Rig Veda 1.121.6: Mandala 1, Sukta 121, Mantra 6
Sukta 1.121
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Indra-Soma complex
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अध प्र जज्ञे तरणिर्ममत्तु प्र रोच्यस्या उषसो न सूरः । इन्दुर्येभिराष्ट स्वेदुहव्यैः स्रुवेण सिञ्चञ्जरणाभि धाम ॥
ádha prá jajñe taráṇir mamattu prá rocy asyā́ uṣáso na sú̄raḥ | índur yébhir ā́ṣṭa sva-idúhavyaiḥ sruvéṇa síñcan jaráṇā abhi dhā́ma ||
फिर वो शक्ति पैदा होती है जो हमें पार ले जाती है। वो अपनी ताकत से मस्त हो जाती है। वो चमकती है जैसे सूरज सुबह चमकता है। सोम रस उन हवनों के साथ आता है जो खुद आकर्षित होते हैं। चम्मच से डालके वो जगह को भिगोता है जहाँ स्थिति बनती है।
Word by Word
- अध
- then, nowIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/क्रम-सूचक)Root अध (अव्यय)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- जज्ञे
- was born, has arisenVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √जन् (जनि)
- तरणिः
- the crosser/savior (one who carries across)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तरणि- (प्रातिपदिक; √तॄ/√तॄण् ‘to cross’ से)
- ममत्तु
- let (him) rejoice/be exhilaratedVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √मद् (मद्)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- रोचि
- let (him/it) shineVerbलोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √रुच् (रुच्)
- अस्याः
- of herPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसः
- of DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root उषस्-
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-सूचक अव्ययRoot न (अव्यय)
- सूरः
- the sun (or: a hero/bright one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सूर-
- इन्दुः
- Soma-drop, the bright SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्दु-
- येभिः
- with which (ones)Pronounपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- राष्ट
- rules, reignsVerbलट् (वैदिक छन्दसि रूप), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √राज् (राज्) / वैदिक रूप ‘राष्ट’ = ‘राजत्/राजति’
- स्वेदुहव्यैः
- with (those) having good/own oblations (well-invoked offerings)Adjectiveपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्वेदुहव्य- (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘स्वे’ + ‘दुहव्य’)
- स्रुवेण
- with the ladleNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्रुव-
- सिञ्चन्
- pouringVerbवर्तमाने कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Kartā (सह-क्रिया)Root √सिच् (सिच्)
- जरणाभिः
- with (his) songs/celebrations (praises)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot जरणा-
- धाम
- abode, station; (also) splendorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धामन्-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): अध | प्र | जज्ञे | तरणिः | ममत्तु | प्र | रोचि | अस्याः | उषसः | न | सूरः || इन्दुः | येभिः | राष्ट | स्वेदुहव्यैः | स्रुवेण | सिञ्चन् | जरणाभिः | धाम । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) रोच्यस्या → रोचि + अस्याः (इ + अ → य्, छन्दसि संधि) । (2) इन्दुर्येभिः → इन्दुः + येभिः (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व-प्रभावः, य्-आदेशः) । (3) सिञ्चञ्जरणाभिः → सिञ्चन् + जरणाभिः (न् + ज → ञ्ज्) । (4) जरणाभि धाम → जरणाभिः + धाम (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धि-प्रयोगः; पदपाठे ‘जरणाभिः धाम’) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Then the power that carries across is born and grows exhilarated; it shines like the Sun on the Dawn. The Soma (Indu), with self-drawing offerings, poured with the ladle, drenches the established seats.
Inner meaning
After the breakthrough, the ‘taraṇi’—the crossing power (that ferries the being beyond limitation)—is born in the sadhana and is encouraged to intensify in its own might (mamattu). It shines as the inner Sun upon Dawn: illumination stabilizes and becomes active. Soma (Indu), the bliss-substance, through offerings that ‘draw of themselves’ (sv-edu-havyaiḥ: spontaneous self-offerings of the awakened nature), is poured into the being and saturates the fixed seats (dhāma) of consciousness—transforming habitual structures by blissful infusion.
Universal truth
Transformation is secured when illumination is not momentary but is born as a stable crossing-power, and when bliss (soma) permeates the established layers of the personality, re-patterning the very seats of habit.
Themes
Soma as delight-power, Emergence of saving force, Consecration by pouring
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.121
Family tradition
Aṅgirasa yoga: from kindled aspiration to released light, then to stable birth of a new power in the being.
Significance
Kutsa here maps a yogic sequence: birth of crossing-force, illumination like sun-on-dawn, and Soma-bliss saturating the structures of consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Soma (Indu) complex
- Epithets
- indu (bright drop), sūra (sun-like, imagery), taraṇi (crosser power)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Indra
Cosmic role
Soma as bliss-nourisher; Indra as the victorious force that is born/strengthened by Soma and shines as illumination.
Inner power
Bliss-infused dynamism that both illumines and permeates the being, enabling stable passage beyond limitation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma libation: Indu poured with sruva; strengthening Indraic victory and illumination.
