Rig Veda 10.95.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 95, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.95
- Devata
- Urvāśī speaking
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
किमेता वाचा कृणवा तवाहं प्राक्रमिषमुषसामग्रियेव । पुरूरवः पुनरस्तं परेहि दुरापना वात इवाहमस्मि ॥
kím etā́ vācā́ kṛṇavā távā́haṃ prā́kramiṣam uṣásām agriyéva | purū́ravaḥ púnar ástaṃ párehí durā́panā vā́ta ivā́ham asmi ||
मैं तुम्हारी इस बात से क्या करूँ? मैं तो सुबह की पहली किरण की तरह निकल चुकी हूँ। पुरूरव, तुम वापस अपने घर जाओ। मुझे पकड़ना मुश्किल है, मैं हवा की तरह हूँ।
Word by Word
- किम्
- what?Noun (pronoun)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (प्रश्न-वस्तु)Root किम् (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एता
- these two (things)Noun (pronoun)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole Karma (उक्त-वस्तु)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाचा
- with speech / by wordsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot वाच् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणवा
- shall I do / should I make?Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root कृ (धातु)
- तव
- of you / yourNoun (pronoun)षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अहम्
- INoun (pronoun)प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth / forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गRole (क्रिया-विशेषण)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अक्रमिषम्
- I stepped / I wentVerbलुङ् (अorist), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root क्रम् (धातु)
- उषसाम्
- of the dawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot उषस् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्रिये
- in the foremost (place)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अग्रिय (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक < अग्र)
- इव
- like / asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRole (उपमा)Root इव (अव्यय)
- पुरूरवः
- O PurūravasNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot पुरूरवस् (पुं. प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन)
- पुनः
- againIndeclinableकाल/पुनरावृत्ति-अव्ययRole (क्रिया-विशेषण)Root पुनः (अव्यय)
- अस्तम्
- homeward / to homeIndeclinableगत्यर्थे अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (अस्तम् गम् = घरं प्रति)Role Adhikaraṇa (गति-लक्ष्य)Root अस्तम् (अव्यय/नाम; ‘home, to home’)
- परेहि
- go away / departVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (परा + इ → परेहि)Role (क्रिया)Root इ (धातु; उपसर्ग परा-)
- दुरापना
- hard to attain / hard to reachAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेष्य ‘अहम्’ का विधेय-विशेषण)Root दुरापना (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + आपन/आप्)
- वातः
- windNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमान-रूपेण)Root वात (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRole (उपमा)Root इव (अव्यय)
- अहम्
- INoun (pronoun)प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मि
- amVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root अस् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (notable): किमेता → किम् + एता
- तवाहं → तव + अहम्
- प्राक्रमिषम् → प्र + अक्रमिषम्
- उषसामग्रियेव → उषसाम् + अग्रिये + इव
- पुरूरवः पुनरस्तं → पुरूरवः + पुनः + अस्तम् (visarga before p- often realized as r in saṃhitā: पुनः + अस्तम् → पुनरस्तम्)
- परेहि is para- + ehi (imperative of √इ). Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada forms here
The meaning
Outer meaning
Urvāśī rejects Purūravas’ words: she has gone forth like the foremost Dawn; he should return home. She is hard to grasp like the wind.
Inner meaning
The luminous inspiration withdraws when the human speech is not in the right key. Urvāśī declares she has moved ahead like the first dawn—meaning the higher illumination proceeds by its own law and cannot be possessed by vital demand. ‘Return home’ is a call to go back to one’s proper inner station (self-discipline, foundation). The wind-image shows inspiration as subtle, free, and unseizable by ego; it can be felt and followed, not owned.
Universal truth
Higher illumination cannot be coerced; it comes and goes by truth-law. When it withdraws, the seeker must return to inner order and follow with humility, not grasping.
Themes
Urvashi elusiveness, dawn symbolism, wind metaphor, separation for evolution
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.95
Family tradition
Late dialogue hymn style; dramatic speech used as psychological instruction.
Significance
The rishi-function here is the discriminating higher nature teaching non-possessiveness: the divine cannot be held by insistence; one must align to ṛta.
The deity
- Devata
- Urvāśī (apsaras as luminous inspiration) with Uṣas and Vāta imagery
- Epithets
- agriyā uṣasām (foremost among dawns), durāpanā (hard to grasp)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Vāta, Sūrya (implied by dawn), Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Embodies the descending light that initiates new beginnings; moves like wind—spreading influence without being bound.
Inner power
Disillusioning the grasping ego; restoring the law of freedom and right timing in sādhanā.
In ritual
Where it is used
Didactic exemplum: the elusiveness of higher inspiration; used in contemplative framing of separation necessary for growth.
