Rig Veda 10.114.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 114, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.114
- Devata
- Suparṇa / the One Reality expressed manifoldly
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
सुपर्णं विप्राः कवयो वचोभिरेकं सन्तं बहुधा कल्पयन्ति । छन्दांसि च दधतो अध्वरेषु ग्रहान्त्सोमस्य मिमते द्वादश ॥
suparṇáṃ viprā́ḥ kaváyo vácobhir ékaṃ sántam bahudhā́ kalpayanti | chándāṃsi ca dádhato adhvaréṣu grahā́nt sómasya mimate dvā́daśa ||
रिशि और कवि लोग अपनी बातों से उस एक चिड़िया को बहुत रूप में बदल देते हैं। वो असल में एक ही है, लेकिन लोग उसे अलग-अलग नाम से पुकारते हैं। यज्ञ के टाइम वो छंद लगाते हैं और सोम रस के लिए बारह प्यालियाँ नापा करते हैं।
Word by Word
- सुपर्णम्
- the fair-winged (one), the birdNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु-पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) < पर्ण
- विप्राः
- inspired sagesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कवयः
- seers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वचोभिः
- with words (hymns)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचनRole करणRoot वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- एकम्
- oneAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्तम्
- being, existingParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त)Role कर्मRoot अस् (धातु) → सत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ)
- बहुधा
- in many waysIndeclinableअव्ययRoot बहुधा (अव्यय)
- कल्पयन्ति
- they arrange/compose, they fashionVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot कॢप्/कल्प् (धातु)
- छन्दांसि
- metres (chants)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्म (दधतः इति क्रियायाः)Root छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRoot च (अव्यय)
- दधतः
- of (him) who places/holdsParticipleषष्ठी-एकवचन/द्विवचन? (वेदे: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त ‘दधत्’ → ‘दधतः’ = षष्ठी-एकवचन ‘of (him) placing/holding’ अथवा प्रथमा-द्विवचन ‘(two) placing’; अत्र प्रायः षष्ठी-एकवचन)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root धा (धातु)
- अध्वरेषु
- in the sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
- ग्रहान्
- the cups/receiving-vessels (Soma-grahas)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- मिमते
- he measures outVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot मा (धातु) ‘मिमि/मिमे’ (मापनार्थ)
- द्वादश
- twelveNumeral(अव्ययवत्) प्रायः प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे, अत्र ‘(twelve)’—ग्रहान् इति कर्मणः विशेषणम्Role विशेषणRoot द्वादश (संख्याशब्द, प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): सुपर्णम् | विप्राः | कवयः | वचोभिः | एकम् | सन्तम् | बहुधा | कल्पयन्ति || छन्दांसि | च | दधतः | अध्वरेषु | ग्रहान् | सोमस्य | मिमते | द्वादश || मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) वचोभिः + एकम् → वचोभिरेकम् (विसर्ग/रुत्व-लोपः, इकारादेशः) । (2) सन्तम् + बहुधा → सन्तं बहुधा (अनुस्वारः पदान्ते) । (3) ग्रहान् + सोमस्य → ग्रहा॒न्त्सोमस्य (न् + स् → न्त्स्, परसवर्ण/व्यञ्जनसन्धिः) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Seers by their words shape the one Suparṇa into many forms. Placing the metres in the sacrifice, they measure the twelve Soma-cups.
Inner meaning
The One Reality (ekaṃ santam) is expressed as many through vāc (creative word) guided by vipra-kavi inspiration. The ‘shaping’ (kalpayanti) is not fabrication but revelation of multiple functional aspects of the One for the work (yajña) of transformation. Chandāṃsi are rhythmic powers that fix movements of consciousness; when the right rhythms are set, the Soma-delight is portioned and received in ordered measures—‘twelve’ indicating a complete cycle of manifestation (months/solar measures; or totality of receptive stations in the being).
Universal truth
Unity becomes workable for life through differentiated expressions—names, forms, rhythms, practices. When expression is aligned with true rhythm, delight is not random; it is measurable, receivable, and integrable as a stable nourishment for the soul.
Themes
cosmogony of speech, metre and order, Soma distribution, One-and-many doctrine
The seer
- Rishi
- Kumārāyaṇa (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 10.114.1-15 (traditional)
Family tradition
Brahmodya/visionary-poetic lineage focusing on mantra as formative power (vāc-śakti).
Significance
Highlights the Aurobindonian key: the Veda’s ‘ritual’ is a symbolic technology—word and rhythm organize consciousness so that Soma (ānanda) can be received in full measure.
The deity
- Devata
- Suparṇa (One Reality in manifold expression) with Soma (Delight) and Vāc (ordering speech)
- Epithets
- Ekam (One), Bahudhā-kalpitam (many-shaped), Soma (pressed delight)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati/Brahmaṇaspati, Agni, Sarasvatī (Vāc-flow), Aditi
Cosmic role
The One manifests as many powers; Soma is the essence of delight extracted by tapas and received through ordered forms; Vāc is the formative principle that articulates the many from the One.
