Rig Veda 10.27.11: Mandala 10, Sukta 27, Mantra 11
Sukta 10.27
- Devata
- Enigmatic/gnomic
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
यस्यानक्षा दुहिता जात्वास कस्तां विद्वाँ अभि मन्याते अन्धाम् । कतरो मेनिं प्रति तं मुचाते य ईं वहाते य ईं वा वरेयात् ॥
yásyā́n-akṣā duhitā́ jā́tv āsa káṣ tā́ṁ vidvā́n abhí manyāte andhā́m | katáró méniṁ práti táṁ mucāte yá īṁ vahā́te yá īṁ vā vareyā́t ||
एक लड़की है जिसका कोई रथ नहीं है। कोई भी समझदार उसे अंधी कैसे कहेगा? दो लोग हैं इस बात में। एक जो उसे लेके चल रहा है, दूसरा जो उसे अपना बनाना चाहता है। दोनों में से कौन उसके लिए सही है? कौन उसे आज़ाद करेगा?
Word by Word
- यस्याः
- of whom / whosePronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → यस्-
- अनक्षा
- without an axle / axle-lessAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (to ‘दुहिता’)Root अन्- (नञ्) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहिता
- the daughterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जात्वा
- ever; at any timeIndeclinableअव्ययRole काल/निश्चय-निर्देश (adverbial)Root जातु (अव्यय)
- अस
- isVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अस् (धातु)
- कः
- who?Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot क (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम)
- ताम्
- herPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विद्वान्
- knowing; the knowerParticiple (Adjective/Noun)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition to ‘कः’)Root विद् (धातु) → विद्वस् (कृदन्त, क्त्वसुँ/वत्-प्रत्यय)
- अभि
- towards; aboutIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपसर्ग (to ‘मन्यते’)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मन्यते
- thinks; deemsVerbलट्, मध्यम/प्रथम? (आत्मनेपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot मन्/मन्य् (धातु)
- अन्धाम्
- blindAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (object-complement with ‘ताम्’)Root अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
- कतरः
- which of the two?Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कतर (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम/विशेषण)
- मे
- myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम)
- एनिम्
- the rein / strapNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot एनि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धुरा/रश्मि/लगाम’ इत्यर्थे—Vedic)
- प्रति
- back; in return; towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपसर्ग (to ‘मुचाते’)Root प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- मुचाते
- the two release / let goVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot मुच् (धातु)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (संबन्ध-सर्वनाम) → यस्-
- ईम्
- her / it (enclitic)Indeclinableअव्ययRole कर्म-प्रत्यय (enclitic object marker)Root ईम् (अव्यय; एनक्लिटिक सर्वनाम-प्रयोग)
- वहाते
- the two carry / conveyVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot वह् (धातु)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् → यस्-
- ईम्
- her / itIndeclinableअव्ययRole कर्म-प्रत्यय (enclitic object marker)Root ईम् (अव्यय; एनक्लिटिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableअव्ययRole विकल्प (disjunction)Root वा (अव्यय)
- वरेयात्
- should choose; would preferVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वृ (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: यस्या॑न॒क्षा → यस्याः + अनक्षा
- जात्वास॒ → जात्वा + अस
- कस्तां → कः + ताम्
- विद्वाँ → विद्वान्
- अ॒भि म॑न्याते (no internal sandhi)
- क॒त॒रो मे॒निं → कतरः + मे + एनिम्
- मु॑चाते॒ (finite verb, no split)
- य ईं → यः + ईम् (enclitic)
- वहा॑ते (finite verb)
- य ईं वा वरे॒यात् → यः + ईम् + वा + वरेयात्
The meaning
Outer meaning
A riddle: a daughter without a chariot—who would call her blind? Who loosens the ‘measure/bond’ against a man: the one who carries her, or the one who chooses her?
Inner meaning
The ‘daughter’ is a nascent inner light/insight (buddhi-prabhā) that seems ‘without vehicle’—unsupported by established mental structures (an-akṣā, without axle/chariot). The true knower does not dismiss it as blind (andhā), because it is supramental in origin and not yet fitted to the mind’s mechanisms. The question of who ‘releases the menī’ points to a decisive inner act: either the force that bears the awakening (vahāte—prāṇa/aspiration carrying the light) or the will that elects it (vareyāt—choice, consent of the soul). Liberation happens when carrying-force and choosing-will unite; mere transport without consent or choice without endurance does not break the bond of limitation.
Universal truth
New truth often arrives before the personality has a proper ‘vehicle’ to hold it. Wisdom is to protect and choose the emerging light rather than judge it by old instruments; freedom comes by sustained bearing plus conscious consent.
Themes
riddle (brahmodya-style), discernment, liberation from limitation
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.27.1-15 (same sūkta, riddling/gnomic sequence)
Significance
The anonymity fits the ‘riddle’ style: the mantra speaks from a universal seer-standpoint where insight is tested by paradox; it trains discrimination (viveka) rather than devotion to a named personal seer.
The deity
- Devata
- Gnomic/Allegorical; Indraic background probable at sūkta level
- Epithets
- vidvān (the knower) as seer-function, vṛtra-han (implicit: breaker of bonds/coverings)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni (as inner guide of the sacrifice), Sarasvatī (as insight/flow of illumination)
Cosmic role
Releasing the bound light/measure from limitation; guiding the emergence of truth beyond established ‘vehicles’.
