Rig Veda 10.71.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 71, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.71
- Rishi
- Bṛhaspati
- Devata
- Vāc
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shringara (love)
उत त्वः पश्यन्न ददर्श वाचमुत त्वः शृण्वन्न शृणोत्येनाम् । उतो त्वस्मै तन्वं वि सस्रे जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः ॥
utá tvaḥ páśyanná dadarśa vā́cam utá tvaḥ śṛṇvánná śṛṇoty enām | utó tvasmái tanvàm ví sasre jāyéva pátya uśatī́ suvā́sāḥ ||
कुछ लोग देखते हैं पर वाणी को नहीं पाते। कुछ सुनते हैं पर सच में नहीं सुनते। पर किसी को वाणी अपना आप दिखा देती है। जैसे पत्नी, सज-धज के, अपने पति के सामने आती है।
Word by Word
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- त्वः
- from youPronounablative singular (Vedic enclitic form of त्वत्)Role ApādānaRoot त्वद्
- पश्यन्
- seeingVerb (participle)present active participle, nominative singular masculineRole KartāRoot पश्
- न
- notIndeclinablenegationRoot न
- ददर्श
- sawVerbperfect (liṭ), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot दृश्
- वाचम्
- speech; the WordNounfeminine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot वाच्
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- त्वः
- from youPronounablative singular (Vedic enclitic form of त्वत्)Role ApādānaRoot त्वद्
- शृण्वन्
- hearingVerb (participle)present active participle, nominative singular masculineRole KartāRoot श्रु
- न
- notIndeclinablenegationRoot न
- शृणोति
- hearsVerbpresent indicative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot श्रु
- एनाम्
- her/it (i.e., that speech)Pronounfeminine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot एना (इदम्-प्रत्ययिक सर्वनाम)
- उतो
- and further; moreoverIndeclinableparticle (ut + u, sentence-connector)Root उत
- त्वस्मै
- to him/for himPronoundative singularRole SampradānaRoot त्वद्
- तन्वम्
- body; person; selfNounfeminine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot तनू
- वि
- apart; forth; distinctlyIndeclinable (preverb)upasargaRoot वि
- सस्रे
- has flowed/has gone forthVerbperfect (liṭ), 3rd person singular, ātmanepadaRoot सृ
- जायाऽ
- a wifeNounfeminine, nominative singular (with avagraha from sandhi)Role KartāRoot जाया
- इव
- like; asIndeclinableparticle of comparisonRoot इव
- पतये
- to (her) husbandNounmasculine, dative singularRole SampradānaRoot पति
- उशती
- desiring; eagerAdjective (participle used adjectivally)present active participle (from √वश्/उश् ‘to desire’), feminine nominative singularRole Kartā (agreeing with जाया)Root उशत्
- सुवासाः
- well-clad; beautifully dressedAdjectivefeminine, nominative singular (Vedic ending -āḥ for -ā)Role Kartā (agreeing with जाया)Root सु-वासा
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved/normalized padas: उत त्वः पश्यन् न ददर्श वाचम् / उत त्वः शृण्वन् न शृणोति एनाम् / उतो त्वस्मै तन्वम् वि सस्रे / जायाऽ इव पतये उशती सुवासाः
- Notes: (1) त्वः is Vedic enclitic abl.sg
- of त्वद् ‘from you’
- (2) उतो is ut + u (particle)
- (3) जायेव → जायाऽ इव (a + i sandhi with avagraha)
- (4) सुवासा: is Vedic nom.sg.f
- with visarga written, corresponding to classical सुवासा
The meaning
Outer meaning
Some, though they look, do not truly perceive Vāc (the Word); some, though they listen, do not truly hear her. But to another, Vāc reveals her form intimately—like a well-adorned wife unveiling herself to her husband.
Inner meaning
Vāc is not merely audible speech but the living mantric consciousness. The same mantra can be ‘seen’ and ‘heard’ outwardly yet remain veiled inwardly when the being is unprepared (tamasic/rajasic mind, scattered attention). To the prepared seeker—purified, devoted, and in right relation—Vāc discloses her ‘body’: the concrete experiential substance of truth (an inner revelation, not a concept). The bridal image indicates intimacy, consent, and a lawful union: the Word yields herself to the soul that has become her true partner through sincerity and tapas.
Universal truth
Truth is not grasped by sensory contact or intellectual hearing alone; it unveils itself to receptivity, purity, and right relationship. Revelation is relational: the same reality remains hidden to one consciousness and self-discloses to another.
Themes
esotericism of mantra, revelation and readiness, Vāc as feminine power
The seer
- Rishi
- Bṛhaspati
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.71.1, Rig Veda 10.71.2, Rig Veda 10.71.3, Rig Veda 10.71.5, Rig Veda 10.71.6, Rig Veda 10.71.7, Rig Veda 10.71.8
Family tradition
Bṛhaspatya/Āṅgirasa lineage associated with brahman (sacred utterance), illumination, and the opening of the hidden Light.
Significance
Bṛhaspati here functions as the seer of the secret of mantra: speech is a goddess-power that yields only to inner fitness, right discipline, and truthful companionship.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāc
- Epithets
- Devī Vāc, Brahmavādinī (implicit), Mantramayī (implicit)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati, Sarasvatī, Agni, Indra
Cosmic role
Power of expression of ṛta/satya; the formative Word that brings hidden truth into manifest order and guides the sacrifice of consciousness.
