Rig Veda 9.68.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 68, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.68
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
सं दक्षेण मनसा जायते कविॠतस्य गर्भो निहितो यमा परः । यूना ह सन्ता प्रथमं वि जज्ञतुर्गुहा हितं जनिम नेममुद्यतम् ॥
sáṃ dákṣeṇa mánasā jāyate kavír ṛtásya gárbho níhito yámā paráḥ | yū́nā ha sántā prathamáṃ ví jajñatur gúhā hitáṃ jánima némam úd-yatam ||
Por el poder de discernimiento (dakṣa) y por la mente nace el Vidente (kavi): un seno de la Verdad (ṛta), puesto aparte más allá del par. Jóvenes son — y, sin embargo, los primeros en nacer: el nacimiento oculto, depositado en lo secreto, asciende hacia su turno destinado.
Word by Word
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableupasarga/avyayaRoot सम् (upasarga) / saṃ (avyaya)
- दक्षेण
- by skill; with competenceNoun (abstract/instrumental use)masc./neut. instr. sg. (Vedic usage: ‘by skill/ability’)Role KaraṇaRoot दक्ष (prātipadika)
- मनसा
- with the mindNounneut. instr. sg.Role KaraṇaRoot मनस् (prātipadika)
- जायते
- is born; arisesVerbpresent, ātmanepada, 3rd sg.Root √जन् (जायते)
- कविः
- the seer; sage-poetNounmasc. nom. sg.Role KartāRoot कवि (prātipadika)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounneut. gen. sg.Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot ऋत (prātipadika)
- गर्भः
- embryo; womb; hidden germNounmasc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (apposition to कविः)Root गर्भ (prātipadika)
- निहितः
- placed; deposited; hiddenParticiplepast passive participle, masc. nom. sg.Role (predicate to गर्भः)Root नि-√धा (ppp निहित)
- यमा
- in Yama (in the realm of Yama)Nounmasc. loc. sg. (Vedic locative)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यम (prātipadika)
- परः
- far; beyondAdjectivemasc. nom. sg.Role (qualifier/predicate)Root पर (prātipadika)
- यूना
- by/with the young onesNoun/Adjective (collective)masc. instr. pl. (Vedic form of युवभिः/युवान्-)Role Karaṇa / SahakārīRoot युवन् (prātipadika)
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableemphatic particleRoot ह (particle)
- सन्ता
- being (the two); existingParticiplepresent active participle, masc. nom. dual (Vedic: ‘being, existing’)Role Kartā (with implied dual subject)Root √अस् (present participle सन्त्)
- प्रथमम्
- first; at firstAdjective (used adverbially)neut. acc. sg. (adverbial)Root प्रथम (prātipadika)
- वि
- apart; forth; distinctlyIndeclinablepreverbRoot वि (upasarga) / vi (avyaya)
- जज्ञतुः
- were born; came into beingVerbperfect, parasmaipada, 3rd dualRoot √जन् (perfect जज्ञे)
- गुहा
- in a hiding-place; in the caveNounfem. loc. sg. (Vedic)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गुहा (prātipadika)
- हितम्
- placed; hiddenParticiplepast passive participle, neut. acc. sg.Role Karma (of implied ‘found/known’ etc.)Root √धा (ppp हित)
- जनिम
- birth; originNounneut. acc. sg.Role KarmaRoot जनि (prātipadika; action-noun from √जन्)
- नेमम्
- course; ordinance; fixed order (appointed measure)Nounneut. acc. sg.Role Karma (in apposition to जनिम)Root नेम (prātipadika)
- उद्यम्
- raised up; set in motion; undertakenParticiplepast passive participle, neut. acc. sg.Role Karma (qualifier of जनिम/नेमम्)Root उद्-√यम् (ppp उद्यत)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): सं→सम् (before voiced consonant द)
- कविॠतस्य→कविः ऋतस्य (visarga before vowel; RV orthography shows ॠ)
- गर्भो→गर्भः (visarga before voiced consonant न; written as ओ in saṃhitā)
- य॒मा प॒रः→यमा परः (no further change; yama taken as loc. sg.)
