Rig Veda 5.39.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 39, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.39
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
यत्ते दित्सु प्रराध्यं मनो अस्ति श्रुतं बृहत् । तेन दृळ्हा चिदद्रिव आ वाजं दर्षि सातये ॥
yát te ditsú pra-rādhyáṃ máno ásti śrutáṃ bṛhát | téna dṛḷhā́ cid adriva ā́ vā́jaṃ darṣi sātáye ||
Cokolwiek w twojej woli jest mocą do obdarzania (pra-rādhyam), rozległą i sławną, przez to, o noszący kamień, sprawiasz, że nawet stałe rzeczy ustępują, i przynosisz vāja, pełnię siły, dla naszego zdobycia.
Word by Word
- यत्
- which; that (relative)Pronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध/विशेषण (correlative to तत्/तेन)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यद्-शब्द
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of you/your’)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दित्सु
- in the givings/offerings; in acts of givingNoun (collective/abstract; Vedic)(लिङ्ग अनिश्चित/प्रायः नपुंसक), सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरण (locative: ‘in/among …’)Root दित्सु (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic form, loc. pl.)
- प्रराध्यम्
- to be accomplished; to be achievedAdjective (gerundive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (of मनः)Root प्र-राध्य (√राध् ‘to succeed, accomplish’; gerundive/ya-participle)
- मनः
- mind; intentionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (subject)Root मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्ति
- isVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)
- श्रुतम्
- heard; famedParticiple (past passive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (of मनः / or predicative)Root √श्रु (श्रवणे) → श्रुत (क्त)
- बृहत्
- great; loftyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (of मनः / or of श्रुतम्)Root बृहन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तेन
- by that; with thatPronounतृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (instrumental: ‘by/with that’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दृळ्हाः
- firm; strongAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (agreeing with implied ‘we/they’ or as predicative with cid)Root दृळ्ह (प्रातिपदिक; from √दृंह्/√दृढ् ‘to make firm’)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/‘even’)Role सम्बन्ध (emphasis)Root चित् (अव्यय)
- अद्रिवः
- O wielder of the stone/pressing-stone (Indra)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (address)Root अद्रि-वस् (प्रातिपदिक; epithet)
- आ
- towards; forthPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्ग (with √दृश्)Role क्रियाविशेषणRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वाजम्
- prize; strength; (victory-)bootyNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- दर्षि
- show; grant; make appearVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (Vedic injunctive/imperative usage), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (addressed to Indra)Root √दृश् (दर्शने) with preverb आ → (Vedic) दर्षि
- सातये
- for winning; for attainmentNoun (dative of purpose)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (dative: ‘for winning’)Root साति (प्रातिपदिक; from √सन्/√सा ‘to win, gain’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic): यत् ते दित्सु प्रराध्यम् मनः अस्ति श्रुतम् बृहत् । तेन दृळ्हाः चित् अद्रिवः आ वाजम् दर्षि सातये ॥ Sandhi resolutions: (1) यत्ते → यत् + ते (final -t before dental t). (2) चिदद्रिवः → चित् + अद्रिवः (t + a → d by external sandhi/voicing in saṃhitā). (3) आ वाजं दर्षि: ā as preverb with √दृश्
- pada-forms given without accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet says: whatever in Indra’s mind is the great, famed power to grant, by that he makes even firm things yield and brings vāja (strength/plenitude) for their victory.
Inner meaning
Indra’s will (mano) holds a vast, effective grace (prarādhyam): the capacity to fulfill the soul’s right demand. When that higher intention acts, even hardened formations in our nature—fixed habits, rigid doubts, subconscient knots—begin to yield. Then vāja arrives: not mere ‘food’ or ‘prize’ but the plenitude of force for inner conquest (sātaye).
Universal truth
Transformation becomes possible when a higher will-power enters: it loosens what seems immovable and supplies the exact strength needed for victory over resistance.
Themes
overcoming resistance, vāja as force-plenitude, victory/attainment (sāti)
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.39.4, RV 5.40.1, RV 5.41.4
Family tradition
Atris frequently emphasize the efficacy of the gods’ will responding to right speech and aspiration, and the breaking of inner obstacles.
Significance
Atri’s insight here is psychological: the divine Mind’s intention is not abstract; it is a force that reshapes the substance of nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- adrivaḥ (bolt/stone-bearer), bṛhat-śruta (vast and famed in power)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (breaker of the cave), Agni (will leading the sacrifice), Maruts (forces that accompany Indra)
Cosmic role
Breaker of Vṛtra-like obstruction; brings vāja, the victorious plenitude, to the Aryan (seeker).
Inner power
Truth-force of illumination that can act upon the ‘hard’ layers of being and compel release.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra uktha in Soma rite; verses linked to victory and release of impediments.
