Rig Veda 7.101.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 101, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.101
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Parjanya
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
स्तरीरु त्वद्भवति सूत उ त्वद्यथावशं तन्वं चक्र एषः । पितुः पयः प्रति गृभ्णाति माता तेन पिता वर्धते तेन पुत्रः ॥
starī́r u tvád bhávati sū́ta u tvad yáthāvaśaṃ tanvàṃ cakra eṣáḥ | pitúḥ páyaḥ práti gṛbhṇāti mātā́ téna pitā́ vardhate téna putráḥ ||
Yang terbentang luas menjadi daripada-Mu; daripada-Mu juga kelahiran dilepaskan; menurut kehendak-Mu, yang ini membentuk tubuh. Sang Ibu menerima susu Sang Bapa; dengannya Sang Bapa membesar, dengannya Sang Putra membesar.
Word by Word
- स्तरीः
- the barren cow / the sterile oneNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot स्तरी (प्रातिपदिक) < स्तृ (धातु ‘स्तरणे/प्रसारणे’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग-रूप ‘स्तरी’ (वेद.)
- त्वत्
- from youPronounपञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचनRole अपादानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भवति
- becomesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot भू (धातु)
- सूतः
- one who has given birth; having calvedNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण) / विधेयRoot सूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < सू (धातु ‘प्रसवे/जनने’) + त (क्त)
- उ
- indeed / alsoIndeclinableनिपातRoot उ (निपात)
- त्वत्
- from youPronounपञ्चमी, एकवचनRole अपादानRoot युष्मद्
- यथावशम्
- according to (one’s) will / as desiredIndeclinableअव्यय (अव्ययीभाव-समास)Root यथा + वश (प्रातिपदिक) → यथावशम् (अव्ययीभाव)
- तन्वम्
- body; selfNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्रे
- has made; fashionedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot कृ (धातु)
- एषः
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पितुः
- of the fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पयः
- milkNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रूपं प्रथमा/द्वितीया समानम्)Role कर्मRoot पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards; in return; up toIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- गृभ्णाति
- seizes; takesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot ग्रह्/गृभ् (धातु ‘ग्रहणे’) (वेद. गृभ्णाति)
- माता
- the motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तेन
- by that; with thatPronounतृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पिता
- the fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पितृ
- वर्धते
- grows; prospersVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot वृध् (धातु ‘वृद्धौ’)
- तेन
- by that; with thatPronounतृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot तद्
- पुत्रः
- the sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धिविच्छेद): स्तरीः | त्वत् | भवति | सूतः | उ | त्वत् | यथावशम् | तन्वम् | चक्रे | एषः | पितुः | पयः | प्रति | गृभ्णाति | माता | तेन | पिता | वर्धते | तेन | पुत्रः । विशेष: ‘त्वद्भवति’ = त्वत् + भवति (द् + भ → द्भ)
- ‘त्वद्यथावशम्’ = त्वत् + यथावशम् (त् + य → द्य, वैदिक-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
From you the outspread world comes to be; from you birth is brought forth; by your will this one fashioned the body. The Mother receives the Father’s milk; by that the Father grows, by that the Son grows.
Inner meaning
Parjanya is the generative will behind manifestation: the ‘outspread’ (starīḥ) is the expansion of consciousness into forms; ‘birth’ is the emergence of new states. The ‘body’ (tanū) is not only physical but the formed instrument of expression. The Mother–Father polarity signifies Nature (Prakṛti, the receptive matrix) receiving the ‘milk’ (payas: nourishing essence) of the Spirit/Consciousness (Puruṣa). Through this exchange, both poles increase: Spirit becomes effective in manifestation (‘Father grows’ as power in forms), and the ‘Son’—the manifested being or the evolving soul-personality—grows by that same essence.
Universal truth
Creation and growth arise from a conscious generative will: receptivity and giving are mutually sustaining. When the receptive nature can receive the true nourishing essence of consciousness, the whole being—source, field, and formed individual—advances together.
Themes
Cosmic family symbolism, Circulation of essence, Embodied growth, Inner fertility
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.33 (Vasiṣṭha and the rivers; formation and passage), RV 7.86–7.89 (Varuṇa hymns; inner law and release)
Family tradition
A seer-line emphasizing harmonization of opposites (Varuṇa-Mitra balance) and the right formation of life under ṛta.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha often reads cosmic processes as inner processes; here the generative cosmology becomes a psychology of receptivity, essence, and growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Parjanya (generative power through cosmic parents)
- Epithets
- generator by will (yathāvaśam), source of birth (sūta)
- Related deities
- Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (cosmic parents), Soma (payas/sweet essence motif), Agni (formation in the sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Fertilizing force enabling birth, embodiment, and the mutual increase of heaven-and-earth principles.
Inner power
Power of manifestation that shapes the instrument (tanū) and circulates nourishing essence (payas) between consciousness and nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Fertility/creation motifs in rain and prosperity rites; recited for generative increase in fields, herds, and lineage (symbolically: increase of powers).
