Rig Veda 10.61.19: Mandala 10, Sukta 61, Mantra 19
Sukta 10.61
- Rishi
- RV 10.61 seer
- Devata
- The gods as inner powers
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इयं मे नाभिरिह मे सधस्थमिमे मे देवा अयमस्मि सर्वः । द्विजा अह प्रथमजा ऋतस्येदं धेनुरदुहज्जायमाना ॥
iyáṃ me nā́bhir ihá me sadhástham imé me devā́ ayám asmi sárvaḥ | dvijā́ áha prathamajā́ ṛtásyedáṃ dhenúr aduhaj jā́yamānā ||
यह मेरा केंद्र है, यहीं मेरा स्थान है। यह मेरे सारे देवता हैं, मैं पूरा खुद यही हूँ। मैं दो बार पैदा हुआ, सत्य का पहला पैदा हुआ बेटा। यह गाय पैदा होते ही मुझे ज्ञान का दूध पिलाती है।
Word by Word
- इयम्
- this (she/this one)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नाभिः
- navel; hub; central bondNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह (अव्यय)
- मे
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- सधस्थम्
- seat; common abode; assembly-placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सधस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot इदम्
- मे
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- देवाः
- godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अयम्
- this (he/this one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इदम्
- अस्मि
- I amVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)
- सर्वः
- all; the whole (one)Adjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्विजाः
- twice-born; (ritually) rebornNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
- अह
- indeed; surelyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अह (निपात/अव्यय)
- प्रथमजाः
- first-bornAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot प्रथमज (प्रातिपदिक; प्रथम + ज)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- इदम्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम्
- धेनुः
- cow; milch-cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदुहत्
- milkedVerbलुङ् (अorist/preterite), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √दुह् (दोहने)
- जायमाना
- being born; coming into beingParticipleस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त)Role KartāRoot √जन् (जनने) → जायमान (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): इयम् | मे | नाभिः | इह | मे | सधस्थम् | इमे | मे | देवाः | अयम् | अस्मि | सर्वः | द्विजाः | अह | प्रथमजाः | ऋतस्य | इदम् | धेनुः | अदुहत् | जायमाना । प्रमुख संधि: (1) नाभिरिह = नाभिः + इह (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफ) (2) सधस्थमिमे = सधस्थम् + इमे (म् + इ → मि) (3) देवाअयम् = देवाः + अयम् (विसर्ग-लोप) (4) ऋतस्येदम् = ऋतस्य + इदम् (य् + इ → ये) (5) अदुहज्जायमाना = अदुहत् + जायमाना (त् + ज → ज्ज)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker declares: ‘This is my navel; here is my seat. These are my gods; I am this whole.’ He says he is twice-born, first-born of ṛta. The Cow, being born, has milked out nourishment.
Inner meaning
A decisive inner identification occurs: the seeker finds the true ‘seat’ (sadhastha) in the central consciousness (nābhi)—the stable locus where the many inner powers (devāḥ) are felt as one integrated being (‘ayam asmi sarvaḥ’). ‘Twice-born’ (dvijā) marks a spiritual rebirth: first the natural birth, then the birth into the truth-consciousness. ‘Prathamajā ṛtasyā’ indicates the soul’s emergence as a first formation of the Truth-order (ṛta) in the human. The ‘Cow’ (dhenu) is the luminous Mother of rays/knowledge; as she is ‘born’ in the consciousness (illumination dawns), she yields milk—nourishment of light, joy, and understanding.
Universal truth
Spiritual maturity is an inner rebirth into truth-order: when the center is found, the many forces of life become gods within, and knowledge (the Cow of Light) spontaneously yields sustenance for growth.
Themes
self-realization, initiation, integration, illumination nourishment
The seer
- Rishi
- RV 10.61 seer-voice (late Mandala 10); autobiographical realization embedded in the hymn complex.
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.61.18-22 (sequence)
Family tradition
Angirasa-style inward myth: recovery of the light-cows and establishment of ṛta within the person, expressed as first-person realization.
Significance
A hallmark ‘identity’ mantra: the seer states integration (‘I am this whole’) after locating the true center; it reads like an early Upaniṣadic self-recognition grounded in ṛta.
The deity
- Devata
- The Devāḥ as inner divine powers; Ṛta as generative principle (with implicit Mother/Cow of Light)
- Epithets
- prathamajā ṛtasya (first-born of Truth)
- Related deities
- Aditi (infinite Mother-principle), Sarasvatī (inspired flow), Uṣas (dawn/awakening)
Cosmic role
To organize the being around the true center and make knowledge flow as nourishment.
Inner power
Integration and spiritual rebirth; the lactation of illumination (knowledge-essence) from awakened light.
In ritual
Where it is used
A verse of establishment and identification; inner use: affirmation of centering (nābhi), seat (sadhastha), and second birth into ṛta-consciousness.
