Rig Veda 4.32.6: Mandala 4, Sukta 32, Mantra 6
Sukta 4.32
- Rishi
- Gautama tradition
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
भूयामो षु त्वावतः सखाय इन्द्र गोमतः । युजो वाजाय घृष्वये ॥
bhūyā́mo ṣú tvā́vataḥ sakhāya indra gómataḥ | yújo vājā́ya ghṛ́ṣvaye ||
اے اندر، روشنیوں والے، ہم تیرے ساتھی بنیں، تیرے ساتھ جڑ کر پوری کثرت اور چمکتی توانائی حاصل کرنے کے لیے۔
Word by Word
- भूयाम
- may we be / may we becomeVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot भू (धातु)
- उ
- indeed; surelyIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/asseverative particle)Root उ (निपात)
- त्वावतः
- of one like you / of you-possessing (i.e., having you)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive sg.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot त्वावत् (प्रातिपदिक; त्वद् + -वत्)
- सखायः
- friends; companionsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोमतः
- of the possessor of cows; of the rich-in-cattleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive sg.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गोमत् (प्रातिपदिक; गो + -मत्)
- युजः
- yokers; those who yoke (helpers/associates)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot युज् (प्रातिपदिक; from √युज् ‘to yoke/join’)
- वाजाय
- for prize/strength; for victoryNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- घृष्वये
- for the impetuous/ardent one (Indra)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot घृष्वि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ardent/impetuous’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: भूयाम | उ | त्वावतः | सखायः | इन्द्र | गोमतः | युजः | वाजाय | घृष्वये || 1) षु = उ (वैदिक निपात; ‘ष्’ उपसर्ग/प्रगृह्य-चिह्नवत् उच्चारण-परम्परा)
- 2) त्वावतः सखायः: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः ‘त्वावतः’ (gen.) + ‘सखायः’ (nom. pl.) = ‘त्वावतः सखायः’ ‘friends of/with you’
- 3) इन्द्र गोमतः: सम्बोधन ‘इन्द्र’ के साथ षष्ठी ‘गोमतः’—‘O Indra, (you) of cattle/wealth’
- 4) युजः वाजाय घृष्वये: ‘युजः’ (nom. pl.) + चतुर्थी-द्वय ‘वाजाय, घृष्वये’—‘yokers for the prize, for the impetuous one’
The meaning
Outer meaning
May we indeed become your companions, O Indra rich in cows (rays), yoked with you for the winning of plenitude and the shining, fervent energy.
Inner meaning
The prayer is for lasting companionship with Indra—stable union with the illumined mind-force. ‘Gomataḥ’ is not cattle-wealth but abundance of rays: a consciousness rich in light and knowledge. ‘Yujaḥ’ indicates disciplined yoking—bringing our energies into harness with the divine intention. ‘Vāja’ is plenitude/victorious substance (effective power in life); ‘ghṛṣvaya’ is the shining, ardent force—purified tapas in action.
Universal truth
Human energies become fruitful when yoked to higher intelligence; true prosperity is the plenitude that comes from light, discipline, and ardent right action.
Themes
Friendship-with-deity, Empowerment, Winning plenitude (vāja)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama tradition (Gotamāḥ)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.32 (this hymn)
Family tradition
Gautamas are associated with hymns of luminous seeking and alliance with Indra’s force for victory of light.
Significance
A Gautama-style aspiration for integral companionship: not a one-time rescue but a yoked life with Indra—light-rich, disciplined, and victorious in works.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Gomataḥ (rich in rays), Sakhā (friend/ally; implied), Yujāna (one who yokes; implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (will that carries the work), Soma (delight that fuels), Maruts (energies yoked to Indra)
Cosmic role
Giver of light and victorious plenitude; leader in the conquest of truth by the Aryan seeker.
Inner power
Luminous intelligence that organizes energies; grants ardor without turbulence—shining force in action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation in Soma context; prayer for companionship and winning of ‘vāja’
भू॒यामो॒ षु त्वाव॑त॒: सखा॑य इन्द्र॒ गोम॑तः । युजो॒ वाजा॑य॒ घृष्व॑ये ॥
भू॒यामो॒ इति॑ । सु । त्वाऽव॑तः । सखा॑यः । इ॒न्द्र॒ । गोऽम॑तः । युजः॑ । वाजा॑य । घृष्व॑ये ॥
bhūyāmo iti | su | tvāvataḥ | sakhāyaḥ | indra | go--mataḥ | yujaḥ | vājāya | ghṛṣvaye
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Expansive and aspirational; a forward sweep toward plenitude.
