Rig Veda 10.61.6: Mandala 10, Sukta 61, Mantra 6
Sukta 10.61
- Rishi
- Same hymn complex
- Devata
- Cosmogonic generative forces implied
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shringara (love)
मध्या यत्कर्त्वमभवदभीके कामं कृण्वाने पितरि युवत्याम् । मनानग्रेतो जहतुर्वियन्ता सानौ निषिक्तं सुकृतस्य योनौ ॥
madhyā́ yát kartvám ábhavad abhī́ke kā́maṃ kṛṇvāné pitári yuvatýām | manānágreto jahatúr viyántā sānāú níṣiktaṃ sukṛtásya yónau ||
जब बीच में काम हुआ, जब पास आके इच्छा जगी। पिता और जवान में प्यार पैदा हुआ। मन से लगे हुए, वो बीज छोड़ के चले गए। वो बीज ऊपर पहाड़ पर गिराया, जहाँ सही जगह थी बनने के लिए।
Word by Word
- मध्याः
- of the middle (waist/center)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (मध्याः = ‘of the middle/waist’)Role Adhikaraṇa (सम्बन्ध-आधारः/स्थाने-सम्बन्धः)Root मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- which; thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (relative ‘which/that’)Role Karma (यत् = ‘that (act/thing)’ as object of अभवत्)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कर्त्वम्
- deed; act; doingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot कर्त्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाव/कर्म-नाम)
- अभवत्
- became; came to beVerbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root भू (धातु)
- अभीके
- in nearness; close byNoun/Adjective (locative used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अभीक (प्रातिपदिक)
- कामम्
- desire; loveNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot काम (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृण्वाने
- while making; doingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रकारः); आत्मनेपद; सप्तमी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग (—ए) / अथवा सप्तमी एकवचन नपुंसक; ‘while making’Role Adhikaraṇa (काल/अवस्था)Root कृ (धातु)
- पितरि
- in/with the fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवत्याम्
- in/with the young womanNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot युवती (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनान
- mentally; with intentIndeclinable/Adverbial (Vedic)अव्यय-प्रयोगः (वेदिक ‘in mind/mentally; with intent’)Role Karaṇa (भाव-करणम्: ‘with the mind/mentally’)Root मन (धातु) / मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) — Vedic form
- अग्रेतः
- from the front; forwardIndeclinable (adverb)अव्यय; ‘from the front/forward’Role Adhikaraṇa (दिशा/देश)Root अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इतस् (अव्यय-प्रत्ययः) / Vedic adverbial
- जहतुः
- the two left/abandonedVerbलिट् (perfect); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; द्विवचनRole (क्रिया)Root हा (धातु)
- वियन्ता
- the two who separate/hold apartNoun (agent) / participialपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा द्विवचन (dual agent: ‘the two restrainers/separators’)Role KartāRoot वि + यम् (धातु) / यन्तृ (agent-noun) — Vedic
- सानौ
- on the ridge/summitNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- निषिक्तम्
- poured; poured down; depositedParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (that which is poured/placed)Root नि + सिच् (धातु)
- सुकृतस्य
- of the well-done (merit/good deed)Noun/Adjectiveपुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root सु + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- योनौ
- in the womb; in the source/place of originNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): मध्याः | यत् | कर्त्वम् | अभवत् | अभीके | कामम् | कृण्वाने | पितरि | युवत्याम् || मनान् | अग्रेतः | जहतुः | वियन्ता || सानौ | निषिक्तम् | सुकृतस्य | योनौ || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) मध्याः + यत् → मध्याः यत् (visarga before y retained in pada separation)
- (2) यत्कर्त्वम् → यत् + कर्त्वम्
- (3) अभवदभीके → अभवत् + अभीके (final -t before vowel; saṃhitā shows -d by voicing)
- (4) कृण्वाने पितरि युवत्याम्: no further internal sandhi beyond saṃhitā joining
- (5) जहतुर्वियन्ता → जहतुः + वियन्ता (visarga before v)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When in the middle, in the near place, the act was done—desire being made in the Father and the young woman—then, intent in mind, they released the seed, parting; it was poured on the summit into the womb of the well-made.
Inner meaning
This is a symbolic cosmogony: in the inmost center (madhyā…abhīke) the creative act occurs when kāma (the divine delight-desire to manifest) shapes itself between two principles—‘Father’ (originating consciousness, puruṣa-like) and ‘Young one’ (productive nature, prakṛti-like). With concentrated intention (manānag), the creative potency (retaḥ) is released and placed into the ‘womb of the well-made’—a right formation (sukṛta) capable of holding the new creation. The ‘summit’ (sānu) suggests the higher plane or peak of consciousness where the seed can fructify without distortion.
Universal truth
True creation—of a work, a life-change, a new self—happens when intention and delight converge in the inmost center; then the seed is placed into a prepared, well-formed field where it can grow rightly.
Themes
Cosmogonic generation (inner), Discipline of desire, Seed-to-womb formation, Summit consciousness
The seer
- Rishi
- Composite/late hymn complex of RV 10.61 (attribution uncertain)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.61.7
Significance
The seer uses generative imagery to describe how creation proceeds from an inner conjunction of principles. In Aurobindo’s line, such verses are psychological maps: where to place the ‘seed’ (intention/power) so it manifests as right formation.
The deity
- Devata
- Cosmogonic generative pair (Father–Young one) and Kāma as creative impetus (implicit)
- Epithets
- sukṛta (well-made field), abhīka (inward/near)
- Related deities
- Prajāpati (later correlate), Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (as paired principles), Aditi (matrix of right creation)
Cosmic role
To initiate manifestation through the meeting of consciousness and nature, delight and intention, and to place creative potency into a prepared matrix.
