Rig Veda 1.10.12: Mandala 1, Sukta 10, Mantra 12
Sukta 1.10
- Rishi
- Traditionally: Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
परि त्वा गिर्वणो गिर इमा भवन्तु विश्वतः । वृद्धायुमनु वृद्धयो जुष्टा भवन्तु जुष्टयः ॥
pári tvā girvaṇo gíra imā́ bhavantu viśvátaḥ | vṛddhā́yum ánu vṛ́ddhayo júṣṭā bhavantu júṣṭayaḥ ||
इंद्र, यह सब बातें तुम्हे चारों तरफ से घेरें। तुम्हारी जिंदगी बढ़ रही है, तो हम भी बढ़ें। जो चीज़ें सही हैं, वो हमारे काम आएँ और हमारा काम चले।
Word by Word
- परि
- around; all aroundIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गिर्वणः
- O praised one (Indra), O one lauded by hymnsNoun (epithet)सम्बोधन, एकवचन (पुं.)Role सम्बोधनRoot गिर्वणस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तुतिभिः/गिराभिः वण्यमानः’)
- गिरः
- songs; hymns; praisesNounप्रथमा, बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role KartāRoot गिर् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- इमाः
- thesePronoun (demonstrative)प्रथमा, बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role Kartā (विशेषण-भावेन ‘गिरः’)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भवन्तु
- let (them) be; may (they) becomeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot भू (धातु)
- विश्वतः
- from all sides; on every sideIndeclinableअव्यय (दिशा/परिमाण-अर्थे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
- वृद्धायुम्
- (you) of increased lifetime; long-livedAdjective (epithet)द्वितीया, एकवचन (पुं.)Role Karma (अनु-इत्यस्य कर्म)Root वृद्धायु (प्रातिपदिक; वृद्ध + आयु)
- अनु
- after; followingIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वृद्धयः
- growths; prosperities; increasesNounप्रथमा, बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role KartāRoot वृद्धि (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- जुष्टाः
- pleasing; welcomed; enjoyedAdjective/Participleप्रथमा, बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role Kartā (विशेषण-भावेन ‘वृद्धयः’)Root जुष्ट (कृदन्त; √जुष् ‘सेव्/प्री’ + क्त)
- भवन्तु
- let (them) be; may (they) becomeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot भू (धातु)
- जुष्टयः
- favours; enjoyments; gracious acceptancesNounप्रथमा, बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role Kartā (द्वितीय-पादे ‘वृद्धयः’ इत्यस्य समन्वय/समासार्थ-सम्बन्धः)Root जुष्टि (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘अनुग्रह/प्रीति/सेवा’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (RV-पदपाठानुसार): परि | त्वा | गिर्वणः | गिरः | इमाः | भवन्तु | विश्वतः || वृद्धायुम् | अनु | वृद्धयः | जुष्टाः | भवन्तु | जुष्टयः || 1) ‘परि त्वा’ इत्यत्र उपसर्ग ‘परि’ कर्म ‘त्वा’ इत्यनेन सह। 2) ‘गिरः इमाः’—विसर्ग-सन्धिः न
- पदपाठे पृथक्। 3) ‘विश्वत:’ अव्यय-तद्धित (तस्) ‘सर्वतः’ अर्थे। 4) ‘वृद्धायुम् अनु’—‘अनु’ अव्ययेन ‘वृद्धायुम्’ (इन्द्रम्) अनुगमन/अनुवर्तन-अर्थः। 5) ‘जुष्टाः’ क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तं ‘वृद्धयः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्। 6) स्वरचिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) संहितापाठे यथालिखित
- पदच्छेदे सामान्यतः न दर्शित।
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Indra who delights in chants, let these words surround you from every side. Following your enlarged life-force, may our growths be welcomed; may our enjoyments/harmonies become dear and consenting.
Inner meaning
The mantra describes mantra itself as a protective and formative atmosphere: the inspired words (giraḥ) encircle Indra—meaning the seeker builds a complete field of invocation so the illumined Mind can fully manifest. Indra is girvaṇa: he ‘delights in the chant’ because true vibration is a vehicle of his presence. vṛddhāyu (“enlarged life”) is Indra’s widened conscious vitality; aligning with it (anu) our inner growths (vṛddhayaḥ) become juṣṭā—accepted, harmonized with the divine intention. juṣṭayaḥ suggests right enjoyments: not sense-pleasure, but consenting movements of life that fit the truth-order.
Universal truth
When our speech and thought become a sincere, all-sided invocation of the higher intelligence, our development aligns with a greater life; then growth becomes harmonious and joy becomes rightful participation rather than craving.
Themes
Praise-power (Vāc), Acceptance (Juṣṭi), Spiritual growth
The seer
- Rishi
- Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Kuśika (Vaiśvāmitra line)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.10.11, RV 1.11.1
Family tradition
A tradition emphasizing the efficacy of mantra (giraḥ) as a living force that can ‘increase’ the god-power within the sacrificer.
Significance
The seer shows a psychology of invocation: surrounding the illumined power with mantric atmosphere so that growth becomes orderly, welcomed, and joyful.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Girvaṇa (delighting in chant), Vṛddhāyu (of enlarged life)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Sarasvatī (speech-current)
Cosmic role
Receives and answers the hymns; stabilizes expansion; turns growth into victorious harmony.
Inner power
The responsive illumination that accepts the seeker’s right movements and makes them agreeable, integrated, and fruitful.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti around Soma offerings; supportive verse for establishing the stotra as an encompassing call.
