Rig Veda 3.41.6: Mandala 3, Sukta 41, Mantra 6
Sukta 3.41
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
स मन्दस्वा ह्यन्धसो राधसे तन्वा महे । न स्तोतारं निदे करः ॥
sá mandasvā́ hy ándhasaḥ rā́dhase tanvā́ mahé | ná stotā́raṃ nidé karaḥ ||
Assim, regozija-te no suco espremido (ándhas) — para o dom, para a grande plenitude do nosso ser. Não faças do cantor um alvo de censura.
Word by Word
- स
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सः) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- मन्दस्व
- rejoice / become exhilaratedVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role (सम्बोधन-प्रयुक्त) कर्तृ-प्रवर्तनम्Root मन्द् (धातु) / मन्दस् (आत्मनेपद-आदेश) रूपनिर्माण
- हि
- for / indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (हेतौ/निश्चये)Root हि (निपात) अव्यय
- अन्धसः
- of the soma-juiceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role अपादान/हेतु (स्रोतः/कारण-निर्देशः)Root अन्धस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- राधसे
- for bounty / for prosperityNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तन्वा
- with (your) body / in personNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करण (सहभाव/उपायभावः)Root तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
- महे
- I am great / I grow greatVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role कर्तृRoot मह् (धातु) → महे (आत्मनेपद) / अथवा मह (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध-निपातःRoot न (निषेध) अव्यय
- स्तोतारम्
- the praiserNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक) ← √स्तु (धातु)
- निदे
- in reproach / in blameNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot निदा (प्रातिपदिक) / √निद् (धातु) ‘निन्दायाम्’
- करः
- do / makeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (सम्बोधन-प्रयुक्त) कर्तृ-प्रवर्तनम्Root कृ (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: स मन्दस्वा ह्यन्धसो राधसे तन्वा महे । न स्तोतारं निदे करः ॥ Sandhi resolution: (1) मन्दस्वा → मन्दस्व (लोट् 2sg Ā.) + दीर्घ-आगमः (छन्दसि/पदपूरणार्थः). (2) ह्यन्धसो → हि + अन्धसः (इ + अ → य्-अ, ‘ह्य’).
- ‘निदे’ स्वतंत्रपदम् (नि + दे इति उपसर्ग-सन्धि न, अपि तु ‘निदा’ नामपदम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, take delight in the pressed Soma for great giving and fulfillment in our body/being; do not make the singer subject to blame.
Inner meaning
The rishi asks the illumined power to rejoice in the inner Soma (andhas: pressed essence) so that a great realization (rādhas: bounty/attainment) may take form in our embodied nature (tanvā). The second hemistich is psychological: do not allow the aspirant to fall into self-reproach, social disparagement, or inner doubt—protect the sadhaka from the voices of negation and confirm his right of approach.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires both descent of joy/strength and protection from discouragement. When the higher power ‘takes delight’ in our offering, fulfillment becomes embodied and the path is safeguarded from blame and doubt.
Themes
Soma-ecstasy, Bounty (rādhas), Protection of the singer, Inner fulfillment
The seer
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika lineage; traditional attribution)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.41.1-8, RV 3.30 (Indra’s help and victory themes)
Family tradition
A tradition of forceful invocation where mantric speech is both offering and instrument of transformation.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s yoga insists on results ‘in the tanū’—not merely inner vision but a settled power in embodied life; he also recognizes the psychological danger of nindā (discouragement) and asks divine protection.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Somapā (implied), Maghavan (implied by rādhas)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Varuṇa (truth-protection, thematic)
Cosmic role
He increases by Soma and then pours out attainments; he defends the sacrificer against hostile forces.
Inner power
Joyous force that turns essence into power and protects aspiration from weakening suggestions.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra; protective prayer for the sacrificer/priest
स म॑न्दस्वा॒ ह्यन्ध॑सो॒ राध॑से त॒न्वा॑ म॒हे । न स्तो॒तारं॑ नि॒दे क॑रः ॥
सः । म॒न्द॒स्व॒ । हि । अन्ध॑सः । राध॑से । त॒न्वा॑ । म॒हे । न । स्तो॒तार॑म् । नि॒दे । क॒रः॒ ॥
saḥ | mandasva | hi | andhasaḥ | rādhase | tanvā | mahe | na | stotāram | nide | karaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Compact, exhortative; the ‘na …’ prohibition adds a guarding, protective beat.
