Rig Veda 1.174.7: Mandala 1, Sukta 174, Mantra 7
Sukta 1.174
- Rishi
- Agastya Māna
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
रपत्कविरिन्द्रार्कसातौ क्षां दासायोपबर्हणीं कः । करत्तिस्रो मघवा दानुचित्रा नि दुर्योणे कुयवाचं मृधि श्रेत् ॥
rápat kavír indrārká-sātau kṣā́ṃ dāsā́yopá-barhaṇīṃ kaḥ | kárat tísro maghávā dā́nu-citrā ní duryóṇe kúyavācaṃ mṛdhí śret ||
Szybko porusza się wieszcz, o Indro, w zdobywaniu hymnu; kto uczynił ziemię łożem dla Dasy? Szczodry stworzył trzy wielopostaciowe moce Danu; strącił na twardym siedzeniu fałszywie mówiącego i w bitwie go rozbił.
Word by Word
- रपत्
- (he) rushed / sprang forthVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), प्र. 3, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √रप् (रपते/रपति) अथवा √रभ् (वेद. ‘रपत्’ = ‘रभत्’ इति पाठभेद-सम्भवः)
- कविः
- the seer, sageNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (रपत्-क्रियायाः)Root कवि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्कसातौ
- in the winning of the hymn (song-prize)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अर्क-साति- (समास/प्रातिपदिक; साति- ‘प्राप्ति/विजय’)
- क्षाम्
- the earth/groundNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot क्षाम्/क्षाम्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पृथिवी/भूमि’)
- दासाय
- for the Dāsa (enemy/foe)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot दास- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपबर्हणीम्
- a covering/bed (as a support), a cushion-like supportNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (अन्तर्निहित-क्रियायाः/उपपद-सम्बन्धः)Root उप-बर्हणी- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘उप’ + बर्हणी ‘आच्छादन/शय्या/आवरण’)
- कः
- who? (which one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (करत्-क्रियायाः)Root क- (प्रातिपदिक; प्रश्न/अनिर्दिष्ट-प्रोनाउन)
- करत्
- made, didVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), प्र. 3, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √कृ (करोति)
- तिस्रः
- three (fem.)Adjective (numeral)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (रूपम्: तिस्रः)Role Karma (करत्-क्रियायाः)Root त्रि- (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- मघवा
- the bountiful one (Indra)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (करत्-क्रियायाः)Root मघवन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दानुचित्राः
- variegated/remarkable, Dānu-like (or: of Dānu), wondrousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (तिस्रः इति विशेष्य-सामानाधिकरण्येन)Role Karma (तिस्रः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root दानु-चित्र- (समास/प्रातिपदिक; ‘दानु’ + ‘चित्र’)
- नि
- down, intoIndeclinableउपसर्गःRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गRoot नि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- दुर्योणे
- in a hard/evil womb; in a difficult lair/abodeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दुर्-योनि- (समास/प्रातिपदिक)
- कुयवाचम्
- the evil-speaker / one of bad speechNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot कु-यवाच- (समास/प्रातिपदिक; ‘कु’ दुर्वाच/दुष्ट + ‘यवाच’)
- मृधि
- in battleNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (वेद. लोक.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मृध्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘युद्ध/संघर्ष’)
- श्रेत्
- may he lay low / may he overthrowVerbवेद. injunctive/लुङ्-सदृश, प्र. 3, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √श्रि/√श्रय् (वेद. ‘श्रेत्’ = injunctive/aorist-like form)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): रपत् | कविः | इन्द्र | अर्कसातौ | क्षाम् | दासाय | उपबर्हणीम् | कः | करत् | तिस्रः | मघवा | दानुचित्राः | नि | दुर्योणे | कुयवाचम् | मृधि | श्रेत् । 1) कविरिन्द्र → कविः इन्द्र (विसर्ग-सन्धि)
- 2) इन्द्रार्कसातौ → इन्द्र अर्कसातौ (अ + आ)
- 3) दासायोपबर्हणीम् → दासाय उपबर्हणीम् (अ + उ)
- 4) दानुचित्रा नि → दानुचित्राः नि (विसर्गः पदान्ते)
- 5) दुर्योणे कुयवाचम् → दुर्योणे कुयवाचम् (सन्धि-रहित पदसीमा)
- 6) मृधि श्रेत् → मृधि श्रेत् (इ/श् संयोगः; पदसीमा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer moves swiftly in winning the hymn; who made earth a couch for the Dāsa? Indra made the three many-formed Dānu powers; he cast down the false-speaker in the hard seat and shattered him in battle.