स्त॒रीरु॑ त्व॒द्भव॑ति॒ सूत॑ उ त्वद्यथाव॒शं त॒न्वं॑ चक्र ए॒षः । पि॒तुः पय॒: प्रति॑ गृभ्णाति मा॒ता तेन॑ पि॒ता व॑र्धते॒ तेन॑ पु॒त्रः ॥
स्त॒रीः । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्व॒त् । भव॑ति । सूतः॑ । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्व॒त् । य॒था॒ऽव॒शम् । त॒न्व॑म् । च॒क्रे॒ । ए॒षः । पि॒तुः । पयः॑ । प्रति॑ । गृ॒भ्णा॒ति॒ । मा॒ता । तेन॑ । पि॒ता । व॒र्ध॒ते॒ । तेन॑ । पु॒त्रः ॥
starīḥ | oṃ iti | tvat | bhavati | sūtaḥ | oṃ iti | tvat | yathāvaśam | tanvam | cakre | eṣaḥ | pituḥ | payaḥ | prati | gṛbhṇāti | mātā | tena | pitā | vardhate | tena | putraḥ
44
4 × ~11
Balanced alternation—well-suited to expressing polarity (mother/father) and reciprocal growth.
Creates a sense of orderly unfolding; the listener feels ‘formation’ and ‘nourishment’ as a measured, sustaining rhythm.
- स्तरीः (starīḥ)
- Literal: outspread, expanded (world). Symbolic: expansion of consciousness into wide manifestation; the field of experience
- सूत (sūta)
- Literal: brought forth, delivered (birth). Symbolic: emergence of new inner states; progressive becoming
- यथावशम् (yathāvaśam)
- Literal: according to will, as one wills. Symbolic: the sovereign intention behind formation; divine volition
- तनू (tanū)
- Literal: body, form. Symbolic: instrumentation of the soul—mind-life-body as a shaped vehicle
- पितुः पयः (pituḥ payaḥ)
- Literal: father’s milk. Symbolic: nourishing essence of consciousness; sustaining delight/force offered from the source
- माता (mātā)
- Literal: mother. Symbolic: receptive Nature/field (prakṛti), the matrix that takes in and shapes
- पिता (pitā)
- Literal: father. Symbolic: conscious source (puruṣa), the giver of essence and law
- पुत्र (putra)
- Literal: son. Symbolic: the manifested being/evolving soul-personality that grows by the exchange
Contemplative reinforcement within rain/fertility hymns; supports rites for continuity of life-force and increase (plants, cattle, progeny as inner and outer prosperity).
At onset/height of rains; rites seeking conception, growth, and embodied well-being.
Invocatory recitation; offerings accompanied by contemplation of dyadic cosmic principles (heaven/earth).
Meditation for integrating receptive and active principles: receive ‘milk of consciousness’ into nature, then act from that nourishment.
starī́- from √stṛ ‘to spread/extend’ (cf. str̥ṇoti). sūta- ‘brought forth’ connected with √sū ‘to beget/impel’. vaśa- ‘will, control’ (power of mastery). tanū́- ‘body’ (embodied self). payas- ‘milk, sap, nourishing essence’ (often symbolic of soma-like or life-essence). The verse uses kinship terms (father/mother/son) as a triadic model of generation and reciprocal nourishment.
Reciprocity of principles (giver/receiver), Embodiment (tanū), Increase (vṛdh), Triadic generation
The reciprocal increase of father/mother/son suggests an ordered cycle of exchange—an ṛta of nourishment.
True growth occurs when nature receives the genuine essence (payas) rather than substitutes (desire-driven excitations).
Embodiment by will: the shaping of tanū as conscious formation, not accident.
Sāṃkhya-like polarity (puruṣa/prakṛti) as Vedic symbol, interpreted integrally (Aurobindo) as conscious-force and its receptive formation.
unspecified
monsoon / generative season
Milk = concentrated nourishment of consciousness; mother = receptive nature; father = conscious source; son = evolving personality; birth = new inner realization becoming embodied.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A generative triad (Father–Mother–Son) sustained by a circulating essence (milk/sap). Inner sense: consciousness (Father/source) pours essence; nature (Mother/field) receives and distributes; the formed being (Son/instrument) grows—showing that growth is achieved by right exchange between source, field, and embodied personality under divine will (vaśa).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √stṛ ‘spread’ corresponds to PIE *ster- ‘to spread, strew’ (cf. Greek stornynai, Latin sternere). kinship terms pitṛ́/mātṛ́ continue PIE *ph₂tḗr, *méh₂tēr, central to Indo-European poetic genealogies, here re-purposed for a process-myth (generation of embodiment).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi reads Parjanya as the hidden operator behind embodiment and nourishment-cycles. The hymn aligns the aspirant with that cycle: receive the ‘milk’ (essence) consciously so that all principles in the being mutually increase rather than conflict.
Contemplate the exchange between receptive nature and conscious source; invite ‘payas’ (nourishing essence) to shape the instrument.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (generativity) supported by Anāhata (receptivity) and Ājñā (forming will).
Inhale: receive (mātā gṛbhṇāti). Exhale: offer/shape (tanvaṃ cakra). Keep smooth, unforced breathing.
Receptive-creative poise; quiet wonder with embodied readiness.
Sit with the sense of a wide ‘outspread’ field. Allow a subtle sweetness (payas) to descend into the body. Affirm that formation is ‘by the higher will’—let posture, breath, and intention align.
Tri-svara with clear udātta on key verbs (bhavati, cakra) as marked in recensional accenting; avoid flattening the parenthetical ū particles.
Maintain syntactic clarity: two opening clauses (from you...) then the will-formation clause, then the mother–father–son triad as a measured conclusion.
Keep cerebral ṛ in gṛbhṇāti (gṛ-bhṇā-ti), (tanvaṃ): nasalized ‘ṃ’ before consonant, (yathā-va-śam): clear palatal ś, (payaḥ): final visarga lightly released
Warm, nourishing tone; slightly softer on the mother/father lines to convey receptivity.
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