Rig Veda 10.49.10: Mandala 10, Sukta 49, Mantra 10
Sukta 10.49
- Rishi
- As RV 10.49
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अहं तदासु धारयं यदासु न देवश्चन त्वष्टाधारयद्रुशत् । स्पार्हं गवामूधस्सु वक्षणास्वा मधोर्मधु श्वात्र्यं सोममाशिरम् ॥
ahaṃ tád ā́su dhā́rayaṃ yád ā́su ná deváś caná tváṣṭā́dhārayad rúśat | spārháṃ gávām ū́dhaḥ-su vakṣáṇāsv ā́ mádhor mádhu śvā́tryaṃ sómam āśíram ||
मैंने वो चीज़ पकड़ी जो किसी देव ने भी नहीं पकड़ी, त्वष्टा ने भी नहीं। वो चमक रही थी, बहुत प्यारी मीठी चीज़। मैंने गाय के स्तन में शहद जैसा मीठा रस डाला। उससे खाना मिलता है जो दिल खुश करता है।
Word by Word
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तदासु
- then, at that timePronoun + Indeclinableतद्: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (अव्ययेन सह समासवत् प्रयोगः); आसु: अव्ययRole अधिकरणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आसु (अव्यय)
- धारयम्
- I held / I sustainedVerbलुङ् (अorist), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot धृ (धारणे)
- यदासु
- when, at that timePronoun + Indeclinableयद्: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (अव्ययेन सह); आसु: अव्ययRole अधिकरणRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आसु (अव्यय)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न (निषेध-अव्यय)
- देवः
- a godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- चन
- evenIndeclinableएव/अपि-भावे, न-समुच्चयेनRoot चन (अव्यय)
- त्वष्टा
- TvaṣṭṛNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)
- अधारयत्
- held / sustainedVerbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot धृ (धारणे)
- रुशत्
- shining, radiantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (देवः/त्वष्टा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot रुशत् (प्रातिपदिक; √रुश्/रुच् ‘to shine, be bright’ से वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- स्पार्हम्
- desirable, covetedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्पार्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
- गवाम्
- of cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊधस्सु
- in the uddersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot ऊधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वक्षणासु
- in the flanks/sidesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वक्षणा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘flanks/sides’)
- आ
- towards, into; forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (आ-)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मधोः
- of honey / of sweetnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- मधु
- honey, sweet drinkNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्वात्र्यम्
- invigorating, strengtheningAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सोमम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot श्वात्र्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘strengthening/refreshing’)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- आशिरम्
- a mixed offering / libationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (सोमस्य विशेष्य/अपादान-रूपेण द्रव्य-निर्देशः)Root आशिर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘mixture, libation, offering’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): तदा॑सु = तदा + आसु (आसु ‘then’ as Vedic indeclinable)
- यदा॑सु = यदा + आसु. ऊध॑स्सु = ऊधः + सु (सप्तमी-बहुवचन; visarga before s → ss). व॒क्षणा॒स्वा = वक्षणासु + आ (आ- as separate particle/upasarga; final -सु + आ kept as -स्वा in saṃhitā). Other words largely unsandhied in the given saṃhitā line
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra claims to uphold in ‘them’ what no god, not even Tvaṣṭṛ, could uphold: a shining desirable sweetness; he brings honeyed Soma-mixture into the udders and breasts of the cows so delight-nourishment may be drawn.
Inner meaning
Indra sustains within the powers of our nature a luminous sweetness (ruśat spārham)—the delight of consciousness—beyond the ordinary shaping capacity (even Tvaṣṭṛ, the fashioner). He infuses the radiant sources (cows as rays/knowledges) with Soma-honey: bliss-substance that becomes nourishment for the whole being. The ‘udders and breasts’ are the giving centers of the Light-powers: they yield milk of knowledge and delight once Soma is poured into them.
Universal truth
A higher illumination can establish in the human system a stable delight that ordinary formation cannot maintain. Bliss is not an after-effect but a sustaining substance that feeds knowledge and growth.
Themes
Soma as delight, cows as rays of knowledge, Indra surpassing the shaper, establishing sweetness in the sources
The seer
- Rishi
- As in RV 10.49
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.49
Significance
This verse pivots from conquest/path-making to the secret of delight: Indra’s illumination not only fights but ‘installs Soma’ into the rays of knowledge, making joy a sustaining power in sādhanā.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Soma-bhṛt (Soma-bearer; implied), Vṛtra-han (implied), Śacī-vān (effective intelligence; contextual)
- Related deities
- Soma, Tvaṣṭṛ, Agni
Cosmic role
Mediator who makes bliss operative in the luminous powers; upholder of a radiance even beyond the ordinary fashioner’s capacity.
Inner power
Illumination that carries Ananda into the instruments, turning knowledge into nourishment and stability.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-related Indra praise; delight and nourishment motif
अ॒हं तदा॑सु धारयं॒ यदा॑सु॒ न दे॒वश्च॒न त्वष्टाधा॑रय॒द्रुश॑त् । स्पा॒र्हं गवा॒मूध॑स्सु व॒क्षणा॒स्वा मधो॒र्मधु॒ श्वात्र्यं॒ सोम॑मा॒शिर॑म् ॥
अ॒हम् । तत् । आ॒सु॒ । धा॒र॒य॒म् । यत् । आ॒सु॒ । न । दे॒वः । च॒न । त्वष्टा॑ । अधा॑रयत् । रुश॑त् । स्पा॒र्हम् । गवा॑म् । ऊधः॑ऽसु । व॒क्षणा॑सु । आ । मधोः॑ । मधु॑ । श्वात्र्य॑म् । सोम॑म् । आ॒ऽशिर॑म् ॥
aham | tat | āsu | dhārayam | yat | āsu | na | devaḥ | cana | tvaṣṭā | adhārayat | ruśat | spārham | gavām | ūdhaḥ-su | vakṣaṇāsu | ā | madhoḥ | madhu | śvātryam | somam | āśiram
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Triṣṭubh with a ‘weighty sweetness’: strong openings, then mellower vowel-rich Soma phrases.
