Rig Veda 10.65.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 65, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.65
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ / Ṛta-vṛdhaḥ divine powers
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
दिवक्षसो अग्निजिह्वा ऋतावृध ऋतस्य योनिं विमृशन्त आसते । द्यां स्कभित्व्यप आ चक्रुरोजसा यज्ञं जनित्वी तन्वी नि मामृजुः ॥
divákṣaso agnijihvā́ ṛtā́vṛdha ṛtásya yóniṃ vimṛśánta āsate | dyā́ṃ skabhitvī́ apá ā́ cakrur ójasā yajñáṃ janitvī́ tanvī́ ní māmṛjuḥ ||
जो चमकते हैं, उनकी जीभ आग जैसी है। वो सचाई को बढ़ाते हैं, सचाई के मेन स्थान पर बैठे हैं। उन्होंने आसमान को पकड़के खड़ा किया, फिर ताकत से पानी को हिला दिया। यज्ञ को पैदा करके, शरीर में तैयार किया।
Word by Word
- दिवक्षसः
- the heaven-dwellers / celestial onesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot दिव्-क्षस् (प्रातिपदिक: दिवक्षस्)
- अग्निजिह्वाः
- having Agni as tongue; fire-tonguedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि-जिह्वा (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतावृधः
- increased by ṛta (cosmic order); ṛta-nourishedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ऋता-वृध (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta / of the cosmic orderNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- योनिम्
- womb; source; seatNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विमृशन्तः
- touching; examining; seekingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वि-मृश् (धातु: मृश् ‘to touch/examine’)
- आसते
- they sit; they abideVerbलट्; प्रथम पुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole KriyāRoot आस् (धातु: आस् ‘to sit’)
- द्याम्
- heaven; the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्कभित्वि
- having propped up; having supportedVerb (absolutive)क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Vedic: -त्वि); ‘having propped/supported’Role Kriyā (पूर्वकर्म)Root स्कभ् (धातु: स्कभ् ‘to prop/support’)
- अपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (directional/intensive)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- चक्रुः
- they have made; they madeVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथम पुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot कृ (धातु: कृ ‘to do/make’)
- ओजसा
- with strength; by mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice; ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनित्वि
- having produced; having generatedVerb (absolutive)क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Vedic: -त्वि); ‘having generated/begotten’Role Kriyā (पूर्वकर्म)Root जन् (धातु: जन् ‘to be born/produce’)
- तन्वी
- with (their) body; bodilyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (Vedic instr. in -ī)Role KaraṇaRoot तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down; in; thoroughlyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (down/in)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मामृजुः
- they have wiped/cleansed; they purifiedVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथम पुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot मृज् (धातु: मृज् ‘to wipe/clean/purify’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): दिवक्षसः | अग्निजिह्वाः | ऋतावृधः | ऋतस्य | योनिम् | विमृशन्तः | आसते || द्याम् | स्कभित्वि | अपः | आ | चक्रुः | ओजसा | यज्ञम् | जनित्वि | तन्वी | नि | मामृजुः || 1) ‘अग्निजि॒ह्वा’ → अग्नि+जिह्वाः (समास; nom.pl.). 2) ‘ऋ॒ता॒वृध॑’ → ऋता+वृधः (समास; nom.pl.). 3) ‘स्क॑भि॒त्व्य१॒॑प’ is Vedic sandhi/orthography: स्कभित्वि + अपः (absolutive in -त्वि + following vowel). 4) ‘च॑क्रु॒रोज॑सा’ → चक्रुः + ओजसा. 5) ‘जनि॒त्वी त॒न्वी’ are Vedic -त्वि absolutives: जनित्वि + तन्वी. Accent marks are retained from the given text
- morphological analysis is independent of accent placement
The meaning
Outer meaning
Wide-shining, fire-tongued powers that increase ṛta sit discerning the womb of ṛta; they prop up heaven and set the waters in motion by force; they give birth to the sacrifice and fashion it in the body, making it ready.
