Rig Veda 4.28.5: Mandala 4, Sukta 28, Mantra 5
Sukta 4.28
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra-Soma
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
एवा सत्यं मघवाना युवं तदिन्द्रश्च सोमोर्वमश्व्यं गोः । आदर्दृतमपिहितान्यश्ना रिरिचथुः क्षाश्चित्ततृदाना ॥
evā́ satyáṃ maghavānā yuváṃ tád índraś ca soma úrvam aśvyáṃ góḥ | ā́ dardṛtám apihitā́ny aśnā́ riricathúḥ kṣā́ś cit tatṛdānā́ ||
แท้จริงเป็นดังนี้ นี่แลคือสัจจะ (satya) โอ้สองเจ้าแห่งความอุดม—อินทระและโสมะ ท่านทั้งสองได้เปิดผืนทุ่งกว้างของ “โค” (ความรู้เรืองรอง) และการเคลื่อนไหวอันรวดเร็วของมัน ท่านได้ทลายสิ่งที่แข็งกระด้าง ถอนสิ่งปกปิดออก แม้แรงต้านของแผ่นดินก็ยังถูกท่านเจาะทะลุ ปลดปล่อยสิ่งที่ถูกปิดกั้นไว้
Word by Word
- एवा
- just so; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Root एव
- सत्यम्
- truth; trulyNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (as predicate/accusative of statement)Root सत्य (सत् + य)
- मघवानौ
- O two bountiful onesNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole (address)Root मघवन्
- युवम्
- you twoPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद्
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (in apposition within the dual subject)Root इन्द्र
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- सोमः
- SomaNoun (deity/plant)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (in apposition within the dual subject)Root सोम
- उर्वम्
- the wide enclosure/pen; broad spaceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot उर्व (उर्वा/उर्वम्)
- अश्व्यम्
- pertaining to horses; for horsesAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (उर्वम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (qualifier)Root अश्व्य
- गोः
- of the cow/cattleNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके बहुधा), षष्ठी, एकवचनRole (genitive relation)Root गो
- आ
- towards; forthIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग (समन्तात्/आभिमुख्ये)Root आ
- अदर्दृतम्
- he/it burst open; broke throughVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), 3 एकवचन (वैदिक-लिट्/परफेक्ट), intensive/reduplicated stemRole KriyāRoot दृ (दर्/दॄ) + द्रु/दृद्? (वैदिक रूप) → दर्दृ (intensive) / दॄ-धातोः
- अपिहितानि
- covered up; shut inParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (कर्मपद)Role KarmaRoot अपि-धा (धातु √धा) → अपिहित
- अश्नाः
- stones; rock-massesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (as subject with ‘covered things’ contextually)Root अश्ना (अश्नि/अश्ना) < √अश्/अश्न् (to eat/consume) or noun ‘stone’ (अश्ना) in Vedic
- रिरिचथुः
- you two released; you two let looseVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), 2 पुरुष, द्विवचनRole KriyāRoot √रिच् (to empty, leave, release) with reduplication
- क्षाः
- the earths/grounds; landsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot क्षाः/क्षाम् (क्षि/क्ष्मा) ‘earth, ground’ (वैदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/‘even’)Root चित्
- ततृदानाः
- piercing; cleaving throughParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (कर्तरि)Role Kartā (participial qualifier)Root √तृद् (to pierce, bore, cleave) → ततृद् (reduplicated) + -आन (pres. part.)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): मघवाना → मघवानौ (voc. dual)
- तदिन्द्रश्च → तत् + इन्द्रः + च
- सोमोर्वमश्व्यं → सोमः + उर्वम् + अश्व्यम्
- आदर्दृतमपिहितान्यश्ना → आ + अदर्दृतम् + अपिहितानि + अश्नाः
- रिरिचथु: → रिरिचथुः
- क्षाश्चित्ततृदाना → क्षाः + चित् + ततृदानाः. Accent marks in the saṃhitā are not reproduced in the pada list
- forms are given in normalized Devanagari
The meaning
Outer meaning
So indeed this is truth: you two, Indra and Soma, opened the wide field of the Cow and its swift (horse-like) movement; you broke the hardened coverings, even piercing the earth while releasing what was shut in.
Inner meaning
The rishi seals the vision as Satya: Indra (illumined mind) and Soma (divine bliss) together open the vast domain of the Cow—Go as rays of knowledge—and its aśvya movement—swift vital force of effective action guided by light. The hardened, covered places are the fixed subconscient/physical resistances (kṣāḥ) and mental crusts; by their force they break the seal and release the imprisoned light and energy.
Universal truth
Truth is verified by result: when illumination and bliss act together, knowledge widens, energy becomes swift and right, and even dense material resistance can be penetrated—releasing what was latent within.
Themes
Indra-Soma collaboration, release of hidden light (cows), piercing obstruction
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.26, RV 4.27, RV 4.30
Family tradition
Vāmadeva often concludes with a सत्यं (satyam) affirmation—truth as experiential accomplishment—linking Indra-Soma victory to the release of the ‘cows’ (knowledge) and the opening of wide inner spaces.
Significance
The seer frames liberation as a verified inner fact: the wide field of knowledge opens and the dense earth-consciousness is pierced, indicating integral transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra-Soma
- Epithets
- Maghavanā (dual: bounteous ones), Indra (lord of luminous force), Soma/Indu (immortal delight)
- Related deities
- Agni, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
They recover and expand the luminous herds (knowledge) and empower swift right action; they remove coverings that constrain creation’s flow.
