Rig Veda 5.38.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 38, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.38
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gayatri
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
शुष्मासो ये ते अद्रिवो मेहना केतसापः । उभा देवावभिष्टये दिवश्च ग्मश्च राजथः ॥
śúṣmāso yé te adrivo mehánā ketá-sāpaḥ | ubhā́ devā́v abhiṣṭáye diváś ca gmáś ca rājathaḥ ||
हे अद्रिवो, ये ते शुष्मासः मेहनाः केतसापः, तैः उभौ देवाव् अभिष्टये दिवश्च ग्मश्च राजथः।
Word by Word
- शुष्मासः
- mighty powers/impulsesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः; ‘ये’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root शुष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- ये
- who/whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्धवाचकः)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- those (of you)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्धः; ‘ये’ इत्यस्य अन्वयः)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्रिवो
- O wielder of the stone/pressing-stone (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अद्रिवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अद्रि’+‘वन्’)
- मेहनाः
- pourers/emitters; vigorous onesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (शुष्मासः…मेहनाः—समनाधिकरणम्)Root मेहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- केतसापः
- having/attaining insight (wise, purposeful)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (पूर्वपदानां विशेषणम्)Root केतसाप् (प्रातिपदिक; केतस- + आप्/आप्- ‘to attain/obtain’ से व्युत्पन्न बहुव्रीहिः/तत्पुरुषः)
- उभा
- bothPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवौ
- the two godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (उभा देवौ)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभिष्टये
- for help/assistanceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (for the aid/help)Root अभिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heaven/skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of heaven/sky’)Root दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- ग्मः
- of earth/groundNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of earth/ground’)Root ग्म (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ग्म’ = पृथिवी/भूमि, वैदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- राजथः
- you two rule/reignVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष? (न), मध्यमपुरुष? (न), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: उभा देवौ)Root राज् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वैदिक): शुष्मासः | ये | ते | अद्रिवो | मेहनाः | केतसापः || उभा | देवौ | अभिष्टये | दिवः | च | ग्मः | च | राजथः || 1) ‘केत॒साप॑:’ = केतसापः (विसर्गः पदान्ते). 2) ‘दे॒वाव॒भिष्ट॑ये’ इति संहितायां देवौ + अभिष्टये → देवावभिष्टये (अ + अ → आ; अवग्रह-लोपः). 3) ‘दिवश्च’ = दिवः + च (विसर्गस्य चकारे श्चादेशः). 4) ‘ग्मश्च’ = ग्मः + च (विसर्गस्य चकारे श्चादेशः). 5) स्वरचिह्नाः (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) संहितापाठानुसारं
- पदपाठे सामान्यतः स्वरचिह्न-लोपः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra’s powers of force, pouring and grasping by conscious sign, enable the two gods to rule for our help both heaven and the moving earth-region.
Inner meaning
Indra’s śuṣma are dynamic powers that ‘pour’ (mehanā) the energizing current and ‘seize’ (sāpaḥ) the right movements by ketá—conscious indication, the illumined sign. The ‘two gods’ (ubhā devau) points to an allied pair acting together for the seeker—most plausibly Indra with Agni (illumined mind with divine will) or Indra with Soma (illumined mind with bliss), depending on the hymn’s wider context. Their joint rule spans ‘heaven’ (divaḥ: higher mind/illumination planes) and ‘earth-field in movement’ (gmaḥ: the marching terrestrial nature), meaning the yoga requires mastery above and below: light must govern thought and also the active life-field.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is secured when illumined intelligence and its allied divine power govern both our higher ideals and our practical life-movements, using clear inner signs rather than impulse or reaction.
Themes
Concentrated might (śuṣma), Dual divine rulership, Heaven-earth integration, Conscious-force (keta)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 5.35 (Indra-Maruts themes nearby in Mandala 5 clusters), RV 5.42 (Agni/Viśve Devāḥ cooperation motifs)
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns frequently integrate Indra with allied powers (Agni/Soma/Maruts) to describe coordinated inner action.
Significance
This verse is a compact psychology of guidance: true force is not blind; it ‘seizes by ketá’—by luminous indication—showing the Vedic ideal of conscious power.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with an allied dual deity implied: ubhā devau)
- Epithets
- Adrivaḥ
- Related deities
- Agni (probable ally), Soma (probable ally), Maruts (possible supportive forces)
Cosmic role
Indra releases and directs force; together with an allied god-power, he establishes rule across higher and lower worlds for the seeker’s aid.
