Rig Veda 10.114.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 114, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.114
- Rishi
- Kumārāyaṇa
- Devata
- Vāc / Brahmaṇaspati as revealer of the path to Soma-delight
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
चतुर्दशान्ये महिमानो अस्य तं धीरा वाचा प्र णयन्ति सप्त । आप्नानं तीर्थं क इह प्र वोचद्येन पथा प्रपिबन्ते सुतस्य ॥
catúrdaśā́nye mahimā́no asya táṃ dhī́rā vācā́ prá ṇayanti saptá | ā́pnānaṃ tī́rthaṃ ká ihá prá vocad yéna pathā́ prá-pibante sutásya ||
इस राज़ की चौदह और बड़ी ताकतें हैं। रिशि लोग अपनी बातों से उसे सात हिस्सों में आगे ले जाते हैं। कौन बताएगा कि वो रास्ता कहाँ जाता है? उस रास्ते से लोग सोम रस पीते हैं जो दबा के निकाला होता है।
Word by Word
- चतुर्दशानि
- fourteenAdjective/Numberनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (महिमानः इत्यस्य)Root चतुर्दशन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) < चतुर् + दश
- ये
- which, whoPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (महिमानः इत्यस्य सह) / सम्बन्धकRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- महिमानः
- greatnesses, mighty powersNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अस्य … सन्ति/भवन्ति इति अव्यक्तक्रियायाम्)Root महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक) < मह् (वृद्धौ/महत्त्वे)
- अस्य
- of him/this (one)Pronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- तम्
- him, that onePronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (प्र-णयन्ति इत्यस्य)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- धीराḥ
- the wise (men)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (प्र-णयन्ति)Root धीर (प्रातिपदिक) < धि (धी/बुद्धौ)
- वाचा
- with speech, by utteranceNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करण (instrument: “by speech”)Root वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः (णयन्ति इत्यस्य सह)Role क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- णयन्ति
- they lead, guideVerbलट् (वर्तमाने) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot नी (धातु) — नयति; उपसर्गेण: प्र + नी
- सप्त
- sevenNumberअव्ययवत् (संख्या), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन-प्रयोगःRole संख्याविशेषणम् (अव्यक्तस्य/पूर्वोक्तस्य)Root सप्तन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- आप्नानम्
- the attaining one / the one who reaches (i.e., the fulfiller)Adjective/Participle-like nounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (प्र-vochat इत्यस्य: “declare …”)Root आप्नान (प्रातिपदिक) < आप्/आप्नु (धातु: आप्नोति “to reach, obtain”)
- तीर्थम्
- ford, crossing-place; sacred passageNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (प्र-vochat इत्यस्य)Root तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) < तॄ (धातु: तरति “to cross”)
- कः
- who?Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (प्र-vochat)Root क (प्रश्नसर्वनाम)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययम्Role अधिकरण (locative sense: “here”)Root इह (निपात)
- प्र
- forth, clearlyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (वोचत् इत्यस्य सह)Role क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वोचत्
- let (him) proclaim / may (he) sayVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे/प्रार्थनायाम्) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot वच् (धातु: वक्ति “to speak”)
- येन
- by whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करण (instrument: “by which”)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- पथा
- by the path, by the wayNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (वेदे ‘पथा’ इति)Role करण (instrument: “by the path/way”)Root पथिन्/पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रपिबन्ते
- they drink forth / they drink deeplyVerbलट् (वर्तमाने) आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot पा (धातु: पिबति “to drink”) with उपसर्गः प्र-
- सुतस्य
- of the pressed (Soma)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive: “of the pressed (Soma)”)Root सुत (प्रातिपदिक) < सु (धातु: सुनोति “to press (Soma)”)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): चतुर्दशानि | ये | महिमानः | अस्य | तम् | धीराḥ | वाचा | प्र | णयन्ति | सप्त | आप्नानम् | तीर्थम् | कः | इह | प्र | वोचत् | येन | पथा | प्रपिबन्ते | सुतस्य । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) चतुर् + दशानि → चतुर्दशानि (संख्यासमास/संयोग). (2) प्र + णयन्ति: उपसर्ग ‘प्र’ सह √नी
- न्-आदेशः/वेदिक-लेखनम् ‘णयन्ति’ (नयन्ति) इति. (3) प्र + वोचत्: उपसर्ग ‘प्र’ सह √वच्
- ‘वोचत्’ लोट्-रूपम्. (4) प्र + पिबन्ते → प्रपिबन्ते (उपसर्ग-सन्धिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Fourteen are the further greatnesses of this mystery; the steadfast lead it forward as seven by the Word. Who will declare the reaching ford, the path by which they drink deeply of the pressed Soma?
