Rig Veda 5.32.10: Mandala 5, Sukta 32, Mantra 10
Sukta 5.32
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
न्यस्मै देवी स्वधितिर्जिहीत इन्द्राय गातुरुशतीव येमे । सं यदोजो युवते विश्वमाभिरनु स्वधाव्ने क्षितयो नमन्त ॥
ny asmai devī́ svádhitiḥ jihīta índrāya gātúr uśatī́va yeme | sáṃ yád ójo yuváte víśvam ā́bhir ánu svadhā́vne kṣitáyo namanta ||
اس کے لیے دیوی، خود راہنما کلہاڑی، جھکتی ہے؛ وہ اندر کے لیے راستہ دیتی ہے جیسے ترست ہو۔ جب اس کی توانائی تمام طاقتوں سے جڑتی ہے، تب گھر اور لوگ اطاعت میں جھکتے ہیں۔
Word by Word
- नि
- down; forth (as preverb)Indeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root नि
- अस्मै
- to himPronoundative, singularRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- देवी
- the goddessNounnominative, singular, feminineRole KartāRoot देवी (देव-)
- स्वधितिः
- the axe (weapon)Nounnominative, singular, feminineRole Kartā (apposition to देवी)Root स्वधिति-
- जिहीत
- has cast/has hurledVerbperfect (Vedic), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot √हा (जहाति) with reduplication: जिही-
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNoundative, singular, masculineRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र-
- गातुः
- of the path/way; of the goingNoungenitive, singular, masculineRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root गातु-
- उशती
- desiring; eagerAdjective/Participlenominative, singular, feminineRole Kartā (agreeing with देवी/स्वधितिः)Root उशत् (present participle of √वश्/√उश् ‘to desire’)
- इव
- like; asIndeclinableparticle of comparisonRoot इव
- येमे
- has held/has guided; has directedVerbperfect (Vedic), 3rd person singular, ātmanepadaRoot √यम्
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root सम्
- यत्
- which; that (which)Pronoun/Relativeaccusative, singular, neuter (relative)Role KarmaRoot यद्
- ओजः
- strength; mightNounnominative/accusative, singular, neuterRole Karma (with सं…युवते) / or subject-like neuterRoot ओजस्-
- युवते
- yokes; joinsVerbpresent, 3rd person singular, ātmanepadaRoot √यु (युनक्ति/युते)
- विश्वम्
- all; the wholeAdjective (substantivized)accusative, singular, neuterRole KarmaRoot विश्व-
- आभिः
- with thesePronouninstrumental, plural, feminineRole KaraṇaRoot इदम् (instr. pl. fem. of pronominal stem) / or pronominal base
- अनु
- after; along; according toIndeclinablepreposition/adverbRoot अनु
- स्वधाव्ने
- to the self-impelling/own-powerful oneNoun/Adjectivedative, singular, masculineRole SampradānaRoot स्वधावन्-
- क्षितयः
- the peoples; dwellersNounnominative, plural, feminineRole KartāRoot क्षिति-
- नमन्त
- bowed; did homageVerbimperfect (Vedic), 3rd person plural, parasmaipadaRoot √नम्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: न्य॑स्मै → नि + अस्मै
- स्वधि॑तिर्जिहीत → स्वधितिः + जिहीत (visarga before voiced consonant)
- उश॒तीव॑ → उशती + इव
- सं यदोजो॑ → सम् + यत् + ओजः (anusvāra before y; final -t of यत् before vowel)
- विश्व॑माभि॒रनु॑ → विश्वम् + आभिः + अनु (final -m before vowel)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The goddess Svadhiti (self-guiding axe) bows to Indra and grants him a path as if longing. When his energy unites with all powers, peoples and habitations bow to the lord of self-mastery.
Inner meaning
Svadhiti is the divine discriminating instrument—power of right division/cutting—within consciousness. It ‘bows’ to Indra when the illumined Mind leads; then discrimination opens the path (gātu) for progress. When Indra’s ojas yokes with all inner powers (ābhis), the whole being—its ‘peoples’ (faculties) and ‘settlements’ (fixed life-structures)—submits to the rule of svadhā: self-law, spontaneous right order.
Universal truth
True leadership of intelligence harmonizes all capacities; discernment becomes a willing servant of wisdom, and life organizes itself around self-mastery rather than compulsion.
Themes
path-opening for Indra, union of energies, establishment of sovereignty
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.33 (Indra), RV 5.44 (Uṣas), RV 5.45 (Agni)
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns frequently show the cooperation of multiple devatās as inner faculties aligned to a central illumination.
Significance
Atri’s seeing here highlights that victory is not brute force alone; it is guided by the right instrument of discernment that willingly serves the illumined mind.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Devī Svadhiti)
- Epithets
- स्वधावन् (Lord of self-law), ओजस्वान् (Possessed of ojas)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (word-power that breaks the cave), Agni (will), Maruts (supporting forces)
Cosmic role
Indra leads the host of powers to establish order; Svadhiti is the divine tool that clears obstacles and opens passages.
Inner power
Indra: illumined directive intelligence; Svadhiti: sharp discrimination that cuts through confusion and resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise accompanying acts of ‘path-making’ in sacrifice—invoking victory and right guidance of the rite.
