Rig Veda 5.30.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 30, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.30
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
युजं हि मामकृथा आदिदिन्द्र शिरो दासस्य नमुचेर्मथायन् । अश्मानं चित्स्वर्यं वर्तमानं प्र चक्रियेव रोदसी मरुद्भ्यः ॥
yújaṁ hí mām ákṛthā ād íd indra śíro dāsásya námuceḥ mathāyán | áśmānaṁ cit svaryáṁ vártamānaṁ prá cakriyéva ródasī marúdbhyaḥ ||
ఎందుకంటే అప్పుడు, హే ఇంద్రా, నీవు దాస నముచి యొక్క శిరస్సును నలిపిన వేళ, నన్ను నీ యుక్త—యుగంలో కట్టిన—సహచరునిగా చేసావు. అలాగే స్వర్య (స్వర్గాభిముఖ) శిల కూడా గిర్రున తిరుగుతూ వచ్చినా, చక్రంలా, మరుతుల కొరకు రెండు లోకాలను (రోదసీ) గమనంలో పెట్టావు—వారి విస్తారమైన కార్యాన్ని విప్పి విడుదల చేస్తూ.
Word by Word
- युजम्
- ally, yoked helperNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युज् (प्रातिपदिक: युज्- ‘योक्/सहाय’)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- माम्
- mePronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अकृथाः
- you madeVerbलुङ् (अorist), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot कृ (धातु)
- आ
- unto, toward; (intensifier)Indeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दिदि
- you gaveVerbलिट् (परिप्रास/परफेक्ट-प्रयोगः), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (वेदिक रूप) — ‘दिदि’ = ‘ददिथ/ददासि’ प्रकारRoot दा (धातु) + पुनरुक्ति-आगम (दिदि-)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शिरः
- headNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दासस्य
- of the Dāsa (foe)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root दास (प्रातिपदिक)
- नमुचेः
- of NamuciNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root नमुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मथायन्
- crushing, churning (as you did)Verbशतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रियाविशेषण/सहक्रिया)Root मथ् (धातु)
- अश्मानम्
- a stoneNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपातRoot चित् (निपात)
- स्वर्यम्
- heavenly, sun-brightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (अश्मानम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root स्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्वर्’ सम्बन्धी) অথবা स्वर्य (विशेषण)
- वर्तमानम्
- moving, rollingParticiple (Adjective)शानच्/शतृ-सम्भव वर्तमान-प्रातिपदिक; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (अश्मानम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root वृत् (धातु) → वर्तमान (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- चक्रिये
- it/you has done, has madeVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot कृ (धातु) + चक्रि- (लिट्-आधार)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot इव (निपात)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्विवचन-शब्द), द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (यहाँ कर्मरूपेण ‘रोदसी’ = ‘द्यावापृथिवी’)Role कर्मRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; द्यावा-पृथिव्यौ)
- मरुद्भ्यः
- for the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): युजम् हि माम् अकृथाः आ दिदि इन्द्र शिरः दासस्य नमुचेः मथायन् । अश्मानम् चित् स्वर्यम् वर्तमानम् प्र चक्रिये इव रोदसी मरुद्भ्यः । मुख्य सन्धि-निर्णय: (1) मामकृथा = माम् + अकृथाः (म् + अ → म-अ, लेखन में संधि-समास-रूप)
- (2) आदिदि = आ + दिदि (उपसर्ग-योग)
- (3) नमुचेर्मथायन् = नमुचेः + मथायन् (ः + म → र्/र्-आदेश: विसर्जनीयस्य रुत्व)
- (4) चित्स्वर्यम् = चित् + स्वर्यम् (त् + स् → त्स्)
- (5) चक्रियेव = चक्रिये + इव (ए + इ → एव)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra made the seer his yoked companion when he crushed Namuci’s head. He set even a heaven-seeking stone in motion; like a wheel he set the two worlds moving for the Maruts.
Inner meaning
The rishi speaks personally: Indra yokes the soul-force (the inspired seer-consciousness) as a co-worker (yujaṃ…mām akṛthāḥ) in the divine battle—suggesting collaboration between higher illumination and the awakened human instrument. Crushing Namuci’s head is the removal of the central obstructing mentality. The ‘stone’ (aśmānam) that is ‘heaven-seeking’ (svaryam) yet rolling by inertia signifies dense fixed formations in the nature that can nevertheless be turned toward the Light when Indra intervenes. Setting the two worlds (rodasī: heaven and earth, mind and life/body) in motion ‘like a wheel’ indicates a harmonized dynamism enabling the Maruts—storm-powers of life-force and nervous energy—to act widely and rightly, no longer chaotically but as allies of illumination.
Universal truth
Awakening is not only a gift; it is a yoking into conscious partnership with the higher power. Even the most inert parts of us can be redirected toward the light, and the whole system (mind-life) can be set into harmonious motion.
Themes
Namuci defeat, yoking to Indra, cosmic wheel/order, Indra-Marut cooperation
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Ātreya
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.30.1-10 (Indra victories)
Family tradition
The Atri line often includes intimate first-person moments where the seer is ‘yoked’ to the god—indicating that mantra-vision is participatory, not merely descriptive.
Significance
This verse models the yogic relationship: the divine power enlists the human seer as a conscious collaborator in transforming inertia into a heavenward movement.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Maruts as associated śaktis)
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Maghavan, Vajrin (thunderbolt-bearer; implied)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Sets the worlds in motion; coordinates storm-powers (Maruts) under the law of illumination.
