Rig Veda 1.165.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 165, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.165
- Rishi
- Agastya Mānavā
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
कुतस्त्वमिन्द्र माहिनः सन्नेको यासि सत्पते किं त इत्था । सं पृच्छसे समराणः शुभानैर्वोचेस्तन्नो हरिवो यत्ते अस्मे ॥
kutás tvám indra mā́hinaḥ sánnéko yāsi satpate kím ta itthā́ | sáṃ pṛcchase samarāṇáḥ śubhānáir vóces tán no harivo yát te asmè ||
എവിടെ നിന്നാണ് നീ വരുന്നത്, ഹേ മഹിമാവാൻ ഇന്ദ്രാ, ഹേ സത്പതേ, നീ ഒറ്റയ്ക്കായി പോകുന്നതെന്ത്? നിനക്കിത് എന്തുകൊണ്ട്? നീ നിന്റെ ശുഭജനങ്ങളോടുകൂടെ വന്ന് ചോദ്യം ചെയ്യുന്നു; ഹേ ഹരിവോ, ഞങ്ങളേക്കുറിച്ച് നിനക്കുള്ള സംകല്പം എന്തോ—അത് ഞങ്ങളോട് പറയുക.
Word by Word
- कुतः
- whence? from where?Indeclinableअपादानार्थक/हेतुप्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (ablatival adverb)Role ApādānaRoot कुतस् (प्रश्नाव्यय) < क (प्रश्न) + -तस्
- त्वम्
- thou, youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole (सम्बोधन)Root इन्द्र (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- माहिनः
- O mighty one / O great oneAdjectiveपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचन (इन्द्र-विशेषण)Role (सम्बोधन)Root माहिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘महिमन्/माहात्म्य’ से) अथवा ‘माहिन’ (विशेषण)
- सन्
- beingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त; पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (त्वम्-समनाधिकरण)Role Kartā (सह-समनाधिकरण)Root अस् (धातु) → सन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- एकः
- alone, singleAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (त्वम्-समनाधिकरण)Role Kartā (समनाधिकरण)Root एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- यासि
- you goVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root या (धातु)
- सत्पते
- O lord of the good/true (good lord)Nounपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole (सम्बोधन)Root सत्पति (तत्पुरुष: सत् + पति)
- किम्
- what?Pronounनपुं; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (प्रश्नार्थक)Role Karma (अर्थतः ‘what?’)Root किम् (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम)
- ते
- to you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; एकवचन (enclitic)Role Sampradāna/Adhikaraṇa (सन्दर्भानुसार: ‘for you/your’)Root युष्मद्
- इत्था
- thus, in this wayIndeclinableरीतिवाचक अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (प्रकारे)Root इत्था (अव्यय)
- सम्
- together, fullyIndeclinableउपसर्ग; ‘पृच्छसे’ इत्यस्य सहRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पृच्छसे
- you ask, you inquireVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root प्रच्छ् (धातु)
- समराणः
- contending, battle-ward / in conflictAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (त्वम्-विशेषण; ‘battle-going/contending’)Role Kartā (समनाधिकरण)Root समर (प्रातिपदिक) → समराण (विशेषण/कृदन्त-प्राय)
- शुभानैः
- with the splendid (ones/things)Adjectiveपुं/नपुं; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot शुभान (प्रातिपदिक; ‘शुभ’ से) अथवा शुभ् (धातु) से निष्पन्न विशेषण
- वोचेस्
- you would speak / speak!Verbलुङ्/आशिर्लिङ्-प्राय (वेदिक injunctive/aorist); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root वच् (धातु)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- नः
- to us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; बहुवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- हरिवो
- O Hari-yoked one (Indra)Nounपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole (सम्बोधन)Root हरिवत्/हरिवस् (इन्द्र-विशेषण; ‘हरि’ अश्वयुक्त)
- यत्
- which, what (that which)Pronounनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचन (सम्बन्धक)Role KarmaRoot यद् (सम्बन्ध/यत्-प्रत्यय)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (सम्बन्धे)/SampradānaRoot युष्मद्
