Rig Veda 10.71.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 71, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.71
- Rishi
- Bṛhaspati
- Devata
- Vāc / Brahmanaspati’s revelatory speech
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
यज्ञेन वाचः पदवीयमायन्तामन्वविन्दन्नृषिषु प्रविष्टाम् । तामाभृत्या व्यदधुः पुरुत्रा तां सप्त रेभा अभि सं नवन्ते ॥
yajñéna vā́caḥ padavī́yam ā́yan tām ánv avindan ṛ́ṣiṣu práviṣṭām | tā́m ā́bhṛtya vy àdadhuḥ purutrā́ tā́ṃ saptá rebhā́ abhí sáṃ navante ||
यज्ञ के द्वारा शब्द का रास्ता ढूंढा। रिशियों के पास जाके शब्द को पाया। उस शब्द को बाहर लाया और जगह-जगह फैला दिया। सात रिशि उस शब्द के सामने झुक गए।
Word by Word
- यज्ञेन
- by/with the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करणRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) < √यज्
- वाचः
- of speechNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पदवीयम्
- the track/path (course)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पदवीय (प्रातिपदिक) < पदवी
- आयन्त
- they went/approachedVerbलुङ् (अorist); प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √या (गत्यर्थ) + आ-
- ताम्
- her/that (speech)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अनु
- अविन्दन्
- they foundVerbलुङ् (अorist); प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √विद् (लभे/ज्ञाने) + अव-
- ऋषिषु
- among/in the seersNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रविष्टाम्
- entered (having entered)Participleभूतकृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्म (ताम् विशेषणम्)Root √विश् (प्रवेशने) + प्र-; कृदन्त: प्रविष्ट
- ताम्
- her/that (speech)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- आभृत्याः
- the bringers (those who brought/collected it)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot आभृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) < आ-√भृ (आहरणे) (कृदन्त/नाम)
- वि
- apart, in various waysIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root वि
- अदधुः
- they placed/arrangedVerbलुङ् (अorist); प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √धा (धारणे/स्थापने) + अ- (augment)
- पुरुत्रा
- in many places, widelyIndeclinableअव्यय (देश/वितरण)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root पुरुत्रा
- ताम्
- her/that (speech)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralअव्यय-संख्याशब्दRole (विशेषण)Root सप्त
- रेभाः
- singers/poets (rebhás)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot रेभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अभि
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root सम्
- नवन्ते
- they praise/utter reverentlyVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमा; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root √नु/√नव् (स्तुतौ/नुतौ) + न (आत्मनेपद)
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विग्रहः (मुख्य): वाचः+पदवीयम् → वाचः पदवीयम् (विसर्गः पद- इत्यादौ यथावत्)
- पदवीयम्+आयन्त → पदवीयम् आयन्त (अन्त्य -म् + आद्य स्वरः, पदपाठे पृथक्)
- आयन्त+ताम् → आयन्त ताम्
- आयन्तामन्वविन्दन् इति संहितायां: ताम्+अनु+अविन्दन् → ताम् अनु अविन्दन् (अन्वविन्दन्)
- नृषिषु इति संहितायां: नृ+ऋषिषु → नृषिषु (ऋ-आदौ संधिः)
- प्रविष्टाम् (ताम् विशेषणम्)
- तामाभृत्या → ताम् आभृत्याः
- व्यदधुः → वि+अदधुः
- सं नवन्ते → सम्+नवन्ते (अनुस्वार/परसवर्णः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
By the yajña they went along the path of Speech; they found her, entered into the seers. Bringing her forward, they distributed her in many directions; to that Speech the seven inspired chanters bow together.
