Rig Veda 5.32.7: Mandala 5, Sukta 32, Mantra 7
Sukta 5.32
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
उद्यदिन्द्रो महते दानवाय वधर्यमिष्ट सहो अप्रतीतम् । यदीं वज्रस्य प्रभृतौ ददाभ विश्वस्य जन्तोरधमं चकार ॥
údyad índro mahaté dānavā́ya vádhar yámiṣṭa sáho ápratītam | yád īṃ vájrasya prábhṛtau dadā́bha víśvasya jántor adhamáṃ cakāra ||
Powstając, Indra wprowadził w ruch siłę zabijającą przeciwko wielkiemu Dānavie, nieodpartą potęgę. Gdy uderzył go w dzierżeniu pioruna, uczynił go najniższym ze wszystkich istot.
Word by Word
- उद्यत्
- raised, upliftedAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘उद्यत्’Role विशेषण (कर्म/भाव) — ‘वध’ इत्यस्यRoot उद्-यम् (यम्)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- महते
- to the great (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दानवाय
- to the Dānava (demon)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
- वधर्यम्
- a blow/weapon; a smiting (act)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वधरि (प्रातिपदिक) / वधर्य (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- इष्ट
- desired, chosenAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)Role विशेषण — ‘वधर्यम्’ इत्यस्यRoot इष् (इच्छा/प्रेरणा) → इष्ट (PPP)
- सहः
- might, forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (सहायक-भावः) / विशेष्यRoot सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्रतीतम्
- unopposed, not resistedAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) नकारार्थकRole विशेषण — ‘सहः/वधर्यम्’ इत्यस्यRoot प्र-इ (इ) → प्रतीत (PPP) + अ- (निषेध)
- यत्
- when/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध/अन्वय-निर्देशकRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईम्
- indeed, himIndeclinableअव्ययRole निपात (अन्वय/बलार्थ)Root ईम् (निपात)
- वज्रस्य
- of the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘प्रभृतौ’ इत्यस्यRoot वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रभृतौ
- in the wielding/bringing-forth (use)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot प्र-भृति (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददाभ
- he gave / he dealt (a blow)Verbलिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot दा (दा॒ ‘to give’) / दभ् (to harm) — वैदिक रूप ‘ददाभ’
- विश्वस्य
- of allAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘जन्तोः’ इत्यस्यRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- जन्तोः
- of the creature/beingNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधमम्
- lowest, most abjectAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (परिणाम/विधेय)Root अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- चकार
- he madeVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot कृ (करणे)
Sandhi Notes
- उद्यदिन्द्रो → उद्यत् + इन्द्रः (त् + इ → दि/द्-आदेशः वैदिक-सन्धिः)
- महते दानवाय: चतुर्थी-द्वयम् (सम्प्रदान)
- वधर्यमिष्ट → वधर्यम् + इष्ट (म् + इ → मि)
- यदीं → यत् + ईम् (त् + ई → दीं)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra rises and sets the slaying-force against the great Dānava with irresistible might; striking with the vajra, he makes him the lowest of beings.
Inner meaning
The awakening of higher force (‘rising forth’) signals the emergence of the illumined mind to confront a massive subconscient obstruction (mahate dānavāya). The ‘slaying-force’ is not cruelty but transformative power that dismantles a false sovereignty. By the vajra’s application, the hostile principle is relegated to the lowest level—meaning it is deprived of influence over the conscious life and pushed back into powerless obscurity.
Universal truth
When truth rises, false greatness is dethroned. Spiritual progress requires not compromise with the titanic ego-force but its decisive demotion—placing it where it can no longer rule.
Themes
irresistible might, Dānava defeat, cosmic hierarchy restored
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.32.6, RV 5.32.8, RV 5.40.1
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns often show the ‘rise’ of the god-force as the turning point—light taking the initiative against inertia.
Significance
Atri frames victory as a vertical movement: the higher must rise and then act; the adversary is ‘lowered’—a spiritual topology of ascent and descent.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- mahāvīrya (implied), vajrī (implied), sahasvān (implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (cosmic law), Mitra (harmonizing light), Agni
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods; restores hierarchy of worlds by pushing the anti-divine below.
