Rig Veda 5.43.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 43, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.43
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
असावि ते जुजुषाणाय सोमः क्रत्वे दक्षाय बृहते मदाय । हरी रथे सुधुरा योगे अर्वागिन्द्र प्रिया कृणुहि हूयमानः ॥
asā́vi te jujuṣāṇā́ya sómaḥ krátve dákṣāya bṛhaté mádāya | hárī ráthe sudhúrā yóge arvā́g índra priyā́ kṛṇuhi hūyámānaḥ ||
เพื่อท่านผู้ยอมรับ โสมะ (Soma) ได้ถูกคั้นแล้ว—มุ่งสู่เจตจำนง (kratu) และความชำนาญ (dakṣa) มุ่งสู่ความปีติอันไพศาล. โอ อินทระ (Indra) จงเทียมพลังสีเหลืองอมน้ำตาลทั้งสอง (harī) เข้ากับรถศึกที่เทียมดี แล้วเสด็จมาใกล้. เมื่อถูกอัญเชิญแล้ว ขอทรงทำให้เครื่องบูชานี้เป็นที่รักและบังเกิดผลอันทรงฤทธิ์.
Word by Word
- असावि
- has been pressed / was pressed (Soma)VerbAorist (sigmatic), 3rd person singular, Ātmanepada; injunctive/aorist usage in VedicRole (predicate)Root √सु (सुनोति/सवति) ‘to press, to extract (Soma)’
- ते
- for youPronounDative singular (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (2nd person pronoun)
- जुजुषाणाय
- for (you) who are being pleased / who gladly acceptParticiple (Adjective)Dative singular, masculine/neuter (agreeing with Indra addressed by ‘ते’)Role Sampradāna (qualifier of recipient)Root √जुष् ‘to enjoy, to be pleased; to accept’ (PPP used adjectivally)
- सोमः
- SomaNounMasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot सोम- (prātipadika)
- क्रत्वे
- for (your) resolve/ritual powerNounMasculine, dative singularRole Sampradāna / PrayojanaRoot क्रतु-
- दक्षाय
- for strength/skill (efficacy)NounMasculine, dative singularRole Sampradāna / PrayojanaRoot दक्ष-
- बृहते
- for the greatAdjectiveMasculine, dative singular (agreeing with ‘मदाय’)Role Sampradāna / PrayojanaRoot बृहन्त्-
- मदाय
- for exhilaration / intoxicationNounMasculine, dative singularRole Sampradāna / PrayojanaRoot मद-
- हरी
- the two bay steedsNounMasculine, nominative dualRole Kartā (with implied verb ‘yuktau/āstām’ etc.)Root हरि-
- रथे
- on/in the chariotNounMasculine, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot रथ-
- सुधुरा
- well-yoked / having good yoke-polesAdjectiveMasculine, nominative dual (agreeing with ‘हरी’)Role Kartā (qualifier)Root सु- + धुरा-
- योगे
- in the yoking / at the harnessingNounMasculine, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot योग-
- अर्वाक्
- hither, toward hereIndeclinableDirectional adverbRole (directional modifier)Root अर्वाक् (indeclinable directional)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)Masculine, vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र-
- प्रियाः
- dear, pleasingAdjectiveMasculine, accusative plural (object complement / predicative with ‘कृणुहि’)Role Karma (object complement)Root प्रिय-
- कृणुहि
- make!VerbImperative, 2nd person singular, ParasmaipadaRole (predicate)Root √कृ ‘to make, to do’
- हूयमानः
- being invoked / while being calledParticipleMasculine, nominative singular (agreeing with the addressed Indra)Role Kartā (qualifier of Indra)Root √ह्वे (ह्वयति) ‘to call, invoke’ (present passive participle)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): असावि | ते | जुजुषाणाय | सोमः | क्रत्वे | दक्षाय | बृहते | मदाय | हरी | रथे | सुधुरा | योगे | अर्वाक् | इन्द्र | प्रियाः | कृणुहि | हूयमानः । Notable: ‘सोमः’ + following word shows visarga before consonant
- ‘अर्वाक्’ is an avyaya directional
- ‘प्रियाः कृणुहि’ = ‘make (them/you) dear/pleasing’ with accusative plural as object-complement
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma has been pressed for you who accept it, for will and skill and great exhilaration. Yoke the two tawny ones to the well-yoked chariot and come near, O Indra; being invoked, make the offering dear (effective).
Inner meaning
Soma (Ananda) is prepared for the receptive consciousness. Its purpose is to strengthen kratu (decisive will) and dakṣa (effective discernment/skill) and to open a vast gladness (bṛhat madāya). Indra—the illumined Mind—must yoke his two harī (twin dynamic powers: thought-force and life-force, or understanding and execution) to the rightly ordered movement (sudhurā yoga) and descend into the human field, making the offering (our aspiration and works) lovable to the gods—i.e., harmonized with the higher powers and therefore fruitful.
Universal truth
Joy rightly received is not mere pleasure; it becomes power—strengthening will and competence—and invites higher illumination to act effectively in life.
Themes
Indra invocation, Soma offering, Will and power, Expansion of consciousness
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.43 (whole hymn), RV 5.44, RV 5.45
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns often coordinate Soma (delight), Indra (illumination), and Agni (will) as a single inner yoga of transformation.
Significance
Atri’s seership highlights receptivity (jujuṣāṇa) as a prerequisite: delight must be consciously received so it can empower will (kratu) and skill (dakṣa), enabling Indra’s descent.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Soma offering)
- Epithets
- maghavan (bounteous—implied), hariyukta (yoked with the tawny ones—implied), vṛtrahan (slayer of the coverer—background mythic function)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Indra is the power of luminous Mind that breaks obstruction and releases the waters/cows (light, knowledge).
