Rig Veda 2.13.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.13
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अधाकृणोः पृथिवीं संदृशे दिवे यो धौतीनामहिहन्नारिणक्पथः । तं त्वा स्तोमेभिरुदभिर्न वाजिनं देवं देवा अजनन्त्सास्युक्थ्यः ॥
ádhākṛṇoḥ pṛthivī́ṃ saṃ-dṛ́śe divé yó dhautī́nām ahi-hán ā́riṇak páthaḥ | táṃ tvā stómebhir udábhir ná vājínaṃ deváṃ devā́ ajanann sá āsy ukthyáḥ ||
Então fizeste da Terra uma contraparte, em visão, do Céu; tu, matador da serpente pelos resplandecentes, abriste os caminhos. A ti — como um corcel de plenitude — com hinos e águas erguidas os deuses te geraram como deus; ele, de fato, é o digno tema do hino.
Word by Word
- अध
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (काल/अनुक्रम)Root अध (अव्यय)
- अकृणोः
- you made, you fashionedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root कृ (कर॑णे)
- पृथिवीम्
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- संदृशे
- for (mutual) sight, for being seenNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)Root संदृश् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; ‘सन्-दृश्’ = seeing, sight)
- दिवे
- for heaven, for the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके ‘दिव्’), चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यु)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धवाक्ये)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धौतीनाम्
- of the Dhūtīs (a people/host)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (षष्ठी)Root धौती (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धौतिन्/धौती’—a class/tribe name in RV usage)
- अहिहन्
- serpent-slayerAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (यः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇaRoot अहि-हन् (कृदन्त; हन् धातु ‘to slay’ with object ‘अहि’)
- अरिणक्
- he set in order / he madeVerbलिट्/परस्मैपद-सम्भाव्य वैदिक परिपाठ; प्रथमा, एकवचन (यः ... अरिणक्)Role Kriyā (सम्बन्धवाक्ये)Root ऋ (गत्यर्थे) / अरि-णच् (वैदिक रूप; ‘to set in motion/arrange’)
- पथः
- paths, waysNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप ‘पथः’)Role KarmaRoot पथ्/पन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमेभिः
- with praises, with hymnsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- उदभिः
- with watersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप)Role KaraṇaRoot उदन्/उदक (प्रातिपदिक; ‘waters’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRoot न (अव्यय)
- वाजिनम्
- the prize-winner, the vigorous oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (तम्/त्वा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (अपि विशेषणम्)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजनन्
- begot, generatedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root जन् (जनने)
- सास्युक्थ्याः
- (the gods) having/uttering the uktha with the mouth; uktha-singersAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (देवाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇaRoot सासि-उक्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सासि’=with the mouth/with speech + ‘उक्थ्य’=praise-worthy/connected with uktha)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अध | अकृणोः | पृथिवीम् | संदृशे | दिवे | यः | धौतीनाम् | अहिहन् | अरिणक् | पथः | तम् | त्वा | स्तोमेभिः | उदभिः | न | वाजिनम् | देवम् | देवाः | अजनन् | सास्युक्थ्याः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: अधा॑कृणोः → अध + अकृणोः (अ + अ = आ)
- पृथि॒वीं सं॒दृशे॑ → पृथिवीम् + संदृशे (म् + स = म्स्/अनुस्वार-परम्परा)
- दि॒वे यो → दिवे + यः
- अहिह॒न्नारि॑णक् → अहिहन् + अरिणक् (न् + अ)
- तं त्वा → तम् + त्वा (म् + त्)
- उ॒दभि॒र्न → उदभिः + न (विसर्ग-लोप/रकारादेशः)
- अजन॒न्त्सास्यु॒क्थ्य॑: → अजनन् + सास्युक्थ्याः (न् + स = न्त्स्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra made Earth a counterpart to Heaven; he slew the serpent for the shining ones and opened the paths. Like a steed of plenitude, by hymns and uplifted waters the gods brought him forth as a god; he is the true subject of the hymn.