Inner meaning
These are the luminous divine powers (viśve devāḥ as inner faculties) whose speech is flame (agni-jihvāḥ): inspired utterance and will. They ‘touch the womb of ṛta’—they enter the causal seat where truth is conceived—discerning it (vimṛśantaḥ). They establish the higher mind (dyām skabhitvā) and release the inner waters (apah)—the flow of life-energy, emotion, and intuition—so the yajña (the transformative process) is born in the embodied nature (tanvī) and purified/arranged (ni māmṛjuḥ).
Universal truth
Transformation is not accidental: higher truth must be contacted at its source, the higher consciousness established, and the life-forces set into right movement; then the inner sacrifice becomes embodied and workable.
Themes
Cosmogony of yajña, Ṛta-source discovery, Purificatory formation
The seer
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (probable hymn-lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 10.65.15, RV 7.66 (Mitra-Varuṇa order), RV 7.87 (Varuṇa and truth)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns frequently articulate ṛta as a living order and the gods as powers that establish it in mind and life.
Significance
The seer frames yoga-like process: contact truth-source → establish higher plane → release energies → embody sacrifice. This is a practical map of inner evolution.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ as Ṛta-vṛdhaḥ (collective divine powers)
- Epithets
- divakṣasaḥ (wide-shining), agnijihvāḥ (flame-tongued), ṛtāvṛdhaḥ (increasers of ṛta)
- Related deities
- Agni (as flame-tongue principle), Angirasas (suggested by flame/discernment imagery), Bṛhaspati (truth-speech power)
Cosmic role
They are the formative agencies that uphold heaven (higher consciousness) and set the waters (life-flow) into ordered motion, generating yajña (cosmic/psychic work).
Inner power
Integrated luminous faculties: inspired speech, discerning intuition, and effective force (ojas) that purifies and organizes embodiment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Viśvedevas invocation; hymnic support for yajña as a process of ‘making ready’ the offering
दि॒वक्ष॑सो अग्निजि॒ह्वा ऋ॑ता॒वृध॑ ऋ॒तस्य॒ योनिं॑ विमृ॒शन्त॑ आसते । द्यां स्क॑भि॒त्व्य१॒॑प आ च॑क्रु॒रोज॑सा य॒ज्ञं ज॑नि॒त्वी त॒न्वी॒३॒॑ नि मा॑मृजुः ॥
दि॒वक्ष॑सः । अ॒ग्नि॒ऽजि॒ह्वाः । ऋ॒त॒ऽवृधः॑ । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । योनि॑म् । वि॒ऽमृ॒शन्तः॑ । आ॒स॒ते॒ । द्याम् । स्क॒भि॒त्वी । अ॒पः । आ । च॒क्रुः॒ । ओज॑सा । य॒ज्ञम् । ज॒नि॒त्वी । त॒न्वि॑ । नि । म॒मृजुः ॥
divakṣasaḥ | agni-jihvāḥ | ṛta-vṛdhaḥ | ṛtasya | yonim | vi-mṛśantaḥ | āsate | dyām | skabhitvī | apaḥ | ā | cakruḥ | ojasā | yajñam | janitvī | tanvi | ni | mamṛjuḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables; strong caesura typical of triṣṭubh.
Dynamic and architectonic—supports imagery of ‘propping’ and ‘setting in motion’.
Energizes will (ojas) while keeping a luminous clarity; good for building inner steadiness and flow.
