Rig Veda 10.107.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 107, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.107
- Devata
- Dakṣiṇā
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
दक्षिणावान्प्रथमो हूत एति दक्षिणावान्ग्रामणीरग्रमेति । तमेव मन्ये नृपतिं जनानां यः प्रथमो दक्षिणामाविवाय ॥
dákṣiṇāvān prathamó hūtá étí dákṣiṇāvān grāmaṇī́r ágram etí | tám evá manye nṛpátiṃ jánānāṃ yáḥ prathamó dákṣiṇām āvivā́ya ||
जो दान करता है, वो बुलाए जाने पर सबसे पहले आता है। वो आगे बढ़ता है और सबसे बड़ा लीडर बनता है। मैं उसी को असली राजा मानता हूँ जो पहले दान शुरू किया।
Word by Word
- दक्षिणावान्
- possessing a dakṣiṇā (gift/fee), liberalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot दक्षिणा-वन् (प्रातिपदिक) < दक्षिणा
- प्रथमः
- firstAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- हूतः
- invoked, calledParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot √ह्वा (आह्वाने) → हूत (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त/क्त)
- एति
- goes, comesVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √इ (गत्यर्थे)
- दक्षिणावान्
- possessing dakṣiṇā, generousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot दक्षिणा-वन् (प्रातिपदिक) < दक्षिणा
- ग्रामणीः
- village-leader, troop-leaderNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot ग्रामणी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्रे
- in front, at the headIndeclinable (locative used adverbially)सप्तमी एकवचन (अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः), अव्ययवत्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- एति
- goesVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √इ (गत्यर्थे)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एव
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययRoot एव (निपात)
- मन्ये
- I think, I considerVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √मन् (मन्यते/ज्ञाने-मतौ)
- नृपतिम्
- lord of men, kingNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot नृपति (प्रातिपदिक) = नृ + पति
- जनानाम्
- of the peopleNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Śeṣa (genitive relation)Root जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रथमः
- firstAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- दक्षिणाम्
- dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gift/fee)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- आविवाय
- has dispensed/apportioned (the gift)Verbलिट् (परोक्षे), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot आ + √वा/√वे (वायति/विवाय; ‘to blow’ → in RV also ‘to winnow/dispense, to apportion’)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: दक्षि॑णावान्प्रथ॒मो हू॒त ए॑ति॒ दक्षि॑णावान्ग्राम॒णीरग्र॑मेति । तमे॒व म॑न्ये नृ॒पतिं॒ जना॑नां॒ यः प्र॑थ॒मो दक्षि॑णामावि॒वाय॑ ॥ पद-विभागः (सन्धि-विच्छेद): 1) दक्षि॑णावान् + प्रथमः (न् + प → न्प् लेख्यरूपे ‘वान्प्र’) 2) हूतः + एति (विसर्ग-लोपः/संधिः: हूत एति) 3) दक्षि॑णावान् + ग्रामणीः (न् + ग → ङ्ग लेख्यरूपे ‘वान्ग्रा’) 4) ग्रामणीः + अग्रे (दीर्घ/विसर्ग-न; ‘ग्रामणीरग्रे’ = ग्रामणीः अग्रे) 5) अग्रे + एति (अग्रेति = अग्रे एति) 6) तम् + एव (तमेव) 7) दक्षिणाम् + आविवाय (दक्षिणामाविवाय = दक्षिणाम् आविवाय) स्वर-चिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) संहिता-पाठानुसार
- पद-तालिकायां मूलरूप (अचिह्नित) दत्तम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The man filled with Dakṣiṇā goes first when invoked; filled with Dakṣiṇā, the leader of the clan goes to the front. Him I deem the true lord of peoples, who first set Dakṣiṇā in motion.
