Rig Veda 10.29.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 29, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.29
- Devata
- Indra with Dawn imagery as supportive power
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्र ते अस्या उषसः प्रापरस्या नृतौ स्याम नृतमस्य नृणाम् । अनु त्रिशोकः शतमावहन्नॄन्कुत्सेन रथो यो असत्ससवान् ॥
prá te asyā́ uṣásaḥ práparasya nṛtaú syāma nṛtámasya nṛṇā́m | ánu triśókaḥ śatám ā́vahan nṝ́n kútsena rátho yó ásat sasavā́n ||
सुबह होने वाली है, और हमारी भी जीत होनी चाहिए। त्रिशोक के पीछे पीछे एक रथ गया जिसमें सौ आदमी थे। वैसे ही हमारे लिए भी ताकत आए जो हमसे आगे बढ़ाए।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot प्र (उपसर्ग) प्रत्यय-निपात
- ते
- to/for youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी? एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’ = ‘to/for you’ दत्तिवः; वैदिक प्रयोगे)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद्
- अस्याः
- of this (woman), of herPronounषष्ठी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRoot इदम् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘अस्या-’)
- उषसः
- of Uṣas (Dawn)Nounषष्ठी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिक रूप: उषसः)Root उषस्
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot प्र (उपसर्ग) प्रत्यय-निपात
- अपरस्याः
- of the later/other (one)Adjective/Pronounषष्ठी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRoot अपर
- नृतौ
- in the dance, in the rhythmic performanceNounसप्तमी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग (स्थाने/अधिकारणे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot नृतु
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative) उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अस्
- नृतमस्य
- of the best dancer / most rhythmicAdjectiveषष्ठी एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संबन्धे)Root नृतम (नृत + तम)
- नृणाम्
- of menNounषष्ठी बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRoot नृ
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableअव्यय (अनुगमन/अनुक्रम)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्रिशोकः
- the three-flamed/three-rayed one (epithet)Adjective (as noun) / Epithetप्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot त्रिशोक
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeral (as noun)द्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्गRole KarmaRoot शत
- आवहन्
- brought, conveyedVerbलङ् (imperfect) प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRoot वह् (आ + वह्)
- नॄन्
- menNounद्वितीया बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole KarmaRoot नृ
- कुत्सेन
- with Kuts(a)Proper Nounतृतीया एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole KaraṇaRoot कुत्स (ऋषि-नाम)
- रथः
- the chariotNounप्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot रथ
- यः
- which, whoPronoun (relative)प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot यद्
- असत्
- wasVerbलङ् (imperfect) प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRoot अस्
- ससवान्
- victorious, having wonParticipleक्तवतु (परस्मैपदी-भाव) प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRoot सस्/सस (धातु: सस् ‘to win/overcome’ वैदिक) / क्तवतु-प्रत्यय
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): प्र ते अस्या उषसः | प्र अपरस्याः नृतौ स्याम नृतमस्य नृणाम् | अनु त्रिशोकः शतम् आवहन् नॄन् कुत्सेन रथः यः असत् ससवान् || प्रमुख संधि: (1) प्रापरस्या = प्र + अपरस्याः (आ-आगम/स्वर-संधि; ‘अ’ के पूर्व ‘प्र’ के बाद दीर्घ/प्रगृह्य-प्रभाव से संयुक्त लेखन)
- (2) शतमावहन् = शतम् + आवहन् (म् + आ → मा)
- (3) नॄन्कुत्सेन = नॄन् + कुत्सेन (न् + क् संयोग)
- (4) यो असत् = यः + असत् (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आ संधि; पदपाठ में ‘यः असत्’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Forward for you with this Dawn and with the later Dawn: may we be in the victorious movement of the most victorious among men. Following Triśoka, the chariot together with Kutsa bore a hundred men.
Inner meaning
Uṣas is the progressive illumination—‘this dawn’ and ‘the later dawn’ indicate repeated and ascending awakenings. The prayer is to participate in nṛtí—the victorious advance—of the nṛtama (Indra as the supreme winner/leader of conquering movement). The mythic image of Triśoka’s chariot with Kutsa carrying a hundred men becomes a symbol of the divine Force-vehicle (ratha) that can carry many powers of the being (the ‘hundred’) across stages of darkness into widening journey.
Universal truth
Illumination is not a single event but a sequence of dawns. Aligning with the highest victorious consciousness enables the whole being—with all its faculties—to be carried forward swiftly on the path.
Themes
Indra and Kutsa myth, journey motif, illumination sequence
The seer
Significance
A seer of progressive illumination: the verse explicitly links repeated dawns with participation in Indra’s victorious movement, and uses legend as a psychological allegory of the yogic ‘vehicle’ carrying the integrated powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (as nṛtama) with Uṣas as supporting illumination
- Epithets
- nṛtama (most victorious), netṛ (leader, implied), jyotiḥ-kartṛ (maker of light, implied)
- Related deities
- Sūrya (as full light beyond dawn), Agni (as aspiration that meets dawn), Aśvins (as dawn-helpers)
Cosmic role
Indra leads the conquest of light; Uṣas opens the gates of illumination in time and consciousness.
