Rig Veda 1.129.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 129, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.129
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
नि षू नमातिमतिं कयस्य चित्तेजिष्ठाभिररणिभिर्नोतिभिरुग्राभिरुग्रोतिभिः । नेषि णो यथा पुरानेनाः शूर मन्यसे । विश्वानि पूरोरप पर्षि वह्निरासा वह्निर्नो अच्छ ॥
ní ṣū namā́timatiṁ káyasya cit téjiṣṭhābhir araṇíbhiḥ nótibhir ugrā́bhir ugrótibhiḥ | néṣi ṇo yáthā purā́nenāḥ śūra mányase | víśvāni pūrórapa párṣi váhni r āsā́ váhni r no áccha ||
แท้จริง ด้วยการจุดไฟอันคมกล้าที่สุดของท่าน และด้วยความช่วยเหลืออันดุเดือดทรงพลังของท่าน จงกดปราบจิตที่คำนวณเกินประมาณของผู้ใดก็ตาม วีรบุรุษเอ๋ย จงนำพวกเราไปดังหนทางโบราณ ตามที่ท่านรู้ดี จงขับไล่พลังอันเป็นปฏิปักษ์ทั้งปวงออกจากปูรุ (Pūru) ผู้แบกเปลวไฟเอ๋ย จงมาเถิด—จงเป็นเปลวไฟที่มาสู่เรา
Word by Word
- नि
- down, forth (as preverb)Indeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root नि (upasarga)
- षु
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableemphatic particleRoot षु (particle)
- न
- indeed/now (enclitic)Indeclinableenclitic particleRoot न (particle)
- अमतिम्
- lack of thought, follyNounfeminine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot अ-मति (prātipadika)
- कयस्य
- of which?/of someonePronounmasculine/neuter, genitive singularRole SambandhaRoot कय (interrog./indef. pronominal stem)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableenclitic intensifierRoot चित् (particle)
- तेजिष्ठाभिः
- with the most powerful/keenestAdjectivefeminine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot तेजिष्ठ (superl. adj. from तेजस्)
- अरणिभिः
- with fire-sticks (arani)Nounfeminine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot अरणि (prātipadika)
- न
- like, asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot न (particle)
- उतिभिः
- with helps, aidsNounfeminine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot ऊति (prātipadika)
- उग्राभिः
- with fierceAdjectivefeminine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot उग्र (adj. stem)
- उग्र
- O fierce oneAdjectivemasculine, vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot उग्र (adj. stem)
- उतिभिः
- with helps, aidsNounfeminine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot ऊति (prātipadika)
- नेषि
- you lead, you guideVerbpresent (Vedic), 2nd person singular, active (parasmaipada)Role KriyāRoot नी (धातु)
- नः
- of us / for usPronoungenitive/enclitic (Vedic), pluralRole Sampradāna (beneficiary)/SambandhaRoot अस्मद् (pronoun)
- यथा
- so that, asIndeclinableconjunction/adverbRoot यथा (indecl.)
- पुरा
- formerlyIndeclinableadverbRole Adhikaraṇa (time)Root पुरा (indecl.)
- न
- notIndeclinablenegationRoot न (particle)
- एनाः
- these (women/things)Pronounfeminine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot एना (demonstrative pronoun stem)
- शूर
- O heroNounmasculine, vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot शूर (adj./noun stem)
- मन्यसे
- you think, you deemVerbpresent, 2nd person singular, middle (ātmanepada)Role KriyāRoot मन्/मन्य (धातु)
- विश्वानि
- all (things)Adjectiveneuter, accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot विश्व (adj. used substantively)
- पूरोः
- of PūruNounmasculine, genitive singularRole SambandhaRoot पूरु (proper name/stem)
- अप
- awayIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRoot अप (upasarga)
- पर्षि
- carry across, bring overVerbaorist/imperative (Vedic injunctive/imperative usage), 2nd person singular, activeRole KriyāRoot पॄ/पृ (धातु, ‘to carry across’)
- वह्निः
- Agni / the bearer (fire-priest)Nounmasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot वह्नि (prātipadika)
- आसा
- has been, wasVerbperfect (Vedic), 3rd person singular, activeRole KriyāRoot अस् (धातु)
- वह्निः
- Agni / the bearerNounmasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot वह्नि (prātipadika)
- नः
- of us / for usPronoungenitive/enclitic, pluralRole Sampradāna (beneficiary)/SambandhaRoot अस्मद् (pronoun)
- अच्छ
- towards, toIndeclinablepreposition/adverbRoot अच्छ (indecl.)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: नि षु न अमतिम् कयस्य चित् तेजिष्ठाभिः अरणिभिः न ऊतिभिः उग्राभिः उग्र ऊतिभिः । नेषि नः यथा पुरा न एनाः शूर मन्यसे । विश्वानि पूरोः अप पर्षि वह्निः आसा वह्निः नः अच्छ । Notes: (1) चित्तेजि- → चित् + तेजिष्ठा- (t + t → tt)
- (2) -भिर्नोतिभिः → -भिः + न + ऊतिभिः (visarga before n; ū- after n)
- (3) उग्रोतिभिः → उग्र + ऊतिभिः (a/ā/… + ū contraction in saṃhitā)
- (4) पुरानेनाः → पुरा + न + एनाः
- (5) पूरोरप → पूरोः + अप (ḥ + a → r a)
- (6) वह्निरासा → वह्निः + आसा (ḥ + ā → r ā)
- (7) नोच्छ → नः + अच्छ (ḥ + a → o a in saṃhitā)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to cast down the overreaching mind of anyone, using his sharp kindlings and fierce helps. He should lead the singers as in the ancient way. He should drive away hostile powers from Pūru; as Vahni (bearer of flame), he should come to them.
