Rig Veda 8.91.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 91, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.91
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
असौ च या न उर्वरादिमां तन्वं मम । अथो ततस्य यच्छिरः सर्वा ता रोमशा कृधि ॥
asáu ca yā́ na urvárād imā́ṃ tanvàm máma | átho tátasya yác chíraḥ sárvā tā́ romaśā́ kṛdhi ||
Dan juga—dia yang datang kepada kami dari ladang—jadikanlah tubuhku ini (wadah yang layak). Dan kemudian, apa pun yang menjadi kepala daripada bentuk itu, jadikanlah seluruhnya diliputi rambut yang hidup; biarlah ia bersalut dengan kekuatan semula jadi yang melindungi dan berkekalan.
Word by Word
- असौ
- that (he/this yonder)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root च (निपात)
- या
- who/which (fem.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक) अथवा दत्तिव-बहुवचनम्; अत्र षष्ठी (सम्बन्धः) अधिकम्Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उर्वरात्
- from the fertile fieldNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी-एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot उर्वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
- इमाम्
- thisPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तन्वम्
- body, personNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
- मम
- myPronounषष्ठी-एकवचनम्Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अथो
- and also / moreoverIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अथ + उ (निपात-संयोग)
- ततस्य
- of that (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (वैदिक रूप) = तस्यRoot तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; अत्र सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः (relative)Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शिरः
- headNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सर्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- ताः
- thosePronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रोमशाः
- hairy, covered with hairAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot रोमश (प्रातिपदिक) < रोमन् + -श (बहुव्रीहि/तद्धित)
- कृधि
- make! / do!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root कृ (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसनम्): असौ | च | या | नः | उर्वरात् | इमाम् | तन्वम् | मम | अथो (अथ + उ) | ततस्य (= तस्य; वैदिक षष्ठी-एकवचन-रूप) | यत् | शिरः | सर्वाः | ताः | रोमशाः | कृधि । ‘उर्वरा + आत्’ → ‘उर्वरात्’ (पञ्चमी-एकवचन)
- ‘अथ + उ’ → ‘अथो’ (निपात-संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
That one who comes to us from the field—make this body of mine; and whatever is the head of that, make it all hairy/covered with hairs.
Inner meaning
The verse continues the ‘field’ (urvarā) symbolism: from the fertile ground of consciousness comes a formative power (‘she’—a productive energy, perhaps the shaping force of Nature under Indra’s illumination). The prayer is for a transformed body as a fit vessel. ‘Hair-covered head’ signifies a natural protective strength and living vitality—an organic, enduring embodiment rather than a fragile, over-mentalized spirituality. It asks Indra to complete formation from summit to surface with resilient life-force.
Universal truth
Realization must become physiological and practical: the body should be remade to carry higher force with protection, endurance, and naturalness—not merely refined ideas.
Themes
Embodiment transformation, Integration of summit and life, Indra as shaper
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.91.3, Rig Veda 8.91.4, Rig Veda 8.91.5, Rig Veda 8.91.7
Significance
Shows a rare Rigvedic emphasis on bodily formation as part of the divine work—anticipating later yogic concerns of making the body a stable receptacle of higher consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Shaper of growth (implicit), Protector-strength giver
- Related deities
- Aśvins (healers), Agni (body’s inner fire), Soma (delight-substance)
Cosmic role
Gives force, protection, and victorious stability to the embodied worlds.
Inner power
Strength that makes the instrument resilient; illumined power organizing even the physical sheath.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for strength/protection and well-formed embodiment (within broader praise)
अ॒सौ च॒ या न॑ उ॒र्वरादि॒मां त॒न्वं१॒॑ मम॑ । अथो॑ त॒तस्य॒ यच्छिर॒: सर्वा॒ ता रो॑म॒शा कृ॑धि ॥
अ॒सौ । च॒ । या । नः॒ । उ॒र्वरा॑ । आत् । इ॒माम् । त॒न्व॑म् । मम॑ । अथो॒ इति॑ । त॒तस्य॑ । यत् । शिरः॑ । सर्वा॑ । ता । रो॒म॒शा । कृ॒धि॒ ॥
asau | ca | yā | naḥ | urvarā | āt | imām | tanvam | mama | atho iti | tatasya | yat | śiraḥ | sarvā | tā | romaśā | kṛdhi
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4 × 8 (approx.)
