Rig Veda 2.20.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 20, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.20
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सो अङ्गिरसामुचथा जुजुष्वान्ब्रह्मा तूतोदिन्द्रो गातुमिष्णन् । मुष्णन्नुषसः सूर्येण स्तवानश्नस्य चिच्छिश्नथत्पूर्व्याणि ॥
só aṅgírasām ucáthā jujuṣvā́n brahmā́ tū́tod índro gātúm iṣṇán | múṣṇann uṣásaḥ sū́ryeṇa stavā́n áśnasya cic chiśnathat pū́rvyāṇi ||
सो अङ्गिरसामुचथा जुजुष्वान् ब्रह्मा तूतोदिन्द्रो गातुमिष्णन्। मुष्णन्नुषसः सूर्येण स्तवानश्नस्य चिच्छिश्नथत्पूर्व्याणि॥
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- अङ्गिरसाम्
- of the AṅgirasesNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उचथा
- hymns / praisesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot उचथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जुजुष्वान्
- accepting (them), being pleasedParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदीय-परिपूर्णार्थकः (परिप्रयोगः), ‘having accepted/being pleased’Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम् सः/इन्द्रः)Root जुष् (धातु) → जुजुष्वान् (कृदन्त, परिपूर्ण/परिप्रयोग)
- ब्रह्मा
- the priest (Brahmā); the sacred utteranceNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तूतोद्
- has impelled / has urgedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot तुद् (धातु)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गातुम्
- path, passageNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot गातु (प्रातिपदिक; √गा/गम्-सम्बद्ध)
- इष्णन्
- driving on, impellingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकृदन्तःRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम् इन्द्रः)Root इष् (धातु) → इष्णत्/इष्णन् (कृदन्त)
- मुष्णन्
- stealing away, takingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकृदन्तःRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम् इन्द्रः)Root मुष् (धातु) → मुष्णत्/मुष्णन् (कृदन्त)
- उषसः
- the dawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (वैदिके रूपम्: उषसः = उषसः/उषसः)Role कर्मRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्येण
- with/by the SunNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तवानः
- praisingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; लिट्-कृदन्तः ‘having praised / praising’Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम् इन्द्रः)Root स्तु (धातु) → स्तवान (कृदन्त, लिट्-भाव)
- अश्नस्य
- of the rock/stoneNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अश्न (प्रातिपदिक; ‘stone/rock’ वैदिक)
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableनिपातःRole सम्बन्ध/प्रयोग-निपातRoot चित् (अव्यय)
- शिश्नथत्
- he split/loosenedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot शिथ्/शिथिल्? (धातु) → शिश्नथ् (वैदिक-रूप; ‘to loosen/split’)
- पूर्व्याणि
- ancient, primeval (things/deeds)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (विशेषणम्—‘ancient (deeds/things)’)Root पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘सो’ = ‘सः’ + ‘(अ)’ (विसर्ग-लोपः/स्वर-सन्धिः)
- ‘अङ्गिरसामुचथा’ = ‘अङ्गिरसाम्’ + ‘उचथा’ (म् + उ → मु; पररूप/अनुस्वार-प्रकृति)
- ‘जुजुष्वान्ब्रह्मा’ = ‘जुजुष्वान्’ + ‘ब्रह्मा’ (न् + ब → न्ब्)
- ‘तूतोदिन्द्रो’ = ‘तूतोद्’ + ‘इन्द्रः’ (द् + इ → दि; ‘इन्द्रः’ + (अग्रम्) ओ-रूपं पदान्त ‘-ओ’ छन्दसि)
- ‘गातुमिष्णन्’ = ‘गातुम्’ + ‘इष्णन्’ (म् + इ → मि)
- ‘मुष्णन्नुषसः’ = ‘मुष्णन्’ + ‘उषसः’ (न् + उ → न्नु)
- ‘सूर्येण स्तवानश्नस्य’ = ‘स्तवानः’ + ‘अश्नस्य’ (ः + अ → ओ/अवग्रह-लोपः; संहितायां ‘स्तवानश्नस्य’)
- ‘चिच्छिश्नथत्पूर्व्याणि’ = ‘चित्’ + ‘शिश्नथत्’ (त् + श → च्छ्), तथा ‘शिश्नथत्’ + ‘पूर्व्याणि’ (त् + प् → त्प्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, accepting the hymns of the Aṅgirases, strikes open a passage and drives the way forward; with the Sun he ‘takes’ the Dawns and, praising, breaks the ancient strongholds of the Rock.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind (Indra) receives the inspired utterance of the seer-forces (Aṅgirasaḥ) and forces open an inner passage (gātu) through obstruction. The ‘Dawns’ are successive illuminations; when united with the ‘Sun’ (sūrya = supramental light), they are gathered into a stable clarity rather than scattered flashes. The ‘Rock’ and its ancient strongholds are the hardened subconscient formations that imprison the rays of knowledge; Indra’s mantra-born force shatters them so the hidden light can flow into the being.