Inner power
Indra: decisive illumined force that overcomes resistance; Uṣas: gentle but irresistible unveiling of truth-vision.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn/Indra praise in morning recitations; also compatible with Soma context where Indra is invoked for victory
प्र ते॑ अ॒स्या उ॒षस॒: प्राप॑रस्या नृ॒तौ स्या॑म॒ नृत॑मस्य नृ॒णाम् । अनु॑ त्रि॒शोक॑: श॒तमाव॑ह॒न्नॄन्कुत्से॑न॒ रथो॒ यो अस॑त्सस॒वान् ॥
प्र । ते॒ । अ॒स्याः । उ॒षसः॑ । प्र । अप॑रस्याः । नृ॒तौ । स्या॒म॒ । नृऽत॑मस्य । नृ॒णाम् । अनु॑ । त्रि॒ऽशोकः॑ । श॒तम् । आ । अ॒व॒ह॒न् । नॄन् । कुत्से॑न । रथः॑ । यः । अस॑त् । स॒स॒ऽवान् ॥
pra | te | asyāḥ | uṣasaḥ | pra | aparasyāḥ | nṛtau | syāma | nṛ-tamasya | nṛṇām | anu | tri-śokaḥ | śatam | ā | avahan | nṝn | kutsena | rathaḥ | yaḥ | asat | sasa-vān
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4×~11 syllables
Processional and forward-leaning; fits the ‘pra…pra’ impetus and chariot imagery.
Gives a sense of onward journey and widening horizons; encourages perseverance through stages.
- उषसः (uṣasaḥ)
- Literal: of Dawn. Symbolic: illumination, awakening, opening of consciousness
- अपरस्या (aparasyāḥ)
- Literal: of the later (dawn). Symbolic: successive higher illuminations
- नृतौ (nṛtau)
- Literal: in victorious movement/contest. Symbolic: dynamic spiritual advance, battle for light
- नृतमस्य (nṛtamasya)
- Literal: of the most victorious. Symbolic: Indra as supreme conqueror of obstruction
- त्रिशोकः (triśokaḥ)
- Literal: Triśoka (name). Symbolic: triple-radiance/threefold luminous impetus guiding the journey
- रथः (rathaḥ)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: vehicle of divine force; disciplined movement of energies
- शतम् (śatam)
- Literal: a hundred. Symbolic: many faculties/powers of the being gathered into one movement
- कुत्सेन (kutsena)
- Literal: with Kutsa. Symbolic: the striving soul-figure allied with divine force
Indra-related narrative allusion (Kutsa) typical of Soma praise; specific rite uncertain.
At dawn or early morning; also during periods of renewed undertaking
Recitation to align with Uṣas and invite victorious progress
Morning mantra for ‘progressive awakenings’: chant at sunrise to set a trajectory of victory and guidance for the day.
uṣas ‘dawn’ is the archetype of illumination; ‘this and the later’ indicates progressive dawnings. ā-√vah ‘carry’ gives the image of being borne by divine force. Triśoka as ‘three-shining’ can be read as a mythic helper-power of triple flame/energy; śatam as ‘hundred’ often marks plenitude rather than arithmetic only.
progressive illumination, victory as right movement (nṛtú), carrying-force of the divine
Uṣas embodies ṛta’s regular unveiling; ‘this and later dawn’ suggests ordered ascent.
Illumination is the emergence of satya-vision from the night-cover.
Repeated dawns mirror creation as progressive manifestation from darkness to light.
Integral progression: ascent by successive illuminations rather than abrupt escape.
dawn
Dawn = awakening of higher perception; chariot = disciplined psycho-physical movement; horses = vital energies harnessed for the journey.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The chariot-aid of Indra with Kutsa: divine force bears the seekers (a ‘hundred’) in a victorious transit. Dawn is not mere sunrise but successive awakenings enabling participation in Indra’s conquering movement.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ is IE (cf. Latin vehō, English way via different developments; the vehicle motif is ancient). The chariot formula is a pan-IE poetic inheritance (warrior god + chariot + comrades).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer asks to be included (‘syāma’) in Indra’s victorious motion; the devatā’s past mythic action (bearing Kutsa) becomes a paradigm for present inner transport—carrying the collective being into wider powers.
Track successive dawns of insight; offer yourself to the victorious movement rather than isolated experiences.
Ājñā (dawn of insight) and Sahasrāra (later dawn as higher opening)
Sūrya-bhedana (right-nostril) 9 rounds at dawn, then chant once, then silent witnessing of subtle light behind the forehead.
Awakening → widening → confident forward motion.
On ‘pra te asyā uṣasaḥ…’ visualize a first light in the mind. On ‘prāparasyā’ imagine a second, higher wave. On ‘nṛtau syāma’ consent to dynamic progress. Hold the chariot image to gather scattered faculties into one directed journey.
Vedic svara required; not fully derivable here. Maintain clear ‘pra’ lifts; avoid flattening repeated prefixes.
Give rhythmic emphasis to the paired ‘pra…pra’; keep proper caesura after each pāda.
uṣasaḥ: retroflex ṣ; short aḥ at end, prāparasyāḥ: long ā in prā-; keep -ras- clear, triśokaḥ: ś clean; do not over-aspirate k, kutsena: dental t; long e
Bright, forward, sunrise-like; slightly rising intonation across the first half.
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