Rig Veda 1.102.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 102, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.102
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अस्य श्रवो नद्यः सप्त बिभ्रति द्यावाक्षामा पृथिवी दर्शतं वपुः । अस्मे सूर्याचन्द्रमसाभिचक्षे श्रद्धे कमिन्द्र चरतो वितर्तुरम् ॥
asyá śrávo nadyàḥ saptá bíbhrati dyā́vākṣā́mā pṛthivī́ darśatáṃ váp uḥ | asm é sū́ryācandramásā abhí-cakṣe śraddhé kám indra carato vi-tarturám ||
Tujuh sungai memanggul kemasyhurannya; Langit-dan-Bumi serta dunia yang luas memikul wujudnya yang nyata. Bagi kami Surya dan Candra-mas memandang; wahai Śraddhā (Iman), siapakah yang mereka gerakkan bersama Indra—dua pengembara yang melintas, meluaskan laluan?
Word by Word
- अस्य
- of this (his/this one’s)Pronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्य (षष्ठी)
- श्रवः
- fame, renownNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object of ‘bear/hold’) / विषयRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नद्यः
- riversNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (subject)Root नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralअव्ययवत्; ‘नद्यः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role विशेषण (quantifier)Root सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- बिभ्रति
- they bear, carryVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र.पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √भृ (भरणे)
- द्यावाक्षामा
- heaven-and-earth (the two worlds)Noun (dual compound)स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके), प्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (co-subject) / समुच्चयRoot द्यावाक्षामा (समासः: द्यावा + क्षामा/क्षामन्)
- पृथिवी
- the EarthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (co-subject) / समुच्चयRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- दर्शतम्
- visible, splendid to beholdAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘वपुः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role विशेषणRoot दर्शत (प्रातिपदिक; √दृश ‘to see’ से)
- वपुः
- form, body, appearanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म/विषय (what is borne/possessed)Root वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मे
- in us / for usPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, बहुवचन; वैदिके ‘अस्मे’ = अस्मासु (सप्तमी) / अस्मभ्यं (चतुर्थी) सन्दर्भानुसारRole अधिकारण (in/among us) / सम्प्रदान (to us)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्मे (सप्तमी/चतुर्थी वैदिक)
- सूर्याचन्द्रमसा
- Sun and MoonNoun (dual compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन (वैदिके समास-रूपे एकपदत्वेन)Role कर्तृ (subject)Root सूर्य + चन्द्रमस् (समासः; द्वन्द्व)
- अभिचक्षे
- they look upon, beholdVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्र.पुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot अभि-√चक्ष् (दर्शने)
- श्रद्धे
- O Faith (Śraddhā)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (vocative)Role सम्बोधनRoot श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
- कम्
- whom? / what?Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root क (प्रश्न/अनिश्चित सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चरतो
- (you two/they two) move, roamVerb (participle-like finite form in Vedic usage)लट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यम/प्रथम?; वैदिके ‘चरतो’ = 2nd/3rd dual (ending -तः) संदर्भे द्विवचनRole क्रिया (dual: ‘you two go/move’ or ‘they two move’)Root √चर् (गत्यर्थे)
- वितर्तुरम्
- overcoming, surpassing, victoriousAdjectiveपुं/नपुं, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘कम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role विशेषणRoot वि-तर्तुर (प्रातिपदिक; √तॄ/√तृ ‘to cross/overcome’ से; वैदिक विशेषण)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): अस्य | श्रवः | नद्यः | सप्त | बिभ्रति | द्यावाक्षामा | पृथिवी | दर्शतम् | वपुः || अस्मे | सूर्याचन्द्रमसा | अभिचक्षे | श्रद्धे | कम् | इन्द्र | चरतो | वितर्तुरम् || 1) द्यावा + क्षामा → द्यावाक्षामा (स्वर-सन्धि/समास-एकपदत्व)
- 2) सूर्य + चन्द्रमसा → सूर्याचन्द्रमसा (आ + च = आच्; समास)
- 3) ‘अस्मे’ वैदिक-रूपः, पदे सप्तमी/चतुर्थी-भावः सन्दर्भानुसार
- 4) ‘चरतो’ वैदिक द्विवचन-तिङन्त-रूप (ending -तः) — पुरुष-निर्णयः मन्त्रार्थ-परम्परया भेद्यः
The meaning
Outer meaning
Seven rivers bear his fame; Heaven and Earth and the wide world bear his visible form. The Sun and Moon look on for us; O Faith, whom do they move with Indra, those two that traverse widening the passage?