Universal truth
When the higher intelligence consents to inspired aspiration, it opens a real path in consciousness: illumination becomes continuous (dawn joined to sun), and long-standing psychological fixations lose their power.
Themes
finding/releasing the lights, breaking the rock/forts, Aṅgirasa tradition
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (Bhr̥gu lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.19, RV 2.20, RV 2.21, RV 2.23
Family tradition
Gṛtsamada hymns often emphasize Indra’s victory that releases light, space, and right movement—an inner conquest framed in heroic imagery.
Significance
As seer of a strongly Indra-centered cycle, Gṛtsamada voices the dynamic yoga of breaking inner obstruction so the luminous powers (dawns, rays) can manifest in the human journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- brahmā (formulator of the Word), path-opener (gātuṃ iṣṇan), rock-breaker (aśnasya… śiśnathat), hero of the Aṅgirases
- Related deities
- Agni, Uṣas, Sūrya, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who breaks the enclosing powers and releases light, waters, and the wide world-order.
Inner power
Illuminating, decisive intelligence that uses the ‘thunderbolt’ of concentrated will and insight to cleave resistance and establish a forward path in sādhanā.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra in Soma-yajña contexts (general Indra praise used in pressing/offerings)
सो अङ्गि॑रसामु॒चथा॑ जुजु॒ष्वान्ब्रह्मा॑ तूतो॒दिन्द्रो॑ गा॒तुमि॒ष्णन् । मु॒ष्णन्नु॒षस॒: सूर्ये॑ण स्त॒वानश्न॑स्य चिच्छिश्नथत्पू॒र्व्याणि॑ ॥
सः । अङ्गि॑रसाम् । उ॒चथा॑ । जु॒जु॒ष्वान् । ब्रह्मा॑ । तू॒तो॒त् । इन्द्रः॑ । गा॒तुम् । इ॒ष्णन् । मु॒ष्णन् । उ॒षसः॑ । सूर्ये॑ण । स्त॒वान् । अश्न॑स्य । चि॒त् । शि॒श्न॒थ॒त् । पू॒र्व्याणि॑ ॥
saḥ | aṅgirasām | ucathā | jujuṣvān | brahmā | tūtot | indraḥ | gātum | iṣṇan | muṣṇan | uṣasaḥ | sūryeṇa | stavān | aśnasya | cit | śiśnathat | pūrvyāṇi
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Driving, forward-thrusting, with a heroic cadence suited to action and breakthrough.
Builds momentum and confidence; supports an inner sense of ‘opening a way’ and breaking inertia.
