Rig Veda 10.61.25: Mandala 10, Sukta 61, Mantra 25
Sukta 10.61
- Rishi
- Angirasa / hymn-complex seer tradition
- Devata
- Dual deities/powers
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
युवोर्यदि सख्यायास्मे शर्धाय स्तोमं जुजुषे नमस्वान् । विश्वत्र यस्मिन्ना गिरः समीचीः पूर्वीव गातुर्दाशत्सूनृतायै ॥
yuvór yádi sakhyā́yāsme śárdhāya stómaṃ jujuṣé námasvān | víśvatra yásminn ā́ gíraḥ samīcī́ḥ pū́rvīva gātúr dā́śat sūnṛ́tāyai ||
अगर तुम्हारी दोस्ती के लिए यह लोग स्तुति सुन लें। जो शब्द ठीक से जुड़ते हैं, वो सब उसमें आ जाते हैं। पुराने रास्ते की तरह, यह रास्ता सच्चाई की तरफ ले जाता है।
Word by Word
- युवोः
- of you twoPronounषष्ठी/सप्तमी? द्विवचन (Gen./Loc. dual) — here Gen. dualRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root युव (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यदि
- ifIndeclinableअव्ययRoot यदि (निपात)
- सख्याय
- for friendship, for companionshipNounचतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सख्य (नपुंसक/पुं. भाववाचक) < सखि
- अस्मे
- to usPronounचतुर्थी/षष्ठी द्विवचन? — Vedic form: दत्तिव/सम्प्रदानार्थे ‘अस्मे’ = अस्मभ्यम् (Dat. pl. sense) / ‘to us’Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- शर्धाय
- for the troop/band (host)Nounचतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot शर्धा (स्त्री)
- स्तोमम्
- hymn of praiseNounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्तोम (पुं)
- जुजुषे
- has accepted / has taken pleasure inVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √जुष् (सेवने/प्रीतौ)
- नमस्वान्
- reverent, bearing homageAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (जुजुषे-कर्तृ) अथवा विशेषणRoot नमस् + वत् (मतुप्-प्रत्यय) → नमस्वत्
- विश्वत्र
- everywhereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (देश/व्याप्ति)Root विश्वत्र (अव्यय) < विश्व + त्र
- यस्मिन्
- in whom / in whichPronounसप्तमी एकवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role अधिकरणRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- आः
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात) — here as particle with ‘गिरः’ (Vedic)
- गिरः
- songs, praisesNounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (समीचीः-विशेषणयुक्त) / विषयRoot गिर् (स्त्री)
- समीचीः
- harmonious, fitting, rightly directedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (गिरः-विशेषण)Role विशेषणRoot समीचि (विशेषण) < सम् + √अञ्च् (गत्यर्थ) → ‘going together/straight’
- पूर्वीव
- as before, like formerlyIndeclinable (particle + noun-form) / Adverbialइव-युक्त उपमानRoot पूर्वी + इव (निपात)
- गातुः
- of the path / of the wayNounषष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot गातु (पुं) < √गा (गत्यर्थ) / ‘path, course’
- दाशत्
- may (he) give, may (he) bestowVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्? — Vedic injunctive/aorist-like form: 3rd sg. ‘may he give/offer’Role क्रियाRoot √दाश् (दान/पूजन)
- सूनृतायै
- for gracious truth / for kindly true speechNounचतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सूनृता (स्त्री) ‘true/gentle speech, gracious truth’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: युवोः यदि सख्याय अस्मे शर्धाय स्तोमम् जुजुषे नमस्वान् । विश्वत्र यस्मिन् आः गिरः समीचीः पूर्वीव गातुः दाशत् सूनृतायै ॥ 1) युवोर्यदि → युवोः + यदि (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफ-संधि)
- 2) सख्याया॒स्मे → सख्याय + अस्मे (आ + अ → आ; पदान्त-दीर्घ)
- 3) शर्धा॑य॒ स्तोमं॑ → शर्धाय + स्तोमम् (य् + स् संयोग)
- 4) यस्मि॒न्ना → यस्मिन् + आः (न् + आः; ‘आः’ वैदिक-निपात)
- 5) पूर्वीव → पूर्वी + इव
- 6) गा॒तुर्दाश॑त् → गातुः + दाशत् (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफ-संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
If, for your friendship, the company accepts with homage the hymn, then in him the rightly-joining words gather from every side; as in the ancient way, the path gives itself to true and luminous speech.
