Rig Veda 3.60.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 60, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.60
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
इन्द्र ऋभुभिर्वाजवद्भिः समुक्षितं सुतं सोममा वृषस्वा गभस्त्योः । धियेषितो मघवन्दाशुषो गृहे सौधन्वनेभिः सह मत्स्वा नृभिः ॥
índra ṛ́bhubhir vājá-vadbhíḥ sám ukṣitaṃ sutáṃ sómam ā́ vṛṣasvā gábhastyōḥ | dhiyéṣito maghavan dā́śuṣo gṛhé saudhanvanébhir sahá matsvā nṛ́bhiḥ ||
โอ้อินทระ ด้วยเหล่าฤภุผู้เปี่ยมด้วยพลัง จงดื่มโสมะที่คั้นแล้วและเต็มพร้อมนั้นด้วยสองหัตถ์ของท่าน เมื่อถูกเร้าโดยความคิด โอ้ มฆวัน (ผู้ประทานความมั่งคั่ง) ในเรือนของผู้ถวายบูชา จงรื่นรมย์ร่วมกับเหล่าสุธันวะนะ และกับพลังแห่งวีรชนทั้งหลาย
Word by Word
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋभुभिः
- with/by the RbhusNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/साधन (Karaṇa; comitative/instrumental)Root ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजवत्भिः
- possessing strength/prize (vāja), vigorousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (ऋभुभिः इति विशेषणम्)Role सह/साधन (Karaṇa; agrees with ऋभुभिः)Root वाजवत् (प्रातिपदिक; वाज + वत्)
- समुक्षितम्
- well-sprinkled/anointedParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सुतम् सोमम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (Karma; object-qualifier)Root सम्-उक्ष् (धातु: उक्ष् ‘to sprinkle, wet, anoint’) → समुक्षित (कृदन्त)
- सुतम्
- pressedParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (Karma)Root सु (धातु ‘to press (Soma)’) → सुत (कृदन्त)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (Karma)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण; उपसर्ग)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वृषस्व
- pour/stream forth; be vigorousVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया; कर्ता = इन्द्रः)Root वृष् (धातु; Vedic: ‘to rain down/stream, to pour out, to be strong’)
- गभस्त्योः
- in the two hands (grasp)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन (Vedic loc.-gen. dual; ‘in/at the two hands’)Role अधिकारण (Adhikaraṇa)Root गभस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- धियेषितः
- impelled by prayer/thoughtParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृविशेषण (agent-qualifier)Root धि (प्रातिपदिक ‘thought, prayer’) + ईष्/इष् (धातु ‘to impel, set in motion’) → ईषित (कृदन्त)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दाशुषः
- of the worshipperNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root दाश्वस्/दाशुष् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘worshipper, giver’)
- गृहे
- in the houseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारण (Adhikaraṇa)Root गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
- सौधन्वनेभिः
- with the SaudhanvanasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/साधन (Karaṇa; comitative)Root सौधन्वन (प्रातिपदिक; patronymic/tribal name)
- सह
- together withIndeclinableअव्ययRole सहकारक-निर्देशकRoot सह (अव्यय)
- मत्स्व
- rejoice, be exhilaratedVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया; कर्ता = इन्द्रः)Root मद् (धातु ‘to be exhilarated, rejoice’)
- नृभिः
- with menNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/साधन (Karaṇa; comitative)Root नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: ऋभुभिर्वाजवद्भिः → ऋभुभिः + वाजवत्भिः (visarga before v-; -द्भिः reflects -वत् + भिः)
- सोममा → सोमम् + आ (final -म् before ā)
- वृ॑षस्वा → वृषस्व + आ (enclitic ā after imperative)
- मघवन्दा॒शुषो → मघवन् + दाशुषः (final -न् before d-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, together with the Ribhus rich in force, is asked to drink the well-filled pressed Soma in his two hands. Urged by inspired thought, he should rejoice in the sacrificer’s house with the Saudhanvanas and heroic powers.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind is invited to receive Ananda (Soma) held in ‘two hands’—symbolically, the dual grasp of discernment and power (knowledge-force and will-force). The Ribhus ‘rich in vāja’ are the perfected energetic faculties that make the Soma ‘full’ (samukṣita): experience becomes ripe, concentrated, and fit for divine enjoyment. ‘Urged by dhi’ indicates that true reception is guided by higher thought-intuition, not desire. Rejoicing ‘in the house’ is the Indra-force taking seat in the embodied consciousness, together with the perfected artisan-powers (Saudhanvanas) and the noble energies (nṛbhiḥ).
Universal truth
Joy becomes stable when guided by higher understanding and supported by refined capacities; the divine enjoyment is not indulgence but a conscious, strengthening delight that perfects action.
Themes
Soma-ecstasy, invocation to Indra, companionship with Ribhus, inner house of offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.60, RV 3.62, RV 3.61
Family tradition
Mantras of the Viśvāmitra corpus often join force (vāja), illumination (Indra), and right formation (Ribhus) as a single yoga of effective transformation.
Significance
A seer of dynamic realization: the ‘house of the offering one’ becomes the field where divine powers concretely take possession.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with the Ribhus)
- Epithets
- Maghavan, Puruṣṭuta (much-praised), Vājavān (possessing plenitude)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Indra receives Soma to increase strength for releasing light and establishing order; the Ribhus support by perfecting instruments and capacities.