Inner power
Illumination that converts joy into strength, clears confusion, and makes aspiration efficacious.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra
असा॑वि ते जुजुषा॒णाय॒ सोम॒: क्रत्वे॒ दक्षा॑य बृह॒ते मदा॑य । हरी॒ रथे॑ सु॒धुरा॒ योगे॑ अ॒र्वागिन्द्र॑ प्रि॒या कृ॑णुहि हू॒यमा॑नः ॥
असा॑वि । ते॒ । जु॒जु॒षा॒णाय॑ । सोमः॑ । क्रत्वे॑ । दक्षा॑य । बृ॒ह॒ते । मदा॑य । हरी॒ इति॑ । रथे॑ । सु॒ऽधुरा॑ । योगे॑ । अ॒र्वाक् । इन्द्र॑ । प्रि॒या । कृ॒णु॒हि॒ । हू॒यमा॑नः ॥
asāvi | te | jujuṣāṇāya | somaḥ | kratve | dakṣāya | bṛhate | madāya | harī iti | rathe | su-dhurā | yoge | arvāk | indra | priyā | kṛṇuhi | hūyamānaḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving invocation rhythm; strong imperative movements (yoke/come/make).
Builds a sense of calling down force; supports confident aspiration and mental clarity.
- असावि (asāvi)
- Literal: has been pressed/expressed. Symbolic: Ananda released by inner effort and readiness
- जुजुषाणाय (jujuṣāṇāya)
- Literal: to the accepting/enjoying one. Symbolic: receptive consciousness that can hold delight without distortion
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: will, resolve. Symbolic: decisive spiritual volition directing the being
- दक्ष (dakṣa)
- Literal: skill, capacity. Symbolic: right discernment and effective power of execution
- बृहते मदाय (bṛhate madāya)
- Literal: for vast intoxication/rapture. Symbolic: expansive joy that widens consciousness
- हरी (harī)
- Literal: two tawny horses. Symbolic: Indra’s twin dynamic energies—illumined force and swift action
- सुधुरा (sudhurā)
- Literal: well-yoked, with good yoke-pins. Symbolic: rightly ordered discipline; harmonious integration of powers
- अर्वाक् (arvāk)
- Literal: hither, towards us. Symbolic: descent of higher light into the embodied nature
- प्रिया कृणुहि (priyā kṛṇuhi)
- Literal: make (it) dear. Symbolic: make our offering consonant with the divine—effective and accepted
Indra-Soma offering moment: invitation to Indra to come with his harī and accept soma; typical Soma-sacrifice usage.
Indra-Soma libations within Soma rites; also as a general Indra-invocation for strength
Offering pressed Soma; inviting Indra to partake and empower the rite
Chant before demanding work: receive calm joy, then invoke clear decisive intelligence to act without agitation.
krátu is not mere ‘rite’ but inspired will/power of resolve (root √kṛ/√kr? with semantic of making/doing, in Vedic specialized sense). dákṣa from √dakṣ ‘be able, be skilled’ signifies effective capacity. Indra’s hárī are twin dynamic forces yoked (√yuj) to bring the god’s might into the human field. Soma pressed (√su) becomes fuel for bṛhat-mada: expansive ecstasy of consciousness.
Kratu (inspired will), Dakṣa (effective skill), Bṛhat (vastness), Mada (divine ecstasy)
‘Well-yoked’ (sudhurā) implies alignment with ṛta—right arrangement enabling divine descent.
Indra’s coming ‘hither’ symbolizes truth-light entering mind to make action true and effective.
Descent of higher power into the human chariot (body-life-mind) to transform works.
Integral psychological interpretation: Indra as illumined mind-force acting on the instrument.
Horses = vital/mental energies; chariot = embodied system; Soma = bliss-force fueling illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra arrives with his two harī to drink Soma and awaken vast power. Innerly, the luminous force (Indra) is summoned to enter the system when delight (Soma) is prepared, converting it into kratu and dakṣa—will and effective capacity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √su ‘press’ is connected with IE pressing/expressing actions (comparanda vary). √kṛ ‘make/do’ is PIE *kwer-/*ker- complex (do/make; exact mapping debated). √yuj is PIE *yeug- (yoke). Indra’s chariot-poetics align with wider IE warrior/sky-god chariot imagery.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi prepares Soma and calls; Indra is asked to ‘make it dear’—i.e., to accept and empower the offering. The reciprocity is transformative: human aspiration offers delight; the god returns will, skill, and expansive force.
Offer inner joy to the illumined mind-force; invite clarity to govern will and execution.
Maṇipūra (kratu/will) and Ājñā (Indra/illumination)
3-part breath: inhale ‘receive Soma’ (quiet sweetness), brief hold ‘yoke energies’, exhale ‘call Indra hither’.
Confident, expansive, lucid readiness for action.
Before action, pause and ‘press’ gratitude/joy; feel it strengthen resolve. Then visualize two tawny horses as disciplined energies pulling one chariot straight—let decisions become simple and bright.
Maintain Vedic accents; emphasize imperatives ‘yoge arvāk… kṛṇuhi’ with clear udātta where marked.
Mark pāda breaks after ‘madāya’ and ‘arvāk’; keep final ‘hūyamānaḥ’ flowing, not clipped.
jujuṣāṇāya: keep ‘ṣā’ retroflex and long ā, bṛhate: light ṛ, not ‘ri’, sudhurā: dh is aspirated dental, hūyamānaḥ: long ū; final visarga soft
Invocatory, bright, confident; steady pitch without strain.
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