Inner power
Revelatory speech—mantra that awakens, illumines, and organizes the being; selective self-disclosure to the prepared consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Instructional-gnomic: used to emphasize adhikāra (fitness) and the necessity of inner purity for mantra to ‘reveal its body’.
उ॒त त्व॒: पश्य॒न्न द॑दर्श॒ वाच॑मु॒त त्व॑: शृ॒ण्वन्न शृ॑णोत्येनाम् । उ॒तो त्व॑स्मै त॒न्वं१॒॑ वि स॑स्रे जा॒येव॒ पत्य॑ उश॒ती सु॒वासा॑: ॥
उ॒त । त्वः॒ । पश्य॑न् । न । द॒द॒र्श॒ । वाच॑म् । उ॒त । त्वः॒ । शृ॒ण्वन् । न । शृ॒णो॒ति॒ । ए॒ना॒म् । उ॒तो इति॑ । त्व॒स्मै॒ । त॒न्व॑म् । वि । स॒स्रे॒ । जा॒याऽइ॑व । पत्ये॑ । उ॒श॒ती । सु॒ऽवासाः॑ ॥
uta | tvaḥ | paśyan | na | dadarśa | vācam | uta | tvaḥ | śṛṇvan | na | śṛṇoti | enām | uto iti | tvasmai | tanvam | vi | sasre | jāyāiva | patye | uśatī | su-vāsāḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, forward-driving, suited to discrimination and proclamation of a subtle law.
Creates a firm, clarifying cadence that ‘cuts through’ superficial hearing, supporting inward attention until the Word becomes felt as presence.
- vāc
- Literal: speech, word, utterance. Symbolic: revealed truth-consciousness; mantric power that embodies knowledge
- paśyan
- Literal: seeing. Symbolic: mental observation vs. inner vision (dṛṣṭi) that truly apprehends
- śṛṇvan
- Literal: hearing. Symbolic: outer hearing vs. śravaṇa with inward receptivity
- tanūm vi sasre
- Literal: unveils/spreads her body. Symbolic: disclosure of the substantive form of truth; experiential revelation
- jāyā iva patye
- Literal: like a wife to her husband. Symbolic: lawful inner union of seeker and Word; intimacy born of fidelity
- uśatī suvāsāḥ
- Literal: eager, well-clad/adorned. Symbolic: beauty and delight of revelation when consciousness is ready
Instructional-gnomic: used to emphasize adhikāra (fitness) and the necessity of inner purity for mantra to ‘reveal its body’.
As a reflective/mantric teaching on speech and revelation; adaptable to brahma-yajña (recitation) contexts.
Recitation with contemplative pause on vāc and the unveiling simile.
Used before japa/chanting practice to set the intention: move from outer sound to inner hearing and revelation.
dadarśa (perf. of √dṛś ‘see’, PIE *derk- ‘see’), śṛṇoti (√śru ‘hear’, PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear’, cf. ‘listen’, Greek kleos ‘fame’). tanū- ‘body’ indicates concrete embodiment; vi-sasre from √sṛ ‘flow/spread’ with vi- ‘apart/open’—suggesting unveiling/expansion. The marriage simile encodes ‘adhikāra’: revelation is relational and selective.
adhikāra (fitness for revelation), śruti vs. mere hearing, selective unveiling of truth, union motif (marriage) as epiphany
Vāc is the vehicle by which ṛta becomes articulable and operative in human consciousness.
Satya is not merely stated; it ‘shows its body’ when consciousness is aligned.
The Word as formative power: manifestation depends on revelation and receptivity.
Vedāntic/Upaniṣadic trajectory (śabda-brahman → para-vāc), anticipated in Saṃhitā symbolism.
Unveiling signifies removal of inner coverings (āvaraṇa) so truth appears in its own form; adornment signifies delight (ānanda) and harmony of revealed knowledge.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of Vāc as a bride unveiling herself to the worthy: a mythic dramatization of revelation that is withheld from the unprepared and disclosed in intimacy to the fit.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The paired verbs ‘see’ (√dṛś) and ‘hear’ (√śru) reflect archaic Indo-European epistemic vocabulary; especially √śru < PIE *ḱleu- ties hearing, fame, and tradition—here inverted: external hearing without inner reception.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi indicates that Vāc is not mechanically accessible; she responds to an inner relationship. The devatā grants full manifestation (tanū) only where there is right union—purity, aspiration, and receptivity.
Shift from external chanting to inner audition: ‘Who in me truly hears Vāc?’
Viśuddha (speech/purity)
Nādānusandhāna-style gentle ujjāyī or slow nasal breathing while listening inwardly to the mantra’s resonance.
Pratyāhāra → dhāraṇā: from sensory hearing to inward receptivity.
Chant once slowly, then sit in silence and ‘wait’ for meaning to reveal itself as felt truth; cultivate truthfulness and inner consent—Vāc unveils to sincerity.
Triṣṭubh recitation with standard Vedic udātta/anudātta/svarita as per śākhā; keep the udātta rises clear on key words (vāc, śṛṇvan, dadarśa).
Sustain udātta slightly higher; avoid flattening the cadence at pāda ends; pause lightly at the caesura after key contrasts (paśyan… na; śṛṇvan… na).
Keep ‘vāc’ as long ā (vā-), not ‘vach’., ‘śṛṇvan’ with vocalic ṛ: śṛ- (not ‘shrin’)., ‘jāyeva’ articulate y-glide: jā-ye-va., ‘suvāsāḥ’ keep long ā and final visarga aspiration.
Clear, steady, inwardly ‘listening’ tone; minimal dramatization, maximum precision.
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