Inner meaning
Yajña here is the inner sacrifice—consecrated effort and offering through which consciousness advances. The ‘path of Speech’ is the progressive unfolding of mantra-consciousness: the Word is not invented but discovered. ‘Found her, entered into the seers’ indicates that Vāc takes possession of the ṛṣis; inspired speech is a descent/entry of a higher power into human instruments. ‘Set her out in many directions’ means the one truth-word differentiates into many mantras, teachings, and applications suited to varied planes and needs. The ‘seven rebhas’ are the archetypal inspired voices (often linked to seven rays/planes): they unite in reverence to the one Word, acknowledging a common source behind diverse expressions.
Universal truth
Sincere inner offering opens a path where truth is discovered and then shared. Authentic teaching arises when a higher inspiration enters the human channel; diversity of expression can still bow to one truth when rooted in the same inner source.
Themes
discovery of Vāc, mantra transmission, seven seers/voices, unity-to-multiplicity
The seer
- Rishi
- Bṛhaspati (Angirasa tradition)
- Lineage
- Aṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 10.71, RV 4.50, RV 2.23
Family tradition
Angirasas: discoverers of hidden light/word through yajña; transmitters of mantric knowledge in many forms.
Significance
Embodies the Angirasa method: inner sacrifice → discovery of Vāc → descent into the seer → dissemination as manifold mantras, all rooted in one truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāc (the Word) / revelatory speech under Bṛhaspati’s lordship
- Epithets
- praviṣṭā (entered), purutrā-vyadadhā (distributed manifoldly)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati, Sarasvatī, Agni
Cosmic role
Vāc is the creative and revelatory force that becomes many while remaining one; she is the medium by which ṛta and satya become communicable and operative.
Inner power
Inspirational descent and articulated transmission—capacity to receive, embody, and share truth in forms suited to different minds.
In ritual
Where it is used
Meta-ritual teaching: how yajña yields revelation of the Word; could be recited in contexts emphasizing correct brahman and transmission of mantras.
य॒ज्ञेन॑ वा॒चः प॑द॒वीय॑माय॒न्तामन्व॑विन्द॒न्नृषि॑षु॒ प्रवि॑ष्टाम् । तामा॒भृत्या॒ व्य॑दधुः पुरु॒त्रा तां स॒प्त रे॒भा अ॒भि सं न॑वन्ते ॥
य॒ज्ञेन॑ । वा॒चः । प॒द॒ऽवीय॑म् । आ॒य॒न् । ताम् । अनु॑ । अ॒वि॒न्द॒न् । ऋषि॑षु । प्रऽवि॑ष्टाम् । ताम् । आ॒ऽभृत्य॑ । वि । अ॒द॒धुः॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽत्रा । ताम् । स॒प्त । रे॒भाः । अ॒भि । सम् । न॒व॒न्ते॒ ॥
yajñena | vācaḥ | pada-vīyam | āyan | tām | anu | avindan | ṛṣiṣu | pra-viṣṭām | tām | ābhṛtya | vi | adadhuḥ | puru-trā | tām | sapta | rebhāḥ | abhi | sam | navante
11
4 × 11
Processional and expansive; mirrors ‘going along the path’ and ‘spreading in many directions’.
Gives a sense of lineage and transmission; supports humility and receptivity to inspiration.
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: inner consecration and offering; disciplined transformative practice
- वाचः पदवी (vācaḥ padavī)
- Literal: track/path of speech. Symbolic: progressive stages of revelation and formulation of truth
- अविन्दन् (avindan)
- Literal: they found. Symbolic: discovery of pre-existent truth; revelation rather than invention
- ऋषिषु प्रविष्टाम् (ṛṣiṣu praviṣṭām)
- Literal: entered into the seers. Symbolic: descent/possession of inspired Word into receptive consciousness
- आभृत्य (ābhṛtya)
- Literal: bringing forward. Symbolic: making inner revelation available to waking mind and life
- पुरुत्रा (purutrā)
- Literal: in many places/directions. Symbolic: multiple mantric expressions and applications across planes
- सप्त रेभाः (sapta rebhāḥ)
- Literal: seven inspired chanters. Symbolic: seven rays/powers of inspiration; integral chorus of revelation
- अभि सं नवन्ते (abhi saṃ navante)
- Literal: bow together in assent. Symbolic: harmonized unanimity before the one Truth-Word
Mantric-theoretical verse: supports the priestly understanding that yajña is a means of accessing and stabilizing Vāc in the seer; applicable across soma and non-soma rites as a foundational doctrine of mantra.
