Rig Veda 10.129.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 129, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.129
- Rishi
- Prajāpati Parameṣṭhin
- Devata
- Tad Ekam emerging through tapas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
तम आसीत्तमसा गूळ्हमग्रेऽप्रकेतं सलिलं सर्वमा इदम् । तुच्छ्येनाभ्वपिहितं यदासीत्तपसस्तन्महिनाजायतैकम् ॥
táma āsīt támasā gūḷhám ágre ’praketáṃ saliláṃ sárvam ā́ idám | túcchyena ā́bhu ápihitaṃ yád āsīt tápasas tán mahínā́jāyataíkam ||
في البدء كان الظلامُ مستورًا بظلام؛ وكان هذا كلّه محيطًا بلا علامةٍ ولا تمييز. وما كان مغطّى بالفراغ وبغير المُدرَك—بِعِظَمِ التَّپَس (tapas: حرارةٌ باطنية) وُلِدَ الواحد.
Word by Word
- तमः
- darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *temH- ‘अन्धकार’
- आसीत्
- wasVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)
- तमसा
- by/with darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot तमस्
- गूळ्हम्
- hidden, concealedAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (तमः/इदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root √गुह् (गोपने) → गूळ्ह (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/क्त)
- अग्रे
- in the beginningNoun (adverbial use)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (अव्ययीभावार्थे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्रकेतम्
- without discernment, unmanifestAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (सलिलम्/इदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root अ-प्रकेत (प्रातिपदिक); प्रकेत ‘प्रज्ञा/चेतना’
- सलिलम्
- watery flood, primeval fluidNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
- सर्वम्
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (इदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- completely, all aroundIndeclinableउपसर्गः (व्याप्त्यर्थे/समन्तात्) — ‘आ-’Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- इदम्
- this (universe)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (सलिलम्… इदम् = ‘this (all)’)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तुच्छ्येन
- by emptiness/voidnessAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot तुच्छ्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘तुच्छ’ से व्युत्पन्न)
- अभु
- by non-being, by absenceNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अभु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अ-भू’ = ‘असत्/अभाव’)
- अपिहितम्
- covered, envelopedAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (इदम्/सर्वम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root अपि-√धा (आवरणे) → अपिहित (कृदन्त-क्त)
- यत्
- whichRelative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- आसीत्
- wasVerbलुङ्, परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √अस्
- तपसः
- of/from heat (austerity, ardor)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Apādāna (उत्पत्त्यर्थे ‘from/out of’)Root तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- महिना
- by (its) greatness/powerNoun (instrumental of manner/power)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot महिन्/महिमा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मह्’ वृद्धि/महत्त्व)
- अजायत
- was born, aroseVerbलुङ् (अorist), आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √जन् (प्रादुर्भावे/जन्मनि) + अ (अग्म)
- एकम्
- one (single principle)Numeral/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (तत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root एक (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): तमः | आसीत् | तमसा | गूळ्हम् | अग्रे | अप्रकेतम् | सलिलम् | सर्वम् | आ | इदम् । तुच्छ्येन | अभु | अपिहितम् | यत् | आसीत् | तपसः | तत् | महिना | अजायत | एकम् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) अग्रेऽप्रकेतम् = अग्रे + अप्रकेतम् (ए + अ → एऽ)
- (2) सर्वमा इदम् = सर्वम् + आ + इदम् (म् + आ → मा; ‘आ’ पृथक् अव्ययम्)
- (3) तुच्छ्येना॒भ्वपिहितम् = तुच्छ्येन + अभु + अपिहितम् (ए + अ → एऽ/एना-भु; पदपाठे ‘अभु’ पृथक्)
- (4) तपसस्तन्महिना = तपसः + तत् + महिना (ः + त → स्त; तत् + महिना → तन्महिना, त् + म → न्म्)
- (5) अजायतैकम् = अजायत + एकम् (त् + ए → तै)
The meaning
Outer meaning
At the beginning, darkness was concealed by darkness; all was an undifferentiated, signless ocean. What was covered by the void and the indistinct—by the greatness of tapas—That One came to be.