Inner meaning
The seeker prays that Indra’s illumination subdue atimati—an over-measuring, ego-inflated intelligence that distorts truth by excess, pride, or cleverness. Indra’s ‘kindlings’ (araṇi-like) are inner ignitions: sharp discriminations and intensities that light the will and burn falsehood. ‘Lead us as in the ancient way’ asks to be guided by the perennial path of ṛta—right seeing, right action, right speech. ‘Pūru’ becomes the human collectivity or the field of embodied nature; hostile powers are intrusive impulses and adverse suggestions. The epithet vahni indicates a carrying flame-force: the divine energy that bears the offering upward and brings power downward.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires the overthrow of the ego’s hypertrophied reasoning and the restoration of a guided, time-tested inner law; when the higher light leads, hostile influences are expelled from the human field.
Themes
Protection, Removal of hostile forces, Guidance on the ancient path, Inner fire/aspiration
The seer
Significance
The seer emphasizes discipline of mind (overcoming atimati) and fidelity to the ‘ancient way’—a hallmark of rishis who guard ṛta through right guidance rather than mere force.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Vahni aspect)
- Epithets
- śūra (hero), ugra (fierce), vahni (bearer/flame)
- Related deities
- Agni, Bṛhaspati, Maruts
Cosmic role
Leader of the luminous hosts; subduer of arrogant powers; guide along the path of right order.
Inner power
Illumination joined to dynamic force: it both corrects the mind’s mismeasure and energizes the right movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for protection and guidance; possibly within Soma liturgy or general stotra sequence
नि षू न॒माति॑मतिं॒ कय॑स्य चि॒त्तेजि॑ष्ठाभिर॒रणि॑भि॒र्नोतिभि॑रु॒ग्राभि॑रुग्रो॒तिभि॑: । नेषि॑ णो॒ यथा॑ पु॒राने॒नाः शू॑र॒ मन्य॑से । विश्वा॑नि पू॒रोरप॑ पर्षि॒ वह्नि॑रा॒सा वह्नि॑र्नो॒ अच्छ॑ ॥
नि । सु । न॒म॒ । अति॑ऽमतिम् । कय॑स्य । चि॒त् । तेजि॑ष्ठाभिः । अ॒रणि॑ऽभिः । न । ऊ॒तिऽभिः॑ । उ॒ग्राभिः॑ । उ॒ग्र॒ । ऊ॒तिऽभिः॑ । नेषि॑ । नः॒ । यथा॑ । पु॒रा । अ॒ने॒नाः । शू॒र॒ । मन्य॑से । विश्वा॑नि । पू॑रोः । अप॑ । प॒र्षि॒ । वह्निः॑ । आ॒सा । वह्निः॑ । नः॒ । अच्छ॑ ॥
ni | su | nama | ati-matim | kayasya | cit | tejiṣṭhābhiḥ | araṇi-bhiḥ | na | ūti-bhiḥ | ugrābhiḥ | ugra | ūti-bhiḥ | neṣi | ṇaḥ | yathā | purā | anenāḥ | śūra | manyase | viśvāni | pūroḥ | apa | parṣi | vahniḥ | āsā | vahniḥ | naḥ | accha
Triṣṭubh (probable; common for Indra battle/guidance verses)
44
4 x ~11
Cutting, imperative rhythm with strong downward ‘ni’ commands and forward-leading verbs.
Creates a psychological ‘clearing’: first a decisive casting down, then a guiding forward motion.