- अग्निजिह्वाः (agnijihvāḥ)
- Literal: fire-tongued. Symbolic: speech of inspiration; will expressing as mantra
- ऋतावृधः (ṛtāvṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: increasers of ṛta. Symbolic: powers that expand truth-order in the being
- ऋतस्य योनिम् (ṛtasya yonim)
- Literal: womb/source of ṛta. Symbolic: causal plane where truth is conceived; inner origin of right knowledge
- विमृशन्तः (vimṛśantaḥ)
- Literal: touching, examining, discerning. Symbolic: luminous discrimination; intuitive contact
- द्याम् स्कभित्वा (dyām skabhitvā)
- Literal: having propped up heaven. Symbolic: establishing higher mind/illumined consciousness
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: inner currents of life, feeling, intuition; flowing energies
- ओजसा (ojasā)
- Literal: by force, vigor. Symbolic: spiritual strength; tapas-like effective power
- यज्ञम् जनित्वा (yajñam janitvā)
- Literal: having generated the sacrifice. Symbolic: awakening the transformative process in oneself
- तन्वी (tanvī)
- Literal: in the body. Symbolic: embodiment of realization in nature
- नि मामृजुः (ni māmṛjuḥ)
- Literal: they cleansed/arranged, made ready. Symbolic: purification and right organization of the being
Mythic charter of yajña: establishes sacrifice as cosmogonic/psychogonic act; used to sacralize ritual action as creation of ordered consciousness.
Recited in contexts honoring collective gods; suitable where yajña’s establishment/purification is thematized.
Mantric accompaniment to preparatory acts (arranging offerings, kindling, purification).
Use before meditation/work: invoke inner powers to establish ‘heaven’ (higher mind), release stuck energies (‘waters’), and prepare the body-mind as a fit altar.
agnijihvā ‘fire-tongued’ (jihvā ‘tongue’ from PIE *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂?; cognates are complex). √mṛj ‘wipe/clean’ (cf. Latin mergere ‘dip’ is not direct; but Indo-European roots for rubbing/cleansing are widespread). √skambh ‘support’ as above. yoní ‘womb/source’ from √yu ‘join/contain’ in some analyses; functionally ‘source, seat’.
Womb of ṛta (ṛtasya yoni), Sacrifice as creation (yajña janitvī), Purification/preparation (mṛj)
Direct: ‘womb of ṛta’ and ‘increasers of ṛta’.
Satya is approached through discernment (vimṛś) of ṛta’s source; truth becomes embodied as prepared yajña.
Cosmic creation as ritual-formation: establishing heaven, moving waters, birthing yajña—an archetype of manifestation.
Integral-psychological reading: gods as powers of consciousness shaping embodiment.
Fire = inspired will/speech; Heaven = higher mind; Waters = life-energy/intuition set into harmonious flow.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A cosmogonic mythologem of yajña: divine fire-tongued powers discover the womb of ṛta, uphold heaven, release the waters, and ‘birth’ the sacrifice—psychologically, the ordered inner work arises when higher mind is stabilized and life-energies are set flowing under truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan ‘beget’ < PIE *ǵenh₁-. √kṛ ‘make’ is an Indo-Iranian reflex of PIE *kwer-/*kʷerh₁- type ‘do/make’ (exact PIE reconstruction debated; the Sanskrit root is central to IE ‘make/do’ semantics).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents the devatās as archetypal practitioners of yajña: their cosmic actions model the inner discipline—contacting ṛta’s source, stabilizing the higher plane, releasing the waters, and purifying the embodied offering—so the human can replicate this creative order within.
Contemplate the ‘womb of ṛta’ as a luminous center above the mind; invite discerning contact, then let breath and attention release the inner waters into calm flow.
Sahasrāra/Ājñā (higher mind establishment) with Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/flow) harmonized.
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) to ‘prop’ the mind and ‘move’ the waters gently; avoid strain.
Active illumination—quietly powerful, organizing the nature.
Begin seated: (1) invoke flame-speech (silent mantra), (2) feel a bright vault above, (3) soften the belly/pelvis to allow flow, (4) offer the whole movement as yajña in the body.
Chant with Saṃhitā accents as given; maintain clear udātta peaks on marked syllables (e.g., divákṣaso, agnijihvā́ḥ).
Keep the triṣṭubh gait: slight lift at each pāda start; audible caesura mid-pāda; do not rush clusters like skabhitvā.
Retroflex ṛ in ṛtāvṛdha, ṛtasya, Conjuncts: agni-jihvāḥ (jihvā aspirate), skabhitvā (skabh), Maintain nasalization where present; keep ‘ṃ’ before consonants clean
Bright, steady, slightly forceful (ojas) without shouting.
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