Inner meaning
Indra establishes correspondence between the higher consciousness (dyauḥ) and the embodied field (pṛthivī): the earth-nature becomes capable of reflecting heaven’s vision (saṃdṛśe). By slaying the ahi (Vṛtra/serpent-coverer) for the dhūtayaḥ (the purified shining powers), he breaks the subconscient knot and releases the blocked currents, opening inner paths for ascent and descent. The ‘uplifted waters’ are the risen streams of consciousness offered by aspiration; through stoma (mantric praise) and these waters, the divine powers in us ‘bring forth’ Indra—i.e., awaken the illumined mind as a governing godlike force.
Universal truth
When illumination awakens, it reconciles spirit and matter: the embodied life can mirror higher truth. Obstruction must be broken so the currents of consciousness flow and the paths of evolution open; aspiration and mantra-call cooperate with the higher powers to manifest the inner ruler.
Themes
Vṛtra/ahi slaying, Cosmic ordering, Opening the ways, Vāja as force-plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Gṛtsamāda)
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (traditional association)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.12, RV 2.13, RV 2.14
Family tradition
Indra hymns that stress Vṛtra-slaying as opening of inner paths and harmonizing heaven-earth.
Significance
This verse is quintessential Aurobindonian: Vṛtra-slaying is psychological; the goal is correspondence of higher and lower nature and the opening of the yogic paths through released waters.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Ahi-han (serpent-slayer), Patho-kṛt (opener of paths, implied), Vājī (steed-force), Deva (godlike power)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Liberator of the waters/paths; harmonizer of heaven and earth; champion of the luminous ones.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force that breaks the knot of resistance and establishes a reflective, divinizable earth-nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma-yajña; Vṛtrahan praise sequences
अधा॑कृणोः पृथि॒वीं सं॒दृशे॑ दि॒वे यो धौ॑ती॒नाम॑हिह॒न्नारि॑णक्प॒थः । तं त्वा॒ स्तोमे॑भिरु॒दभि॒र्न वा॒जिनं॑ दे॒वं दे॒वा अ॑जन॒न्त्सास्यु॒क्थ्य॑: ॥
अध॑ । अ॒कृ॒णोः॒ । पृ॒थि॒वीम् । स॒म्ऽदृशे॑ । दि॒वे । यः । धौ॒ती॒नाम् । अ॒हि॒ऽह॒न् । अरि॑णक् । प॒थः । तम् । त्वा॒ । स्तोमे॑भिः । उ॒दऽभिः॑ । न । वा॒जिन॑म् । दे॒वम् । दे॒वाः । अ॒ज॒न॒न् । सः । अ॒सि॒ । उ॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥
adha | akṛṇoḥ | pṛthivīm | sam-dṛśe | dive | yaḥ | dhautīnām | ahi-han | ariṇak | pathaḥ | tam | tvā | stomebhiḥ | uda-bhiḥ | na | vājinam | devam | devāḥ | ajanan | saḥ | asi | ukthyaḥ
44
4 x ~11
Heroic, expansive; strong mid-line stresses suit ‘opening paths’ and ‘slaying’ motifs.
Energizes aspiration; gives a felt sense of breakthrough and widening, as if channels open in the body-mind.
- pṛthivīm saṃdṛśe dive
- Literal: earth as corresponding in sight to heaven. Symbolic: material consciousness made reflective of higher truth-vision
- ahi-han
- Literal: serpent-slayer. Symbolic: slayer of Vṛtra—breaker of subconscient resistance/covering
- dhautīnām
- Literal: of the washed/purified, shining ones. Symbolic: purified powers of the being, clarified energies that seek light
- āriṇak pathaḥ
- Literal: opened the paths. Symbolic: opened channels for ascent (toward light) and descent (of force) in yoga
- stomebhiḥ
- Literal: with hymns. Symbolic: mantric affirmation that calls and shapes the inner godhead
- udabhiḥ
- Literal: with waters uplifted. Symbolic: uplifted currents of consciousness/aspiration offered upward
- vājinaṃ
- Literal: steed of plenitude/strength. Symbolic: swift force of victorious illumination carrying the seeker forward
- devā ajanan
- Literal: the gods generated. Symbolic: higher faculties/powers in us awaken Indra-consciousness
Soma-yajña Indra praise: Vṛtra/ahi-slaying and opening of paths (a common śastra theme)
During Indra-invocations associated with release of waters/boons and victory.
