Rig Veda 10.182.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 182, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.182
- Devata
- Tapur-mūrdhā
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
तपुर्मूर्धा तपतु रक्षसो ये ब्रह्मद्विषः शरवे हन्तवा उ । क्षिपदशस्तिमप दुर्मतिं हन्नथा करद्यजमानाय शं योः ॥
tápur-mūrdhā tapatu rakṣáso yé brahma-dvíṣaḥ śárave hántavā u | kṣipád aśástim ápa durmatíṃ hánn áthā karad yajamā́nāya śáṃ yóḥ ||
भगवान जो ऊपर बैठ के तप रहा है, वो राक्षसों को जला दे। वो लोग जो वेद के शब्दों को नहीं मानते, उनको तीर से मार डाल। बुरी बातें और बुरी सोच को दूर करके, यज्ञ करने वाले को शांति और अच्छा दिन दे।
Word by Word
- तपुः-मूर्धा
- (he/it) whose head is blazing / having a burning headNoun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास: ‘तपुः’ + ‘मूर्धा’)Role कर्तृ (मुख्य क्रिया ‘तपत्’ का कर्ता)Root तपुः (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तपत्
- let (him/it) burn, scorchVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot तप्
- रक्षसः
- the demons (rakṣasas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचन (वेदिके बहुधा ‘रक्षांसि’ अर्थे)Role कर्म (तपत्—यत् दह्यते)Root रक्षस्
- ये
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (उपवाक्ये ‘हन्तवा’ इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्म-द्विषः
- hating the sacred word/prayer (brahman-haters)Adjective/Noun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्म’ + ‘द्विष्’ = ब्राह्मण/ब्रह्म को द्वेष करने वाले)Role कर्तृ (ये…)Root ब्रह्मन् + द्विष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘द्विष्’)
- शरवे
- for the arrowNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (हन्तवा—किसके लिये/किस हेतु: बाण के लिये, बाण-प्रहारार्थ)Root शर (प्रातिपदिक)
- हन्तवा
- to slayVerbal noun (infinitive) / Kṛdantaतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (वेदिक रूप: -तवा), ‘हन्तुम्’ अर्थेRole प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (to kill)Root हन्
- उ
- indeed, surelyParticleनिपात (उद्गार/अवधारण/अन्वय)Root उ
- क्षिपदशः
- swift-biting / quickly striking (epithet of the hostile beings)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (ये… इत्यस्य विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (ये…)Root क्षिपदश (प्रातिपदिक; वेदिक विशेषण)
- तिम्
- darkness / blinding gloomNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (अप—हटाने योग्य वस्तु)Root तिम् (प्रातिपदिक; वेदिक)
- अप
- away, offPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot अप
- दुर्मतिम्
- evil intent / bad counselNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (हन्—जिसे नाश करना)Root दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
- हन्
- slay, strike downVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद; मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन (वेदिक संक्षिप्त रूप; ‘हन्तु’/‘जहि’ अर्थे)Role क्रियाRoot हन्
- अथा
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रम/अनन्तर्य)Root अथ
- करत्
- let him make, grantVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (वेदिक injunctive/imperative usage); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot कृ
- यजमानाय
- for the sacrificerNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (करत्—किसके लिये)Root यजमान (प्रातिपदिक)
- शम्
- well-being, peaceIndeclinable (benedictive noun used adverbially)अव्यय-प्रयोग (कल्याण/शान्ति)Role कर्म/फल (करत्—क्या)Root शम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
- योः
- welfare and safety (the twofold blessing)Noun (dual concept)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-द्विवचन (वेदिक स्थिर-प्रयोग ‘शं योः’)Role कर्म/फल (करत्—प्रदान-फल)Root योस्/युस् (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व-भाव: ‘योः’ = सुख-रक्षा/कल्याण-द्वय)
Sandhi Notes
- मुख्य संधि-विच्छेद: तपु॑र्मूर्धा → तपुः + मूर्धा (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व)
- र॒क्षसो॒ → रक्षसः (पदपाठे विसर्ग)
- द्विष॒: → द्विषः (विसर्ग)
- शर॑वे॒ → शरवे
- हन्त॒वा → हन्तवा (तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त वेदिक -तवा)
- ति॒मप॑ → तिम् + अप (म् + अ)
- ह॒न्नथा॑ → हन् + अथा
- कर॒द्यज॑मानाय → करत् + यजमानाय (त् + य)
- शं योः स्थिर-आशीर्वाद-प्रयोग।
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Tapur-mūrdhā burn the Rakṣasas who hate the sacred word, so they may be slain by the arrow. Casting away ill-praise and slaying evil thought, may he make for the sacrificer peace and well-being.
