Rig Veda 10.144.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 144, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.144
- Devata
- R̥bhu-power / Indraic vajra-force
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अयमस्मासु काव्य ऋभुर्वज्रो दास्वते । अयं बिभर्त्यूर्ध्वकृशनं मदमृभुर्न कृत्व्यं मदम् ॥
ayám asmā́su kā́vya ṛbhúr vájro dā́svate | ayám bibharty ūrdhvá-kṛśanaṃ mádam ṛbhúr ná kṛtvyáṃ mádam ||
ഈ കാവ്യപ്രചോദിത ഋഭു-ശക്തി ഞങ്ങളിലുതന്നെ ഉണ്ട്—ദാതാവിന്നു വജ്രംപോലെ. അത് മേലോട്ടു വലിച്ചുയർത്തുന്ന ഉന്മാദം ധരിക്കുന്നു—ഋഭുവിന്റെ ആനന്ദം; കൃത്രിമമായോ ബലമായി നിർമ്മിച്ചതോ ആയ ആനന്ദമല്ല.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मासु
- among us / in usPronoun(त्रिलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः), सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- काव्यः
- the poet-seer / inspired oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot काव्य (प्रातिपदिक; कवि-सम्बन्धि) अथवा कवि + य (तद्धित) → काव्य
- ऋभुः
- R̥bhu (the divine artisan)Noun (Proper)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot ऋभु (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वज्रः
- the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दास्वते
- to the giver / to the generous (patron)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot दास्वत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दा ‘to give’ → दास्वत् ‘giving, generous’)
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- बिभर्ति
- bears / carries / supportsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √भृ (भरणे)
- ऊर्ध्वकृशनम्
- the upright-slender (thing); the raised, thin (form)Adjective (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (कर्मपदम्)Role KarmaRoot ऊर्ध्व + कृशन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘raised/lofty’ + ‘slender/lean’), समासः
- मदम्
- intoxication / exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋभुः
- R̥bhuNoun (Proper)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot ऋभु (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- not / likeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (निषेध/उपमा-निपातः)Root न (निपात)
- कृत्व्यम्
- what is to be done / a task to be doneVerbal adjective (gerundive)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (कर्मपदम्)Role KarmaRoot √कृ (करणे) → कृत्य (भाव्य/कर्तव्य-अर्थे) → कृत्व्य (वैदिक-रूप)
- मदम्
- exhilaration / raptureNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसनम्): अयम् अस्मासु काव्यः ऋभुः वज्रः दास्वते । अयम् बिभर्ति ऊर्ध्वकृशनम् मदम् ऋभुः न कृत्व्यम् मदम् ॥ 1) अयम॒स्मासु = अयम् + अस्मासु (म् + अ → म)
- 2) काव्य॑ ऋ॒भुः: विसर्ग-सन्धिः न कृतः (पदपाठ-प्रवृत्तिः)
- 3) वज्रो॒ दास्व॑ते = वज्रः + दास्वते (ः + द → ओ द्; वैदिक-लोप/रूपान्तरण)
- 4) बि॑भर्त्यू॒र्ध्वकृ॑शनम् = बिभर्ति + ऊर्ध्वकृशनम् (इ + ऊ → यू; संहितायाम्)
- 5) मद॑मृ॒भुः = मदम् + ऋभुः (म् + ऋ → मृ)
- 6) कृत्व्यं॒ मद॑म् = कृत्व्यम् + मदम् (म् + म → म्; संहितायाम् अनुस्वार/संयोग-प्रवृत्तिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
This inspired R̥bhu-force is within us as a thunderbolt for the giver; it bears an upward-straining ecstasy—an R̥bhu delight, not a fabricated delight.
Inner meaning
A ‘kāvya’ (inspired, poetic-vision) power works in the seeker as the R̥bhu principle: the artisan-force that shapes, refines, and also breaks obstacles. As vajra, it is a decisive inner weapon granted to the ‘dāsvat’—the one who gives (offers, consecrates the ego and energies). It carries ūrdhva-kṛśana mada: an ecstasy that pulls upward, stretching consciousness beyond the lower habit. This delight is not kṛtvyam—manufactured by vital excitement or mental suggestion—but a true crafted perfection of nature by the divine artisan-power.
Universal truth
Real spiritual joy is both authentic and transformative: it refines and forges the being upward. What is forced may imitate ecstasy; what is true reshapes the nature and breaks resistance.
Themes
inner-ascent, crafting-perfection (R̥bhu), breakthrough-force (vajra), Soma-ecstasy (madá)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.20, 1.110–1.111 (R̥bhu hymns; thematic parallels)
Significance
The verse stands in the R̥bhu tradition of ‘perfection by right formation’: Yoga as a craft of consciousness, not mere emotion or belief.
The deity
- Devata
- R̥bhu-power (with Indraic vajra aspect)
- Epithets
- kāvya (inspired), vajra (thunderbolt)
- Related deities
- Indra, Tvaṣṭṛ (cosmic artisan), Soma (ecstasy), Agni (worker of transformation)
Cosmic role
Artisan-force that perfects forms and functions; allied with Indra’s breaking-through to establish higher order.
Inner power
Transformative intelligence that both refines and shatters: builds the higher nature and breaks the old patterns.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma/Indra-adjacent praise; also suitable in contexts invoking vajra-force and perfection powers
अ॒यम॒स्मासु॒ काव्य॑ ऋ॒भुर्वज्रो॒ दास्व॑ते । अ॒यं बि॑भर्त्यू॒र्ध्वकृ॑शनं॒ मद॑मृ॒भुर्न कृत्व्यं॒ मद॑म् ॥
अ॒यम् । अ॒स्मासु॑ । काव्यः॑ । ऋ॒भुः । वज्रः॑ । दास्व॑ते । अ॒यम् । बि॒भ॒र्ति॒ । ऊ॒र्ध्वऽकृ॑शनम् । मद॑म् । ऋ॒भुः । न । कृत्व्य॑म् । मद॑म् ॥
ayam | asmāsu | kāvyaḥ | ṛbhuḥ | vajraḥ | dāsvate | ayam | bibharti | ūrdhva-kṛśanam | madam | ṛbhuḥ | na | kṛtvyam | madam
44
4 × ~11 (approx.)
