Rig Veda 5.31.1: Mandala 5, Sukta 31, Mantra 1
Sukta 5.31
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
इन्द्रो रथाय प्रवतं कृणोति यमध्यस्थान्मघवा वाजयन्तम् । यूथेव पश्वो व्युनोति गोपा अरिष्टो याति प्रथमः सिषासन् ॥
índro rathā́ya pravátaṃ kṛṇoti yám adhyásthān maghávā vājayántam | yūthéva paśvó vy ùnoti gopā́ áriṣṭo yāti prathamáḥ sisā́sān ||
Indra membuat jalan menurun bagi rata yang dinaikinya; Yang Pemurah menggerakkan kelimpahan tenaga. Seperti penggembala ia memisah dan menyusun kawanan; tanpa cedera ia melangkah paling hadapan, berhasrat menempatkan segala sesuatu pada geraknya yang benar.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथाय
- for the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रवतं
- a downward slope / descentNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रवत (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणोति
- makes, formsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot कृ (धातु)
- यम्
- whom / whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्यस्थात्
- mounted, stood uponVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अधि-स्था (धातु)
- मघवा
- the bountiful one (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजयन्तम्
- driving on / urging to speed, making (it) winParticiple (present active)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वाजय (नामधातु/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वाजयति < वाज)
- यूथेव
- like a herdNoun + Indeclinableयूथम्: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; इव: अव्ययRoot यूथ (प्रातिपदिक) + इव (अव्यय)
- पश्वः
- of cattleNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: -वः = -स्य)Role सम्बन्धRoot पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विउनोति
- separates, arranges apartVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot वि-उ (धातु; उ/व् ‘to weave/arrange/separate’)
- गोपाः
- the herdsman, protector of cowsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक: -आः = -आ)Role कर्तृRoot गोपा (प्रातिपदिक; गो + पा ‘protector’)
- अरिष्टः
- unharmed, uninjuredAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
- याति
- goesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot या (धातु)
- प्रथमः
- firstAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सिषासन्
- wishing to instruct/lead, desiring to set in motionParticiple (desiderative, present active)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सस्/शास् (धातु; desiderative stem सिषास-)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): इन्द्रः | रथाय | प्रवतं | कृणोति | यम् | अध्यस्थात् | मघवा | वाजयन्तम् || यूथ-इव → यूथेव | पश्वः (= पशोः/पशोस्य; वैदिक षष्ठी एकवचन) | वि-उनोति (संहिता-लेखन में व्युνοति; पदे विउनोति) | गोपाः (वैदिक प्रथमा एकवचन रूप) | अरिष्टः | याति | प्रथमः | सिषासन्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra makes a sloping/downward path for the chariot he has mounted; the bounteous one drives forward the winning of strength. Like a herdsman he separates and orders the herds; unharmed he goes in front, aiming to set things rightly in motion.
Inner meaning
Indra, the illumined Mind, prepares a descending passage for the soul’s movement—bringing the higher force down into the field of action. Mounting the “chariot” (organized dynamic instrument of the being), he directs the gaining of victorious energies (vāja). As the inner ‘gopā’ (guardian of the rays), he discriminates, distributes, and arranges the “herds” (go = rays/knowledges) so each power finds its right place. Moving ‘ariṣṭa’ (unwounded), he leads the advance of consciousness, initiating the right impulsion (siṣāsan) of life-forces under the guidance of light.
Universal truth
True progress is not random acceleration but a guided descent of higher clarity into action: the awakened intelligence creates a workable path, orders our scattered energies, and leads from the front with steadiness, so the whole nature moves in right rhythm rather than in confusion.
Themes
Indra as leader, descent path (pravata), ordering of powers, victorious movement
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.27, RV 5.28, RV 5.29, RV 5.30, RV 5.31
Family tradition
Atri lineage noted for hymns of inner illumination and right ordering of powers; a seer-family linking tapas (ardor) with clarity of vision.
Significance
Atri’s vision often stresses the emergence of light from obscurity and the disciplined governance of the inner sacrifice—Indra as organizer of the rays and leader of the advance.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavā (bounteous), Gopā (guardian of the rays), Vājayant (impeller of victorious force)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Uṣas, Aditi, Maruts
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions; establisher of luminous order by releasing the hidden waters/rays and leading the gods/powers in the battle for truth.
Inner power
Decisive illumination that creates a practicable path for higher consciousness to act in life; discriminative ordering of energies so the being moves as one instrument.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotras in Soma-yajña contexts (general Indra praise; also recitable in daily japa as a ‘right-ordering’ hymn)
इन्द्रो॒ रथा॑य प्र॒वतं॑ कृणोति॒ यम॒ध्यस्था॑न्म॒घवा॑ वाज॒यन्त॑म् । यू॒थेव॑ प॒श्वो व्यु॑नोति गो॒पा अरि॑ष्टो याति प्रथ॒मः सिषा॑सन् ॥
इन्द्रः॑ । रथा॑य । प्र॒ऽवत॑म् । कृ॒णो॒ति॒ । यम् । अ॒धि॒ऽअस्था॑त् । म॒घऽवा॑ । व्ज॒ऽयन्त॑म् । यू॒थाऽइ॑व । प॒श्वः । वि । उ॒नो॒ति॒ । गो॒पाः । अरि॑ष्टः । या॒ति॒ । प्र॒थ॒मः । सिसा॑सन् ॥
indraḥ | rathāya | pra-vatam | kṛṇoti | yam | adhi-asthāt | magha-vā | vja-yantam | yūthāiva | paśvaḥ | vi | unoti | gopāḥ | ariṣṭaḥ | yāti | prathamaḥ | sisāsan
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh cadence; slight Vedic flexibility possible)
Forward-driving, martial yet controlled; suited to leadership, ordering, and victorious advance.
