Rig Veda 3.32.17: Mandala 3, Sukta 32, Mantra 17
Sukta 3.32
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
शुनं हुवेम मघवानमिन्द्रमस्मिन्भरे नृतमं वाजसातौ । शृण्वन्तमुग्रमूतये समत्सु घ्नन्तं वृत्राणि संजितं धनानाम् ॥
śunáṃ huvema maghavā́nam índram asmín bháre nṛ́tamam vā́ja-sātau | śṛṇvántam ugrám ūtáye samátsu ghnántaṃ vṛtrā́ṇi saṃjítam dhánānām ||
เพื่อความเป็นสิริมงคล ขอเราทั้งหลายอัญเชิญอินทระผู้เอื้อเฟื้อ—ผู้กล้าหาญยิ่งในภาระแห่งศึกนี้ ในชัยชนะเพื่อความอุดมสมบูรณ์. ขอพระองค์ทรงสดับเรา; ทรงเกรี้ยวกราดเพื่อเกื้อกูลในยามปะทะ ทรงประหารอุปสรรคทั้งหลาย (วฤตระ) และทรงเป็นผู้ชนะผู้รวบรวมทรัพย์—สมบัติแท้แห่งภาวะ.
Word by Word
- शु॒नम्
- auspiciously, wellIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Role विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)Root शुन (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषण) अथवा शुनम् (अव्यय)
- हुवेम
- may we invoke/callVerbलिङ् (विधिलिङ्), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वे (ह्वयति/ह्वयते) ‘आह्वाने’
- मघवानम्
- the bountiful oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘दानशील/सम्पन्न’ (इन्द्रस्य विशेषण)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (हुवेम् इत्यस्य)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भरे
- battle, contestNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot भर (प्रातिपदिक) ‘संघर्ष/युद्ध/समर’
- नृतमम्
- the most manly/heroicAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषयति)Role विशेषण (कर्मस्य)Root नृतम (प्रातिपदिक; नृ + तमप्) ‘नरों में श्रेष्ठ/अत्यन्त वीर’
- वाजसातौ
- in the winning of prizesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वाजसाति (प्रातिपदिक) ‘वाज-प्राप्ति/पुरस्कार-प्राप्ति, विजय’
- शृण्वन्तम्
- listeningParticipleवर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषयति)Role विशेषण (कर्मस्य)Root √श्रु (शृणोति) ‘श्रवणे’ → शृण्वत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- उग्रम्
- fierce, mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषयति)Role विशेषण (कर्मस्य)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊतये
- for help, for aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक) ‘सहायता/रक्षा’
- समत्सु
- in battlesNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot समत्सु (प्रातिपदिक; समत्सर/समत्सु) ‘युद्धेषु/संघर्षेषु’
- घ्नन्तम्
- slayingParticipleवर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषयति)Role विशेषण (कर्मस्य)Root √हन् (हन्ति) ‘हिंसागत्योः’ → घ्नत्/घ्नन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- वृत्राणि
- the Vṛtras/obstaclesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (घ्नन्तम् इत्यस्य)Root वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक) ‘आवरणकर्ता; वृत्र-दानव; बाधक’
- संजितम्
- fully victorious, having conqueredParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषयति)Role विशेषण (कर्मस्य)Root √जि (जयति) ‘जये’ + सम् → संजित (भूतकृदन्त)
- धनानाम्
- of riches/treasuresNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root धन (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): शुनम् | हुवेम | मघवानम् | इन्द्रम् | अस्मिन् | भरे | नृतमम् | वाजसातौ || शृण्वन्तम् | उग्रम् | ऊतये | समत्सु | घ्नन्तम् | वृत्राणि | संजितम् | धनानाम् । प्रमुख सन्धि: अस्मिन्+भरे → अस्मिन्भरे (न् + भ)
- उग्रम्+ऊतये → उग्रमूतये (म् + ऊ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May we call Indra, the bountiful and most heroic, in this battle and winning of prizes; hearing us, fierce in help amid clashes, he smites the Vṛtras and becomes the conqueror of riches.
Inner meaning
The aspiration calls the illumined Mind (Indra) to lead the inner battle (bhara) where plenitude (vāja) is won. When the soul’s call is heard, Indra becomes the fierce helper in the inner conflicts (samatsu), striking down multiple forms of the Coverer (vṛtrāṇi)—doubts, inertia, obscurity—so the true riches (dhanāni) of being (power, light, joy) are gathered and organized.
Universal truth
Progress is not passive: it requires a conscious call, a readiness for inner struggle, and a higher clarity that can dismantle recurring resistances and consolidate lasting gains.
Themes
Invocation, Victory, Protection (ūti), Vṛtra-obstruction smiting
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Kauśika
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 3.32, Rig Veda 3.33
Family tradition
Hymnic tradition of militant aspiration—invocation as a spiritual strategy to call down higher force.
Significance
Shows the practical psychology of mantra: call, hearing, help, victory—an inner liturgy of transformation rather than mere outer warfare.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavān, Nṛtama (most heroic), Ugra (fierce), Saṃjit (conqueror)
- Related deities
- Maruts (battle-forces), Agni (will), Soma (bliss-strength), Bṛhaspati (word of truth)
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods; breaker of Vṛtra; gatherer of the ‘dhanāni’ that sustain the divine life.
Inner power
Courageous illumination that listens to aspiration and acts decisively in inner conflict.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma sacrifices; verses for victory and prosperity; used in competitive rites and protective sequences.
