Rig Veda 2.30.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 30, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.30
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
यो वृत्राय सिनमत्राभरिष्यत्प्र तं जनित्री विदुष उवाच । पथो रदन्तीरनु जोषमस्मै दिवेदिवे धुनयो यन्त्यर्थम् ॥
yó vṛtrā́ya sínam átrā́bhariṣyat, prá táṃ janitrī́ vidúṣa uvāca | pathó rádantīr ánu jóṣam asmai divé-divé dhúnayo yánty ártham ||
ここでヴリトラ（Vṛtra）に対し、駆り立てる力をもたらそうとしていたその者について――生みの母（janitrī）は、知る者に向かって告げ示した。道を切り開く諸力は、彼に同意し、日ごとに、定められた目的へと進みゆく。
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्राय
- to/for VṛtraNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सिनम्
- a weapon/missile (projectile)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सिन (प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अत्र
- आभरिष्यत्
- will bring / was about to bringVerbलृट् (भविष्यत्), परस्मैपदम्, तृतीया-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √भृ (भरणे) + आ-
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गःRoot प्र
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जनित्री
- the begetter/mother (producer)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot जनित्री (प्रातिपदिक; √जन्)
- विदुषः
- of the knowing one / of the wiseAdjective (participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक; √विद्)
- उवाच
- saidVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, तृतीया-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √वच् (वचने)
- पथः
- pathsNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (वैदिक-रूपम्)Role KarmaRoot पथ्/पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- रदन्तीः
- gnawing/tearing (open)Participle (present active)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot √रद् (दन्तच्छेदने/भेदन-भावे; ‘to gnaw, tear’)
- अनु
- along, afterIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Root अनु
- जोषम्
- pleasure, favor, satisfactionNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot जोष (प्रातिपदिक; from √जुष् ‘to enjoy, be pleased’)
- अस्मै
- to himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अयम्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवे-दिवे
- day by dayNoun (reduplicated distributive)नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे वैदिक-प्रयोगः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्त्या ‘प्रत्यहं’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- धुनयः
- roaring ones / tumultuous (streams/hosts)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot धुनि (प्रातिपदिक; from √धुन् ‘to shake, roar’)
- यन्ति
- go, proceedVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, तृतीया-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √या (गतौ)
- अर्थम्
- aim, purpose, objectNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): यो → यः
- सिनमत्राभरिष्यत् → सिनम् अत्र आ-भरिष्यत् (अत्र + आ- gives अत्रा- in saṃhitā)
- दिवेदिवे is distributive repetition of दिवे (loc. sg.) ‘day by day’. Accent marks in the saṃhitā are retained in the source but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hero prepares his weapon/force against the enemy Vritra. The Mother speaks regarding him to the wise one. Consequently, the path-cutting rivers, following his will, flow day by day toward the ocean/goal.
Inner meaning
The seeker (or the Indra-power within) gathers the concentrated spiritual force ('sinam') to strike against Vritra, the power of resistance and darkness in the subconscient. The Divine Mother ('Janitri') reveals the sanction for this battle to the awakened soul ('viduṣe'). Once the obstruction is cleared, the dynamic currents of life-energy ('dhunayo'), cutting through the psychological knots, flow unimpeded towards the supreme Truth ('artham').
Universal truth
Spiritual victory requires the sanction of the Divine Mother (Grace) and the exertion of the Divine Will. When the blockage of ignorance is removed, life-energy naturally flows towards its divine purpose.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying (obstacle-breaking), path-opening, inner guidance (Mother to the knower), teleology of the yajña (artha as goal)
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-focused recitation in Soma-yajña contexts (general Indra-stotra usage; also suitable for rites seeking victory and removal of obstacles)
यो वृ॒त्राय॒ सिन॒मत्राभ॑रिष्य॒त्प्र तं जनि॑त्री वि॒दुष॑ उवाच । प॒थो रद॑न्ती॒रनु॒ जोष॑मस्मै दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ धुन॑यो य॒न्त्यर्थ॑म् ॥
यः । वृ॒त्राय॑ । सिन॑म् । अत्र॑ । अभ॑रिष्यत् । प्र । तम् । जनि॑त्री । वि॒दुषे॑ । उ॒वा॒च॒ । प॒थः । रद॑न्तीः । अनु॑ । जोष॑म् । अ॒स्मै॒ । दि॒वेऽदि॑वे । धुन॑यः । य॒न्ति॒ । अर्थ॑म् ॥
yaḥ | vṛtrāya | sinam | atra | abhariṣyat | pra | tam | janitrī | viduṣe | uvāca | pathaḥ | radantīḥ | anu | joṣam | asmai | dive--dive | dhunayaḥ | yanti | artham
Indra-focused recitation in Soma-yajña contexts (general Indra-stotra usage; also suitable for rites seeking victory and removal of obstacles)
Key terms: (1) vṛtra- from √vṛ 'to cover, obstruct' → 'the Coverer' (psychological: Ignorance that blocks the rivers of illumination). (2) janitrī from √jan 'to beget, generate' feminine agent noun → generative Mother-Power that brings forth the gods/forces within. (3) viduṣe from √vid 'to know, find' dative singular of present participle → the awakened knower (inner seer). (4) pathaḥ 'paths' (acc. pl.) as ṛta-channels; radantīḥ from √rad 'to gnaw, scrape' → 'clearing/opening' the ways by removing resistance. (5) dhunayaḥ from √dhun 'to shake, impel' → dynamic energies that stir the being toward the goal. (6) artha 'aim, meaning, purpose' → the teleological end of the inner yajña.
Ṛta (right order as 'paths'), tapas/impulsion (dynamic force driving the breakthrough), revelation as guiding speech (vāc as inner instruction)
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-myth in its preparatory moment: the inner hero-force is about to bring the decisive impulsion against the Coverer, while allied powers (Mother/Janitrī; path-openers) align and move toward the goal. Mythically this anticipates the breaking of obstruction; psychologically it depicts the mobilization of energies for a breakthrough from ignorance to ordered illumination (ṛta).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The semantic core of vṛtra- from √vṛ 'cover' aligns with PIE *wel- 'to cover' (cf. English 'wall', 'veil' via related developments), supporting the obstruction/covering sense. √vid 'to know' reflects PIE *weid- 'to see/know' (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit), fitting viduṣe 'to the knower'. The teleological artha 'aim' parallels broader IE patterns where 'meaning/aim' develops from 'thing sought' (goal-oriented semantics).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer positions the Devata not as an external patron alone but as an inner executive power: Indra’s action is sanctioned by Janitrī (the generative Shakti) and supported by path-clearing energies. The reciprocity is implicit: the awakened 'knower' receives the Mother’s directive (revelatory speech) and, by aligning with Indra’s impulsion, enables the divine forces to proceed toward realization—boon as increased capacity for right movement and victory over obstruction.
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