Rig Veda 10.75.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 75, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.75
- Devata
- Sindhu
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अभि त्वा सिन्धो शिशुमिन्न मातरो वाश्रा अर्षन्ति पयसेव धेनवः । राजेव युध्वा नयसि त्वमित्सिचौ यदासामग्रं प्रवतामिनक्षसि ॥
abhí tvā síndho śíśum ín na mā́taro vāśrā́ arṣanti páyasā iva dhenávaḥ | rājéva yúdhvā nayasi tvám ít sícaú yád āsā́m ágraṃ prá-vatām inákṣasi ||
Menuju engkau, wahai Sindhu, seperti para ibu kepada anak, yang melenguh mengalir—laksana lembu-lembu betina dengan susunya. Seperti raja bersama para pahlawannya engkau memimpin air-air yang bercampur; apabila engkau mencapai yang terdepan daripada cerun-cerun ini, engkau mengambil hadapan dalam turunnya.
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्वा
- you (acc. sg.)Pronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद्
- सिन्धो
- O Sindhu (River)Nounसम्बोधन एकवचन (पुं.)Root सिन्धु
- शिशुम्
- a childNounद्वितीया एकवचन (पुं.)Role KarmaRoot शिशु
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- मातरः
- mothersNounप्रथमा बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role KartāRoot मातृ
- वाश्राः
- bellowing (cows), lowingAdjective/Nounप्रथमा बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role KartāRoot वाश्रा
- अर्षन्ति
- they rush/flowVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot ऋष् (अर्ष्) गतौ/स्रवणे
- पयसा
- with milkNounतृतीया एकवचन (नपुं.)Role KaraṇaRoot पयस्
- इव
- as if, likeIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- धेनवः
- milch-cowsNounप्रथमा बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role KartāRoot धेनु
- राजा
- a kingNounप्रथमा एकवचन (पुं.)Role Kartā (उपमान-कर्तृ)Root राजन्
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- युध्वा
- having fought/battledKṛdanta (Gerund/Absolutive)क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (युध् + त्वा)Root युध्
- नयसि
- you lead/driveVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot नी
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (एव/खलु-अर्थे)Root इत् (निपात)
- सिचौ
- O pourer/irrigator (epithet of Sindhu)Noun (agent/epithet)सम्बोधन एकवचन (पुं.)Root सिच्
- यदा
- whenIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRoot यदा
- आसाम्
- of these (them)Pronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (एतद्-प्रत्ययान्त सर्वनाम; स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक ‘इमा’)
- अग्रम्
- the front, the foremost partNounद्वितीया एकवचन (नपुं.)Role KarmaRoot अग्र
- प्रवताम्
- of the slopes/descents (downward courses)Nounषष्ठी बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role सम्बन्धRoot प्रवत्
- इनक्षसि
- you reach/attainVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot नक्ष् (नश्) प्राप्तौ/व्याप्तौ
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): (1) शिशुमिन्न → शिशुम् + इव (नासिक्य-सन्धि/अनुस्वार-परिवर्तन; ‘म्’ + ‘इ’ → ‘मि’ लेखन)
- (2) पयसेव → पयसा + इव (अ + इ → ए)
- (3) त्वमित्सिचौ → त्वम् + इत् + सिचौ (म् + इ → मि; निपात ‘इत्’ संधौ)
- (4) यदा॑सा॒मग्रं → यदा + आसाम् + अग्रम् (स्वर-संयोग; पदसीमा पर सन्धि-लोप/पदपाठानुसार पृथक्)
- (5) प्रवता॒मिन॑क्षसि → प्रवताम् + इनक्षसि (म् + इ → मि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Toward Sindhu, as mothers to a child, the lowing ones stream like cows with milk. Like a king with warriors, Sindhu leads the mingling waters when reaching the foremost of the slopes.
Inner meaning
The ‘lowing cows’ are rays and nourishing knowledges (go) flowing toward the central current of consciousness, drawn as by love to the newborn divine formation (śiśu) in the seeker. The many movements of the nature (waters) are gathered and led by the sovereign current—disciplined like a king marshaling his powers. Reaching the ‘foremost slope’ signifies arriving at a decisive threshold where descent becomes mastery: the flow takes command at the critical turning-point of transformation.
Universal truth
When the soul’s new birth begins, supports arrive: knowledge, nourishment, and energies naturally converge. True leadership is integrative—bringing many impulses into one ordered movement toward the front of progress.
Themes
River-confluence, Nourishing flow, Centralization of forces, Order in movement
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.75 (contextual)
Family tradition
Nadī-stuti poetic tradition emphasizing the unity of many streams in the one Sindhu.
Significance
The seer describes convergence and governance—key yogic themes: gathering scattered energies and nurturing the inner birth until it can lead.
The deity
- Devata
- Sindhu
- Epithets
- राजेव युध्वा नयसि (like a king with warriors you lead), प्रवतानाम् अग्रं इनक्षसि (you reach the foremost of the slopes)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (knowledge-stream), Indra (leader of powers), Āpas
Cosmic role
Integrator and leader of waters/streams; organizer of descent and movement across terrains/planes.
Inner power
Psychic-central current that draws in knowledges and energies, then commands them toward a unified advance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise of rivers/waters; invocation for prosperity and ordered movement.
