Rig Veda 8.72.3: Mandala 8, Sukta 72, Mantra 3
Sukta 8.72
- Devata
- Rudra
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अन्तरिच्छन्ति तं जने रुद्रं परो मनीषया । गृभ्णन्ति जिह्वया ससम् ॥
antár icchanti táṃ jáne rudráṃ paró manīṣáyā | gṛbhṇánti jihváyā sasám ||
Manusia mencari di dalam akan Rudra itu; dan di luar—melampaui—dengan fikiran yang membedakan. Mereka menangkapnya dengan lidah, Yang Perkasa itu—dengan daya sabda yang diilhamkan.
Word by Word
- अन्तरि
- within; in the mid-regionIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थान/दिशा-वाचक) — ‘भीतर/बीच में/अन्तरिक्ष में’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अन्तर् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव/निपात-प्रयोग) अथवा अन्तरिक्षे इत्यर्थे अव्यय
- इच्छन्ति
- they desire; they seekVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र.पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया) — कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः ‘जनाः’Root इष्/इच्छ् (धातु) ‘इच्छा’
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जने
- among people; in the folkNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रम्
- RudraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- परः
- the far(-reaching)/supreme oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशेषण-रूपेण ‘रुद्रः’ इत्यस्य)Role KartāRoot पर (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनीषया
- with thought; by insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मनीषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृभ्णन्ति
- they seize; they graspVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र.पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया) — कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः (अप्रकटः) ‘जनाः’Root ग्रह्/गृभ् (वैदिक रूप) ‘ग्रहण’
- जिह्वया
- with the tongueNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
- ससम्
- a hare (rabbit)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सस (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक) ‘खरगोश/शश’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अन्तरि | इच्छन्ति | तम् | जने | रुद्रम् | परः | मनीषया | गृभ्णन्ति | जिह्वया | ससम् । 1) ‘अन्तरि’ अव्यय-प्रयोगः (अन्तर्-आधारितः) ‘अन्तरिक्षे/अन्तः’ इत्यर्थे। 2) ‘गृभ्णन्ति’ वैदिक-रूपं
- धातोः ग्रह्/गृभ् ‘ग्रहण’ (क्लासिक ‘गृह्णन्ति’ इत्यस्य समकक्षः)। 3) ‘ससम्’ वैदिक शब्दः ‘सस’ (शश/खरगोश) का द्वितीया एकवचन।
The meaning
Outer meaning
People seek that Rudra within; he is beyond, by discerning thought. They seize the mighty one with the tongue—through speech.
Inner meaning
Rudra is the fierce purifier and healer-force: the power that breaks the knot of falsehood and compels truth. The mantra states a paradox of yoga: the Divine is sought within (antaḥ), yet is beyond the ordinary mind (paraḥ). By manīṣā (illumined discrimination) we approach him; by jihvā (tongue)—i.e., mantra, inspired speech—we ‘grasp’ him, making contact with that formidable transformative power (sasam).
Universal truth
The transcendent is accessed inwardly: discernment opens the way, and truthful speech/mantra stabilizes the contact. What is ‘beyond’ becomes intimate when consciousness is aligned.
Themes
inner seeking, Rudra as purifier, speech-power, beyond-and-within
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.72.1, Rig Veda 8.72.2, Rig Veda 8.72.4, Rig Veda 8.72.5
Family tradition
In Book 8’s Kāṇva ambience, Rudra appears as an inner power seized by mantra and discernment rather than feared as outer storm.
Significance
This verse is a key Aurobindonian cue: the god is within; mantric speech is not symbolic only but an instrument to ‘grasp’ the power.
The deity
- Devata
- Rudra
- Epithets
- śiva (auspicious, later epithet), ugra (fierce, implied), sasam (mighty), para (beyond), antar (within)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Maruts
Cosmic role
Storm-force and healer: the cosmic energy that shatters obstruction, purifies, and restores right functioning.
Inner power
Fierce purification; tapas that burns falsehood; catalytic transformation through truth-speaking.
In ritual
Where it is used
Rudra invocations within śrauta contexts; also protective/appeasing addresses to Rudra.
