Rig Veda 10.13.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 13, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.13
- Devata
- Ṛta / Brahmanic word-principle as implicit devatā
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
पञ्च पदानि रुपो अन्वरोहं चतुष्पदीमन्वेमि व्रतेन । अक्षरेण प्रति मिम एतामृतस्य नाभावधि सं पुनामि ॥
páñca padā́ni rupó ánv arohāṃ cátuṣpadīm ánv émi vraténa | akṣáreṇa práti mime etā́m ṛtásya nā́bhāv ádhi sáṃ punāmi ||
Par ses cinq pas je monte à la suite de la Forme; la mesure à quatre pieds je la poursuis selon le vœu, selon l’œuvre juste. Par la syllabe impérissable je la remesure en retour; sur le nombril du ṛta je la purifie et la rassemble — afin que parole et être s’accordent au centre de Vérité.
Word by Word
- पञ्च
- fiveAdjective/Numeral(विशेषण) नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (पदानि इति नपुंसकबहुवचनस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma (पदानि-विशेषणम्)Root पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- पदानि
- steps/footprints; (also) words/metrical feetNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पद (प्रातिपदिक)
- रूपः
- the form/shape (Rūpa as agent)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्वारोहम्
- I mounted/followed up (after)Verbलिट् (परस्मैपद) उत्तमपुरुष एकवचनम्; वैदिक-रूपम् (अन्वारोहम् = अन्वारोहम्) ‘I mounted/followed up’Role (क्रिया) —Root अनु-√रुह् (धातु: रुहँ आरोहणे)
- चतुष्पदीम्
- four-footedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (इमाम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (इमाम्-विशेषणम्)Root चतुष्पद् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहिः/तत्पुरुषः)
- इमाम्
- this (one)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्वेमि
- I followVerbलट् (परस्मैपद) उत्तमपुरुष एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) —Root अनु-√इ (धातु: इण् गतौ)
- व्रतेन
- by/with the vow; by sacred observanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अक्षरेण
- by/with the imperishable (syllable/word)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards; in return; againstIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्/उपसर्गार्थः)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मिमे
- I measured outVerbलिट् (आत्मनेपद) उत्तमपुरुष एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √मा (धातु: मा माने/मितौ)
- एताम्
- this (here)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- नाभा
- with/by the navel; by the hub (center)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (वैदिक-रूपम्: नाभा = नाभ्या)Role KaraṇaRoot नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवधि
- boundary; limitNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (सीमा/मर्यादा)Role KarmaRoot अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableअव्ययम् (उपसर्गः)Role (क्रियायोगे)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पुनामि
- I purify/cleanseVerbलट् (परस्मैपद) उत्तमपुरुष एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √पू (धातु: पू पवने/शोधने)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘रु॒पो’ इति रूपः (विसर्गलोपः/पदपाठ-प्रवृत्तिः)
- ‘अन्व॑रोहं’ इति संहितायां अनु + आरोहम् → अन्वारोहम् (उकारस्य वकारादेशः)
- ‘चतु॑ष्पदी॒मन्वे॑मि’ इति चतुष्पदीम् + अन्वेमि (म् + अ → म् अ; संहितायां संयोगः)
- ‘ए॒तामृ॒तस्य’ इति एताम् + ऋतस्य (म् + ऋ → मृ; परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रवृत्तिः)
- ‘नाभा॒वधि’ इति नाभा + अवधिम् (आ + अ संधिः; पदच्छेदे नाभा | अवधिम्)
- ‘सं पु॑नामि’ इति सम् + पुनामि → सं पुनामि (म् → ङ्/अनुस्वारः परे पकारे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker climbs after the ‘Form’ through five steps, follows a four-footed measure by vrata (law), measures it back by the imperishable syllable (akṣara), and purifies/gathers it upon the navel of ṛta.
Inner meaning
A mantra of inner linguistics and yogic construction: consciousness ascends through graded steps (pañca padāni)—often read as five levels/powers (e.g., physical, vital, mental, higher mind, illumined mind) or fivefold movement of the Word. The ‘four-footed’ (catuṣpadī) is the ordered speech/measure (vāk) that manifests as four quarters (parā-paśyantī-madhyamā-vaikharī as later models; or four pādas of the mantra). Vrata is right working—discipline that keeps the ascent true. Akṣara is the imperishable seed-sound / stable consciousness-principle by which the whole is re-measured (prati-mimā) and corrected. The ‘navel of ṛta’ is the central truth-knot where all movements are gathered and purified—alignment of speech, thought, and being to the truth-center.
Universal truth
True expression and true becoming require measure, law, and a stable imperishable reference-point. When our speech and thought are re-measured by the ‘akṣara’ (the changeless within), they purify and converge at the center of truth (ṛta-nābhi).
Themes
Metre and sacred speech, Cosmic order center, Inner ascent, Purification
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.13.2, Rig Veda 10.13.4, Rig Veda 10.13.5
Significance
The seer works like a Vedic ‘mantra-engineer’: measuring consciousness by akṣara and restoring it to ṛta’s center—an inner discipline of the Word rather than external ritual alone.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛta / Akṣara (imperishable Word-principle) as implicit devatā
- Epithets
- Akṣara (Imperishable), Ṛta-nābhi (truth-navel, implied)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of the Word), Sarasvatī/Vāc (speech), Agni (as purifier)
Cosmic role
Ṛta is the cosmic order that holds worlds together; Akṣara is the stable, unborn reference of sound/being by which forms are measured.
