Rig Veda 10.28.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 28, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.28
- Devata
- Indra-like bull power
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स रोरुवद्वृषभस्तिग्मशृङ्गो वर्ष्मन्तस्थौ वरिमन्ना पृथिव्याः । विश्वेष्वेनं वृजनेषु पामि यो मे कुक्षी सुतसोमः पृणाति ॥
sá rórūvad vṛṣabhás tigmá-śṛṅgo várṣman tasthau váriman ā́ pṛthivyā́ḥ | víśveṣv enaṃ vṛ́janeṣu pāmi yó mé kukṣī́ sutá-somaḥ pṛṇā́ti ||
Mengaum, sang banteng bertanduk tajam berdiri tegak di hamparan luas Bumi. Di antara segala kaum aku melindungi dia yang mengenyangkan perutku dengan Soma yang diperas.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रोरुवत्
- roaring, bellowingParticiple (verbal adjective)नपुंसकलिङ्गे अव्ययीभाववत्/क्रियाविशेषणरूपे (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन-रूपम्), वर्तमानार्थेRole कर्तृ-विशेषणम्Root रु (धातु) → रोरुवत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, पुनरुक्त-आधार)
- वृषभः
- bullNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तिग्मशृङ्गः
- sharp-hornedNoun/Adjective (compound)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषणम्Root तिग्म-शृङ्ग (समासः: कर्मधारय)
- वर्ष्मन्
- in/at the height; on the summitNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वर्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्थौ
- stoodVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot स्था (धातु)
- वरिमन्
- in the breadth/expanseNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वरिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableनिपातः (उपमान/सादृश्यार्थे)Root न (निपात)
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वेषु
- among allAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे (वा नपुंसके) सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एनद्-श्रुति)
- वृजनेषु
- in the clans/communitiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वृजन (प्रातिपदिक)
- पामि
- I protectVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot पा (धातु, ‘पालने/रक्षणे’)
- यः
- whoRelative pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (उपवाक्ये)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- to me / myPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (प्रसङ्गानुसार)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कुक्षी
- (my) two bellies/sides (i.e., my belly)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, द्विवचनम् (वैदिक-रूपम्: -ī)Role कर्मRoot कुक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतसोमः
- the pressed SomaNoun (compound)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (उपवाक्ये)Root सुत-सोम (समासः: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष; ‘pressed Soma’)
- पृणाति
- fills, satisfiesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot पॄ/पृ (धातु, ‘पूरणे’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वैदिक-सन्धिविच्छेद): सः | रोरुवत् | वृषभः | तिग्मशृङ्गः | वर्ष्मन् | तस्थौ | वरिमन् | न | पृथिव्याः || विश्वेषु | एनम् | वृजनेषु | पामि | यः | मे | कुक्षी | सुतसोमः | पृणाति || मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) रोरुवद्वृषभः = रोरुवत् + वृषभः (त् + व् → द्व्)
- (2) वृषभस्तिग्मशृङ्गः = वृषभः + तिग्मशृङ्गः (विसर्गः + त् → स्त्)
- (3) वर्ष्मन्तस्थौ = वर्ष्मन् + तस्थौ (न् + त् → न्त्)
- (4) वरिमन्ना = वरिमन् + न (न् + न → न्न)
- (5) विश्वेष्वेनम् = विश्वेषु + एनम् (उ + ए → वे; ‘ष्वे’)
- (7) यो मे = यः + मे (विसर्गलोपः/ओकारादेशः: यः → यो)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A roaring bull with sharp horns stands firm in the broad expanse of the earth; the speaker says he protects in every clan the one who fills his belly with pressed Soma.
Inner meaning
The ‘bull’ is the Indra-power of illumined force in the sadhaka—an awakened, vehement spiritual energy that takes a stable station in the ‘wide earth’ (the embodied consciousness). It protects (guards and leads) those movements in us that continually offer Soma: the distilled delight and luminous essence of experience. The inner law is reciprocity: when the being feeds the divine Force with Soma (aspiration, joy, clarified consciousness), that Force becomes the protector across all ‘clans’ (the many parts of the nature).
Universal truth
When higher strength is enthroned in embodied life, it safeguards and harmonizes the whole personality; sustained offering of inner delight and clarity (Soma) nourishes the divine power that in turn protects and guides.