Inner meaning
Dakṣiṇā here is the inner rightness that makes one naturally the first responder to the divine call (hūta). Such a person becomes grāmaṇī—leader of the inner community of powers (thoughts, emotions, impulses) because right giving harmonizes them. True sovereignty (nṛpati) is not domination but precedence in sacrifice: the one who first initiates consecrated giving sets the whole movement of transformation in motion. Leadership is a spiritual function: to be first in surrender, first in generosity, first in right discernment.
Universal truth
Authentic leadership arises from inner integrity and self-giving; whoever first embodies right exchange with the higher truth becomes a natural guide for others.
Themes
Dakṣiṇā (consecrated giving), Inner leadership, Ṛta/ethical order, Spiritual wealth (rayi) as right distribution of force
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.107.1, Rig Veda 10.107.2, Rig Veda 10.107.3, Rig Veda 10.107.4, Rig Veda 10.107.6
Significance
The seer reframes kingship as spiritual precedence: the ‘first’ is the one who initiates right giving—an inner archetype of leadership for the sādhaka.
The deity
- Devata
- Dakṣiṇā (personified power of consecrated right giving)
- Epithets
- dakṣiṇāvān (possessing Dakṣiṇā), prathama (the first/foremost through Dakṣiṇā)
- Related deities
- Indra (leadership through illumination), Agni (first priest/leader of sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Creates rightful hierarchy in the sacrifice: establishes who leads by alignment with ṛta and generosity.
Inner power
Gives initiative, moral authority, and organizing mastery over the inner nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dakṣiṇā praise affirming the primacy of the right giver in the rite/community
दक्षि॑णावान्प्रथ॒मो हू॒त ए॑ति॒ दक्षि॑णावान्ग्राम॒णीरग्र॑मेति । तमे॒व म॑न्ये नृ॒पतिं॒ जना॑नां॒ यः प्र॑थ॒मो दक्षि॑णामावि॒वाय॑ ॥
दक्षि॑णाऽवान् । प्र॒थ॒मः । हू॒तः । ए॒ति॒ । दक्षि॑णाऽवान् । ग्रा॒म॒ऽनीः । अग्र॑म् । ए॒ति॒ । तम् । ए॒व । म॒न्ये॒ । नृ॒ऽपति॑म् । जना॑नाम् । यः । प्र॒थ॒मः । दक्षि॑णाम् । आ॒ऽवि॒वाय॑ ॥
dakṣiṇāvān | prathamaḥ | hūtaḥ | eti | dakṣiṇāvān | grāma-nīḥ | agram | eti | tam | eva | manye | nṛ-patim | janānām | yaḥ | prathamaḥ | dakṣiṇām | āvivāya
44
4×11 (approx.)
March-like forward drive; repeated ‘dakṣiṇāvān’ creates emphasis and leadership cadence.
Energizes initiative and confidence; supports taking the ‘first step’ inwardly.
- हूतः (hūtaḥ)
- Literal: invoked/called. Symbolic: the divine summons within; the call of Agni/Truth to act
- प्रथमः (prathamaḥ)
- Literal: first. Symbolic: precedence in surrender; initiator of the inner movement
- ग्रामणीः (grāmaṇīḥ)
- Literal: village/clan leader. Symbolic: leader of the inner collectivity of faculties; organizer of the psychological ‘clan’
- अग्रम् एति (agram eti)
- Literal: goes to the front. Symbolic: advances in consciousness; takes the foremost step in the yoga
- नृपतिम् (nṛpatim)
- Literal: lord of men. Symbolic: sovereign of the being—mastery through rightness, not ego
- आविवाय (āvivāya)
- Literal: set in motion/caused to go forth. Symbolic: established the action of Dakṣiṇā as a living force in life
Dakṣiṇā-hymn context: recitation associated with priestly fee/offering (dakṣiṇā) distributions in Soma rites (general Soma-yajña milieu; specific śrauta mapping depends on śākhā/prayoga).
When honoring the one who initiates giving or leads the rite; as a stuti of exemplary donor/adhvaryu patron.
Public affirmation of right leadership; consecration of precedence to the one aligned with dakṣiṇā.
