Rig Veda 1.121.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 121, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.121
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्य मदे स्वर्यं दा ऋतायापीवृतमुस्रियाणामनीकम् । यद्ध प्रसर्गे त्रिककुम्निवर्तदप द्रुहो मानुषस्य दुरो वः ॥
ásya máde svaryàṃ dā ṛtá̄yāpí̄vṛtam usriyá̄ṇām ánīkam | yád dha pra-sárge tri-kakúp ni-vártad ápa drúho mánuṣasya dúro vaḥ ||
నీ బలముని ఈ మదంలో, ఋతానికి చెందిన స్వర్య (స్వర్గ్య) దీప్తిని ప్రసాదించు—ఉస్రియా (దీప్త గోవులు/కిరణాలు) యొక్క ఆ ముఖం, అడ్డుపడి కప్పబడినది. ఎందుకంటే ముందుకు దూసుకుపోయే ప్రసర్గంలో త్రికకుమ్ (మూడు-శిఖర శక్తి) (అవరోధాన్ని) వెనక్కు తిప్పినప్పుడు, అది మనుష్యుని ద్రుహ (కపటము/ద్రోహము) తొలగించి, (మూసిన) ద్వారాలను తెరుస్తుంది.
Word by Word
- अस्य
- of this (of him/this one)Pronounषष्ठी एकवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदे
- in (his) exhilaration/raptureNounसप्तमी एकवचन (पुं)Role अधिकरणRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वर्यम्
- the heavenly (thing), the celestial (gain)Adjective (used substantively)द्वितीया एकवचन (नपुं)Role कर्मRoot स्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्वर्’ सम्बन्धी)
- दाः
- give!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन (परस्मैपद)Role (क्रिया)Root दा (दाने)
- ऋताय
- to ṛta (truth/cosmic order)Nounचतुर्थी एकवचन (नपुं)Role सम्प्रदानRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपि
- also; moreoverIndeclinableअव्ययRole (सम्बन्ध/उपपद-निबन्धन)Root अपि
- आवृतम्
- covered, enclosedParticiple (past passive)द्वितीया एकवचन (नपुं)Role कर्मRoot आ-√वृ (वरणे) / आवृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- उस्रियाणाम्
- of the usriyās (dawns/cows)Nounषष्ठी बहुवचन (स्त्री)Role सम्बन्धRoot उस्रिया (प्रातिपदिक; ‘उषस्/गो’ सम्बन्धी—dawns/cows)
- अनीकम्
- face; front; appearanceNounद्वितीया एकवचन (नपुं)Role कर्मRoot अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- which; that whichRelative pronounनपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (सन्दर्भानुसार)Role (सम्बन्ध—यद्-तद्)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRole (निपात)Root ह
- प्रसर्गे
- in the onset/impulse; in the forward rushNounसप्तमी एकवचन (पुं)Role अधिकरणRoot प्रसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रिककुम्नि
- on/at the three-peaked (height)Adjective (locative used adverbially)सप्तमी एकवचन (नपुं/पुं; पदपाठ-रूप)Role अधिकरणRoot त्रिककुभ्/त्रिककुम् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘three-peaked/three-summited’)
- वर्तत्
- turned/rolled; came to be in motionVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद वैदिक-प्रयोगानुसार)Role (क्रिया)Root √वृत् (वर्तने)
- अप
- awayIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अप
- द्रुहः
- hostilities; deceitsNounद्वितीया बहुवचन (स्त्री; वैदिक रूप)Role कर्मRoot द्रुह् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘injury, deceit, hostile act’)
- मानुषस्य
- of the humanAdjective (genitive dependent)षष्ठी एकवचन (पुं)Role सम्बन्धRoot मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुरः
- doors; gatesNounद्वितीया बहुवचन (नपुं/स्त्री; वैदिक बहुवचन)Role कर्मRoot दुर्/द्वार (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक ‘दुरः’ = ‘doors’)
- वः
- for you; of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (contextual)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ से पद-विच्छेद (मुख्य): स्व॒र्यं॑ दा → स्वर्यम् दाः (म् + द्)
- ऋ॒तायापी॑वृतम् → ऋताय अपि आवृतम् (आ + अपि; अपि + आवृतम्)
- उ॒स्रिया॑णा॒मनी॑कम् → उस्रियाणाम् अनीकम् (म् + अ)
- यद्ध॑ → यत् ह
- त्रिक॒कुम्नि॒वर्त॒दप॒ → त्रिककुम्नि वर्तत् अप
- द्रुहो॒ → द्रुहः (विसर्ग-रूप पदान्ते). उच्चारण-स्वर (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) संहिता में चिह्नित हैं
- पद-रूप यहाँ मूल शब्द-रूप में दिए गए हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
In the intoxication of power, grant the radiant light of Truth—the face of the shining cows that was covered. When the three-peaked power turns back the obstruction in its forward surge, it drives away human falsehood and opens the doors.
