ້ເຫັນແຈ້ງຜູ້ເປັນທາຍາດຂອງຄວາມຍິນດີໃນຝູງສັດ; ຢ່າໃຫ້ລັດສີໄລຕາມສອງສັດນັ້ນໄປ, ຈົ່ງໃຫ້ມັນຢູ່ກັບພວກເຮົາທີ່ນີ້.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- ते
- to youPronoundative singular (2nd person)Role SampradānaRoot त्वद् (pronoun)
- बभ्रू
- O Babhru (the tawny one; epithet/name)Noun (vocative, proper/epithet)masculine vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot बभ्रु (prātipadika)
- विचक्षण
- O clear-sighted, discerning oneAdjective (vocative)masculine vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot वि-चक्षण (prātipadika < √चक्ष्/√चक्ष् ‘to see, perceive’)
- शंसामि
- I praise, I proclaimVerbpresent indicative, 1st person singular, parasmaipadaRole KriyāRoot √शंस्
- गोषणो
- O winner of cows (wealth)Noun/Adjective (vocative epithet)masculine vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot गो-षणि/गो-षण (prātipadika; ‘winning cows/wealth’)
- नपात्
- O offspring/descendant (Napat)Noun (vocative)masculine vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot नपात् (prātipadika)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableprohibitive particle used with injunctive/imperativeRoot मा (particle)
- अभ्याम्
- towards, againstIndeclinableupasarga (preverb), here governing the verb ‘to loosen/untie’ in the sense ‘towards/against’Root अभि (upasarga)
- गाः
- cowsNounfeminine accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot गो (prātipadika)
- अनु
- along, afterIndeclinableupasarga/particle ‘after, along’Root अनु (upasarga/avyaya)
- शिश्रथः
- (you) should not loosen/let looseVerbinjunctive/imperative-like form, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada (with prohibitive मा)Role KriyāRoot √श्रथ् (to loosen, untie) with reduplication (intensive/perfect-like stem śi-śrath-)
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi is minimal in this mantra. मुख्यतः पदच्छेद: प्र | ते | बभ्रू | विचक्षण | शंसामि | गोषणो | नपात् | मा | अभ्याम् | गाः | अनु | शिश्रथः । Here ‘मा’ governs the following finite verb (prohibitive construction). ‘अभ्याम्’ is taken as the preverb ‘अभि’ (not the instrumental/ablative dual of a pronoun), used adverbially with √श्रथ्
- no phonetic sandhi change is required at ‘मा + अभ्याम्’
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer proclaims Indra’s two tawny steeds (babhrū/harī) to the clear-seeing “heir” of the herd’s delight, and asks that the “cows” (rays/wealth) not be drawn away after those two, but be kept for the worshipper.
Inner meaning
Indra’s twin dynamic forces of illumination-and-action (the two harīs) are invoked as instruments of the Divine Mind. The prayer is that the emerging rays of knowledge (gāḥ) not be scattered or carried off by outward movements of the vital, but be held and gathered inwardly for the sādhaka—so the illumined energies serve the inner sacrifice rather than dissipate into habitual impulses.
Universal truth
When higher energies awaken, they must be yoked to conscious intention; otherwise the gains of insight leak away into old patterns. True progress is the retention and integration of light—making illumination stable and serviceable to the soul’s aim.
Themes
Indra’s steeds, holding the lights, discernment, invocatory praise
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.16, RV 4.18, RV 4.26, RV 4.27, RV 4.33
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa-related visionary lineage in Mandala 4; hymns emphasize Indra’s illumination and the psychology of victory.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s voice often turns the Indra-myth inward: the battle for light becomes the soul’s conquest over obstruction; here he teaches retention of illumined gains by right yoking of force.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (focus on harīs/babhrū)
- Epithets
- vicakṣaṇa (clear-seeing), goṣaṇaḥ napāt (heir of the herd’s delight)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Uṣas, Maruts
Cosmic role
Lord of the luminous Mind who releases the rays (cows) and waters by breaking the coverer; wielder of victorious force.
Inner power
Capacity for decisive illumination, right discrimination, and energetic execution—turning insight into conquering action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra praise; not exclusive)
प्र ते॑ ब॒भ्रू वि॑चक्षण॒ शंसा॑मि गोषणो नपात् । माभ्यां॒ गा अनु॑ शिश्रथः ॥
प्र । ते॒ । ब॒भ्रू इति॑ । वि॒ऽच॒क्ष॒ण॒ । शंसा॑मि । गो॒ऽस॒णः॒ । न॒पा॒त् । मा । आ॒भ्या॒म् । गाः । अनु॑ । शि॒श्र॒थः॒ ॥
pra | te | babhrū iti | vi-cakṣaṇa | śaṃsāmi | go--saṇaḥ | napāt | mā | ābhyām | gāḥ | anu | śiśrathaḥ
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4 pādas of ~8 syllables each
Compact, directive, mantra-like cadence; suited to clear injunction and focused will.