Inner meaning
The verse continues the coded numerology of inner practice: additional ‘greatnesses’ (mahimānaḥ) indicate further powers/expansions latent in the work. The dhīra (steadfast, composed seers) lead the movement ‘as seven’ by vāc—seven as a complete set of inner rays/fields (often corresponding to seven rivers, seven flames, seven planes of consciousness in Vedic symbolism). The question about the tīrtha (ford) is the crucial yogic issue: what is the crossing-point from ordinary mind-life into the domain where Soma (ānanda) can be drunk deeply (prapibante) as a stable experience? The mantra challenges the practitioner to discover the living method, not merely recite the count.
Universal truth
Spiritual realization requires both structured knowledge (measures, powers) and a decisive crossing—an experiential threshold. The ‘ford’ is the method and the moment where consciousness shifts from seeking to tasting enduring delight.
Themes
Mystery of Soma, Path and crossing symbolism, Numerical enigma (14/7), Inner initiation
The seer
- Rishi
- Kumārāyaṇa
- Other hymns
- RV 10.114.1-15
Family tradition
Riddle-hymn seerhood using number and paradox to provoke direct discovery (anubhava) of the ‘path’.
Significance
A pedagogical climax: after enumerating measures, the rishi demands the experiential key—‘who can declare the ford?’—turning theory into practice.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāc / Brahmaṇaspati (as revealer of the path to Soma)
- Epithets
- Dhīra-vāc (word of the steadfast), Tīrtha-darśin (revealer of the crossing), Soma-pāthas (giver of the way to Soma)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Indra (breaker of obstruction to the Soma)
Cosmic role
Guides beings across thresholds through right speech/knowledge; opens the channel by which Soma-delight is drunk deeply.
Inner power
Revelatory guidance: the right mantra, right insight, right articulation that becomes a bridge (tīrtha) in consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Brahmodya within Soma context; inquiry into the ‘path’ of Soma-drinking
चतु॑र्दशा॒न्ये म॑हि॒मानो॑ अस्य॒ तं धीरा॑ वा॒चा प्र ण॑यन्ति स॒प्त । आप्ना॑नं ती॒र्थं क इ॒ह प्र वो॑च॒द्येन॑ प॒था प्र॒पिब॑न्ते सु॒तस्य॑ ॥
चतुः॑ऽदश । अ॒न्ये । म॒हि॒मानः॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । तम् । धीराः॑ । वा॒चा । प्र । न॒य॒न्ति॒ । स॒प्त । आप्ना॑नम् । ती॒र्थम् । कः । इ॒ह । प्र । वो॒च॒त् । येन॑ । प॒था । प्र॒ऽपिब॑न्ते । सु॒तस्य॑ ॥
catuḥ-daśa | anye | mahimānaḥ | asya | tam | dhīrāḥ | vācā | pra | nayanti | sapta | āpnānam | tīrtham | kaḥ | iha | pra | vocat | yena | pathā | pra-pibante | sutasya
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4×~11; the final pāda has interrogative urgency.
Measured enumeration followed by a sharp questioning lift—riddle turning into quest.
Creates a sense of ‘incomplete until found’; stimulates aspiration to discover the crossing in experience.