यत्ते॑ दि॒त्सु प्र॒राध्यं॒ मनो॒ अस्ति॑ श्रु॒तं बृ॒हत् । तेन॑ दृ॒ळ्हा चि॑दद्रिव॒ आ वाजं॑ दर्षि सा॒तये॑ ॥
यत् । ते॒ । दि॒त्सु । प्र॒ऽराध्य॑म् । मनः॑ । अस्ति॑ । श्रु॒तम् । बृ॒हत् । तेन॑ । दृ॒ळ्हा । चि॒त् । अ॒द्रि॒ऽवः॒ । आ । वाज॑म् । द॒र्षि॒ । सा॒तये॑ ॥
yat | te | ditsu | pra-rādhyam | manaḥ | asti | sṛutam | bṛhat | tena | dṛḷhā | cit | adri-vaḥ | ā | vājam | darṣi | sātaye
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4 × ~11
Stronger impact beats around dṛḻhā and vāja; a ‘breaking-through’ cadence.
Energizes determination; helps the listener feel resistance as penetrable and invites a surge of conquering force.
- mano
- Literal: mind, will, intention. Symbolic: Divine intention within illumined consciousness
- prarādhyam
- Literal: to be granted/further-granting power. Symbolic: Effective grace; power of fulfillment responding to true aspiration
- śrutam bṛhat
- Literal: renowned, vast. Symbolic: Established truth-power of the higher consciousness
- dṛḻhā
- Literal: firm, hard, solid. Symbolic: Fixed resistances; rigid structures of ego and subconscient inertia
- vāja
- Literal: strength, prize, plenitude. Symbolic: Concentrated force of realization; victorious energy for progress
- sātaye
- Literal: for winning, conquest. Symbolic: Inner victory—over ignorance, inertia, and fragmentation
Indra invocation for victory/attainment (sāti) in Soma context; supports the sacrificer’s overcoming of obstacles.
Before contests (vāja as prize), before difficult undertakings, or when invoking obstacle-breaking power.
Chant with offering; mentally place the ‘hard thing’ into Indra’s striking light.
Use as an obstacle-removal mantra in sadhana—when facing compulsions, fatigue, fear, or mental rigidity.
pra-rādhyá- from pra- + √rādh ‘to succeed, accomplish; to grant prosperity’ indicates a ‘granting-power’ lodged in Indra’s manas. śrutá- from √śru ‘hear’ implies ‘established in tradition/renown’ and also ‘received by inspired hearing’. bṛhát is both ‘vast’ and a technical Vedic value (Bṛhat—expansive truth-plane). vāja- from √vaj/√vac? (traditional: vāja ‘prize, strength, food’), here justified as ‘plenitude of force’—that which increases power and victory. sāti- from √san ‘to win’ shows the teleology: attainment of force for conquest of inner resistances (dṛḷhā).
Satyam Ritam Brihat hinted by bṛhat (the Vast), divine will (manas/kratu) as the instrument of transformation
Victory (sāti) is the establishment of ṛta in the field where resistance had ruled.
Śrutam bṛhat: truth-power proven by repeated realization; not belief but effective consciousness.
Release from ‘hard’ limitation into flowing force; descent of vāja as formative energy.
Aurobindonian psychology of transformation: higher will acts on subconscient and vital knots.
Mountain/firmness = hardened samskaras; bolt = penetrating illumination; storm = dynamic tapas; vāja = concentrated life-force aligned with truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s will makes ‘the firm’ yield—an echo of shattering the rock/cave to release the hidden light and waters. In inner terms, hardened formations of ignorance or inertia (dṛḷhā) are loosened by the vast will (bṛhat manas), allowing vāja (force-plenitude) to manifest for victory.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ reflects PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear, be famed’ (cf. Greek kléos ‘fame’). √san ‘win’ is often compared with PIE *sen-/*seh₂- ‘to gain’ (comparisons are cautious). The semantic complex of bṛh- ‘grow, expand’ aligns with PIE *bʰerǵʰ- ‘rise/high’ in some proposals, but the safer point is the inherited Indo-European metaphor of ‘vastness’ as power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Indra’s famed ‘granting-will’ as a reliable law of experience (śrutam). The devatā is invoked not merely to give, but to effect an inner change—making resistances yield—so that the seeker can win (sāti) the vāja needed for the soul’s battle.
Offer the ‘hard’ resistance to the higher will; invoke a decisive descent of force for inner victory.
maṇipūra (will/strength) supported by ājñā (illumination)
Kapalabhati-light (if suitable) for 30–60 strokes, then slow chanting to direct force into the obstacle.
Forceful clarity; breakthrough concentration.
Identify one rigid pattern; repeat the mantra while feeling Indra’s will as a descending strike that loosens it; end with silent receptivity to vāja—steady strength without agitation.
Ṛgvedic accenting; give marked lift to prarādhyam and vāja; keep cadence firm on dṛḻhā cid.
Let dṛḻhā land with weight; then open the tone on ā vājaṃ to suggest release and arrival.
prarādhyam: articulate pra-rā-dhyam (aspirated ‘dhy’), śrutam: ‘śru’ palatal ‘shru’, dṛḻhā: retroflex ‘ṛ’, cerebral ‘ḻh’ (approx. ‘dri-lhā’ careful), sātaye: long ā
Forceful, cutting through; avoid shouting—keep concentrated power.
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