न्य॑स्मै दे॒वी स्वधि॑तिर्जिहीत॒ इन्द्रा॑य गा॒तुरु॑श॒तीव॑ येमे । सं यदोजो॑ यु॒वते॒ विश्व॑माभि॒रनु॑ स्व॒धाव्ने॑ क्षि॒तयो॑ नमन्त ॥
नि । अ॒स्मै॒ । दे॒वी । स्वऽधि॑तिः । जि॒ही॒ते॒ । इन्द्रा॑य । गा॒तुः । उ॒श॒तीऽइ॑व । ये॒मे॒ । सम् । यत् । ओजः॑ । यु॒वते॑ । विश्व॑म् । आ॒भिः॒ । अनु॑ । स्व॒धाऽव्ने॑ । क्षि॒तयः॑ । न॒म॒न्त॒ ॥
ni | asmai | devī | sva-dhitiḥ | jihīte | indrāya | gātuḥ | uśatī-iva | yeme | sam | yat | ojaḥ | yuvate | viśvam | ābhiḥ | anu | svadhāvne | kṣitayaḥ | namanta
44
4×11 (approx.)
Processional and integrative; a ‘yoking’ rhythm that gathers forces into one movement.
Encourages inner alignment; felt sense of clearing a path and bringing parts of life into obedience to truth.
- स्वधिति (svadhiti)
- Literal: axe, cleaver; self-guiding instrument. Symbolic: discriminating truth-instrument that cuts falsehood and clears a way
- देवी (devī)
- Literal: goddess. Symbolic: personified power/faculty of consciousness
- गातु (gātu)
- Literal: path, passage. Symbolic: inner way of progress opened by right discernment
- उशतीव (uśatīva)
- Literal: as if desiring/longing. Symbolic: nature’s aspiration to align with higher guidance
- ओजस् (ojas)
- Literal: energy. Symbolic: effective spiritual vigor of illumination
- युवते (yuvate)
- Literal: yokes/joins. Symbolic: integration of powers under a single luminous direction
- स्वधावन् (svadhāvan)
- Literal: possessing svadhā (own law). Symbolic: self-mastery; spontaneous right functioning from the soul-law
- क्षिति (kṣiti)
- Literal: habitations/peoples. Symbolic: organized parts of the being and life-world that submit to truth
Ritual imagery of the ‘axe’ as divine implement: supports the cutting through of obstacles; in Soma rite, it affirms the opening of the gātu (path) for Indra’s descent and action.
In Soma contexts and Indra sequences where obstacles are to be cut/removed and the rite’s progress secured.
Stotra with intentional visualization of clearing and alignment; offerings to Indra as leader of powers.
Use when needing discernment and integration—before decisions, transitions, or when scattered energies must be yoked to one aim.
svadhiti ‘axe’ (instrument; from sva + √dhā? folk-etymology; traditional lexeme meaning axe/hatchet). gātu ‘path’ from √gā/√gam ‘to go’. yuvate from √yuj ‘to yoke, join’ (PIE *yeug-; cf. Latin iugum, English yoke). kṣiti ‘dwelling, settled world’ from √kṣi ‘to dwell’. svadhā-vant ‘possessing svadhā’ → ‘self-mastered’ or ‘self-powered’ (in inner reading: mastery rather than egoic self-will).
yoga of powers (ojas yuvate viśvam ābhiḥ), svadhā transformed into self-mastery aligned with ṛta, submission of the lower domains (kṣitayaḥ) to higher rule
Rita is enacted when all powers consent to the illumined leader; svadhā becomes the lived law of the being.
Truth manifests as right discrimination and right integration.
Order from multiplicity: many powers become one coordinated movement.
Integral psychological theism: deities as functional powers of consciousness.
Axe = discriminative cut; path = opened channel in consciousness; yoking = harmonized faculties; peoples/habitations = organized life-parts.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The divine implement/power (Svadhiti) yields to Indra and opens a path; then, as Indra’s ojas unites with all allied powers, the worlds/peoples submit. Inner sense: discrimination and decisive division (the ‘axe’) become allies of illumined force, opening the inner passage; unified energies establish a stable sovereignty in the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yuvate from √yuj is a clear PIE *yeug- inheritance (yoke). kṣiti from √kṣi relates to the semantic field of ‘dwelling/settlement’ found across IE traditions. The verse’s syntax foregrounds coordination (sam…yuvate) typical of IE poetic style: union of powers leads to ordered submission.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depicts an economy of inner governance: when Indra is given the path and his force is yoked with supporting powers, the ‘kṣitayaḥ’—the settled parts of life-consciousness—naturally bow. The hymn thus functions as an act of alignment, inviting Indra’s rule to reorganize the whole being.
Contemplate Svadhiti as inner discernment bowing to higher light; then feel a clear path open for action.
ājñā (discernment)
4-pāda breathing: inhale through first half-pāda, exhale through second; brief pause at pāda end to ‘yoke’ energies.
Integrated will and clarity; ordered calm with readiness to act.
Ask inwardly: ‘What must be cut away?’ Let the answer arise as quiet certainty; then align all faculties to that light-led decision.
Maintain Vedic accents; keep ‘svadhitiḥ’ and ‘svadhāvne’ carefully articulated with clear udātta where marked.
Give clean lift to ‘ny asmai’, ‘devī’, ‘svadhitiḥ’, ‘indrāya’, ‘ojas’, ‘svadhāvne’; avoid dragging sandhi clusters.
svadhitiḥ: pronounce dh as voiced aspirate; keep short i vowels crisp., uśatīva: ś is palatal; long ī sustained lightly., kṣitayo: pronounce kṣ as a cluster (k + ṣ), not ‘ch’.
Clear, disciplined, slightly metallic ‘cutting’ tone reflecting svadhiti.
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