Inner power
Union of illumination and bliss that widens knowledge and energizes life-force to act truthfully, penetrating even physical inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma praise (general; Soma-yajña milieu)
ए॒वा स॒त्यं म॑घवाना यु॒वं तदिन्द्र॑श्च सोमो॒र्वमश्व्यं॒ गोः । आद॑र्दृत॒मपि॑हिता॒न्यश्ना॑ रिरि॒चथु॒: क्षाश्चि॑त्ततृदा॒ना ॥
ए॒व । स॒त्यम् । म॒घ॒वा॒ना॒ । यु॒वम् । तत् । इन्द्रः॑ । च॒ । सो॒म॒ । ऊ॒र्वम् । अश्व्य॑म् । गोः । आ । अ॒द॒र्दृ॒त॒म् । अपि॑ऽहितानि । अश्ना॑ । रि॒रि॒चथुः॑ । क्षाः । चि॒त् । त॒तृ॒दा॒ना ॥
eva | satyam | maghavānā | yuvam | tat | indraḥ | ca | soma | ūrvam | aśvyam | goḥ | ā | adardṛtam | api-hitāni | aśnā | riricathuḥ | kṣāḥ | cit | tatṛdānā
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Conclusive, declarative opening (‘evā satyam’) followed by expansive imagery (ūrvam) and breaking verbs—strong closure cadence.
Gives a sense of certainty and completion; stabilizes faith through felt affirmation of Truth.
- सत्यम् (satyam)
- Literal: truth. Symbolic: a realized order verified by inner effect (not mere statement)
- मघवाना (maghavānā)
- Literal: two bounteous lords. Symbolic: plenary powers that bestow abundance of light and joy
- ऊर्वम् (ūrvam)
- Literal: wide expanse, broad field. Symbolic: widened consciousness; large inner domain opened
- गोः (goḥ)
- Literal: of the cow. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge; luminous herds of insight
- अश्व्यम् (aśvyam)
- Literal: horse-like, pertaining to horses. Symbolic: vital energy, swift force of action serving the light
- अपिहितानि (apihitāni)
- Literal: coverings, shut-ins. Symbolic: veils over perception; sealed subconscient contents
- आदर्दृतम् (ādardṛtam)
- Literal: hardened, made firm. Symbolic: fixed crust of habit; rigid formations in mind/body
- क्षाः (kṣāḥ)
- Literal: earth/grounds. Symbolic: physical consciousness and its inertia/resistance
Soma-pressing and Indra-Soma praise (common in Soma-yajña sequences)
As a concluding/affirming verse in Indra-Soma sequences; personally as an affirmation after meditation or insight-work.
Concluding praise accompanying offering; sealing the rite with satya affirmation.
Use as an ‘integration’ mantra: after inner breakthrough, chant to widen and stabilize knowledge and translate it into right action.
Key terms: (1) satyá- from √as ‘to be’ → ‘that which truly is’; in RV often linked to the stable truth-consciousness. (2) gó- ‘cow’ from PIE *gʷou-; RV symbolism extends to ‘ray/light/knowledge’ because go is regularly paired with dawn/light and ‘finding cows’ = recovering illumination. (3) úrvá- ‘wide space’ (cf. √ur/var ‘broad’), inner sense: wideness of consciousness. (4) √dṛ ‘to split, crack’ in adardṛtam indicates breaking the hard obstruction. (5) apihita- from api-√dhā ‘placed over/covered’ → concealment/veiling. (6) tatṛdāna- from √tṛd ‘to pierce’ (cf. ‘through-cutting’ hero diction).
Satya (Truth as effective power), unveiling (removal of coverings), expansion of consciousness (ūrvam)
Opening the ‘field of the Cow’ establishes right order of knowledge and action in life.
Satya is declared because the release is accomplished—truth proven by transformation.
Uncovering and releasing what is shut in—creation as unveiling of latent light within matter.
Integral Yoga-Vedic line: transformation reaches even the ‘earth’ (physical consciousness).
Cow/pasture = luminous knowledge-field; horse = vital force of right action; earth = physical inertia; coverings = veils over consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘opening of the cow’s wide field’ and breaking of the rock-like coverings: the classic release-of-light myth (cows/rays held in concealment) enacted by Indra together with Soma (ecstatic force).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- gó- ‘cow’ continues PIE *gʷou- with widespread Indo-European mythic associations (cattle/light wealth). The diction of breaking/piercing (√dṛ, √tṛd) belongs to a pan-Indo-European hero formula set: the champion cleaves obstruction to release treasure/light.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi affirms the gods’ act as satyam—Truth that accomplishes. Indra supplies victorious force; Soma supplies the intensifying delight/energy. Together they enact in the seeker the removal of veils and the liberation of luminous knowledge into a widened consciousness.
Affirm satya in the body-mind: widen the knowledge-field (go) and quicken right action (aśva) under Indra-Soma.
Anāhata (joy/wideness) + Ājñā (illumination) with grounding into Mūlādhāra (earth transformation)
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) to widen; chant on long exhalations to ‘open’ coverings.
Widened, joyful certainty with grounded transformative pressure.
After a quiet sit, chant ‘evā satyam’ as a seal. Visualize a vast luminous pasture opening in the heart-mind; then feel a swift, calm force moving through life-impulses; finally, sense dense bodily resistance softening and becoming permeable to light.
Rigvedic accents; give a clear lift on ‘satyám’ and maintain flowing cadence through the dual verbs.
Mark the dual address ‘maghavānā yuvam’; keep ‘indraś ca soma’ distinctly separated; broaden on ‘ūrvam’.
(evā): long ā at end, (maghavānā): aspirate ‘gh’, long ā at end, (ūrvam): long ū; vocalic ‘ṛ’, (aśvyam): ‘śv’ conjunct crisp, (apihitāni): ‘h’ audible; long āni, (kṣāḥ): conjunct ‘kṣ’ clear; long āḥ
Warm, expansive, concluding tone; let the final words land softly but confidently.
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.
