Rig Veda 3.30.9: Mandala 3, Sukta 30, Mantra 9
Sukta 3.30
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
नि सामनामिषिरामिन्द्र भूमिं महीमपारां सदने ससत्थ । अस्तभ्नाद्द्यां वृषभो अन्तरिक्षमर्षन्त्वापस्त्वयेह प्रसूताः ॥
ní sā́manām iṣirā́m indra bhū́miṃ mahī́m apārā́ṃ sádane sasattha | ástabhnād dyā́ṃ vṛṣabhó antárikṣam árṣantv ā́pas tváyehá prasūtā́ḥ ||
โอ้ อินทรา ท่านได้ประทับนั่งบนแผ่นดินอันกว้างใหญ่ไร้ขอบเขต—ฐานอันมั่นคงแห่งบทสรรเสริญและทำนอง (สามัน) ในฐานะโคผู้เป็นพลัง ท่านได้ค้ำจุนฟ้าและอันตรักษะ; ขอให้สายน้ำทั้งหลายซึ่งท่านได้ปลุกให้เคลื่อนไหว ณ ที่นี้ ไหลไป—เป็นธารแห่งพลังที่ตื่นรู้—สู่การทำงานอันแท้จริงของตน
Word by Word
- नि
- down, forth (as preverb)Indeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root नि (upasarga)
- सामनाम्
- chants, sāman-songsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सामन् (prātipadika)
- इषिराम्
- swift, impetuousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (सामनाम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot इषिरा (prātipadika)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (prātipadika)
- भूमिम्
- earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भूमि (prātipadika)
- महीम्
- greatAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (भूमिम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot मही (prātipadika)
- अपाराम्
- boundless, without further shoreAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (भूमिम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot अ-पार (prātipadika)
- सदने
- in the seat/dwelling (place)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सदन (prātipadika)
- ससत्थ
- thou hast sat/settled (thyself)Verbलिट् (परस्मैपद); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रियापद)Root सस्/सद् (धातु; Vedic perfect formation)
- अस्तभ्नात्
- he propped up, supportedVerbलुङ्/इष्ट्-आगमयुक्त भूतकाल (aorist); परस्मैपद; तृतीयपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रियापद)Root स्तभ् (धातु) + आ (upasarga)
- द्याम्
- heaven, skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot द्यौ (prātipadika)
- वृषभः
- the bull (i.e., Indra)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वृषभ (prātipadika)
- अन्तरिक्षम्
- midspace, atmosphereNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अन्तरिक्ष (prātipadika)
- अर्षन्तु
- let them flow, streamVerbलोट् (imperative); परस्मैपद; तृतीयपुरुष; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रियापद)Root अर्ष् (धातु)
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot आप् (prātipadika)
- त्वय
- by theePronounद्वितीया/तृतीया?; एकवचन — Vedic instrumental form ‘त्वय’ = तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot त्वम् (sarvanāman)
- इह
- hereIndeclinabledeictic adverbRole अधिकरणRoot इह (avyaya)
- प्रसूताः
- set in motion, impelled, releasedParticiple/Adjectiveभूतकृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (आपः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot प्र-सू (धातु) → प्रसूत (kṛdanta)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): नि | सामनाम् | इषिराम् | इन्द्र | भूमिम् | महीम् | अपाराम् | सदने | ससत्थ । अस्तभ्नात् | द्याम् | वृषभः | अन्तरिक्षम् । अर्षन्तु | आपः | त्वय | इह | प्रसूताः । Notable: सामनामि॑षि॒राम् = सामनाम् + इषिराम् (m-final + i- initial)
- अर्षन्त्वापस्त्वयेह = अर्षन्तु + आपः + त्वय + इह (u + ā → vā/uvā in saṃhitā spelling; visarga sandhi: आपः + त्वय → आपस् त्वय)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra has taken his seat in the vast boundless earth, the foundation of harmonies. As the Bull he upheld heaven and midspace; may the waters set in motion by him flow here.
