Rig Veda 10.73.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 73, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.73
- Rishi
- Likely Gaurivīti Śāktya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
समना तूर्णिरुप यासि यज्ञमा नासत्या सख्याय वक्षि । वसाव्यामिन्द्र धारयः सहस्राश्विना शूर ददतुर्मघानि ॥
samanā́ tūrṇír úpa yāsi yajñám ā́ nā́satyā sakhyā́ya vakṣi | vasā́vyām indra dhārayaḥ sahásrā aśvínā śūra dadatur maghā́ni ||
जल्दी-जल्दी सब मिलकर यज्ञ के पास आते हैं। नसत्य, वो दोनों भाई, दोस्ती के लिए साथ चलते हैं। इंद्र, तुम दोनों तरफ से धन पकड़े हो। अश्विन, वो हज़ारों घोड़े वाले, वो शक्ति देते हैं। यह सब मिलके बड़े काम करते हैं।
Word by Word
- समाना
- same, common (together)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (यज्ञम् इति नपुंसकं द्वितीया एकवचनं प्रति विशेषणरूपेण; वैदिके लिङ्ग-व्यत्ययः सम्भवः)Role विशेषण (कर्म-विशेषणम्) / क्रियाविशेषणार्थे ‘समाने/एकस्मिन्’Root समाना- (प्रातिपदिक; सम्+अन्/अण् भाव) अथवा सम्- (उपसर्ग) + आन (सम्+आन = समान)
- तूर्णिः
- the swift one; swift (as an epithet)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे/कर्तरि)Role कर्तृ (यासि इत्यस्य कर्ता—‘त्वम्’ निहितः; तूर्णिः इति विशेषण/उपाधि)Root तूर्णि- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘swift/impetuous’)
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role क्रियाविशेषण (गत्यर्थे ‘near, towards’)Root उप (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
- यासि
- you goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot या (धातु: या- ‘to go’)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, ritualNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (यासि—‘to the sacrifice’)Root यज्ञ- (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् ‘to worship/sacrifice’)
- आ
- hither, to, untoIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग (आ-गमन/आ-समन्तात्)Root आ (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
- नासत्या
- O Nāsatyas (Aśvins)Nounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन द्विवचन (हे नासत्यौ)Role सम्बोधनRoot नासत्य- (प्रातिपदिक; अश्विनौ—देवनाम)
- सख्याय
- for friendship, for companionshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचन (दातृ/प्रयोजन)Role सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (वक्षि—‘for friendship’)Root सख्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘friendship’)
- वक्षि
- you convey/bringVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वह्/वह (धातु: वह् ‘to carry, convey’; वैदिके वक्षि = 2sg)
- वसाव्याम्
- with the two wealth-giving (aids/powers)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया द्विवचन (इन्द्र-धारयः इत्यस्य सह/साधनभावे)Role करण/सह (याभ्याम्—‘with/through the two wealth-giving (powers/helps)’)Root वसाव्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth-giving/pertaining to wealth’)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र- (देवनाम)
- धारयः
- you held, you supportedVerbलिट्/लुङ्-प्राय वैदिक-रूप (धारयः) = मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपद; अर्थतः ‘thou didst hold/support’ (वैदिके प्राचीन-प्रयोगः)Role क्रियाRoot धृ (धातु: धृ ‘to hold, support’)
- सहस्राश्विना
- O thousand-horsed (Aśvins)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन द्विवचन (हे सहस्राश्विनौ—अश्विनौ)Role सम्बोधनRoot सहस्राश्विन्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having a thousand horses’)
- शूर
- O heroNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot शूर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददतुः
- the two giveVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot दा (धातु: दा ‘to give’)
- मघानि