Inner meaning
Tapur-mūrdhā (‘heat as head/crest’) is a concentrated fiery protective force—tapas made into a vigilant power. It burns the rakṣasas: hostile impulses and formations that ‘hate brahman’ (brahmadviṣaḥ), i.e., that resist the true Word, the mantra, the higher law. The ‘arrow’ (śarā) is the directed will/intention—sharp, one-pointed discernment that can strike down intruding forces. The refrain reaffirms the method: reject false speech-forms (aśasti) and destroy distorted thinking (durmati), then peace and well-being become stable for the practitioner.
Universal truth
When inner heat (tapas) is disciplined and directed, it becomes protection: it burns resistance, clarifies discernment, and restores peace by removing toxic thought and false expression.
Themes
Exorcism and protection, Defense of the sacred word, Tapas against darkness
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.182.2 (paired refrain)
Significance
The seer presents a classic Vedic psychology of protection: tapas + directed will + purified speech-mind as the means to overcome inner hostility.
The deity
- Devata
- Tapur-mūrdhā
- Epithets
- rakṣo-han (rakṣas-slayer), brahma-rakṣitṛ (protector of the word)
- Related deities
- Agni, Rudra (purifying fierce force), Indra (slayer of coverers)
Cosmic role
An apotropaic fiery power that safeguards the yajña and the brahman (mantric truth) against distortion and attack.
Inner power
Transforms tapas into a vigilant ‘burning awareness’ that detects and dissolves hostile formations; strengthens will’s precision (arrow).
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/exorcistic adjunct within śrauta performance; also applicable to warding disturbances during recitation.
तपु॑र्मूर्धा तपतु र॒क्षसो॒ ये ब्र॑ह्म॒द्विष॒: शर॑वे॒ हन्त॒वा उ॑ । क्षि॒पदश॑स्ति॒मप॑ दुर्म॒तिं ह॒न्नथा॑ कर॒द्यज॑मानाय॒ शं योः ॥
तपुः॑ऽमूर्धा । त॒प॒तु॒ । र॒क्षसः॑ । ये । ब्र॒ह्म॒ऽद्विषः॑ । शर॑वे । हन्त॒वै । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । क्षि॒पत् । अश॑स्तिम् । अप॑ । दुः॒ऽम॒तिम् । ह॒न् । अथ॑ । क॒र॒त् । यज॑मानाय । शम् । योः ॥
tapuḥ-mūrdhā | tapatu | rakṣasaḥ | ye | brahma-dviṣaḥ | śarave | hantavai | oṃ iti | kṣipat | aśastim | apa | duḥ-matim | han | atha | karat | yajamānāya | śam | yoḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Sharper, more forceful than the preceding; suited to burning/warding action.
Energizes protective tapas; gives courage and decisiveness to reject intrusive thoughts.