Inner power
Illumined Mind organizing the life-forces; mastery that converts turbulence into effective action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Marut invocations within soma contexts; hymns celebrating Indra’s cooperative action with Maruts
युजं॒ हि मामकृ॑था॒ आदिदि॑न्द्र॒ शिरो॑ दा॒सस्य॒ नमु॑चेर्मथा॒यन् । अश्मा॑नं चित्स्व॒र्यं१॒॑ वर्त॑मानं॒ प्र च॒क्रिये॑व॒ रोद॑सी म॒रुद्भ्य॑: ॥
युज॑म् । हि । माम् । अकृ॑थाः । आत् । इत् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । शिरः॑ । दा॒सस्य॑ । नमु॑चेः । म॒था॒यन् । अश्मा॑नम् । चित् । स्व॒र्य॑म् । वर्त॑मानम् । प्र । च॒क्रिया॑ऽइव । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । म॒रुत्ऽभ्यः॑ ॥
yujam | hi | mām | akṛthāḥ | āt | it | indra | śiraḥ | dāsasya | namuceḥ | mathāyan | aśmānam | cit | svaryam | vartamānam | pra | cakriyāiva | rodasī iti | marut-bhyaḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Kinetic, rolling rhythm mirroring the ‘wheel’ and ‘rolling stone’ imagery.
Creates a felt sense of mobilization—stagnant parts begin to ‘move’ inwardly; supports integration of mind and life.
- युजम् (yujaṃ)
- Literal: yoked, harnessed companion. Symbolic: conscious collaboration; the human instrument aligned to divine action
- माम् (mām)
- Literal: me. Symbolic: the awakened psychic/seer element in the practitioner
- मथा॒यन् (mathāyan)
- Literal: crushing/churning. Symbolic: forceful breaking of fixed obstruction; transformative pressure
- अश्मानम् (aśmānam)
- Literal: stone. Symbolic: inertia, hardened habit, dense subconscious formation
- स्वर्यम् (svaryam)
- Literal: heaven-seeking, belonging to svar. Symbolic: capacity in matter/vital to turn toward illumination
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven & earth). Symbolic: mind and life/body; higher and lower nature to be synchronized
- मरुद्भ्यः (marudbhyaḥ)
- Literal: for the Maruts. Symbolic: dynamic life-forces, energies of action that can serve illumination
- चक्रिया इव (cakriyā iva)
- Literal: like a wheel. Symbolic: integrated cyclic dynamism; steady, coordinated movement
Indra-Marut complex in Soma ritual; verse links Indra’s victory to the activation of Marut energies and cosmic order.
When invoking dynamic force for overcoming resistance and energizing works
Recitation to energize the rite and align prāṇic forces (Maruts) to Indra’s illumination
Use when stuck in lethargy or compulsive patterns; chant to ‘set the wheel’ of practice moving again.
yuj ‘yoked’ (√yuj, PIE *yeug- ‘yoke’, cf. Latin iugum, English yoke) signals participation: the human is harnessed to divine action; √math ‘churn/crush’ suggests vigorous transformative pressure; rodasī (dual) is cosmic polarity—psychologically higher and lower planes brought into ordered motion (cakra) for the Marut energies.
yoking of human to divine work (yujam mām), ordering of the two worlds (rodasī) through truth-force, svàr (light-world) aspiration (svaryam)
‘Wheel-like’ motion suggests ordered dynamism—energies moving in right rhythm rather than chaos.
Svarya indicates orientation to the true light-world (svar).
Re-animation of the worlds: the cosmos and the individual are re-set into movement by the divine force.
Integral Yoga reading: transformation of inertia (tamas) by higher mind-force; harmonization of planes.
Stone=inertia; wheel=integrated energy-circulation; storm=life-force awakening; two worlds=mind and body-life synchronized.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Continuation of the Namuci episode plus a cosmogonic ordering: Indra crushes the foe’s head and sets the worlds in motion like a wheel. Inner sense: once the controlling obstruction is crushed, the seeker becomes ‘yoked’ to the divine work and the polarities of consciousness (rodasī) begin to move in an ordered rhythm, empowering the Marut-like life-forces.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj (yujam) is PIE *yeug- ‘yoke’; √vṛt (vartamāna) is PIE *wert- ‘turn’; cakra/wheel imagery is widespread in IE cosmology and poetics. This verse preserves archaic formulae of yoking and turning as metaphors of cosmic and psychic order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi claims participatory inclusion: Indra ‘made me yoked’—the human becomes an instrument of the divine victory. Indra’s action does not only destroy obstruction; it integrates the seeker and activates supporting powers (Maruts), establishing a dynamic harmony between the two worlds within and without.
Offer yourself as ‘yoked’ to the higher illumination; feel Indra organizing the breath, nerves, and will into one wheel-like movement.
maṇipūra (will) + ājñā (direction) with grounding in mūlādhāra (inertia transformed)
Ujjāyī (gentle) for 3 minutes, then chant slowly; visualize a wheel turning at the navel, rising to the brow.
From tamasic heaviness to coordinated dynamism and widened action.
On ‘aśmānam’, bring to mind one stubborn habit; on ‘svaryam’, re-imagine it as capable of serving the light; end by feeling mind and body aligned (rodasī) for right action.
Accents as per Śākala tradition; notable udatta on índra and marked syllables; exact svara requires annotated text.
Give a clear lift on ‘yujaṃ hi mām’ (personal emphasis) and ‘índra’; keep ‘cakriyā iva rodasī’ flowing like a wheel—no hard breaks.
‘yujaṃ’—final anusvāra nasalized lightly., ‘namucer’—keep ‘ce’ clear (palatal), not ‘se’., ‘svaryam’—pronounce ‘svar’ as one cluster, not ‘su-var’., ‘rodasī’—long ī at end; keep both syllables ro-da-sī distinct.
Steady, rolling, resonant; slightly more expansive on the last pāda.
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