- bounties, giftsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा बहुवचन (ददतुः इत्यस्य कर्म)Role कर्मRoot मघ- / मघा- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘gift, bounty’)
Sandhi Notes
- समाना तूर्णिरुप यासि → समाना तूर्णिः उप यासि (तूर्णिः + उप = तूर्णिरुप)
- यज्ञमा नासत्या → यज्ञम् आ नासत्या (यज्ञम् + आ = यज्ञमा)
- सख्याय वक्षि (सन्धिरहित)
- वसाव्यामिन्द्र → वसाव्याम् इन्द्र
- सहस्राश्विना शूर (सन्धिरहित)
- ददतुर्मघानि → ददतुः मघानि (विसर्ग/रुत्व-प्रयोगः: -तुः + म- → -तुर्म-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra comes swiftly to the sacrifice and brings the Nāsatyas (Aśvins) as comrades; Indra stands firm in a rich dual abundance; the thousandfold Aśvins bestow gifts.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind (Indra) moves with a single, harmonized speed toward the inner yajña (offering of works and consciousness). He brings the Aśvins/Nāsatyas—the twin powers of right perception and right action, swift healers of the being—into companionship with the seeker. In the ‘twofold richness’ (vasāvyām), the higher and lower nature are held together and made opulent: thought and life-force, knowledge and works. When Mind is steady in that dual plenitude, the Aśvins multiply the effective energies (‘thousand-horsed’) and pour capacities, helps, and attainments (maghāni) into the sadhana.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires a unified movement of aspiration, the alliance of discerning intelligence with swift practical energies, and a stable integration of inner and outer life; then gifts of capacity and abundance naturally increase.
Themes
divine companionship, swift aid, bestowal of boons, harmonized approach to yajña
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.73.1-10 (context hymn to Indra; Aśvin-association in 10.73.4)
Significance
The anonymity itself fits a late Rigvedic tendency (Book 10) where the emphasis shifts from lineage to experiential universality: the mantra speaks as a collective yogic insight—Indra and the twin powers entering the inner sacrifice as comrades.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Aśvins/Nāsatyas)
- Epithets
- śūra (hero), īśāna (lord—implicit in the hymn’s Indra), maghavan (giver of bounties—sense)
- Related deities
- Aśvins/Nāsatyas, Agni (as the yajña-leader, implicit), Uṣas (illumination, implicit in the hymn’s movement)
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, establisher of luminous order, leader of the gods toward victory in the sacrifice.
Inner power
Illuminating intelligence that coordinates the faculties; force of victorious clarity that can integrate dualities and call in swift healing powers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation within Soma-yajña sequences (general Rigvedic usage; specific śrauta placement varies by tradition)
स॒म॒ना तूर्णि॒रुप॑ यासि य॒ज्ञमा नास॑त्या स॒ख्याय॑ वक्षि । व॒साव्या॑मिन्द्र धारयः स॒हस्रा॒श्विना॑ शूर ददतुर्म॒घानि॑ ॥
स॒म॒ना । तूर्णिः॑ । उप॑ । या॒सि॒ । य॒ज्ञम् । आ । नास॑त्या । स॒ख्याय॑ । व॒क्षि॒ । व॒साव्या॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । धा॒र॒यः॒ । स॒हस्रा॑ । अ॒श्विना॑ । शू॒र॒ । द॒द॒तुः॒ । म॒घानि॑ ॥
samanā | tūrṇiḥ | upa | yāsi | yajñam | ā | nāsatyā | sakhyāya | vakṣi | vasāvyām | indra | dhārayaḥ | sahasrā | aśvinā | śūra | dadatuḥ | maghāni
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (Triṣṭubh norm; minor sandhi/recitational variation possible)
Forward-driving, martial yet balanced cadence; suitable for invocation of power and coordinated movement.
Builds a sense of unified momentum and firm steadiness; supports concentration on ‘one movement’ and ‘twofold integration’.