Generates a sense of joining and mobilization; useful for energizing disciplined action.
- सखायः (sakhāyaḥ)
- Literal: companions, friends. Symbolic: inner alliance; conscious partnership with the divine Mind
- गोमतः (gomataḥ)
- Literal: possessing cows. Symbolic: possessing rays of knowledge; luminous abundance
- युजः (yujaḥ)
- Literal: yoked, joined. Symbolic: disciplined integration of mind-life-body with higher purpose
- वाजाय (vājāya)
- Literal: for vāja (prize, strength, plenitude). Symbolic: victorious plenitude—effective power, right success, fullness of being
- घृष्वये (ghṛṣvaye)
- Literal: shining, glowing, fervent. Symbolic: ardent tapas-energy; purified dynamism that illumines action
Soma-yajña: petition to be Indra’s ‘yoked companions’ for winning vāja; suited to Soma praise/invitation sections
In sequences seeking strength, victory, and increase (vāja) through Indra’s favor.
Stotra that aligns the sacrificer’s team (inner/outer) with Indra for success.
Use before work or training: chant to yoke energies to clear intelligence; orient success as ‘plentitude with light’.
from √bhū ‘to be, become’ (PIE *bʰuH- ‘become, grow’): aspiration as inner growth. from √sakh (Vedic ‘companion’), indicating alliance rather than mere devotion. ‘possessing cows’ (go- ‘cow/ray’), psychologically ‘possessing illuminations’. from √yuj ‘to yoke, join’ (PIE *yeug-), a key Vedic metaphor for disciplined integration of powers. (vāja) associated with strength/prize/food; in inner sense ‘plenitude of force’—what is won by right yoking. from √ghṛṣ ‘to rub, be hot/ardent, glow’; hence ‘fervent shining energy’.
yoga/yoking as integration of faculties, ṛta as right harnessing toward victory
‘Yoking’ is alignment with ṛta—right arrangement of forces.
Gomataḥ indicates truth-rays; plenitude is grounded in knowledge, not mere acquisition.
Evolution of the being through organized energies (yoga) toward luminous fullness (vāja) and ardent force (ghṛṣ).
Integral Yoga: unity with higher Mind (Indra) to transform life-energies into luminous action.
Rays = illuminations; yoking = disciplined integration; shine/heat = tapas that purifies and empowers action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘yoking with Indra’ for the winning of vāja: the hero-god’s team/companions join him for victory. Innerly, the human energies consent to be harnessed to the illumined Will so that abundance of force and radiant ardour can be won.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj ‘yoke’ (yújaḥ) reflects PIE *yeug- (Latin iugum, English yoke). √bhū (bhūyā́maḥ) reflects PIE *bʰuH-. These archaisms support the hymn’s deep Indo-European poetic inheritance: ‘yoking’ as a central metaphor for ordered power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks not only gifts but companionship: a sustained co-working (sakhāyaḥ, yujaḥ) with Indra. The reciprocity is participatory—Indra’s presence makes the human group ‘tvāvataḥ’; the humans offer alliance and praise to enter Indra’s victorious movement.
Feel Indra as the organizing intelligence; offer your energies to be ‘yoked’ into one luminous direction.
maṇipūra (effective power)
Moderate breath with a slight internal ‘gathering’ on ‘yujaḥ’ and expansive release on ‘vājāya’.
Collected dynamism—ardor without restlessness; luminous will-to-act.
Before action: (1) recall the aim (satya), (2) gather energies (yoking), (3) act with shining ardor (ghṛṣvaya) without ego-strain.
Keep ‘índra’ and ‘gómatāḥ’ bright with slight lift; maintain steady Triṣṭubh pacing; end pādas with gentle fall.
Emphasize the joining words ‘tvāvataḥ’ and ‘yujaḥ’ to convey alliance and yoking; let ‘vājāya’ open the sound.
bhūyāmo: long ū; avoid turning yā into ja, tvāvataḥ: long ā; v soft; final ḥ light, ghṛṣvaye: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṣ; keep cluster ṣv clear
Bright, energetic, disciplined (not aggressive).
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