Rig Veda 1.121.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 121, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.121
- Rishi
- Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Ka / Prajāpati, with mythic allusions to R̥bhu and primal supports
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स्तम्भीद्ध द्यां स धरुणं प्रुषायदृभुर्वाजाय द्रविणं नरो गोः । अनु स्वजां महिषश्चक्षत व्रां मेनामश्वस्य परि मातरं गोः ॥
stambhī́ddha dyā́ṃ sá dharúṇaṃ pruṣāyad ṛbhúrvājā́ya dráviṇaṃ náro góḥ | ánu svajā́ṃ mahiṣáś cakṣata vrā́ṃ ménām áśvasya pári mātáraṃ góḥ ||
ພະອົງຄ້ຳຍູ້ສະຫວັນ ແລະ ຕັ້ງພື້ນຖານ; ພຣະພູ ບີບອອກສົມບັດທະລຸດເພື່ອຄວາມບຸລຸດ ຜູ້ເປັນບຸກຄົນຂອງໂຄ. ຜູ້ຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ເຫັນຜູ້ທີ່ເກີດເອງ; ພະອົງເຫັນເມນາຜູ້ທຳກິດກວ້າງຂວາງ, ພະອົງຄອບຄຸມມາຕາຂອງໂຄ ຕົ້ນກຳເໜີດຂອງມ້າ.
Word by Word
- स्तम्भीत्
- he propped up / made firmVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person singularRole Kriyā (main verb)Root स्तम्भ् (stambh-)
- द्याम्
- the heaven (sky)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot द्यौ- (prātipadika)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (sarvanāman)
- धरुणम्
- support, firm foundationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (apposition to द्याम्)Root धरुण- (prātipadika; from √धृ ‘to hold’)
- प्रुषायत्
- he sprinkled / refreshedVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person singularRole Kriyā (co-verb)Root प्रुष्/प्रुषाय् (Vedic; ‘to sprinkle, moisten, refresh’)
- ऋभुः
- R̥bhu (the skillful one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (appositional)Root ऋभु- (prātipadika; name/epithet)
- वाजाय
- for strength / for prize (vigor)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (purpose/benefit)Root वाज- (prātipadika)
- द्रविणम्
- wealth, treasureNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot द्रविण- (prātipadika)
- नरः
- menNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (of implied action/participants)Root नर- (prātipadika)
- गोः
- of the cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root गो- (prātipadika)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRole Upasarga/AdverbialRoot अनु (avyaya)
- स्वजाम्
- his own-born (kinswoman)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (object of ‘saw/recognized’)Root स्वजा- (prātipadika; ‘self-born/own-born’, also ‘sister/kinswoman’ in Vedic contexts)
- महिषः
- the mighty one / buffalo (epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot महिष- (prātipadika)
- चक्षत
- he saw / beheldVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person singular (Vedic form)Role KriyāRoot चक्ष् (cakṣ-)
- व्राम्
- a mareNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot व्रा- / व्रā- (prātipadika; Vedic, ‘mare’/‘she-animal’, contextually a mare)
- मेनाम्
- Menā (name)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (apposition)Root मेना- (prātipadika; proper name)
- अश्वस्य
- of the horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root अश्व- (prātipadika)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRole Upasarga/AdverbialRoot परि (avyaya)
- मातरम्
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मातृ- (prātipadika)
- गोः
- of the cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root गो- (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved/normalized padas (with main sandhi points): स्तम्भी॑द्ध → स्तम्भीत् (final -t before initial dh- gives -ddh- in saṃhitā)
- द्यां स → द्याम् + सः (anusvāra before s)
- प्रुषायदृ॒भुर्वाजा॑य → प्रुषायत् + ऋभुः + वाजाय (t + ṛ → dṛ in saṃhitā)
- द्रवि॑णं॒ नरो॒ गोः → द्रविणम् + नरः + गोः (m + n → ṃn; visarga sandhi in saṃhitā)
- अनु॑ स्व॒जां म॑हि॒षश्च॑क्षत → अनु + स्वजाम् + महिषः + चक्षत (ḥ + c → śc in saṃhitā)
- व्रां मेना॒मश्व॑स्य → व्राम् + मेनाम् + अश्वस्य (m + a- sandhi)
- परि॑ मा॒तरं॒ गोः → परि + मातरम् + गोः (m + g- gives anusvāra in saṃhitā). Accents retained as in the given saṃhitā text
- pada-forms shown without accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
He propped up heaven and set the foundation; the R̥bhu pressed out treasure for plenitude, the man of the Cow. The mighty one saw the self-born; he saw wide-working Menā; he encompassed the mother of the Cow, the mare’s source.