- अस्मे
- among us, in usPronounसप्तमी; बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप; ‘अस्मासु’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अस्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved/normalized padaccheda: कुतः त्वम् इन्द्र माहिनः सन् एकः यासि सत्पते किम् ते इत्था । सम् पृच्छसे समराणः शुभानैः वोचेस् तत् नः हरिवो यत् ते अस्मे ॥ प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) कुतस् + त्वम् → कुतस्त्वम् (विसर्ग/स्-सन्धि) (2) सन् + एकः → सन्नेकः (न् + ए) (3) किम् + ते → किं ते (अनुस्वार) (4) ते + इत्था → त इ॒त्था (स्वर-सन्धि/पदविभाग) (5) शुभानैः + वोचेस् → शुभानैर्वोचेस् (विसर्ग→र्) (6) वोचेस् + तत् → वोचेस् तत् (पदसीमा) (7) तत् + नः → तन्नः (त् + न → न्न) (8) हरिवो + यत् → हरिवो यत् (पदसीमा) (9) यत् + ते → यत्ते (त् + त → त्त)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker addresses Indra: from where do you come, mighty one, that you go alone, lord of the true? Why do you question like this, arriving with your splendid companions? Tell us, O Harivan, what you intend for us.
Inner meaning
Indra (illumined mind) appears “alone” because the decisive illumination often descends as a singular sovereign clarity. Yet he comes with “splendid ones” (śubhānaiḥ)—supporting powers (often Maruts: energizing life-forces) that accompany the descent of light. The seer asks the origin of this illumination and its purpose in the sadhana: what does the divine mind intend to accomplish in us now? The questioning is a turning-point—will the illumined force ally with the dynamic energies, and how will it guide the sacrifice?
Universal truth
True guidance is not vague: the seeker must ask the higher intelligence what it intends to transform. Illumination arrives with supporting forces, but it must declare its aim so life can align with truth.
Themes
Indra-Marut relationship, Inquiry and revelation, Divine intention for the seeker
The seer
- Rishi
- Agastya Mānavā
- Lineage
- Mānava (Agastya tradition)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.165, Rig Veda 1.166, Rig Veda 1.167
Family tradition
Agastya’s hymns frequently stage inner dialogues among powers (Indra–Maruts), reflecting an experiential psychology of ascent and integration.
Significance
The rishi models the yogic act of questioning the descending illumination—seeking explicit guidance rather than mere experience.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- māhinaḥ (mighty), satpati (lord of truth), harivaḥ (tawny-steeded)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Slayer of Vṛtra, releaser of waters and light; king of the luminous heaven who leads the gods to victory.
Inner power
Decisive illumined intelligence that breaks inner obstruction, commands energies, and establishes truth-direction.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation in Soma context; dialogic hymn used to invite Indra’s presence and clarify boon
कुत॒स्त्वमि॑न्द्र॒ माहि॑न॒: सन्नेको॑ यासि सत्पते॒ किं त॑ इ॒त्था । सं पृ॑च्छसे समरा॒णः शु॑भा॒नैर्वो॒चेस्तन्नो॑ हरिवो॒ यत्ते॑ अ॒स्मे ॥
कुतः॑ । त्वम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । माहि॑नः । सन् । एकः॑ । या॒सि॒ । स॒त्ऽप॒ते॒ । किम् । ते॒ । इ॒त्था । सम् । पृ॒च्छ॒से॒ । स॒म्ऽअ॒रा॒णः । शु॒भा॒नैः । वो॒चेः । तत् । नः॒ । ह॒रि॒ऽवः॒ । यत् । ते॒ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ ॥
kutaḥ | tvam | indra | māhinaḥ | san | ekaḥ | yāsi | sat-pate | kim | te | itthā | sam | pṛcchase | sam-arāṇaḥ | śubhānaiḥ | voceḥ | tat | naḥ | hari-vaḥ | yat | te | asme iti
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Dialogic and probing; strong caesuras support direct address and questioning.
