Rig Veda 2.30.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 30, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.30
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
अव क्षिप दिवो अश्मानमुच्चा येन शत्रुं मन्दसानो निजूर्वाः । तोकस्य सातौ तनयस्य भूरेरस्माँ अर्धं कृणुतादिन्द्र गोनाम् ॥
áva kṣipa divó áśmānam uccā́ yénā śátruṃ mandasā́nó ní-jūrvāḥ | tókasyā sātáu tánayasya bhū́rer asmā́n árdhaṃ kṛṇutād indra gónām ||
Zrzuć z nieba wysoki kamień, którym, radując się, miażdżysz wroga. Dla zdobycia dziecka i obfitego potomstwa, uczyń nas godnym udziałem w promieniach Światła, o Indro.
Word by Word
- अव
- down, awayIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root अव (upasarga)
- क्षिप
- hurl, throwVerbloṭ (imperative), 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole (implicit) Kartā: त्वम् (इन्द्रः)Root क्षिप्
- दिवः
- from heaven/skyNounfeminine, ablative singularRole ApādānaRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ-)
- अश्मानम्
- stone, rockNounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot अश्मन्
- उच्चा
- aloft, on highIndeclinableadverbRoot उच्चा (उच्च)
- येन
- by whichPronouninstrumental singular (masc./neut.)Role KaraṇaRoot यद्
- शत्रुम्
- enemyNounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot शत्रु
- मन्दसानः
- rejoicing, exultingVerbpresent middle participle (śatṛ/śānac-type), masculine nominative singularRole Kartā (with implied subject इन्द्रः)Root मन्द् (कृदन्त: मन्दसाना-)
- निजूर्वाः
- pressing down, crushingAdjectivemasculine nominative singular (Vedic -āḥ ending)Role Kartā (apposition to इन्द्रः)Root नि + जूर्व (प्रातिपदिक: जूर्व/जूर्वन्)
- तोकस्य
- of offspring, of the childNounneuter, genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot तोक
- सातौ
- in the winning, in the gainingNounfeminine, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot साति
- तनयस्य
- of the sonNounmasculine, genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot तनय
- भूरेः
- of abundance, of muchAdjective(used substantively) genitive singular (Vedic form)Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot भूरि
- अस्मान्
- usPronounaccusative pluralRole KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- अर्धम्
- a share, portionNounneuter, accusative singularRole Karma (result/object)Root अर्ध
- कृणुतात्
- let him make, may he grantVerbloṭ (imperative), 3rd person singular, parasmaipada (Vedic)Role Kartā: इन्द्रःRoot कृ
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounmasculine, vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र
- गोनाम्
- of cowsNounfeminine, genitive pluralRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot गो
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution: अव क्षिप | दिवः अश्मानम् उच्चा | येन शत्रुम् मन्दसानः निजूर्वाः | तोकस्य सातौ तनयस्य भूरेः | अस्मान् अर्धम् कृणुतात् इन्द्र गोनाम्. Notable: (1) दिवो → दिवः (abl. sg.) before vowel
- (2) मन्दसा॒नो नि॒जूर्वा॑: kept as two padas
- निजूर्वाः is a Vedic nominative sg. in -āḥ
- (3) कृणुतात् is Vedic loṭ 3sg parasmaipada
- (4) accents are not re-marked in the resolved padas here, but correspond to the Saṃhitā accents given
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Indra, cast down the stone (thunderbolt) from heaven to crush the enemy. Grant us a share of cattle and abundant children.
Inner meaning
O Divine Mind (Indra), project the concentrated force of the Higher Will (Aśman) from the Superconscient heights (Divah) to destroy the forces of darkness and inertia (Śatru). We seek the birth of new spiritual realizations (Toka/Tanaya) and a rightful share in the illuminating rays of Truth-Knowledge (Go).
Universal truth
The descent of a higher, decisive Divine Will is necessary to shatter the resistance of the subconscious and allow for the birth of spiritual light.
Themes
enemy-crushing, progeny/increase, recovery of cows (lights)
In ritual
Where it is used
Victory and prosperity petition within Soma ritual; also applicable to rites seeking protection and increase (progeny/strength as inner growth)
अव॑ क्षिप दि॒वो अश्मा॑नमु॒च्चा येन॒ शत्रुं॑ मन्दसा॒नो नि॒जूर्वा॑: । तो॒कस्य॑ सा॒तौ तन॑यस्य॒ भूरे॑र॒स्माँ अ॒र्धं कृ॑णुतादिन्द्र॒ गोना॑म् ॥
अव॑ । क्षि॒प॒ । दि॒वः । अश्मा॑नम् । उ॒च्चा । येन॑ । शत्रु॑म् । म॒न्द॒सा॒नः । नि॒ऽजूर्वाः॑ । तो॒कस्य॑ । सा॒तौ । तन॑यस्य । भूरेः॑ । अ॒स्मान् । अ॒र्धम् । कृ॒णु॒ता॒त् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । गोना॑म् ॥
ava | kṣipa | divaḥ | aśmānam | uccā | yena | śatrum | mandasānaḥ | ni-jūrvāḥ | tokasya | sātau | tanayasya | bhūreḥ | asmān | ardham | kṛṇutāt | indra | gonām
Victory and prosperity petition within Soma ritual; also applicable to rites seeking protection and increase (progeny/strength as inner growth)
kṣip from √kṣip 'to throw'; áśman 'stone' (also thunderbolt-material); diváḥ 'from heaven' indicates descent from higher mind; ni-jūrvāḥ (ni + √jūr/√jvar? traditional: 'crush, press down')—sense: overpowering; toka/tanaya from √tan 'to stretch, propagate' → offspring as extension/multiplication; go- 'cow' from PIE *gʷōus, symbolically 'ray of light' in Vedic diction (justified by frequent pairing with dawn/light and recovery from darkness).
descent of higher power into the human field, increase (prajā) as multiplication of inner capacities
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The heavenly weapon cast down to crush the enemy, paired with the boon of 'cows' and progeny. Inner reading: the descending luminous force breaks obstruction; the result is new births of right formations (toka/tanaya) and a share in illuminations (go).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- go- 'cow' reflects PIE *gʷōus (Greek bous, Latin bos). tanaya/toka relate to propagation semantics found across IE. The 'stone/bolt from heaven' motif is widespread in IE storm-god traditions (thunderstone weapon).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests not only destruction of hostile forces but a distributive boon: 'make us a share' (ardham) in the lights. This frames divine action as both purgative (removing obstruction) and generative (increasing inner progeny of powers).
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