Rig Veda 10.44.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 44, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.44
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
एन्द्रवाहो नृपतिं वज्रबाहुमुग्रमुग्रासस्तविषास एनम् । प्रत्वक्षसं वृषभं सत्यशुष्ममेमस्मत्रा सधमादो वहन्तु ॥
éndra-vāho nṛ-pátiṃ vájra-bāhum ugrám ugrā́sas taviṣā́sa enam | prá-tvakṣasaṃ vṛṣabháṃ satyá-śuṣmam émam asmatrā́ sadha-mā́do vahantu ||
ഹേ ഇന്ദ്രവാഹോ, മനുഷ്യരുടെ അധിപതിയായ—വജ്രബാഹുവായ ഉഗ്രനെ—ഇവിടെ കൊണ്ടുവരുവിൻ; ഉഗ്രരും ബലവാന്മാരും അവനെ വഹിക്കുന്നു. മുന്നോട്ടു വളരുന്ന വൃഷഭനായ, സത്യശുഷ്മ (സത്യബലം ഉള്ള) അവനെ, പൊതുവായ ആനന്ദത്തിന്റെ സഖാക്കൾ ഇവിടെ ഞങ്ങളിലേക്കു വഹിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുവരട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (पूर्वपद) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / अव्यय
- इन्द्रवाहाः
- Indra-bearers (those who bring Indra)Noun (compound) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र-वाह (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र + वाह ‘carrying/bringing’)
- नृपतिम्
- the lord of menNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot नृपति (प्रातिपदिक; नृ ‘man’ + पति ‘lord’)
- वज्रबाहुम्
- whose arm is the thunderboltAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण of नृपतिम्)Root वज्रबाहु (प्रातिपदिक; वज्र ‘thunderbolt’ + बाहु ‘arm’)
- उग्रम्
- mighty, fierceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण of नृपतिम्)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रासः
- the strong onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to इन्द्रवाहाः)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तविषासः
- the mighty (possessing शक्ति)Noun (used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to इन्द्रवाहाः)Root तविष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘strength, might’)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग / क्रियाविशेषणRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्वक्षसम्
- vigorous, strongAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण of वृषभम्/एनम्)Root त्वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘vigour/strength’, RV usage)
- वृषभम्
- the bull (hero)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (apposition to एनम्)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्यशुष्मम्
- of true mightAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण of वृषभम्/एनम्)Root सत्य-शुष्म (प्रातिपदिक; सत्य ‘true’ + शुष्म ‘might, ardour’)
- आ
- hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (पूर्वपद) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / अव्यय
- इमम्
- this (one), him herePronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मत्रा
- to us, to our sideIndeclinableअव्यय (देश/सम्प्रदानार्थ) प्रयोगRole Adhikaraṇa (goal/direction) / Sampradāna (to us) بحسب संदर्भRoot अस्मत्रा (अव्यय; अस्मद्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘to us/our side’)
- सधमादः
- companions of the common feastNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सधमाद (प्रातिपदिक; ‘common feast/banquet, shared drinking’)
- वहन्तु
- let (them) carry/bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √वह् (वहति) धातु
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): आ | इन्द्रवाहाः | नृपतिम् | वज्रबाहुम् | उग्रम् | उग्रासः | तविषासः | एनम् | प्र | त्वक्षसम् | वृषभम् | सत्यशुष्मम् | आ | इमम् | अस्मत्रा | सधमादः | वहन्तु । 1) एन्द्रवाहो॑ = आ + इन्द्रवाहाः (आ-उपसर्ग + स्वर-सन्धि; ‘आ’ + ‘इ’ → ‘ए’)
- 2) प्रत्व॑क्षसं = प्र + त्वक्षसम् (उपसर्ग-संयोग; ‘प्र’ + ‘त्व…’)
- 3) एम॑स्म॒त्रा = आ + इमम् + अस्मत्रा: ‘आ’ + ‘इमम्’ → ‘एमम्’ (आ + इ → ए), ततः ‘एमम् अस्मत्रा’ पदसंहिता में ‘एम॑स्म॒त्रा’ (m + a → ma-समास/संहिता-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O bearers of Indra, bring here the lord of men with the thunderbolt in his arm—fierce, borne by the fierce and strong; the forward-growing Bull with true force. Let the comrades of common delight bring him to us.
Inner meaning
The ‘Indra-bearers’ are the supporting powers that carry illumination into the field—often the Maruts (storm-forces) or allied prāṇic energies disciplined to the divine Mind. They are asked to bring the central governing force (nṛpati) armed with vajra: decisive truth-force in action. Indra is ‘ugra’ (fierce) because he does not compromise with obscurity; he is carried by ‘ugrāsaḥ taviṣāsaḥ’—strong dynamic movements that can sustain the descent of power. ‘Pratvakṣas’ suggests growth forward/outward: the illumination expands the frontiers of consciousness. ‘Satya-śuṣma’ indicates a force whose energy is true, not rajasic excitement. ‘Sadhamāda’ (common delight) points to a collective inner harmony: when the faculties share one delight of the soul, the divine power arrives and acts.
Universal truth
Higher realization is best received when supportive energies are strong and harmonized. True force is fierce against falsehood yet grounded in truth and shared joy, not in egoic aggression.
