Rig Veda 10.56.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 56, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.56
- Devata
- Vājin
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तनूष्टे वाजिन्तन्वं नयन्ती वाममस्मभ्यं धातु शर्म तुभ्यम् । अह्रुतो महो धरुणाय देवान्दिवीव ज्योतिः स्वमा मिमीयाः ॥
tanū́s te vājin tanváṃ náyantī vāmám asmábhyaṃ dhā́tu śárma túbhyam | áhruto mahó dharuṇā́ya devā́n divī́va jyótiḥ svám ā́ mimīyāḥ ||
ஓ வாஜின், உன் தநூ—உன் உடல்-வலிமை—உன்னை முன்னே நடத்தி, எங்களுக்குக் காம்யமான சாந்தியை அளிக்கட்டும்; உனக்கும்கூட. அஹிம்சிதனாய், மஹா-தருண ஆதாரத்திற்காக, தேவர்க்கு திவியில் இருப்பதுபோல், உன் சொந்த ஜ்யோதியை அளந்து நிறுவுவாயாக.
Word by Word
- तनूः
- body, personNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तनू- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- to/for youPronounषष्ठी; एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) अथवा चतुर्थी; एकवचन (वेदे) — ‘to/for you’ संदर्भेRole सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजिन्
- O winner/steed; O vigorous oneNoun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वाजिन्- (प्रातिपदिक) < वाज-
- तन्वम्
- body, selfNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तनू- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नयन्ती
- they lead, they bringVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; तृतीया; बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाल (कर्तरि)Role कर्तृRoot नी (नयति) धातु
- वामम्
- good, desirable (boon)Adjective/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वाम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to usPronounचतुर्थी; बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धातु
- may (he) bestow/placeVerbलोट्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय (वेदे); परस्मैपद; तृतीया; एकवचन — ‘may (he) place/grant’Role कर्तृRoot धा (दधाति) धातु
- शर्म
- shelter, protection, comfortNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शर्मन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounचतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अह्रुतः
- un-deceitful, straight, not falseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अह्रुत- (प्रातिपदिक) < √ह्रु/ह्रव् ‘to be crooked/deceive’ (निषेध-पूर्वक)
- महो
- of the great (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; षष्ठी; एकवचन (वेदिक रूप)Role सम्बन्धRoot महत्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- धरुणाय
- for support/firm foundationNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot धरुण- (प्रातिपदिक) < √धृ ‘to hold’
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवीव
- as if in heavenIndeclinableउपमा-अव्यय; ‘इव’ सह ‘दिवि’ (सप्तमी एकवचन) — पदरूपेण निपातितRole अधिकारण (उपमान-सहित)Root दिवि + इव (अव्यय)
- ज्योतिः
- light, radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ज्योतिस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वम्
- one’s ownAdjective/Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्म)Root स्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मिमीयाः
- you should measure out / apportionVerbविधिलिङ्; आत्मनेपद; मध्यम; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √मा (मिमीते/मिमाय) ‘to measure, mete out’
Sandhi Notes
- पाठ-समाधान (संभाव्य पदच्छेद): तनूः ते वाजिन् तन्वम् नयन्ती वामम् अस्मभ्यम् धातु शर्म तुभ्यम् । अह्रुतः महो धरुणाय देवान् दिवि इव ज्योतिः स्वम् आ मिमीयाः ॥ मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) दिवीव = दिवि + इव (इव-निपातस्य संधि-लोप/संयोग)
- (2) स्वमा = स्वम् + आ (म् + आ → मा)
- (3) देवान्दिवीव = देवान् + दिवि(इव) (न् + द् संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O vājin (lord of plenitude), may your embodied force leading you bring desirable peace for us and for you. Unharmed, for the great foundation, may you measure out your own light as in heaven for the gods.
Inner meaning
The addressed Power of plenitude (vājin) is invoked to let its ‘tanū’—its embodied force—lead the movement of the seeker (tanvaṃ nayantī). When the divine force leads, it establishes śarman (peace, protection, ease) both for the human being and for the divine working within (tubhyam). ‘Unharmed’ (ahrutaḥ) signifies a movement protected from the distortions of desire and fear. The mantra asks this Power to ‘measure out’ (ā mimīyāḥ) its own light (jyotiḥ svam): to apportion illumination rightly into the instruments, as the gods receive it in the heaven-mind (divīva), establishing a stable ‘great foundation’ (maho dharuṇāya) in consciousness.
Universal truth
When a higher force leads our embodied nature, peace arises; illumination must be measured and integrated in right proportion to found a stable spiritual life.
Themes
Protection and peace, Embodied guidance, Distribution of light to divine faculties, Foundation in the Vast
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.56 (context hymn)
Significance
The seer’s emphasis is on integration and stable foundation—classic marks of an inner-discipline orientation: illumination must be embodied, led, and measured, not merely glimpsed.
The deity
- Devata
- Vājin (plenitude-power; possibly Savitṛ/Indra-as-vājin, but kept generic per text)
- Epithets
- Vājin (plenitude-bearer), Nayantī tanūḥ (leading embodied force), Jyotiḥ-sva (own light)
- Related deities
- Savitṛ (impeller), Indra (victorious power), Agni (kindling force)
Cosmic role
Dispenser of vāja—effective power, right enjoyment, and accomplishment; establishes foundations and apportions light to the divine collectivity.
