Rig Veda 10.61.24: Mandala 10, Sukta 61, Mantra 24
Sukta 10.61
- Rishi
- Angirasa / hymn-complex seer tradition
- Devata
- Indra with associated swift force
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अधा न्वस्य जेन्यस्य पुष्टौ वृथा रेभन्त ईमहे तदू नु । सरण्युरस्य सूनुरश्वो विप्रश्चासि श्रवसश्च सातौ ॥
adhā nv asya jényasya púṣṭau vṛ́thā rébhanta īmahe tád ū́ nú | saraṇyúr asya sūnúr áśvo vípraś cāsi śrávasaś ca sātáu ||
अब इस जीतने वाले के लिए हम मेहनत करते हैं। यह मेहनत बेकार नहीं है। तू उसका बेटा है, एक घोड़ा जैसे तेज़ चलता है। तू एक रिशि भी है और नाम कमाने में ताकत है।
Word by Word
- अधा
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/क्रम-सूचक)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अध (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) अथ/अध
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अनुनासिक/अन्वय-बलक)Root नु (निपात)
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounपुं/नपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जेन्यस्य
- of the conquering/noble oneAdjectiveपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root जेन्य (प्रातिपदिक; √जि ‘to conquer’ से)
- पुष्टौ
- in (his) prosperity/nourishmentNounस्त्री; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पुष्टि (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृथा
- in vain, fruitlesslyIndeclinableअव्यय (रीति/प्रकार)Root वृथा (अव्यय)
- रेभन्ते
- they praise/chantVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्र.पुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole KartāRoot √रेभ् (भ्वादि; ‘to praise/chant’)
- ईमहे
- we seek/imploreVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole KartāRoot √यम्/√इ (आत्मनेपदी; ‘to go/seek/strive’—RV में ‘to seek, to implore’ अर्थ)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसक; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (object of ‘ईमहे’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊ
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (उत्कर्ष/बल)Root ऊ (निपात)
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot नु (निपात)
- सरण्युः
- swift, fleetAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (of ‘असि’)Root सरण्यु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘swift, running’)
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounपुं/नपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूनुः
- sonNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण-समन्वय)Root सूनु (पुं-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वः
- horseNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (of ‘असि’)Root अश्व (पुं-प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्रः
- inspired sageNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (of ‘असि’)Root विप्र (पुं-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातRoot च (अव्यय)
- असि
- you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (सम्बन्ध/विधेय)Root √अस् (अदादि; ‘to be’)
- श्रवसः
- of fame, of gloryNounनपुंसक; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root श्रवस् (नपुं-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातRoot च (अव्यय)
- सातौ
- in the winning/victoryNounस्त्री; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot साति (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक; ‘winning, gain, victory’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): अधा | नु | अस्य | जेन्यस्य | पुष्टौ | वृथा | रेभन्ते | ईमहे | तत् | ऊ | नु | सरण्युः | अस्य | सूनुः | अश्वः | विप्रः | च | असि | श्रवसः | च | सातौ । मुख्य संधि: (1) अधा॒ न्व॑स्य = अधा + नु + अस्य (नु + अस्य → न्वस्य)
- (2) तदू॒ नु = तत् + ऊ + नु (तत् + ऊ → तदू, त्→द् before vowel)
- (3) सू॒नुरश्वो॒ = सूनुः + अश्वः (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व; उः + अ → उर)
- (4) विप्र॑श्चासि = विप्रः + च + असि (विसर्गः + च → श्च; च + असि → चासि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We strive for the growth of this victorious one; not in vain. For you are his swift-moving son, the Horse—also an inspired seer—and in the winning of fame you are the attaining power.
Inner meaning
The aspirants labor for the increase (puṣṭi) of the victorious divine Mind (Indra’s conquering consciousness). The swift force (saraṇyu) is described as his ‘son’—the born-out movement from illumination—taking the form of Aśva, the vital dynamism that carries the work. Yet this force is not merely kinetic; it becomes vipra too: it can act with inspired discernment. Thus in the gaining of śravas (true renown = the soul’s luminous accomplishment), this swift horse-power is the effective attainment.
Universal truth
True victory is not passive: it grows by sustained aspiration. When dynamic energy is born from higher illumination and guided by insight, it becomes the sure means of achievement and lasting fulfillment.
Themes
Strengthening the victor, Dynamic energy as helper, Attainment (sāti)
The seer
- Rishi
- Angirasa (hymn-complex seer tradition)
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.51, RV 1.62, RV 10.62
Family tradition
Angirasas channel the mantra that turns force into light-bearing energy; they spiritualize the vital (aśva) by yoking it to Indra’s victory.