Inner meaning
The inner seer-faculty (kavi) hastens in the conquest of the mantra (arka-sāti): inspired speech becomes a field of victory. The ‘earth made a couch for the Dāsa’ hints at consciousness lowered into inertia—when the dark/servile forces (Dāsa) occupy the foundation (kṣā). Indra reforms the threefold flows/energies (tisraḥ dānu-citrāḥ)—often read psychologically as triple streams of force in mind-life-body—turning them from chaotic multiplicity into useful power. He strikes down the false-speaking impulse (kuyavāc) lodged in the hard seat (dur-yoṇi): the entrenched deception in the subconscient/vital that corrupts speech and thought.
Universal truth
When consciousness sinks, the foundation becomes a resting-place for inertia; liberation comes by (1) swift seer-vision, (2) conquest of the true word, (3) reformation of the triple energies, and (4) destruction of inner falsehood at its root.
Themes
Power of inspired speech, Overthrow of false-speaking forces, Chaos powers (Dānu) subdued, Inner battle on the earth-plane
The seer
- Rishi
- Agastya Māna (traditional)
- Lineage
- Agastya
- Other hymns
- RV 1.174, RV 1.165, RV 1.171
Family tradition
Agastya’s line often links mantra-victory (arka) with practical conquest over entrenched obscurity—turning the ‘earth’ (base) into a fit foundation for light.
Significance
The rishi’s emphasis is on effective spiritual action: truth in speech (kavi/arka) must descend to transform the base where the Dāsa rests.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- maghavā (bounteous), śūra (hero, implied by battle context)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī/Bṛhaspati (truth-word context, implicit), Apas (waters, as dānu-field)
Cosmic role
Victor in the war of light and darkness; shaper of the waters/energies; destroyer of falsehood.
Inner power
Power that reforms chaotic currents (dānu) into usable force and smashes inner lying at its subconscient seat.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma liturgy; also suitable as a stotra for victory over hostile forces.
रप॑त्क॒विरि॑न्द्रा॒र्कसा॑तौ॒ क्षां दा॒सायो॑प॒बर्ह॑णीं कः । कर॑त्ति॒स्रो म॒घवा॒ दानु॑चित्रा॒ नि दु॑र्यो॒णे कुय॑वाचं मृ॒धि श्रे॑त् ॥
रप॑त् । क॒विः । इ॒न्द्र॒ । अ॒र्कऽसा॑तौ । क्षाम् । दा॒साय॑ । उ॒प॒ऽबर्ह॑णीम् । क॒रिति॑ कः । कर॑त् । ति॒स्रः । म॒घऽवा॑ । दानु॑ऽचित्राः । नि । दु॒र्यो॒णे । कुय॑वाचम् । मृ॒धि । श्रे॒त् ॥
rapat | kaviḥ | indra | arka-sātau | kṣām | dāsāya | upa-barhaṇīm | karitikaḥ | karat | tisraḥ | magha-vā | dānu-citrāḥ | ni | duryoṇe | kuyavācam | mṛdhi | śret
44
4 × ~11
Quick, cutting, interrogative energy (notably the rhetorical ‘kaḥ’), suited to exposing and breaking falsehood.
Energizes discrimination; helps bring hidden false patterns to the surface for removal.