Inner power
Illuminating discrimination that refuses to call the higher intuition ‘blind’; power to loosen the ego-measure (menī).
In ritual
Where it is used
Gnomic riddle-style verse; used for contemplative reflection rather than direct ritual action
यस्या॑न॒क्षा दु॑हि॒ता जात्वास॒ कस्तां वि॒द्वाँ अ॒भि म॑न्याते अ॒न्धाम् । क॒त॒रो मे॒निं प्रति॒ तं मु॑चाते॒ य ईं॒ वहा॑ते॒ य ईं॑ वा वरे॒यात् ॥
यस्य॑ । अ॒न॒क्षा । दु॒हि॒ता । जातु॑ । आस॑ । कः । ताम् । वि॒द्वान् । अ॒भि । म॒न्या॒ते॒ । अ॒न्धाम् । क॒त॒रः । मे॒निम् । प्रति॑ । तम् । मु॒चा॒ते॒ । यः । ई॒म् । वहा॑ते । यः । ई॒म् । वा॒ । व॒रे॒ऽयात् ॥
yasya | anakṣā | duhitā | jātu | āsa | kaḥ | tām | vidvān | abhi | manyāte | andhām | kataraḥ | menim | prati | tam | mucāte | yaḥ | īm | vahāte | yaḥ | īm | vā | vare--yāt
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (with possible late-Vedic variations)
Argumentative, forward-driving cadence suited to paradox and inquiry.
Creates a probing mental stillness; the rhythm ‘presses’ the listener to hold opposites until insight dawns.
- दुहिता (duhitā)
- Literal: daughter. Symbolic: a born inner power—new insight/illumination emerging from the soul-nature
- अनक्षा (anakṣā)
- Literal: without axle/chariot. Symbolic: not yet supported by formed mental-vital instruments; truth without established method
- अन्धाम् (andhām)
- Literal: blind. Symbolic: misjudged as ignorant because it does not conform to habitual cognition
- विद्वान् (vidvān)
- Literal: knower. Symbolic: seer-mind (ṛṣi-consciousness) that recognizes the supraphysical origin
- मेनिम् (menim)
- Literal: measure/bond, limiting device (obscure term). Symbolic: the constricting limit of ego-measure, the binding norm of the lower nature
- वहाते (vahāte)
- Literal: carries/bears. Symbolic: aspiration and prāṇa-force that sustains the emerging light through difficulty
- वरेयात् (vareyāt)
- Literal: would choose. Symbolic: soul’s consent, deliberate selection of the higher truth over the accustomed
Gnomic riddle-style verse; used for contemplative reflection rather than direct ritual action
Use as a contemplation-mantra when an emerging intuition feels ‘unsupported’: chant, then sit with the question ‘What in me bears the light, and what in me chooses it?’
√vah 'carry' (IE *weǵʰ-). √vṛ 'choose' (IE *wel- 'to will/choose'). mení is lexically difficult; possible sense 'peg/bond/measure' aligns with √mā 'measure' semantic field, but mení is not a transparent derivative; keep as 'bond/measure' with caution.
knowledge vs. blindness (vidvān vs andhā), choice vs. carrying (vṛ vs vah) as modes of relation to a power, measure/bond (mení) as limitation
Menī as false/limited measure contrasts with ṛta as true measure; liberation is alignment with ṛta.
The ‘daughter’ is Satya-born insight, initially unrecognized by the lower mind.
Birth of a new faculty before its vehicle is built; evolution of consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic / Aurobindonian evolutionary symbolism (inner ascent and transformation)
Vehicle = formed mental-vital instrument; bond/measure = ego-limitation; choosing/bearing = consent + tapas (endurance).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A riddle of relationship to a power (the 'daughter'): is she truly blind if she lacks the vehicle of movement? The mythic action is discernment—knowing how a force is liberated from its limiting bond (mení) either by bearing it (discipline) or choosing it (assent).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The opposition √vah (carry) vs √vṛ (choose) uses two inherited IE verb families to set a conceptual contrast: sustaining vs selecting. The optative vareyāt preserves archaic modality.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi adopts the role of vidvān—one who refuses superficial judgment ('blind') and seeks the operative law of release (muc). The Devata is implicit as the law/knowledge that resolves the riddle in lived practice.
Discerning emerging intuition from habitual judgment; uniting endurance (bearing) with soul-choice (choosing).
Ājñā (intuition/discrimination)
Nādī-śodhana (gentle alternate-nostril) to balance ‘carrying’ and ‘choosing’ currents.
Witness-mind opening to intuitive gnosis.
Chant once slowly; then ask inwardly: ‘What new light is born in me without a vehicle?’ Practice not rejecting it; support it with steady breath and a clear decision to live by it.
Not provided; chant in neutral Vedic tone with gentle udātta lift on marked accents if a svara-text is available.
Keep pāda breaks clear; emphasize interrogatives (kaḥ, kataro) with slight rise; resolve softly at mucāte.
anusvāra in vidvām̐: keep nasalization light, andhām: clear aspirate ‘dh’, vareyāt: glide ‘re’ smoothly; avoid hard ‘ry’ cluster
Clear, contemplative, slightly questioning.
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