Rig Veda 5.38.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 38, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.38
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
उतो नो अस्य कस्य चिद्दक्षस्य तव वृत्रहन् । अस्मभ्यं नृम्णमा भरास्मभ्यं नृमणस्यसे ॥
uto no asya kasya cid dákṣasya tava vṛtrahan | asmábhyaṃ nṛmṇám ā bharā́smábhyaṃ nṛmanasyase ||
Dan bahkan apa jua daya-kerja (dakṣa) yang ada pada-Mu, wahai pembunuh Vṛtra, bawalah kepada kami kelimpahan daya insan (nṛmṇa); bagi kami Engkaulah yang berfikir dan berkehendak, menggenapkan jiwa-wira (nṛ) menuju kepenuhan.
Word by Word
- उ॒तो
- and also; moreoverIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अन्वादेशार्थक निपातRoot उ + तो (निपात-समुच्चय) / अथो
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root अस्मद्
- अस्य
- of this; of himPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंRole सम्बन्धRoot इदम्
- कस्य
- of which? / of anyPronoun (interrog./indef.)षष्ठी (gen.), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंRole सम्बन्धRoot किम्
- चित्
- even; indeed; at allIndeclinableअवधारण/अपि-अर्थक निपातRoot चित् (निपात) / चिद्
- दक्षस्य
- of (his) power/skill; of abilityNounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बन्धRoot दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- तव
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- वृत्रहन्
- O Vṛtra-slayer (Indra)Noun (epithet)सम्बोधन (voc.), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot वृत्रहन् (वृत्र + हन्)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to usPronounचतुर्थी (dat.), बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- नृम्णम्
- manly strength; heroic mightNounद्वितीया (acc.), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्मRoot नृम्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither; forth (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (आ-), अभिमुख्य/समन्तात्-आनयनेRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- भर
- bring; bearVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √भृ (भरणे)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to usPronounचतुर्थी (dat.), बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- नृमणस्यसे
- you show/provide manly spirit; you are (one) of heroic-mindednessVerbलट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘नृमणस्य’ इति नामधातु-प्रयोगः (‘to act as/seek/provide nṛmaṇa’)Role क्रियाRoot नृमणस्य (प्रातिपदिक: नृमणस्/नृमणस्य) + √अस् (अस्मि) / denominative-stem
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उतो नः अस्य कस्य चित् दक्षस्य तव वृत्रहन् । अस्मभ्यम् नृम्णम् आ भर अस्मभ्यम् नृमणस्यसे ॥ 1) ‘उतो’ = ‘उ’ + ‘तो/अथो’ (निपात-समुच्चय)
- 2) ‘चि॒द्दक्षस्य’ इति संहितायां ‘चित्’ + ‘दक्षस्य’ (द्-आदेश/संयोग)
- 3) ‘नृ॒म्णमा’ = ‘नृम्णम्’ + ‘आ’ (अम् + आ → मा)
- 4) ‘भरास्मभ्यम्’ = ‘भर’ + ‘अस्मभ्यम्’ (अ-आगमः/संधि)
- 5) ‘नृमणस्यसे’ वैदिक-प्रयोगः: ‘नृमणस्य’ इति नामधातु/तद्धित-आधारित धातु-प्रयोगः + आत्मनेपद-प्रत्ययः ‘-से’ (2sg)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Vṛtra-slayer, bring to us the heroic force (nṛmṇa) from whatever power of effectiveness (dakṣa) is yours; for us you are the one who wills/thinks the heroic fullness.
Inner meaning
Dakṣa is capacity—skill, effective intelligence, the power to organize works according to truth. Indra as Vṛtrahan destroys the coverer (Vṛtra: obstruction, inertia, subconscient resistance) and releases the blocked energies. The prayer is not for brute strength but for nṛmṇa: the ‘hero-soul’ force—courageous, truth-aligned potency in action and character. ‘nṛmanasyase’ suggests Indra forms in us the hero-mind, the will that thinks and intends heroically—steadfast, luminous, victorious over inner darkness.
Universal truth
True strength is effective, conscious power: the capacity to act rightly and courageously after breaking inner resistance.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying (inner obstruction-breaking), boon-request for nṛmṇa (heroic force), psychological ascent and empowerment
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.3 (Agni, Ātreya), RV 5.27 (Indra, Ātreya), RV 5.40 (Ātreya hymn with strong inner symbolism)
Family tradition
Atri lineage (Mandala 5) known for hymns of inner ascent, luminous perception, and victorious powers; often addresses Indra as the force that breaks limitation and brings plenitude.
Significance
Atri’s voice often seeks the transformation of human capacity into divine effectiveness; here the central ask is dakṣa → nṛmṇa: capacity becoming heroic power through illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (breaks the cave; releases light/knowledge), Agni (will that carries the sacrifice), Maruts (storm-powers aiding Indra’s victory)
Cosmic role
Breaker of the coverer; releaser of rivers of light and force; giver of victorious capacity in works.
