Rig Veda 10.27.23: Mandala 10, Sukta 27, Mantra 23
Sukta 10.27
- Devata
- Indra at sūkta level
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
देवानां माने प्रथमा अतिष्ठन्कृन्तत्रादेषामुपरा उदायन् । त्रयस्तपन्ति पृथिवीमनूपा द्वा बृबूकं वहतः पुरीषम् ॥
devānā́ṃ mā́ne prathamā́ atiṣṭhan kṛ́ntatrā́d eṣām úparā úd āyan | tráyas tapanti pṛthivī́m anūpā́ dvā́ bṛbū́kaṃ vahataḥ purī́ṣam ||
देवियों के हिसाब से पहली ताकतें खड़ी हो गई। उनका काटा हुआ हिस्सा ऊपर उठा। तीनों धरती और पानी पर जलते हैं। दो लोग बड़ा बोझ उठा के ले जा रहे हैं।
Word by Word
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- माने
- in the measure/standard (in the ‘honour/esteem’)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot मान (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मान’ = मान/माप/प्रतिष्ठा/सम्मान)
- प्रथमा
- the first (one)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (with implied subject) / विशेषणRoot प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अतिष्ठन्
- they stood / took their standVerbलङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot स्था (धातु)
- कृन्तत्रात्
- they cut away / cut offVerb (with particle)लङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचन; (कृन्तन् + त्रात् → कृन्तत्रात्)Role क्रियाRoot कृन्त् (धातु) + त्रात् (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश; ‘from/away’)
- एषाम्
- of these / of themPronounषष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उपरा
- the upper (ones/parts), the higherNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (with following verb) / विशेष्यRoot उपर (प्रातिपदिक)
- उदायन्
- they went up / roseVerbलङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot या (धातु) with preverb उद्-
- त्रयः
- threeNumeral (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- तपन्ति
- they heat / burnVerbलट् (Present); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot तप् (धातु)
- पृथिवीम्
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनूपाः
- the watery/riverine (ones); those of the lowlandsAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition to त्रयः)Root अनूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्वा
- twoNumeralपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन (Vedic form ‘द्वा’ = ‘द्वौ’)Role कर्तृRoot द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक; वैदिक रूप)
- बृबूकम्
- a ‘bṛbūka’ (a creature/being; traditional gloss: a kind of animal/fox-like being)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot बृबूक (प्रातिपदिक)
- वहतः
- the two carryVerbलट् (Present); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot वह् (धातु)
- पुरीषम्
- dung / filth / refuseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): (1) अतिष्ठन् = अ + तिष्ठन् (लङ् 3pl √स्था). (2) अतिष्ठन् कृन्तत्रात्: ‘कृन्तत्रात्’ = कृन्तन् + त्रात् (वैदिक कण्ठ्य-सन्धि; न् + त् → न्त्). (3) उपरा उदायन्: पदान्त ‘आ’ + ‘उ’ संधि न होकर पदविराम (पाद-सीमा) के कारण पृथक्
- अर्थतः ‘उपरा’ कर्तृ, ‘उदायन्’ क्रिया. (4) वहत॒: = वहतः (विसर्ग/जिह्वामूलीय-रूप नहीं; छन्दोबद्ध लेखन में ‘:’). (5) द्वा = वैदिक द्विवचन-प्रथमा ‘द्वा’ (क्लासिकल ‘द्वौ’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The first powers stand in the gods’ measure; from ‘cutting-through’ the higher ones rise. Three burn upon earth and waters; two carry the bṛbūka and the abundant substance, advancing formation.
Inner meaning
This is a compressed cosmogonic-psychological statement. In the ‘measure of the gods’ (devānām māne)—the law/ratio of higher consciousness—the primal powers take their stance: foundational faculties in the seeker establish themselves in right proportion. From the act of ‘cutting-through’ (kṛntatrāt: piercing division) the higher movements arise—when ignorance is cleft, superior states emerge. ‘Three burn’ suggests a triple tapas/heat: mind, life, and body (or the three fires) energizing earth-and-waters (the physical basis and its fluid life-substance). ‘Two bear’ indicates a dual agency (often read as Heaven–Earth, or Knowledge–Force) carrying forward the dense formative substance (purīṣa) and the obscure bṛbūka (a dark/cryptic factor): even the resistant material is taken up and transformed in the work of formation.
Universal truth
Creation and inner growth proceed by right measure, by decisive cleaving of obscurity, by sustained tapas in all parts of the being, and by integrating even the dark or dense elements into the evolutionary work.
Themes
cosmic ordering, numeric structuring of powers, ascent of higher formations
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.27 (sūkta context)
Significance
A ‘technical’ visionary utterance: the rishi reports structural laws of manifestation—measure, breakthrough, triple tapas, dual bearers—suggesting an initiatory knowledge rather than simple praise.
The deity
- Devata
- Collective Devas (with Indra presiding at sūkta level)
- Epithets
- Deva (luminous power), Uparāḥ (higher powers)
- Related deities
- Indra (breakthrough force), Agni (tapas/fire), Varuṇa (measure/order)
Cosmic role
Establish the measures of manifestation; raise higher planes from decisive cleaving; sustain transformation through tapas.
Inner power
Ordered faculties of illumination that reorganize the being according to higher law.