Hammer-and-forge rhythm: emphatic nouns (kāvya/ṛbhu/vajra) create percussive stress.
Awakens resolve and upward drive; helps distinguish true ānanda from emotional fabrication.
- काव्य (kāvyaḥ)
- Literal: inspired, poetic. Symbolic: mantric inspiration; intuitive-creative consciousness
- ऋभुः (ṛbhuḥ)
- Literal: R̥bhu (artisan deity/power). Symbolic: power of perfection through right formation; divine craftsmanship in nature
- वज्रः (vajraḥ)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: decisive will-force that breaks coverings and false formations
- दास्वते (dāsvate)
- Literal: to the giver. Symbolic: to the one who offers/surrenders energies; the consecrated practitioner
- ऊर्ध्वकृशनम् (ūrdhvakṛśanam)
- Literal: upward-stretching/drawing. Symbolic: aspiration that pulls consciousness upward; ascent-tension toward higher planes
- मदम् (madam)
- Literal: exhilaration, ecstasy. Symbolic: spiritual intoxication of delight-power (ānanda) that energizes realization
- न कृत्व्यम् (na kṛtvyam)
- Literal: not made/contrived. Symbolic: not fabricated by ego/vital; authentic descent or awakening of ānanda
Associated broadly with Soma-inspired uplift and praise; specific Śrauta assignment not securely inferable from the provided excerpt alone.
During offerings emphasizing strength, breakthrough, and right formation of the sacrifice
Affirmation of inner vajra granted to the giver; supporting consecration and uplifted exhilaration
Useful when seeking authentic uplift (not mood-driven): chant before disciplined practice to invoke ‘true ecstasy’ and transformative will.
Key terms: (1) < kavi (seer) + -ya: ‘belonging to the seer’, indicating inspired cognition rather than discursive thought. (2) : name/title of the R̥bhus; connected with √rabh/√r̥bh ‘to handle, work with skill’ (semantic field of crafting/perfecting). (3) from √vaj/√vajra- ‘hard, mighty; striking force’: symbolically the concentrated will that breaks inner resistance. (4) from √bhṛ ‘to bear/carry’: sustaining the uplift. (5) : ūrdhvá ‘upward’ + kṛśana- (Vedic form; sense ‘drawing/straining upward’), indicating ascensional movement of consciousness. (6) from √mad ‘to be exhilarated/intoxicated’: the Soma-delight as spiritual ecstasy. (7) (gerundive) from √kṛ ‘to make’: ‘manufactured’, hence ‘not an ego-constructed excitement’.
R̥ta (right working as true formation), inner ascent (ūrdhva movement of consciousness), truth-delight vs. fabricated emotion
R̥bhu is ṛta as craftsmanship: the right shaping of life into divine order.
‘Not fabricated’ marks satya in experience—genuine delight aligned with truth.
Perfection of forms: the cosmos as an ongoing work of divine artisanship.
Integral Yoga symbolism: transformation as conscious crafting; vajra as force of decisive change.
Thunderbolt = sudden decisive illumination-will; upward-stretch = aspiration; ecstasy = energized ānanda that lifts the whole system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘fashioner-force as thunderbolt’: the R̥bhu power (skill of true formation) acts like Indra’s vajra to shatter obstruction and to uphold an ascending ecstasy (madá). The key action is not an outer battle but an inner breakthrough that produces authentic delight, ‘not fabricated’ (na kṛtvyam).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘to bear’ (bibharti) continues PIE *bher- ‘carry’ (cf. English bear, Greek phérō). √mad ‘be exhilarated’ aligns with Indo-Iranian shared sacral intoxication vocabulary (Avestan mad-/related semantic field). √kṛ ‘make’ reflects PIE *kwer-/ *ker- type ‘make/do’ developments in Indo-Iranian (Skt kar-/kṛ).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker positions the Devata as an indwelling agency (‘in us’), activated by the ‘giver’ (dāsvate)—i.e., by offering and self-opening. The reciprocity is: the human gives (dakṣiṇā in the inner sense: surrender/oblation), and the power responds by bearing the ascent and granting true delight rather than ego-made excitement.
Feel the ‘vajra’ as a calm diamond-like will in the brow/heart; invite the upward-drawing delight that is steady and true.
manipura (will/fire) and ajna (vajra-like clarity)
Ujjayi with a gentle upward inner lift on inhale; pause briefly to sense ‘ūrdhva-kṛśana’ (upward draw).
From tamasic inertia or rajasic excitement to a sattvic, upward, authentic exhilaration.
Test delight: if it needs stimulation, it is kṛtvyam; if it quietly increases clarity, strength, and aspiration, it is R̥bhu-mada.
Rigvedic accenting applies; exact accents require śākala svara text.
Strike the key words with clarity: kāvyaḥ ṛbhuḥ vajraḥ; then lift the tone slightly on ūrdhvakṛśanam madam.
ṛbhuḥ: clear vocalic ṛ (not ‘ri’)., vajraḥ: keep jra cluster clean; light visarga., ūrdhva: retroflex ḍh sound; do not simplify., kṛtvyam: vocalic ṛ and t-vy cluster articulated.
Firm, steady, ‘forging’ tone; avoid sentimental softness.
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