Concrete and tactile diction; feels like a ‘forming’ chant.
Draws awareness into the body; supports somatic integration and steadiness.
- उर्वरा (urvarā)
- Literal: field, fertile land. Symbolic: productive plane of embodied nature ready for spiritual cultivation
- इमां तन्वं मम (imāṃ tanvaṃ mama)
- Literal: this body of mine. Symbolic: the adhara to be transformed into a conscious vessel
- शिरः (śiraḥ)
- Literal: head. Symbolic: summit of formation; governing consciousness-principle
- रोमशा (romaśā)
- Literal: hairy, covered with hairs. Symbolic: living protective sheath; robust vitality and natural resilience of the transformed instrument
Transformative petition within Indra hymn; imagery suggests re-fashioning the embodied instrument (tanū) so Soma/Indra-force can act integrally.
In sequences asking for increase, protection, and completeness of the sacrificer
Recitation with offerings seeking ‘tanū’ (body/person) welfare
Somatic grounding mantra after intense meditation; supports nervous-system resilience and embodied stability.
/: ‘body, self-extension’, from √ ‘to stretch, extend’—the embodied extension of consciousness. : imperative of √ ‘to make/do’. : ‘hairy’, from ‘hair’—in Vedic symbolic reading, a ‘covering’ or ‘clothing’ of force; can indicate making the summit ‘fully vested’ in life-power rather than a bare, ineffective peak.
integration of higher summit (śiras) with embodied life (tanū), making the instrument fit for ṛta-driven action
A body aligned to Ṛta gains natural protection and endurance (symbolized by ‘roma’).
Truth must govern formation from ‘head’ to outer sheath.
Incarnation: spirit shaping matter into a conscious vessel.
Integral Yoga orientation: transformation includes the physical.
The ‘field’ is the physical nature; ‘hair’ is the living protective layer—instinctive strength guarding the new formation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A crafting-myth: the divine power reshapes the human instrument—body and summit—so that the higher consciousness is not abstract but ‘clothed’ and operative in life. It is the mythic theme of ‘making whole’ the being for divine work.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘stretch/extend’ reflects PIE *(s)tenh₂- ‘stretch’ (cf. Latin tendere). √ ‘do/make’ continues an ancient IE ‘make’ verb set; the imperative preserves old injunctive/imperative morphology typical of Vedic.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi asks Indra not merely for victory but for reconstitution of the vessel itself. The Devata becomes an inner artisan: transforming tanū (embodied extension) and śiras (summit) so the human can sustain and express the divine force.
Offer the body to be re-formed by illumined force; cultivate protective vitality.
Muladhara (stability) and Manipura (vital strength)
Body-scan with slow breathing; on inhale ‘imāṃ tanvaṃ’ (receive), on exhale ‘romaśā kṛdhi’ (seal/protect).
Embodied equanimity; stable pranic containment.
If you feel ‘ungrounded’ after higher practices, chant and visualize a protective living sheath around the head and body—resilience without rigidity. Then stand/walk slowly to integrate.
Svara uncertain; chant evenly with slight emphasis on ‘urvarā’ and ‘tanvaṃ’.
Pause after ‘urvarāt’; keep ‘sarvā tā romaśā’ linked as a single sweep.
: ur-va-rād (final ‘d’ lightly), : tan-vam (nasal ‘n’, soft ‘v’), : yac-chi-raḥ (double consonant feel), : ro-ma-śā (long ā)
Warm, grounding, protective tone.
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