Rig Veda 2.15.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 15, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.15
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Vira (heroism)
स ईं महीं धुनिमेतोररम्णात्सो अस्नातॄनपारयत्स्वस्ति । त उत्स्नाय रयिमभि प्र तस्थुः सोमस्य ता मद इन्द्रश्चकार ॥
sa īṁ mahīṁ dhunim etor aramṇāt so asnātṝn apārayat svasti | ta utsnāya rayim abhi pra tasthuḥ somasya tā made indraś cakāra ||
اس نے دشمن کے بڑے بہاؤ کو روکا، اس نے تیرنے والوں کو سلامتی کے ساتھ پار اتارا۔ پھر نہا کر وہ خزانے کی طرف کھڑے ہو گئے، یہ سب اندر نے سوما کے نشے میں کیا۔
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (स- सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईम्
- indeed; justIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root ईम् (निपात)
- महीम्
- the great (earth/one)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मही- (स्त्री) < मह्/महत् ‘great’
- धुनिम्
- the roaring (flood/stream)Noun(प्रायः स्त्रीलिङ्गः) द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot धुनि- (स्त्री/पुं) ‘roaring; stream’
- एतोः
- of the course/goingNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot एतु- (पुं) ‘going; course’
- अरम्णात्
- he set in motion / he impelledVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपदम्, 3 पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root रम् (धातु) / √रम्ण् (वैदिक-रूप) ‘to set in motion/impel; to bring to rest’
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (स- सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्नातॄन्
- the unbathed (men)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अस्नातृ- (पुं) ‘one who has not bathed; unwashed’ (a- + स्नातृ)
- अपारयत्
- he carried acrossVerbलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, 3 पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √पॄ/पारय् (धातु) ‘to carry across; bring over’ (अपा- caus.)
- स्वस्ति
- safely; in well-beingIndeclinableअव्ययम् (मङ्गलार्थे) / नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकवत्Root स्वस्ति (निपात/नाम) < सु + अस्ति
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- उत्स्नाय
- for bathingNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (दातिवाचकः) / वैदिके ‘for bathing’Role SampradānaRoot उत्स्ना- (स्त्री) ‘bath; washing-place’
- रयिम्
- wealthNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रयि- (पुं) ‘wealth’
- अभि
- towards; uponIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तस्थुः
- they stood / took their standVerbलिट् (perfect), परस्मैपदम्, 3 पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root √स्था (धातु) ‘to stand’
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot सोम- (पुं) ‘Soma’
- ताः
- those (things/deeds)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- मदे
- in the exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मद- (पुं) ‘intoxication; exhilaration’
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र- (पुं)
- चकार
- he did; he accomplishedVerbलिट् (perfect), परस्मैपदम्, 3 पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √कृ (धातु) ‘to do, make’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): स ईम् | महीम् | धुनिम् | एतोः | अरम्णात् | सः | अस्नातॄन् | अपारयत् | स्वस्ति | ते | उत्स्नाय | रयिम् | अभि | प्र | तस्थुः | सोमस्य | ताः | मदे | इन्द्रः | चकार । 1) स ईं॑ = सः + ईम् (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते)
- 2) धुनि॒मेतो॑र् = धुनिम् + एतोः (म् + ए → मे; परतः र् पदपाठ-चिह्नः)
- 3) अरम्णा॒त्सो = अरम्णात् + सः (त् + स → त्स; विसर्ग-लोपः)
- 4) अपारयत्स्व॒स्ति = अपारयत् + स्वस्ति (त् + स् → त्स)
- 5) त उ॒त्स्नाय = ते + उत्स्नाय (ए + उ → उ; संहितायां ‘त उ-’)
- 6) तस्थु॒: सोम॑स्य = तस्थुः + सोमस्य (विसर्गः संहितायां ‘:’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra checks the great rushing torrent of the foe and brings the swimmers safely across; after bathing they stand forth toward the treasure—done in Soma’s ecstasy.
Inner meaning
Indra restrains the overwhelming surge of hostile forces (a violent subconscious/vital flood). He enables those who venture through the waters (seekers crossing inner turmoil) to pass safely into svasti—state of well-being and rightness. Purified (‘bathed’) in the clarified consciousness, they then stand upright and move toward the inner riches (rayi): the gains of light, strength, and joy.
Universal truth
When the illumined mind masters inner turbulence, the aspirant can cross safely from confusion to well-being; purification naturally leads to a stable orientation toward true wealth—spiritual attainment.
Themes
safe passage, overcoming turbulence, attainment of rayi, Soma-ecstasy
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (tradition associates Gṛtsamada with the Bhṛgu line)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.14, Rig Veda 2.15.1, Rig Veda 2.15.6
Family tradition
Indra hymns emphasizing rescue, crossing, and attainment—common Vedic motif of ‘ford-making’ by divine power.
Significance
The seer frames liberation as a safe passage through inner waters: not suppression of life, but mastery that enables purification and the attainment of true riches.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śakra, Vṛtrahan, Sahasrabāhu (many-powered, motif)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (waters/order), Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Controller of floods and releases; protector who enables safe passage and bestows treasure.