Significance
This verse shows a key Angirasa method: energize the conquering consciousness and convert speed/impulse into inspired, discerning power (aśva that is vipra).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (jenya) with Saraṇyu/Aśva as associated power
- Epithets
- jenya (victorious), maghavan (bountiful—contextual), vṛtrahan (slayer of the coverer—contextual)
- Related deities
- Maruts (forces of dynamism), Aśvins (swift helpers), Agni (will)
Cosmic role
Grants victory of light over darkness; increases the powers that accomplish works in the worlds.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force generating a swift, effective, and discerning dynamism in the vital nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Verses for strengthening the victorious power through praise and aspiration; suited to stotra/uktha sequences aiming at ‘puṣṭi’ and ‘sāti’
अधा॒ न्व॑स्य॒ जेन्य॑स्य पु॒ष्टौ वृथा॒ रेभ॑न्त ईमहे॒ तदू॒ नु । स॒र॒ण्युर॑स्य सू॒नुरश्वो॒ विप्र॑श्चासि॒ श्रव॑सश्च सा॒तौ ॥
अध॑ । नु । अ॒स्य॒ । जेन्य॑स्य । पु॒ष्टौ । वृथा॑ । रेभ॑न्तः । ई॒म॒हे॒ । तत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । नु । स॒र॒ण्युः । अ॒स्य॒ । सू॒नुः । अश्वः॑ । विप्रः॑ । च॒ । अ॒सि॒ । श्रव॑सः । च॒ । सा॒तौ ॥
adha | nu | asya | jenyasya | puṣṭau | vṛthā | rebhantaḥ | īmahe | tat | oṃ iti | nu | saraṇyuḥ | asya | sūnuḥ | aśvaḥ | vipraḥ | ca | asi | śravasaḥ | ca | sātau
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Energetic and progressive; suited to ‘striving’ and ‘increase’.
Stimulates resolve and disciplined dynamism; supports a feeling of victorious build-up.
- जेन्य (jenya)
- Literal: victorious, conquering. Symbolic: the conquering divine consciousness (Indra-force) that overcomes inner resistance
- पुष्टि (puṣṭi)
- Literal: increase, growth, plenitude. Symbolic: expansion of strength, clarity, and capacity in the sadhana
- रेभन्तः (rebhantaḥ)
- Literal: praisers/chanters. Symbolic: aspirants who energize the inner sacrifice through mantra and will
- सरण्युः (saraṇyuḥ)
- Literal: swift-moving one. Symbolic: rapid executive force released by illumination
- सूनुः (sūnuḥ)
- Literal: son. Symbolic: a derived power born from the divine principle in us
- अश्वः (aśvaḥ)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy and force of action, disciplined to carry the higher aim
- श्रवसः सातौ (śravasaḥ sātau)
- Literal: in the winning of fame. Symbolic: in the attainment of luminous accomplishment and soul-affirmed victory
Verses for strengthening the victorious power through praise and aspiration; suited to stotra/uktha sequences aiming at ‘puṣṭi’ and ‘sāti’
Indra hymns for strength and success; also suitable in personal practice before effortful tasks.
Praise and invocation to augment the victorious power; inner ‘yoking’ of the horse-force to the divine aim.
Use as a mantra of aligned productivity: energize action (aśva) but insist it be vipra—guided by insight.
jenya from √ji ‘conquer’ frames victory as an inner conquest; puṣṭi from √puṣ ‘thrive’ indicates growth of the victorious consciousness; śravas (PIE *ḱleu̯- ‘hear/fame’) links ‘fame’ with ‘being heard/manifest’—psychologically, the attainment of a state that resounds in consciousness.
Inner conquest (√ji), Aspiration and effective speech, Śravas as manifested recognition
Not ‘vain striving’: right effort aligned to R̥ta yields real increase.
Aśva becomes vipra—action is made truthful by inspiration.
Emanation: swift force as ‘son’ born from victorious consciousness.
Integral yoga resonance: transformation of vital energy into illumined instrument.
Horse = vital drive; when born from Indra’s light, it becomes a carrier of the work rather than a restless impulse.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘increase of the victor’ mythic pattern: through inspired striving, the victorious power is nourished; the horse/swift force is not merely transport but an emanated helper that enables attainment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ji ‘conquer’ aligns with Indo-European victory lexemes; śravas from PIE *ḱleu̯- shows the archaic equation of fame with ‘being heard’—a pan-IE poetic value.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi’s ‘rebhanta’ effort (energetic utterance/aspiration) feeds the devatā’s puṣṭi; in return the devatā manifests as swift energy and inspired intelligence that secures sāti (attainment).
Feel a luminous power above the head/forehead (Indra) and invite it to ‘beget’ a swift, obedient energy in the vital; let action arise as inspired movement.
maṇipūra (vital power) harmonized under ājñā (guidance)
Brisk-leaning but controlled breathing: 4-4 or 4-6 count, sensing energy on inhale and guidance on exhale.
Dynamic concentration: energized, directed, and lucid.
Before work: recall the aim (jenya), offer effort (rebhantaḥ), then consciously ‘yoke the horse’—reduce scattered impulses and act from a single illumined intention.
Tri-svara with clear udātta on key invocatory words (adhā, jenyasya, saraṇyuḥ, aśvaḥ); keep svarita as a controlled glide, not a scoop.
Mark pāda endings with a gentle settle; keep the middle of each pāda slightly propelled to match ‘striving’.
jenyasya: pronounce palatal j clearly; avoid ‘zh’., puṣṭau: retroflex ṣ and cluster ṣṭ crisp., aśvo: short a + ś (palatal) distinct from s., śravasaḥ: keep śra- as one unit; avoid inserting vowel between ś-r.
Clear, energized, and disciplined; avoid breathiness to keep ‘victory’ tone.
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