Rig Veda 5.29.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 29, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.29
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अध क्रत्वा मघवन्तुभ्यं देवा अनु विश्वे अददुः सोमपेयम् । यत्सूर्यस्य हरितः पतन्तीः पुरः सतीरुपरा एतशे कः ॥
adha kratvā maghavantubhyam devā anu viśve adaduḥ soma-peyam | yat sūryasya haritaḥ patantīḥ puraḥ satīr uparā etaśe kaḥ ||
अथ, हे मघवन्, तव क्रत्वा बलिना च सर्वे देवाः अनु विश्वे संमताः सन्तः सोमपेयम् अददुः। यदा सूर्यस्य हरितः अश्वाः पुरः पतन्ति उपरि च—तस्य द्रुतस्य ज्योतिषो गतिं कः अनुयातुं शक्नोति?
Word by Word
- अध
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/अनुक्रम सूचक)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अध (अव्यय)
- क्रत्वा
- by (your) resolve/powerNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful one (Indra)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-विशेषण)
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounद्वितीया/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (रूप: चतुर्थी)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- in accordance with, followingIndeclinableअव्यय (अनुगमन/अनुक्रम)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- विश्वे
- all (of them)Adjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (देवाः इति सह)Role KartāRoot विश्व (सर्व-प्रातिपदिक)
- अददुः
- gaveVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot दा (धातु)
- सोमपेयम्
- Soma-drinking, draught of SomaNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सोमपेय (प्रातिपदिक; सोम+पेयं)
- यत्
- whichPronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (अत्र: द्वितीया—‘which’ as object of implied verb)Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरितः
- the tawny mares (Sun’s horses)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: हरितः = हरितीः)Role KarmaRoot हरित् (प्रातिपदिक; सूर्याश्व-नाम)
- पतन्तीः
- flying, rushingParticipleवर्तमान-कर्तरि शतृ; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot पत् (धातु) → पतन्ती (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- पुरः
- in front, forthIndeclinable (adverbial)अव्यय (पूर्वदिशा/अग्रे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
- सतीः
- being (so), existingParticipleवर्तमान-कर्तरि शतृ; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अस् (धातु) → सत्/सती (कृदन्त)
- उपराḥ
- the upper ones; those aboveAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उपर (प्रातिपदिक)
- एतशे
- to Etáśa (the steed)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot एतश (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व-नाम)
- कः
- who?Pronoun (interrogative)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot क (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): अध | क्रत्वा | मघवन् | तुभ्यम् | देवाः | अनु | विश्वे | अददुः | सोमपेयम् । यत् | सूर्यस्य | हरितः | पतन्तीः | पुरः | सतीः | उपराः | एतशे | कः ॥ Notable Vedic forms: हरितः is Vedic accusative plural (for classical हरितीः). Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada list
- they belong to the original recitation tradition
The meaning
Outer meaning
By Indra’s purposeful power, all the gods agree and grant him the Soma-drink; when the Sun’s bright steeds surge ahead above, who can overtake that swift rush of light?
Inner meaning
Indra (the illumined divine Mind) receives the Soma (ananda-force) only when the whole inner pantheon (all the gods = harmonized faculties) consents. The ‘Sun’s steeds’ are the swift rays of supramental illumination moving before the seeker’s ordinary mind; once the higher Light is in front, the lower movements cannot catch or control it—one must consent and follow.
Universal truth
True spiritual acceleration happens when the being becomes unanimous: aspiration, will, mind, life, and body consent to the higher delight and illumination. When the higher Light leads, human effort cannot ‘overtake’ it; the right relation is surrender, alignment, and faithful following of its rhythm.
Themes
Soma entitlement, Solar speed imagery, Indra’s sanctioned power
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.27, RV 5.28, RV 5.30, RV 5.40
Family tradition
Atri lineage noted for hymns of illumination, inner sacrifice, and the recovery of light (often linked with the ‘release’ motifs: dawn, sun, and the opening of the worlds).
Significance
Atri’s vision frequently emphasizes the unanimity of the gods (inner powers) and the ascent into solar truth; his Indra hymns stress victorious illumination grounded in right will (kratu).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan, Vṛtrahan, Śatakratu (implied by kratu-power), Purandara (implied: breaker of obstacles)
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ, Sūrya, Soma
Cosmic role
Breaker of the Coverer, opener of the luminous worlds, leader of the godward advance.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence and decisive will that receives Soma-bliss and drives the rays of truth forward.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offerings (e.g., Soma-yāga sequences; also recited in Indra-focused śastras/stotras).