- चतुर्दश (caturdaśa)
- Literal: fourteen. Symbolic: extended completeness beyond the basic set; further expansions/powers of the work
- महिमानः (mahimānaḥ)
- Literal: greatnesses, magnitudes. Symbolic: capacities of consciousness that enlarge the being
- सप्त (sapta)
- Literal: seven. Symbolic: complete set of inner powers/rays (seven rivers/flames/worlds) led by the Word
- वाचा (vācā)
- Literal: by the Word. Symbolic: mantric articulation that guides and opens the path
- तीर्थम् (tīrtham)
- Literal: ford, crossing-place. Symbolic: the decisive transition in consciousness; the practical method of crossing
- सुतस्य (sutasya)
- Literal: of the pressed (Soma). Symbolic: delight extracted by effort/tapas and offered to the inner gods
Brahmodya-style reflection within soma liturgy: the ‘path’ of drinking Soma corresponds to correct recitation/chant and inner readiness; used as contemplative/theological support rather than a direct offering formula.
During didactic/reflective moments; as a questioning verse in learned exchange
Recitation as inquiry (praśna) to invoke revelation of method
Use as a contemplative question-mantra before meditation retreats or during periods of dryness: ‘what is my ford today?’
√nī ‘lead’ → nayanti; √āp ‘reach/attain’ → āpnānam; √tṝ ‘cross’ → tīrtham; pra-√pā ‘drink forth’ → prapibante. Symbolic justification: tīrtha is a ‘crossing’ not merely physical but a transition-point; Soma (suta) is the expressed essence/delight that the seeker ‘drinks’ as an inner experience; ‘seven’ regularly encodes a complete septenary of energies/rays.
Ṛta as a discoverable path (panthā) and crossing, Septenary order of powers, Vāc as guide of realization
The ‘path’ (panthā) is the ṛta-way; the ford is the lawful transition-point in the cosmic order of ascent.
Truth is that which ‘reaches’ (āpnānam): effective, not theoretical.
Ascent/crossing motif: from the near shore (ordinary becoming) to the far shore (delight/immortality).
Upaniṣadic resonance: crossing beyond death through knowledge; soma as ānanda.
River = flow of life-energy and mind; ford = stable crossing-point (method/insight); Soma = distilled joy; path = disciplined progression in consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘secret ford’ to Soma: the seers know a crossing (tīrtha) and a path (panthā) by which the pressed delight becomes drinkable. The numbers (14, 7) encode hidden stages/energies, implying that Soma-realization requires a guided transition of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √āp ‘reach’ aligns with PIE *h₂ep- ‘reach, take’ (cf. Latin ap- in ap-iscor ‘obtain’, debated but often compared). √tṝ ‘cross’ has parallels in Indo-European ‘cross/through’ semantics (cf. English through < PIE *terh₁- ‘cross over’, commonly linked with Sanskrit √tṝ). √pā ‘drink’ corresponds to PIE *peh₃- ‘drink’ (Greek pínō, Latin pōtō).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi stands as questioner within the rite and within life (‘who here will declare?’). The Devatā is the revelatory power of Speech/Order that can disclose the tīrtha; the seer seeks alignment so that the same Vāc that structures the yajña also opens the experiential access to Soma.
Hold the question ‘what is the ford?’ as a living inquiry; listen inwardly for the specific next step that enables deeper joy (Soma) today.
Ajna (inquiry/seeing) with Anahata (Soma as sweetness)
4-7-8 breathing for 7 rounds; then silent sitting with the inquiry on the exhale: ‘kena pathā?’ (by what path?).
Aspiring intuition; threshold-awareness
After chanting, do not analyze immediately. Sit 7 minutes in silence. Let one clear instruction arise (a restraint, a focus, a surrender). Act on it within 24 hours—this makes the tīrtha ‘reaching’ (āpnānam).
Let the first two pādas be steady and counted; raise the interrogative energy on ‘ka iha pra vocat’ with a clear udātta peak, then resolve calmly on ‘sutasya’.
Articulate the question cleanly: ka iha pra vocat; keep prapibante as pra-pi-ban-te with clear ‘pra’.
caturdaśa: ca-tur-da-śa (short a at end), dhīrā: dhī-rā (long ī), tīrtham: tīr-tham (aspirate th), prapibante: pra-pi-ban-te (do not say ‘prapibanti’)
steady, then inquisitive-bright on the question, ending serene
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