Themes
bringing the god-force, allied energies, truth and power union
The seer
Significance
Highlights the collaborative nature of inner transformation: not only the central light (Indra) but also the ‘carriers’—supporting energies—must be invoked and organized.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (invoked through his bearers/companions)
- Epithets
- nṛpati (lord of men), vajrabāhu (thunderbolt-armed), ugra (fierce), vṛṣabha (bull), satyaśuṣma (true-force)
- Related deities
- Maruts (probable indravāhaḥ), Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Leader-force brought by allied powers into the human arena; breaker of obstruction; establisher of victorious order.
Inner power
Fierce clarity carried by strong energies; expansion of consciousness; truth-purified dynamism.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Marut associated invocations in soma rites; calling the entourage to bring Indra
एन्द्र॒वाहो॑ नृ॒पतिं॒ वज्र॑बाहुमु॒ग्रमु॒ग्रास॑स्तवि॒षास॑ एनम् । प्रत्व॑क्षसं वृष॒भं स॒त्यशु॑ष्म॒मेम॑स्म॒त्रा स॑ध॒मादो॑ वहन्तु ॥
आ । इ॒न्द्र॒ऽवाहः॑ । नृ॒ऽपति॑म् । वज्र॑ऽबाहुम् । उ॒ग्रम् । उ॒ग्रासः॑ । त॒वि॒षासः॑ । ए॒न॒म् । प्रऽत्व॑क्षसम् । वृ॒ष॒भम् । स॒त्यऽशु॑ष्मम् । आ । ई॒म् । अ॒स्म॒ऽत्रा । स॒ध॒ऽमादः॑ । व॒ह॒न्तु॒ ॥
ā | indra-vāhaḥ | nṛ-patim | vajra-bāhum | ugram | ugrāsaḥ | taviṣāsaḥ | enam | pra-tvakṣasam | vṛṣabham | satya-śuṣmam | ā | īm | asma-trā | sadha-mādaḥ | vahantu
44
4 × ~11; heavy consonant clusters add force
Strong, percussive, ‘processional’; repeated ugra/taviṣa gives pounding emphasis.
Mobilizes supporting energies; evokes a ‘descent’ of power carried by breath and rhythm into the body.
- इन्द्रवाहः (indravāhaḥ)
- Literal: bearers/carriers of Indra. Symbolic: Supporting powers (Marut-like forces; disciplined energies) that bring illumination into action
- वज्रबाहु (vajrabāhu)
- Literal: whose arm bears the thunderbolt. Symbolic: Capacity for decisive cutting through resistance
- उग्र (ugra)
- Literal: fierce. Symbolic: Uncompromising intensity of truth against obscurity
- वृषभ (vṛṣabha)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: Potent generative force of illumination; steadfast power
- सत्यशुष्म (satyaśuṣma)
- Literal: whose impulse/force is true. Symbolic: Energy purified of ego and distortion
- सधमादः (sadhamādaḥ)
- Literal: companions of common exhilaration. Symbolic: Unified inner faculties sharing one delight (soma/ānanda)
Processional invitation; inwardly, calling the supporting energies to bring the Indric power into active presence
When invoking Indra with his companions/assistants; communal stotra moments
Summoning the carriers/companions to bring the deity to the offering-seat
Group chanting before collective work/retreat sessions to establish shared delight and unified force.
√vah ‘carry’ (PIE *weǵh-) underlies the ‘bringing’ of the power into the human field. śuṣmá is concentrated vigor/impetus; with satyá it becomes force aligned with truth (not merely brute strength). vṛṣabha (bull) is a standard Indo-European potency emblem.
truth-powered force (satya-śuṣma), collective delight (sadhāmāda)
Forward growth (pratvakṣas) is the lawful advance of consciousness when forces are rightly aligned.
Satyaśuṣma: power is effective only when rooted in truth, not in excitement.
Expansion of the frontiers of being; the ‘bull’ as generative potency of new luminous formations.
Integral/psychological: collective delight as condition for stable descent of higher force.
Monsoon symbolism (storm-bearers)
Storm-bearers = prāṇic energies; bull = concentrated potency; thunderbolt = sudden discriminative illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s ‘coming’ is enacted by his bearers—subsidiary powers—suggesting the mythic entourage of the storm-king; psychologically, the descent of a central power is mediated by supporting energies that share the soma-delight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ is a clear PIE continuation (*weǵh-; cf. Latin vehere). vṛṣabha ‘bull’ matches a widespread IE symbolic lexicon where bovine strength signifies potency and rulership.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi addresses not only Indra but the ‘carriers’—acknowledging a layered inner ecology: multiple energies cooperate to install the truth-force (satya-śuṣma) in the seeker.
Summon supportive energies (breath, prāṇa, courage) to ‘carry’ illumination into the body and life-action.
Maṇipūra (force) + Anāhata (collective harmony) under Ājñā (command)
Kapalabhāti light (30–60 strokes) then steady breathing; chant to harness ‘ugra’ without agitation.
Charged, unified dynamism; readiness for breakthrough.
If fierceness becomes harsh, return to ‘satyaśuṣma’: purify motive, re-center in truth and wideness, then re-invoke the carriers.
Observe Vedic accents; the repeated ‘ugram’ should carry a clear udātta lift without shouting.
Make ‘ā … vahantu’ a clear summoning arc: begin open (ā), build force through descriptors, release into the carrying cadence at the end.
indravāhaḥ: long ā in vā; visarga ḥ lightly aspirated, vajrabāhum: keep ‘jra’ cluster; long ā in bā-, taviṣāsaḥ: retroflex ṣ; keep vowels clean, sadhamādaḥ: dh aspirated; long ā in mā
Percussive and rhythmic, like a marching chant; keep throat relaxed to preserve ‘true force’.
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