Inner power
Guiding embodied Shakti that brings peace and regulated illumination; protects the movement from injury by lower nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Prayer for śarman (inner peace/shelter) and right distribution of light; compatible with protective and consecratory recitations
त॒नूष्टे॑ वाजिन्त॒न्वं१॒॑ नय॑न्ती वा॒मम॒स्मभ्यं॒ धातु॒ शर्म॒ तुभ्य॑म् । अह्रु॑तो म॒हो ध॒रुणा॑य दे॒वान्दि॒वी॑व॒ ज्योति॒: स्वमा मि॑मीयाः ॥
त॒नूः । ते॒ । वा॒जि॒न् । त॒न्व॑म् । नय॑न्ती । वा॒मम् । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । धातु॑ । शर्म॑ । तुभ्य॑म् । अह्रु॑तः । म॒हः । ध॒रुणा॑य । दे॒वान् । दि॒विऽइ॑व । ज्योतिः॑ । स्वम् । आ । मि॒मी॒याः॒ ॥
tanūḥ | te | vājin | tanvam | nayantī | vāmam | asmabhyam | dhātu | śarma | tubhyam | ahrutaḥ | mahaḥ | dharuṇāya | devān | divi-iva | jyotiḥ | svam | ā | mimīyāḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables
Steady, foundational, constructive; less abrupt, more ‘building’ than purely heroic triṣṭubh.
Stabilizes and pacifies while keeping a luminous edge; supports embodiment of insight without strain.
- वाजिन् (vājin)
- Literal: possessor of vāja (prize, strength, plenitude). Symbolic: power of victorious plenitude—effective abundance of force and accomplishment
- तनूः (tanūḥ)
- Literal: body, embodied form. Symbolic: incarnate energy of the divine power within the instruments
- नयन्ती (nayantī)
- Literal: leading. Symbolic: inner guidance that takes the front in life-movement
- शर्म (śarma)
- Literal: peace, shelter. Symbolic: settled ease/protection born of right alignment
- अह्रुतः (ahrutaḥ)
- Literal: unhurt, unharmed. Symbolic: movement untouched by lower shocks and deformations
- महो धरुणाय (maho dharuṇāya)
- Literal: for the great foundation/support. Symbolic: establishing a stable base of consciousness for higher action
- ज्योतिः स्वम् (jyotiḥ svam)
- Literal: your own light. Symbolic: proper divine illumination (not borrowed opinion) apportioned inwardly
- आ मिमीयाḥ (ā mimīyāḥ)
- Literal: may you measure out. Symbolic: right distribution/integration of light into mind-life-body
Prayer for śarman (inner peace/shelter) and right distribution of light; compatible with protective and consecratory recitations
Could accompany prayers for protection (śarma) and right distribution of divine powers in a rite or daily recitation.
Supplication for peace/protection and measured illumination.
Use when seeking calm strength and integration—after intense experiences, during healing, or when consolidating a new practice.
vājin from vāja: not merely ‘food/prize’ but ‘plenitude of force’ (semantic field of strength and winning). √nī ‘lead’ indicates an inner guidance of embodied force. √dhā ‘set’ frames śarman as something established in consciousness. dharuṇa from √dhṛ ‘hold’ marks a stable foundation (support of the Vast). √mā ‘measure’ (< PIE *meh₁-) indicates apportioning light—structured distribution of illumination to the devāḥ (inner faculties).
Śarman (felicity/shelter), Dharuṇa (foundation/support), Measured illumination (√mā)
‘Measuring out’ light expresses ṛta as proportion and right arrangement in the being.
Jyotiḥ svam indicates authentic truth-light rather than mixed mental glare.
Establishing ‘maho dharuṇā’ suggests the building of a new stable world/foundation in consciousness.
Integral Vedism (regulated descent of light; embodiment and consolidation).
Descent of ordered illumination into embodied nature; stabilization of the inner ground.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘measuring out light’ (√mā) to the gods: illumination is not accidental but apportioned, establishing a stable foundation (dharuṇa) in the Vast—an inner cosmology of ordered enlightenment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā ‘measure’ (< PIE *meh₁-) and √dhṛ ‘hold’ (PIE *dher-) are inherited roots shaping the conceptual pair ‘measure’ and ‘support’—order and stability—central to Indo-European cosmological diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks the devatā’s embodied force to lead and establish peace for both worshipper and deity—suggesting mutual fulfillment—while requesting a deliberate bestowal of light upon the inner gods (faculties) to stabilize the being.
Invite the leading embodied Force to bring śarma (quiet strength) and to ‘measure’ illumination so it integrates safely.
mūlādhāra (foundation) and anāhata (peace/shelter)
4-6 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 6) while feeling a downward settling of light into the body; pause briefly after exhale to sense ‘foundation’.
Grounded luminosity; protected openness.
Chant 12 times; then scan body-mind and allow light to distribute evenly—avoid forcing intensity; end with a silent offering: ‘let the divine lead’.
Svara marks not provided; maintain even tone, with gentle lift on ‘jyótiḥ’ and ‘mimīyāḥ’.
Emphasize: tanū́ḥ, té, vā́jin, nayántī, vā́mam, asmábhyam, śárma, túbhyam, áhrutaḥ, máho, dharúṇāya, jyótiḥ, svám, mīyāḥ.
vājin: long ā; ‘j’ soft palatal, tanvaṃ: nasal ‘ṃ’ before v, ahrutaḥ: initial a- open; ‘h’ voiced, mimīyāḥ: long ī ī; final ḥ audible but light
Softly firm, grounding; avoid harsh attack on consonants.
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