Inner power
Executive force of illumination; capacity to re-rank inner impulses according to truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra victory recitation within Soma rites; protective invocation
उद्यदिन्द्रो॑ मह॒ते दा॑न॒वाय॒ वध॒र्यमि॑ष्ट॒ सहो॒ अप्र॑तीतम् । यदीं॒ वज्र॑स्य॒ प्रभृ॑तौ द॒दाभ॒ विश्व॑स्य ज॒न्तोर॑ध॒मं च॑कार ॥
उत् । यत् । इन्द्रः॑ । म॒ह॒ते । दा॒न॒वाय॑ । व॒धः॒ । यमि॑ष्ट । सहः॑ । अप्र॑तिऽइतम् । यत् । ई॒म् । वज्र॑स्य । प्रऽभृ॑तौ । द॒दाभ॑ । विश्व॑स्य । ज॒न्तोः । अ॒ध॒मम् । च॒का॒र॒ ॥
ut | yat | indraḥ | mahate | dānavāya | vadhaḥ | yamiṣṭa | sahaḥ | aprati-itam | yat | īm | vajrasya | pra-bhṛtau | dadābha | viśvasya | jantoḥ | adhamam | cakāra
44
4×11
Ascending opening (ud yad) followed by heavy decisive beats; royal, commanding tone.
Elicits uplift and authority; supports inner leadership and boundary-setting.
- ud (ud-yad)
- Literal: up, rising. Symbolic: ascent/awakening of higher consciousness
- vadhar
- Literal: weapon, slaying-force. Symbolic: transformative force that ends a false formation
- saho apratītam
- Literal: irresistible might. Symbolic: inevitable power of truth when fully gathered
- vajrasya prabhṛtau
- Literal: in the wielding/bringing forth of the vajra. Symbolic: moment of decisive discriminating action
- dadābha
- Literal: he smote, struck down. Symbolic: piercing blow of insight that collapses the lie
- adhamaṃ cakāra
- Literal: made (him) the lowest. Symbolic: demotion of the ego-force; removal from the governing center
Victory-stotra in Soma ritual; used to affirm Indra’s irresistible ‘sahaḥ’ and to ritually ‘debase’ hostile forces beneath the sacrificer’s path.
When seeking strength to overcome powerful obstruction; before decisive ritual acts
Praise + invocation for Indra’s irresistible might
For leadership and discipline: demote a dominating habit/thought from ‘king’ to ‘servant’—restore inner governance.
udyad (ud + √i/√ya?) ‘rising forth’. yamiṣṭa from √yam ‘to direct, rein in, control’ (aor.). dadābha from √dabh ‘to harm, deceive, strike down’ (RV). aprati-ita ‘not gone against’ → ‘irresistible’. adhamá ‘lowest’ (comparative/superlative base adha ‘below’).
hierarchy of powers: truth-force above titanic force, casting down of false greatness
Ṛta implies right ordering; the Dānava’s ‘greatness’ is a disorder corrected by Indra.
Truth is inherently sovereign; falsehood must become ‘adhama’—secondary and powerless.
Re-establishing cosmic and psychological hierarchy after invasion by obstruction.
Integral yoga psychology: right ordering of parts of nature under the soul/Truth.
pre-dawn/awakening (symbolic)
Rising = awakening of higher will; thunderbolt = decisive insight; storm-force = dynamic tapas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s rising assault and decisive thunderbolt stroke that reduces the ‘great’ Dānava to the lowest state. Inner sense: the aspirant’s higher force rises and reorders the inner hierarchy, dethroning the inflated titanism and placing it below the rule of truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yam ‘to rein/direct’ corresponds to PIE *yem- ‘to hold, restrain’ (cf. Latin emō? less direct; more secure: Indo-Iranian continuity). adha ‘below’ reflects an inherited spatial metaphor for value/hierarchy common in IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi celebrates Indra’s ‘uprising’ as the awakening of victorious consciousness in the human being. Indra’s act ‘makes’ (cakāra) a new order: the hymn itself participates in establishing that order by aligning speech and will with Indra’s irresistible movement.
‘Ud yad’ contemplation: feel the rising of a higher center in you; then apply a single decisive act of discrimination to dethrone a dominating impulse.
maṇipūra (authority) / ājñā (commanding clarity)
Inhale lifting attention up the spine; exhale with a firm mental ‘cut’ (vajra) placing the impulse ‘below’.
Commanding, upright, luminous will.
Before action, rise into the witness and the higher will. Then decide: what is to be ‘adhama’ in your life today? Make one concrete boundary aligned with ṛta.
Triṣṭubh with clear lift on úd yád; maintain strong udātta on vájrasya, prábhṛtau; resolve with weight on ádhamaṃ.
Make the first word ‘ud’ a clean upward impulse; keep consonant clusters in apratītam distinct.
ud yad: keep d+y as a clear junction, apratītam: long ī; avoid collapsing to ‘apratitam’, prabhṛtau: vocalic ṛ, and au diphthong at end, jantor: pronounce ‘jantoḥ’ with visarga if in full recitation tradition
Uplifted and commanding; strong diaphragmatic support; decisive stops at pāda ends.
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