Inner meaning
Indra’s śravas (fame/glory) is carried by the ‘seven rivers’—the multiple streams of consciousness (sevenfold energies) that spread the illumination through the being. Dyāvā-pṛthivī (Heaven-Earth) and the wide world bear his form: the higher and lower planes become vessels of the illumined power. Sūrya and Candramas (sun and moon) are the witnesses: the solar truth-vision and the lunar reflective mind. Śraddhā (faith) is invoked as the enabling force: it is faith that allows these twin lights to ‘move with Indra’ and widen the passage—opening the path through inner obscurity.
Universal truth
Spiritual transformation needs both direct vision and reflective understanding, held together by faith; then the inner channels widen and the higher power becomes manifest across all levels of life.
Themes
Cosmic scope of Indra, Sevenfold symbolism, Witnessing lights (Sun/Moon), Inner passage/crossing
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.102, RV 1.103, RV 1.105
Family tradition
Angirasa hymns often speak of waters/rivers and cosmic pairs (Heaven-Earth, Sun-Moon) as symbols of inner realization and the spread of light.
Significance
Kutsa links Indra’s victory not only to battle but to a cosmology of widened passage—faith-supported illumination pervading all planes.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Śraddhā; witnessed by Sūrya and Candramas)
- Epithets
- Darśata (manifest/visible—by implication of vapuḥ)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Candramas, Śraddhā, Dyāvā-Pṛthivī
Cosmic role
Indra’s illumination becomes a cosmic fact borne by rivers and by Heaven-Earth; Sun-Moon witness and regulate the traversal.
Inner power
Power to widen the inner path; to make illumination stable and ‘visible’ in embodied life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma ritual; also suitable as a contemplative verse on Indra’s cosmic pervasion.
अ॒स्य श्रवो॑ न॒द्य॑: स॒प्त बि॑भ्रति॒ द्यावा॒क्षामा॑ पृथि॒वी द॑र्श॒तं वपु॑: । अ॒स्मे सू॑र्याचन्द्र॒मसा॑भि॒चक्षे॑ श्र॒द्धे कमि॑न्द्र चरतो वितर्तु॒रम् ॥
अ॒स्य । श्रवः॑ । न॒द्यः॑ । स॒प्त । बि॒भ्र॒ति॒ । द्यावा॒क्षामा॑ । पृ॒थि॒वी । द॒र्श॒तम् । वपुः॑ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । सू॒र्या॒च॒न्द्र॒मसा॑ । अ॒भि॒ऽचक्षे॑ । श्र॒द्धे । कम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । च॒र॒तः॒ । वि॒ऽत॒र्तु॒रम् ॥
asya | śravaḥ | nadyaḥ | sapta | bibhrati | dyāvākṣāmā | pṛthivī | darśatam | vapuḥ | asme iti | sūryācandramasā | abhi-cakṣe | śraddhe | kam | indra | carataḥ | vi-tarturam
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Expansive, panoramic; the cadence ‘widens’ with enumerations (rivers, Heaven-Earth, Sun-Moon).
Induces wideness and witness-consciousness; supports a stable, observing mind allied to faith.
