Rig Veda 10.27.10: Mandala 10, Sukta 27, Mantra 10
Sukta 10.27
- Devata
- Indra as Vṛṣan / sovereign force of generation and victory
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
अत्रेदु मे मंससे सत्यमुक्तं द्विपाच्च यच्चतुष्पात्संसृजानि । स्त्रीभिर्यो अत्र वृषणं पृतन्यादयुद्धो अस्य वि भजानि वेदः ॥
átréd u me maṁsase satyám uktáṁ dvipā́c ca yác catúṣpāt saṁsṛjā́ni | strī́bhir yó átra vṛ́ṣaṇaṁ pṛtanyā́d ayúddho asya ví bhajāni védaḥ ||
मैं सच बोल रहा हूँ, यह मैं याद रखता हूँ। मैं दो पाँव वाले और चार पाँव वाले दोनों को साथ में जोड़ सकता हूँ। पर जो कोई औरतों की सेना लेकर उस बैल के खिलाफ़ लड़ता है, वो सच्ची लड़ाई नहीं जानता। मैं जानता हूँ, मैं उसका हिस्सा अलग कर देता हूँ।
Word by Word
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययRole अधिकारणRoot अत्र (अव्यय) < इदम्-प्रदर्शक-देशवाचक
- इदु
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (एव/खलु-अर्थे) ; वेदिक-रूपRoot इदु (निपात) < इद्
- मे
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) अथवा चतुर्थी एकवचन; अत्र ‘मंससे’ इत्यस्य सम्बन्धे षष्ठीRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अहम्
- मंससे
- in (my) mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (वेदिक-रूप; ‘मनसि/मनसः’ इत्यर्थे)Role अधिकारणRoot मंसस् (प्रातिपदिक) < √मन् (मनुते) ‘to think’
- सत्यम्
- truth; the true (word)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (उक्तम् इत्यस्य)Root सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) < सत् (√अस्) + य
- उक्तम्
- spoken, utteredParticipleभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मणि-विशेषण / विधेयRoot √वच् (वक्ति) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
- द्विपात्
- the two-footedNoun/Adjectiveपुं/नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समास: द्विपाद्)Role कर्म (संसृजानि इत्यस्य)Root द्वि + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- यत्
- whateverPronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (संसृजानि इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- चतुष्पात्
- the four-footedNoun/Adjectiveपुं/नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समास: चतुष्पाद्)Role कर्म (संसृजानि इत्यस्य)Root चतुर् + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
- संसृजानि
- I set in motion / I bring forthVerbलट् (वेदे बहुधा इच्छार्थ/विध्यर्थ-प्राय), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (अहम्-गर्भित)Root सम् + √सृज् (सृजति) ‘to let go, send forth, create’
- स्त्रीभिः
- with womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्ता (पृतन्यात् इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययRole अधिकारणRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
- वृषणम्
- the bull; the virile oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (पृतन्यात् इत्यस्य)Root वृषण (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृतन्यात्
- should fight / would contendVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √पृतन्/पृतन्य (पृतन्यति) ‘to fight, wage battle’
- अयुद्धः
- unfought; not having foughtAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्ता-विशेषण (यः)Root अ + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) < √युध्
- अस्य
- of him / of this onePronounषष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinableउपसर्ग; ‘विभागे/विशेषे’Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- भजानि
- I apportion / I allotVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (अहम्-गर्भित)Root √भज् (भजति) ‘to apportion, distribute’
- वेदः
- knowledge; the VedaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्ता/हेतु (वाक्य-समापन-नाम; ‘ज्ञान/वेद’)Root वेद (प्रातिपदिक) < √विद् (वेद) ‘to know’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): अत्र | इदु | मे | मंससे | सत्यम् | उक्तम् | द्विपात् | च | यत् | चतुष्पात् | संसृजानि || स्त्रीभिः | यः | अत्र | वृषणम् | पृतन्यात् | अयुद्धः | अस्य | वि | भजानि | वेदः || 1) अत्रेदु = अत्र + इदु (स्वर-संयोग; ‘इदु’ निपातः)
- 2) द्विपाच्च = द्विपात् + च (त् + च → च्च)
- 3) यच्चतुष्पात् = यत् + चतुष्पात् (त् + च → च्च)
- 4) पृतन्यादयुद्धो = पृतन्यात् + अयुद्धः (त् + अ → द; ततः अयुद्धः → युद्धो (विसर्ग-सन्धि: अयुद्धः + अस्य → अयुद्धोऽस्य, परन्तु पाठे ‘अस्य’ पृथक्). 5) विभजानि = वि + भजानि (उपसर्ग-योग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Here indeed I hold a spoken truth in mind: I can join rightly the two-footed and the four-footed. But whoever here fights the Bull with the women, himself without battle, him I—knowing—apportion out (separate/limit his share).