Inner meaning
The Creator-power establishes the upper consciousness (dyām: heaven) and the supporting law (dharuṇam: foundation). The Ṛbhu—symbol of skillful formative intelligence—‘presses out’ (like Soma) the draviṇa, the true treasure of plenitude (vāja) from Go: the Cow as rays of knowledge. The ‘mighty one’ (mahiṣa) beholds svajā, the self-born truth in us—an emergence of inner light not manufactured by ego. Menā (a wide-working feminine power) can be read as the formative matrix of inspired mind—an inner Mother-force of shaping. ‘Encompassing the mother of the Cow’ suggests entering and mastering the source-plane from which rays of knowledge arise; ‘mare’ (aśva) hints at vital force’s secret origin—so knowledge (go) and energy (aśva) are traced back to a single creative matrix and then organized under the divine foundation.
Universal truth
Creation and transformation depend on establishing a higher order, then drawing out inner treasure—knowledge and energy—from their source; true abundance is pressed from the light within, not gathered from outside.
Themes
cosmic stabilization, crafting power (R̥bhu), origin of light (go), creator inquiry
The seer
- Rishi
- Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa (traditional)
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.121 (entire sūkta)
Family tradition
Angiras tradition of inner fire and revelation of light; emphasis on foundations of consciousness and the release of the ‘cows’ (rays).
Significance
The seer links cosmogenesis with psychogenesis: establishing the ‘heaven’ above, then extracting treasure from the Cow (light) through formative intelligence (Ṛbhu).
The deity
- Devata
- Ka / Prajāpati (creator-power) with Ṛbhu motif
- Epithets
- supporter of heaven, foundation-setter, mighty seer of the self-born
- Related deities
- Ṛbhus, Agni, Soma, Savitṛ
Cosmic role
Upholds the worlds, releases plenitude, and reveals the self-born principle; source of knowledge (go) and energy (aśva).
Inner power
Establishes higher consciousness and stabilizes the being; awakens formative intelligence that presses out inner riches.
In ritual
Where it is used
Creator-invocation within śrauta recitation; imagery resonates with Soma-pressing symbolism (pruṣāyat)
स्तम्भी॑द्ध॒ द्यां स ध॒रुणं॑ प्रुषायदृ॒भुर्वाजा॑य॒ द्रवि॑णं॒ नरो॒ गोः । अनु॑ स्व॒जां म॑हि॒षश्च॑क्षत॒ व्रां मेना॒मश्व॑स्य॒ परि॑ मा॒तरं॒ गोः ॥
स्तम्भी॑त् । ह॒ । द्याम् । सः । ध॒रुण॑म् । प्रु॒षा॒य॒त् । ऋ॒भुः । वाजा॑य । द्रवि॑णन् । नरः॑ । गोः । अनु॑ । स्व॒ऽजाम् । म॒हि॒षः । च॒क्ष॒त॒ । व्राम् । मेना॑म् । अश्व॑स्य । परि॑ । मा॒तर॑म् । गोः ॥
stambhīt | ha | dyām | saḥ | dharuṇam | pruṣāyat | ṛbhuḥ | vājāya | draviṇan | naraḥ | goḥ | anu | sva-jām | mahiṣaḥ | cakṣata | vrām | menām | aśvasya | pari | mātaram | goḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Architectonic, weight-bearing, with strong lifts
Conveys stability and building power; good for ‘establishing the foundation’ in meditation.