किमे॒ता वा॒चा कृ॑णवा॒ तवा॒हं प्राक्र॑मिषमु॒षसा॑मग्रि॒येव॑ । पुरू॑रव॒: पुन॒रस्तं॒ परे॑हि दुराप॒ना वात॑ इवा॒हम॑स्मि ॥
किम् । ए॒ता । वा॒चा । कृ॒ण॒व॒ । तव॑ । अ॒हम् । प्र । अ॒क्र॒मि॒ष॒म् । उ॒षसा॑म् । अ॒ग्रि॒याऽइ॑व । पुरू॑रवः । पुनः॑ । अस्त॑म् । परा॑ । इ॒हि॒ । दुः॒ऽआ॒प॒ना । वातः॑ऽइव । अ॒हम् । अ॒स्मि॒ ॥
kim | etā | vācā | kṛṇava | tava | aham | pra | akramiṣam | uṣasām | agriyāiva | purūravaḥ | punaḥ | astam | parā | ihi | duḥ-āpanā | vātaḥ-iva | aham | asmi
44
4×~11 syllables; dialogue phrasing with emphatic caesurae
Swift and cutting; suitable for refusal and decisive instruction
Creates detachment and clarity; the listener feels a clean break from grasping tendencies.
- वाचा (vācā)
- Literal: speech. Symbolic: the expressive instrument; when ego-driven it fails to hold inspiration
- उषसाम् अग्रिया इव (uṣasām agriyā iva)
- Literal: like the first of the dawns. Symbolic: a pioneering illumination that leads the evolution of consciousness
- पुनरस्तं परेहि (punar astaṃ parehi)
- Literal: go back again home. Symbolic: return to the inner base; re-establish right poise and discipline
- दुरापना (durāpanā)
- Literal: hard to be obtained/grasped. Symbolic: the divine touch is subtle; not captured by desire
- वात इव (vāta iva)
- Literal: like the wind. Symbolic: inspiration/prāṇa-current: intangible, moving, free, pervasive
Didactic exemplum: the elusiveness of higher inspiration; used in contemplative framing of separation necessary for growth.
Recited/studied for discernment in relationships and in spiritual practice when inspiration withdraws.
Use as a reflection verse: when you feel you are ‘chasing’ inspiration, step back, return to basics (sleep, ethics, breath), and let the higher movement return naturally.
√kram ‘step’ (PIE *krem- ‘stride’) frames departure as a decisive forward movement of the luminous power. uṣas ‘dawn’ is awakening/illumination; ‘foremost dawn’ signals a leading inspiration that cannot be domesticated. durāpana ‘hard to obtain’ marks the subtlety of inspiration; vāta ‘wind’ is the invisible mover—present by effects, elusive to grasp.
inspiration as elusive, awakening and departure, non-possession of the divine
Uṣas as rhythmic arrival; Urvāśī aligns with cosmic order, not personal demand.
Speech that tries to bind the divine is ‘asatya’ in vibration; the response restores truth.
Dawn as perpetual new creation; wind as the carrier of subtle forces.
Yoga of surrender and alignment to higher law (Aurobindonian: follow the descending light without vital claim).
dawn
Dawn = first illumination in mind; Wind = prāṇa/inspiration moving freely—felt as subtle currents, not possessed.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The eluding apsaras: the luminous partner departs like Dawn and is ungraspable like Wind. Innerly, higher inspiration cannot be possessed by the ego-mind; it comes, awakens, and withdraws, compelling purification and widening.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- uṣas ‘dawn’ corresponds to PIE *h₂éwsōs (Greek Ēōs, Latin Aurora). vāta ‘wind’ aligns with PIE *h₂weh₁- ‘blow’ (cf. Latin ventus via related developments).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The devatā-figure (Urvāśī) refuses coercion by speech; she sets the terms of approach: the mortal must return, endure distance, and learn subtle pursuit. The exchange is pedagogical—withdrawal is also a grace shaping the seeker.
Non-grasping: feel inspiration like wind; follow its direction without clutching.
ājñā (discernment) with anāhata (letting-go in love)
Open-awareness breathing: inhale 4, exhale 6; on exhale repeat inwardly ‘vāta iva’—letting thoughts pass.
Witness poise (sākṣī-bhāva) where inspiration is invited, not demanded.
When the light recedes, stop bargaining. Return ‘home’—to body-breath-ethics. Sit at dawn if possible; watch prāṇa like wind and allow the next illumination to arise.
Vedic accents as transmitted; emphasize udātta on uṣasām and vātaḥ (if marked in your recension).
Keep the rhetorical questions crisp; pause after each pāda for the ‘cut’ of refusal.
(prākramiṣam): long ‘ā’; clear ‘kram’, (uṣasām): retroflex ‘ṣ’; long ‘ā’, (durāpanā): articulate ‘dur-ā’ clearly, (vāta iva): long ‘ā’; light ‘iva’
Cool, clear, slightly detached; avoid pleading tone—this is instruction.
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