Rig Veda 10.75.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 75, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.75
- Rishi
- Sindhukṣit Praiyamedha
- Devata
- Sindhu
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ऋजीत्येनी रुशती महित्वा परि ज्रयांसि भरते रजांसि । अदब्धा सिन्धुरपसामपस्तमाश्वा न चित्रा वपुषीव दर्शता ॥
ṛjīty énī rúśatī mahitvā́ pári jráyāṃsi bharate rájāṃsi | adábdhā síndhur apásām apástamā́śvā́ na citrā́ vápūṣīva darśatā́ ||
Lurus geraknya, meluru tak tertahan, bersinar dalam kebesarannya, Sindhu mengelilingi hamparan ruang yang jauh terbentang. Tidak terluka, tidak terkalahkan, paling giat antara daya-daya yang giat, ia tampak dalam rupa yang menakjubkan laksana kuda-kuda yang terang: demikianlah semoga daya bercahaya dalam diri kami bergerak tak terbendung merentas medan-medan kesedaran.
Word by Word
- ऋजीत्येनी
- having straight/true-going course; swift/impetuous (as a river)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सिन्धुः इति स्त्रीलिङ्ग-शब्दस्य विशेषणम्) ; बहुव्रीहिः/कर्मधारय-समासभावः (‘ऋजीति’ + ‘एनी’)Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण कर्तृपदस्य)Root ऋजीति- (प्रातिपदिक, ‘ऋजि/ऋजु’ + ‘इति’ > ‘ऋजीति’), एनी- (प्रातिपदिक) समासः
- रुशती
- shining, brightAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सिन्धुः-विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)Root रुशत्- (प्रातिपदिक; √रुश्/रुच् ‘दीप्तौ’ से ‘रुशत्’ ‘shining’)
- महित्वा
- by (her) greatness, through majestyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (करणे/हेतौ)Role KaraṇaRoot महि- (प्रातिपदिक) → महित्व- (भाव-नाम), तृतीया
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableअव्ययम्; क्रियायोगे उपसर्गःRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ज्रयांसि
- decays, worn-out things (signs of age)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot ज्रयस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ज्रयस्’ = ‘old age/decay’, बहुवचन-रूप)
- भरते
- she bears/carries, brings alongVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √भृ (भरणे)
- रजांसि
- regions/spaces; (also) dust/mists (here: expanses/realms)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रजस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदब्धा
- unharmed, unassailable, not deceivedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सिन्धुः-विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)Root अ-दब्ध- (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक ‘दब्ध’ < √दभ् ‘हिंसायाम्/दम्भे’ ‘to harm/deceive’)
- सिन्धुः
- the River (Sindhu), the streamNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सिन्धु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपसाम्
- of the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root अप्/अपस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘waters, work’—here ‘waters’)
- अपस्तमम्
- the most active/most effective (among) the watersAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (सिन्धुम्/सिन्धोः कर्म-विशेषणवत्; ‘अपस्तमम्’ = ‘most active/most effective in waters’)Role Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)Root अपस्- (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तम-प्रत्यय; अतिशयार्थे)
- आश्वाः
- swift like a horseAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सिन्धुः-विशेषणम्; वैदिके दीर्घस्वर-प्रयोगः)Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)Root आश्व- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘horse-like, swift’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root न (अव्यय; उपमा)
- चित्रा
- variegated, wondrous, brightAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (वपुषी-विशेषणम्)Role Kartā/ViśeṣaṇaRoot चित्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वपुषी
- two forms/appearancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा द्विवचनम् (द्वे वपुषी = ‘two forms/appearances’)Role Kartā (उपमान-निर्देशे)Root वपुस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- as if, likeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root इव (अव्यय; उपमा)
- दर्शता
- lovely to see, beautifulAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा द्विवचनम् (वपुषी-विशेषणम्)Role Kartā/ViśeṣaṇaRoot दर्शत- (प्रातिपदिक; √दृश् ‘दर्शन’ से ‘दर्शत’ ‘visible, lovely’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): ऋजीत्येनी = ऋजीति + एनी (समास/संहिता-रूप)
- महित्वा (महि-भावनाम ‘महित्व’ तृतीया)
- परि (उपसर्गः) + भरते
- अदब्धा सिन्धुः (विशेषण-विशेष्य)
- अपसाम् अपस्तमम् (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः + तम-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्)
- आश्वाः न (उपमा)
- चित्रा वपुषी इव दर्शता (वपुषी द्विवचनम्, तयोः विशेषणे चित्रा/दर्शता द्विवचन-सामञ्जस्ये)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Sindhu (the great river) rushes straight and impetuous, shining in her greatness; she bears around her the wide spaces. Unharmed and unconquered, most active among the active, she appears in a wondrous form like bright steeds.