- अङ्गिरसाम् (aṅgirasām)
- Literal: of the Aṅgirases. Symbolic: seer-powers of inspired flame; forces of inner discovery that release the hidden light
- उचथा (ucathā)
- Literal: chants/hymns. Symbolic: mantric formulations that align mind with higher truth
- ब्रह्मा (brahmā)
- Literal: formulator/priest of the word. Symbolic: the consciousness that shapes the right mantra; soul-mind that gives true articulation
- गातुम् (gātum)
- Literal: path/passage. Symbolic: opened channel in inner consciousness; a traversable way through resistance
- उषसः (uṣasaḥ)
- Literal: dawns. Symbolic: successive illuminations, awakenings, openings of perception
- सूर्येण (sūryeṇa)
- Literal: by/with the Sun. Symbolic: with supramental light/gnosis that makes illumination integral
- अश्नस्य (aśnasya)
- Literal: of the Rock/stone. Symbolic: the obstructing subconscient ‘rock’ that holds imprisoned light
- पूर्व्याणि (pūrvyāṇi)
- Literal: ancient, from of old. Symbolic: deep-rooted habitual formations and inherited obscurities
Mythic exemplar within praise: Indra opens the path and breaks the rock to release illuminations
During Indra invocations in Soma rites; also as a general hymn of victory and opening.
Recitation/chant to invite Indra’s force to ‘open the path’ and release the hidden plenitudes.
Use as a mantra of breakthrough when facing persistent blockage, fear, or mental rigidity; chant before meditation to ‘clear the passage’.
अङ्गिरस relates to the seer-line associated with fire/vision; √juṣ ‘enjoy, accept’. तूतोत from √tud ‘strike, push’ (PIE *steud- ‘push/strike’ possible). गातु from √gā ‘go’ → ‘going-place/way’. √śnath ‘pierce, break’ expresses the breaking of obstruction (rock). The dawns (uṣas) and sun (sūrya) are standard symbols of illumination.
release of light/knowledge from obstruction, brahman as effective word-power
Indra’s opening of gātu symbolizes restoring right movement in consciousness aligned with R̥ta.
Dawns joined with Sun indicate truth-illumination becoming stable and integral.
Release of hidden light from the rock/cave—creation as unveiling.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral Vedic psychology (Aurobindo-Kashyap reading)
dawn moving into sunrise
From first awakenings (Uṣas) to established gnosis (Sūrya), the being gains a clear inner road and breaks old subconscient knots (Rock).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘breaking of the rock to release the lights’ mythologem: Indra, accepting Aṅgirasa hymns, opens the gātu (path) and shatters the ancient rock-obstruction, enabling the emergence of dawn-illumination under the sun of truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The path-word gātu from √gā ‘go’ parallels IE ‘go/way’ formations; striking/breaking verbs (√tud, √śnath) reflect archaic heroic diction typical of Indo-European dragon/obstruction-slaying narratives.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi invokes an inner contract: when the inspired line (Aṅgirases) offers true utterance (ucathā), Indra as brahmā (effective word-power) acts—opening inner passages and breaking entrenched darkness so illumination can manifest.
Opening the inner path (gātu) and breaking hardened patterns; stabilizing dawn-illumination into sun-clarity.
Ājñā (illumination) with support from Maṇipūra (force to break resistance)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while repeating key phrase mentally; emphasize steady exhale on ‘śiśnathat’.
From restless seeking to decisive luminous will; a ‘clearing’ state.
Before sitting, recollect a specific blockage; chant once slowly, then 3 or 9 times moderately, imagining the obstacle as a rock that fractures and releases light into the forehead and heart.
Use Vedic tri-tone (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; if not trained, keep a steady recitation with gentle lift on marked acute syllables in the Saṃhitā text.
Lean emphasis on action-verbs: jujuṣvān, tūtod, iṣṇan, muṣṇan, śiśnathat; keep caesura after ‘iṣṇan’.
aṅ-gi-ra-sām: clear ‘ṅg’ cluster, ucathā: ‘ca’ unaspirated, long ‘ā’, iṣṇan: retroflex ‘ṣ’, uṣasaḥ: retroflex ‘ṣ’, final visarga lightly, śiśnathat: palatal ‘ś’, dental ‘th’ (aspirated)
Bright, resonant, forward-placing; avoid heaviness to match ‘path-opening’.
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