अध॒ प्र ज॑ज्ञे त॒रणि॑र्ममत्तु॒ प्र रो॑च्य॒स्या उ॒षसो॒ न सूर॑: । इन्दु॒र्येभि॒राष्ट॒ स्वेदु॑हव्यैः स्रु॒वेण॑ सि॒ञ्चञ्ज॒रणा॒भि धाम॑ ॥
अध॑ । प्र । ज॒ज्ञे॒ । त॒रणिः॑ । म॒म॒त्तु॒ । प्र । रो॒चि॒ । अ॒स्याः । उ॒षसः॑ । न । सूरः॑ । इन्दुः॑ । येभिः॑ । आष्ट॑ । स्वऽइदु॑हव्यैः । स्रु॒वेण॑ । सि॒ञ्चन् । ज॒रणा॑ । अ॒भि । धाम॑ ॥
adha | pra | jajñe | taraṇiḥ | mamattu | pra | roci | asyāḥ | uṣasaḥ | na | sūraḥ | induḥ | yebhiḥ | āṣṭa | sva-iduhavyaiḥ | sruveṇa | siñcan | jaraṇā | abhi | dhāma
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4×11
Rising-and-spreading movement: birth → shining → pouring → saturation; smooth propulsion with a flooding finish.
Induces uplift followed by a sense of pervasion; helpful for moving from effort to a more spontaneous flow.
- तरणिः (taraṇiḥ)
- Literal: crosser, ferrying power. Symbolic: force of transition beyond limitation; victorious progress
- ममत्तु (mamattu)
- Literal: let it be exhilarated/intoxicated. Symbolic: let the power intensify in its own spiritual joy and force
- उषसः (uṣasaḥ)
- Literal: dawn. Symbolic: awakening illumination
- सूरः (sūraḥ)
- Literal: sun. Symbolic: inner sun of consciousness; decisive illumination
- इन्दुः (induḥ)
- Literal: Soma drop. Symbolic: divine bliss-substance that empowers and sweetens transformation
- स्वेदुहव्यैः (sveduhavyaiḥ)
- Literal: with self-drawing offerings. Symbolic: spontaneous self-giving movements of the nature aligned to truth
- स्रुवेण (sruveṇa)
- Literal: with the ladle. Symbolic: guided distribution—conscious channeling of bliss/force
- धाम (dhāma)
- Literal: seat, abode. Symbolic: established formations/planes in the being to be permeated
Soma-pressing sequence imagery: Soma poured with sruva; inwardly, delight-essence saturates the dhāman-s (planes) to support Indra’s action
During Soma pressing/offerings, especially where Soma’s empowering and pervading action is emphasized.
Pouring (real or symbolic) while reciting; contemplation of Soma permeating the ‘dhāmas’.
Use in meditation to invite bliss to permeate the body-mind; suitable after asana/pranayama when the system is open.
taraṇí : from √tṛ ‘cross over’ (cf. ‘tāraṇa’). róc : √ruc ‘shine, be luminous’. índu : ‘bright drop’ from √ind ‘to kindle/brighten’ (traditional). √sic ‘pour’ gives siñcan; dhā́man from √dhā ‘to place’ → ‘seat/established domain’.
Birth of the crossing power (tṛ), Illumination (ruc, sūrya), Consecration of inner planes (dhāman)
Spontaneous offerings (sv-edu-havya) indicate a nature aligned to ṛta where right action becomes self-moved.
Illumination is stable when it ‘shines forth’ like sun on dawn—truth clarifies the awakening.
Birth of a new power within the worlds; pervasion as a creative act (soma saturating seats).
Integral yoga psychology: descent of ānanda to transform established formations.
dawn
Dawn = awakening; Sun = full illumination; Soma = bliss-substance; pouring = conscious distribution into layers of being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The birth of the ‘crosser’ (taraṇi) empowered by Soma: the divine force arises and shines like the sun upon dawn; Soma is poured to establish the god-force in the ‘abodes’ (dhāman). Mythically it is empowerment-before-battle; psychologically it is consecration of the being so it can cross beyond limitation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gen/√jan ‘be born’ (PIE *ǵenh₁-) and √ter ‘cross’ (PIE *terh₁-) are archaic IE action-roots central to heroic and soteriological diction. The preverb system (pra-, abhi-) is likewise a shared Indo-European poetic device for nuanced motion/aspect.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi participates by ‘pouring’ (outer ritual and inner will) so Soma can saturate the dhāman-s; the deity responds by manifesting the taraṇi-force and illumination. The relationship is cooperative: human aspiration provides channel; divine delight provides power and light.
Invite the ‘crossing power’ to be born; then let bliss permeate habitual layers of the being.
sahasrāra (descent of light/bliss) and svādhiṣṭhāna (soma/ānanda flow)
slow_meditative: inhale imagining dawn-light rising; exhale imagining Soma pouring down through the spine into body ‘seats’.
Luminous, flowing, pervaded by quiet bliss.
Chant once, then visualize a golden sun emerging in the forehead; on the next silent breath, feel cool nectar descending to the heart, navel, and limbs—‘drenching the dhāmas’.
Keep udātta prominence on key images (taráṇiḥ, róci, índuḥ) per śākhā accent; avoid monotone in the ‘pouring’ pādas.
Let ‘adha pra jajñe’ be articulated clearly (birth); slightly lengthen vowels on ‘pra roci’ to evoke shining; soften on ‘siñcan’ to evoke pouring.
adha: clear ‘dh’ aspiration, jajñe: palatal ‘jñ’ cluster (ja-jñe), not ‘gya’, uṣaso: ṣ retroflex; keep ‘u’ short, siñcan: palatal nasal ‘ñ’ before ‘c’
Luminous and fluid; gentle head resonance, as if ‘pouring’ sound.
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