Rig Veda 1.162.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 162, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.162
- Rishi
- Traditional: Dīrghatamas Aucathya
- Devata
- Sacrificial animal in Aśvamedha frame
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यन्निर्णिजा रेक्णसा प्रावृतस्य रातिं गृभीतां मुखतो नयन्ति । सुप्राङजो मेम्यद्विश्वरूप इन्द्रापूष्णोः प्रियमप्येति पाथः ॥
yán nirṇíjā rékṇasā prā́vṛtasya rātíṃ gṛbhītā́ṃ mukható náyanti | su-prā́ṅ ajó mémyad viśvá-rūpa indrāpū́ṣṇoḥ priyám ápy eti pā́thaḥ ||
जब कपड़ा ओढ़ के उस दान को आगे ले जाते हैं, मुँह से शुरू करके, तब बकरी आगे बढ़ती है, सब तरह की शकल वाली। वो इंद्र और पुषण के प्यारे रास्ते पर पहुँचती है। जीवन की शक्ति सही रास्ते पे चलती है।
Word by Word
- यत्
- which/thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध/विशेषण (यत्-सम्बन्धः)Root यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- निर्णिजा
- with a covering/garmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot निर्णिज्/निर्णिजा (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘आवरण/वस्त्र/आच्छादन’)
- रेक्णसा
- with wealth/treasureNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot रेक्णस् (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक; ‘धन/सम्पत्ति’)
- प्रावृतस्य
- of the covered/veiled (one)Adjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root प्र-√वृ (वृञ् वरणे) → प्रावृत (कृदन्त ‘आवृत/आच्छन्न’)
- रातिम्
- the gift/portionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot राति (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘दान/भेट/उपहार’)
- गृभीताम्
- taken/receivedAdjective (participle)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रातिम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot √ग्रह् (ग्रहणे) → गृभीत (भूतकृदन्त)
- मुखतः
- from the mouth/frontIndeclinable (ablatival adverb)पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (मुख-तस्)Role अपादान (स्रोतः/स्थान-निर्देशः)Root मुख (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- नयन्ति
- they lead/bringVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √नी (नयने)
- सुप्राङ्जः
- well-directed/with good forward (movement)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (मेम्यत् इत्यस्य)Root सु- + प्राञ्ज्/प्राञ्च् (विशेषण; ‘forward/turned forward’)
- मेम्यत्
- bleating/lowingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (सुप्राङ्जः)Root √मि/√म्य (ध्वनौ/गर्जने; वैदिक ‘मेम्य’ = ‘to bleat/low’)
- विश्व-रूपः
- of all forms/variegatedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (मेम्यत् इत्यस्य) / विशेषणRoot विश्व + रूप (समास; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-भाव ‘all-formed/varied-formed’)
- इन्द्रापूष्णोः
- of Indra and PūṣanNoun (dual genitive)षष्ठी, द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इन्द्र + पूषन् (द्वन्द्व/समाहार; द्वयोः षष्ठी द्विवचन)
- प्रियम्
- the dear (thing)/favouriteAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रिय (विशेषण; ‘dear/pleasing’)
- अपि
- also/indeedIndeclinableनिपातRole सम्बन्ध/उपपद-बलRoot अपि (निपात)
- एति
- goes/comesVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √इ (गत्यर्थ)
- पाथः
- the path/wayNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (एति इत्यस्य)Root पाथस् (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक; ‘पथ/मार्ग’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): यन्निर्णिजा → यत् + निर्णिजा
- रेक्णसा प्रावृतस्य → रेक्णसा + प्रावृतस्य (no further split)
- रातिं गृभीतां → रातिम् + गृभीताम्
- मुखतो नयन्ति → मुखतः + नयन्ति
- सुप्राङजो → सुप्राङ्जः
- इन्द्रापूष्णोः → इन्द्र + पूष्णोः (gen. dual of the dvandva ‘इन्द्रापूष्णौ’)
- प्रियमप्येति → प्रियम् + अपि + एति. Accent marks are retained as in the saṃhitā text
- pada-forms here are given in normalized (unsandhied) shapes
The meaning
Outer meaning
When, covered with garment and wealth, they lead the seized offering forward from the mouth, then the forward-moving goat, bleating, of all forms, goes to the beloved path of Indra and Pūṣan.
