Rig Veda 5.33.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 33, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.33
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra, with patron references
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उत त्ये मा पौरुकुत्स्यस्य सूरेस्त्रसदस्योर्हिरणिनो रराणाः । वहन्तु मा दश श्येतासो अस्य गैरिक्षितस्य क्रतुभिर्नु सश्चे ॥
utá tyé mā pauru-kutsyásya sūrés trasádasyoḥ hiraṇínaḥ rárāṇāḥ | váhantu mā dáśa śyétāso asya gairi-kṣitásya krátubhir nú saśce ||
उत त्ये मां पौरुकुत्स्यस्य सूरेः त्रसदस्योः हिरणिनो रराणाः वहन्तु; अस्य दश श्येतासोऽश्वा मां वहन्तु। अहं चेदानीं गिरिक्षितस्यास्य प्रभोः क्रतुभिः सह सश्चे—संयुज्येय।
Word by Word
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- त्ये
- thosePronoun (demonstrative)masc. nom. pl.Role KartāRoot तद्
- मा
- mePronoun1st pers. acc. sg. (enclitic)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- पौरुकुत्स्यस्य
- of PaurukutsyaNoun/Adjective (patronymic)masc. gen. sg.Role षष्ठी-सम्बन्धRoot पौरुकुत्स्य (patronymic from पुरुकुत्स)
- सूरेः
- of the patron/benefactor (Sūri)Nounmasc. gen. sg.Role षष्ठी-सम्बन्धRoot सूरि
- त्रसदस्योः
- of TrasadasyuProper nounmasc. gen. sg.Role षष्ठी-सम्बन्धRoot त्रसदस्यु
- हिरणिनः
- golden, having goldAdjectivemasc. nom. pl.Role KartāRoot हिरणिन्
- रराणाः
- rejoicing, delightingParticiple (perfect active)masc. nom. pl. (pf. act. ptcp.)Role KartāRoot √रम्
- वहन्तु
- let them carryVerbimperative, 3rd pers. pl., parasmaipadaRole KriyāRoot √वह्
- मा
- mePronoun1st pers. acc. sg. (enclitic)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- दश
- tenNumeral(cardinal) tenRole ViśeṣaṇaRoot दशन्
- श्येतासः
- white (steeds)Adjectivemasc. nom. pl.Role KartāRoot श्येत
- अस्य
- of thisPronoun (demonstrative)masc./neut. gen. sg.Role षष्ठी-सम्बन्धRoot इदम्
- गैरिक्षितस्य
- of GairikṣitaProper nounmasc. gen. sg.Role षष्ठी-सम्बन्धRoot गैरिक्षित (proper name/epithet)
- क्रतुभिः
- with powers/intentions, with resolveNounmasc. instr. pl.Role KaraṇaRoot क्रतु
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableparticle (emphasis/now)Root नु
- सश्चे
- has accompanied/has joinedVerbperfect, 3rd pers. sg., parasmaipadaRole KriyāRoot √सच्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): उ॒त | त्ये | मा | पौरुकुत्स्यस्य | सूरेः | त्रसदस्योः | हिरणिनः | रराणाः || वहन्तु | मा | दश | श्येतासः | अस्य | गैरिक्षितस्य | क्रतुभिः | नु | सश्चे || Notable: (1) त्ये = तद् (nom.pl.m.) with Vedic form
- (2) त्रसदस्योः is gen.sg
- of proper name त्रसदस्यु (Vedic ending -योः for -योः/-स्योः type)
- (3) रराणाः is pf. act
- participle from √रम् ‘to rejoice’
- (4) सश्चे is perfect 3sg of √सच् ‘to accompany, be associated’
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet invokes the “golden, rejoicing” powers connected with the heroic king Trasadasyu (descendant of Purukutsa) to carry him; ten white horses are asked to bear him, and he seeks union with the will-forces of a “mountain-dwelling lord.”
Inner meaning
The seer calls for luminous energies (hiraṇinaḥ) born of heroic aspiration (sūra) to uplift the consciousness. “Ten white steeds” are the purified life-forces (vital energies) harnessed to the chariot of the soul, carrying the seeker upward toward the summit-consciousness (giri-kṣit). To be “joined by the kratubhiḥ” is to align one’s many executive will-powers with the higher Will (Indra’s illumined mind), so the inner journey becomes swift, coordinated, and victorious.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires not only insight but a disciplined harnessing of energies: when joy-filled luminous powers and purified forces of action are yoked to a higher intention, the being is carried beyond lower resistances into a stable, elevated consciousness.
Themes
patronal-support, journey-carriage, will-powers, luminous-energies
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Ātreya
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.33, RV 5.34, RV 5.40, RV 5.44
Family tradition
Mandala 5 is predominantly the Atri family collection; hymns often blend Indra-invocation with dānastuti (praise of patrons) while carrying inner yogic symbolism of ascent and victory.
Significance
Atri’s vision frequently emphasizes the conversion of human energies into instruments of the gods—especially the ascent from obscurity to illumination through right will (kratu) and inspired Word.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavā (bountiful), Dasma (wonder-worker), Vṛtrahan (slayer of the Coverer), Śatakratu (of a hundred wills)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Opens the closed worlds, releases the rivers/cows (streams of light), establishes the reign of luminous Mind in the human being.
Inner power
Illuminative intelligence and victorious will that coordinates the energies (horses) and carries the seeker to the summit plane.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing / Indra invocation within Soma-yajña contexts; also dānastuti framing.