अ॒न्तरि॑च्छन्ति॒ तं जने॑ रु॒द्रं प॒रो म॑नी॒षया॑ । गृ॒भ्णन्ति॑ जि॒ह्वया॑ स॒सम् ॥
अ॒न्तः । इ॒च्छ॒न्ति॒ । तम् । जने॑ । रु॒द्रम् । प॒रः । म॒नी॒षया॑ । गृ॒भ्णन्ति॑ । जि॒ह्वया॑ । स॒सम् ॥
antaḥ | icchanti | tam | jane | rudram | paraḥ | manīṣayā | gṛbhṇanti | jihvayā | sasam
32
4 × 8 (approximate)
Searching, then striking—first half exploratory, second half gripping.
Evokes inward seeking and then a decisive ‘seizure’—a felt contact with a stronger presence.
- अन्तः (antaḥ)
- Literal: within. Symbolic: inner being; psychic space of direct experience
- परः (paraḥ)
- Literal: beyond. Symbolic: transcendent consciousness beyond surface mind
- रुद्र (rudra)
- Literal: Rudra, the howler. Symbolic: fierce grace; purifier-healer; force that breaks resistance
- मनीषा (manīṣā)
- Literal: inspired thought, discernment. Symbolic: illumined intelligence that can reach beyond mental habits
- जिह्वा (jihvā)
- Literal: tongue. Symbolic: mantric speech; expressive power of consciousness
- ससम् (sasam)
- Literal: mighty, strong (epithet). Symbolic: irresistible spiritual force—effective power of transformation
Invocation of Rudra through manīṣā (insight) and jihvā (mantric speech); appropriate in contexts seeking fierce purification and healing protection.
When invoking Rudra’s power for purification/protection; psychologically, when confronting inner resistance.
Mantric calling and alignment of thought with Rudra’s force.
For inner cleansing: use as a mantra to invoke courageous truthfulness and cut through self-deception; pair with journaling or confession-to-self as ‘jihvā’ of truth.
rudrá- possibly from √rud ‘cry/howl’ (outer) but psychologically the ‘roaring’ force of purification; also linked in RV to healing boons. manīṣā from √man ‘think’ with nuance of reflective insight. jihvā ‘tongue’ as metonymy for mantra. gṛbh- ‘seize’ indicates making the deity present through speech.
Transcendence and immanence (paraḥ / antaḥ), Mantra as instrument of realization (jihvā)
Rudra enforces ṛta by breaking what deviates; his fierceness restores right order.
Manīṣā and jihvā must serve satya—truthful discernment and truthful speech.
Beyond becomes within: transcendence entering immanence through conscious articulation (mantra).
Early yogic theism: transcendent-immanent Divine contacted through inner practice and mantra.
monsoon (suggestive, not explicit)
Storm = disruptive purification; sound = creative/evocative power that brings the deity-force into active presence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Rudra as the transcendent power (‘beyond’) that is nevertheless sought ‘within’ and made present by the tongue: the mythic act is epiphany through mantra—speech grasps the fierce divine force to effect purification/healing in human nature.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The inside/outside (antaḥ/paraḥ) polarity is a common archaic poetic structuring. √man (manīṣā) is an IE core root. The verb √grah/gṛbh ‘grasp’ has broad IE parallels in the semantic of taking/holding, used here for ritual ‘seizing’ by speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The human collective (jane) approaches Rudra by insight (manīṣā) and concretizes him by mantra (jihvā). Rudra is not merely feared; he is intentionally contacted and held—so his fierce energy can become a conscious instrument rather than a blind disturbance.
Seek the purifying force within; use discernment to approach; use mantra/speech to stabilize contact and surrender obstacles.
Viśuddha (truth-speech) and Ājñā (discernment)
Exhale with clear articulation (jihvā as instrument); brief pause after exhale to feel the ‘beyond’ presence within.
Purifying intensity with lucid clarity.
Before chanting, identify one inner falsehood or avoidance. On ‘antaḥ icchanti’ turn inward; on ‘paraḥ manīṣayā’ hold a higher view; on ‘gṛbhṇanti jihvayā’ speak/chant with uncompromising truth and offer the resistance to Rudra.
Use traditional Vedic accenting; keep ‘rudram’ and ‘manīṣayā’ steady; allow a slight rise where udātta occurs (exact svara requires recension markings).
Pause lightly after ‘antaḥ’ to mark inward turn; articulate ‘jihvayā’ distinctly as the operative instrument.
antar: clear dental n + t, icchanti: double ‘cch’ aspirated, rudram: short u; rolled r, manīṣayā: long ī and ā; retroflex ṣ, gṛbhṇanti: conjunct bhṇ pronounced cleanly
Grave, steady, slightly forceful without shouting.
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