- अतिमति (atimati)
- Literal: over-mind, excessive thought. Symbolic: Ego-intelligence that overreaches, mismeasures, or rationalizes falsehood
- नि षू नम (ni ṣū nama)
- Literal: bow down/cast down indeed. Symbolic: Forceful humbling of pride-thought; bringing the mind under the higher law
- तेजिष्ठ (tejiṣṭha)
- Literal: most sharp, most fiery. Symbolic: Keen discernment; concentrated tapas that cuts confusion
- अरणि (araṇi)
- Literal: fire-sticks for kindling. Symbolic: Methods that kindle inner fire—practice, aspiration, friction of tapas
- ऊति (ūti)
- Literal: help, aid. Symbolic: Descent of supportive force; protective intervention
- शूर (śūra)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: Courageous luminous mind that leads the battle within
- नेषि (neṣi)
- Literal: you lead. Symbolic: Guidance of consciousness along ṛta-path
- वह्नि (vahni)
- Literal: bearer, carrier; fire/flame. Symbolic: Carrying flame-power—Agni-like force within Indra’s action, the dynamic transport of offering and energy
- अप पर्षि (apa parṣi)
- Literal: drive away, carry off. Symbolic: Expulsion of hostile formations from the nature/collective
Indra-invocation in Soma context; protective leading on the path and removal of obstructions (general prayoga in soma-stotras; exact śrauta assignment varies by śākhā).
When seeking victory over hostile forces and right leading (naya)
Recitation accompanying offerings; could be used as an anuvākya-like prayer for protection
Use before study/decision-making to reduce ego-overthinking; also as a protective chant against intrusive negativity.
-: mati- (√man ‘to think, form mind’) with ati- ‘beyond, excessive’ → ‘overreaching mentality’, psychologically the ego-mind exceeding right measure (ṛta). : superlative of tejas ‘sharp heat, brilliance’ (√tij/√tej ‘to be sharp, to burn’). : araṇi ‘fire-stick’, from √ar ‘to fit, move, set in motion’ (traditional); symbolically the means of producing inner flame by friction/effort. : ‘help, protection’ from √av/√ū ‘to aid, favor’ (Vedic ūti-). : 2sg from √nī ‘to lead’. : 2sg from √pṛ ‘to carry across, bring over’ (cf. ‘pāra’). : ‘carrier, conveyor; fire’ from √vah ‘to carry’, hence the power that bears the offering/aspiration upward and brings force downward.
Ṛta (right measure vs. ati-mati), inner guidance (nī ‘leading’ as psychopomp function)
‘Ancient way’ signals alignment with ṛta—the timeless pattern of right becoming.
True guidance replaces atimati’s distortions; speech and thought become accurate measures.
Kindling of inner fire (araṇi) as a microcosmic creation of light in the human being.
Yoga of illumination and right guidance (Aurobindo/Kashyap psychological exegesis).
Fire-kindling = tapas that generates discernment; vahni = carrier-force that moves offerings/aspiration upward and brings power downward into life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the heroic Power (Indra) subduing the excessive, disordering mentality (ati-mati) and ‘carrying away’ hostile forces from the community (Pūru). It is the inner version of Indra’s victory: not merely slaying an outer foe, but restoring right measure (ṛta) by forceful aids and the kindled flame-power (araṇi/vahni).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key verbal roots are archaic and Indo-European: √nī ‘lead’ (cf. Latin dūcere is different root, but PIE *neiH- ‘to lead’ is reflected in Indo-Iranian); √vah ‘carry’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘to transport’: Skt. vah-, Lat. vehō, Eng. ‘way/vehicle’ via Latin); √man ‘think’ (PIE *men-: Skt. man-, Greek ménos ‘spirit’, English ‘mind’). The compound ati-mati shows inherited productivity of preverb + mental noun to encode ‘excess’/‘transgression’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker seeks a reciprocal covenant of guidance and protection: the human side yields (nam ‘bowing/submission’) and calls for the deity’s ūti (help), while Indra is asked to act as inner leader (neṣi) and remover (parṣi). The relationship is pedagogic and salvific: Indra restores the right path ‘as of old’ (purā), implying continuity of an ancestral ṛta-way transmitted through inspired seers.
Detect and surrender ‘atimati’—the mind’s proud overreach—into a higher luminous guidance.
maṇipūra (will) and ājñā (discernment)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for 7 rounds, then chant
Keen, purified, guided.
Before chanting, write one sentence naming your ‘over-measuring’ habit (e.g., compulsive analysis). Chant with the downward force on ‘ni ṣū’ as an inner bowing; then feel a steady forward lead on ‘neṣi’.
Use clear udātta rises on imperative verbs (ni…nama, neṣi, parṣi) with controlled svarita falls; exact tonal mapping depends on śākhā.
Mark the command ‘ni ṣū’ with a decisive drop-then-lift; keep ‘ugrābhir ugrotibhiḥ’ as a single energetic surge.
Keep ‘atimatiṃ’ with clean dental ‘t’ and short ‘iṃ’ anusvāra, Pronounce ‘araṇibhiḥ’ with retroflex ṇ, In ‘vahnir’, aspirate lightly: vah-niḥ
Commanding yet steady; avoid shouting—aim for concentrated force.
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