Inner meaning
The seer asserts a satyam uktaṃ: a practical truth of integration. ‘Two-footed’ and ‘four-footed’ are not merely humans and cattle; psychologically they can signify complementary powers—mental-human (biped: deliberative, speech-bearing) and vital-physical (quadruped: instinctive energies, foundational forces). The yogic task is saṃsṛjāni: to yoke them into right union under truth. Indra as Vṛṣan (Bull) is the sovereign generative victorious force. Those who ‘make battle’ against this Bull using strībhir (women-forces)—symbolically lower alluring powers, desire-nature, divisive attractions, or unpurified prakṛtic movements—while being ayuddha (without the true fight: lacking courageous inner discipline) are separated and limited by vedaḥ (the knower, the seeing consciousness). Knowledge here acts as a discriminating apportionment: it denies distorted forces their claim on the sacrifice.
Universal truth
True spirituality integrates mind and life under a higher force; it does not let desire-nature attack or hijack the soul’s sovereign power. Discriminative knowledge must limit what is insincere and unfit.
Themes
truth-declaration, harmonizing life and mind, misuse of energies against the true force
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.27.6, Rig Veda 10.27.7, Rig Veda 10.27.8, Rig Veda 10.27.9
Significance
The seer speaks with authority of ‘vedaḥ’—knowledge as power of discrimination and integration, characteristic of a yogic, not merely ritual, standpoint.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra as Vṛṣan (Bull)
- Epithets
- Vṛṣan, Vṛtrahan, Vajrin, Maghavan
- Related deities
- Agni (integrator of sacrifice), Bṛhaspati (discriminating word/knowledge), Soma (delight that purifies desire)
Cosmic role
Sovereign force of victory and generation; establishes mastery over lower nature and integrates powers for the divine work.
Inner power
Central dynamism that must be protected from distortion by desire-nature; enables harmonization of mind (dvipād) and life-body (catuṣpād).
In ritual
Where it is used
Didactic-ethical: aligning human and animal/vital orders; warning against misdirected energies; generalized
अत्रेदु॑ मे मंससे स॒त्यमु॒क्तं द्वि॒पाच्च॒ यच्चतु॑ष्पात्संसृ॒जानि॑ । स्त्री॒भिर्यो अत्र॒ वृष॑णं पृत॒न्यादयु॑द्धो अस्य॒ वि भ॑जानि॒ वेद॑: ॥
अत्र॑ । इत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । मे॒ । मं॒स॒से॒ । स॒त्यम् । उ॒क्तम् । द्वि॒ऽपात् । च॒ । यत् । चतुः॑ऽपात् । स॒म्ऽसृ॒जानि॑ । स्त्री॒ऽभिः । यः । अत्र॑ । वृष॑णम् । पृ॒त॒न्यात् । अयु॑द्धः । अ॒स्य॒ । वि । भ॒जा॒नि॒ । वेदः॑ ॥
atra | it | oṃ iti | me | maṃsase | satyam | uktam | dvi-pāt | ca | yat | catuḥ-pāt | sam-sṛjāni | strī-bhiḥ | yaḥ | atra | vṛṣaṇam | pṛtanyāt | ayuddhaḥ | asya | vi | bhajāni | vedaḥ
44
4 × ~11; declarative first half, juridical/discriminative second half.
Authoritative, adjudicating rhythm with a decisive closing.
Instills inner sovereignty: clarity to integrate, and firmness to refuse hostile impulses.
