Rig Veda 10.39.8: Mandala 10, Sukta 39, Mantra 8
Sukta 10.39
युवं विप्रस्य जरणामुपेयुषः पुनः कलेरकृणुतं युवद्वयः । युवं वन्दनमृश्यदादुदूपथुर्युवं सद्यो विश्पलामेतवे कृथः ॥
yuváṃ víprasya jaraṇā́m upa-īyúṣaḥ púnar ití kaléḥ akṛṇutaṃ yuvád váyaḥ | yuváṃ vándanam ṛśya-dā́d úd ūpathur yuváṃ sadyó viśpálām étave kṛ́thaḥ ||
汝ら二柱は、老いに至りし詠唱者（vipra）に再び若さを与え、ふたたび若者とした。汝らはヴァンダナ（Vandana）を狼の餌食、貪り尽くす運命より引き上げ、汝らはヴィシュパラー（Viśpalā）をただちに歩み出で得る者となした。――かくして汝らは前進の力を回復させる。
Praise of rapid restorative miracles; supports petitions for restoration of vitality and mobility.
renewal of life-force, swift grace (sadyas)
Restoring youth and movement is re-establishing ṛta in the human instrument.
Truth manifests as renewed capacity to act according to the soul’s intention.
Re-creation of the instrument: ‘making again’ (punar akṛṇutam) the youthful force.
Integral psychological reading: gods as functional powers acting on mind-life.
dawn (Aśvin hour)
From the ‘night-wolf’ of devouring inertia into dawn-renewal; restored gati (progress) in the path.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Restoration of youth and rescue from devouring peril; the Aśvins re-enable ‘going’ (etave). Inner sense: they recover forward movement of the sadhaka when vitality is consumed by hostile forces or decline.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The central verb √i ‘go’ (etave) is a core Indo-European root (PIE *h₁ei- ‘go’). The hymn’s stress on movement/vehicle/action reflects the IE poetic association of divinity with ‘swift coming’ to the call.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi enumerates concrete rescues as proof of capacity; the relationship is one of remembered efficacy leading to present confidence: what they once restored, they can restore again in the seeker.
‘Restore my inner youth and forward motion; rescue my praising will from devouring thoughts.’
maṇipūra (will/drive) and anāhata (praise/heart affirmation)
3-part breathing (dirgha) to ‘fill’ vitality; emphasize smooth exhale to reduce devouring anxiety
rejuvenated, forward-leaning steadiness.
Repeat during a walk: coordinate ‘yuvam…’ with steps; feel each line as a restoration—mind (youth), heart (praise rescued), body-life (movement restored).
Use Ṛgvedic accenting from pada; keep udatta prominence on repeated ‘yuvám’.
Clear pāda breaks: (…upeyuṣaḥ) | (…yuvad vayaḥ) ; avoid rushing ‘ṛśyadād ud ūpathuḥ’.
‘jaraṇām’ with retroflex ṇ, ‘upeyuṣaḥ’ articulate ‘yu’ softly, keep ṣ audible, ‘viśpalām’ with palatal ś and long ā
invigorating, slightly rising at each ‘yuvam’
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