Rig Veda 3.39.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 39, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.39
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
नकिरेषां निन्दिता मर्त्येषु ये अस्माकं पितरो गोषु योधाः । इन्द्र एषां दृंहिता माहिनावानुद्गोत्राणि ससृजे दंसनावान् ॥
ná kir eṣāṁ ninditā́ mártyeṣu yé asmā́kaṁ pítaro góṣu yodhā́ḥ | índra eṣāṁ dṛṁhitā́ mā́hināvān úd gotrā́ṇi sasṛje daṁsanā́vān ||
मर्त्येषु न केचन तेषां निन्दिता भवन्ति—येऽस्माकं पितरो गोषु (गो-रूपेषु ज्योतिषु) योधाः। इन्द्रः महिम्ना महान् तान् दृंहितवान्; दंसनावान् सन् उद्गोत्राणि (निगूढानि गोसमूहान्/किरणान्) ससृजे।
Word by Word
- नकि॑ः
- no one, noneIndeclinableनिपात; अव्यय (नकार-निषेधार्थ)Root नकिस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *ne-kʷis?
- एषाम्
- of these (men)Pronounपुं/नपुं; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- निन्दिता
- blamed, reproachedAdjective/Participleपुं; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (RV में -आः-रहित रूप: निन्दिता = निन्दिताः) ; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (of ‘पितरः’)Root √निन्द् (निन्दने) → निन्दित (कृदन्त)
- मर्त्येषु
- among mortalsNounपुं; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) < √मृ (मरणे)
- ये
- whoPronounपुं; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (relative; subject)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्माकम्
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पितरः
- fathers, forefathersNounपुं; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोषु
- among/for the cows; in the cattle (raids)Nounस्त्री; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- योधाः
- warriorsNounपुं; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-समनाधिकरण (apposition to ‘पितरः’)Root योध (प्रातिपदिक) < √युध् (युधे) अथवा √युज् (योजने) से व्युत्पत्ति-परम्परा
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- एषाम्
- of these (men)Pronounपुं/नपुं; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दृंहिता
- made firm/strong; strengthenedAdjective/Participleपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (RV में -आः-रहित/प्राचीन रूप); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (of ‘इन्द्रः’)Root √दृंह्/दृह् (दृंहणे ‘to make firm/strong’) → दृंहित (कृदन्त)
- माहिनावान्
- mighty, possessing greatnessAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (of ‘इन्द्रः’)Root माहिनावन्त् (प्रातिपदिक) < महीना/महीन (might, greatness)
- अनुद्गोत्राणि
- the cattle-pens/enclosures (one after another)Nounनपुं; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अनु- + उद्गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक); उद्गोत्र = ‘उद्-गोत्र’ (cattle-enclosure/pen; cattle-stall)
- ससृजे
- he released/createdVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √सृज् (सर्जने ‘to let loose, create, set free’)
- दंसनावान्
- wonder-working, skillfulAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (of ‘इन्द्रः’)Root दंसनावन्त् (प्रातिपदिक) < दंसना (wonder-work, skill, miraculous power)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): नकि॑ः + एषाम् + निन्दिता + मर्त्येषु + ये + अस्माकम् + पितरः + गोषु + योधाः । इन्द्रः + एषाम् + दृंहिता + माहिनावान् + अनु-उद्गोत्राणि → अनुद्गोत्राणि + ससृजे + दंसनावान् । विशेष: RV में प्राचीन नाम/कृदन्त-रूप ‘निन्दिता’ (≈ निन्दिताः) तथा ‘दृंहिता’ (≈ दृंहितः) जैसे रूप मिलते हैं
- ‘अनुद्गोत्राणि’ में अनु + उद्गोत्राणि का सन्धि (उ + उ → उ) होकर ‘अनुद्गोत्राणि’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
No mortal can reproach our fathers who fought among the cows; Indra made them firm and released upward the cow-stalls/hidden herds by his power.
Inner meaning
The ‘Fathers’ are the earlier realizers in us and before us—pioneers who battled in the field of light (goṣu). Their struggle was for the rays of knowledge (go), not material cattle. Indra strengthens (dṛṃhitā) these inner pioneers—our aspiring and discerning faculties—so they cannot be shamed by lower human standards. By effective power (daṃsanā), he opens the ‘gotras’—the enclosed pens/caves of light—releasing upward the trapped illuminations from the subconscient into the waking mind.
Universal truth
Those who strive for truth-light may be misunderstood by the ordinary mind, yet the divine illumination strengthens them and releases hidden knowledge into conscious life.
Themes
finding the cows, ancestral seers, Indra’s strengthening, release from concealment
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina
- Other hymns
- RV 3.31, RV 3.34, RV 3.39
Family tradition
The Viśvāmitra hymns often recall the ‘Fathers’ as archetypal winners of the cows (rays) through Indra’s force, establishing a lineage of inner conquest.
Significance
The rishi frames realization as continuity: our present practice inherits and reenacts the victories of the ancient seers within the evolving being.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- māhināvān, daṃsanāvān
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (opener of the cave by word), Agni (leader of the inner sacrifice), Sūrya (revealed light)
Cosmic role
Breaker of the cave; releaser of the hidden herds of light; strengthener of the heroic seekers.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force that gives firmness (steadfastness, śraddhā, dhairya) and opens subconscient stores of insight.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise of Indra’s assistance to the ancestral seers in the archetypal recovery of the Cows; used to invoke the same strengthening and release in the present sacrifice.