- तपुःमूर्धा (tapur-mūrdhā)
- Literal: heat-headed, having tapas as crest. Symbolic: concentrated spiritual ardor as a protective intelligence
- रक्षसः (rakṣasaḥ)
- Literal: demons, obstructers. Symbolic: hostile subconscious/vital formations that disrupt practice
- ब्रह्मद्विषः (brahmadviṣaḥ)
- Literal: haters of brahman/sacred word. Symbolic: forces opposing truth, mantra, and right knowledge
- शरवे (śarave)
- Literal: for the arrow. Symbolic: directed will, decisive discrimination (viveka-like)
- हन्तवै (hantavai)
- Literal: to be slain. Symbolic: to be cut off from consent; removal of inner influence
- अशस्ति / दुर्मति
- Literal: ill-praise / evil thought. Symbolic: false formulation / perverse mental habit
Apotropaic use in sacrifice: burning away rakṣas and brahma-dviṣ; strengthens the protective perimeter of mantra and rite.
When obstacles, impurity, or disruptive influences are felt; during protective sequences around offerings.
Recitation with intent of ‘burning’ and ‘cutting off’ hostile forces; may accompany protective gestures around the altar.
Use when facing intrusive thoughts, fear, or negativity; a focused ‘psychic protection’ chant before deep meditation.
tapas from √tap 'to heat, burn' → ascetic/psychic heat; rakṣas from √rakṣ 'to guard' in ironic reversal as 'harmful beings' (traditional etymologies vary) but functionally 'disturbers'; brahman here as mantra-power from √bṛh 'to expand' (speech that makes vast) → brahma; śara 'arrow' from √śṛ/√sar 'to go swiftly' (semantic field) → swift piercing force.
Tapas as transformative heat, Brahman as mantric truth-force, Hostile forces as psychological distortions
Rakṣasic forces are anti-ṛta; Tapur-mūrdhā restores order by purification.
Defense of brahman implies defense of satya in speech and knowledge.
Purification by fire: destruction of hostile formations enables a clearer creation of peace in the being.
Yogic-psychological (Aurobindonian): ‘demons’ as inner resistances; arrow as will-force.
Heat = tapas; fire = purifying consciousness; arrow = focused intention; rakṣasas = disruptive subconscious/vital energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The burning-slaying of rakṣas who hate brahman: a mythic defense of the Word. Psychologically, it is the incineration of thoughts that sabotage mantra (falsehood, cynicism, revolt against truth), enabling the sacrificer’s peace.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tap 'heat' belongs to an Indo-European semantic complex of heat as power (cf. Latin tepeō 'be warm' is not exact but comparable fields). √han (hantavai) again reflects PIE *gʷhen-. The compound brahma-dviṣaḥ expresses an archaic polarity: sacred speech vs. its negation, common across IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invokes a specialized fiery guardian to act where human effort fails: to burn and expose the hostile, then allow the decisive 'arrow' of will to finish the work. The devatā’s reciprocity is the restoration of śam/yoḥ for the yajamāna.
Invoke disciplined tapas to burn intrusive formations; strengthen one-pointed will (arrow) and protect mantra-practice.
manipura
Kapalabhati (mild, short rounds) followed by steady nasal breathing; then chant once with firm intention.
Alert, fiery clarity that refuses consent to negativity; then settles into śānti.
1) Feel a warm fire at the navel rising to the crown as a ‘flame-crest’. 2) Identify one recurring hostile thought-pattern. 3) On the mantra’s ‘śarave’, imagine a beam/arrow of light cutting the pattern. 4) End by resting in the refrain’s śam yoḥ as a seal.
Vedic accents as marked; give force to tapur-mūrdhā tapatu and brahmadviṣaḥ; maintain steady refrain cadence.
Strike the opening with firm articulation; slightly lengthen the pause before the refrain to ‘seal’ the warding action.
(tapur-mūrdhā): visarga in tapuḥ lightly; retroflex ṭ not present here; keep mūrdhā with long ū, retroflex ḍh, (brahmadviṣaḥ): cluster -dvi- clear; retroflex ṣ at end, (śarave): palatal ś, not s, (hantavai): nasal n + t, keep vowels open
Firm, bright, slightly forceful; end softly on śaṃ yoḥ.
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