Inner meaning
The first condition of manifestation is a double veiling: an inconscience (tamas) covered by a deeper inconscience. Consciousness is present only as an unformed, signless potential (apraketa salila). From within this apparent nullity (tucchya/abhu), a concentrated force of self-gathering (tapas) awakens and precipitates the first self-finding of the One—an emergence of being from the occult being.
Universal truth
New creation—cosmic or personal—often begins as obscurity within obscurity: confusion layered over deeper ignorance. Transformation occurs not by external addition but by an inner intensification (tapas): sustained, luminous concentration that allows the hidden unity to appear.
Themes
Cosmogony, Darkness-to-light trajectory, Tapas (creative ardor)
The seer
- Rishi
- Prajāpati Parameṣṭhin
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.129.1, Rig Veda 10.129.2, Rig Veda 10.129.4, Rig Veda 10.129.5, Rig Veda 10.129.6, Rig Veda 10.129.7
Family tradition
Late Rigvedic speculative seership; the ‘Prajāpati’ voice of cosmogonic intuition (Nasadiya Sukta).
Significance
A seer of origins who does not force dogma: he witnesses the birth of manifestation from the Inconscient through tapas, preserving the sanctity of mystery while indicating an inner method—concentration—as the creative key.
The deity
- Devata
- Tad Ekam (That One) emerging through Tapas
- Epithets
- Ekam, Tad, Apraketa (signless), Gūḻha (hidden), Tapaso-mahinā (by the greatness of tapas)
- Related deities
- Prajāpati, Hiraṇyagarbha, Brahman, Agni (as inner will, later explicit), Aditi (infinite)
Cosmic role
The first self-arising of unity from unmanifest potential; the seed of ordered manifestation out of the undifferentiated waters.
Inner power
The power of self-concentration that turns obscurity into the first dawn of being; the will-to-be implicit in the Absolute.
In ritual
Where it is used
Speculative hymn; tapas later becomes central to ascetic/inner disciplines; here functions as cosmogonic principle rather than ritual heat.
तम॑ आसी॒त्तम॑सा गू॒ळ्हमग्रे॑ऽप्रके॒तं स॑लि॒लं सर्व॑मा इ॒दम् । तु॒च्छ्येना॒भ्वपि॑हितं॒ यदासी॒त्तप॑स॒स्तन्म॑हि॒नाजा॑य॒तैक॑म् ॥
तमः॑ । आ॒सी॒त् । तम॑सा । गू॒ळ्हम् । अग्रे॑ । अ॒प्र॒ऽके॒तम् । स॒लि॒लम् । सर्व॑म् । आः॒ । इ॒दम् । तु॒च्छ्येन॑ । आ॒भु । अपि॑ऽहितम् । यत् । आसी॑त् । तप॑सः । तत् । म॒हि॒ना । अ॒जा॒य॒त॒ । एक॑म् ॥
tamaḥ | āsīt | tamasā | gūḷham | agre | apra-ketam | salilam | sarvam | āḥ | idam | tucchyena | ābhu | api-hitam | yat | āsīt | tapasaḥ | tat | mahinā | ajāyata | ekam
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (with Vedic variations and sandhi-dependent counts)
Grave, forward-driving cadence with room for philosophical suspension; balances momentum with pauses.
Produces a steady contemplative pressure—supporting ‘tapas’ as felt concentration—while the questioning imagery remains spacious and vast.