अध॒ क्रत्वा॑ मघव॒न्तुभ्यं॑ दे॒वा अनु॒ विश्वे॑ अददुः सोम॒पेय॑म् । यत्सूर्य॑स्य ह॒रित॒: पत॑न्तीः पु॒रः स॒तीरुप॑रा॒ एत॑शे॒ कः ॥
अध॑ । क्रत्वा॑ । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । तुभ्य॑म् । दे॒वाः । अनु॑ । विश्वे॑ । अ॒द॒दुः॒ । सो॒म॒ऽपेय॑म् । यत् । सूर्य॑स्य । ह॒रितः॑ । पत॑न्तीः । पु॒रः । स॒तीः । उप॑राः । एत॑शे । करिति॒ कः ॥
adha | kratvā | magha-van | tubhyam | devāḥ | anu | viśve | adaduḥ | soma-peyam | yat | sūryasya | haritaḥ | patantīḥ | puraḥ | satīḥ | uparāḥ | etaśe | karitikaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, martial yet expansive cadence; suited to ascent and victory statements.
Builds momentum and confidence; the listener feels carried by a surging movement, mirroring the ‘rushing light’ imagery.
- क्रत्वा (kratvā)
- Literal: by will, power of intention. Symbolic: concentrated soul-force / effective spiritual will that aligns the gods (faculties)
- मघवन् (maghavan)
- Literal: bountiful one (Indra). Symbolic: the generous illumined Mind pouring gifts of light and strength
- विश्वे देवाः (viśve devāḥ)
- Literal: all the gods. Symbolic: the totality of inner powers consenting to a higher movement
- सोमपेयं (somapeyam)
- Literal: draught of Soma. Symbolic: drink of bliss-consciousness that intensifies illumination
- सूर्यस्य हरितः (sūryasya haritaḥ)
- Literal: the Sun’s tawny/bright steeds. Symbolic: rays/energies of the Truth-Sun carrying forward the awakened consciousness
- एतश (etaśa)
- Literal: the rushing steed (often solar). Symbolic: swift forward drive of higher light/vision beyond the grasp of the lower mind
Soma offering: legitimizes Indra’s right to Soma-peya as agreed by the divine powers; used to strengthen the sense of sanctioned empowerment in the rite.
During Soma pressing/offerings and Indra invocations for strength and victory.
Offering Soma with praise; calling the gods’ assent to empower Indra.
Use as a mantra-reflection for inner unanimity before meditation: align faculties, then ‘drink’ calm bliss and follow the leading light rather than forcing outcomes.
kratu from √krat/√kar ‘to have power/resolve’ → ‘intelligent will’; √dā PIE *deh₃- ‘give’; √pat PIE *pet- ‘fly’ (Lat. petō ‘seek/attack’ semantic drift; Eng. ‘feather’ from *pet? debated), but Vedic √pat clearly ‘fly/fall’; harit ‘bay/greenish’ becomes ‘solar horses’ → rays/energies of illumination; rhetorical kaḥ marks unsurpassable speed/sovereignty of the solar movement.
kratu (intelligent will as executive power), divine consensus (devas ‘anu’ giving Soma: harmonized faculties), ascent to the ‘upper’ (uparāḥ)
R̥ta is implied as the harmonious consent of all gods enabling the true movement of light.
Sūrya’s steeds signify Satya’s forward-leading illumination.
Ascent and emergence of higher light leading the lower nature.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yogic reading (Aurobindo: ascent to solar consciousness through Soma and Indra).
dawn-to-sunrise transition (implied by solar advance)
Soma = bliss-current; Sun = truth-consciousness; horses = swift rays/energies; ‘above’ = higher mind/supramental plane leading the journey.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gods collectively grant Indra the Soma-draught—mythic validation of Indra’s sovereignty; paired with solar-horse imagery expressing irresistible forward motion of light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dā ‘give’ < PIE *deh₃- is pan-IE; the solar horse/ray trope parallels Indo-European dawn/sun chariot poetics (Greek Helios, Baltic Saulė) though the Vedic ‘haritaḥ’ as rays is a distinct Vedic crystallization.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer frames Indra’s empowerment as a coordinated act of the whole divine economy: when the inner faculties consent and offer delight (Soma), the Indra-force can lead the forward rush of illumination that none can obstruct.
Unanimity of the being: invite ‘all gods’ (mind, life, senses, heart) to consent to the higher will; then rest in bliss and follow the leading light.
ājñā (illumined mind)
Gentle ujjāyī or equal breathing (sama-vṛtti) to establish inner consent; brief kumbhaka after exhale to feel the ‘above’ leading.
Uplifted, aspiring, luminous attention (from mental effort to guided intuition).
Begin with an inward ‘council’: offer each part into the fire of will (kratu). When calm joy (Soma) arises, do not chase experiences—let the higher light go in front and follow steadily.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per Śākala tradition; maintain clear udātta lifts on key verbs/nouns (e.g., adaduh, sūryasya).
Keep udātta as a gentle rise, svarita as a fall-from-rise; avoid flattening the cadence—Triṣṭubh needs forward swing.
Differentiate dental ‘t/d/n’ from retroflex ‘ṭ/ḍ/ṇ’ (e.g., kratvā)., Hold long vowels: maghavān, sūryasya., Pronounce ‘haritaḥ’ with clear visarga ḥ; do not drop it., Cluster care: ‘somapeyam’ as so-ma-pe-yam (no extra vowel).
Bright, confident, slightly ascending in the second half to mirror the solar surge.
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