Inner meaning
In Indra’s inspired force (made), the seeker asks for svarya light—illumination belonging to ṛta—revealing the hidden ‘face’ (anīka) of the rays of knowledge (usriyāṇām go). When the triple-summited power (trikakup: a threefold uplift—mind, life, body, or the triple world) reverses the resistance during the soul’s forward movement (prasarge), it expels druh (deception/falsehood) from the human nature and opens the inner doors (duro) to the higher influx.
Universal truth
Illumination is not merely given; it is recovered when concentrated higher power reverses the inner obstruction. Truth-light dispels self-deception and opens new thresholds of consciousness.
Themes
Indra-victory over obstruction, Recovery of the cows (rays/knowledges), Unveiling of truth-light, Psychological battle: falsehood vs. truth
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.121, RV 1.51 (Kutsa-Indra complex, thematic)
Family tradition
Kutsa belongs to the Aṅgirasa stream emphasizing Indra’s victory that releases the cows (lights) and waters (energies).
Significance
Kutsa’s vision often expresses the dynamic yoga of breakthrough: ecstasy of force, reversal of obstruction, and release of hidden illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (empowered by Soma/Indu)
- Epithets
- tura (swift/vehement), vṛtrahan (slayer of the coverer, implied), maghavan (bountiful, implied)
- Related deities
- Soma/Indu, Uṣas, Aṅgirasas, Agni
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, releaser of light and truth, opener of the gates of the worlds.
Inner power
Illuminating mind-force that, in rapture, turns back resistance and opens the inner doors to ṛta-light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma praise during Soma pressing/offerings; prayer for release of light and opening of ‘doors’ (paths).
अ॒स्य मदे॑ स्व॒र्यं॑ दा ऋ॒तायापी॑वृतमु॒स्रिया॑णा॒मनी॑कम् । यद्ध॑ प्र॒सर्गे॑ त्रिक॒कुम्नि॒वर्त॒दप॒ द्रुहो॒ मानु॑षस्य॒ दुरो॑ वः ॥
अ॒स्य । मदे॑ । स्व॒र्य॑म् । दाः॒ । ऋ॒ताय॑ । अपि॑ऽवृतम् । उ॒स्रिया॑णाम् । अनी॑कम् । यत् । ह॒ । प्र॒ऽसर्गे॑ । त्रि॒ऽक॒कुप् । नि॒ऽवर्त॑त् । अप॑ । द्रुहः॑ । मानु॑षस्य । दुरः॑ । व॒रिति॑ ॥
asya | made | svaryam | dāḥ | ṛtāya | api-vṛtam | usriyāṇām | anīkam | yat | ha | pra-sarge | tri-kakup | ni-vartat | apa | druhaḥ | mānuṣasya | duraḥ | varit i
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4×11 syllables (with typical triṣṭubh variations)
Surging momentum (prasarga) with a turning-point feel at ‘nivartat’—sonically enacting reversal.
Creates an inner push-forward followed by a palpable ‘break’—useful for meditating on overturning a resistance.
- मदे (made)
- Literal: in intoxication/rapture. Symbolic: inspired ecstasy of force; uplifted energy under Soma/Indra
- स्वर्यम् (svaryam)
- Literal: solar, luminous (of svar). Symbolic: supramental/illumined light that reveals truth
- ऋताय (ṛtāya)
- Literal: for the Truth/ṛta. Symbolic: for right order and true seeing
- अपिवृतम् (apivṛtam)
- Literal: covered over. Symbolic: knowledge held back by the subconscient covering
- उस्रिया॑णाम् (usriyāṇām)
- Literal: of the shining cows. Symbolic: rays of illumination/knowledges
- अनीकम् (anīkam)
- Literal: face, front. Symbolic: the manifest surface of knowledge (what becomes visible)
- त्रिककुप् (trikakup)
- Literal: three-peaked. Symbolic: threefold power of ascent that can overturn obstruction
- द्रुहः (druhaḥ)
- Literal: deceits, injuries. Symbolic: falsehood-forces in human nature
- दुरः (duraḥ)
- Literal: doors. Symbolic: inner gates to higher consciousness
Indra-Soma context: recitation in Soma sacrifices (e.g., Agniṣṭoma) within Indra-stotras/śastras to invoke victorious force that releases light/wealth (inner ‘rays’) and removes obstruction
When invoking Indra for victory, illumination, and removal of druh in the yajña.
