Rig Veda 10.108.9: Mandala 10, Sukta 108, Mantra 9
Sukta 10.108
- Rishi
- Dialogic voice
- Devata
- Saramā
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Bibhatsa (revulsion)
एवा च त्वं सरम आजगन्थ प्रबाधिता सहसा दैव्येन । स्वसारं त्वा कृणवै मा पुनर्गा अप ते गवां सुभगे भजाम ॥
evā́ ca tváṃ sarama ājágántha prábādhitā sáhasā daívyena | svásāraṃ tvā kṛṇavai mā́ púnar gā́ ápa te gávāṃ subhage bhajāma ||
सरमा, तुम सच में आ गई हो, भगवान की ताकत से मजबूर हो के। मैं तुम्हे अपनी बहन बना लेता हूँ, अब वापस मत जाना। तुमसे हम अपना हिस्सा ले लेंगे गायों का, क्योंकि तुम खुश किस्मत हो।
Word by Word
- एवा
- thus, just soIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root एव
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक निपातRoot च
- त्वम्
- youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- सरमे
- O SaramāNoun (vocative name)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सरमा
- आजगन्थ
- you have comeVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श भूत); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot गम्
- प्रबाधिता
- pressed/urged on, impelledParticipleक्त (भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम् त्वम्/सरमे)Root प्र-बाध्
- सहसा
- by force, with mightNoun (instrumental used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत्)Role करणRoot सहस्
- दैव्येन
- by the divine (power/agency)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot दैव्य
- स्वसारम्
- (as) a sisterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्वसृ
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया; एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद्
- कृणवै
- let me make / I will makeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्गसदृश); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot कृ
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक निपात (प्रायः लोट्/विधि-सह)Root मा
- पुनः
- again, backIndeclinableअव्ययRoot पुनः
- गा
- goVerbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot गम्
- अप
- away, offIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अप
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- गवाम्
- of the cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot गो
- सुभगे
- O fortunate oneAdjective (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सुभग
- भजाम
- I apportion/shareVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot भज्
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved Vedic sandhi/pada-division: (1) एवा च त्वं सरम आजगन्थ = एवा + च + त्वम् + सरमे + आजगन्थ. (2) प्रबाधिता सहसा दैव्येन = प्रबाधिता + सहसा + दैव्येन. (3) स्वसारं त्वा कृणवै = स्वसारम् + त्वा + कृणवै. (4) मा पुनर्गा = मा + पुनः + गा (पुनर् + गा → पुनर्गा). (5) अप ते गवां = अप + ते + गवाम्. Accent marks in the prompt are noted but not re-marked per pada here
- forms are given in standard Devanagari after sandhi resolution
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Panis say: You have come, O Saramā, driven by divine force. We will make you our sister—do not go back. From you, fortunate one, we will take our share of the cows (rays).
Inner meaning
Falsehood tries seduction when intimidation fails. The Panis recognize the divine impulsion (daivya sahas) behind intuition’s arrival, yet attempt to co-opt it: ‘be our sister’—ally with the hoarding instinct, stay within the subconscient bargain, don’t return to Indra (illumined mind). They want to appropriate the rays through the very faculty meant to liberate them: to make intuition serve desire and concealment.
Universal truth
Ego and ignorance often attempt to recruit the soul’s own gifts—intuition, love, intelligence—into their service. The seeker must detect flattering offers and refuse any pact that prevents returning to the higher Light.
Themes
Panis’ attempted bribery, co-opting intuition, sharing claim over cows
The seer
- Rishi
- Dialogic voice (Panis addressing Saramā)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.108.1-11
Family tradition
Within the Saramā hymn, the Panis’ speech typifies the psychological tactics of the coverers: first denial, then bargaining and co-option.
Significance
A diagnostic verse: it reveals how resistance can mimic friendliness and attempt to ‘adopt’ the intuition so the seeker stops the ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Saramā (messenger faculty) with daivya sahas (divine force)
- Epithets
- Dūtī (messenger, by function), Path-finder (padavid, by function)
- Related deities
- Indra, Bṛhaspati, Aṅgirases
Cosmic role
Finds the hidden light and carries the message between planes (subconscient to illumined mind).
Inner power
Intuition that tracks truth unerringly when it obeys the divine impulsion rather than desire.
In ritual
Where it is used
Didactic: depicts temptation/bargaining with the discovering intuition after it finds the hidden light.
