Rig Veda 5.42.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 42, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.42
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
समिन्द्र णो मनसा नेषि गोभिः सं सूरिभिर्हरिवः सं स्वस्ति । सं ब्रह्मणा देवहितं यदस्ति सं देवानां सुमत्या यज्ञियानाम् ॥
sámindra ṇo mánasā néṣi góbhíḥ sám sūríbhiḥ harivaḥ sám svastí | sám bráhmaṇā deváhitaṃ yád ásti sám devā́nāṃ sumatyā́ yajñíyānām ||
హే ఇంద్రా, మనస్సుతో మమ్మల్ని ఏకంగా నడిపించు; గోభిః (కిరణాలు/గోవులు) తో, సూరిభిః (ప్రబుద్ధ ఋషులు) తో, హే హరివః—ఏకంగా స్వస్తిలోకి. అలాగే, దేవహితం—దేవస్థాపితం అయిన బ్రహ్మణా (ప్రేరిత వాక్కు) ద్వారా మమ్మల్ని ఏకంగా నడిపించు; యజ్ఞియ దేవుల సుమతి (సద్బుద్ధి) ద్వారాను నడిపించు.
Word by Word
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- मनसा
- with (your) mind, by thoughtNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नेषि
- you lead, you guideVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot नी (धातु) + सन्? (न), here: नयति/नेषि from √नी
- गोभिः
- with cows; with cattle (wealth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सूरिभिः
- with patrons, with bountiful lordsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण/सहकारRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरिवः
- O you of the tawny steedsNoun (epithet used in address)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot हरिवत्/हरिव (इन्द्र-विशेषण; प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्वस्ति
- well-being, welfare, auspiciousnessNoun (benediction) / Indeclinable-likeस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (मङ्गलार्थे)Role कर्म (as ‘bring/secure welfare’ implied)Root स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ब्रह्मणा
- with sacred formulation; with prayerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवहितम्
- what is set/placed by the gods; god-ordained (good)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देवहित (प्रातिपदिक; देव + हित)
- यत्
- whatever (which)Pronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (of अस्ति) / सम्बन्धRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- अस्ति
- is, existsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अस् (धातु)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुमत्या
- with good thought/favor; with benevolenceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot सुमति (प्रातिपदिक; सु + मति)
- यज्ञियानाम्
- of the worthy of sacrifice; of the worshipful (ones)Adjective (genitive plural)पुंलिङ्ग (or as adjective to implied persons/rites), षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक; from यज्ञ ‘sacrifice’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic): सम् | इन्द्र | नः | मनसा | नेषि | गोभिः | सम् | सूरिभिः | हरिवः | सम् | स्वस्ति | सम् | ब्रह्मणा | देवहितम् | यत् | अस्ति | सम् | देवानाम् | सुमत्या | यज्ञियानाम् । Sandhi/phonetics: (1) समि॑न्द्र = सम् + इन्द्र (म् before vowel → मि). (2) गोभिः सं = गोभिः + सम् (visarga before sibilant often written as :; here shown as ‘:’). (3) सूरिभिः हरिवः: = सूरिभिः + हरिवः (no internal sandhi; pada boundary). (4) देवहितं यदस्ति = देवहितम् + यत् + अस्ति
- final -म् before य- commonly written without explicit m in continuous text
- यदस्ति = यत् + अस्ति (त् + अ → द् + अ by external sandhi)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to lead us together by mind, with the cows (rays), with the seers, with well-being; together by the god-placed brahman and by the good will of the gods worthy of sacrifice.
Inner meaning
Indra (illumined divine mind-force) is invoked as inner leader (netā) to gather the scattered parts of the being into a unified movement (sam). He leads by manas—rightly oriented mental consciousness—supported by go (rays of knowledge) and sūri (luminous seers/inner faculties of discernment). ‘Harivaḥ’ indicates the dynamic energies (shining steeds) that carry the mind into victory. The journey culminates in svasti: a state of integral well-being. The means are the inspired word (brahman devahita) and the sumati of the yajñiya devās: the right-minded consent of higher powers that respond when the inner sacrifice is sincere.
Universal truth
Integration is a spiritual act: when consciousness unifies around truth-speech and higher guidance, illumination leads the whole nature into well-being and right order.
Themes
Indra as inner leader, Unity of faculties, Light and seerhood, Well-being and right progress
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.42 (entire), RV 5.40 (Indra-related themes)
Family tradition
Ātreya speech often stresses the ‘brahman devahita’—inspired word descending into the human instrument—and the role of Indra in unifying and illumining the mind.
Significance
Atri’s Indra is the inner leader who gathers the rays and seer-faculties into a single march toward svasti—integral harmony.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with yajñiya devās in support)
- Epithets
- harivaḥ (lord of shining steeds), netā (leader—implied), giver of svasti (invoked)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Sarasvatī (brahman power), Mitra-Varuṇa (order)
Cosmic role
Indra governs the luminous mind and victorious force that breaks obstructions and establishes the right movement of energies.
Inner power
Unifies the divided nature, releases rays of knowledge (go), and leads consciousness into secure well-being through inspired speech and higher consent.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra hymns in soma offerings; also used as a unifying prayer for success and well-being.