Inner power
Mantric articulation and rhythmic alignment that make bliss stable and distributable through the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña symbolism (graha cups) and brahmodya on metres
सु॒प॒र्णं विप्रा॑: क॒वयो॒ वचो॑भि॒रेकं॒ सन्तं॑ बहु॒धा क॑ल्पयन्ति । छन्दां॑सि च॒ दध॑तो अध्व॒रेषु॒ ग्रहा॒न्त्सोम॑स्य मिमते॒ द्वाद॑श ॥
सु॒ऽप॒र्णम् । विप्रा॑ । क॒वयः॑ । वचः॑ऽभिः । एक॑म् । सन्त॑म् । ब॒हु॒धा । क॒ल्प॒य॒न्ति॒ । छन्दां॑सि । च॒ । दध॑तः । अ॒ध्व॒रेषु॑ । ग्रहा॑न् । सोम॑स्य । मि॒म॒ते॒ । द्वाद॑श ॥
su-parṇam | viprā | kavayaḥ | vacaḥ-bhiḥ | ekam | santam | bahudhā | kalpayanti | chandāṃsi | ca | dadhataḥ | adhvareṣu | grahān | somasya | mimate | dvādaśa
44
4×~11; balanced didactic cadence.
Measured and architectural—mirrors the verse’s theme of measure and arrangement.
Gives a sense of ‘setting things in place’; supports disciplined joy rather than emotional overflow.
- विप्राः (viprāḥ)
- Literal: inspired ones. Symbolic: illumined mind-powers receiving revelation
- कवयः (kavayaḥ)
- Literal: seers/poets. Symbolic: visionary consciousness that gives form through speech
- वचोभिः (vacobhiḥ)
- Literal: by words. Symbolic: creative mantra-vāc shaping inner reality
- बहुधा (bahudhā)
- Literal: in many ways. Symbolic: multiple divine aspects/powers for integral transformation
- छन्दांसि (chandāṃsi)
- Literal: metres. Symbolic: rhythmic laws that organize energy and consciousness
- ग्रहान् सोमस्य द्वादश (grahān somasya dvādaśa)
- Literal: twelve Soma-cups. Symbolic: complete set of delight-receptions across the cycle of being/time
Metre-setting and Soma graha measuring (Soma ritual sequencing); inner use: structuring experience by rhythmic law so the One can be articulated without loss into multiplicity
When enumerating grahas/metres or during interpretive recitations about yajña-structure
Mental ‘measuring’ and offering of Soma as delight into the rite
Use for creative work and study: align speech, rhythm, and schedule so inspiration (One) can become many outputs without losing unity.
√kḷp ‘arrange, make fit’ underlies kalpayanti: speech makes the One ‘fit’ into many name-and-form expressions. chandas as metrical law is the ordering of mantra-force. graha from √grah ‘grasp’ is both ritual cup and cognitive seizing—innerly, measured ‘graspings’ of Soma (delight) distributed in a twelvefold order (often linked to months/solar cycle: time-ordering of experience).
One becoming many (ekam… bahudhā), mantra as world-forming speech (vacas), measure (mā) as cosmic order (ṛta) in time
Metres are instruments of ṛta; correct measure allows delight to flow without distortion.
Truth is the One; expression is many but must remain faithful to the One through right rhythm.
Differentiation of unity through Word; cyclic completeness symbolized by twelvefold measure.
Mantra-śakti view aligned with later Mīmāṃsā (power of Vedic word) yet inwardly oriented toward yogic realization.
Bird = transcendent-immanent consciousness; Soma = bliss; cups = receptive centers in the being; twelve = full cycle of integration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of the One shaped into many by inspired speech: the seers ‘construct’ manifold forms of the Suparṇa. Ritually mirrored by setting metres and measuring twelve Soma-graspings, it depicts how ṛta enters manifestation through measure and rhythm. Innerly, it is the disciplined articulation of a single truth-consciousness into diverse powers and experiences.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā ‘measure’ (PIE *meh₁-) is foundational to IE concepts of order; √dhā ‘set/place’ (PIE *dheh₁-) and √grah ‘grasp’ (often linked to PIE *gʰrebʰ- ‘seize’) encode the idea that cognition/ritual is a measured seizing and placing. The poetics of ‘one reality, many names’ resonates with IE traditions where sacred speech structures the world.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi/vipra is not merely praising but actively ‘fashioning’ manifestation through vacas and chandas. The devatā is approached as a single essence that consents to multiplicity through the seer’s measured utterance; the reciprocity is epistemic and creative—speech receives the One and distributes Soma-delight in ordered measures.
Contemplate the One Presence expressing as multiple faculties (thought, will, love, action) while remaining one awareness; receive ‘Soma’ as quiet joy in each faculty.
Ajna (unifying insight) with Sahasrara (One) and Anahata (delight)
Box-breath 4-4-4-4 for 12 cycles, then rest in spontaneous breath while feeling a ‘cup’ of joy filling the chest.
Unified awareness with organized expression
Chant once, then silently ‘place the metres’: set an inner rhythm (steady attention, steady breath). Invite a gentle sweetness (Soma) and distribute it through head–heart–navel–hands as four ‘forms’ of the One in you.
Keep a measured triṣṭubh gait; lift (udātta) on ekaṃ santam and bahudhā; let svarita mark transitions into the ‘chandāṃsi’ and ‘dvādaśa’ enumerations.
Avoid dragging consonant clusters: chandāṃsi (chandāṃ-si), adhvareṣu (adh-va-re-ṣu), grahān (gra-hān).
bahudhā: ba-hu-dhā (clear dh), kalpayanti: kal-pa-yan-ti (do not over-nasalize), mimate: mi-ma-te (short i), somasya: so-ma-sya (palatal sya)
bright, articulate, ‘measuring’ clarity
12
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.