- द्याम् (dyām)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: higher mind/illumined consciousness
- धरुणम् (dharuṇam)
- Literal: foundation/support. Symbolic: stable law of being (ṛta-support) in the instrument
- स्तम्भीत् (stambhīt)
- Literal: propped up, fixed. Symbolic: establishing the higher plane in consciousness
- ऋभुः (ṛbhuḥ)
- Literal: R̥bhu (artisan-like deity/being). Symbolic: formative intelligence; skill that perfects the instrument
- प्रुषायत् (pruṣāyat)
- Literal: pressed out/squeezed forth. Symbolic: extracting essence (like Soma-pressing): drawing inner treasure by tapas
- द्रविणम् (draviṇam)
- Literal: treasure, wealth. Symbolic: inner riches: force, clarity, capacity, delight
- वाजाय (vājāya)
- Literal: for plenitude/victory. Symbolic: effective fullness of being; victorious increase
- गोः (goḥ)
- Literal: of the cow. Symbolic: rays of knowledge/light
- स्वजाम् (svajāṃ)
- Literal: self-born. Symbolic: spontaneous truth/gnosis arising from within
- महिषः (mahiṣaḥ)
- Literal: mighty one/bull. Symbolic: sovereign force of consciousness
- मेना (menāṃ)
- Literal: Menā (name). Symbolic: formative mother-power/matrix of inspired mind (wide-working)
- अश्वस्य (aśvasya)
- Literal: of the horse. Symbolic: vital energy/force of action
- मातरं गोः (mātaraṃ goḥ)
- Literal: mother of the cow. Symbolic: source-plane of knowledge-rays; luminous matrix
Cosmogonic stabilization and release of treasure: supports consecratory reflection on the creator’s act of establishing heaven and foundation; used in ritual discourse for grounding the rite in cosmic order.
During reflective praises of the creator/support in Soma settings or as theological stotra
Recitation as verbal oblation establishing cosmic/inner supports
Use when seeking stability and ‘inner structure’—before deep work, study, or long sādhanā sits.
√stambh ‘prop, support’ (cf. stambha ‘pillar’) indicates cosmogonic stabilization. dharuṇa from √dhṛ (PIE *dʰer- ‘hold’). cakṣ- ‘see’ (PIE *kʷekʷ-/ *kʷeḱs?; Indo-Iranian *čakš) ties seeing to knowing. The cluster go/aśva (cow/horse) are RV master-symbols for light and dynamic force, respectively; ‘mother of the cow’ points to the concealed origin of illumination.
foundation (dharuṇa) as ṛta-support, vision (cakṣ) as knowledge, self-born (svajā) truth
Dharuṇa is ṛta’s support in manifestation—lawful stability enabling growth.
Svajā (self-born) points to satyam emerging as direct seeing, not inference.
Cosmic support of heaven; extraction of treasure from light; return to the mother-source of knowledge and energy.
Proto-Sāṃkhya/Yogic cosmology tendencies (principles and sources), integrated with Vedic theism.
Heaven = illumined mind; foundation = stable nerves/being; cow = rays of knowledge; horse = vital dynamism; pressing = tapas extracting essence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The cosmogonic act of ‘propping up heaven’ and establishing a foundation, paired with the release of hidden treasure for vāja (force-plenitude). The ‘cow’ points to light/knowledge whose maternal source is concealed and must be encompassed—an origin-mystery rather than a pastoral scene.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhṛ ‘hold’ (dharuṇa) reflects PIE *dʰer-; √stambh expresses the pillar/support motif common in IE cosmologies (world-support). The semantic pairing of ‘seeing’ (cakṣ) with knowing is a deep IE pattern.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates the devatā as the cosmic artisan who both stabilizes the upper hemisphere (dyām stambhīt) and releases the inner treasure (draviṇa) for human plenitude. The relationship is contemplative-participatory: by understanding the creator’s acts, the sacrificer aligns the inner foundations with ṛta.
Establish the ‘heaven’ above the mind: a stable luminous witness; then ‘press out’ inner treasure from the light within.
Mūlādhāra (foundation) + Sahasrāra (heaven) integration axis
Slow inhalation imagining a pillar rising (stambhīt); slow exhalation imagining essence pressed and distributed (draviṇa)
Stable vastness with concentrated potency
Begin with posture alignment (spine as pillar). On each cycle, feel the upper mind brighten (dyām), then draw a refined energy down into the heart and speech as ‘treasure.’ End by resting in the ‘mother-source’—quiet luminous depth behind thought.
Triṣṭubh with strong udātta peaks on structural verbs (stambhīt, cakṣata) and key nouns (dyām, dharuṇam).
Keep the triṣṭubh gait: slight pause after major syntactic units; articulate compounds (vājinī/vāja/draviṇa) distinctly.
‘stambhīd dha’—retain the sandhi; do not insert an extra vowel between dh sounds., ‘pruṣāyat’—ṣ is retroflex; keep it crisp., ‘svajāṃ’—clear long ā; ‘mahiṣaś’—ṣ retroflex; ‘pari mātaraṃ’—roll smoothly through r.
Full, grounded, sustaining
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