Inner power
Courageous, discerning mind-force that steadies turbulence and leads consciousness across to harmony.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña Indra praise; also suitable for rites seeking protection and ‘safe passage’ (symbolic)
स ईं॑ म॒हीं धुनि॒मेतो॑ररम्णा॒त्सो अ॑स्ना॒तॄन॑पारयत्स्व॒स्ति । त उ॒त्स्नाय॑ र॒यिम॒भि प्र त॑स्थु॒: सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥
सः । ई॒म् । म॒हीम् । धुनि॑म् । एतोः॑ । अ॒र॒म्णा॒त् । सः । अ॒स्ना॒तॄन् । अ॒पा॒र॒य॒त् । स्व॒स्ति । ते । उ॒त्ऽस्नाय॑ । र॒यिम् । अ॒भि । प्र । त॒स्थुः॒ । सोम॑स्य । ता । मदे॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । च॒का॒र॒ ॥
saḥ | īm | mahīm | dhunim | etoḥ | aramṇāt | saḥ | asnātṝn | apārayat | svasti | te | ut-snāya | rayim | abhi | pra | tasthuḥ | somasya | tā | made | indraḥ | cakāra
44
4×11 (approx.)
Wave-like movement with a stabilizing turn—mirrors torrent then crossing then standing firm.
Initially evokes intensity (torrent), then relief and steadiness (safe crossing), ending in upright aspiration toward the goal.
- धुनि (dhuni)
- Literal: roaring/rushing, torrent. Symbolic: violent vital/subconscient surge; turbulence that drowns clarity
- एतु (etu) / एतोः (etoḥ)
- Literal: of the goer/foe (contextual). Symbolic: the adversarial movement in consciousness; impulsion of desire/fear
- अरम्णात् (aramṇāt)
- Literal: checked, held back. Symbolic: mastery, containment by illumination
- अस्नातृ (asnātṛ)
- Literal: swimmers. Symbolic: seekers moving through the waters of experience and purification
- अपारयत् (apārayat)
- Literal: carried across. Symbolic: the crossing to a higher poise; deliverance
- स्वस्ति (svasti)
- Literal: well-being, safety. Symbolic: harmonized state aligned with ṛta
- उत्स्नाय (utsnāya)
- Literal: having bathed up/out. Symbolic: emerging purified; renewed clarity after inner cleansing
- रयि (rayi)
- Literal: treasure, wealth. Symbolic: spiritual riches—light, force, wideness, delight
Protective crossing motif apt for rites seeking safe passage and success; inner ritual: crossing turbulent vital waters to reach rayi
When invoking Indra as protector and giver of svasti and rayi.
Recitation with offerings; intention of overcoming dangerous passages/obstacles.
Chant during life transitions, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm—invoke restraint of inner flood and safe crossing into stability.
svasti = su- ‘good’ + asti ‘being’ (√as) → well-being as right existence; rayi ‘wealth’ from √rā ‘to give’/or √ri ‘to flow’ semantic field—here ‘plenitude’; dhuni ‘rushing’ from √dhu ‘shake’ → turbulence; apārayat ‘carried across’ relates to pārā ‘further shore’ (√pṛ/√pṝ and prefix apa-/pari- traditions) indicating crossing symbolism: transition from danger to safety (inner passage).
transition across danger (inner passage), svasti as good-being, rays/wealth as attained fullness after purification
Svasti is the sign of alignment with ṛta after crossing disorderly waters.
Truth is the stable shore reached when turbulence is mastered.
Waters as both chaos and medium of purification; creation proceeds by establishing safe crossings and stable standings.
Yoga-oriented Vedism: purification (snāna) and attainment (rayi) after mastery of turbulence.
Emotional/vital surges are steadied; the practitioner crosses into a calm, purified awareness and then orients toward inner abundance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘ferrying across’ mythologem: Indra restrains the foe’s torrent and brings the swimmers to safety; after purification they advance to the treasure. Inner sense: the divine mind-force calms vital turbulence, enables crossing, and leads to plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svasti (‘good-being’) is a transparent archaic compound built on √as ‘be’ (PIE *h₁es-). The crossing-to-the-far-shore motif is widespread in Indo-European traditions, and the lexicon of ‘shore/passage’ (pārā) is an old Indo-Aryan inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents Indra as the guide through inner peril: the sacrificer’s forces (the ‘swimmers’) rely on Indra to restrain hostile turbulence and reach svasti; only then can they stand forth toward rayi—spiritual abundance.
Visualize a turbulent inner river calming under a descending light; feel yourself carried across into svasti; stand inwardly facing the ‘rayi’ of the soul.
Maṇipūra (vital turbulence mastery) moving to Anāhata (svasti)
Lengthened exhale (e.g., 4 inhale / 8 exhale) to ‘check the torrent’; end with a few quiet natural breaths as ‘bathing’.
From agitated to safe, purified, and forward-facing.
Do not fight the torrent directly; invoke Indra’s steadying clarity. Let breath and attention become the ‘shore’. After calm returns, set a clear intention toward your true aim (rayi).
Tri-svara; keep the rise on ‘mahīm dhunim’ and a settling cadence on ‘svasti’.
Let ‘svasti’ be clearly articulated and slightly prolonged; mark the transition at ‘ta utsnāya…’ as a new phase.
dhunim: retroflex ‘ṇ’ not needed; keep dental ‘n’, aramṇāt: articulate ‘mṇ’ cluster distinctly, asnātṝn: long ‘ā’ and vocalic ‘ṝ’, pra tasthuḥ: keep visarga audible at end
Soothing but strong—calming turbulence rather than exciting it.
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