- जज्ञतु॒र्गुहा→जज्ञतुः गुहा (final -uḥ before g-)
- नेम॒मुद्य॑तम्→नेमम् उद्यतम् (m + u- sandhi separated)
The meaning
Outer meaning
By skill (dakṣa) and mind (manas) the seer (kavi) is born; he is a womb of ṛta (truth-order), set apart beyond the two yamas (the pair). Though young, they are yet first-born; the hidden birth, placed in the cave/secret, rises upward to its appointed turn.
Inner meaning
In the Soma-process, the illumined Seer-consciousness is generated within us when discerning intelligence (dakṣa) and concentrated mind (manas) collaborate. The “womb of ṛta” is the inner matrix where right-order and true seeing gestate. “Beyond the pair (yamā)” points to transcendence of dualities (pleasure–pain, light–dark, affirmation–negation). The spiritual birth is ‘hidden in the cave’ (guhā): the subconscient/heart-depth where the divine element is concealed; it then ascends (udyatam) into waking mind as an inevitable unfolding (nema) of the soul’s destined rhythm.
Universal truth
True insight is not manufactured by surface thought; it is born from a deeper union of discernment and inwardness, matures in secrecy, and then rises as a first principle of life—older than our habits though newly awakened. When consciousness surpasses duality, truth-order becomes a living generative power.
Themes
Birth of the Seer (kavi), Hidden truth emerging, Transcending dualities, Cosmic order (Ṛta)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.68.1-9 (same sūkta context), Rig Veda 9.66-9.69 (neighboring Pavamāna sequences with similar ‘hidden birth’ and ‘guhā’ motifs)
Significance
The anonymity fits the Pavamāna corpus where the ‘seer’ is often the awakened consciousness itself; the mantra speaks of the birth of the kavi—suggesting the rishi is the inner Seer emerging through Soma’s purification.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- pavamāna (self-purifying), indu (the drop), aṃśu (ray)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Uṣas, Sūrya, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Purifier and increaser: Soma as the flowing delight that clarifies mind, establishes ṛta, and carries consciousness upward through its currents.
Inner power
Ānanda (divine bliss) that, when purified, becomes a luminous seer-force—birth of kavi-consciousness and stabilization in truth-order beyond duality.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (pavamāna) chants during Soma-yajña
सं दक्षे॑ण॒ मन॑सा जायते क॒विॠ॒तस्य॒ गर्भो॒ निहि॑तो य॒मा प॒रः । यूना॑ ह॒ सन्ता॑ प्रथ॒मं वि ज॑ज्ञतु॒र्गुहा॑ हि॒तं जनि॑म॒ नेम॒मुद्य॑तम् ॥
सम् । दक्षे॑ण । मन॑सा । जा॒य॒ते॒ । क॒विः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । गर्भः॑ । निऽहि॑तः । य॒मा । प॒रः । यूना॑ । ह॒ । सन्ता॑ । प्र॒थ॒मम् । वि । ज॒ज्ञ॒तुः॒ । गुहा॑ । हि॒तम् । जनि॑म । नेम॑म् । उत्ऽय॑तम् ॥
sam | dakṣeṇa | manasā | jāyate | kaviḥ | ṛtasya | garbhaḥ | ni-hitaḥ | yamā | paraḥ | yūnā | ha | santā | prathamam | vi | jajñatuḥ | guhā | hitam | janima | nemam | ut-yatam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to ‘birth’ and ‘ascent’ statements.
Builds a sense of inevitable emergence—hidden force gathering and then rising into clarity.
