Lexicon of Rig Veda

Lexicon

of Rig Veda

lightning, the roar of Heaven and the ullumination from heaven, is a figure for two overmental abilities of perception of the Truth, of direct hearing, śruti, and direct vision, dṛṣṭi, that make from man a seer. This lightning (vidyut, vajra), is overpowering bright might, śavas, in Indra’s hands it illuminate our darkness by its heavenly blaze, split asunder hard rocks, release Waters, cows, Sun, Dawn, kill the Enemy. Both these perceptive abilities also imaged by two bright horses of Indra, hari, right horse, Dakshina, is power of discrimination, of vision, left one, Savya, hearing of the Truth (Having killed Vritra by horses, O Indra, 1.52.8). Indra’s lightning is connected with higher mentality (mountain) of the poet: the golden piercing thunderbolt of rejoicing Indra is sharpened like in the mountain, 1.57.2. And now truly with his ablaze the rivers rejoiced everywhere, when by thunderbolt he extended them, 1.61.11. His thunderbolt conquering Svar thunders at once like blazing mighty roar of Heaven, 1.100.13. Let me laud his lightning in both hands aspiring, let me laud two bright horses of the Sun, two intuitions, 2.11.6. Being born, the Bull illumes all bright reign of the Bright, master of bright horses, he holds bright weapon, the bright thunderbolt in his both hands, 3.44.4.