शु॒नं हु॑वेम म॒घवा॑न॒मिन्द्र॑म॒स्मिन्भरे॒ नृत॑मं॒ वाज॑सातौ । शृ॒ण्वन्त॑मु॒ग्रमू॒तये॑ स॒मत्सु॒ घ्नन्तं॑ वृ॒त्राणि॑ सं॒जितं॒ धना॑नाम् ॥
शु॒नम् । हु॒वे॒म॒ । म॒घवा॑नम् । इन्द्र॑म् । अ॒स्मिन् । भरे॑ । नृऽत॑मम् । वाज॑ऽसातौ । शृ॒ण्वन्त॑म् । उ॒ग्रम् । ऊ॒तये॑ । स॒मत्ऽसु॑ । घ्नन्त॑म् । वृ॒त्राणि॑ । स॒म्ऽजित॑म् । धना॑नाम् ॥
śunam | huvema | maghavānam | indram | asmin | bhare | nṛ-tamam | vāja-sātau | śṛṇvantam | ugram | ūtaye | samat-su | ghnantam | vṛtrāṇi | sam-jitam | dhanānām
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4 × ~11 syllables
Heroic, rallying rhythm; strong lift in invocatory openings (śunaṃ huvema…).
Energizes will and confidence; supports a ‘call-and-response’ feeling—invocation leading to inner action.
- शुनम् (śunam)
- Literal: for good, auspiciously. Symbolic: turning the invocation toward integral well-being and right outcome
- मघवान् (maghavān)
- Literal: bountiful. Symbolic: the power that increases inner wealth—light, strength, joy
- भरे (bhare)
- Literal: in the bearing/battle. Symbolic: the inner carrying of the struggle; sustained effort in sadhana
- वाजसातौ (vājasātau)
- Literal: winning of vāja (prize/strength). Symbolic: attainment of plenitude—effective force, luminous capacity
- समत्सु (samatsu)
- Literal: in clashes. Symbolic: critical inner confrontations where old patterns resist change
- वृत्राणि (vṛtrāṇi)
- Literal: coverers/obstructions. Symbolic: layers of ignorance and limitation; recurrent resistances
- धनानाम् (dhanānām)
- Literal: of riches. Symbolic: true soul-wealth: knowledge, power, harmony, delight
Invocation for aid in contest (samatsu) within Soma-liturgical cycle; used to call Indra’s protective force and victory-giving power
During Indra-stotras, especially when seeking ‘vāja’ (strength, success) and overcoming obstacles.
Calling (havana) and praising to draw Indra’s aid; symbolic ‘battle’ enacted through offerings and chants.
A mantra for courage before difficult conversations, exams, recovery work, or any sustained discipline requiring inner victory.
śunam ‘for good’ is an adverbial accusative linked to auspiciousness. maghavān from maghá ‘gift, bounty, power of giving’. vāja from √vaj/√vāj (semantic field: strength, vigor, prize) → interpreted as ‘plenitude of force’ rather than mere food. ūti from √av ‘to protect, help’. vṛtrāṇi plural of vṛtra ‘cover/obstacle’ from √vṛ ‘cover’. saṃjitam from sam-√ji ‘fully conquer’.
Inner battle of light vs. obstruction, Vāja as fullness of force, Rayi/Dhana as spiritual riches
Indra’s victory re-establishes right movement by removing coverings that distort action.
Hearing (śṛṇvantam) implies alignment with truth-call; victory is the consolidation of truth in life.
Conquest over chaos yields organized riches—creation as ordered abundance.
Yoga-oriented Vedism (Aurobindo/Kashyap): deities as powers of consciousness active in transformation.
Storm-force of illumination engages inner conflict and clears the atmosphere for plenitude.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the smiter of Vṛtras (plural obstructions) in the ‘clashes’ (samatsu), granting victory and the recovery of dhana (true riches/powers) to the aspirant.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘strike’ (ghnantam) continues PIE *gʷhen- ‘to strike, kill’ (cf. Greek phénō ‘slay’). √ji ‘conquer’ relates to PIE *gʷeyh₃- ‘to live’ is not direct; but Indo-Iranian √ji is stable within the family; the martial lexicon shows inherited poetic formulae of ‘strike + obstruction’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer petitions Indra as maghavān (giver) to enter the human struggle as helper (ūtí), transforming conflict into vāja-sāti (winning of fullness of force) and converting the contest into a harvest of inner dhana.
‘Call Indra’—place attention in the brow and invoke decisive clarity to act in the day’s inner battles.
Maṇipūra (heroic force) harmonized by Ājñā (right discernment).
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally repeating maghavānam indram; feel exhale as ‘smiting’ vṛtra.
Active, concentrated, victory-oriented calm.
Before action, recite once slowly to set intention; then 3–9 brisk repetitions to ignite force; conclude with a silent pause to ‘receive riches’ as settled clarity.
Maintain Vedic pitch-accents; highlight udatta on huvema, indram, ugram; avoid flattening the cadence of Triṣṭubh.
Let the first pāda be clearly invocatory; slight lift at vājasātau; strong but controlled emphasis on ghnantam vṛtrāṇi.
śunaṃ: nasal anusvāra as soft ‘m’ before pause, nṛtamaṃ: retroflex ṛ, crisp ‘t’, ū́taye: long ū, dental ‘t’, saṃjitam: clear ‘ṃj’ cluster
Confident, resonant, slightly martial; keep clarity over volume.
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