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer, poet. Symbolic: Inner witness-intelligence that receives truth directly
- अर्कसातौ (arkasātau)
- Literal: in the winning of the hymn. Symbolic: Conquest of the true Word; mastery of mantra as effective force
- क्षाम् (kṣām)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: Foundation of consciousness; physical/subconscient base
- दास (dāsa)
- Literal: Dāsa (enemy/servile). Symbolic: Inert or obscure forces that enslave the being
- उपबर्हणीम् (upabarhaṇīm)
- Literal: couch, pillow. Symbolic: A place of complacent resting—settling into inertia
- तिस्रः (tisraḥ)
- Literal: three. Symbolic: Triple formation (mind, life, body) or three streams of force
- दानुचित्राः (dānucitrāḥ)
- Literal: many-formed Dānu powers. Symbolic: Watery/flow energies in mixed forms—desires, impulses, currents needing right shaping
- कुयवाचम् (kuyavācam)
- Literal: false-speaker. Symbolic: Deceptive thought/speech-force; inner lie that justifies obscurity
- दुर्योणे (duryoṇe)
- Literal: hard seat/womb. Symbolic: Entrenched subconscient matrix where falsehood hides
Mantra emphasizing power of arka (hymn-word) and Indra’s overthrow of falsehood; used to strengthen truthful speech in the rite.
When seeking strength to overcome enemies/obstacles; in sequences celebrating Indra’s victories.
Chanted with offerings; rhetorically ‘questions’ and then asserts Indra’s decisive acts.
Use when confronting self-deception, rationalization, or entrenched habits; pair with journaling/‘truth-speaking’ practice after recitation.
kavi from √kū/√kav ‘see/poetize’—seer as visionary. arka linked to radiance/praise (also sun), from √arc ‘shine, praise’ (PIE *h₂erḱ- ‘bright’ possible). dāsa in RV often denotes hostile/dark peoples; symbolically forces of inertia/ignorance. dānu is a watery demon-name (also ‘fluid’), with Indo-Iranian parallels in dragon/river myth complexes. kuyavāc ‘bad speech’ = ku- (bad) + vāc (speech, PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’).
Mantra efficacy (arka-sāti), False speech vs. truth (kuyavāc vs. satya), Subconscient base (duryoni) as battlefield
False speech (kuyavāc) violates Ṛta; Indra restores right order by smashing it at the root.
Victory of arka (true word) over inner lying establishes Satya in thought and speech.
Re-creation of the triple energies (tisraḥ) into a harmonious instrument for the soul.
Psychological symbolism of the Veda (Aurobindo/Kashyap).
Earth = subconscient base; waters/flows = desire-energies; battle = tapasya/inner struggle; swift seer = awakened intuition moving through mantra.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘false speech’ and dark occupancy of the earth being overthrown by Indra through the power of arka and the seer’s swift inspiration. It links cosmic battle to the ethics of speech: victory is the restoration of truthful utterance in the embodied base.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāc (speech) belongs to the PIE *wekʷ- family (Lat. vox, etc.), and the moral prefix ku- ‘bad’ shows a productive Indo-Iranian evaluative morphology. The seer-poet (kavi) and hymn as weapon is a shared archaic IE poetics: speech is performative power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s kavi-power ‘rushes’ in arka-winning, implying that inspired speech and Indra’s force are complementary. The seer supplies the right word; Indra supplies the crushing power against kuyavāc—together establishing satya in the difficult foundation of life.
Detect and uproot ‘kuyavāc’—inner false narratives; establish truthful speech arising from the seer (kavi).
Viśuddha (truth-speech) with support from Maṇipūra (courage)
Brisk-energetic recitation for 3 cycles, then silent breath observation; feel the ‘hard seat’ loosen on exhale.
From mixed currents to clean, decisive truth-perception.
After chanting, speak one truth you have been avoiding (internally or externally) and take one corrective action; this is the ‘casting down’ of kuyavāc.
Rigvedic udatta/anudatta/svarita (śākhā-specific); keep the interrogative ‘kaḥ’ crisp and slightly lifted without over-accenting.
Mark caesura after pāda 1; emphasize kavíḥ, índra, arka-sātáu, tisráḥ, kuyavā́cam.
rapat: flap ‘r’, short ‘a’, arkasātau: long ā in -sā-, clear ‘t’ dental, upabarhaṇīm: aspirate ‘bh’, retroflex ṇ, kuyavācam: ‘yu’ not ‘ju’, long ā, clear ‘c’
Bright, incisive, slightly faster to match ‘rapat’; end each pāda cleanly.
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