Rig Veda 10.73.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 73, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.73
- Rishi
- Likely Gaurivīti Śāktya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ऋष्वा ते पादा प्र यज्जिगास्यवर्धन्वाजा उत ये चिदत्र । त्वमिन्द्र सालावृकान्त्सहस्रमासन्दधिषे अश्विना ववृत्याः ॥
ṛṣvā́ te pā́dā prá yát jigā́sy ávardhan vājā́ uta yé cíd átra | tvám indra sālāvṛkā́n sahásram ā́sán dadhiṣe aśvínā ā́ vavṛtyā́ḥ ||
जब इंद्र के बड़े कदम आगे बढ़ते हैं जीतने के लिए, तब ताकत और भी बढ़ जाती है। जो भी वहीं है वो भी स्ट्रॉन्ग होता है। इंद्र ने हज़ार लोगों को सही जगह बैठा दिया। अश्विन देव भी उसकी तरफ मुड़ गए थे, उसके साथ चले।
Word by Word
- ऋष्वाः
- lofty, mighty (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot ऋष्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक) — ‘of you/your’Role SampradānaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पादाः
- feetNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यत्
- when/thatIndeclinableसम्बन्धार्थे ‘when/that’ (वेदिक प्रयोग)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यत् (सम्बन्ध-अव्यय)
- जिगासि
- you wish to go/you are eager to goVerbलट् (वेदिक वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot गम् (धातु) — desiderative stem जिगास-
- अवर्धन्
- they increased/grewVerbलुङ् (अorist), तृतीयपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot वृध् (धातु) + अ (augment)
- वाजाः
- prizes, strengths, (victory-)spoilsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकःRoot उत (निपात)
- ये
- which/that (ones)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअवधारण/अपि-अर्थेRoot चित् (निपात)
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सालावृकान्
- (the) sālāvṛkas (a hostile band/raiders; lit. ‘hall-wolves’)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सालावृक (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्रम्
- a thousandNumeral/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (परिमाण/संख्या)Role KarmaRoot सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- unto, toward; inIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सन्दधिषे
- you put together, you arrange, you joinVerbलट् (वेदिक वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KriyāRoot धा (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) — present middle
- अश्विना
- with the AśvinsNoun (dual deity-name) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, द्विवचनम् (वेदिक) — ‘with the Aśvins’Role KaraṇaRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ववृत्याः
- having turned (toward), turning back/choosing (them)Verb (finite, Vedic) / Kṛdanta-like formवेदिक रूपम्; अर्थतः ‘having turned/choosing/turning (toward)’; (पदपाठे प्रायः ववृत्याः इति)Role Kriyā (subsidiary) / AdhikaraṇaRoot वृत् (धातु) — desiderative/iterative perfect-like form (वेदिक) / or kṛdanta from √वृत् ‘to turn/choose’
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: ऋष्वा ते पादा प्र यज्जिगास्यवर्धन्वाजा उत ये चिदत्र । त्वमिन्द्र सालावृकान्त्सहस्रमासन्दधिषे अश्विना ववृत्याः ॥ पद-विच्छेद (मुख्य): ऋष्वाः | ते | पादाः | प्र | यत् | जिगासि | अवर्धन् | वाजाः | उत | ये | चित् | अत्र | त्वम् | इन्द्र | सालावृकान् | सहस्रम् | आ | सन्दधिषे | अश्विना | ववृत्याः | Sandhi: (1) जिगासि + अवर्धन् → जिगास्यवर्धन् (इ + अ → य)
- (2) त्वम् + इन्द्र → त्वमिन्द्र (म् + इ → मि)
- (3) सालावृकान् + सहस्रम् → सालावृकान्त्सहस्रम् (न् + स → न्त्स्)
- (4) सहस्रम् + आ → सहस्रमा (म् + आ → मा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When your lofty steps go forward to win, the forces increase, even those here. You, Indra, set a thousand sālāvṛkas in their seats, as the Aśvins turned toward you in their movement.
Inner meaning
Indra’s ‘lofty steps’ are the successive widenings of illumined consciousness pressing forward to victory. As this ascent happens, ‘vājāḥ’ (plenitudes of force, capacities for effective action) increase in the present nature (‘even here’). The obscure term sālāvṛka is traditionally uncertain; in an inner reading it can signify numerous restless/fragmented impulses or minor vital formations that are ‘seated’—organized and made orderly under Indra’s rule. The Aśvins (twin powers of swift help—right discernment and right action, or life and mind in harmonious movement) turn toward Indra, meaning the supportive faculties align with illumination.
Universal truth
As consciousness widens and advances, practical capacities grow. True mastery is not suppression but right placement: the many small forces of the nature are seated into order, and the helping dual powers coordinate around the central illumination.
Themes
ascent by strides, increase of force, subjugation/ordering of hostile impulses, Aśvin support
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.73.1, RV 10.73.2
Significance
The seer emphasizes practical yogic mastery: widening strides of illumination produce real increase of capacity ‘here’ and impose order on the many lesser movements of the vital.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Aśvins as supporting powers)
- Epithets
- Ṛṣva-pāda (lofty-stepped, implied), Jigīṣu (eager to win, implied)
- Related deities
- Aśvins, Maruts, Agni
Cosmic role
Leader of victorious advance; organizer of powers; harmonizer with allied deities.
