Rig Veda 10.33.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 33, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.33
- Rishi
- Upamaśravas
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यस्य मा हरितो रथे तिस्रो वहन्ति साधुया । स्तवै सहस्रदक्षिणे ॥
yásya mā haríto ráthe tisró váhanti sādhuyā́ | stávaí sahásra-dákṣiṇe ||
ആരുടെയോ രഥത്തെ മൂന്നു ഹരിത അശ്വങ്ങൾ വഹിക്കുന്നു, യാർ ശരിയായും നിപുണമായും സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്നു—ആ സഹസ്രദക്ഷിണൻ, ആയിരം ദാനശക്തികളുടെ അധിപൻ, നമ്മുടെ സ്തുതിയാൽ സ്തുതിക്കപ്പെടട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- यस्य
- whosePronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → य
- मा
- not / do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)Root मा (अव्यय)
- हरितः
- the bay mares (yellowish/greenish horses)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (RV-प्रयोगे), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वहन्ति इत्यस्य)Root हरित (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथे
- on/in the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरण (स्थानम्)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तिस्रः
- threeNumeral (Adjective)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (हरितः इत्यस्य)Root त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- वहन्ति
- they carry / they conveyVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot वह्
- साधुया
- well, rightly (with good guidance/skill)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (रीत्या/साधनम्)Root साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तवै
- praise! / sing!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सम्भवः; RV-प्रयोगे आज्ञार्थः), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot स्तु
- सहस्रदक्षिणे
- O thousand-fee-giver (one whose gifts/fees are a thousand)Adjective (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सहस्र-दक्षिण (समास-प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-भावः)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यस्य | मा | हरितः | रथे | तिस्रः | वहन्ति | साधुया | स्तवै | सहस्रदक्षिणे || 1) ‘हरितो रथे’ इत्यत्र ‘हरितः’ (प्रथमा-बहु) + ‘रथे’ (सप्तमी-एक) — विसर्गः पदान्ते स्वर-व्यवहारानुसारं संहितायां ‘हरितो’ इव दृश्यते। 2) ‘स्तवै सहस्रदक्षिणे’ — क्रियापदं (लोट्) + सम्बोधन-एकवचन
The meaning
Outer meaning
He whose chariot is carried by three tawny steeds—may he, moving rightly, be praised, the giver of a thousand gifts.
Inner meaning
Indra’s chariot is the dynamic movement of illumined consciousness. The ‘three haritáḥ’ are triple powers that carry the divine Mind-force: (1) clarity/illumination, (2) forceful will, (3) joyous energy—or in another Aurobindonian line, the three planes of mind (physical, vital, mental) converted into luminous steeds. Sādhu-yā indicates right method and harmonious progression of the sadhana. Sahasra-dakṣiṇā is not mere wealth but abundant bestowal of inner riches—light, strength, wideness—released by Indra when the seeker praises and aligns.
Universal truth
When our energies become yoked to right movement, the higher consciousness can ride them; then abundance flows—not only outward success but inner gifts of clarity, courage, and joy.
Themes
Indra-invocation, divine chariot symbolism, triple powers, inner right action
The seer
- Rishi
- Upamaśravas (traditional attribution for RV 10.33)
- Other hymns
- RV 10.33.6 (self-reference)
Family tradition
Likely part of late Rigvedic family-poet milieu where self-reference and dānastuti occur; exact gotra not securely preserved.
Significance
Upamaśravas models the rishi as one who turns affliction into invocation, then into praise that opens abundance—showing the psychology of transition from struggle to victorious movement.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Harivān (possessor of tawny steeds—implied), Maghavan, Śatakratu
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Uṣas, Maruts
Cosmic role
Rider of the luminous energies; giver of wideness and victorious powers; opener of the hidden Light.
Inner power
The illumined Mind that takes the reins of prāṇa and action, making them instruments of right-going progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti in Soma-related or general śrauta praise sequences (contextual)
यस्य॑ मा ह॒रितो॒ रथे॑ ति॒स्रो वह॑न्ति साधु॒या । स्तवै॑ स॒हस्र॑दक्षिणे ॥
यस्य॑ । मा॒ । ह॒रितः॑ । रथे॑ । ति॒स्रः । वह॑न्ति । सा॒धु॒ऽया । स्तवै॑ । स॒हस्र॑ऽदक्षिणे ॥
yasya | mā | haritaḥ | rathe | tisraḥ | vahanti | sādhu-yā | stavai | sahasra-dakṣiṇe
48
4 × ~12
Longer rolling cadence, suitable for forward-driving movement (ratha) and expansive giving.