Inner power
Courageous illumination that converts capacity into effective, heroic action and dismantles subconscious resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma sacrifice; also suitable as a general victory/protection prayer
उ॒तो नो॑ अ॒स्य कस्य॑ चि॒द्दक्ष॑स्य॒ तव॑ वृत्रहन् । अ॒स्मभ्यं॑ नृ॒म्णमा भ॑रा॒स्मभ्यं॑ नृमणस्यसे ॥
उ॒तो इति॑ । नः॒ । अ॒स्य । कस्य॑ । चि॒त् । दक्ष॑स्य । तव॑ । वृ॒त्र॒ऽह॒न् । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । नृ॒म्णम् । आ । भा॒र॒ । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । नृ॒ऽम॒न॒स्य॒से॒ ॥
uto iti | naḥ | asya | kasya | cit | dakṣasya | tava | vṛtra-han | asmabhyam | nṛmṇam | ā | bhāra | asmabhyam | nṛ-manasyase
Triṣṭubh (probable; verse length and syntactic sweep suggest it)
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh norm)
Broad, declarative, forceful—suited to invocation of heroic power
Builds resolve and strength; supports a ‘breakthrough’ mood against resistance.
- vṛtrahan
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: Destroyer of inner obstruction, breaker of darkness and inertia
- dakṣa
- Literal: skill, ability, effective power. Symbolic: Organizing intelligence and capacity to execute truth in works
- nṛmṇa
- Literal: manly/heroic strength, vigor. Symbolic: Hero-soul force: courageous energy guided by light
- ā bharā
- Literal: bring hither. Symbolic: Cause descent/transfer of higher capacity into the seeker’s nature
- nṛmanasyase
- Literal: you think/will the heroic-mindedness. Symbolic: Indra shapes the inner will and intention into heroic fullness
Indra-stotra within Soma sacrifice sequences (general Indra-invocation at Soma pressing; used as praise to secure strength and protection).
When seeking strength to overcome obstacles or enemies (outer/inner)
Recitation with offering; intention of removing obstruction and gaining effective power
Chant when facing procrastination, fear, or entrenched habits; pair with a vow of one concrete courageous act.
Key terms: (1) dakṣá- ‘capacity/efficacy’: from √dakṣ ‘to be able, be competent; to effect’, conveying not mere skill but an executive power that accomplishes. (2) vṛtra-hán- ‘Vṛtra-slayer’: vṛtrá- ‘obstruction, coverer’ (from √vṛ ‘to cover, restrain’) + han- ‘slaying’ (√han ‘to strike, kill’), mythically and psychologically ‘breaker of inner obstruction’. (3) nṛmṇá- ‘heroic force, manly plenitude’: from nṛ́- ‘man/hero’ + -mna (abstract of power/measure), indicating a concentrated human potency. (4) ā bhar(a): imperative of √bhṛ ‘to bear/bring’, with ā- ‘towards’ = ‘bring down/bring here into manifestation’. (5) nṛ-manasyase: compound with manas (√man ‘to think, intend, will’); semantic force: ‘thou makest/embodiest heroic-mindedness’, i.e., Indra’s power shapes the human instrument into courageous clarity.
Rita as victorious order over obstruction, transformation of human nature (nṛ) by divine will (manas) and power (dakṣa)
Dakṣa as right skill is ṛta in works—order applied to action.
Vṛtra-slaying symbolizes truth breaking false coverings.
Release of blocked powers and formation of a new, heroic capacity in the human instrument.
Karmic-yogic orientation (works transformed by illumination), resonant with Aurobindo’s ‘divinization of action’.
Storm/monsoon symbolism (Vṛtra mythic pattern)
Breaking the inner ‘cloud’ of inertia to release streams of energy and clarity into action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as Vṛtrahan: the power that smites the ‘coverer/obstructor’ (vṛtra) and thereby releases blocked energies (waters/light). Here the myth is interiorized: the request is for nṛmṇa—heroic human force—arising when obstruction is broken and dakṣa (effective capacity) is poured into the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘to bear/bring’ (bhar) aligns with PIE *bʰer- ‘carry’ (cf. English bear, Latin ferō). √han ‘to strike/kill’ aligns with PIE *gʷhen- ‘to strike, slay’ (cf. Greek phénō ‘kill’ in compounds, Sanskrit han-). The semantic field of √man (manas) reflects PIE *men- ‘think’ (cf. Latin mens, English mind).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal ‘gift-circuit’ is implied: the seer offers invocation and recognition of Indra’s dakṣa, and in return asks Indra to ‘bring’ nṛmṇa into the human collective (asmabhyam). The repeated ‘for us’ marks a covenantal intimacy: Indra is not distant nature-force but an inward shaper of heroic consciousness (nṛ-manasyase).
Call down dakṣa (effective capacity) and transform it into nṛmṇa (heroic force) to break Vṛtra (inner resistance).
Maṇipūra (courage/will) with support from Ājñā (right direction) (interpretive mapping)
Kapalabhāti (gentle) 3 rounds of 30 pumps, then slow breathing and chant
Forceful clarity; decisive will aligned to truth
Name one ‘Vṛtra’ (habit/fear) clearly; chant, then immediately do a small act that contradicts that resistance—this anchors nṛmṇa.
Vedic accents per recension; keep strong udatta lift on vṛtrahan and nṛmṇam.
Triṣṭubh benefits from clear pāda pauses; mark the caesura naturally after key vocatives (vṛtrahan).
vṛtrahan: pronounce ṛ as syllabic ‘ri’ (short), keep ‘tr’ crisp., nṛmṇam: retroflex ṇ; cluster ‘mṇ’ should be carefully articulated, not simplified., nṛmanasyase: keep the internal ‘na’ clear; avoid slurring into ‘nṛmnasye’.
Commanding, steady, slightly lower pitch to convey firmness.
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