Themes
Power established in earth, Reciprocity of offering and protection, Soma plenitude
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.28.1-7 (contextual unit)
Significance
The voice reflects a late Rigvedic style where Indra-force is read as an inner protector: the seer emphasizes the mutuality of offering (Soma) and divine guardianship—central to the yoga of inner sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (implied as the bull-power)
- Epithets
- vṛṣabha (bull), tigmaśṛṅga (sharp-horned), protector across vṛjanas
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions; establisher of wide spaces; guardian of the right-ordered expansion of life on earth.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force that stands firm in embodiment and defends the aspiring parts against hostile currents.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and offering to Indra (general Indra-Soma context)
स रोरु॑वद्वृष॒भस्ति॒ग्मशृ॑ङ्गो॒ वर्ष्म॑न्तस्थौ॒ वरि॑म॒न्ना पृ॑थि॒व्याः । विश्वे॑ष्वेनं वृ॒जने॑षु पामि॒ यो मे॑ कु॒क्षी सु॒तसो॑मः पृ॒णाति॑ ॥
सः । रोरु॑वत् । वृ॒ष॒भः । ति॒ग्मऽशृ॑ङ्गः । वर्ष्म॑न् । त॒स्थौ॒ । वरि॑मन् । आ । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । विश्वे॑षु । ए॒न॒म् । वृ॒जने॑षु । पा॒मि॒ । यः । मे॒ । कु॒क्षी इति॑ । सु॒तऽसो॑मः । पृ॒णाति॑ ॥
saḥ | roruvat | vṛṣabhaḥ | tigma-śṛṅgaḥ | varṣman | tasthau | variman | ā | pṛthivyāḥ | viśveṣu | enam | vṛjaneṣu | pāmi | yaḥ | me | kukṣī iti | suta-somaḥ | pṛṇāti
Triṣṭubh (probable, based on cadence and typical RV 10 diction)
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (approximate)
Forceful, striding rhythm suited to power and protection motifs.
Builds a sense of firm establishment and guarded expansion; energizes the listener’s will and confidence.
- वृषभः (vṛṣabhaḥ)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: mighty force of illumination; virile spiritual power (Indra-force)
- तिग्मशृङ्गः (tigmaśṛṅgaḥ)
- Literal: sharp-horned. Symbolic: keen, piercing discernment; power to break coverings/resistances
- रोरुवत् (roruvat)
- Literal: roaring. Symbolic: mantric intensity; awakened force announcing its presence in consciousness
- पृथिव्याः वरिमन् (pṛthivyāḥ variman)
- Literal: in the wide expanse of earth. Symbolic: the broad field of embodied/practical life where realization must stand firm
- वृजनेषु (vṛjaneṣu)
- Literal: in the clans/communities. Symbolic: in all groupings of the being—mind, life, body; also social life
- सुतसोमः (sutasomaḥ)
- Literal: one with pressed Soma. Symbolic: the aspirant who expresses distilled delight/illumined essence through offering
- कुक्षी (kukṣī)
- Literal: belly. Symbolic: receptive vital sheath; capacity to contain and assimilate the nectar of consciousness
Soma offering context implied (suta-soma), likely recited in Soma-liturgies as praise of the protecting power.
During Soma yajña sequences praising Indra as drinker/protector; also as a protective recitation in communal settings.
Pressing (savana), offering Soma, recitation to invoke protection and strength.
Use as a protection-and-steadiness mantra before demanding work; pair with a brief inner ‘Soma offering’—gratitude and clarified aspiration.
√ ‘stand’ (tásthau) indicates establishment of power; vṛṣabhá from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, be potent’ → dynamic force of increase; √pṝ ‘fill’ (pṛṇāti) links to plenitude; √pā ‘protect’ is distinct from √pā ‘drink’ but homonymous in form—here ‘guard’.
Protection through right offering (reciprocity), Plenitude (pṝ) as inner fullness
Protection is granted to the movement aligned with offering and truth; the force stands ‘in the wide’ when nature consents to right exchange.
Truth manifests as stability and effective guardianship in embodied life.
Establishing the divine power in the field of earth-consciousness; widening of being.
Proto-Vedantic / integral-psychological (Aurobindo-style) reading: gods as powers of consciousness.
Bull = awakened force; Earth = body/physical life as a stable base; Roar = mantra-shakti and uprising of power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘bull with sharp horns’ established in the earth-wide expanse: a storm/Indra archetype of force that protects the offerer. Inner sense: the awakened power stands firm in embodiment and guards the seeker who feeds it with Soma-delight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā (stand) from PIE *steh₂- (cf. Greek hístēmi, Latin stō). √pṝ ‘fill’ relates to PIE *pleh₁- ‘fill’ (cf. English full via Germanic).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A clear exchange: the human ‘fills’ (pṛṇāti) with Soma; the power ‘protects’ (pāmi) across all life-collectivities. The devatā is sustained by offered delight and in turn stabilizes and defends the embodied journey.
Establish the Indra-force ‘standing’ in the body: feel a firm luminous strength in the spine and chest; offer inner Soma (quiet joy/clarity) to that force.
maṇipūra (will/force) and anāhata (protective wideness)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while inwardly ‘offering’ a refined joy on the exhale.
Steady, courageous, expansive embodiment.
Before chanting, recall one clear aspiration; during chanting, feel the ‘sharp horns’ as discernment cutting doubt; after chanting, sit 2–3 minutes in quiet protection.
Notated svara unavailable here; chant with Vedic-style pitch: maintain udātta lift on emphasized roots (vṛṣabhás, tigmaśṛṅgó, pṛthivyā́ḥ, sutasómaḥ) and soften anudātta transitions.
Lean stress toward word-ends typical of RV cadence; keep ‘tigma-śṛṅgo’ cleanly split; avoid flattening the long vowels in pṛthivyāḥ, variman.
ṛ in vṛṣabha as tapped ‘ri’ (not ‘ru’), śṛ in śṛṅga: ‘shriṅ’ with syllabic ṛ, Keep retroflex ṣ in vṛṣabha, pṛthivyāḥ: clear cluster pṛ-thi-vyāḥ
Firm, resonant, slightly martial; steady breath support.
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