Rig Veda 10.148.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 148, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.148
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ऋष्वस्त्वमिन्द्र शूर जातो दासीर्विशः सूर्येण सह्याः । गुहा हितं गुह्यं गूळ्हमप्सु बिभृमसि प्रस्रवणे न सोमम् ॥
ṛṣvā́s tvám indra śūra jātó dāsī́r víśaḥ sū́ryeṇa sahyā́ḥ | gúhā hitáṃ gúhyaṃ gūḷhám apsú bibhṛ́masi pra-srávaṇe ná sómam ||
عظيمٌ أنتَ، يا إندرا البطل، مولودٌ لتُخضع القوى الخادمة، مُعانًا بالشمس (سوريا). والسرُّ الموضوعُ في السرّ، المكنونُ في المياه، تحمله—كسوما في اندفاعه وانسكابه: لذّةٌ مستترةٌ محفوظةٌ في مجاري الوعي.
Word by Word
- ऋष्वः
- lofty, exaltedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य)Root ऋष्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शूर
- O heroNoun/Adjective (voc.)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- जातः
- bornParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त (भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत)Role कर्तृ (त्वम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root √जन् (जायते) → जात (क्त-प्रत्यय)
- दासीः
- female slaves/servant-womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot दास (प्रातिपदिक)
- विशः
- clans, peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (दासीः इत्यस्य सह-समुच्चयः)Root विश् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्येण
- with/by the sunNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- सह्याः
- to be overcome, conquerableAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (दासीः/विशः)Root सह्य (प्रातिपदिक; √सह ‘to endure/overcome’)
- गुहा
- secretly, in concealmentIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकारण (भावे)Root गुहा (अव्यय/निपात; ‘in secret’)
- हितम्
- placed, depositedParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्तRole कर्म (बिभृमसि इत्यस्य)Root √धा (दधाति) → हित (क्त)
- गुह्यम्
- secret, hiddenAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (हितम्)Root गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक; √गुह् ‘to hide’)
- गूळ्हम्
- concealedParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्तRole विशेषण (हितम्)Root √गुह् → गूळ्ह (क्त; वैदिक रूप)
- अप्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बिभृमसि
- we bear, we carryVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √भृ (बिभर्ति)
- प्रस्रवणे
- at/in the outflow, at the springNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot प्रस्रवण (प्रातिपदिक; ‘flowing forth, outlet’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-निपात (तुलना)Root न (अव्यय)
- सोमम्
- Soma (the pressed juice/deity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (बिभृमसि)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ऋष्वः त्वम् इन्द्र शूर जातः दासीः विशः सूर्येण सह्याः । गुहा हितम् गुह्यम् गूळ्हम् अप्सु बिभृमसि प्रस्रवणे न सोमम् ॥ 1) ऋष्वस्+त्वम् → ऋष्वस्त्वम् (स् + त् संयोग)
- 2) दासीः+विशः (समुच्चय; संधि-परिवर्तनं न)
- 3) गुहा+हितम् (अव्यय + पदम्; संधि-परिवर्तनं न)
- 4) गूळ्हम्+अप्सु (म् + अ; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- 5) प्रस्रवणे+न (पृथक्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is mighty, born a hero to subdue the ‘serving powers’ (dāsīr viśaḥ), aided by the Sun. He bears a secret hidden in secrecy, concealed in the waters, like Soma in its outflow.
Inner meaning
Indra as the divine Mind is born to master the subordinate and mechanical tendencies (dāsīr viśaḥ) with the help of Sūrya, the illumining Truth-light. The ‘secret hidden in the waters’ is the concealed Ananda/Soma within the streams of consciousness (apsu). Indra holds and releases it in the right outflow (prasravaṇa): the delight that emerges when obscurity is overcome.
Universal truth
Behind surface life, a hidden joy and truth are lodged in the depths of consciousness. Illumination (Sun) allied with courageous discernment (Indra) brings that concealed delight into expression.
Themes
hidden treasure, Soma as inner delight, illumination and mastery, waters symbolism
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.148.1, Rig Veda 10.148.3, Rig Veda 10.148.4, Rig Veda 10.148.5
Significance
The seer emphasizes the ‘hidden secret’ (guhya) and its emergence—an experiential psychology of revelation: delight is not manufactured but uncovered and released through illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (assisted by Sūrya)
- Epithets
- ṛṣva (lofty, mighty), śūra (hero)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Soma, Agni, Varuṇa (waters/ṛta)
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who subdues obstructing and lower forces; with Sūrya’s light, he reveals what is hidden in the waters and brings it into manifestation.