Leadership mantra for service roles: chant before guiding a group, teaching, or making a difficult ethical decision—commit to ‘first in giving’.
Key terms: (1) dákṣiṇā ‘right-hand; skill; auspicious offering’ from dakṣ- ‘be able, be strong, be competent’ (cf. dakṣá ‘skill, power’). Hence symbolic sense: effective discernment and right distribution of force. (2) grāmaṇī́: grāma ‘host, troop, community’ + nī ‘to lead’ → ‘leader of the host’; psychologically, the coordinating leadership among faculties. (3) nṛpáti: nṛ ‘man, vital-mental person’ + pati ‘lord’ (√pā ‘protect, govern’) → master-governor of human energies. (4) ā-vivāya: reduplicated perfect from √vā/√vī? In Vedic usage ā + √vī/√vāy ‘to set in motion, to impel/bring forward’; here ‘he first impelled/initiated Dakṣiṇā’—the inaugural establishment of right giving/rightness.
Ṛta (right order expressed through right giving and right leadership), Reciprocity between human aspiration and divine powers (yajña-exchange), Inner kingship (nṛpati) as governance of the faculties
The front position belongs to the one in ṛta—right giving establishes right order in the collective.
True lordship is truth-based authority arising from integrity.
The first movement (prathama) initiates a chain of manifestation—here, the chain is ethical-spiritual transformation via giving.
Integral-psychological: mastery of nature through consecration; leadership as yogic function.
Going ‘to the front’ symbolizes the will’s ascent and the mind’s readiness to answer the divine call before inertia intervenes.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The enthronement of Dakṣiṇā as a sovereign power: the one who first ‘sets Dakṣiṇā in motion’ becomes nṛpati and grāmaṇī—mythically the founder of right order through consecrated giving; psychologically the establishment of a governing principle of right discernment and right distribution of energies.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- páti- ‘lord’ continues PIE *pótis (cf. Greek πόσις, Latin potis/possessive formations). nṛ- ‘man/hero’ aligns with Indo-Iranian *nar- (Avestan nar-). The leadership compound grāma-nī́ uses √nī ‘lead’ from PIE *neyh₁- ‘to lead’ (cf. Latin ducere is different root; but English ‘nigh’ not relevant—better cognate: Greek νέω ‘to go’ is separate; Sanskrit √nī has clear Indo-Iranian continuity). dakṣ- ‘be able’ reflects an inherited competence/skill semantic field; the ‘right-hand/skill’ extension is characteristically Indo-Iranian in ritual-ethical usage.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer recognizes a law of inner reciprocity: invoking and embodying Dakṣiṇā (right giving/rightness) makes one a true leader—because the Devatā is not merely paid outwardly but installed inwardly as a governing power. The ‘first’ is not temporal only: it is the primacy of right relation (Ṛta) that enables frontward movement and protection of the inner ‘peoples’ (faculties).
Become ‘first’ in surrender: when the inner call arises, respond immediately with an offering of will and action.
manipura (initiative) and ajna (right discernment)
3 rounds of bhastrikā-light (if suitable), then steady breathing while repeating the first pāda mentally
Decisive, forward-moving, centered authority.
Identify one habitual delay/avoidance. Chant once, then perform one small immediate action that embodies dakṣiṇā (help, apology, truthful step).
Needs RV svara text for precision; maintain a strong triṣṭubh beat; slight lift on repeated ‘dakṣiṇāvān’.
Pause lightly after ‘eti’; emphasize ‘prathamo’ and ‘agram’.
dakṣiṇāvān: retroflex ‘ṇ’; long ‘ā’, grāmaṇīḥ: long ‘ā’; retroflex ‘ṇ’, nṛpatiṃ: retroflex ‘ṛ’; nasal ‘ṃ’ at end, āvivāya: keep ‘vi’ clear; long ‘ā’ endings sustained
steady, leader-like, resonant in the chest
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