Inner power
Capacity to enjoy bliss without fall—transforming delight into strength and clarity; allied with precise formative powers (Ribhus).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra’s Soma-libation (graha) with companion deities
इन्द्र॑ ऋ॒भुभि॒र्वाज॑वद्भि॒: समु॑क्षितं सु॒तं सोम॒मा वृ॑षस्वा॒ गभ॑स्त्योः । धि॒येषि॒तो म॑घवन्दा॒शुषो॑ गृ॒हे सौ॑धन्व॒नेभि॑: स॒ह म॑त्स्वा॒ नृभि॑: ॥
इन्द्र॑ । ऋ॒भुऽभिः॑ । वाज॑वत्ऽभिः । सम्ऽउ॑क्षितम् । सु॒तम् । सोम॑म् । आ । वृ॒ष॒स्व॒ । गभ॑स्त्योः । धि॒या । इ॒षि॒तः । म॒घ॒व॒न् । दा॒शुषः॑ । गृ॒हे । सौ॒ध॒न्व॒नेभिः॑ । स॒ह । म॒त्स्व॒ । नृऽभिः॑ ॥
indra | ṛbhu-bhiḥ | vājavat-bhiḥ | sam-ukṣitam | sutam | somam | ā | vṛṣasva | gabhastyoḥ | dhiyā | iṣitaḥ | maghavan | dāśuṣaḥ | gṛhe | saudhanvanebhiḥ | saha | matsva | nṛ-bhiḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Invocatory and expansive; strong mid-line lift typical of triṣṭubh.
Supports receptivity and strength—like drawing in a ‘full’ breath of delight and power.
- गभस्त्योः (gabhastyoḥ)
- Literal: in the two hands. Symbolic: dual powers of grasp—illumined knowledge and effective will
- समुक्षितम् (samukṣitam)
- Literal: well-filled, made abundant. Symbolic: ripened, concentrated experience ready for divine enjoyment
- धिया इषितः (dhiyā iṣitaḥ)
- Literal: impelled by thought. Symbolic: moved by intuition/illumined intelligence
- मघवन् (maghavan)
- Literal: bounteous one. Symbolic: the power that increases inner riches—light, strength, joy
- दाशुषः गृहे (dāśuṣo gṛhe)
- Literal: in the giver’s house. Symbolic: in the embodied being that offers itself; the inner altar of consecration
- नृभिः (nṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with men/heroic ones. Symbolic: with noble energies, courageous life-forces disciplined for the Work
Explicit Soma invitation (pibā/vr̥ṣasva motif): used at Soma offering moments to invite Indra to drink with allied powers
At Soma pressings (savanas), especially in Indra-focused offerings; also as praise to secure Indra’s presence in the rite.
Invitation to drink Soma; affirmation that the offering is ‘full’ and guided by dhi.
Chant before meditation or creative work to ‘fill the cup’—to convert emotion into clarified delight and strength.
(vāja-) in RV often denotes ‘strength, impetus, plenitude’ besides prize/food; linked to √vaj/√vāj ‘to be strong, to speed’. (gabhasti-) ‘hand/ray’ (Vedic polysemy: grasp and radiance), supporting inner reading as receptive rays of consciousness. from √mad ‘to be glad, intoxicated’—Soma ecstasy as spiritual delight.
Ananda (Soma) as delight-substance, dhī (inspired thought) as directive intelligence, vāja as force-plenitude
Dhi as the directing intelligence ensures delight moves in right order, not in vital distortion.
Full Soma symbolizes truth-essence extracted from experience.
The divine drinks delight to increase power for further manifestation and victory over limitation.
Integral-psychological Vedic exegesis (Aurobindo/Kashyap): Soma as bliss-substance, Indra as illumined mind.
Soma = refined bliss; hands = powers of conscious grasp; house = embodied field of sādhanā.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s Soma-drinking with the Ribhus: the strengthening of the divine warrior by the delight-essence, accompanied by perfected artisan-powers. Inwardly, the illumined will drinks Ananda in the receptive rays/hands, becoming capable of victorious action in the human ‘house’.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mad ‘to be exhilarated’ has IE parallels in the semantic field of intoxication/joy (cf. Proto-Indo-Iranian *mad-). √dā ‘to give’ in dāśuṣ ‘giver’ continues PIE *deh₃- ‘to give’ (cf. Greek dídōmi, Latin dōnum).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers a prepared Soma (sam-ukṣitam sutam) and invites Indra to partake within the aspirant’s dwelling. The reciprocity is the classic exchange: offering and hymn open the inner space; Indra’s delight and presence bring force, joy, and effective victory, shared with the Ribhus’ perfection.
Receive ‘Soma’ as conscious delight in both ‘hands’: (1) silent witnessing clarity, (2) steady will to act rightly.
Ājñā (clarity) and Maṇipūra (power/assimilation).
Two-phase inhale (split inhale) to symbolize ‘two hands’, then long exhale with quiet joy; keep attention in brow and solar plexus.
Full, bright, quietly elated; strength without agitation.
After chanting, recall one offering (time, attention, truthfulness). Feel Indra ‘rejoicing in the house’—a settled strength in the body.
Follow Saṃhitā accents (udātta marked, with svarita fall); keep triṣṭubh pacing consistent across four pādas.
Sustain udātta slightly on इन्द्र॑, गभ॑स्त्योः; pause lightly after each pāda; keep sandhi clean (ā vṛṣasvā).
vṛṣasvā: articulate ‘vṛ’ clearly, avoid ‘br’, gabhastyoḥ: keep ‘bh’ aspirated, saudhanvanebhiḥ: cluster ‘dh-nv’—do not insert extra vowels
Warm, inviting, full-bodied resonance (as if ‘filling’ the cup).
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