उ॒त त्ये मा॑ पौरुकु॒त्स्यस्य॑ सू॒रेस्त्र॒सद॑स्योर्हिर॒णिनो॒ ररा॑णाः । वह॑न्तु मा॒ दश॒ श्येता॑सो अस्य गैरिक्षि॒तस्य॒ क्रतु॑भि॒र्नु स॑श्चे ॥
उ॒त । त्ये । मा॒ । पौ॒रु॒ऽकु॒तस्यस्य॑ । सू॒रेः । त्र॒सद॑स्योः । हि॒र॒णिनः॑ । ररा॑णाः । वह॑न्तु । मा॒ । दश॑ । श्येता॑सः । अ॒स्य॒ । गै॒रि॒ऽक्षि॒तस्य॑ । क्रतु॑ऽभिः । नु । स॒श्चे॒ ॥
uta | tye | mā | pauru-kutasyasya | sūreḥ | trasadasyoḥ | hiraṇinaḥ | rarāṇāḥ | vahantu | mā | daśa | śyetāsaḥ | asya | gairi-kṣitasya | kratu-bhiḥ | nu | saśce
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, martial cadence with spacious final falls typical of Indra hymns.
Builds uplift and momentum; supports an inner feeling of being ‘carried’ upward by coordinated forces.
- hiraṇinaḥ
- Literal: golden, shining. Symbolic: luminous powers of consciousness; radiant energies that carry delight and clarity
- rarāṇāḥ
- Literal: rejoicing, exulting. Symbolic: delight as a dynamic force that supports ascent
- daśa śyetāsaḥ
- Literal: ten white horses/steeds. Symbolic: purified vital forces; complete set of energies made sattvic and obedient to the inner guide
- sūra
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: the aspiring soul-force, courageous will toward the Light
- kratubhiḥ
- Literal: wills, powers of effective intention. Symbolic: organized executive faculties (thought-will, life-will) aligned to the divine intention
- giri-kṣit
- Literal: mountain-dweller. Symbolic: the lord of the heights—summit-consciousness; stable higher plane (Indra in the luminous mind)
Dānastuti-like remembrance of patrons integrated into Indra praise; supports the sacrificer’s confidence and continuity of divine-human alliance
During Indra-focused recitations around Soma offerings; also as praise in patronal contexts.
Invoking Indra’s powers and the ‘carrying’ energies; offering/recitation to strengthen victory and protection.
Use as an ‘ascent mantra’ before concentrated work/meditation: invoke luminous energies and harness scattered drives into one upward movement.
kratu: will/intelligence-power (not mere ‘ritual’); from √krat (to be strong-minded/resolve). √vah ‘carry’ (PIE *weǵʰ-). √ram (rarāṇa) conveys delight/assent. śveta ‘white’ indicates purification/clarity; hiraṇya ‘gold’ indicates luminous richness. Proper names (Trasadasyu, Purukutsa) function as patronal exemplars; psychologically, they can be read as ‘protective’ and ‘heroic’ formations supporting the journey.
Kratu (will-intelligence), Purification (śveta) and luminous richness (hiraṇya)
Alignment with Ṛta is implied by ‘joining’ (saśce) with right will-forces rather than impulsive desire.
Truth becomes effective when the many faculties act in concord (kratubhiḥ).
Ascent to the ‘mountain’ echoes the emergence of higher consciousness from lower nature.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-yogic reading (Aurobindo): ascent and transformation of the vital by illumined mind.
Gold = supramental/luminous clarity; horses = dynamic life-energies; mountain = higher plane of mind where stability and wide vision reign.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘carrying’ mythologem: luminous steeds and rejoicing golden forces transport the seeker. On the inner level, purified energies (white horses) and kratu (will-intelligence) become vehicles for ascent, supported by heroic-protective exemplars (Trasadasyu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ corresponds to PIE *weǵʰ- (cf. Latin vehō). √sac ‘accompany’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan haca ‘with’ as relational semantics). The horse/vehicle diction is part of shared Indo-European poetic phraseology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks to be ‘carried’ and ‘joined’ (sac) to kratu—divine purposeful intelligence—through luminous supports. The patron names serve as remembered confirmations that divine force concretely aids the human journey.
Unify the will: gather scattered impulses and offer them upward to the illumined mind (Indra) for coordinated action.
ājñā (guidance/illumination) with support from maṇipūra (will-force).
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally ‘yoking’ the ten energies; exhale with a felt upward current.
Energized clarity—alert, uplifted, and inwardly governed.
Before chanting, recall one dominant aspiration; during chanting, feel ‘golden powers’ in the head/heart and ‘white steeds’ as purified drives in the vital, all moving toward a single summit intention.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita per Rigvedic accent; key lifts often on invocatory particles (uta) and power-terms (hiraṇinaḥ, kratubhiḥ).
Keep udātta as clear pitch-rise; svarita as falling glide; avoid flattening compound accents in long epithets (pौरुकुत्स्यस्य, त्रसदस्योः).
Maintain retroflexion: ‘trasadasyor’ (trasa-da-syoḥ) with clear ‘sy’, ‘hiraṇino’ with ṇ (retroflex nasal), ‘śyetāso’ with palatal ś; keep ‘ai’ in gairikṣitasya as ‘gai-ri-kṣi-ta’
Bright, forward, steady—like riding a measured cadence.
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