नकि॑रेषां निन्दि॒ता मर्त्ये॑षु॒ ये अ॒स्माकं॑ पि॒तरो॒ गोषु॑ यो॒धाः । इन्द्र॑ एषां दृंहि॒ता माहि॑नावा॒नुद्गो॒त्राणि॑ ससृजे दं॒सना॑वान् ॥
नकिः॑ । ए॒षा॒म् । नि॒न्दि॒ता । मर्त्ये॑षु । ये । अ॒स्माक॑म् । पि॒तरः॑ । गोषु॑ । यो॒धाः । इन्द्रः॑ । ए॒षा॒म् । दृं॒हि॒ता । माहि॑नऽवान् । उत् । गो॒त्राणि॑ । स॒सृ॒जे॒ । दं॒सना॑ऽवान् ॥
nakiḥ | eṣām | ninditā | martyeṣu | ye | asmākam | pitaraḥ | goṣu | yodhāḥ | indraḥ | eṣām | dṛṃhitā | māhina-vān | ut | gotrāṇi | sasṛje | daṃsanāvān
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4 × ~11
Heroic and declarative; strong negation opening (nakir…) followed by forceful release imagery.
Instills confidence and moral-spiritual courage; supports a ‘no-reproach’ steadiness amid doubt.
- pitaraḥ
- Literal: fathers. Symbolic: fore-runners/seer-powers; ancestral realizations active in the seeker
- goṣu
- Literal: among cows. Symbolic: in the field of rays/illumination/knowledge
- yodhāḥ
- Literal: warriors. Symbolic: fighters of the inner battle against obscurity
- dṛṃhitā
- Literal: made firm, strengthened. Symbolic: stabilization of consciousness; consolidation of gains
- gotrāṇi
- Literal: cow-stalls/enclosures. Symbolic: caves of hidden light; subconscient confinements
- ud sasṛje
- Literal: released upward. Symbolic: ascent of knowledge into waking awareness
- daṃsanāvān
- Literal: possessing effective deed/power. Symbolic: divine efficacy—illumination that acts, not merely reveals
Praise of Indra’s assistance to the ancestral seers in the archetypal recovery of the Cows; used to invoke the same strengthening and release in the present sacrifice.
Indra praises in Soma sacrifices; recited as part of Indra’s victory narrative (cave/cows).
Invocation for strength and opening of hidden gains (symbolically: opening the ‘cave’).
Use when facing criticism or inner doubt: chant to remember the lineage of striving and call Indra’s stabilizing force.
go: from √gā ‘to go’ and also the noun ‘cow’; multivalent Vedic symbolism allows ‘that which moves’ → ray/light/wealth of consciousness. gotra: ‘cow-enclosure’ (go + tra ‘protecting/containing instrument’), hence psychologically ‘structures that confine illumination’ until Indra releases them. dṛṃh: strengthening root expresses consolidation of the seeker’s powers.
ancestral lineage of realization, strengthening (dṛṃh) as yogic consolidation, release of knowledge from concealment (gotra)
The ‘war in the cows’ is the struggle to restore right order by releasing light into the world-order.
The Fathers are beyond reproach because their aim is Satya, not egoic gain.
Evolutionary emergence: hidden light in the depths is brought upward into manifest mind.
Integral Veda: subconscious concealment (Vala/Vṛtra-like) and ascent of consciousness.
Cows = rays/knowledges; cave/enclosure = subconscient holding patterns; upward release = ascent of illumination into mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The liberation of the Cows from the gotra (enclosure/cave): Indra strengthens the ancestral fighters and ‘releases upward’ the concealed herds—classically the recovery of rays/illumination from darkness and obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mah-/mahimā relates to PIE *meh₂- ‘great’ (cf. Greek megas, Latin magnus). The inherited ‘greatness’ lexeme reinforces Indra’s cosmic magnitude as psychological vastness and power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi claims continuity: Indra aided the fathers, therefore he can aid us. The praise establishes trust (śraddhā-like stance) and invites repetition of the archetypal release of light in the present inner battle.
Invoke the ‘Fathers’ within: recall prior inner victories; ask Indra to make the will steady and to open a specific ‘closed place’ in the psyche.
Maṇipūra (heroic will) with support from Mūlādhāra (subconscient base being opened)
3 minutes of steady diaphragmatic breathing; on exhale, feel ‘release upward’ from base to heart/brow.
Courageous steadiness; readiness for breakthrough.
Name (silently) one recurring obstruction as a ‘gotra’; chant, then sit and watch for a subtle ‘opening’—a new thought-light or freed energy.
Respect accent marks (e.g., índra, mā́hināvān, sasaŕje); keep the opening ‘nakir’ clean and clipped.
Let the first pāda be declarative (no wavering), then slightly intensify on ‘ud gotrāṇi’ to mirror the upward release.
नकिः (nakir): final ‘r’ light, not rolled heavily, दृंहिता (dṛṃhitā): nasalized ‘ṃh’ cluster—keep it compact, गोत्राणि (gotrāṇi): retroflex ṭr cluster clear
Strong, grounded, confident; minimal ornamentation.
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