Rig Veda 1.33.13: Mandala 1, Sukta 33, Mantra 13
Sukta 1.33
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अभि सिध्मो अजिगादस्य शत्रून्वि तिग्मेन वृषभेणा पुरोऽभेत् । सं वज्रेणासृजद्वृत्रमिन्द्रः प्र स्वां मतिमतिरच्छाशदानः ॥
abhí sidhmó ajigād asya śatrū́n ví tigména vṛṣabhéṇā púro ’bhet | sáṃ vájreṇāsṛjad vṛtrám índraḥ prá svā́ṃ matím atirat śā́śadānaḥ ||
Siła napędowa ruszyła na jego wrogów; ostrą mocą byka rozbił ich fronty. Indra piorunową mocą strącił Vṛtrę; posuwając się naprzód, uniósł swoją myśl poza siebie, wiecznie zwyciężając, ku większemu tryumfującemu widzeniu.
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सिध्मः
- the (mighty) one; the successful/straightforward one (epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot सिध्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजिगात्
- he went/advancedVerbलुङ् (aorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRoot √गा (गमन/गान) + अ (अग्मेंट) + जि (पुनरुक्ति/तीव्रता)
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शत्रून्
- enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, asunder, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तिग्मेन
- with the sharp (weapon/force)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन (करणे)Role KaraṇaRoot तिग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषभेण
- with the bull (i.e., the bull-like power/Indra as bull)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरः
- in front; forwardIndeclinableअव्यय (दिशा/पूर्वता)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पुरस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)
- अभेत्
- he split, he brokeVerbलुङ् (aorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRoot √भिद् (भेदन) + अ (अग्मेंट)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वज्रेण
- with the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- असृजत्
- he released/let loose; he castVerbलुङ् (aorist/impf.-like injunctive use in RV); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRoot √सृज् (सर्जन/मोचन) + अ (अग्मेंट)
- वृत्रम्
- Vṛtra (the obstructor)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्वाम्
- his ownAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण)Root स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मतिम्
- thought, intention, counselNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक)
- अतिरत्
- he passed beyond; he surpassedVerbलुङ् (aorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRoot √ऋ (गमन/अतिक्रम) with ati- (उपसर्ग) + अ (अग्मेंट)
- छाशदानः
- prevailing, overpowering; winning (as he overcomes)Participleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रायः RV रूप)Role Kartā (विशेषण, इन्द्रस्य)Root छाशद्/छाशद्- (RV kṛdanta from √शद्/√सद्? ‘to prevail/overcome’, with reduplication/intensive coloring)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): अभि | सिध्मः | अजिगात् | अस्य | शत्रून् | वि | तिग्मेन | वृषभेण | पुरः | अभेत् || सम् | वज्रेण | असृजत् | वृत्रम् | इन्द्रः | प्र | स्वाम् | मतिम् | अतिरत् | छाशदानः || 1) शत्रून्वि = शत्रून् + वि (न् + व् संयोग)
- 2) पुरोऽभेत् = पुरः + अभेत् (विसर्गस्य ओऽवग्रहः)
- 3) वज्रेणासृजत् = वज्रेण + असृजत् (अ + अ → आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra’s impetuous force rushes against enemies; with sharp bull-might he breaks their front ranks. With the vajra he casts down Vṛtra; pressing onward he surpasses his own thought into a greater victorious vision.
Inner meaning
The soul’s dynamic drive (sidhma) advances against inner resistances. Indra, the illumined Mind, uses a keen, forceful discrimination (tigma vṛṣabha) to split the “front” of habitual reactions. By the thunderbolt of concentrated will and insight (vajra), he smites Vṛtra—the Coverer in the subconscient—so consciousness breaks beyond its present mental limit (ati… matim) into a higher seeing that steadily conquers.
Universal truth
Progress is not only effort but a breakthrough of consciousness: when illumined intelligence joins decisive will, the inner obstruction collapses and thought is exceeded by a wider vision.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Breakthrough, Mind-transcendence, Victory
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.33.1-16, RV 1.34.1-2 (traditionally in the same anuvāka context for Gautamas)
Family tradition
Gautama lineage of seers; hymns often stress Indra’s victorious illumination and the breaking of inner obstacles.
Significance
As a Gautama, the rishi-vision emphasizes luminous intelligence: Indra’s victory is read as the ascent from obstructed mentality to a freer, more comprehensive seeing.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛtrahan (slayer of Vṛtra), maghavan (bounteous), vṛṣabha (bull-mighty), vajrin (wielder of the vajra)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Maruts
Cosmic role
Releases the waters/cows (powers of light) by shattering the cover; establishes wideness and right order for the worlds.
Inner power
Illumined mind and decisive will that breaks limiting formations and opens intuitive/supramental perception.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotras in Soma-yajña contexts; recited to invoke Indra’s vṛtrahan power.