Eases the nervous system while keeping a bright intensity; supports the felt sense of ‘sweet radiance’ being held in the body.
- त्वष्टा (tvaṣṭā)
- Literal: Tvaṣṭṛ, the fashioner. Symbolic: the ordinary cosmic/psychic formative power; limits of mere formation without supramental delight
- धारयम् (dhārayam)
- Literal: I upheld. Symbolic: to make stable, to sustain a higher vibration in the instruments
- रुशत् (ruśat)
- Literal: shining, radiant. Symbolic: illumined substance of consciousness
- स्पार्हम् (spārham)
- Literal: desirable, yearned-for. Symbolic: the soul’s sought delight; ananda as the object of aspiration
- गवाम् (gavām)
- Literal: of the cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledges; luminous powers that ‘give milk’ of insight
- ऊधःसु (ūdhassu)
- Literal: in the udders. Symbolic: reservoirs of giving—stores of luminous nourishment
- वक्षणासु (vakṣaṇāsu)
- Literal: in the breasts. Symbolic: centers of outpouring force and nurture in the being
- मधोः मधु (madhoḥ madhu)
- Literal: honey of honey. Symbolic: intensified delight; bliss distilled from bliss
- सोमम् आशिरम् (somam āśiram)
- Literal: Soma-mixture. Symbolic: bliss-substance united with the energies of life and mind—ananda made workable
Soma ritual theology: praise of Indra as the one who can sustain and intensify Soma-delight and place it into the ‘cows’ (rays/wealth of light) for the sacrificer’s nourishment
During Soma pressings where Indra-Soma connection is emphasized; also in hymnic sequences celebrating Soma’s infusion.
Praise to invite Indra to take Soma and empower the luminous herds (outer); inner offering of delight into knowledge-centers.
Use for transforming dry effort into joyful practice; helpful in burnout—re-establishing ‘sweetness’ in the pursuit.
tvaṣṭṛ from √tvaṣ ‘to fashion, form’—the artisan of forms; the verse claims an Indra-force that exceeds mere shaping: sustaining ‘ruśat spārha’ radiance-desire. madhu from √mad ‘to be glad/intoxicated’ → sweetness/delight. soma from √su ‘press, extract’ → the extracted essence; psychologically the pressed delight of consciousness. go- ‘cow’ as ‘ray/illumined knowledge’ is justified by RV’s frequent go=light usage and √gā/√gam semantic overlap in ‘going/ray movement’ in Vedic imagery.
ānanda (madhu/soma as delight-substance), formation vs sustaining power (Tvaṣṭṛ vs Indra), inner nourishment of consciousness
R̥ta is fulfilled not only by order but by the right delight that sustains order from within.
Radiant sweetness (ruśat) as truth-substance rather than mere pleasant sensation.
Infusion of bliss into light-powers—creation as delight becoming formative.
Aurobindonian: Ananda as a fundamental plane; Soma as bliss-consciousness entering mind-life.
Honey/Soma = concentrated delight; cows = rays/knowledges; udders/breasts = giving reservoirs/centers through which knowledge and joy nourish the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘cows filled with sweetness’ mythic image: Soma/honey placed into the cows’ udders. Inner sense: Indra establishes delight (madhu, soma) within the luminous faculties (go = rays/knowledges), making them sources of spiritual nourishment; he sustains a radiance even Tvaṣṭṛ (mere form-shaper) cannot sustain.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu ‘honey’ is a classic IE word (Skt mádhu, Av. maðu, Greek méthy ‘wine’, English ‘mead’) tied to intoxicating sweetness/delight. This supports a deep Indo-European poetic theology where sweetness/intoxication signifies inspired power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi’s utterance highlights Indra not only as warrior but as sustainer of delight-essence in the seeker’s luminous faculties. The reciprocity is experiential: the hymn offers praise; Indra ‘places’ Soma-madhu within the inner sources so the sacrificer can draw strength and joy for the work of transformation.
Install ‘shining sweetness’ in the heart-mind: feel a luminous delight pervading thoughts and sensations without excitement.
anāhata (heart: sweetness/nourishment)
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while repeating ‘madhoḥ madhu’; on inhale receive sweetness, on exhale spread it through chest and head.
Quiet luminous joy (ānanda with clarity).
After a few recitations, visualize golden Soma-honey filling ‘rays’ in the head (insight-centers) and flowing down to nourish the whole body-nature.
Observe accent especially around ruśat/spārham and madhoḥ/madhu; keep svarita transitions smooth on vowel clusters.
Do not rush the ‘sweet’ phrases; slightly broaden long vowels (ū in ūdhassu, ā in āśiram) while keeping triṣṭubh pulse.
tvaṣṭā : retroflex ṣṭ cluster; clear ṭ, ruśat : śa, not ṣa, ūdhassu : geminate ss; keep ‘su’ light, vakṣaṇāsu : retroflex ṣ; long ā
Warm, luminous, slightly softened while still steady.
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