Rig Veda 2.15.9: Mandala 2, Sukta 15, Mantra 9
Sukta 2.15
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada Bhārgava
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स्वप्नेनाभ्युप्या चुमुरिं धुनिं च जघन्थ दस्युं प्र दभीतिमावः । रम्भी चिदत्र विविदे हिरण्यं सोमस्य ता मद इन्द्रश्चकार ॥
svápnenābhyùpyā cúmurim dhúnim ca jaghántha dásyuṃ prá dabhī́tim āvaḥ | rambhī́ cid átra vividé híraṇyaṃ sómasya tā́ máda índraś cakāra ||
ด้วยพลังแห่งนิมิตในความฝัน เมื่อเข้าประชิด ท่านได้สังหารจุมุริและธุนิ และช่วยดภีติให้พ้นจากดัสยุ (Dasyu) แม้รัมภีก็ยังได้พบทองคำที่ซ่อนเร้น ณ ที่นี้—กิจเหล่านี้อินทระได้กระทำในความปีติคลั่งแห่งโสมะ (Soma)
Word by Word
- स्वप्नेन
- by/with sleep (as a means)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक) < √स्वप् (to sleep)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि
- उप्या
- thou didst go/approachVerbलुङ् (aorist); 2nd person singular; परस्मैपद (Vedic injunctive/aorist usage)Root उप (उपसर्ग) + √या (to go)
- चुमुरिम्
- Chumuri (a Dasyu)Noun (proper/tribal name)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot चुमुरि (प्रातिपदिक; दस्यु-नाम)
- धुनिम्
- Dhuni (a Dasyu)Noun (proper/tribal name)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धुनि (प्रातिपदिक; दस्यु-नाम)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- जघन्थ
- thou hast slainVerbलिट् (perfect); 2nd person singular; परस्मैपदRoot √हन् (to strike, slay)
- दस्युम्
- the Dasyu/foeNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दस्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र
- दभीतिम्
- harm, crushing (of the foe)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दभीति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘harm, injury, crushing’)
- आवः
- thou didst help/protectVerbलुङ् (aorist); 2nd person singular; परस्मैपदRoot √अव् (to help, protect, favour)
- रम्भी
- Rambhī (a woman/river-name)Noun (proper name)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot रम्भी (प्रातिपदिक; नदी/स्त्री-नाम)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्यय (emphatic)Root चित्
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अत्र
- विविदे
- found/obtainedVerbलिट् (perfect); 3rd person singular; आत्मनेपदRoot √विद् (to find, know)
- हिरण्यम्
- goldNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- ता
- those (things/deeds)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदे
- in intoxication/raptureNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चकार
- did, performedVerbलिट् (perfect); 3rd person singular; परस्मैपदRoot √कृ (to do, make)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): स्वप्नेना॒भ्युप्या → स्वप्नेन + अभि + उप्या (अभि + उप्या = अभ्युप्या, य्-आगम/व्यञ्जनसन्धि). चुमु॑रिं॒ धुनिं॑ → चुमुरिम् + धुनिम् (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-प्रयोग in saṃhitā). ज॒घन्थ॒ → जघन्थ (पद-रूप unchanged). द॒भीति॑मावः → दभीतिम् + आवः (म् + आ = मावः in saṃhitā). र॒म्भी चि॒दत्र॑ → रम्भी + चित् + अत्र (त् + अ = दत्र in saṃhitā). हिर॑ण्यं॒ सोम॑स्य → हिरण्यम् + सोमस्य (म् + स = ंस in saṃhitā). सोम॑स्य॒ ता → सोमस्य + ता (no change). ता मद॒ → ता + मदे (e-vowel shown in saṃhitā as मद). इन्द्र॑श्चकार → इन्द्रः + चकार (ः + च = श्च). Accent marks retained from saṃhitā
- pada-forms given without accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, by a power like dream-vision, comes upon and strikes Cumuri and Dhuni; he saves Dabhīti from the Dasyu. Even Rambhī finds hidden gold here. These deeds Indra does in Soma’s rapture.
Inner meaning
Indra’s illumination can act through the subtle plane of ‘svapna’—not mere sleep, but inner vision where the soul receives guidance beyond surface mind. Cumuri and Dhuni signify disruptive, obscuring formations (confusion, turbulence) that attack clarity. Dabhīti (the one in fear/affliction) is the struggling seeker-soul delivered from the Dasyu (hostile, perverting forces). Rambhī’s “gold” is the discovered inner treasure—purified truth-substance or luminous value—found when the hidden is unveiled. Soma’s delight intensifies the subtle perception and the victorious intervention.
Universal truth
True guidance often arrives through subtler seeing—intuition, dream-symbol, inner revelation. When illumined intelligence is welcomed, it can rescue the aspirant from hostile patterns and uncover a hidden wealth of meaning and strength.
Themes
Indra slays demons (Cumuri, Dhuni), rescue of Dabhīti, treasure/illumination found, Soma-ecstasy as enabling power
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada Bhārgava
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.15, RV 2.16
Family tradition
Bhārgava hymns frequently combine heroic Indra-myth with inner deliverance motifs—rescue, discovery, and release.
Significance
The seer frames Indra’s action as both force and subtle guidance—victory can come through inner vision, not only outward struggle.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Maghavan, Vajrin, Śatakratu (of a hundred powers/works)
- Related deities
- Soma, Sarasvatī (inspiration/flow of truth), Agni
Cosmic role
Protector and liberator; slayer of hostile powers; revealer of hidden riches (light, truth, abundance).
