Rig Veda 7.32.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 32, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.32
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स वीरो अप्रतिष्कुत इन्द्रेण शूशुवे नृभिः । यस्ते गभीरा सवनानि वृत्रहन्त्सुनोत्या च धावति ॥
sá vīró ápratiṣkuta índreṇa śūśuve nṛ́bhiḥ | yás te gabhīrā́ sávanāni vṛtrahan sunóty ā́ ca dhā́vati ||
وہ بہادر، جو پیچھے نہیں ہٹا، اندر اور طاقتور لوگوں کے ساتھ مضبوط ہوتا ہے, وہ جو اے پردہ توڑنے والے، تیرے گہرے سوم پیشکشوں کو نچوڑتا ہے اور تیری طرف دوڑتا ہے۔
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- वीरः
- hero, strong manNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्रतिष्कुतः
- unopposed, not to be withstoodAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वीरः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot अ- + प्रति- + शक्/शकु (धातु) → प्रतिष्कुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रेण
- with/through IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शूशुवे
- has grown strong; has become vigorousVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot शुश्/श्वस्? (धातु) → शूशु (परिपूर्ण/आवृत्त-धातु)
- नृभिः
- with men; by menNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गभीराः
- deep, profoundAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (सवनानि इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot गभीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवनानि
- pressings; Soma-pressings (rites)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सवन (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रहन्
- O Vṛtra-slayerNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot वृत्रहन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-विशेषण)
- सुनोत्या
- by the pressing (of Soma)Noun (action/agent-instrumental)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot सु (धातु ‘to press’) → सुनोति (वर्तमान-धातु) → सुनोति- (क्रियानाम/कृदन्त-आधार)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root च (निपात)
- धावति
- runs; hastensVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot धाव् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | वीरः | अप्रतिष्कुतः | इन्द्रेण | शूशुवे | नृभिः | यः | ते | गभीराः | सवनानि | वृत्रहन् | सुनोत्या | च | धावति || 1) स वीरो → सः + वीरः (विसर्ग-लोपः, सन्धिः)
- 2) नृभि: → नृभिः (विसर्ग/अनुस्वार-चिह्न-भेदः)
- 3) वृत्रहन्त्सु॒नोत्या → वृत्रहन् + सुनोत्या (न् + स् संयोगः; पदान्त-न् परतः स्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
That hero, not turned back, grows strong with Indra and with the men; he who, O slayer of Vṛtra, presses out your deep Soma offerings and runs toward you.
Inner meaning
The true inner warrior (vīra)—the aspiring soul-force in us—does not recoil before resistance. He is strengthened by Indra (illumined mind) and by the nṛbhis (powers of virile energy: disciplined life-forces and cooperative inner faculties). He prepares the ‘deep’ Soma pressings: profound intensities of delight drawn from within, not superficial excitement. With that offering he hastens toward Indra—meaning the aspiration quickly turns to the higher Light for decisive victory over Vṛtra, the coverer of consciousness.
Universal truth
Progress belongs to the steadfast practitioner who does not turn back, who refines deep inner joy as offering, and who actively moves toward clarity and truth when resistance arises.
Themes
heroic aspiration, Soma-pressing, Vṛtra-slaying, steadfastness
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.20, RV 7.24, RV 7.25, RV 7.31, RV 7.32
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns often depict a disciplined, steady ascent—victory through right offering and alliance with the luminous powers.
Significance
The seer frames inner conquest as collaboration: Indra’s light plus the aspirant’s unwavering heroism and the organized ‘company’ of inner energies.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Maghavan, Vajrin
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Agni
Cosmic role
Opens the hidden waters/lights; leads the gods in the battle for the worlds.
Inner power
Decisive illumination and victorious intelligence that converts aspiration into breakthrough.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing addressed to Indra as Vṛtrahan
स वी॒रो अप्र॑तिष्कुत॒ इन्द्रे॑ण शूशुवे॒ नृभि॑: । यस्ते॑ गभी॒रा सव॑नानि वृत्रहन्त्सु॒नोत्या च॒ धाव॑ति ॥
सः । वी॒रः । अप्र॑तिऽस्कुतः । इन्द्रे॑ण । शू॒शु॒वे॒ । नृऽभिः॑ । यः । ते॒ । ग॒भी॒रा । सव॑नानि । वृ॒त्र॒ऽह॒न् । सु॒नोति॑ । आ । च॒ । धाव॑ति ॥
saḥ | vīraḥ | aprati-skutaḥ | indreṇa | śūśuve | nṛ-bhiḥ | yaḥ | te | gabhīrā | savanāni | vṛtra-han | sunoti | ā | ca | dhāvati
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4×11 (variable)
Energetic and heroic; quick propulsion matching ‘dhāvati’ (hastening).