Inner meaning
When the seeker-community (śardha) enters into friendship (sakhyā) with the twin divine powers addressed (yuvor)—a companionship with the higher forces—then the mantra becomes accepted in the inner altar. In that state, speech (giraḥ) aligns and converges (samīcīḥ): scattered thoughts become one true utterance. The ‘path’ (gātu) opens as it did for the ancients: the way of ascent reveals itself to sūnṛtā—truthful, luminous, harmonious speech that carries realization.
Universal truth
When we cultivate genuine alliance with higher principles (not mere petition), our expression becomes integrated and true; right speech opens the right path—clarity of word and clarity of way arise together.
Themes
Reciprocity of praise and grace, Convergence of inspired speech, Opening of the path
The seer
- Rishi
- Angirasa (hymn-complex seer tradition)
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.71, RV 10.62, RV 4.50 (Bṛhaspati and the Word—theme parallel)
Family tradition
Angirasas are makers of the true Word that opens the path to the hidden light; sūnṛtā is central to their function.
Significance
The verse emphasizes the Angirasa secret: when divine friendship is established, the Word becomes unified and the path (gātu) opens—speech itself becomes a vehicle of crossing and discovery.
The deity
- Devata
- Dual divine powers (yuvor) within an Indra-oriented frame
- Epithets
- sakhā (friend—implied), yajatra (worship-worthy—contextual)
- Related deities
- Indra-Agni (common pair), Indra-Soma, Aśvins (twin helpers), Mitra-Varuṇa (harmony and vast law—conceptual parallel)
Cosmic role
Paired powers that stabilize and accelerate the journey—often illumination with will, or mind with life-force purified.
Inner power
The capacity to enter conscious companionship with the Divine, enabling integrated speech and right guidance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Stoma-acceptance and harmonizing of mantric speech; applicable in Soma liturgy where the ‘joining’ of giras and opening of gātu are sought
यु॒वोर्यदि॑ स॒ख्याया॒स्मे शर्धा॑य॒ स्तोमं॑ जुजु॒षे नम॑स्वान् । वि॒श्वत्र॒ यस्मि॒न्ना गिर॑: समी॒चीः पू॒र्वीव॑ गा॒तुर्दाश॑त्सू॒नृता॑यै ॥
यु॒वोः । यदि॑ । स॒ख्याय॑ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । शर्धा॑य । स्तोम॑म् । जु॒जु॒षे । नम॑स्वान् । वि॒श्वत्र॑ । यस्मि॑न् । आ । गिरः॑ । स॒म्ऽई॒चीः । पू॒र्वीऽइ॑व । गा॒तुः । दाश॑त् । सू॒नृता॑यै ॥
yuvoḥ | yadi | sakhyāya | asme iti | śardhāya | stomam | jujuṣe | namasvān | viśvatra | yasmin | ā | giraḥ | sam-īcīḥ | pūrvī-iva | gātuḥ | dāśat | sūnṛtāyai
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Balanced and connective; the cadence supports ‘joining’ (samīcīḥ) and ‘opening of the path’.
Creates coherence in the mind; helps scattered inner speech gather into a single luminous intention.