परि॑ त्वा गिर्वणो॒ गिर॑ इ॒मा भ॑वन्तु वि॒श्वत॑: । वृ॒द्धायु॒मनु॒ वृद्ध॑यो॒ जुष्टा॑ भवन्तु॒ जुष्ट॑यः ॥
परि॑ । त्वा॒ । गि॒र्व॒णः॒ । गिरः॑ । इ॒माः । भ॒व॒न्तु॒ । वि॒श्वतः॑ । वृ॒द्धऽआ॑युम् । अनु॑ । वृद्ध॑यः । जुष्टाः॑ । भ॒व॒न्तु॒ । जुष्ट॑यः ॥
pari | tvā | girvaṇaḥ | giraḥ | imāḥ | bhavantu | viśvataḥ | vṛddha-āyum | anu | vṛddhayaḥ | juṣṭāḥ | bhavantu | juṣṭayaḥ
24
3 x 8 syllables
Circular and enclosing; the cadence naturally supports the ‘pari…viśvataḥ’ sense of encirclement.
Produces a felt ‘protective ring’ of sound; steadies attention and invites a responsive clarity.
- गिर्वणः (girvaṇaḥ)
- Literal: delighting in hymns. Symbolic: The power that responds to true vibration; consciousness that ‘feeds’ on inspired speech
- गिरः (giraḥ)
- Literal: words/hymns. Symbolic: Mantric formulations that build a protective circle and call down force
- परि (pari)
- Literal: around. Symbolic: All-sided completeness; integral offering of the being
- विश्वतः (viśvataḥ)
- Literal: from every side. Symbolic: Totality of the nature participating—mind, life, body
- वृद्धायुम् (vṛddhāyum)
- Literal: of enlarged life. Symbolic: Widened consciousness-force; expansive prāṇa in truth
- वृद्धयः (vṛddhayaḥ)
- Literal: growths, increases. Symbolic: Stages of inner development (clarity, courage, steadiness)
- जुष्टा (juṣṭā) / जुष्टयः (juṣṭayaḥ)
- Literal: pleasing, accepted; enjoyments. Symbolic: Harmonized movements that consent to the divine order (R̥ta)
Stotra-like verse for Indra’s satisfaction with praise; used to ‘encircle’ Indra with hymns during Soma offerings, ensuring divine acceptance (juṣṭa) of the rite.
During Indra-focused recitations where the efficacy of hymn and acceptance by the deity are emphasized.
Chant as a surrounding praise; symbolically ‘encircle’ the intention before offering/decision.
Use as a prelude before study, speech, or teaching: to align expression with truth and to ask that one’s growth be ‘accepted’—i.e., integrated rather than ego-driven.
girvaṇas: from gír ‘song’ + √van ‘to like, win, desire’ → ‘one who delights in hymns’. √vṛdh ‘to grow, increase’ (vṛddha, vṛddhayaḥ) marks the principle of augmentation—psychologically the widening of being. √juṣ ‘to enjoy, favour, accept’ indicates a mutual consent between human aspiration and divine power; in inner sense, experiences become ‘assimilable’ and harmonious under ṛta.
Ṛta as harmony/consent (juṣ) between powers, Growth (vṛddhi) as spiritual increase rather than mere prosperity
juṣṭa/juṣṭi implies consent and fit—growths that accord with R̥ta rather than conflict.
giraḥ become effective when they are satya—truth-bearing vibrations that can ‘surround’ the power.
Expansion (vṛddhi) as a law of conscious evolution under illumination.
Integral/psychological Veda: mantra as formative consciousness-force.
Encirclement = protective completeness of practice; growth = unfolding of faculties under a widened life-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘encompassing the god by hymn’ (gíraḥ pári tvā): speech is not ornament but a force-field that draws and holds the deity’s presence. The requested ‘juṣṭi’ is the divine consent that makes growth lawful under ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ is Indo-Iranian and widely IE in concept (growth vocabulary central to IE poetics of increase/blessing). √juṣ has parallels in Iranian for enjoyment/acceptance semantics (shared ritual idiom of divine ‘favouring’ the offering). The verse uses iterative semantic pairing (vṛddhāyum / vṛddhayaḥ; juṣṭā / juṣṭayaḥ) typical of Vedic ring-composition.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers ‘gíraḥ’ as an enclosing power; Indra, as girvaṇas, is naturally responsive to that medium. The reciprocity culminates in juṣṭi: the deity’s enjoyment/acceptance transforms human ‘growths’ into stable, harmonised attainments rather than chaotic expansion.
Create an all-sided mantric envelope; let growth become harmonious and consenting rather than strained.
viśuddha (speech-truth) with ājñā (illumined guidance)
Soft ujjāyī or 4-6 breathing; feel sound ‘surround’ the head and heart on exhale.
Collected, protected, harmonized; receptive to guidance.
Chant 3–9 times, imagining the mantra forming a luminous circle around you; then ask inwardly that today’s growth be ‘juṣṭa’—accepted by the deepest truth in you.
Follow Śākala svara marks; maintain clear udātta rises on emphasized nouns (gírvaṇaḥ, gíraḥ) as indicated in recitation tradition.
Keep ‘pari tvā’ smoothly linked; give ‘viśvataḥ’ a gentle expansive feel without rushing.
girvaṇaḥ: hard ‘ṇ’ retroflex; final ḥ light, viśvataḥ: ś palatal; keep three syllables vi-śva-taḥ, vṛddhāyum: vocalic ṛ; double ddh articulated, juṣṭā/juṣṭayaḥ: ṣ retroflex; keep ‘juṣ’ crisp
Even, enclosing, soothing resonance; avoid sharp attack.
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