Inner power
Ascending illumination that increases capacities and establishes governance over fragmented impulses.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise (victory/increase)
ऋ॒ष्वा ते॒ पादा॒ प्र यज्जिगा॒स्यव॑र्ध॒न्वाजा॑ उ॒त ये चि॒दत्र॑ । त्वमि॑न्द्र सालावृ॒कान्त्स॒हस्र॑मा॒सन्द॑धिषे अ॒श्विना व॑वृत्याः ॥
ऋ॒ष्वा । ते॒ । पादा॑ । प्र । यत् । जिगा॑सि । अव॑र्धन् । वाजाः॑ । उ॒त । ये । चि॒त् । अत्र॑ । त्वम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । सा॒ला॒वृ॒कान् । स॒हस्र॑म् । आ॒सन् । द॒धि॒षे॒ । अ॒श्विना॑ । आ । व॒वृ॒त्याः॒ ॥
ṛṣvā | te | pādā | pra | yat | jigāsi | avardhan | vājāḥ | uta | ye | cit | atra | tvam | indra | sālāvṛkān | sahasram | āsan | dadhiṣe | aśvinā | ā | vavṛtyāḥ
44
4 × ~11
Ascending push in first half; stabilizing cadence in second half (‘āsan dadhiṣe’).
Combines uplift with steadiness—good for aligning aspiration with disciplined organization of life.
- पादा (pādā)
- Literal: feet/steps. Symbolic: Movements/levels of consciousness; strides of realization
- ऋष्वा (ṛṣvā)
- Literal: lofty, high. Symbolic: Elevated planes of mind; widened consciousness
- वाजाः (vājāḥ)
- Literal: prizes/strengths. Symbolic: Plenitudes of force; effective capacities born of illumination
- अत्र (atra)
- Literal: here. Symbolic: In the embodied nature, not only in heaven
- सालावृकान् (sālāvṛkān)
- Literal: a class of beings/creatures. Symbolic: Numerous minor vital impulses or formations needing ordering
- आसन दधिषे (āsan dadhiṣe)
- Literal: you placed in seats. Symbolic: Organization, stabilization, right governance of inner forces
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the Aśvins (dual). Symbolic: Twin harmonizing helpers—swift discernment/action; balanced life-mind support
Soma praise emphasizing Indra’s forward strides and the increase of vāja; suitable for stotra/śastra sequences invoking victory and force
Invocations for success, increase of strength, and right ordering of forces; can accompany offerings for overcoming obstacles.
Stotra with intention of ‘winning’ (jigāsi) and ‘seating’ the forces—establishing stability.
Before work requiring focus and coordination: chant to widen perspective and then ‘seat’ scattered energies into a plan.
√dhā (dadhiṣe) ‘set, place’ signals ordering/installation of forces—an act of mastery. vāja is treated as ‘plenitude of force’ (energic gain) from the semantic cluster of strength/impulsion, fitting the verse’s growth dynamic (avardhan). jigāsi carries desiderative will (urge-to-attain), mapping to inner aspiration.
ascent (ṛṣvá), mastery/ordering of inner forces (√dhā), embodied realization (‘atra’)
Ṛta is experienced as right placement (āsana) of forces under illumined governance.
Truth manifests as effective capacity and harmonious coordination, not mere vision.
Growth of powers through ascent; organization of the many into a stable order.
Integral psychological reading: ascent and integration (widening + ordering).
Each ‘step’ is an inner breakthrough; ‘prizes’ are new capacities; the twins are balanced supports enabling swift progress.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘divine stride brings increase’ mythologem: Indra’s forward steps cause vājāḥ to grow. Secondarily, the ordering/placing of predatory powers (sālāvṛkāḥ) suggests the taming of inner dangers within the ‘house’ of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pāda ‘foot/step’ < PIE *ped- is a transparent IE inheritance. √dhā ‘place’ corresponds to PIE *dheh₁- ‘to put, set’ (Greek tithēmi, Latin faciō via different root; more directly Sanskrit dadhāti ~ Greek tithēmi).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer observes a law of inner yogic economy: when Indra’s ‘steps’ of consciousness advance, the vāja within the practitioner increases ‘even here’. The rishi’s recognition/praise calls and stabilizes that movement, while Aśvin powers harmonize and quicken the process.
Visualize Indra’s ‘lofty steps’ as successive widenings: body → breath → mind → witness. Then ‘seat’ the scattered impulses into still attention.
Ājñā for widening insight; Mūlādhāra for ‘seating’ stability; Maṇipūra for vāja (effective force).
3-stage breath: inhale to abdomen–ribs–upper chest (widening), exhale slow and complete (seating).
Expansive alertness transitioning into steady mastery.
After chanting, do a 2-minute ‘seating practice’: label the top 5 distractions; assign each a time/place later; return to one-pointed focus. This is the inner ‘āsan dadhiṣe’.
Triṣṭubh (probable). Maintain clear accent peaks on ṛṣvā, pādā, j, vājāḥ, índra. Exact svara requires śākhā mapping.
Let ‘ṛṣvā te pādā’ open wide; place a gentle pause after ‘jigāsi’; emphasize ‘āsan dadhiṣe’ as settling.
Pronounce ṛṣvā with clear vocalic ṛ (ऋष्वा), Keep jigāsi with hard g (जिगासि), Aśvinā: keep śv cluster clean (अश्विना)
Uplifted at start, then grounded and steady by the end.
3
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