Rig Veda 3.39.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 39, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.39
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
सखा ह यत्र सखिभिर्नवग्वैरभिज्ञ्वा सत्वभिर्गा अनुग्मन् । सत्यं तदिन्द्रो दशभिर्दशग्वैः सूर्यं विवेद तमसि क्षियन्तम् ॥
sákhā ha yátra sákhibhir náva-gvair abhí-jñvā́ sátvabhir gā́ anugmán | satyáṁ tád índro daśábhir dáśa-gvaiḥ sū́ryaṁ viveda támási kṣiyántam ||
Jako towarzysz, tam gdzie z towarzyszami, Navagvami, znając drogę z mocami bytu, podążali za Promieniami, za Krowami. To zaprawdę jest Prawdą: Indra z dziesięcioma, Dashagvami, odnalazł Słońce przebywające w ciemności.
Word by Word
- सखा
- the companion, friendNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सखि- (प्रातिपदिक) अथवा सख्य-
- ह
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root ह (निपात)
- यत्र
- whereIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यत्र (सर्वनाम-प्रत्ययात्मक अव्यय)
- सखिभिः
- with (his) companionsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot सखि-
- नवग्वैः
- with the NavagvasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot नवग्व- (प्रातिपदिक; नवग्वाः नाम ऋषयः)
- अभिज्ञ्वा
- knowing well, fully awareAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशेषणम् ‘सखा’)Role KartāRoot अभि-√ज्ञा (ज्ञा अवबोधने) → अभिज्ञु/अभिज्ञ्वन्- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्वभिः
- with powers/forces; with valiant strengthsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (वेदे चल), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot सत्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गाः
- the cows (rays/wealth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot गो- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनुग्मन्
- they went after; they followedVerbलुङ् (आगम-लुङ्), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRoot अनु-√गम् (गम् गतौ)
- सत्यम्
- the truth; the true (fact)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सत्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सत्यम् इति विशेष्य-संबन्धः)Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दशभिः
- with tenAdjective(त्रि-लिङ्ग), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot दशन्/दश- (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- दशग्वैः
- with the DaśagvasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot दशग्व- (प्रातिपदिक; दशग्वाः नाम ऋषयः)
- सूर्यम्
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सूर्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- विवेद
- found; discovered; came to knowVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot वि-√विद् (विद् ज्ञाने) अथवा √विद् (वेद-धातु)
- तमसि
- in darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot तमस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षियन्तम्
- dwelling; abiding (there)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम् ‘सूर्यम्’)Role KarmaRoot √क्षि (क्षि निवास-क्षये/क्षयार्थे; ‘क्षीयते’), वर्तमान-कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक क्षियन्त्-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरास): सखा ह यत्र सखिभिः नवग्वैः अभिज्ञ्वा सत्वभिः गाः अनुग्मन् । सत्यम् तत् इन्द्रः दशभिः दशग्वैः सूर्यं विवेद तमसि क्षियन्तम् ॥ प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) सखिभिः+नवग्वैः → सखिभिर्नवग्वैः (विसर्ग/रुत्व-लोपः, र्-आदेशः)
- (2) नवग्वैः+अभिज्ञ्वा → नवग्वैरभिज्ञ्वा (विसर्गस्य र्, अ-आगमे संधिः)
- (3) सत्वभिः+गाः → सत्वभिर्गाः (विसर्गस्य र्)
- (4) तत्+इन्द्रः → तदिन्द्रो (त् + इ → दि; परतः घोषे दकारादेशः, तथा ‘इन्द्रः’ पदे ओ-रूपं संहितायाम्)
- (5) दशग्वैः+सूर्यम् → दशग्वैः सूर्यं (विसर्गः स्थिरः, परतः स-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
As a comrade with comrades—the Navagvas—knowing the way with powers, they followed the cows; truly, Indra with the ten Dashagvas found the Sun dwelling in darkness.
Inner meaning
The seeker becomes ‘sakhā’—a conscious ally—of the inner companions (Navagvas/Dashagvas: archetypal groups of seekers/forces of realization). With satva (powers of being, steadfast soul-force), they track and follow the rays of knowledge (gāḥ). The decisive truth (satyam) is that Indra, the illumined mind, discovers the Sun (sūrya: truth-light) concealed in tamas—within the subconscient and ignorant layers. The verse maps the collaborative yoga: companionship of inner powers + steadfast being-force + Indra’s illumination yields the revelation of the hidden Sun.
Universal truth
Truth is not absent in darkness; it is concealed. Through companionship, steadfastness, and illumination, the hidden Sun is found.
Themes
Navagva Dashagva myth, finding the Sun, recovery of rays, truth-event (satya)
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina
- Other hymns
- RV 3.31, RV 3.34, RV 3.39
Family tradition
Viśvāmitra frequently invokes the Angirasa-like bands (Navagva/Dashagva) as prototypes of collective inner effort aided by Indra.
Significance
The seer emphasizes that realization is a coordinated work of many inner powers—friendship, endurance, and illumination—rather than solitary mental effort.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- gopati (lord of the cows, implied), tamohan (darkness-slayer, implied), sūrya-vid (finder of the Sun, implied)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati, Sūrya, Uṣas, Agni
Cosmic role
Finder and revealer of the Sun; leader of the Angirasa quest; power that turns the hidden into manifest truth.
Inner power
The luminous intelligence that discovers the concealed Self-light within ignorance and organizes the seeker’s forces into victory.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mythic exemplum within Indra-stotra: recalling Indra’s help to Navagva/Dashagva seers to recover the Sun/Light; used to catalyze similar ‘finding’ in the sacrificer.