Builds inner momentum and confidence; helps the mind ‘take the lead’ and align scattered impulses into a single directed movement.
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra, Vedic deity. Symbolic: Illumined Divine Mind; power of mental sovereignty and victorious clarity
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: Organized instrument of action; integrated psychophysical vehicle
- प्रवत (pravata)
- Literal: slope, downward path. Symbolic: Descent-channel for higher force into the lower nature; a prepared passage
- मघवा (maghavā)
- Literal: bounteous, giver. Symbolic: Mind that bestows powers/boons—capacities of effective action
- वाजयन्त (vājayantam)
- Literal: causing vāja to be won; driving for plenitude. Symbolic: Propelling victorious force/abundance; energizing right achievement
- गोपाः (gopāḥ)
- Literal: cowherd, protector of cows. Symbolic: Guardian of the rays of knowledge; inner discriminative guide
- गो/पशु/यूथ (go/paśu/yūtha)
- Literal: cows/animals/herd. Symbolic: Rays of light and instinctive life-powers to be ordered and uplifted
- अरिष्ट (ariṣṭa)
- Literal: unhurt, uninjured. Symbolic: Unafflicted consciousness; protected movement through resistance
- सिषासन् (siṣāsan)
- Literal: seeking to set in motion/discipline. Symbolic: Imposing right direction and training upon energies
Indra hymn used in Soma liturgy; invokes Indra’s directed descent and ordering power for successful action and protection
During Indra invocations in Soma pressing/offerings; also as a preparatory recitation before disciplined action or travel (outer/inner).
Stuti (praise) to invite Indra’s guidance and victorious ordering; accompaniment to offerings/oblations in Indra sections.
Use before work or decision-making: a short invocation for ‘making the path’, organizing priorities, and moving without inner injury (ariṣṭa).
√kṛ ‘make’, adhi-√sthā ‘mount/stand upon’, √yā ‘go’. praváta ‘slope’ becomes psychologically a channel for higher force to descend into the embodied field. vāja/vājay- indicates ‘plenitude of force’ (winning power), not merely ‘prize’. gopā ‘cow-protector’ extends to ‘guardian of lights/energies’.
descent of power into lower nature, ordering of energies (yūtha/pashu), leadership of illumined mind
Indra’s ‘ordering of the herds’ images Ṛta as correct distribution and alignment of powers in the being.
Truth becomes effective when the mind prepares a channel for descent and directs energies accordingly.
Descent of higher force into manifestation; organization of multiplicity into a functional harmony.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral (Aurobindonian) psychological reading of deities as powers of consciousness.
The ‘downward path’ is the descent of light-force into the vital/physical; the ‘herds’ are dispersed energies and rays gathered into right formation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s ‘descent and ordering’ mythologem: he creates the path for his chariot and, as gopā, arranges the herds—an image of divine force entering the lower field and organizing scattered energies into Ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Chariot poetics are pan-IE; √yā ‘go’ and √sthā ‘stand’ are strong PIE inheritances (*h₁ey-, *steh₂-). The herding metaphor (gopā, yūtha) aligns with Indo-European pastoral poetic foundations.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer contemplates Indra as the power that can ‘make a passage’ for descent into embodied life and then protectively order the inner herds; the hymn positions the human field as needing Indra’s foremost guidance to move safely and rightly.
Invite the illumined mind to ‘make the path’ for higher guidance into action; practice inner discrimination—placing each impulse in its right role.
Ājñā (clarity/command) with support to Maṇipūra (effective force)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally repeating key words: indraḥ… gopāḥ… ariṣṭaḥ…
Active collectedness—calm command rather than agitation.
Before action, pause; feel a descending line of light from above the head to the heart and navel; then ‘sort the herd’: name the main impulses, assign right place, act from the front (prathamaḥ) without strain.
Use Vedic tri-svara discipline (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā; without full notation here, keep udātta on marked accent syllables in the Saṃhitā recitation tradition.
Lean stress on accented syllables (udātta) like ín-dro, rá-thā-ya; avoid English-style strong stress—keep it tonal and even.
: ‘indraḥ’—clear dental ‘d’, light ‘ḥ’ visarga, : ‘pravatam’—short ‘a’ vowels; ‘v’ as soft labio-dental, : ‘gopāḥ’—long ‘ā’, audible visarga, : ‘ariṣṭaḥ’—retroflex ‘ṣṭ’ cluster cleanly
Clear, forward, slightly resonant; ‘leader’ tone without shouting.
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