समि॑न्द्र णो॒ मन॑सा नेषि॒ गोभि॒: सं सू॒रिभि॑र्हरिव॒: सं स्व॒स्ति । सं ब्रह्म॑णा दे॒वहि॑तं॒ यदस्ति॒ सं दे॒वानां॑ सुम॒त्या य॒ज्ञिया॑नाम् ॥
सम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । नः॒ । मन॑सा । ने॒षि॒ । गोभिः॑ । सम् । सू॒रिऽभिः॑ । ह॒रि॒ऽवः॒ । सम् । स्व॒स्ति । सम् । ब्रह्म॑णा । दे॒वऽहि॑त॒म् । यत् । अस्ति॑ । सम् । दे॒वाना॑म् । सु॒ऽम॒त्या । य॒ज्ञिया॑नाम् ॥
sam | indra | ṇaḥ | manasā | neṣi | gobhiḥ | sam | sūri-bhiḥ | hari-vaḥ | sam | svasti | sam | brahmaṇā | deva-hitam | yat | asti | sam | devānām | su-matyā | yajñ iyānām
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4 × 12 syllables (check scansion)
Processional and integrative, marked by repeated ‘sam’ creating a gathering cadence.
Mantric ‘sam’ repetition induces coherence; the listener feels collected and led inwardly.
- सम् (sam)
- Literal: together, wholly. Symbolic: integration; collecting the being into one movement
- इन्द्र (Indra)
- Literal: lord of power. Symbolic: illumined mind-force; breaker of inner darkness
- मनसा (manasā)
- Literal: by the mind. Symbolic: by conscious orientation and inner attention
- नेषि (neṣi)
- Literal: lead. Symbolic: guide the inner journey toward truth and wholeness
- गोभिः (gobhiḥ)
- Literal: with cows. Symbolic: with rays of light/knowledge
- सूरिभिः (sūribhiḥ)
- Literal: with seers/wise ones. Symbolic: with illumined faculties and inner guides
- हरिवः (harivaḥ)
- Literal: having tawny/shining steeds. Symbolic: dynamic life-energies yoked to illumination
- स्वस्ति (svasti)
- Literal: well-being. Symbolic: harmonised state of the being under truth-order
- सुमत्या (sumatyā)
- Literal: by good thought/good will. Symbolic: right-minded grace/consent of higher powers
- यज्ञिय (yajñiya)
- Literal: worthy of sacrifice. Symbolic: powers of consciousness that respond to sincere consecration
Guidance and integration prayer; appropriate when seeking Indra’s leadership toward svasti within Soma sacrifice and allied rites.
Before major undertakings; in rituals seeking victory, protection, and right guidance.
Recitation to invoke Indra’s leadership and the supportive consent of yajñiya powers.
A centering mantra for group meditation or before collaborative work: cultivate ‘sam’—togetherness and coherence.
Key terms: √nī ‘lead’ frames Indra as guide of the inner march. go- as rays of illumination (recovering the Vedic code of cows=lights). su-asti ‘well-being’ literally ‘good-being’. brahman as mantra-power, again ‘deva-hita’ (god-placed). The repeated sam- stresses integration of faculties—mind, light, seer-vision—into a unified movement.
integration (sam-), svasti (good-being), inspired speech (brahman), Ṛta as right-minded leading (sumati)
Indra’s leadership aligns the being with ṛta through light (go) and inspired speech.
‘devahita brahman’ indicates truth descending from higher consciousness.
Integration as a creative act: gathering powers to manifest a harmonised life.
Integral-yogic reading: unification of parts under illumined mind and truth-speech.
Rays = illuminations; horses = vital dynamism; leading = guidance of consciousness toward harmony.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the leader of the collective march: he gathers mind, light (cows/rays), and seer-vision into one integrated movement toward svasti. The mythic image of Indra with tawny steeds becomes the inner dynamism that carries the soul forward.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √nī ‘lead’ is an old verbal idea across IE (guidance as a central royal/divine function). su-asti ‘good-being’ is a transparent compound showing archaic evaluative prefixing (su-), a widespread IE morphological strategy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks not merely for gifts but for coordinated inner guidance: Indra must lead the mental will, the illuminations, and the inspired word into unity. The devatā-human reciprocity is the surrender of direction to the divine leader in exchange for integrated progress and well-being.
Collect scattered energies; invite illumined mind to lead all parts together into harmony.
ajna (guidance) integrating with manipura (dynamic force)
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) while mentally repeating ‘sam’ at each corner to build coherence.
Unified, directed, quietly powerful.
On each ‘sam’, gather a different layer: body, life-force, emotions, thoughts; then offer speech (brahman) upward and feel higher ‘sumati’ descending as alignment.
Strong accentuation on repeated ‘sam’; maintain clear udātta rises without rushing.
Mark each ‘sam’ with a slight pause and gathering intention; keep ‘harivaḥ’ bright and forward.
: ‘go’ long o; visarga before bh becomes light aspiration, : long ū; roll lightly into ‘r’, : short a; ‘v’ clear, not ‘w’, : dental ‘t’; keep ‘-yā’ long
Firm, guiding, cohesive; slightly more force on the first two pādas.
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