Inner power
The capacity to conceive and implant a true formation at the summit of consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Esoteric/cosmogonic reflection within the hymn; not a standard standalone viniyoga; can accompany contemplative recitation on generation of the ‘right formation’ (sukṛta).
म॒ध्या यत्कर्त्व॒मभ॑वद॒भीके॒ कामं॑ कृण्वा॒ने पि॒तरि॑ युव॒त्याम् । म॒ना॒नग्रेतो॑ जहतुर्वि॒यन्ता॒ सानौ॒ निषि॑क्तं सुकृ॒तस्य॒ योनौ॑ ॥
म॒ध्या । यत् । कर्त्व॑म् । अभ॑वत् । अ॒भीके॑ । काम॑म् । कृ॒ण्वा॒ने । पि॒तरि॑ । यु॒व॒त्याम् । म॒ना॒नक् । रेतः॑ । ज॒ह॒तुः॒ । वि॒ऽयन्ता॑ । सानौ॑ । निऽसि॑क्तम् । सु॒ऽकृ॒तस्य॑ । योनौ॑ ॥
madhyā | yat | kartvam | abhavat | abhīke | kāmam | kṛṇvāne | pitari | yuvatyām | manānak | retaḥ | jahatuḥ | vi-yantā | sānau | ni-siktam | su-kṛtasya | yonau
44
4×~11 syllables
Dense and inward-turning; the cadence feels ‘mid-centered’ with a reflective pull.
Draws awareness to the core; supports contemplation of intention, conception, and right placement.
- मध्या (madhyā)
- Literal: in the middle. Symbolic: the psychic/central being; the inmost balance-point
- अभीके (abhīke)
- Literal: near, close, inward place. Symbolic: intimate inner plane where causes are set
- काम (kāma)
- Literal: desire. Symbolic: divine delight-will to manifest; creative urge of consciousness
- पितरि (pitari)
- Literal: in the father. Symbolic: originating consciousness, supporting principle
- युवत्याम् (yuvatyām)
- Literal: in the young woman. Symbolic: productive nature; fresh formative energy
- रेतः (retaḥ)
- Literal: seed. Symbolic: creative potency; concentrated force/idea that can generate a new formation
- वियन्ता (viyantā)
- Literal: parting, separating. Symbolic: differentiation—principles distinct so creation can proceed
- सानौ (sānau)
- Literal: on the summit. Symbolic: higher level of consciousness; peak where truth can be fixed
- सुकृतस्य योनौ (sukṛtasya yonau)
- Literal: in the womb of the well-made. Symbolic: a purified, rightly organized field (mind-life-body) fit to receive the new creation
Esoteric/cosmogonic reflection within the hymn; not a standard standalone viniyoga; can accompany contemplative recitation on generation of the ‘right formation’ (sukṛta).
Use for ‘seed-setting’ meditations: before beginning a project or new discipline, place a clear sankalpa into a calm, well-prepared inner field.
kāma (√kam ‘to desire, to love’) is ambivalent; in inner reading it can be the urge of manifestation/aspiration that must be placed into sukṛta-yoni (rightly formed matrix) to yield true creation. yoni is the source-field; sānu ‘summit’ indicates higher plane/peak where seed is deposited.
right formation (sukṛta) as ṛta-made, creative desire (kāma) disciplined into right matrix, manifestation from inner centre (madhyā, abhīke)
Sukṛta is creation according to ṛta—forms that hold truth without distortion.
The seed placed at the summit implies fixing truth in a higher clarity before it descends into life.
Conception in the inmost center; implantation into a prepared womb; differentiation (viyantā) as part of manifestation.
Proto-Sāṃkhya/Upaniṣadic cosmogony in Vedic imagery (consciousness–nature polarity)
Summit = higher mind/illumined plane; womb = purified receptivity; seed = concentrated intention-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A generative cosmogony motif: seed released and poured into a womb of right formation. Interpreted inwardly, it depicts how concentrated mind and disciplined desire must deposit creative potency into a purified matrix to produce true becoming.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √man (manānak) from PIE *men- ‘think’; √kṛ (kṛṇvāne) broadly reflects IE ‘do/make’ roots; √sic ‘pour’ participates in a widespread IE ritual lexicon of libation/infusion.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi is witness to an inner cosmogony: devatā is not a named god but a process—generation under ṛta (sukṛta). The relationship is pedagogic: the verse instructs how creation in the human vessel must occur—by right placement of potency, not by wandering desire.
Enter the ‘middle’ (heart/centered awareness), let a pure creative desire form, then plant a single clear intention into a quiet receptive field.
anāhata (center/madhyā) and sahasrāra (summit/sānu as higher placement)
Slow coherent breathing; on inhale gather to the heart-center, on exhale ‘place the seed’ upward to the crown as a point of light.
Inward, generative stillness with subtle delight (ānanda-tending).
Do not ‘release seed’ into agitation. First make the field sukṛta: simplify life-force, calm mind, clarify motive; then commit.
Observe Saṃhitā accents; keep ‘madhyā’ and ‘abhīke’ gently highlighted; avoid dramatic emphasis on explicit sexual imagery—chant as cosmogonic symbol.
Maintain evenness; let pāda breaks create contemplative pauses, especially after ‘abhīke’.
kartvam: retroflex ṭv cluster, kāmaṃ kṛṇvāne: anusvāra before k; keep kṛ vocalic ‘ṛ’, manānag: nasalization subtle; do not over-pronounce, niṣiktaṃ: retroflex ṣ; kt conjunct
Soft, inward, reverent; sustained vowels.
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