Rig Veda 10.31.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 31, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.31
- Devata
- Ṛta / ethical-cosmic order as guiding principle
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
परि चिन्मर्तो द्रविणं ममन्यादृतस्य पथा नमसा विवासेत् । उत स्वेन क्रतुना सं वदेत श्रेयांसं दक्षं मनसा जगृभ्यात् ॥
pári cit márto dráviṇaṃ mamanyād ṛtásya pathā́ namasā́ vivāset | utá svéna krátunā sáṃ vadeta śréyāṃsaṃ dákṣaṃ mánasā jagṛbhyāt ||
Bahkan seorang fana pun dapat merangkum harta itu, bila ia melayani di jalan Ṛta dengan sembah-hormat. Hendaklah ia juga berkata selaras dengan kratu-nya sendiri yang terjaga; hendaklah ia meraih dengan budi suatu dakṣa yang lebih unggul—kecakapan dan daya membeda.
Word by Word
- परि
- around; whollyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- चित्
- even; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/limiting particle)Root चित् (निपात)
- मर्तः
- a mortalNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्रविणम्
- wealth; treasureNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot द्रविण (प्रातिपदिक)
- ममन्यात्
- should think/considerVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद-रूप (वैदिक), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √मन् (मन्यते)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- पथा
- by the pathNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: पथा = पथेन)Role करणRoot पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- नमसा
- with reverence; with homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विवासेत्
- should honor; should serveVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √वास् (विवासयति/विवासते; ‘to honor, to serve’ वैदिक)
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अन्वादेश निपातRoot उत (निपात)
- स्वेन
- with one’s ownAdjective/Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रतुना
- with resolve; with (ritual) intelligence/willNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; fullyIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वदेत
- should speak; should conferVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √वद्
- श्रेयांसम्
- the better; the more excellentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक)
- दक्षम्
- skill; competence; the capable one (skill)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनसा
- with the mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- जगृभ्यात्
- should grasp; should take upVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (वैदिक: perfect-stem jagṛbh- used with optative ending)Root √ग्रह् (गृह्णाति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): परि | चित् | मर्तः | द्रविणम् | ममन्यात् | ऋतस्य | पथा | नमसा | विवासेत् | उत | स्वेन | क्रतुना | सम् | वदेत | श्रेयांसम् | दक्षम् | मनसा | जगृभ्यात् । 1) चि॒न्मर्तो॒ = चित् + मर्तः (त् + म → न्, परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रवृत्ति; लिखित रूप ‘चिन्म-’)
- 2) ममन्यादृ॒तस्य॑ = ममन्यात् + ऋतस्य (त् + ऋ → त्-र् संधि; उच्चारण में ‘-द् ऋ-’ जैसा संहितापाठ)
- 3) प॒था नम॒सा: वैदिक तृतीया एकवचन ‘पथा’ (पथेन)
- 4) सं व॑देत = सम् + वदेत (म् + व → ंव; संधि में अनुस्वार)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A mortal can obtain treasure if he worships along the path of Ṛta with reverence; he should speak in harmony with his own resolve and grasp with the mind a higher skill and discernment.
Inner meaning
The ‘mortal’ (limited ego-consciousness) can still encompass the true inner wealth when life is aligned with Ṛta—right order of truth in thought, will, and act. Reverence (namas) is the soul’s consent to the higher guidance. ‘Speaking with one’s own kratu’ is not arbitrary self-will but awakened intentionality: the purified power of decision that agrees with the gods’ working. Then the mind can seize a nobler dakṣa—effective discernment and right execution in the inner sacrifice.
Universal truth
Human limitation is not a barrier when one chooses alignment with truth-order; reverence + awakened intention transforms intelligence into a higher competence that can hold enduring wealth.
Themes
ethical-spiritual discipline, right speech, inner wealth, self-powered will
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.31 (hymn complex), RV 10.30–10.32 (neighboring speculative hymns; thematic proximity)
Family tradition
Late Rigvedic speculative hymn milieu; in some Anukramaṇī traditions, Kavaṣa Ailūṣa is associated with visionary, experiential hymns rather than purely ritual formulae.
Significance
The seer-voice emphasizes inner discipline: Ṛta as lived law, kratu as awakened will, and dakṣa as transformed intelligence—key Aurobindonian themes of integral ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛta (Truth-Order), upheld by the Ādityas and the Gods collectively
- Epithets
- ṛtasya patha (path of Ṛta), satya-dharma (truth-law, implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Savitṛ, Agni
Cosmic role
Maintains harmony between truth (satya), right movement (ṛta), and effective action (dakṣa) so that the human can participate in the divine economy.
Inner power
Conscience of truth and right rhythm in thought, speech, and will; the ordering intelligence that converts aspiration into realizable power.
In ritual
Where it is used
Didactic-ritual exhortation: right worship and right speech as means to attainment; applicable as a teaching within sacrificial context.