Energizes and widens the breath; evokes a sense of uplift and onward motion.
- हरितः (haritaḥ)
- Literal: tawny/bright steeds. Symbolic: luminous energies that carry the divine Mind-force; purified prāṇa/vital forces
- तिस्रः (tisraḥ)
- Literal: three. Symbolic: triple dynamism (mind–life–body) or triple luminous powers supporting ascent
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: vehicle of conscious movement; organized action of the being
- साधुया (sādhu-yā)
- Literal: by right-going/skillful way. Symbolic: right method (ṛta in practice), harmonious discipline
- सहस्रदक्षिणे (sahasra-dakṣiṇe)
- Literal: having a thousand dakṣiṇās (gifts). Symbolic: abundant bestowal of inner riches—light, force, wideness, joy
General Indra-stuti in Soma context; suitable for Soma offerings where Indra is invoked for force (vāja) and right-giving (dakṣiṇā).
During Indra-invocation/praise, especially where gifts and strength are sought
Stotra/śastra recitation accompanying offerings and invitation to the deity
Chant before work or disciplined practice to yoke energies into ‘sādhu-yā’ (right method) and invite abundant inner resources.
Key terms: haritáḥ (adj. ‘tawny, shining’; in Indra context, his horses—psychologically, luminous dynamic energies). váhanti from √vah ‘to carry, convey’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘to transport’). sādhuyā́: instr. of sādhú ‘right, effective, straight’ (linked to √sādh ‘to accomplish, make good’). stávaí from √stu ‘praise/affirm’; here functions as a wish/command of invocation. dakṣiṇā: ‘right-hand, skill, fitness’ and ‘gift’; inner sense: right discernment and right distribution of force.
Ṛta (right movement suggested by sādhuyā́), plentitude through right-giving (dakṣiṇā as ordered distribution)
Sādhu-yā is ṛta translated into practice—right rhythm of energies.
True praise aligns speech with the reality of the god-power, enabling effective descent.
Harnessing of energies into a vehicle for higher consciousness—creation as organized movement.
Integral psychology of transformation: prāṇa and action become steeds of the illumined mind.
dawn (suggested by tawny radiance; not explicit)
Steeds = vital forces; chariot = disciplined life-movement; tawny color = illumined prāṇa touched by higher light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘god on the chariot drawn by luminous steeds’—Indra as the arriving Power of victorious force. Innerly, the myth enacts the descent/approach of a dynamic divine consciousness carried by triple luminous energies into the seeker’s field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- váhanti (√vah) aligns with PIE *weǵh- ‘carry/transport’ (cf. English ‘weigh’ is different; but ‘wagon’ is related to conveyance complex; more direct: Latin vehō). The chariot (rátha) belongs to the Indo-Iranian poetic-ritual complex of the divine journey and arrival, structurally parallel to Avestan imagery of divine conveyance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal pact of praise and right-giving: the seer offers stuti (affirming speech that shapes consciousness), and the Devata is invoked as sahasra-dakṣiṇa—abundant in ‘right distribution’ of force and felicity. Dakṣiṇā is not mere payment but the divine capacity to set energies rightly in the human being.
Visualize three luminous currents (clarity–force–joy) yoked to one intention; invite Indra to ‘ride’ the day’s actions.
Ajna (reins/command) with Manipura (steeds/energy)
3-part breath awareness (lower belly–ribs–chest) as the ‘three steeds’; exhale into a steady forward intention.
Dynamic sattwa—clear, strong, joyfully active.
Before action, chant once slowly; then feel the three energies align behind one will. Offer the coming work as ‘ratha’ to the indric power.
Follow Rigvedic accenting; keep clarity on ‘haritó’, ‘tísro’, ‘sahásra-’ where udātta typically carries sense-weight (verify with svara text).
Let the rhythm ‘pull forward’ like a chariot: slightly emphasize the start of each pāda; keep a smooth glide across compounds.
: ‘ha-ri-taḥ’ (do not aspirate r), : ‘tis-raḥ’ (clear cluster), : break as ‘sa-has-ra-dak-ṣi-ṇe’ with retroflex ṇ
Bright, projecting, with an upward lift.
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