- samanā
- Literal: common, same, united. Symbolic: harmonized aspiration; unified movement of the being
- tūrṇiḥ
- Literal: swift impulse, speed. Symbolic: rapid upward drive of will and attention toward the Divine work
- yajñam
- Literal: sacrifice, offering. Symbolic: inner consecration of works, thoughts, and life-energies
- nāsatyā (aśvinau)
- Literal: the Nāsatyas, Aśvins. Symbolic: twin powers of luminous discernment and effective action; healing integrators
- sakhyāya
- Literal: for friendship, comradeship. Symbolic: yogic alliance of faculties; cooperation of inner powers
- vasāvyām
- Literal: in the rich dual plenty. Symbolic: twofold abundance: knowledge/force, inner/outer, heaven/earth harmonized
- dhārayaḥ
- Literal: thou holdest, sustainest. Symbolic: steadiness of the illumined mind that supports integration
- sahasrāśvinā
- Literal: thousand-horsed. Symbolic: multiplied vital energies rightly guided; many effective movements
- maghāni
- Literal: bounties, gifts. Symbolic: attainments, supports, capacities given by the gods
Invocation integrating Indra and Aśvins in the yajña; emphasizes swift arrival and bestowal of maghāni
During Indra stotras/śastras in Soma rites; also as a general Indra praise for strength and prosperity.
Recitation to invite Indra and allied deities, seeking strength, victory, and gifts.
Use as a mantra of coordinated action: before important work, group practice, or when integrating inner clarity with outer execution.
√vah (vakṣi) ‘carry’ frames the devatā as one who brings allied powers into the yajña (inner work). √dhṛ (dhārayaḥ) ‘hold, sustain’ indicates stabilization of abundance (vasāvyām) so that gifts (maghāni) can be received without dispersion.
sakhya (divine-human alliance), stabilization (dhṛ) of abundance, gift as descent of power (maghá)
The ‘common swiftness’ suggests harmonized alignment with R̥ta—many powers moving in one law.
Steadiness (dhārayaḥ) indicates truth-held in the grasp of illumined mind.
Multiplication of powers (‘thousand-horsed’) as an image of manifested capacities from a unified divine impulse.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral-yogic reading (Sri Aurobindo line): gods as powers of consciousness collaborating in transformation.
Horses = vital energies; chariot-approach = swift convergence of faculties toward the inner offering; ‘dual richness’ = integration of higher and lower nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘arrival of allied gods to the sacrifice’ mythologem: Indra approaches the yajña and brings the Nāsatyas for sakhya, enabling the descent of maghāni (felicities) through a coordinated divine action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ reflects PIE *weǵh- ‘to convey’ (Latin vehō). √dā ‘give’ reflects PIE *deh₃- ‘to give’ (Greek didōmi). These inherited verbs anchor the archaic reciprocity economy of hymn and gift.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames the yajña as an inner meeting-place: Indra’s role is to bring supportive powers (Aśvins) into friendship with the seeker and to hold the state of abundance steady so the dual givers can pour their gifts effectively.
Unify the will: feel a single upward movement; invite swift discernment-and-action to collaborate with illumined mind.
maṇipūra (will/force) with support from ājñā (illumination)
Moderate ujjāyī or simple 4-4 breathing while repeating the verse; feel steadiness on exhale (dhārayaḥ).
Collected, dynamic concentration (ekāgratā with śakti).
Before action, inwardly ‘assemble the team’: aspiration (Agni), illumination (Indra), swift right functioning (Aśvins). Offer the work (yajña) and proceed in a harmonized rhythm.
Use Vedic svara as per Śākala tradition if available; otherwise chant in a steady udātta-led recitation with clear rise on udātta syllables and gentle falls on anudātta; avoid melodic drifting.
Keep the main stress on udātta syllables; maintain pāda pauses after each quarter; emphasize ‘yajñám’, ‘nāsatyā’, ‘índra’.
Keep retroflex ṇ in tūrṇiḥ; do not dentalize., Maintain long vowels: ā in yāsi, yajñam ā, sakhyāya., Aśvinā: pronounce śv cluster cleanly (aś-vi-nā)., Maghāni: aspirate gh (maghāni), not hard g.
Bright, firm, forward-moving; not harsh.
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