In ritual
Where it is used
Could be used in contemplative recitation on cosmic order and formation
दे॒वानां॒ माने॑ प्रथ॒मा अ॑तिष्ठन्कृ॒न्तत्रा॑देषा॒मुप॑रा॒ उदा॑यन् । त्रय॑स्तपन्ति पृथि॒वीम॑नू॒पा द्वा बृबू॑कं वहत॒: पुरी॑षम् ॥
दे॒वाना॑म् । माने॑ । प्र॒थ॒माः । अ॒ति॒ष्ठ॒न् । कृ॒न्तत्रा॑त् । ए॒षा॒म् । उप॑राः । उत् । आ॒य॒न् । त्रयः॑ । त॒प॒न्ति॒ । पृ॒थि॒वीम् । अ॒नू॒पाः । द्वा । बृबू॑कम् । व॒ह॒तः॒ । पुरी॑षम् ॥
devānām | māne | prathamāḥ | atiṣṭhan | kṛntatrāt | eṣām | uparāḥ | ut | āyan | trayaḥ | tapanti | pṛthivīm | anūpāḥ | dvā | bṛbūkam | vahataḥ | purīṣam
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Oracular and compact; strong caesura-like pauses around key terms (māne, kṛntatrāt, trayaḥ, dvā)
Produces a sense of archetypal order; helpful for contemplative absorption into ‘laws of becoming’.
- माने (māne)
- Literal: measure. Symbolic: right proportion/law of higher consciousness (R̥ta as measure)
- प्रथमाः (prathamāḥ)
- Literal: the first (powers). Symbolic: foundational faculties/primary gods within the being
- कृन्तत्रात् (kṛntatrāt)
- Literal: from cutting-through. Symbolic: breakthrough that cleaves ignorance; decisive discrimination
- उपराः (uparāḥ)
- Literal: higher ones. Symbolic: higher states/powers emerging after the breakthrough
- त्रयः (trayaḥ)
- Literal: three. Symbolic: triple tapas/fire in mind-life-body (or three inner fires)
- तपन्ति (tapanti)
- Literal: they burn, heat. Symbolic: austerity/ardor that transforms substance
- पृथिवी (pṛthivī)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: physical foundation of consciousness
- अनूपा (anūpā)
- Literal: with waters, watery. Symbolic: life-fluidity, vital-psychic waters
- द्वा (dvā)
- Literal: two. Symbolic: dual powers (knowledge-force; heaven-earth; seer-will) bearing the work
- पुरीष (purīṣa)
- Literal: abundant substance. Symbolic: dense plenitude of formation-substance
Uncertain; could be used in contemplative recitation on cosmic order and formation
Use as a contemplative mantra for ‘inner formation’ work: aligning life to right measure, sustaining tapas, integrating dense resistances.
māna ‘measure’ relates to √mā ‘measure’ (PIE *meh₁-). kṛntatrā́t from √kṛnt ‘cut’ indicates decisive separation/clearing. tapanti from √tap ‘heat’ (tapas) is inner ardor. bṛbūka is a hapax/rare term; semantic certainty is low—kept as technical with symbolic gloss. purīṣa again taken as ‘substance/abundance’ consistent with a cosmogonic-formative register.
māna (divine measure), tapas (transformative heat), formation through cutting obstruction
‘Measure of the gods’ is the operative R̥ta that structures manifestation.
Higher powers rise when truth cuts through obscurity (kṛntatrāt).
Formation via measure → breakthrough → triple heat → integration of substance.
Vedic evolutionary cosmology (Aurobindonian): ascent of higher planes through tapas and right order.
Earth = body; Waters = life-force and subconscious flux; Fire = transformative ardor; ‘two bearers’ = dual currents supporting growth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Cosmic ordering by number and function: primal powers establish in divine measure; higher powers rise after a ‘cutting through’; triad of tapas and a dyad of carriers sustain formation of the embodied world.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā ‘measure’ from PIE *meh₁- (cf. Greek métron, Latin mēnsus). √tap ‘heat’ has Indo-Iranian prominence for ascetic/transformative ardor. The inherited ‘measure’ lexicon underpins the concept of cosmic order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi articulates the law-like architecture (‘measure’, ordered powers) through which divine action becomes intelligible and reproducible inwardly. The devatā-world is not arbitrary; it is structured, and the seer’s knowledge aligns human practice with that structure.
Contemplate ‘right measure’ in your life (sleep, speech, effort), then apply a clean ‘cutting-through’ to one confusion; sustain triple tapas (mind-life-body) gently and steadily.
Even-count breathing (6-6) while mentally repeating ‘māne… tapanti…’ to stabilize rhythm.
Contemplative insight into structure; steady transformative ardor without agitation.
After chanting, sit with the sense of ‘measure’: ask what is excessive/deficient; choose one corrective act that restores proportion.
Follow standard Vedic accentuation; keep the cadence even to preserve the ‘measured’ feel.
Highlight ‘devānām māne’, ‘kṛntatrāt’, ‘trayaḥ tapanti’, ‘dvā … vahataḥ’.
atiṣṭhan: dental ‘t’, conjunct ‘ṣṭh’ clear, kṛntatrāt: retroflex ṛ; cluster ‘ntra’ clean, anūpā: long ū; avoid nasalizing excessively, vahataḥ: aspirate ‘h’ audible
Even, oracular, sustained vowels
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