Praise to invoke opening and victory over obstruction.
Use in meditation when stuck: chant to invoke a ‘breakthrough’ and to align embodied life with higher vision.
pṛthivī ‘broad one’ (from √pṛth ‘to broaden’). div- ‘heaven/shine’ from PIE *di̯eu- ‘bright sky, day’ (Lat. deus, diēs). ahi ‘serpent’ (obstruction-symbol). √han ‘to strike/kill’ (PIE *gʷhen- ‘slay’). path- ‘path’ (PIE *pent(h)- ‘path’, cf. Eng. find?; more securely Gk. póntos ‘sea-path’ debated). vāja from √vaj/√vij? in Vedic: ‘strength, prize, plenitude’; vājín ‘possessing vāja’ often ‘steed’ and ‘victor’—here taken as dynamic force-carrier.
Rita as harmony between Heaven and Earth, Ascent paths between planes
Opening the paths is r̥ta’s restoration—blocked order becomes flowing order.
Heaven’s truth-vision reflected in earth is satya embodied.
Heaven-earth correspondence; liberation of waters; manifestation of a godlike power through cooperative forces.
Integral Vedism: divinization of earth through descent of higher consciousness after breaking resistance.
Earth=body/nature; Heaven=supramental/illumined ranges; Serpent=covering inertia; Waters=conscious currents; Paths=nadī-like channels of ascent/descent; Steed=vital-mental force harnessed to light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The serpent-slaying that opens the paths and establishes the Heaven–Earth harmony. Psychologically, Indra breaks the coiling obstruction that prevents interchange between higher mind (dyauḥ) and embodied life (pṛthivī), making the inner ‘paths’ workable for ascent and descent of light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- div- reflects PIE *di̯eu- (sky/shine), a central IE sacral term; √han reflects PIE *gʷhen- ‘slay’, widespread in heroic formulae. The Heaven–Earth dyad is a pan-IE poetic inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s stoma (hymn) and the rising ‘waters’ (inspiration) are presented as the means by which the gods ‘generate’ Indra’s operative presence—mantra and uplifted energy together awaken the Indra-force to do the path-opening work in the sacrificer.
Visualize a column of light linking ‘heaven’ (above head) to ‘earth’ (body), making the lower reflective of the higher.
sahasrara
brisk-energetic breathing for a short round, then settle into slow breathing while chanting to ‘open paths’.
Breakthrough into wideness; descending illumination into embodied awareness.
On the phrase ‘ahi-han’, feel the coverer loosen. On ‘āriṇak pathaḥ’, sense channels opening. Offer ‘udabhiḥ’—your uplifted feelings and thoughts—upward, then receive downward clarity.
Observe accent peaks especially on key verbs (akṛṇoḥ, āriṇak, ajanan); keep svarita falls audible without melodrama.
Mark strong lifts on: pṛthivīm, díve, ahi-hán, páthaḥ, stómebhiḥ, úd-abhiḥ, vājínam.
saṃdṛśe: nasal ‘ṃ’ before dṛ; clear ‘dṛ’ cluster, ahi-han: separate lightly as ahi-han, not merged, āriṇak: roll ‘ṛ’ lightly; keep short a at end, udabhiḥ: pronounce as ud-abhiḥ with clear d-bh junction, ajanan: soft j; avoid ‘ajnaan’
Bright, victorious, upward-moving; end each pāda with controlled firmness.
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