अ॒भि सि॒ध्मो अ॑जिगादस्य॒ शत्रू॒न्वि ति॒ग्मेन॑ वृष॒भेणा॒ पुरो॑ऽभेत् । सं वज्रे॑णासृजद्वृ॒त्रमिन्द्र॒: प्र स्वां म॒तिम॑तिर॒च्छाश॑दानः ॥
अ॒भि । सि॒ध्मः । अ॒जि॒गा॒त् । अ॒स्य॒ । शत्रू॑न् । वि । ति॒ग्मेन॑ । वृ॒ष॒भेण॑ । पुरः॑ । अ॒भे॒त् । सम् । वज्रे॑ण । अ॒सृ॒ज॒त् । वृ॒त्रम् । इन्द्रः॑ । प्र । स्वाम् । म॒तिम् । अ॒ति॒र॒त् । शाश॑दानः ॥
abhi | sidhmaḥ | ajigāt | asya | śatrūn | vi | tigmena | vṛṣabheṇa | puraḥ | abhet | sam | vajreṇa | asṛjat | vṛtram | indraḥ | pra | svām | matim | atirat | śāśadānaḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forceful, marching cadence suited to combat and breakthrough.
Builds inner courage and forward drive; supports a felt “strike” of will against inertia.
- सिध्मः (sidhmaḥ)
- Literal: driving/impelling force, rush. Symbolic: aspirational push of the sadhaka; the soul’s forward impetus
- शत्रून् (śatrūn)
- Literal: enemies. Symbolic: inner adversaries—desire, fear, inertia, doubt
- तिग्मेन (tigmena)
- Literal: sharp, keen. Symbolic: penetrating discernment; incisive illumination
- वृषभेण (vṛṣabheṇa)
- Literal: with the bull. Symbolic: mighty force of the illumined mind; virile power of action guided by light
- पुरः (puraḥ)
- Literal: fronts, foreparts. Symbolic: the frontal defenses of ego-habit; first line of resistance
- वज्रेण (vajreṇa)
- Literal: with the thunderbolt. Symbolic: one-pointed will-force and lightning insight that breaks obstruction
- वृत्रम् (vṛtram)
- Literal: Vṛtra, the coverer. Symbolic: subconscient obstruction that holds back light and wideness
- अतिरत् (atirat) / अति मति (ati… matim)
- Literal: he went beyond thought. Symbolic: surpassing mental limits into supramental/intuitive seeing
- शाशदानः (śāśadānaḥ)
- Literal: ever conquering. Symbolic: steadfast victorious progression of consciousness
Heroic Indra verse; used to evoke breakthrough (bhid) and vṛtra-release dynamics in the Soma session
During Soma pressing/praise sequences calling for victory and release.
Stotra/śastra praise to strengthen Indra and secure overcoming of obstacles.
Use before demanding work or meditation to cut through tamas; a short ‘breakthrough’ invocation when stuck in repetitive thought.
vṛtrá from √vṛ ‘cover, enclose’: the Coverer. abhet from √bhid ‘split’ (PIE *bʰeyd-). atirat: ati + √ṛ ‘move/go’ indicates transcendence of mental boundary (svā matí). śāśadāna: iterative/intensive overcoming—continuous victory as a spiritual discipline.
Transcendence of limited mentality (mati), Breaking the cover (vṛtra) to restore Ṛta, Continuous conquest as inner tapas
Indra restores Ṛta by breaking the cover that distorts right movement.
Victory is the emergence of a truer seeing beyond limited manas.
Release of hidden plenitudes (waters/light) through a decisive rupture of obstruction.
Proto-Vedāntic/Aurobindonian psychological reading: ascent of consciousness beyond mind.
Thunderbolt = lightning of insight; bull-force = potent, luminous energy; battle = inner yoga of transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Direct Vṛtra-slaying and the splitting of the enemy front: the storm-god breaks the cover. The inner corollary is a breakthrough beyond the limit of ordinary mind (svā mati), enabling a larger victorious consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhid ‘split’ is a strong PIE inheritance (*bʰeyd- ‘cleave’). vṛtra as ‘coverer’ parallels the Indo-European dragon/serpent adversary as a hoarder of waters/light; the diction of ‘split’ + ‘release/cast down’ is an inherited heroic formula-set.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents Indra as the power that not only defeats obstacles but carries consciousness beyond its own habitual thought. By celebrating that transcendence, the rishi seeks the same passage (ati) for the human vessel through Indra’s victorious impetus.
Invoke Indra as inner clarity and will to strike through a specific obstruction (habit/thought-loop).
ājñā (brow) / maṇipūra (will-fire)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally ‘striking’ the obstruction on the exhale.
From rajasic struggle to sattvic clarity, opening to intuitive wideness.
Name the ‘Vṛtra’ (one limiting pattern). Chant once slowly, then 3–9 times with emphasis on vajreṇa, vṛtram, atirat. Sit in silence and watch for the larger thought-free seeing.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; maintain udātta peaks on key verbs (ajigāt, asṛjat) where marked.
Keep udātta clearly lifted; avoid flattening svarita into a second udātta. Observe padapāṭha breaks: abhi | sidhmaḥ | ajigāt…
Clearly distinguish vṛ- in vṛṣabheṇa, vṛtram (not ‘vir’)., Maintain retroflex ṭ in ati-rat and dental t elsewhere., Indraḥ: visarga lightly aspirated before pause.
Firm, bright, forward-placed (as if ‘striking’ with sound).
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