- तमस् (tamas)
- Literal: darkness. Symbolic: inconscience; obscuring inertia; the cover over awareness
- गूळ्हम् (gūḻham)
- Literal: hidden, concealed. Symbolic: the secret Presence concealed in the subconscient
- अप्रकेत (apraketa)
- Literal: without distinguishing sign, unmanifest. Symbolic: undifferentiated consciousness before mind’s divisions
- सलिलम् (salilam)
- Literal: waters, ocean. Symbolic: original infinite potential; undivided life-substance of consciousness
- तुच्छ्य (tucchya)
- Literal: void, emptiness. Symbolic: the experience of nothingness that veils plenitude
- अभु (abhu)
- Literal: the non-being / ungraspable. Symbolic: unformed becoming; indeterminate existence beyond categories
- तपस् (tapas)
- Literal: heat, austerity. Symbolic: concentrated force of consciousness; creative fervour of the One
- एकम् (ekam)
- Literal: the One. Symbolic: unitary Being-Consciousness (Tad Ekam) emerging as first self-affirmation
Speculative hymn; tapas later becomes central to ascetic/inner disciplines; here functions as cosmogonic principle rather than ritual heat.
Traditionally recited in reflective contexts; in modern practice used for contemplation on origins and for sankalpa at the start of study/meditation.
Use as an ‘inner creation’ mantra when beginning a new discipline: chant slowly, then sit in silence to observe the movement from mental obscurity to a single clear intention (ekam).
tamas ‘darkness’ relates to a root meaning ‘to be dark’ (cf. tamisrā). tapas from √tap ‘to heat, glow’ moves from physical heat to ‘concentrated force/ardor’ that incubates manifestation. ajāyata from √jan (PIE *gen- ‘beget’) frames cosmogony as a birth-event in consciousness.
tamas (inconscience) as a covering, tapas as generative concentration, emergence (jan) of unity
Implicit: ṛta is not yet expressed; this verse depicts the pre-ṛta condition from which order must emerge.
Satya as concealed truth-in-being, hidden within the double darkness until tapas reveals it.
Emergence of the One through tapas from a signless, undivided ocean; being born out of apparent non-being.
Proto-Upaniṣadic cosmological inquiry; resonates with later Vedāntic and Yogic accounts of manifestation from the unmanifest.
pre-dawn (symbolic)
Darkness = subconscious inertia; Waters = undivided life-consciousness; Heat = concentrated aspiration/force that precipitates a first inner certainty.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘incubation in darkness’ mythologem: darkness covers darkness until a self-intensifying force (tapas) generates the One. It is the archetype of light/knowledge emerging from the subconscient through concentration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ajāyata (√jan) continues PIE *gen- (Greek genos, Latin genus). The inherited ‘birth’ lexeme is repurposed to describe cosmogenesis as the arising of unity from indeterminacy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi reads the cosmos as an inner process: the devatā is not merely ‘out there’ but the principle of awakening. Tapas functions as both cosmic and yogic method, implying the seer’s own disciplined heat mirrors the origin.
Rest in the ‘signless ocean’ of awareness; then kindle tapas as a single-pointed intention until a unified sense of being (ekam) emerges.
Ājñā (for emergence of discernment from apraketa) and Sahasrāra (for sense of the One)
Nādī-śodhana (gentle) leading into kumbhaka-lite (natural pauses) while holding a single inner resolve.
From tamasic haze to concentrated stillness; the threshold between sleep-like inconscience and luminous witnessing.
Begin with 3 slow recitations; after each, sit 1–2 minutes sensing the ‘covered’ places in mind. Do not force clarity; intensify steadiness (tapas) until one simple truth-feeling stands out.
Vedic Triṣṭubh with mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita; maintain the natural rise on marked udātta syllables and let svarita fall smoothly without dramatization.
Keep ‘támasā gūḻhám’ compact (no extra vowel lengthening); give clear stress to semantic pivots: ‘ágre’, ‘ápraketam’, ‘tápasas’, ‘ékam’.
(tamaḥ): visarga as a light breath at the end, (gūḻham): retroflex ḻh cluster—articulate with tongue curled back; avoid turning into simple ‘lham’, (apraketaṃ): keep ‘pr’ crisp; final ‘ṃ’ as nasalization, (salilaṃ): short vowels; do not over-lengthen, (tapasas): dental ‘t’; clear ‘pa’, (ajāyata): ‘jā’ long ā; ‘ya’ light
Low, steady, inward; as if chanting into a cavern of silence.
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