At instructional moments; before collective chanting; during recitation lineages to honor the source of vāc.
Affirmation of revelation-through-offering; group assent/bowing to the Word.
Use at the start of group satsang/chant: align as ‘seven rebhas’—a collective intention to receive one truth and express it in many helpful ways without losing unity.
padavī́ya- ‘path-track’ from pada ‘foot/step’ (PIE *ped- ‘foot’) + vī ‘going/track’ (semantic: way, course). yajña- from √yaj ‘to worship, sacrifice, offer’; psychologically, ordered offering of energies. rebhá- ‘inspired singer’ (etymology uncertain; associated with sounding/praise); denotes a voice that resonates with revelation. práviṣṭā ‘entered’ (ppp of √viś ‘enter’, PIE *weik- ‘settle/enter’ debated).
yajña as inner technology, revelation entering the seer (ṛṣiṣu praviṣṭā), one truth, many expressions (puru-trā), collective harmony (sam-)
‘Padavī’ is the track of ṛta in language—ordered stages of manifestation of truth.
Discovery (avindan) implies truth pre-exists; speech is valid when it reveals, not fabricates.
Differentiation: one Word becomes many directions—like one light refracting into rays.
Revelation epistemology of the Veda; aligns with Aurobindo’s view of mantra as ‘heard’ truth and with integral transmission across planes.
Path = stages of inner realization; radiating directions = applications/expressions; seven = completeness of inspired powers.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘finding of Vāc’ on her path through yajña: revelation is tracked, discovered, then made distributable for the world. It parallels other RV motifs of ‘finding’ (cows/light) but internalized: the recovered treasure is the Word lodged in ṛṣis.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pada ‘foot/step’ (< PIE *ped-) anchors the metaphor of a ‘track’ as a knowable course. The verb √yaj (yajñena) reflects an old Indo-Iranian sacrificial lexicon (Avestan yaz-), showing shared ritual-poetic inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishis approach Vāc through yajña (self-offering), receive her inward entry, and then become mediators who ‘place her forth’ for many uses. Devatā gives revelation; rishi gives form, distribution, and communal assent.
Walk the ‘path of the Word’: offer mind and breath (yajña), listen inwardly, receive a seed-phrase, then let it radiate into life-actions.
vishuddha (reception/transmission of vāc) with sahasrara (descent of inspiration)
‘Offering breath’: inhale—receive (silent); exhale—offer (silent). After 7 cycles, softly chant the mantra once, then sit in listening.
Receptive inspiration with humble assent; readiness to express truth in fitting forms.
Do not chase eloquence. Perform inner yajña (offer distraction into the fire), then wait until the Word ‘enters’. When it does, keep it pure; share it in ‘many directions’ through speech, writing, and action—without losing fidelity to the inner source.
Rigvedic accentuation; keep the triṣṭubh gait like a ‘procession’ on a path.
Slight lift on ‘yajñena’ and ‘vācaḥ padavīyam’; pause after ‘avindan’; broaden tone on ‘purutrā’; unify cadence on final pāda to suggest ‘together’.
yajñena: ‘jñ’ conjunct; do not simplify to ‘gy’, padavīyam: long ī; keep ‘vy’ clear, ṛṣiṣu: vocalic ṛ; ‘ṣ’ retroflex, praviṣṭām: ‘ṣṭ’ cluster crisp; long ā, ābhṛtyā: vocalic ṛ; long ā at end, rebhā: retroflex ‘bh’ aspirated; long ā
Centered, reverent, slightly expansive in middle pādas; end with unified, softened bowing tone.
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