Creates a contained ‘holding’ vibration—supporting the very intention of gathering and retaining the rays of insight.
- babhrū (द्वौ बभ्रू)
- Literal: two tawny ones (steeds). Symbolic: twin powers/energies yoked to Indra: luminous dynamism that carries the mind toward victory
- vicakṣaṇa (विचक्षण)
- Literal: clear-seeing, discerning. Symbolic: the awakened discriminative consciousness that can govern energies
- goṣaṇaḥ napāt (गोषणो नपात्)
- Literal: offspring/heir of the joy of the herd. Symbolic: heir of the delight in the rays of knowledge; the inner being entitled to light
- gāḥ (गाः)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledges, illuminations, inner riches
- anu śiśrathaḥ (अनु शिश्रथः)
- Literal: let (them) not follow/stream after. Symbolic: do not let knowledge be dragged behind outward energies; prevent dispersion
A chariot/steed-focused stotra segment; ritually fits the ‘bringing’ of Indra to the offering and the retention of the boon (lights) with the sacrificer.
During Indra invocations in Soma pressing/offerings; also adaptable to daily recitation for mental strength.
Stuti (praise) and niyama (prayer of restraint/holding) for the ‘cows’/gains of the sacrifice.
Use as a short resolve-mantra before study/meditation: ‘Let the light stay; let it not run outward with impulses.’
vicakṣaṇa from vi- + √cakṣ ‘see’ (PIE *kweks- ‘see’ debated; Sanskrit has strong √cakṣ). nápāt ‘offspring’ (PIE *nepōt- ‘grandson/nephew’ cf. Latin nepōs). √śrath ‘loosen’ expresses release; here negated (mā … śiśrathḥ) = do not release the rays to follow the two steeds away—retain the lights in the sacrificer’s sphere.
retention of illumination (stabilizing gains of sādhanā), right possession (gosaṇa) as knowledge-holding
The request to ‘hold the rays’ is an ṛta-move: energies must follow right order, not random drift.
Clear-seeing (vicakṣaṇa) indicates truth-perception guiding force.
Release and stabilization of light as a step in building the inner heaven (dyauḥ) of consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic / Integral Yoga reading (Aurobindo): illumination must be integrated into nature.
Dawn-transition implied by the movement of rays (context with following verses)
Horses = vital-mental energies; cows = illuminations; ‘not following away’ = preventing leakage of consciousness into habitual extroversion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The steeds (babhrū) and the cows/lights (gāḥ) form the classic mythic economy: divine motion and recovered light. The verse asks that the lights not be ‘released’ to follow the departing powers—an inner motif of stabilizing illumination so it remains integrated.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- nápāt is a clear cognate with PIE *nepōt- (Latin nepōs). The possessive/kinship epithet plus animal-color naming is typical IE poetic diction. The prohibitive mā with injunctive/subjunctive-like form is a Vedic syntactic archaism.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi praises Indra’s vehicles and addresses him as ‘heir of gosaṇa’—one whose lineage is light-winning. The request is subtle: not merely ‘come’, but ‘do not let the lights slip away’; the seer seeks enduring embodiment of the gift.
‘Gather the rays’: keep insights from meditation from dissipating into speech, scrolling, or reactive habits.
Ājñā (discernment) with support to Maṇipūra (right force/execution)
Nādī-śodhana 6–12 rounds, then a brief kumbhaka with the resolve to ‘hold the light’.
Focused, collected mind (ekāgratā) moving toward steady illumination.
After any insight, pause; feel it in the body; silently repeat the key line as a ‘reins’ practice—retain, integrate, act only from clarity.
Recite in a simple ṛgvedic-style accenting: udatta on lexical highs (as marked in text), with natural fall to anudatta; avoid singing unless trained in śākhā-specific svaras.
Keep ‘pra te’ crisp; give slight lift on syllables with acute marks, and glide through svarita where it occurs; maintain pāda pauses at ‘|’.
babhrū: pronounce bh as voiced aspirate; lengthen ū, vicakṣaṇa: kṣ as a single cluster (k+ṣ), not ‘ksha’ overly separated, goṣaṇaḥ: ṣ retroflex; ḥ lightly aspirated, śiśrathaḥ: keep both ś sounds palatal; final ḥ soft
Clear, directive, ‘reins-in-hand’ firmness; not harsh.
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