सखा॑ ह॒ यत्र॒ सखि॑भि॒र्नव॑ग्वैरभि॒ज्ञ्वा सत्व॑भि॒र्गा अ॑नु॒ग्मन् । स॒त्यं तदिन्द्रो॑ द॒शभि॒र्दश॑ग्वै॒: सूर्यं॑ विवेद॒ तम॑सि क्षि॒यन्त॑म् ॥
सखा॑ । ह॒ । यत्र॑ । सखि॑ऽभिः । नव॑ऽग्वैः । अ॒भि॒ऽज्ञु । आ । सत्व॑ऽभिः । गाः । अ॒नु॒ऽग्मन् । स॒त्यम् । तत् । इन्द्रः॑ । द॒शऽभिः॑ । दश॑ऽग्वैः । सूर्य॑म् । वि॒वे॒द॒ । तम॑सि । क्षि॒यन्त॑म् ॥
sakhā | ha | yatra | sakhi-bhiḥ | nava-gvaiḥ | abhi-jñu | ā | satva-bhiḥ | gāḥ | anu-gman | satyam | tat | indraḥ | daśa-bhiḥ | daśa-gvaiḥ | sūryam | viveda | tamasi | kṣiyantam
44
4 × ~11
Narrative-heroic with a climactic ‘satyam tat’ pivot; strong revelation cadence at the end.
Moves from companionship and tracking to a sudden disclosure of the hidden Sun—felt as an inner ‘aha’.
- sakhā / sakhibhiḥ
- Literal: friend/comrade with friends. Symbolic: inner alliance of faculties; fraternity of seeker-powers
- navagvaiḥ / daśagvaiḥ
- Literal: Navagvas/Dashagvas (nine-/ten-cow groups). Symbolic: archetypal bands of realizers; organized inner forces of tapas and chant that open the cave
- abhijñu
- Literal: knowing, skilled, ‘knowing the way’. Symbolic: guided discernment; intuitive navigation in inner worlds
- satvabhiḥ
- Literal: with strengths/true being-powers. Symbolic: soul-force (sattva) supporting endurance and truth-seeking
- gāḥ
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of knowledge/illumination
- satyam
- Literal: truth. Symbolic: the decisive law: light is recoverable from darkness
- sūryam
- Literal: the Sun. Symbolic: revealed truth-consciousness, the luminous Self in mind
- tamasi kṣiyantam
- Literal: dwelling in darkness. Symbolic: truth hidden in the subconscient/ignorance
Mythic exemplum within Indra-stotra: recalling Indra’s help to Navagva/Dashagva seers to recover the Sun/Light; used to catalyze similar ‘finding’ in the sacrificer.
Indra-Soma contexts recounting the Angirasa quest; suitable for communal recitation (sakhā/sakhibhiḥ motif).
Praise that re-enacts the finding of the Sun/light; strengthening group intention.
Group meditation chant for collective clarity: align as ‘companions’ and seek the hidden truth in a shared difficulty or darkness.
satya from sat ‘being’ (√as ‘to be’) indicates truth as ontological reality, not mere correctness. satva relates to ‘being-ness/strength’ (sat + -tva), hence force of real substance. viveda (√vid) again ties discovery to knowing/seeing. sūrya from √svar/√sur ‘shine’ (traditional derivations vary): the shining principle of truth-consciousness.
Satya as being-truth, collective realization (band of seers), discovery of truth-light within obscurity
The ‘true path’ (abhijñu) with satva aligns the seeker with R̥ta, enabling discovery.
Explicit: ‘satyam tat’—the revelation is a truth of being, not opinion.
Unveiling: the Sun is already there, concealed; creation proceeds by disclosure of hidden light.
Integral Vedānta/Vedic psychology: the Self-light discovered within ignorance.
pre-dawn to sunrise (implied by Sun found in darkness)
Darkness = tamasic layers/subconscient; Sun = truth-self; following cows = tracking subtle intuitions and illuminations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s discovery of the Sun hidden in darkness, alongside the Navagvas/Dashagvas and the following of the Cows (rays). It is the archetype of illumination recovered from the subconscient cave.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sūrya relates to Indo-European solar lexicon (cf. Avestan hvar ‘sun’, ultimately PIE *sóh₂wl̥). The narrative of the hidden sun resonates with Indo-European poetic motifs of concealed light recovered by a hero-god.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi uses ancestral myth as operative memory: Indra as ‘friend’ (sakhā) of seekers. The relationship is companionship in the work—Indra does not merely grant boons but participates in the human quest for truth-light.
‘Find the Sun in the darkness’: turn attention to a difficult emotion/thought and search for the concealed truth-light within it.
Anāhata (friendship/companionship) rising to Ājñā (illumined seeing)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for 7 cycles, then natural breath while contemplating ‘satyam tat’.
From effortful seeking to revelatory insight.
Chant, then recall one ‘dark’ area; ask inwardly: ‘Where is the Sun hidden here?’ Wait for a subtle right idea, warmth, or release—follow it like a cow-track.
Observe accents; emphasize ‘satyáṃ tát’ with clear udātta lift and a clean pause before the revelation phrase.
Slightly quicken through the questing first half, then broaden and brighten on ‘sūryaṃ viveda’.
(navagvaiḥ): ‘gv’ cluster—keep ‘g’ audible, (daśagvaiḥ): same ‘gv’ clarity, (kṣiyantam): ‘kṣ’ crisp, not ‘sh’
Warm, confident, narrative; brighten tone on ‘sūryam’.
3
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