- दक्षेण (dakṣeṇa)
- Literal: with skill, capacity, discerning power. Symbolic: the discriminative intelligence that chooses the true movement
- मनसा (manasā)
- Literal: by mind. Symbolic: concentrated inner mentality capable of receptivity
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: illumined consciousness that sees by identity
- ऋतस्य गर्भः (ṛtasya garbhaḥ)
- Literal: womb/embryo of ṛta. Symbolic: inner matrix where truth-order forms and gives birth to right action/knowledge
- यमा परः (yamā paraḥ)
- Literal: beyond the pair/twins. Symbolic: beyond dualities; supramental poise beyond opposites
- गुहा (guhā)
- Literal: cave, secret place. Symbolic: heart-depth/subconscient where the divine is concealed
- उद्यतम् (udyatam)
- Literal: rising upward. Symbolic: ascent of consciousness from hidden to manifest
Recited in Soma purification to affirm that the true seer-consciousness (kavi) is generated by dakṣa and manas under Ṛta, emerging from hiddenness—supporting the sacrificer’s inner awakening.
During Soma pressing/filtration as Soma flows to the vessels
Chant while Soma is purified through the filter into bowls; supports consecration of the pressed juice
Use as a meditation-text for ‘inner birth of the seer’: recite before silent sitting to invoke discernment + inwardness and an ascent beyond duality.
dakṣa from √dakṣ ‘be able, competent’ → ‘skill, discerning power’ (functional intelligence). kavi is the inspired knower, not merely poet. ṛta from √ar/ṛ ‘fit, order’ (Vedic semantic complex: truth-order). guhā ‘cave’ is a standard Vedic locus for hidden light/knowledge. ud-√yam ‘raise’ (PIE *yeh₁m- ‘take, hold’ in some analyses) marks ascent from concealment to manifestation.
Ṛta as womb of manifestation, Transcendence beyond dualities (yamā paraḥ), Inner revelation (guhā → ud-yatam)
Explicit: the seer is ‘ṛtasya garbhaḥ’—truth-order as a generative womb.
The ‘first-born though young’ suggests the eternal truth re-emerging in time.
Hidden seed in the ‘cave’ rises into manifestation—microcosmic creation within the seeker.
Proto-Vedāntic / Sri Aurobindo’s psychological Veda (inner sacrifice; ascent from subconscient to illumined mind)
Gestation and ascent: the concealed divine delight/knowledge matures inwardly and then rises into conscious life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hidden birth in the cave’ mythologem: the kavi (seer-consciousness) is born as the embryo/womb of Ṛta, concealed and then raised upward. This parallels the wider Vedic motif of light/knowledge hidden in darkness and brought to manifestation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Core IE inheritance appears in conceptual morphology: ‘birth’ (√jan) and ‘womb’ (garbha) anchor cosmogonic language; ṛta as ‘ordered truth’ reflects an archaic IE concern with cosmic order, though ṛta itself is Indo-Iranian-specific in form and doctrinal centrality.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi frames Soma’s work as the generation of the inner Seer by dakṣa (effective discernment) and manas (mind). Soma’s purification becomes the means by which Ṛta’s hidden formation within the seeker rises into active consciousness, enabling true seeing and right speech.
Birth of the inner Seer (kavi) through discernment and inward mind; resting beyond duality.
Ājñā (seer-vision) with support from Anāhata (guhā/heart-cave)
Nādī-śodhana (gentle alternate-nostril) for 6–12 rounds before chanting
From inward recollection to illumined clarity (dhyāna → prajñā-like seeing).
Chant slowly; after each recitation, pause in the ‘cave’ of the heart, then feel a subtle upward movement to the brow—without forcing; let the ‘birth’ happen as a natural unveiling.
General Vedic accenting: preserve udātta peaks on marked syllables (e.g.,,,,,,, ). Exact śākha-specific svara requires recitation tradition reference.
Let udātta be slightly higher and clearer; anudātta softer; svarita as a gentle fall-rise after udātta.
Hold ṛ in ṛtasya with a brief vocalic ‘r’ (not ‘ri’), guhā: aspirate h clearly; lengthen ā, udyatam: keep dy as a conjunct (ud-ya-tam) without inserting extra vowel
Clear, inward, steady; avoid force—suggest ‘birth’ and ‘ascent’.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