इ॒यं मे॒ नाभि॑रि॒ह मे॑ स॒धस्थ॑मि॒मे मे॑ दे॒वा अ॒यम॑स्मि॒ सर्व॑: । द्वि॒जा अह॑ प्रथम॒जा ऋ॒तस्ये॒दं धे॒नुर॑दुह॒ज्जाय॑माना ॥
इ॒यम् । मे॒ । नाभिः॑ । इ॒ह । मे॒ । स॒धऽस्थ॑म् । इ॒मे । मे॒ । दे॒वाः । अ॒यम् । अ॒स्मि॒ । सर्वः॑ । द्वि॒ऽजाः । अह॑ । प्र॒थ॒म॒ऽजाः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । इ॒दम् । धे॒नुः । अ॒दु॒ह॒त् । जाय॑माना ॥
iyam | me | nābhiḥ | iha | me | sadha-stham | ime | me | devāḥ | ayam | asmi | sarvaḥ | dvi-jāḥ | aha | prathama-jāḥ | ṛtasya | idam | dhenuḥ | aduhat | jāyamānā
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Strong, self-affirming, with a measured rise—well-suited to declarative realization.
Builds a sense of inner consolidation; supports ‘taking one’s seat’ in meditation.
- nābhi
- Literal: navel, center. Symbolic: inner hub/psychic seat where integration occurs
- sadhastha
- Literal: seat, dwelling-place. Symbolic: stable station of consciousness; inner altar
- devāḥ
- Literal: gods. Symbolic: inner powers/functions of the Divine working in the being
- dvijā
- Literal: twice-born. Symbolic: rebirth into spiritual consciousness
- prathamajā ṛtasya
- Literal: first-born of ṛta. Symbolic: the earliest true formation of right-order in the seeker
- dhenu
- Literal: cow. Symbolic: cow of light—rays/knowledge that nourish the soul
- aduhat
- Literal: milked out. Symbolic: spontaneous yielding of illumination and strength from awakened light
A verse of establishment and identification; inner use: affirmation of centering (nābhi), seat (sadhastha), and second birth into ṛta-consciousness.
A centering and identity mantra for meditation: repeat to gather scattered forces and remember the ‘seat’ of truth within before work, study, or sādhanā.
- (dvijā): ‘twice-born’ (dvi + √jan ‘be born’), an inner initiatory motif already present in RV beyond later social usage. √jan from PIE *ǵenh₁- (Greek gen-, Latin gignere). -: ‘first-born’—priority of ṛta as origin. √duh in aduhat. ‘I am the whole’ reflects Vedic identity-statements (aham/ayam) used for integrative realization.
nābhi (center), dvija (second birth), identity with wholeness, ṛta as origin
Explicit: the reborn self is ‘first-born of ṛta’—truth-order becomes the matrix of consciousness.
‘I am this whole’ points to a truth of identity beyond fragmentation.
Birth of illumination: the Cow is ‘born’ and yields milk—knowledge as creative sustenance.
Strong Upaniṣadic anticipation (self-integration); aligns with Aurobindo’s ‘psychic being’ becoming central.
dawn-like emergence (implicit through ‘born’ illumination)
Cow/milk = rays/essence of knowledge and bliss nourishing the consciousness; navel/seat = stable center where the gods (powers) assemble.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘second birth’ and the ‘cow that milks while being born’: initiation into ṛta-consciousness releases immediate nourishment of illumination. Birth is not biological but a transition into truth-order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan (PIE *ǵenh₁-) underlies dvija/prathamaja. The identity-formulas (iyam/ayam + asmi) are archaic Indo-European style for performative self-establishment, comparable to inherited poetic self-naming/claiming.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi internalizes the devāḥ as his own powers and locates their seat at his nābhi. The devata responds by generating the second birth in ṛta and by letting the cow of light yield sustaining essence—divine action becomes embodied realization.
Take your seat in the inner center; invoke the ‘gods’ as faculties (clarity, courage, peace) and feel wholeness.
Maṇipūra (nābhi) for centralization; Anāhata for psychic wholeness (optional pairing).
4-4-6 breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 6) for 7 rounds, then mantra-japa.
Integrated, luminous, quietly expansive.
On ‘iyam me nābhiḥ’ place attention at the navel-center; on ‘ime me devāḥ’ sense inner powers aligning; on ‘dhenuḥ aduhat’ imagine a gentle stream of light-nourishment filling the body-mind.
Use traditional Ṛgvedic svara; emphasize udātta on key declarations (iyám, nábhiḥ, devā́ḥ) as taught in recitation lineages.
Keep each pāda clearly separated; let the declarative phrases land firmly (avoid rushing ‘ayam asmi sarvaḥ’).
dvijā: articulate ‘dv’ cleanly without inserting a vowel., ṛtasya: clear vocalic ṛ (short, tapped), not ‘ri’., dhenuḥ: aspirate ‘dh’ and keep ‘e’ long/pure.
Grounded and resonant, as a statement of inner fact.
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