Rig Veda 10.71.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 71, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.71
अक्षण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायो मनोजवेष्वसमा बभूवुः । आदघ्नास उपकक्षास उ त्वे ह्रदा इव स्नात्वा उ त्वे ददृश्रे ॥
akṣaṇvántáḥ kárṇavantáḥ sakhā́yo manojavéṣv ásamā babhūvuḥ | ādaghnā́sa upakakṣā́sa u tve hradā́ iva snā́tvā u tve dadṛśre ||
Gefährten mit Augen, Gefährten mit Ohren wurden ungleich in den schnellen Regungen des Geistes. Die einen reichen nur bis zu den Knien, die anderen bis zu den Achseln; doch andere—wie Teiche nach dem Bad—leuchten in dir, geklärt und rein.
Pedagogical: differentiation of adhikāra among reciters/seekers; suggests graded initiation into mantra-depth.
graded realization, purification leading to clarity, mind-speed vs depth
Unequal participation reflects varying alignment with ṛta; the clear-lake mind is a seat where ṛta can mirror itself.
Satya appears as ‘clarity’ (prasāda) when the instrument is clean.
Consciousness becomes a vessel; manifestation of truth depends on the purity of the receiving field.
Yoga psychology (citta-śuddhi, prasāda) anticipated in Vedic imagery.
Lake = settled mind; bathing = purification by discipline and truthfulness; depth = degree of surrender/immersion in mantra-consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘unequal immersion in the Word’: all possess faculties, yet only some enter Vāc deeply enough to become clear and shining—like cleansed waters—while others remain shallow.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The body-depth measure (knees/armpits) is an archaic poetic device for degrees of participation, comparable to IE traditions that quantify spiritual/intellectual attainment via spatial metaphors (depth, ascent).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Vāc is the medium in which seekers ‘immerse’; her revelation is proportional to purity and depth. The rishi maps inner progress: from shallow contact to clarified manifestation.
Observe depth of reception: ‘Am I knee-deep or lake-clear today?’ without judgment.
Ājñā (clarity)
Slow exhale-lengthening (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 8) to settle mental speed; then chant once and listen to after-sound.
From manojava (rapid mind) to prasāda (clear stillness).
Practice ‘inner bathing’: truthfulness in speech, reduction of noise, and brief silence after each recitation so the mind becomes a clear pool.
Let the cadence quicken slightly on ‘manojaveṣu’ but keep svara exact; emphasize udātta on ‘asamā’ and ‘hradā iva’.
Tiny pause after ‘asamā babhūvuḥ’; keep the final pāda luminous and open in tone.
‘akṣaṇvantaḥ’ articulate kṣ clearly; do not reduce to ‘akhan-’., ‘upakakṣāsa’ keep both kṣ sounds distinct., ‘snātvā’ long ā and clear tv cluster., ‘dadṛśre’ vocalic ṛ twice: da-dṛ-śre.
Bright, clear, observational; end with a softened, transparent timbre.
5
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