Inner meaning
After victory, Indra ‘sits’ (sasattha) in the stable base of the being—bhūmi as the grounded consciousness capable of sustaining sāman, the harmonies (right rhythms of life, thought, and feeling). He upholds dyāṃ and antarikṣam: the higher light-plane and the intermediate vital-mental field, preventing collapse into chaos. Then the waters—streams of energy, inspiration, and delight—are released to flow in right channels for work (prasūtāḥ: set forth). Psychologically, this is the yogic sequence: establish a firm inner seat, balance higher and middle nature, then allow the awakened currents to move and accomplish.
Universal truth
True power is stable and harmonizing: it grounds life, holds the higher vision and the active field together, and releases healthy flows of energy and feeling into purposeful action.
Themes
cosmic establishment, release of the waters, inner harmonisation (sāman), Indra as upholder and liberator
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.30, RV 3.33
Family tradition
Mastery of rhythm (sāman) and power (indra) joined—vision of harmonized life-force under illumined mind.
Significance
This verse shows the post-victory establishment: not only breaking obstruction, but founding a stable, harmonious seat from which the waters of consciousness can flow.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛṣabha (Bull), World-upholder, Mover of the Waters
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (ṛta/order), Soma (flowing delight), Sarasvatī (truth-stream)
Cosmic role
Supports heaven and midspace, stabilizes earth, releases waters—maintains the cosmic architecture after victory.
Inner power
Grounded luminous strength: capacity to hold higher insight and active life together while releasing purified energies.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocations in Soma rites (general Indra-stotra usage; not uniquely determinable to a single śrauta performance from this verse alone)
नि सा॑म॒नामि॑षि॒रामि॑न्द्र॒ भूमिं॑ म॒हीम॑पा॒रां सद॑ने ससत्थ । अस्त॑भ्ना॒द्द्यां वृ॑ष॒भो अ॒न्तरि॑क्ष॒मर्ष॒न्त्वाप॒स्त्वये॒ह प्रसू॑ताः ॥
नि । सा॒म॒नाम् । इ॒षि॒राम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । भूमि॑म् । म॒हीम् । अ॒पा॒राम् । सद॑ने । स॒स॒त्थ॒ । अस्त॑भ्नात् । द्याम् । वृ॒ष॒भः । अ॒न्तरि॑क्षम् । अर्ष॑न्तु । आपः॑ । त्वया॑ । इ॒ह । प्रऽसू॑ताः ॥
ni | sāmanām | iṣirām | indra | bhūmim | mahīm | apārām | sadane | sasattha | astabhnāt | dyām | vṛṣabhaḥ | antarikṣam | arṣantu | āpaḥ | tvayā | iha | pra-sūtāḥ
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Broad and स्थापत्य-like (architectonic): expansive openings (mahīm apārām) and stable closures (sasattha).
Creates grounded wideness; supports inner steadiness and a sense of spacious foundation from which energy can flow.
- sāmanām
- Literal: of harmonies/chant-melodies. Symbolic: inner rhythms of concord; ordered vibrations of thought and life
- iṣirām
- Literal: swift/impelling, vigorous. Symbolic: dynamic stability—ground that is not inert but charged with force
- bhūmim mahīm apārām
- Literal: vast boundless earth. Symbolic: wide foundation of consciousness; inner groundedness spacious enough to hold all experience
- sadane sasattha
- Literal: you sat in the seat. Symbolic: established the inner throne—steady poise (āsana of consciousness)
- vṛṣabhaḥ
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: generative power, virile strength of consciousness that supports and fertilizes
- dyām / antarikṣam
- Literal: heaven / midspace. Symbolic: higher mind/intuition and the intermediate vital-mental field
- āpaḥ ... prasūtāḥ
- Literal: waters set in motion. Symbolic: released currents of life-energy, inspiration, delight; purified movements toward right functioning
- arṣantu
- Literal: let them flow. Symbolic: allow free, unobstructed circulation—no repression, no scattering
Indra-invocations in Soma rites (general Indra-stotra usage; not uniquely determinable to a single śrauta performance from this verse alone)
Indra praise in Soma contexts; also suitable in rites invoking rain/waters and cosmic support motifs.
Recitation to stabilize and ‘set flowing’ the āpaḥ; mental offering for harmony and right movement.