अ॒भि त्वा॑ सिन्धो॒ शिशु॒मिन्न मा॒तरो॑ वा॒श्रा अ॑र्षन्ति॒ पय॑सेव धे॒नव॑: । राजे॑व॒ युध्वा॑ नयसि॒ त्वमित्सिचौ॒ यदा॑सा॒मग्रं॑ प्र॒वता॒मिन॑क्षसि ॥
अ॒भि । त्वा॒ । सिन्धो॒ इति॑ । शिशु॑म् । इत् । न । मा॒तरः॑ । वा॒श्राः । अ॒र्ष॒न्ति॒ । पय॑साऽइव । धे॒नवः॑ । राजा॑ऽइव । युध्वा॑ । न॒य॒सि॒ । त्वम् । इत् । सिचौ॑ । यत् । आ॒सा॒म् । अग्र॑म् । प्र॒ऽवता॑म् । इन॑क्षसि ॥
abhi | tvā | sindho iti | śiśum | it | na | mātaraḥ | vāśrāḥ | arṣanti | payasāiva | dhenavaḥ | rājāiva | yudhvā | nayasi | tvam | it | sicau | yat | āsām | agram | pra-vatām | inakṣasi
44
4 × ~11
Nurturing opening (soft flow) moving into martial-regal firmness (king/warriors).
Creates a felt gathering in the heart and a subsequent strengthening of resolve and coordination.
- शिशु (śiśu)
- Literal: child. Symbolic: newborn psychic being’s emergence; fresh divine formation in the sadhana
- मातरः (mātaraḥ)
- Literal: mothers. Symbolic: supporting powers/nurturing forces of nature aiding the inner birth
- धेनवः (dhenavaḥ)
- Literal: milch-cows. Symbolic: rays of knowledge and nourishment; abundance of luminous substance
- वाश्राः (vāśrāḥ)
- Literal: lowing. Symbolic: call of the rays/knowledges toward the central truth
- सिचौ (sicau)
- Literal: mingling waters. Symbolic: mixed movements of mind-life-body seeking integration
- राजा इव (rājā iva)
- Literal: like a king. Symbolic: sovereign guidance of the central consciousness
- युध्वा (yudhvā)
- Literal: with warriors. Symbolic: disciplined powers (faculties) aligned for the work
- अग्रं प्रवताम् (agraṃ pravatām)
- Literal: foremost of the slopes/descents. Symbolic: decisive leading edge where higher force enters lower nature effectively
Confluence/pouring and leadership imagery suitable for water-invocations and rites of integration; exact śrauta usage not specified.
Auspicious recitation near waters or at transitions; also suitable for rites seeking integration and increase.
Recitation to invoke nourishing influx and the leadership of a principal current.
Use when beginning a new inner discipline (‘child’ of practice): to invite supportive knowledges and to unify scattered habits under one direction.
śíśu ‘child’ from √śiś ‘to grow/be young’. arṣanti from √ṛṣ/√arṣ ‘flow, move quickly’. páyas ‘milk’ (nourishing essence). dhenú ‘cow’ from √dhā/√dhen (to suckle, nourish). rājā from √rāj ‘shine, rule’ (PIE *h₃reǵ- ‘rule’). yúdh- ‘fight’ (PIE *yeudh-). sic- ‘pour, sprinkle’ (√sic).
Convergence of powers into a central current (integration of faculties), Nourishment as essence (páyas) → inner delight/substance, Leadership of consciousness over mixed movements (sicau)
Leadership is lawful integration: many streams find their right place in one ordered movement.
The ‘child’ symbolizes truth-being emerging; nature’s forces become truthful when they nurture and follow it.
Confluence and organization: multiplicity returns to unity and then advances as one.
Integral yoga / symbolic Vedism: cows as rays; waters as movements of consciousness.
Milk = nourishing essence of knowledge; cows = rays; confluence = integration of faculties; slopes = thresholds between levels of being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘tributaries as mothers’ mythologem: many streams converge on Sindhu as nourishing cows to a child, and Sindhu leads the confluence like a king leading warriors. Inner sense: diverse life-forces and perceptions gather into a central growing consciousness which then governs and directs the mixed movements toward the forefront of progress.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rājā reflects PIE *h₃reǵ- ‘rule’ (cf. Latin rēx). yudh- reflects PIE *yeudh- (cf. Old English gūð ‘battle’ is different root; but Balto-Slavic/Indo-Iranian show *yeudh-). The cow/milk nourishment complex is a widespread IE poetic resource for abundance and sustaining essence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi addresses Sindhu as a living organizing power: by praising the convergence and leadership, the hymn invites the same inner action—tributary faculties to pour into a central current, and that current to rule the descent and integration of energies.
Gathering the ‘cows’ (rays/insights) into the main stream; letting the psychic ‘child’ become the leader.
Anahata (nurture/psychic) with Manipura (leadership/coordination)
Gentle coherent breathing (equal inhale/exhale) while visualizing multiple small streams entering a central river at the heart.
Integrated calm with readiness for decisive action.
Offer scattered thoughts as separate streams; invite them to flow toward the heart’s truth; then affirm one governing intention that leads the day’s actions.
Rigvedic svara per śākhā; highlight vocative síndho and the similes (mātaraḥ, dhenavaḥ, rājā iva).
Begin softly on the maternal image; increase firmness on ‘rājā iva yudhvā’; conclude with decisive cadence on ‘agram… inakṣasi’.
śiśum: keep both ś sounds clear (palatal)., vāśrā: long ā; avoid turning śr into s+r., dhenavaḥ: aspirate dh; keep e long., inakṣasi: pronounce kṣ as a conjunct, not ‘kh’.
Warm at start, then steady and commanding.
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