Inner power
Courageous mental force allied to truth-vision; the capacity to hold the secret delight and direct its release into conscious life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma context; evocation of hidden Soma and its flowing
ऋ॒ष्वस्त्वमि॑न्द्र शूर जा॒तो दासी॒र्विश॒: सूर्ये॑ण सह्याः । गुहा॑ हि॒तं गुह्यं॑ गू॒ळ्हम॒प्सु बि॑भृ॒मसि॑ प्र॒स्रव॑णे॒ न सोम॑म् ॥
ऋ॒ष्वः । त्वम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । शू॒र॒ । जा॒तः । दासीः॑ । विशः॑ । सूर्ये॑ण । स॒ह्याः॒ । गुहा॑ । हि॒तम् । गुह्य॑म् । गू॒ळ्हम् । अ॒प्ऽसु । बि॒भृ॒मसि॑ । प्र॒ऽस्रव॑णे । न । सोम॑म् ॥
ṛṣvaḥ | tvam | indra | śūra | jātaḥ | dāsīḥ | viśaḥ | sūryeṇa | sahyāḥ | guhā | hitam | guhyam | gūḷham | ap-su | bibhṛmasi | pra-sravaṇe | na | somam
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Elevated and penetrating; alternates assertion (mighty Indra) with mystery (secret in waters).
Invokes strength while turning awareness inward toward the hidden source; a ‘piercing’ contemplative vigor.
- dāsīḥ viśaḥ
- Literal: serving peoples/clans. Symbolic: subordinate forces of nature—habit, impulse, mechanical energies—meant to be governed by light
- sūryeṇa sahyāḥ
- Literal: helped by the Sun. Symbolic: supported by truth-illumination; clarity that empowers the mind’s victory
- guhā hitaṃ / guhyaṃ
- Literal: placed in secrecy / secret. Symbolic: inner truth/delight stored in the cave of consciousness
- gūḻham apsu
- Literal: hidden in the waters. Symbolic: concealed within the flowing life-mind currents (subconscient/subliminal streams)
- prasravaṇe
- Literal: in the outflow. Symbolic: the right release—channeling of inner essence into waking life
- soma
- Literal: Soma juice. Symbolic: divine delight/immortal nectar of consciousness
Indra praised as holder/releaser of Soma-like secret power; applicable to Soma offering sequences emphasizing hidden treasure (guhya) and its release.
Soma offerings; hymns emphasizing revelation of hidden essence
Invocation and offering; symbolic ‘release’ of Soma through chant
For meditation on uncovering hidden joy beneath mental turbulence; useful when one feels blocked or dry in practice.
gúhā/gúhya from √guh ‘hide, conceal’; gūḷhá past participle of √guh; ap- ‘water’ (PIE *h₂ep- ‘water’, cf. Lat aqua via different root; but Indo-Iranian ap- is inherited); √bhṛ ‘bear’ PIE *bʰer-; Soma from √su ‘press’ (product of pressing).
hidden truth in the subconscient (guhā), illumination enabling mastery of nature (Sūrya assisting Indra), release of delight as spiritual outflow (prasravaṇa)
Prasravaṇa implies a lawful, right release—flow aligned with Ṛta, not chaotic discharge.
Sūrya’s aid indicates revelation by truth-light rather than by force alone.
Manifestation emerges from concealed depths (waters/cave) into expressive flow.
Sāṃkhya-Yoga-like inner mapping (gunas/lower forces mastered by buddhi-light), read through Vedic symbolism.
dawn-to-morning (implied by Sūrya’s active aid)
Sun = discriminating illumination; waters = subconscious/subliminal currents; Soma outflow = emergence of bliss/clarity into the waking mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hidden Soma in the waters/cave’ mythologem: the divine delight/truth is concealed (guhya, gūḷha) within the waters (life-streams/subconscient) and Indra bears it and enables its outflow—an inward recovery and release of the secret.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ap- ‘waters’ reflects PIE *h₂ep-; √bhṛ ‘bear’ reflects PIE *bʰer-; the concealment lexeme √guh is Indo-Iranian (cf. Avestan guz- ‘hide’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi recognizes Indra as custodian of the hidden delight: the human aspiration seeks the release of what is held in concealment; Indra, aided by Sūrya (illumination), subdues the lower powers and brings the secret into manifest flow.
Contemplate the ‘secret in the waters’: feel a quiet depth below thought where delight is stored; invoke Indra-Sūrya to bring it forward.
Viśuddha (expression/outflow) supported by Ājñā (illumination)
Slow exhale emphasis (e.g., 4–6) to sense inner ‘outflow’ without force.
Depth-awareness; luminous clarity touching a hidden sweetness.
On ‘gūḻham apsu’, turn attention to the subtle background of mind; on ‘prasravaṇe na somam’, allow a gentle release of joy into the front consciousness.
Use śākhā-specific svara; emphasize udātta on key invocations (indra, sūryeṇa) and keep the ‘guhā/guhyam’ phrases slightly hushed in tone while maintaining pitch rules.
Slight dynamic contrast: brighter on ‘sūryeṇa’, more inward on ‘guhā hitaṃ guhyaṃ’.
(ṛṣvaḥ): vocalic ṛ, not ‘ri’, (gūḻham): long ū; retroflex ḻh cluster (rendered as ḻh/ḍh-like depending on tradition), (apsu): keep ‘ps’ conjunct crisp, (prasravaṇe): clear ‘sr’ conjunct; retroflex ṇ
Firm at the start, then inwardly resonant on the ‘secret’ portion.
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