For grounding and emotional flow regulation: establish inner seat, then let energies move without overwhelm.
Key roots: √sad ‘to sit, settle’ → sásattha ‘thou hast taken seat’ (perfect), indicating stabilisation of Indra-force in the earthly seat (sádana). √stambh ‘to prop, make firm’ → ástabhnāt ‘didst uphold’, a cosmogonic/psychological act: fixing dyā́m (higher light) and antárikṣa (intermediate life-mind). √ṛṣ/√arṣ ‘to flow, rush’ → árṣantu ‘let (the waters) flow’, suggesting released currents. ā́pas ‘waters’ are read as dynamic streams of consciousness/energy; pra-sūtāḥ from pra+√sū ‘to impel, set in motion’, pointing to an initiated outflow rather than a merely physical river.
R̥ta as stable ordering (supporting dyā́m/antárikṣa), Bṛhat (wideness) implied by mahī́/apārā́, Tapas as impelling force (iṣirā́, pra-sūtāḥ)
Sāman (harmony) is ṛta in vibration; Indra’s upholding of planes maintains right order.
Stable support of heaven/midspace enables truth to descend without distortion.
Cosmos as supported structure (earth-seat, upheld heaven/midspace) and released waters (life-streams).
Yogic cosmology of planes (Aurobindo): earth/mid/heaven as states of consciousness and their integration.
Earth = grounded poise; heaven = higher illumination; midspace = life-mind field; waters = liberated energies/feelings; bull = sustaining generative strength.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A cosmogonic-stabilising act paired with the ‘release of the waters’: Indra is enthroned in the wide Earth (foundation), upholds Heaven and the mid-region, and thereby enables the Waters to flow. In inner terms, the Indra-force establishes a stable base (earthly embodiment) and a firm higher light (dyauḥ), so that the liberated currents of consciousness-energy (ā́pas) can descend and circulate effectively in the human field (iha).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √stambh ‘prop, support’ (ástabhnāt) aligns with PIE *stembh-/*stemb- ‘to support, prop’ (cf. English ‘stump/stem’ in the sense of support; Germanic *stam-). √sad ‘sit’ (sásattha) continues PIE *sed- ‘sit’ (Latin sedēre, Greek hézomai via related formations). The ‘waters’ ā́pas reflect PIE *h₂ep- ‘water’ (cf. Latin aqua < *h₂ekʷ- is different; but Indo-Iranian *ap- is direct: Avestan āp-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer recognises Indra as both the cosmic architect (upholding the worlds) and the immediate inner agent who can set the energies flowing ‘here’. The reciprocity is implicit: the hymn offers recognition and invocation (naming Indra’s acts), and in return asks for the directed release of the waters—i.e., a regulated descent/flow of force and clarity into the practitioner’s embodied life, aligning the human seat (sádana) with the cosmic order (r̥ta).
Establish the ‘seat’ in vast grounded awareness; feel higher clarity above and active life-field in the middle held steady; allow energies to flow in right channels.
mūlādhāra (ground) with anāhata (harmonies/flow)
Dirgha prāṇāyāma (three-part breath) emphasizing a stable base; then silent witnessing of ‘waters’ (sensations/emotions) flowing.
Sthāṇutā (steadiness) and vāhinī (right flow) together—grounded movement.
Sit upright; feel weight and wideness (bhūmi). Mentally ‘uphold’ a clear space above the head (dyauḥ) and a calm channel through chest/abdomen (antarikṣa). Then permit emotions/energies (āpaḥ) to move without grasping; direct them into one chosen work of the day.
Tri-svara; keep expansive udātta on ‘mahīm apārām’ and a steady fall into ‘sadane sasattha’; let ‘arṣantu āpaḥ’ ripple lightly.
Broaden vowels in the first pāda to evoke vastness; maintain evenness in the support lines (‘astabhnād dyām…’).
sāmanām: long ā; nasal ‘nām’ clear, iṣirām: ṣ retroflex; long ā, sasattha: geminate ‘tth’ aspirated, arṣantu: retroflex ṣ; keep ‘ntu’ crisp
Deep, grounded, spacious resonance; gentle lift on ‘āpaḥ’.
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