Inner meaning
In the inner Aśvamedha, the ‘offering’ is a portion of our life-energy and substance (rekṇasā: riches, capacities) wrapped in form (nirṇijā: garment/covering—outer personality). It is ‘seized’ (gṛbhītā) because the yogic will takes hold of the raw impulse and brings it forward to be consecrated at the ‘mouth’—the opening of expression and intake, symbol of speech and prāṇic channel. The goat (aja) is a secondary vital formation—restless, many-formed (viśvarūpa), bleating (memyat) like the noisy vital—yet it is led ‘forward’ (suprāṅ) onto the beloved path of Indra-Pūṣan: illumination (Indra) and right guidance/nourishment (Pūṣan) convert the chaotic vital into a directed movement. The mantra encodes the discipline of taking life’s energies, clothing them in right form, and guiding them into the path where light and right leading prevail.
Universal truth
Transformation requires taking hold of our impulses and leading them—through right expression and guidance—toward an illumined path. Even the noisy, many-formed vital can be redirected into a beloved way when governed by clarity and right leading.
Themes
Ritual procession, Inner guidance, Consecration, Life-force offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Aucathya (traditional)
- Lineage
- Aucathya
- Other hymns
- RV 1.162.1, RV 1.163
Family tradition
Interprets sacrificial procession as inner processions of energies and sheaths.
Significance
Shows how the ‘many-formed’ vital is brought under Indra’s illumination and Pūṣan’s guidance—key to integral transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Pūṣan (guides) within Aśvamedha offering symbolism
- Epithets
- Indra: vṛtrahan, maghavan (implied), Pūṣan: pathas-kṛt (path-maker), gopā (guardian)
- Related deities
- Agni, Aśvins, Soma, Tvaṣṭṛ
Cosmic role
Indra opens the light and conquers obstruction; Pūṣan leads on safe paths and nourishes the journey.
Inner power
Indra = discriminating illumination that directs force; Pūṣan = steady guidance, right instinct, and nourishment that keeps progress continuous.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvamedha ancillary offerings/procession (goat and other victims in the complex)
यन्नि॒र्णिजा॒ रेक्ण॑सा॒ प्रावृ॑तस्य रा॒तिं गृ॑भी॒तां मु॑ख॒तो नय॑न्ति । सुप्रा॑ङ॒जो मेम्य॑द्वि॒श्वरू॑प इन्द्रापू॒ष्णोः प्रि॒यमप्ये॑ति॒ पाथ॑: ॥
यत् । निः॒ऽनिजा॑ । रेक्ण॑सा । प्रावृ॑तस्य । रा॒तिम् । गृ॒भी॒ताम् । मु॒ख॒तः । नय॑न्ति । सुऽप्रा॑ङ् । अ॒जः । मेम्य॑त् । वि॒श्वऽरू॑पः । इ॒न्द्रा॒पू॒ष्णोः । प्रि॒यम् । अपि॑ । ए॒ति॒ । पाथः॑ ॥
yat | niḥ-nijā | rekṇasā | prāvṛtasya | rātim | gṛbhītām | mukhataḥ | nayanti | su-prāṅ | ajaḥ | memyat | viśva-rūpaḥ | indrāpūṣṇoḥ | priyam | api | eti | pāthaḥ
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4×11; first half descriptive of leading, second half of arrival on path
Processional rhythm; a ‘carrying forward’ feel, then a settling cadence on ‘pāthaḥ’.
Supports guided movement in meditation—taking hold, bringing forward, and placing on the right path.
