Rig Veda 8.32.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 32, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.32
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
प्रति श्रुताय वो धृषत्तूर्णाशं न गिरेरधि । हुवे सुशिप्रमूतये ॥
práti śrutā́ya vo dhṛṣát tūrṇā́śaṃ ná girér ádhi | huvÉ suśiprám ūtáye ||
Bilang sagot sa narinig ninyo, tinatawag ko siya para sa inyo, ang mapusok na mabilis na dumadarating, mula sa taas ng bundok; tinatawag ko si Indra na magagandang labi para sa proteksyon, upang ang kanyang salita ng kapangyarihan ay magbantay at mag-angat.
Word by Word
- प्रति
- towards, in response toIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/निपात)Role Adhikaraṇa (दिशा/सम्बन्ध: ‘की ओर/के प्रति’)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- श्रुताय
- to the famed/heard-of oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? प्रायः पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole Sampradāna (जिसके प्रति/जिसके लिए)Root श्रुत (√श्रु ‘to hear’ → क्त ‘heard, famed’)
- वः
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (possessive: ‘of you/your’)Root युष्मद् (2nd person pronoun)
- धृषत्
- bold, daringAdjective/Participleप्रथमा एकवचन (विशेष्य-सम्बन्धेन)Role Kartā (वर्ण्य-कर्ता/विशेष्य: ‘the bold one’)Root √धृष् (to dare, be bold) → धृषत् (वर्त. कृदन्त/विशेषण)
- तूर्णाशम्
- the swift-faced/impetuous oneAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (हुवे इत्यस्य कर्म: ‘I invoke X’)Root तूर्णाश (प्रातिपदिक; ‘swift/impetuous’ + ‘mouth/face’? RV-विशेष विशेषण)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमानार्थे)Role (उपमा-चिह्न)Root न (उपमा-अव्यय)
- गिरेः
- of/from the mountainNounपुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचनRole Apādāna/सम्बन्ध (उत्पत्ति/स्रोत: ‘from/of the mountain’)Root गिरि (mountain)
- अधि
- upon, over; from aboveIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थान/उपरि/स्रोतार्थे)Role Adhikaraṇa (स्थान/उपरि; ‘upon/from above’)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- हुवे
- I invoke, I callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √हू (to call, invoke)
- सुशिप्रम्
- the fair-jawed (one)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (हुवे इत्यस्य कर्म; तूर्णाशम् इत्यस्य सह विशेषणम्)Root सु- + शिप्र (प्रातिपदिक; ‘beautiful/strong jaw/cheek’; इन्द्रस्य विशेषण)
- ऊतये
- for help, for protectionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग चतुर्थी एकवचनRole Sampradāna (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन: ‘for aid’)Root ऊति (help, aid)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: प्रति | श्रुताय | वः | धृषत् | तूर्णाशम् | न | गिरेः | अधि | हुवे | सुशिप्रम् | ऊतये । 1) ‘श्रुताय’ = श्रुत (√श्रु + क्त) + चतुर्थी-एकवचन -आय। 2) ‘गिरेरधि’ इति संहितायां ‘गिरेः अधि’ (विसर्गलोप/रेफ-सन्धि) → ‘गिरेरधि’। 3) ‘हुवे’ लट् उत्तम-एकवचन (√हू), वैदिके प्रचलित रूपम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
In response to what has been heard, I call him for you—the impetuous swift-rushing one as from a mountain height; I invoke the fair-lipped one for protection.
Inner meaning
Because the inner ear has heard (śruta) the truth-call, the seer now invokes Indra as a descending rush of power—like a torrent from the mountain of higher consciousness. Su-śipra (‘fair-lipped’) points to Indra as master of luminous word: the protecting force is not only physical might but the guarding and guiding power of illumined speech and command within the being.
Universal truth
When we truly listen inwardly, a higher force answers; it descends with speed and protects by establishing clear, luminous direction.
Themes
invocation, descent, protection, Indra epithets
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.32.1, RV 8.32.2
Family tradition
Kāṇva seers stress śruti (inner hearing) leading to effective invocation—listening precedes calling.
Significance
Kaṇva here models the yogic sequence: receptivity → invocation → descent of force → protection and guidance.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Suśipra)
- Epithets
- suśipra (fair-lipped), dhṛṣat (daring), tūrṇāśa (swift-rushing)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (speech), Bṛhaspati (word-power), Agni (invocation-carrier)
Cosmic role
Swift responder to the call; protector of the sacrificer; commander whose word establishes victory.
