Rig Veda 10.73.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 73, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.73
द्रुहो निषत्ता पृशनी चिदेवैः पुरू शंसेन वावृधुष्ट इन्द्रम् । अभीवृतेव ता महापदेन ध्वान्तात्प्रपित्वादुदरन्त गर्भाः ॥
druho níṣattā pṛśanī cíd eváiḥ purū́ śáṃsena vāvṛdhuṣ ṭá índram | abhívṛtā́-iva tā́ mahāpadéna dhvā́ntāt prapitvā́d úd aranta gárbhāḥ ||
অন্ধকাৰত আসীন দ্ৰুহোও, আৰু পৃশনীও—দেৱশক্তিসকলৰ দ্বাৰা—বহু শংসা (স্তৱ)ৰে ইন্দ্ৰক বৃদ্ধি কৰিলে। যেন আৱৃত, সেই গোপন গৰ্ভসমূহ মহাপদে (মহা-পদক্ষেপে) অন্ধকাৰৰ পৰা, অধঃ-আৱৰণৰ পৰা, ওপৰলৈ উঠি আহিল।
Indra-invocation in Soma context (general); strengthening the Indra-power through stoma/śaṃsa during pressing and offering (broad Śrauta usage, not uniquely fixed here)
Rita (order through right movement/‘great step’), unveiling from ignorance to knowledge, latent becoming (garbha) into manifestation
The ‘great stride’ is ṛta’s victory: ordered consciousness lifting formations out of the inconscient.
Truth acts as a raising power—bringing what is concealed into right manifestation.
Birth of forms (garbha) out of darkness through divine stride/expansion.
Yoga of transformation: integration of subconscient and conversion of adverse forces.
night-to-dawn transition (suggested)
Inner night (subconscient) yields new capacities when illumination takes a decisive widening step.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘release from darkness’ mythologem: concealed ‘wombs/embryos’ (garbhāḥ) rise out of dhvānta and the nether enclosure through a decisive ‘great stride’ (mahāpadena). In the inner reading, Indra’s force enables the birth of hidden truth-formations into conscious light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow, increase’ aligns with PIE *werdh- ‘to grow’ (cf. English ‘worth’ via Germanic developments, and broader IE growth semantics). The ‘step/measure’ lexeme pada relates to PIE *ped- ‘foot’ (Latin pēs, Greek pous), supporting the archaic Indo-European poetic image of world-order measured by divine steps.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse encodes reciprocity via śaṃsa (affirming speech): the seer’s luminous utterance increases Indra (vavṛdhuḥ indram), and Indra’s widened power effects liberation—bringing upward the bound potentials from the subconscient. The exchange is inner: mantra-strengthening yields transformative release.
Bring awareness to a ‘sealed’ area (fear, shame, inertia). Invoke Indra’s great stride to widen and lift it into conscious light.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (subconscious/emotional depths) rising toward Maṇipūra (transformative power).
Slow exhale emphasis (1:2 inhale:exhale) to soothe depths; then a few stronger breaths to symbolize ‘ud aranta’ (rising).
From enclosed heaviness to expanding clarity.
Chant, then sit 5 minutes noticing any ‘hidden impulse’ (garbha) surfacing. Do not analyze immediately; simply name it (śaṃsa) and offer it upward with the exhale.
Triṣṭubh (probable). Follow śākhā audio/text for exact udatta/anudatta placements; keep natural Vedic accenting on dhvāntāt/prapitvāt and the lift on ud aranta.
Slightly weight ‘dhvāntāt prapitvāt’ (downward feel), then brighten and lift on ‘ud aranta garbhāḥ’.
Pronounce dhvānta with clear dhv cluster, Keep prapitvāt with crisp -tv-, Differentiate pṛśanī ( vowel) clearly
Begin low and contained; open into a clearer, brighter tone in the final pāda.
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