- nirṇijā
- Literal: garment/covering. Symbolic: outer formation/personality-cover; the sheath that wraps energy
- rekṇasā
- Literal: wealth, riches. Symbolic: inner resources and capacities; accumulated force/substance
- prāvṛtasya
- Literal: covered. Symbolic: energy veiled by form/ego-habit; not yet transparent
- rātim
- Literal: gift/offering. Symbolic: portion of being offered into the inner sacrifice
- gṛbhītām
- Literal: seized, grasped. Symbolic: disciplined taking-hold by will; conscious control of impulse
- mukhataḥ
- Literal: from the mouth/front. Symbolic: through speech/breath-channel; the gate of expression and intake
- suprāṅ
- Literal: forward-going. Symbolic: progressive movement; aspiration-led energy
- ajaḥ
- Literal: goat. Symbolic: vital formation/impulse, often restless; a movable life-energy
- memyat
- Literal: bleating. Symbolic: noise of the vital; reactive desire-voice
- viśvarūpaḥ
- Literal: all-formed. Symbolic: vital’s many shapes—desires, moods, impulses
- indrāpūṣṇoḥ
- Literal: of Indra and Pūṣan. Symbolic: illumined mind + right guidance/nourishment
- priyam ... pāthaḥ
- Literal: beloved path. Symbolic: the agreeable right way when energy is harmonised with truth
Processional leading of offering/animal; Indra-Pūṣan invoked for safe and auspicious passage (pāthaḥ).
During the ritual sequence of leading offerings/animals and reciting associated verses.
Procession/leading forward; consecration through mantra.
As a practice verse for redirecting reactive desire: grasp the impulse, bring it to conscious ‘speech/breath,’ and lead it onto a deliberate path guided by clarity and right nourishment.
rekṇa ‘wealth’ from √ric/√rek? (semantic field of possession/treasure). pra-√vṛ ‘cover’ (PIE *wel- ‘cover’). aja- ‘goat’ is common IE pastoral term (cf. Lat. haedus? not direct; but Indo-Iranian aja-). pathaḥ ‘path’ from PIE *pent(h)- ‘path’ (cf. Gk. póntos ‘sea’ as ‘way’, Eng. find?). Indra-Pūṣan dyad: force and nourishment guiding the movement.
Offering as inner surrender (rāti), Guidance by illumined force and nourishment (Indra-Pūṣan), Transformation of multiform life (viśva-rūpa)
The ‘beloved path’ is the ṛta-path—right movement of energies.
Taking the offering ‘from the mouth’ hints at satya-vāc: truthful expression that purifies prāṇa.
Shaping raw life-substance into a form that can travel the divine path.
Integral yoga psychology: conversion of vital impulses by illumined mind and guiding intuition.
Goat = restless vital; garment = sheath/ego-cover; path = trajectory of consciousness under guidance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The led offering/animal moving onto the ‘beloved path’ of Indra-Pūṣan: a guided transition of life-energy into the divine way. Inner sense: the multiform vital nature (viśva-rūpa) is taken from the ‘mouth’ (front of expression) and directed forward under higher guidance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pathaḥ reflects PIE ‘path’ vocabulary; the dense preverb usage (pra-, nir-, api-) shows inherited directional-aspectual structuring. The dyadic deity invocation (Indra-Pūṣan) is a typical archaic formula for complementary functions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet relies on Indra-Pūṣan as inner leaders: Indra supplies victorious force, Pūṣan supplies right nourishment and safe guidance. The offering is not mere external animal but a surrendered movement of life guided into divine order.
Observe an impulse as it arises (‘bleating goat’). Without suppression, ‘grasp’ it with will and lead it into conscious breath and speech, then redirect toward a chosen dharmic action.
Maṇipūra (impulse/drive) guided toward Viśuddha (purified expression) and Ājñā (direction).
Exhale-lengthening (inhale 4, exhale 6–8) while naming the impulse; then set intention on inhale.
From reactive multiplicity to directed, illumined movement.
Do not moralise the vital’s noise; convert it. Name it, hold it, offer it, and guide it—Indra for clarity, Pūṣan for steady steps.
Triṣṭubh; maintain forward momentum through the long first pāda; soften slightly on ‘priyam ... pāthaḥ’ to mark arrival.
Stress the action-verbs (nayanti, eti) and the directional ‘suprāṅ’; give clear emphasis to ‘indrāpūṣṇoḥ’.
nirṇijā: retroflex ṇ; long ī/ā as applicable by recitation, rekṇasā: retroflex ṇ; long ā, prāvṛtasya: long ā; ṛ, gṛbhītām: aspirate bh; long ī, mukhato: kh aspirated, suprāṅ: nasal ṅ at end, viśvarūpaḥ: ś; long ū, pāthaḥ: long ā; visarga audible
Guiding, steady, slightly directive; avoid harshness—this is ‘leading,’ not forcing.
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