Invokes alertness and discernment; the rhythm sharpens inquiry and receptivity to guidance.
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind/illumination that conquers obscurity (Vṛtra) and releases the waters/lights
- माहि॑नः (māhinaḥ)
- Literal: mighty, great in power. Symbolic: the irresistible force of illumined consciousness
- एकः (ekaḥ)
- Literal: alone. Symbolic: sovereign clarity; the One light that leads
- सत्पते (satpate)
- Literal: lord of the true/good. Symbolic: master of satya and right leadership in the being
- शु॑भा॒नैः (śubhānaiḥ)
- Literal: splendid ones. Symbolic: bright supporting powers—purified energies, Marut-like dynamisms
- हरिवः (harivaḥ)
- Literal: having tawny steeds. Symbolic: illumined force carried by vital energies disciplined to the divine purpose
Dialogue-hymn segment used to negotiate/align Indra’s solitary sovereignty with the collective Marut powers during Soma offerings.
During Indra-stotras/śastras around Soma pressing and offering; especially when Indra is invoked with Maruts.
Recitation as a formal address to Indra requesting declaration of intention/boon.
Use as a contemplative ‘inquiry mantra’ before decision-making: ask the higher mind to reveal its intention and direction.
√prach ‘ask’ → pṛcchase (2sg middle). √vac (PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’) → voceḥ (optative). sat-pati frames Indra as guardian of ‘sat’ (true being), aligning his martial force with truth-order rather than mere violence.
Sat (true being) and lordship, Right questioning as seeking intention of the divine will, Integration of solitary and collective powers
Satpati implies governance by Ṛta; Indra’s movement is not arbitrary but lawed by truth-order.
Explicit: satpate—lord of the true.
Descent of illumined power into the mid-world with companions to reorganize the being.
Integral-psychological Vedism: Indra as illumined Mind guiding transformation.
The ‘coming’ is the descent of illumination; the steeds are disciplined vital energies carrying the light-force into action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Indra and the host’ mythologem: the solitary sovereign power meets/queries the collective storm-powers. Innerly, it is the tension between a central will (Indra) and distributed energies (Maruts), requiring conscious integration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vac (PIE *wekʷ-) is a classic IE root (Latin vox, vocāre; English ‘voice’). The optative voceḥ expresses a wish/request mode typical of early IE ritual speech: the human asks the god to disclose intention.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi adopts a frank dialogic stance: he questions Indra’s movement and requests disclosure. The reciprocity is that Indra’s power must be guided by truth (satpati) and made explicit as a boon ‘for us/in us’—a conscious installation rather than an external favor.
Inner inquiry: ‘From where does this clarity arise, and what is it asking of me now?’
Ājñā (directive insight)
Short silent pause after each pāda; let the question sink on the pause (kumbhaka-like stillness without strain).
From mental noise to a clear inward dialogue with the illumined faculty.
Chant once; then ask inwardly for Indra’s ‘intention’ (yat te asme). Wait in stillness for a decisive, quiet clarity rather than discursive answers.
Vedic tri-svara; interrogatives (kutaḥ, kim) and vocatives (indra, satpate, harivo) carry emphatic lift in performance.
Keep vocatives clear: índra, sátpate. Do not blur consonant clusters in sam-pṛcchase, samarāṇaḥ.
kutaḥ: final ḥ clearly aspirated, māhinaḥ: long ā; retroflex ṇ not present—keep dental n, sam pṛcchase: distinct m + p; clear ṛ vowel in pṛ-, harivo: short i; v as soft labio-dental
Clear, assertive, conversational; avoid overly devotional softness—this is inquiry to the inner king.
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