Inner power
Descending illumination-force that acts quickly once invoked; protective clarity in speech and decision.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation (āhvāna) of Indra for aid in Soma and other offerings
प्रति॑ श्रु॒ताय॑ वो धृ॒षत्तूर्णा॑शं॒ न गि॒रेरधि॑ । हु॒वे सु॑शि॒प्रमू॒तये॑ ॥
प्रति॑ । श्रु॒ताय॑ । वः॒ । धृ॒षत् । तूर्णा॑शम् । न । गि॒रेः । अधि॑ । हु॒वे । सु॒ऽशि॒प्रम् । ऊ॒तये॑ ॥
prati | śrutāya | vaḥ | dhṛṣat | tūrṇāśam | na | gireḥ | adhi | huve | su-śipram | ūtaye
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4 × ~11
Call-and-response cadence; a ‘summoning’ rise followed by protective settling
Creates expectancy and then reassurance; supports the feeling of descent from above.
- श्रुताय (śrutāya)
- Literal: to/for what is heard. Symbolic: inner hearing/śruti—receptivity to higher truth
- धृषत् (dhṛṣat)
- Literal: daring, impetuous. Symbolic: fearless initiative of illumined force
- तूर्णाशम् (tūrṇāśam)
- Literal: swift-rushing. Symbolic: rapid descent of effective power
- गिरेः अधि (gireḥ adhi)
- Literal: from/over the mountain. Symbolic: from the heights of consciousness; downflow from higher planes
- सुशिप्रम् (suśipram)
- Literal: fair-lipped. Symbolic: luminous speech/command (vāc) that protects and guides
- ऊतये (ūtaye)
- Literal: for aid/protection. Symbolic: the guarding grace of higher power in action
Invocation stanza preceding or within Indra-stotra/śastra; calls Indra down 'from the mountain' (symbolic height) for ūtí (protection).
At moments of calling the deity to the seat; when protection is sought
Verbal invocation; mental offering of attention and receptivity
Before challenging tasks: listen inwardly for a moment, then chant to invite swift clarity and protection.
śrutá 'heard' relates to √śru 'hear'; in Vedic, 'what is heard' connotes received truth and effective call. dhṛṣ- 'dare' expresses fearless force. tūrṇa 'swift' (adverbial/adjectival). huve from √hū 'call'. ūtí 'help' from √av 'protect'. su-śipra 'good-lipped' suggests the potency of speech/command: Indra’s decisive word that accomplishes.
śruti as heard truth/call, descent of higher force into lower nature, protection (ūtí) as sustaining grace
Protection is the maintenance of right movement; Indra guards the r̥ta-path.
Suśipra implies satya-vāc: true speech that commands right action.
Descent from the ‘mountain’ as a symbol of higher-to-lower manifestation.
Integral: higher consciousness descends when called from receptive silence.
Mountain = higher plane/peak awareness; torrent = force of descent; protection = stable luminous boundary.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'descent from the mountain' of the swift god: Indra is called as a rushing force coming from the heights—mythically the high places of the storm, psychologically the higher consciousness descending to protect and empower.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru 'hear' is a strong IE root (cf. Greek klúō semantic parallels in 'hear' roots across IE; direct cognacy varies by branch). √hū 'call' and √av 'protect' belong to inherited verbal systems. The formulaic simile (like/from the mountain) matches common IE poetic topoi of divine descent from heights.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi mediates for the group (vaḥ): responding to the 'heard' call, he invokes Indra’s swift daring force and his 'fair-lipped' power of effective command, seeking ūtí—an active protection that stabilizes the inner advance.
Receptive listening (śravaṇa) followed by a clear call for descending illumination.
Sahasrāra/Ājñā (descent from above) and Viśuddha (luminous word)
2 silent breaths (listening), then chant; feel the exhale as ‘downflow from the mountain’.
Alert receptivity → rapid clarity → settled protection
Pause before chanting to ‘hear’ the need; chant once; then remain still and let guidance form as a simple, luminous directive.
Keep invocatory lift on ‘huve’; maintain clear udātta on key nouns; resolve with a protective cadence on ‘ūtaye’ (exact svara needs source).
Let ‘tūrṇāśaṃ’ be quick and flowing; slightly lengthen ‘gireḥ adhi’ to evoke height; soften into ‘suśipram ūtaye’.
prati: crisp t; short i, śrutāya: ś not s; long ā, dhṛṣat: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṣ, suśipram: śi as palatal; avoid ‘sipram’
Clear, calling tone that settles into gentle assurance
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