- युवोः (yuvor)
- Literal: of you two. Symbolic: a paired divine agency (often Indra with a companion power) representing harmonized forces in the sadhana
- सख्याय (sakhyāya)
- Literal: for friendship. Symbolic: inner alliance/companionship with the divine—intimate consent and cooperation
- शर्धाय (śardhāya)
- Literal: to the host/company. Symbolic: the gathered powers of the seeker—mind, life, body unified; also the collective aspiration
- स्तोम (stoma)
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: formed mantra-will that builds the godhead in consciousness
- गिरः समीचीः (giraḥ samīcīḥ)
- Literal: words rightly joining. Symbolic: thought and speech aligned to truth; inner harmony of expression
- गातुः (gātuḥ)
- Literal: path, passage. Symbolic: the opened way of realization; the channel between levels of consciousness
- सूनृता (sūnṛtā)
- Literal: true, pleasant, luminous speech. Symbolic: truth-word that manifests light; speech as creative power of consciousness
Stoma-acceptance and harmonizing of mantric speech; applicable in Soma liturgy where the ‘joining’ of giras and opening of gātu are sought
Recited in praise sequences to invite divine cooperation and right utterance; suitable before study, teaching, or mantra-japa.
Offering stoma with namas (reverent consent); establishing sakhyā (inner friendship).
Use as a pre-speech or pre-writing invocation: to align words with truth and open the right course of action.
√juṣ ‘enjoy/accept’ marks reciprocity: the devatā ‘accepts’ the stoma; √dāś ‘give’ indicates the path itself ‘grants’ access when speech becomes sūnṛtā. gātu from √gam/√gā (PIE *gʷem-) is the archetypal ‘way’ motif: the inner road opens by right utterance.
Sūnṛtā (truth-speech), Sakhya (divine friendship as inner alliance), Gātu (the path of progress)
‘Rightly joining words’ indicates speech aligned to R̥ta, which reveals the true path.
Sūnṛtā as truth-word: speech that is both true and luminous, not merely correct.
The path ‘gives itself’ when Vāc becomes true—speech participates in manifestation of the way.
Mantra-Vedānta/Integral: Word as power of consciousness; realization through aligned expression.
The ‘path’ is the subtle channel opened in consciousness; ‘from every side’ is the convergence of dispersed mental energies into a single current.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘opening of the path’ (gātu) through right speech: when the hymn is accepted in divine friendship, the words converge into a single effective mantric current and the ancient path of attainment yields itself.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- gātu from √gam/√gā (PIE *gʷem- ‘go’) is an inherited ‘way/going’ concept central to IE poetics; sakhya relates to companionship structures found across IE traditions (friendship as covenantal support).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi/community offers the stoma with namas; the devatā-pair responds by accepting it (jujuṣe), resulting in the harmonization of speech and the granting of an inner passage (gātu) toward truth-conscious utterance (sūnṛtā).
Enter ‘friendship’ with the higher Presence; listen inwardly until words arise as a single coherent truth rather than many competing voices.
viśuddha (purified expression) linked to ājñā (inner guidance)
Slow meditative breathing with brief pause after inhale; on exhale, silently repeat ‘sūnṛtāyai’ as an offering of speech.
Collected, receptive, and truth-attuned.
Before mantra or conversation: offer namas (inner bow), invoke the twin supports (light and will), then speak only after feeling inner convergence (samīcīḥ) and the ‘opened path’ of rightness.
Maintain Vedic accents; give a gentle lift to udātta on yuvor, stomaṃ, girāḥ; let samīcīḥ be articulated with clarity (long ī).
Pause lightly at pāda ends; keep ‘viśvatra…’ flowing to convey ‘from every side’.
sakhyāyāsme: split as sakhyāya + asme; avoid slurring., jujuṣe: pronounce both u’s; keep ṣ retroflex., samīcīḥ: long ī; c is palatal ‘ch’ without aspiration., sūnṛtāyai: vocalic ṛ clear; long āyai at end.
Soft, even, and precise; prioritize clarity of consonants to embody ‘rightly joining words’.
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