Ignites courage and forward motion; supports resolve against relapse.
- वीर (vīra)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: the courageous soul-force that persists in sadhana
- अप्रतिष्कुत (apratiṣkuta)
- Literal: not turned back, not repulsed. Symbolic: irreversible aspiration; refusal to relapse into obscurity
- नृभिः (nṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with men/strong ones. Symbolic: supporting inner powers: disciplined prāṇa, senses under control, allied faculties
- गभीरा (gabhīrā)
- Literal: deep. Symbolic: profound Soma—deep delight and concentrated consciousness
- सवनानि (savanāni)
- Literal: pressings, offerings. Symbolic: rhythmic inner extractions of bliss/essence through practice
- वृत्रहन् (vṛtrahan)
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: illumination that breaks the coverer (subconscient resistance)
- सुनोति (sunoti)
- Literal: presses (Soma). Symbolic: draws out the essence of delight from experience
- धावति (dhāvati)
- Literal: runs, hastens. Symbolic: swift turning of will toward the higher consciousness
Encouragement to the Soma-presser/ritual hero; also an inner sādhanā instruction: perseverance and repeated ‘pressings’ attract Indra’s force
At Soma savanas; when invoking Indra to accept Soma and grant victory/boons
Pressing Soma (sunoti) and reciting to draw Indra’s force
For perseverance in practice: chant when facing discouragement, procrastination, or inner resistance; pair with a deliberate ‘turn toward’ clarity.
aprati-skuta: a- ‘not’ + prati ‘against/back’ + skuta (from √sku/√skud ‘to thrust, repel’) → ‘not repelled’. śūśuve: Vedic perfect of √śū/√śvi ‘to swell, grow strong’ indicating accomplished strengthening. vṛtra-han: karmadhāraya/bahuvrīhi style epithet ‘Vṛtra-slayer’, Vṛtra as the ‘coverer’ (from √vṛ ‘to cover, enclose’).
tapas as perseverance (aprati-skuta), R̥ta-victory over the coverer (Vṛtra)
The ‘not turning back’ aligns with ṛta’s forward law of growth.
Indra’s victory establishes truth against concealment.
Release of hidden plenitudes by piercing the coverer; emergence of deeper Soma from within.
Integral Yoga reading: tapas + ananda offered to illumined mind yields transformation.
Pressing = extracting essence through practice; depth = subconscious and causal layers yielding delight; running = quickened aspiration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-slaying complex is invoked as an inner battle: the aspirant becomes ‘hero’ by aligning with Indra and by pressing the deep Soma (concentrated delight/force), thereby summoning the power that breaks the cover of ignorance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vīrá- ‘hero/man’ is from PIE *wiHro- ‘man’ (cf. Latin vir). √dhāv ‘run’ has Indo-European motion-root parallels (though exact cognates vary); the poetic pairing of ‘pressing’ (ritual action) + ‘running’ (approach) reflects an IE formula of active approach to the god.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi outlines the condition for Indra’s effective presence: steadfast human effort (not being repelled) and the offering of ‘deep’ Soma. Indra responds as Vṛtrahan—transforming the human into a fortified agent of victory.
Cultivate the ‘inner hero’: unwavering aspiration; offer deep joy rather than restless excitement.
maṇipūra (heroic will) supported by ājñā (illumination)
Energizing 4-2-6 breathing (gentle kumbhaka) before chanting; then steady exhale-led chanting.
From tamas/resistance to bright, mobilized clarity and confident action.
Recall a current obstruction; chant feeling the will ‘not turn back’; after chanting, take one immediate decisive step (dhāvati) toward the right action.
Standard Vedic accents; emphasize udātta on key invocatory points (indreṇa, vṛtrahan). Keep pāda cadence crisp to mirror ‘dhāvati’.
Observe break after ‘nṛbhiḥ’; keep ‘gabhīrā savanāni’ flowing as a single deep phrase.
apratiṣkuta: clear retroflex ṣ; avoid ‘apratis-kuta’ separation, vṛtrahan: vocalic ṛ; keep ‘han’ light, not aspirated, sunoty: ‘su-no-ti’ three beats; avoid ‘sno’ contraction
Forceful, clear, forward-thrusting; end each pāda with firmness.
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