परि॑ चि॒न्मर्तो॒ द्रवि॑णं ममन्यादृ॒तस्य॑ प॒था नम॒सा वि॑वासेत् । उ॒त स्वेन॒ क्रतु॑ना॒ सं व॑देत॒ श्रेयां॑सं॒ दक्षं॒ मन॑सा जगृभ्यात् ॥
परि॑ । चि॒त् । मर्तः॑ । द्रवि॑णम् । म॒म॒न्या॒त् । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । प॒था । न॒म॒सा । वि॒वा॒से॒त् । उ॒त । स्वेन॑ । क्रतु॑ना । सम् । व॒दे॒त॒ । श्रेयां॑सम् । दक्ष॑म् । मन॑सा । ज॒गृ॒भ्या॒त् ॥
pari | cit | martaḥ | draviṇam | mamanyāt | ṛtasya | pathā | namasā | vivāset | uta | svena | kratunā | sam | vadeta | śreyāṃsam | dakṣam | manasā | jagṛbhyāt
11
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (triṣṭubh cadence; some resolution possible)
Forward-driving, declarative; suited to ethical-spiritual injunction and inner resolve.
Builds firmness and clarity; supports a ‘straightening’ of intention toward Ṛta and a steadying of the mind to grasp dakṣa.
- मर्त (marta)
- Literal: mortal. Symbolic: ego-bound human consciousness capable of growth
- द्रविण (draviṇa)
- Literal: treasure, wealth. Symbolic: inner riches: truth-force, luminous knowledge, spiritual capacity
- ऋतस्य पथा (ṛtasya pathā)
- Literal: by the path of Ṛta. Symbolic: alignment with cosmic truth-order; right rhythm of being
- नमसा (namasā)
- Literal: with reverence, bowing. Symbolic: inner surrender/consent; opening to higher guidance
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: purpose, resolve, will. Symbolic: awakened will guided by truth (Agni-led intention)
- दक्ष (dakṣa)
- Literal: skill, ability. Symbolic: effective discernment; right arranging power in the mind
- मनसा (manasā)
- Literal: with the mind. Symbolic: mental instrument uplifted to receive higher light
Didactic-ritual exhortation: right worship and right speech as means to attainment; applicable as a teaching within sacrificial context.
General recitation for right conduct, truth-alignment, or before undertaking disciplined work/learning.
Śraddhā-infused japa or recitation preceding study, vow, or inner offering; can be paired with a simple oblation to Agni as ‘will’ (symbolic).
Use as a ‘daily alignment’ mantra: set intention (kratu), bow inwardly (namas), then act from truth-order (ṛta) in speech and decisions.
draviṇa 'substance/wealth' relates to flowing/solid means of support (semantic field of 'that which runs/serves' in Vedic usage). √man (mamanyāt) highlights intentional thought as creative. dakṣa from √dakṣ 'be able, be strong, be skillful'—capacity that is both power and intelligence. √grah 'seize' (cf. 'grasp') is IE (Skt grah-, Latin prehendere as functional parallel; English grasp is Germanic but semantically aligned).
Ṛta-path (right method), Kratu (effective will), Dakṣa (capacity/skill), manas + vāc alignment
Explicit: attainment depends on walking ṛtasya patha.
Implied: true speech and right intention must coincide.
Human participation in cosmic order—microcosm aligning to macrocosm.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): ascent by truth-alignment and transformed mind.
The ‘path’ is the inner channel of right movement; ‘treasure’ is the latent spiritual wealth released when the being becomes ordered by Ṛta.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'path of ṛta' as a traversable way to treasure: a spiritual heroism where the mortal wins divine wealth through reverent service, right speech, and awakened capacity (dakṣa).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key action-verbs are inherited and concrete (serve, speak, seize), then lifted to spiritual semantics—an IE poetic strategy. The pair manas (mind) + vāc (speech implied by vad-) reflects an archaic Indo-European concern with efficacious utterance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The devatā-side is ṛta as living order upheld by divine powers; the human side must align thought, speech, and will (manas, vad-, kratu) to receive draviṇa and dakṣa. The reciprocity is conditional: ṛta responds to ṛta-aligned action.
Align speech, intention, and thought to an inner ‘truth-order’; cultivate reverent consent before action.
ājñā (discernment) / anāhata (reverent openness)
Nadi-śodhana 6–6 (or 4–4) before recitation to steady manas and clarify kratu.
Collected, truth-seeking, quietly forceful (will aligned to light).
1) Begin with inward namas (feel the head bow within). 2) Recall a current decision. 3) Ask: ‘What is Ṛta here?’ 4) Speak/act only after the mind ‘seizes’ the clearer dakṣa (next right step).
Use Ṛgvedic svara as marked in the Saṃhitā text (udātta/anudātta/svarita); key lifts often occur on emphasized injunction-words like ṛtasya, pathā, namasā, kratunā.
Maintain clear udātta rises on the accented syllables; avoid flattening in long compounds; keep pāda breaks after vivāset | vadeta | jagṛbhyāt.
ṛ in ṛtasya: short vocalic ‘ri’ (not ‘ar’), draviṇam: retroflex ṇ; keep ‘vi’ light, namasā: final long ā—do not clip, jagṛbhyāt: cluster ‘gṛbh’—articulate ṛ clearly, keep bh aspirated
Steady, inwardly reverent, with firm articulation on kratu/dakṣa terms.
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