- सत्यम् उक्तम् (satyam uktam)
- Literal: a truth spoken. Symbolic: a realized principle verified by inner seeing
- द्विपात् (dvipāt)
- Literal: two-footed. Symbolic: mental-human faculty: speech, thought, choice
- चतुष्पात् (catuṣpāt)
- Literal: four-footed. Symbolic: vital-physical energies: instincts, foundational life-force
- संसृजानि (saṃsṛjāni)
- Literal: I join/compose together. Symbolic: integral yoga: right union of parts of nature
- वृषणम् (vṛṣaṇam)
- Literal: the Bull. Symbolic: Indra’s sovereign generative victory-force; masterful dynamism
- स्त्रीभिः (strībhiḥ)
- Literal: with women. Symbolic: seductive/divisive forces of desire-nature; unpurified prakṛti used as weapon
- अयुद्धः (ayuddhaḥ)
- Literal: without battle. Symbolic: lacking true inner struggle, courage, and discipline
- वेदः (vedaḥ)
- Literal: knowing, knowledge. Symbolic: seer-consciousness that discriminates and assigns right place/limit
Didactic-ethical: aligning human and animal/vital orders; warning against misdirected energies; generalized
For ethical discernment: before relationships, pleasures, or power-seeking, recite to affirm integration and to limit what fights the soul’s sovereign force.
satya from sat 'being' + -ya: truth as 'that which belongs to being'. √bhaj 'apportion' (IE *bʰag- 'share' → Slavic bogŭ etc. in later developments). dvipād/catuṣpād is a Vedic classification often extended symbolically. vṛṣan 'bull' from √vṛṣ 'to rain/impregnate'—generative force; thus the 'Bull' as potency of creation/illumination.
Satya (truth as being), integration of orders (two-footed/four-footed), right distribution/measure (bhaj) as aspect of Ṛta
Ṛta is the right coupling of parts of nature; disorder is battling the Bull with lower forces.
Satya is a held and enacted truth that organizes the being.
Integration of complementary powers as basis for effective manifestation.
Integrative psychology consonant with later Sāṃkhya-Yoga language of puruṣa/prakṛti, but in Vedic symbolic form.
Bull = sovereign force; bipeds/quadrupeds = higher and lower functional powers needing harmony; ‘women’ = attractive prakṛtic currents that can derail force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Ordering the living kinds under Truth: the seer claims power to conjoin dvipād and catuṣpād (human and vital foundations) under satya, while misdirected battle against the Bull-force leads to loss of rightful share—Ṛta as right measure and allotment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhaj 'share/apportion' reflects IE *bʰag- 'portion' (broadly attested). √vid 'know' is IE *weyd- (Latin vidēre, etc.). The privative a- in ayuddha is inherited morphology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi speaks with the authority of knowledge (vedaḥ) aligned to the Bull-force: he can integrate the orders of being; he can also 'divide out' the one who opposes the true generative power with misused energies—knowledge acts as divine discrimination.
Integrate mind and life under the soul’s sovereign force; practice discrimination against desire-driven sabotage.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (desire currents) purified under Maṇipūra (force) and Ājñā (discernment)
Slow exhale emphasis (inhale 4, exhale 6–8) while feeling boundaries and inner sovereignty
Firm, centered, morally clear; ‘knower’ consciousness active.
1) Sense the ‘Bull’—your central truthful force. 2) Bring mind (dvipād) and vital-body (catuṣpād) into one aligned posture. 3) Notice any desire-based argument or seduction that opposes the central force; name it; set a limit; return to truth.
Standard Vedic accentuation; keep satyam uktam and vṛṣaṇam as highlighted peaks.
First two pādas: declarative steadiness; last two: sharper articulation to convey ‘separating/limiting’.
dvipāc: pronounce c as palatal ‘ch’ sound in sandhi contexts; keep long ā, catuṣpāt: retroflex ṣ; clear cluster ṣp, pṛtanyād: retroflex ṇ; keep ‘ya’ light, vi bhajāni: separate vi + bhajāni; aspirate bh
Authoritative, grounded, slightly lower pitch; end with decisive closure.
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