Inner power
Power of right articulation and right formation: the capacity to re-measure thought and speech by the immutable center and thereby purify life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mantric/vidhi reflection on meter and right measure; suitable for brahma-yajña (recitation) orientation
पञ्च॑ प॒दानि॑ रु॒पो अन्व॑रोहं॒ चतु॑ष्पदी॒मन्वे॑मि व्र॒तेन॑ । अ॒क्षरे॑ण॒ प्रति॑ मिम ए॒तामृ॒तस्य॒ नाभा॒वधि॒ सं पु॑नामि ॥
पञ्च॑ । प॒दानि॑ । रु॒पः । अनु॑ । अ॒रो॒ह॒म् । चतुः॑ऽपदीम् । अनु॑ । ए॒मि॒ । व्र॒तेन॑ । अ॒क्षरे॑ण । प्रति॑ । मि॒मे॒ । ए॒ताम् । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । नाभौ॑ । अधि॑ । सम् । पु॒ना॒मि॒ ॥
pañca | padāni | rupaḥ | anu | aroham | catuḥ-padīm | anu | emi | vratena | akṣareṇa | prati | mime | etām | ṛtasya | nābhau | adhi | sam | punāmi
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4 × ~11 syllables; strong caesura typical of Triṣṭubh
Measured, architectural, ‘counting’ rhythm matching the theme of measure (mimā)
Induces precision and inward alignment; supports japa-like contemplation of the akṣara as a stable center.
- पञ्च पदानि (pañca padāni)
- Literal: five steps/footprints. Symbolic: graded ascent of consciousness; fivefold movement of the Word or being
- रुपः (rupo)
- Literal: form. Symbolic: the archetypal form/idea the soul follows; the shaping power in consciousness
- चतुष्पदीम् (catuṣpadīm)
- Literal: four-footed. Symbolic: ordered speech/measure; the four quarters of expression or the four pādas of mantra
- व्रतेन (vratena)
- Literal: by law/vow. Symbolic: right discipline that keeps the movement in ṛta
- अक्षरेण (akṣareṇa)
- Literal: by the imperishable syllable. Symbolic: the changeless sound-principle; stable consciousness (brahman/akṣara) as measure
- ऋतस्य नाभौ (ṛtasya nābhau)
- Literal: on the navel of ṛta. Symbolic: truth-center where energies converge; the psychic/central knot of right order
- सं पुनामि (saṃ punāmi)
- Literal: I purify, gather together. Symbolic: integration and purification of speech and being
Mantra-metapoetics: suited to contexts reflecting on the structure of sacred speech and purification; can function as a ‘bridging’ verse aligning metre, ṛta, and inner discipline.
During study/recitation, before mantra-japa, or as a centering verse for right speech
Recitation with attention to pāda-measure; inner ‘re-measuring’ of thought by akṣara
Use to refine speech and intention: chant before important dialogue/teaching; or as a meditation on aligning language with truth.
(padá) from √pad ‘step, foot’ (PIE *ped- ‘foot’). (cátuṣ-pad) ‘four-footed’ indicates a metrical/cosmic quadrature. (akṣára) ‘imperishable’ (a- + √kṣar ‘to flow, perish’ → ‘not perishing’), also ‘syllable’. √mā ‘measure’ is PIE *meh₁- (cf. Greek métron). (nā́bhi) ‘navel’ as center/source. √pū ‘purify’ indicates ritual and psychological cleansing into coherence.
Ṛta (navel/center), akṣara (imperishable syllable/principle), fourfold and fivefold structuring (speech/cosmos), purification as integration
Explicit: purification and gathering occurs at ṛta’s navel—restoring order.
Akṣara as the stable truth-reference behind changing forms.
Worlds are formed by measured Word; correct measure sustains manifestation.
Mantra-Brahman orientation (proto-Vedānta) with Vāc/Ṛta cosmology.
Steps = ascent through planes; navel = central psychic knot; sound = creative vibration aligning mind to truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘cosmic speech-measure’ mythologem: reality is approached as a structured form with five steps and a fourfold measure; the seer ascends and re-measures it by akṣara, then purifies it at ṛta’s navel—mythicizing the act of composing/realizing mantra as world-ordering.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- padá (foot/step) from PIE *ped-. √mā ‘measure’ from PIE *meh₁- (metron). The numerical structuring (four/five) is typical of IE poetic cosmologies. The ‘navel as center’ motif appears widely in IE mythic geography (world-center imagery), though expressed with different lexemes.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer relates to ṛta and akṣara as living powers: by disciplined method (vrata) he climbs, measures, and purifies—showing a yogic reciprocity where the cosmic order reveals itself as the mind becomes exact and clean.
Contemplate a central ‘akṣara’ in the heart or brow; let thoughts be re-measured and simplified until they align with ṛta.
vishuddha (speech)
Counted breathing (4-4 or 6-6) to match ‘measure’; silent pause on akṣareṇa
Collected, lucid, mantra-aware stillness
Chant slowly, feeling each pāda as a ‘foot’. After chanting, sit and notice where speech arises; bring it back to the truth-center before speaking outward.
Requires Śākhā-based svara; do not guess exact udatta sequence from plain text.
Keep clarity on counts: páñca padā́ni | cátuṣpadīm | akṣaréṇa | ṛtásya nā́bhau.
‘catuṣpadīm’ pronounce ṣp cluster distinctly, ‘akṣareṇa’ keep kṣ as a single conjunct (ak-ṣa- not ak-ka), ‘ṛtasya’ initial ṛ: short vocalic r, not ri
Precise, resonant, slightly nasalized on ṛ/ṃ where present; avoid emotive wavering
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