Inner power
Coordinated illumination and effective power that governs both contemplation (heaven) and action (earth).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise; possibly linked to Soma-pressing symbolism (adrivaḥ)
शुष्मा॑सो॒ ये ते॑ अद्रिवो मे॒हना॑ केत॒साप॑: । उ॒भा दे॒वाव॒भिष्ट॑ये दि॒वश्च॒ ग्मश्च॑ राजथः ॥
शुष्मा॑सः । ये । ते॒ । अ॒द्रि॒ऽवः॒ । मे॒हना॑ । के॒त॒ऽसापः॑ । उ॒भा । दे॒वौ । अ॒भिष्ट॑ये । दि॒वः । च॒ । ग्मः । च॒ । रा॒ज॒थः॒ ॥
śuṣmāsaḥ | ye | te | adri-vaḥ | mehanā | keta-sāpaḥ | ubhā | devau | abhiṣṭaye | divaḥ | ca | gmaḥ | ca | rājathaḥ
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3 × 8 (likely)
Energetic, compact, with a ‘grasping’ cadence around consonant clusters (ketasāpaḥ)
Builds a sense of directed force and coordinated governance of inner and outer life.
- śuṣma
- Literal: force, energy, might. Symbolic: Dynamic strength of illumination acting in life and mind
- adrivaḥ
- Literal: lord of the stone (Soma-pressing stone). Symbolic: Master of concentrated force; the power that releases essence (Soma) by pressure/aspiration
- mehanā
- Literal: pouring, raining, streaming. Symbolic: Downflow of energy/light into the being
- ketasāpaḥ
- Literal: seizing by the sign/understanding. Symbolic: Grasping the right movement by conscious discernment and intuitive indication
- ubhā devau
- Literal: the two gods. Symbolic: Allied powers (Indra + Agni/Soma) coordinating mind and will (or mind and bliss)
- divaḥ
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: Higher mind/illumined planes of consciousness
- gmaḥ
- Literal: earth/going region; marching ground. Symbolic: Active terrestrial field: life-movement, works, embodied practice
- abhiṣṭaye
- Literal: for help, for desired aid. Symbolic: Grace in action: timely assistance to the aspirant’s effort
Invocation of Indra’s śuṣma (mights) and allied dual power to secure aid across both heaven and earth—stabilizing the sacrificer’s total field.
When invoking Indra’s force to aid works and victory; in sequences that mention Soma pressing
Chant during offering; mentally align ‘heaven and earth’ as the two fields to be harmonized
Use when needing alignment between spiritual insight and practical execution (projects, discipline, ethical action).
śuṣmá from √śvas/√śuṣ (semantic: ‘swell, be strong’) indicates concentrated might. mehánā from √mih ‘to pour’ links to rain/fertilization imagery. ketá from √cit ‘to perceive’ (semantic development) → conscious sign/awareness; sāpa ‘seizing’ indicates grasping power guided by consciousness. div- (shine) continues PIE *dyew-.
keta as conscious perception/sign, sovereignty across planes (divaḥ/gmaḥ), fertilizing descent of power
‘Rule for our help’ implies ṛta as harmonized order across planes of being.
Ketu as truth-sign: the right movement is recognized inwardly.
Bridging and governing the two worlds—higher and lower—so the divine can act integrally.
Integral Yoga resonance: transformation must include both the heights (divaḥ) and the earth-nature (gmaḥ).
Monsoon imagery implied by ‘pouring’
Descent of force/light into embodied life; harmonization of higher consciousness with active nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Sovereignty over the two worlds (heaven and earth) through pouring might: the divine powers rule the whole cosmic field to provide aid. Inwardly, it is mastery of both the luminous mind-plane and the moving life-plane through conscious-force (keta).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- diváḥ reflects PIE *dyew- ‘sky/daylight’. The heaven–earth dyad is a pan–Indo-European cosmological structuring principle; the dual verb rājathaḥ expresses a paired sovereignty, echoing archaic formulaic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Indra’s own ‘mights’ as operative instruments and asks that the ruling of both planes be ‘for our help’—i.e., that cosmic sovereignty become personal support, integrating higher light and lower movement under conscious guidance.
Unite ‘heaven and earth’ in oneself: let higher clarity govern practical life; act by ketá (inner sign).
Ājñā (ketá/inner sign) and Mūlādhāra–Maṇipūra axis (earth-field and action) (interpretive mapping)
Inhale ‘up’ to the brow, exhale ‘down’ to the navel for 12 breaths, then chant
Integrated governance: calm clarity above, strong directed energy below
After chanting, choose one concrete action that matches the clearest inner sign; do it immediately to seal ‘divaḥ + gmaḥ’ harmony.
Traditional Vedic accenting; emphasize clarity on ketasāpaḥ and ubhā devau.
Keep consonant clusters clean: adrivo, ketasāpaḥ; do not blur ‘bh’ in abhiṣṭaye.
adrivo: pronounce ‘dr’ cluster smoothly; keep short ‘i’., mehanā: ‘h’ is voiced breath; keep vowels open., ketasāpaḥ: articulate ‘sā’ long; final ḥ is visarga, lightly released.
Firm and rhythmic, like a march—yet precise in diction.
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