- श्रवः (śravaḥ)
- Literal: fame, glory. Symbolic: effective luminous power recognized across the being
- सप्त नद्यः (sapta nadyaḥ)
- Literal: seven rivers. Symbolic: seven streams of consciousness/energies distributing illumination
- द्यावाक्षामा / द्यावापृथिवी (dyāvākṣāmā)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: higher mind and embodied nature as the total field of realization
- दर्शतं वपुः (darśataṃ vapuḥ)
- Literal: visible form. Symbolic: a realizable, experiential presence of illumination
- सूर्याचन्द्रमसा (sūryācandramasā)
- Literal: Sun and Moon. Symbolic: truth-vision and reflective mind, witnessing and regulating inner progress
- श्रद्धे (śraddhe)
- Literal: O Faith. Symbolic: the soul’s assent and steady trust that opens the path
- वि-तर्तुरम् (vi-tarturam)
- Literal: widening the passage, traversing. Symbolic: opening the inner way; crossing limitations by expanded consciousness
Praise that situates Indra’s power cosmically (rivers, heaven-earth, luminaries) and invokes śraddhā as the enabling force for successful crossing/advance in the rite and inner journey.
During Indra-stotras emphasizing release/widening and cosmic support.
Recitation with offerings; contemplation of cosmic witnesses and inner faith.
Use when seeking steadiness: invoke faith, align solar clarity with lunar calm, and visualize the inner path widening.
sapta ‘seven’ is a structuring number in Vedic symbolism (seven rivers, seven rays, seven measures). vi-tarturám: from √tṛ ‘cross over’ (PIE *terh₂ ‘cross’; cf. Latin trans, English through via related developments), with vi- expressing expansion/distribution—‘making the crossing wide/clear’. śraddhā ‘faith’ (śrat ‘truth/heartfelt assent’ + √dhā ‘place’) as ‘placing one’s inner being in the truth’—a functional power enabling realization.
Śraddhā (faith as soul-assent), cosmic witnessing (cakṣus/seeing), crossing and widening the path (tṛ)
The ‘widened passage’ is the path of ṛta opened through obstruction.
Sūrya as satya-dṛṣṭi (truth-seeing) witnesses the process; Candramas stabilizes reflection without distortion.
Manifestation of a ‘visible form’ of power across Heaven and Earth; distribution through seven rivers.
Vedic symbolic cosmology: cosmic bodies as functions of consciousness; faith as operative power.
day-and-night cycle implied (sun/moon)
Rivers = channels of energy/knowledge; Heaven-Earth = higher and lower nature; Sun = illumined truth; Moon = reflective mind; Faith = psychic assent enabling progress.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The seven rivers bearing Indra’s śravas echoes the ‘release/ordering of the waters’ complex associated with Indra’s victory over obstruction; here it becomes a cosmopsychic image: the seven streams of life and consciousness carry the resonance of the victorious power, while Sun and Moon witness the widening of the path of crossing.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ (bibhrati) reflects PIE *bʰer-; √cakṣ ‘see’ aligns with Indo-Iranian seeing vocabulary; √tṛ ‘cross’ reflects PIE *terh₂ with broad IE reflexes in ‘crossing/through/trans-’ semantics, supporting the inherited metaphor of life as a crossing.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi situates Indra’s action as universally upheld (rivers, heaven-earth) and calls on śraddhā as the inner collaborator: faith is not mere belief but the soul’s consenting force that allows Indra’s widening movement to become effective ‘in us’ (asme).
Widen the inner path with faith; balance solar clarity and lunar calm as witnessing faculties.
ājñā (sun/moon balance) and sahasrāra (wideness)
Alternate-nostril breathing emphasizing balance; then silent witnessing on natural breath while repeating ‘śraddhe’.
Witnessing wideness; calm, luminous openness.
Visualize seven inner ‘rivers’ flowing upward along the spine and outward through the being. Hold a steady faith (śraddhā) and let the ‘passage’ widen—less effort, more consent.
Tri-svara; keep clear udātta on ‘sūryā’/‘candramasā’ compounds as per recension accenting.
Do not rush enumerations; give slight length to pauses after cosmic pairs (dyāvākṣāmā | pṛthivī).
‘nadyaḥ’—palatal y; final visarga ḥ lightly before pause., ‘dyāvākṣāmā’—keep long ā; kṣ as a tight cluster., ‘abhicakṣe’—clear bh + i; cakṣe with retroflex? (here c is palatal)., ‘vitarturam’—keep t-r cluster distinct.
Open, spacious, less percussive; let the tone ‘widen’.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