Inner meaning
Sindhu is the mighty inner current of consciousness-force (a surging stream of tapas and prāṇa guided by Truth). “Straight-moving” is the will that does not deviate into desire; “impetuous” is the victorious impetus of the soul-nature when it is seized by the higher impulsion. She carries “the wide spaces” (rajāṃsi) of inner worlds—opening vastness in mind and life. “Unconquered” indicates the divine flow untouched by hostile formations. The ‘bright steeds’ are luminous life-forces (aśvāḥ as energized powers) that make the current visible as dynamic, beautiful movement in the being.
Universal truth
When the inner will aligns with the straight law of truth, a powerful and uninjured current arises that opens vast inner spaces and carries life forward with luminous energy; spiritual progress is not merely quietude but an irresistible, clarified movement.
Themes
Invincibility of the divine force, Right-going movement, Epiphany of power (darśatā)
The seer
- Rishi
- Sindhukṣit Praiyamedha
- Lineage
- Priyamedha (Angiras-related poet-family in later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 10.75.1-9 (Sindhu-sūkta core)
Family tradition
A late Ṛgvedic family stream associated with hymns of praise that blend natural grandeur with inner force-symbolism; here the river becomes a figure of spiritual dynamism.
Significance
The seer’s vision turns the river into a mantra of yogic momentum: progress as a straight, shining, unconquerable flow opening inner vastness (mahat) and carrying the being across limiting formations.
The deity
- Devata
- Sindhu
- Epithets
- ṛjītī (straight-moving), enī (impetuous), ruśatī (shining), adabdhā (unassailable), apasām apastamā (most active among the active), citrā darśatā (wondrous, visible)
- Related deities
- Āpas (Waters), Varuṇa (ṛta/expanse), Indra (breaker of obstruction), Soma (flow of delight)
Cosmic role
Great world-river and carrier of the ‘spaces’—a cosmic stream that supports movement, expansion, and linkage of regions.
Inner power
Irresistible consciousness-current (truth-force in motion) that breaks inertia, widens the mind, and drives right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise-hymn (stuti) to Sindhu; recited in contexts honoring waters/flows; not a standard soma-pressing core verse but compatible with water-related invocations.
ऋजी॒त्येनी॒ रुश॑ती महि॒त्वा परि॒ ज्रयां॑सि भरते॒ रजां॑सि । अद॑ब्धा॒ सिन्धु॑र॒पसा॑म॒पस्त॒माश्वा॒ न चि॒त्रा वपु॑षीव दर्श॒ता ॥
ऋजी॑ती । एनी॑ । रुश॑ती । म॒हि॒ऽत्वा । परि॑ । ज्रयां॑सि । भ॒र॒ते॒ । रजां॑सि । अद॑ब्धा । सिन्धुः॑ । अ॒पसा॑म् । अ॒पःऽत॑मा । अश्वा॑ । न । चि॒त्रा । वपु॑षीऽइव । द॒र्श॒ता ॥
ṛjītī | enī | ruśatī | mahi-tvā | pari | jrayāṃsi | bharate | rajāṃsi | adabdhā | sindhuḥ | apasām | apaḥ-tamā | aśvā | na | citrā | vapuṣī-iva | darśatā
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, forward-driving cadence suited to momentum and conquest imagery.
Builds a felt sense of onward surge and widening; supports meditation on unstoppable progress and inner vastness.