ए॒वा च॒ त्वं स॑रम आज॒गन्थ॒ प्रबा॑धिता॒ सह॑सा॒ दैव्ये॑न । स्वसा॑रं त्वा कृणवै॒ मा पुन॑र्गा॒ अप॑ ते॒ गवां॑ सुभगे भजाम ॥
ए॒व । च॒ । त्वम् । स॒र॒मे॒ । आ॒ऽज॒गन्थ॑ । प्रऽबा॑धिता । सह॑सा । दैव्ये॑न । स्वसा॑रम् । त्वा॒ । कृ॒ण॒वै॒ । मा । पुनः॑ । गाः॒ । अप॑ । ते॒ । गवा॑म् । सु॒ऽभ॒गे॒ । भ॒जा॒म॒ ॥
eva | ca | tvam | sarame | ājagantha | pra-bādhitā | sahasā | daivyena | svasāram | tvā | kṛṇavai | mā | punaḥ | gāḥ | apa | te | gavām | su-bhage | bhajāma
44
4 × ~11
persuasive, coaxing cadence with a soft ‘binding’ tone
helps the listener recognize seduction-patterns; chanting with awareness immunizes against inner flattery
- प्रबाधिता सहसा दैव्येन (prabādhitā sahasā daivyena)
- Literal: driven/impelled by divine force. Symbolic: intuition compelled by higher Shakti, not by desire
- स्वसारम् (svasāram)
- Literal: sister. Symbolic: false intimacy/complicity; making higher faculty serve lower nature
- मा पुनर्गाः (mā punar gāḥ)
- Literal: do not go back again. Symbolic: do not return to the illumined mind; do not report to the soul-force
- गवाम् (gavām)
- Literal: of the cows. Symbolic: of the rays/knowledges
- भजाम (bhajāma)
- Literal: we may share/divide. Symbolic: appropriation of light for egoistic use; partial, distorted enjoyment
Didactic: depicts temptation/bargaining with the discovering intuition after it finds the hidden light.
As a teaching verse in the dialogue; applicable where discernment against temptation is needed.
Recite and then pause: notice any inner voice offering ‘comfort’ at the price of truth.
Use when facing ‘spiritual compromise’: attractive options that reduce aspiration (e.g., quick fixes, egoic spirituality).
√bādh ‘press, drive’ (prabādhitā) indicates compulsion by higher power; √kṛ ‘make’ establishes alliance (‘sister’ as social-ritual bond); √bhaj ‘share’ shows the Panis’ attempt to bargain—psychologically, obstruction tries to co-opt intuition, offering kinship to keep it from returning to the divine allies.
temptation and alliance with falsehood, division of light (bhaj) vs rightful restitution
Ṛta demands forward movement to truth; Panis attempt to arrest movement (mā punar gāḥ).
Satya is fidelity to the divine impulsion, not emotional persuasion.
Evolutionary tension: higher faculty descends into lower layers and is tempted to remain captured.
Yoga-psychology of temptation and co-option of higher powers by lower nature.
‘Going back’ = returning to higher mind; ‘sisterhood’ = false alliance; ‘share of cows’ = ego taking light for itself.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The bribery/kinship offer: Panis attempt to bind Saramā as ‘sister’ so she will not return to Indra and the Aṅgirases. Inwardly, once intuition discovers the hidden light, the forces of ignorance try to appropriate it and negotiate a compromise.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam < PIE *gʷem-; √kṛ ‘make/do’ corresponds to PIE *kwer-/*ker- complex of making (broad IE workmanship semantics). The social term svásar ‘sister’ is clear PIE *swésōr (cf. Latin soror, English sister).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse exposes a critical inner dynamic: intuition (Saramā) must remain loyal to the divine impulsion (daivya sahas), not accept false kinship with the hoarding powers. The ‘rishi’ insight here is diagnostic—showing where the path can be diverted by compromise.
Spot the ‘friendly voice’ of compromise; reaffirm loyalty to the divine impulsion in intuition.
viśuddha (truth-speech)
pause after inhale (antara-kumbhaka) briefly to observe subtle suggestion before reacting
witness consciousness with discernment
When an inner offer arises—comfort, delay, partial truth—mentally label it ‘Pani bargain’. Return to the higher intention (Indra/Bṛhaspati) and let intuition report upward, not settle downward.
Keep a gently rising, coaxing contour in first two pādas; sharpen the negation in mā punar gāḥ with clear udātta emphasis.
Emphasize: ā́jagantha | daívyena | svásāram | mā́ pú nar gāḥ | gávām.
prabādhitā: keep long ā; aspirate dh., svasāraṃ: clear ‘sv’ cluster., bhajāma: soft ‘bh’, not hard ‘b’.
controlled, slightly detached—do not ‘act’ the seduction; chant as observation
1
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