Strengthens confidence; helps cut self-doubt; anchors joy into the body through steady cadence.
- मन्दस्व (mandasva)
- Literal: be glad, rejoice, be exhilarated. Symbolic: let the higher power actively enjoy and increase through our offered delight
- अन्धसः (andhasaḥ)
- Literal: pressed Soma juice. Symbolic: distilled essence of experience—inner sweetness drawn from practice
- राधसे (rādhase)
- Literal: for bounty, success, attainment. Symbolic: effective realization and plenitude of being
- तन्वा (tanvā)
- Literal: in the body, in the person. Symbolic: embodiment—spiritual force settling into nerves, life, and action
- महे (mahe)
- Literal: great. Symbolic: vast, transformative fulfillment beyond small gains
- स्तोतारम् (stotāram)
- Literal: the praiser/singer. Symbolic: the aspiring soul-personality who voices the mantra
- निदे (nide)
- Literal: to blame, reproach. Symbolic: inner accusations, doubt, hostile criticism; the ‘covering’ voice that weakens tapas
Soma offering: urging Indra to accept Soma and reciprocate with rā́dhas; protective clause for the priest/singer from reproach or failure
After offering/pressing, when seeking confirmation of fruit (rādhas) and protection of the officiant
Recitation as request for boon and for warding off reproach/inauspiciousness
Use after practice: ‘May the joy I’ve pressed become embodied; may I be protected from self-blame and discouragement.’
mandasva: middle imperative from √mand ‘to be glad, exhilarated’—a Soma-ecstasy verb. ándhas: Soma juice; also ‘sap, essence’. rā́dhas- from √radh ‘to succeed, prosper, grant’ → ‘bounty, success, fulfillment’. tanū- ‘body, self’ (the embodied instrument). stotṛ- from √stu ‘praise’. nidā/nind- √nind ‘blame’ (nidé as dative/locative form in Vedic usage). karaḥ from √kṛ ‘make’.
reciprocity of offering and grace (ṛta as exchange: right speech → right result), protection of the aspirant against negation (nindā) and inner doubt
Fulfillment (rādhas) is the right fruit of right offering; blame/doubt is a disordering force to be dispelled.
True speech (stotra) seeks confirmation; protection from nindā preserves alignment with Satya.
Transmutation of essence into embodied power—spirit entering matter (tanū).
Aurobindonian: descent into the physical as necessary for integral realization.
Pressing = extracting inner sweetness; body = the field to be transformed; blame = shadow-force that contracts consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Soma-ecstasy contract: Indra’s ‘gladness’ (manda) in Soma is the pivot that turns offering into rā́dhas (effective fulfillment). The mythic action is not narrated but enacted: acceptance → empowerment → protection.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mand ‘be glad’ parallels IE intoxication/joy diction; √kṛ (PIE *kwer-/ *ker-) and √stu (PIE *ḱlew- fame/praise complex) show the archaic linkage between ‘praise’ and ‘making’ as performative acts that produce reality.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi asks for a twofold reciprocation: (1) positive—rā́dhas in the embodied being (tanū), i.e., a stable increase of power; (2) negative—do not turn the singer into an object of blame, meaning: do not let the invocation fail or be inwardly denied.
Feel joy (Soma) descending and settling into the body; release the habit of self-blame as an outer voice, not the Self.
Maṇipūra (embodiment of force) with grounding to Mūlādhāra
On inhale: ‘mandasva’; on exhale: feel sweetness spreading through torso/limbs; add a brief exhale-pause to drop ‘nindā’ thoughts.
Quiet strength; embodied gladness.
After mantra, scan the body for tightness linked to guilt/doubt; offer it upward, then invite Indra-force to settle back as warmth and steadiness.
Rigvedic accents; keep the imperative ‘mandasva’ clear and energized; observe udātta on índra in adjacent verses when chaining.
Slight emphasis on ‘mandasva’ and ‘māhe’; soften but clearly articulate the prohibitive ‘na’.
mandasva: nd cluster clean; short a, andhasaḥ: aspirate dh; final ḥ audible but light, rādhase: long ā; dh aspirated, stotāram: long ā; retroflex ṭ absent (it is dental t)
Steady, reassuring, grounded; avoid haste on the second hemistich.
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