- ऋजीती (ṛjītī)
- Literal: straight-going, moving in a straight line. Symbolic: un-deviating will; alignment with ṛta (right order)
- एनी (enī)
- Literal: impetuous, swift. Symbolic: victorious spiritual impetus; force of tapas in motion
- रुशती (ruśatī)
- Literal: shining, bright. Symbolic: illumined energy; consciousness made luminous
- महित्वा (mahitvā)
- Literal: by greatness. Symbolic: vastness of the divine force in the being
- रजांसि (rajāṃsi)
- Literal: spaces/regions (often mid-worlds). Symbolic: planes and widenesses of consciousness
- अदब्धा (adabdhā)
- Literal: unhurt, unassailable, unconquered. Symbolic: divine force not diminished by resistance
- सिन्धुः (sindhuḥ)
- Literal: river, oceanic stream. Symbolic: mighty current of consciousness-force (inner flow of truth-power)
- अपसाम् अपस्तमा (apasām apastamā)
- Literal: most active among the active works. Symbolic: supreme effective energy in right action (karma in ṛta)
- अश्वा (aśvā)
- Literal: steeds/horses. Symbolic: vital energies and powers of action made luminous
Praise-invocation for strength and unobstructed movement; suitable where ‘overcoming’ and ‘safe passage’ are sought (outer) and where inner force must be made invincible (inner).
Supplementary recitation in rites involving waters, crossings, or auspicious movement; also as a contemplative hymn in later practice.
Āvāhana and stuti of the river-power; mental ‘offering’ of speech to align with the current.
Use as a mantra for overcoming stagnation, initiating new phases, travel/crossing thresholds, and energizing sādhana with straight, luminous momentum.
ṛjīty- connects with ṛju ‘straight’ and the RV ethical-cosmic preference for ‘straight/right’ movement, resonant with ṛta (ordered truth). bharate from √bhṛ ‘bear, carry’ (PIE *bher- ‘carry’, cf. English ‘bear’). apas ‘work, active force’ from √ap ‘to work/act’ (Vedic semantic specialization), supporting the inner reading: powers of effective action in consciousness. adabdhā from a- + √dabh ‘to harm/deceive’ → ‘not deceived/overcome’.
Rita as straight/right movement, Tapas as effective energy (apas as power of work)
Explicit through ṛjītī: the straight movement that accords with ṛta.
Truth manifests as unassailable effectiveness (adabdhā) and luminous visibility (ruśatī/darśatā).
The waters/river as a creative carrier opening regions (rajāṃsi) and sustaining manifestation by movement.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: cosmic powers as psychological forces evolving toward wideness and truth.
River = inner current of force; waters = flowing consciousness; spaces = wideness of mind; horses = energized life-powers made luminous.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of the unconquered river-goddess as a victorious, shining power whose movement encompasses the regions. This is the mythic template of ‘irresistible divine flow’—the same archetype later used for victorious gods and for Soma’s conquering surge.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bharate (√bhṛ) is a clear continuation of PIE *bher- ‘carry’. The horse simile (aśvā na…) aligns with IE poetic diction where horses denote speed, radiance, and victorious energy; the visible ‘form’ (vapus) evokes the IE theme of divine manifestation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi is a seer of divine dynamism: he does not petition first but reveals the Devata’s nature—straight, shining, unconquered—so the hymn itself becomes a means to awaken that same character in the human movement toward Truth.
Feel a straight, luminous current rising and moving forward through the inner spaces; offer resistances into the flow.
svadhisthana (waters/flow) to anahata (wideness)
Moderate ujjāyī or smooth nāḍī-śodhana; on exhale imagine the current clearing channels; on inhale feel wideness (rajāṃsi).
Dynamic quietude—calm center with powerful forward movement.
Begin with a few slow recitations, then let the rhythm become more forceful; concentrate on ‘ṛjītī’ as the vow of straightness and ‘adabdhā’ as invulnerability to doubt and inertia.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic accents (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; keep the udātta peaks on key force-words (e.g., ṛjītī, ruśatī, sindhuḥ).
Maintain clear udātta rise; avoid flattening the cadence—Triṣṭubh wants a forward lift at the end of each pāda.
ṛjītī: vocalic ṛ clear, not ‘ri’, enī: long ī sustained, ruśatī: ś as palatal, not dental s, adabdhā: cluster -dbdh- articulated gently without dropping consonants, vapuṣīva: keep vapuṣī- then iva as light glide
Bright, resonant, slightly energized (not hurried).
12
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.