Inner power
Intuitive-illuminative mind acting across waking and dream—cutting confusion and rescuing the psychic being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma laud in Soma rites; also protective recitation for deliverance from adversity.
स्वप्ने॑ना॒भ्युप्या॒ चुमु॑रिं॒ धुनिं॑ च ज॒घन्थ॒ दस्युं॒ प्र द॒भीति॑मावः । र॒म्भी चि॒दत्र॑ विविदे॒ हिर॑ण्यं॒ सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥
स्वप्ने॑न । अ॒भि॒ऽउप्य॑ । चुमु॑रिम् । धुनि॑म् । च॒ । ज॒घन्थ॑ । दस्यु॑म् । प्र । द॒भीति॑म् । आ॒वः॒ । र॒म्भी । चि॒त् । अत्र॑ । वि॒वि॒दे॒ । हिर॑ण्यम् । सोम॑स्य । ता । मदे॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । च॒का॒र॒ ॥
svapnena | abhi-upya | cumurim | dhunim | ca | jaghantha | dasyum | pra | dabhītim | āvaḥ | rambhī | cit | atra | vivide | hiraṇyam | somasya | tā | made | indraḥ | cakāra
44
4 × ~11
Alternation of swift assault and clear resolution; suited to ‘coming upon’ and ‘smite’ movements.
Invokes alert subtlety—listeners often feel sharpened intuition followed by relief and assurance.
- स्वप्न (svapna)
- Literal: Dream. Symbolic: Subtle vision/inner plane of revelation (swapna-loka)
- दस्यु (dasyu)
- Literal: Hostile, robber. Symbolic: Forces that distort, divide, and steal light from consciousness
- हिरण्य (hiraṇya)
- Literal: Gold. Symbolic: Luminous truth-substance; inner wealth of realized value
- आवः (āvaḥ)
- Literal: You helped/saved. Symbolic: Grace of illumination rescuing the seeker
- सोमस्य मदे (somasya made)
- Literal: In Soma’s intoxication. Symbolic: Ananda that empowers intuition and victory
Recited in Indra invocations within Soma rites to affirm Indra’s capacity to rescue the seeker and reveal ‘hiraṇya’ (luminous wealth) through inspired states.
When seeking protection, rescue, or discovery (treasure/insight) through Indra’s help.
Chant as praise-offering; paired with Soma symbolism (inner delight) for effective invocation.
Use before sleep as ‘dream-yoga’ intention: invite inner guidance to overcome confusion and fear-patterns.
: ‘sleep/dream’; from su-√ap? traditional; in Vedic often indicates altered inner state; here instrumental ‘by dream-vision’. : 2sg perfect of √han ‘to strike, slay’ (PIE *gwhen- ‘kill’). : hostile, often ‘dark’ adversary; etymology debated; in inner reading denotes divisive ignorance. : 2sg perfect/aorist of √av ‘to protect, help’ (PIE *h₂ew- ‘to help’ proposed). : perfect of √vid ‘to know, find’ (PIE *weid- ‘see/know’). : ‘gold’, linked to brightness (hari ‘golden/yellow’).
revelation through altered consciousness (svapna as inner seeing), liberation of the threatened seeker (protection by the divine force), illumination-wealth (hiraṇya) as truth-substance
Right order includes the dream-plane as a legitimate channel of truth when purified.
Truth is concealed and recoverable as treasure.
Discovery (vid) of hiraṇya: revelation as a mode of creation.
Integral/psychological Veda: swapna as intermediate consciousness between waking and supramental hints.
night (inner vision)
Night/dream = subtle consciousness; gold = concentrated truth-light; rescue = psychic protection from hostile formations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The hero-god’s demon-slaying and rescue: Indra defeats named hostile powers (Cumuri, Dhuni) and frees a human/ancestral figure (Dabhīti), culminating in discovery of ‘gold’. Inner sense: in dream-vision (subtle consciousness) the illumined force overcomes obscuring impulses and releases luminous truth-wealth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- jaghántha from √han continues PIE *gwhen- ‘to kill’ (cf. Avestan jan-, Greek φονός ‘slaughter’ via related formations). vividé from √vid continues PIE *weid- ‘see/know’ (Latin vidēre). The verse couples *gwhen- (victory) with *weid- (revelation), a common Indo-European poetic pairing: conquest yields vision/treasure.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recalls prior acts as a warrant for present inner reliance: ‘as you once rescued and revealed, so now act in us.’ The reciprocity is mediated by Soma—offered by the human, received by Indra, returning as victorious illumination and protection.
Purify the dream-plane: ask for true guidance and removal of confusion/turbulence.
ājñā (inner seeing)
Nadi-śodhana 6 rounds; then mentally repeat ‘svapnena… indraḥ’ softly.
From scattered dreaminess to luminous intuition; calm confidence after inner rescue.
Before sleep, chant 3 or 9 times; set a sankalpa: ‘May the illumined mind reveal the hidden gold and remove hostile confusion.’ Journal symbols on waking.
Tri-svara; keep the phrase svapnenābhyupyā flowing (do not clip sandhi).
Light lift on svápnena; firm stress on jaghántha; soften into vivíde hiraṇyam (discovery).
cumuriṃ dhuniṃ: clear nasal ṃ at end; avoid turning dh into d., dabhītiṃ: long ī; keep bh voiced., hiraṇyam: retroflex ṇ, short a.
Clear, slightly hushed (dream-tone) in first half; brighter and firmer in the victory phrases.
3
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