Recite with offering of Soma/oblations, intending the opening of inner and outer paths.
For removing self-deception and inertia: chant before study, decision-making, or a meditation aimed at insight.
Key terms: (1) madá : from √mad ‘to rejoice, be exhilarated’; psychologically the uplift of consciousness by Soma/Indra-force. (2) svarya : from svar ‘sun-light, luminous world’; denotes illumined plane and its truths. (3) ṛtá : from √ar/ṛ ‘to fit, to move rightly’; ṛta is right order/truth in action. (4) api-vṛta : api + √vṛ ‘cover, enclose’; the light is not absent but veiled/held in. (5) usriyā : from uṣra ‘reddish-golden, dawn-bright’; ‘cows’ as carriers of rays/knowledges (not zoological). (6) druḥ : from druh- ‘to be hostile/deceive’; inner adversaries are falsehood-forces in the human instrument. (7) ni-vṛt : ni + √vṛt ‘turn back’; indicates the recoil/retreat of obstruction under divine pressure. (8) tri-kakup : tri + kakup ‘summit/peak’; symbolic of triple formation (e.g., three worlds/threefold consciousness) acting as a single power.
Ṛta (cosmic order, truth of action), Svar (luminous world; truth-consciousness), Veiling and revelation (api-vṛta → unveiling)
Svarya light is explicitly ‘of ṛta’—illumination that establishes right order.
Truth as uncovered ‘face’ of the rays; falsehood (druh) is expelled.
Revelation rather than ex nihilo creation: uncovering what is concealed.
Integral-Vedic psychology: knowledge is recovered by force of consciousness overcoming subconscious covering.
dawn-to-sunrise (svarya light)
Cows = rays/knowledges; doors = thresholds between planes; tri-peak = triple world/threefold ascent that reverses obstruction.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘releasing of the cows/light’ mythologem: the radiant face (anīka) of the usriyāḥ (luminous cows = rays/knowledges) is ‘covered’ (api-vṛta) and must be granted/revealed through Indra’s ecstatic force. The turning-back (ni-vart) of a ‘three-peaked’ formation signals the recoil of obstruction, enabling the opening of the ‘doors’ (duraḥ) of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes align with broad Indo-European poetic diction: √dā ‘give’ (PIE *deh₃- ‘give’), √vṛ ‘cover’ (PIE *wer- ‘cover/enclose’), and the semantic field of ‘door/gate’ (dur-) comparable to IE threshold imagery. The opposition of ṛta (right order) vs. druh- (deceit/hostility) preserves an inherited binary of truth/order versus hostile chaos, expressed through compact participial compounds (api-vṛtam) and preverb-driven verbs (pra-sarge, ni-vartat) characteristic of archaic Indo-European style.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer positions himself (and the human collectivity) as recipient of an inner boon: not material cattle but svarya light ‘for ṛta’—illumination that makes right action possible. The reciprocity is implicit: the rishi offers praise/recognition of Indra’s turning-back of obstruction, and Indra in return ‘opens the doors’ by removing human deceits (druhaḥ), allowing the divine light to become manifest in the practitioner’s being.
Uncover the ‘face of knowledge’—ask for ṛta-guided insight and the removal of inner deception.
ājñā (illumination) and viśuddha (truth-expression)
brisk_energetic: 3 rounds of kapalabhāti (gentle) then steady breathing; on exhale, feel ‘apa druhaḥ’—casting out falsehood.
Forceful clarity; forward surge with a decisive turning back of obstruction.
Hold a question or inner knot; chant once, then pause in silence imagining doors opening in the forehead-space; repeat until a clean perception (svarya) arises without strain.
Vedic accent as transmitted; keep clear udātta on svaryám, ṛtā́ya, usriyā́ṇām, dūrā́ḥ (as applicable by pada tradition).
Mark the turning point: slightly emphasize ‘nivartat’ to enact reversal; maintain triṣṭubh cadence with a brief pāda-end rest.
svaryaṃ: ‘sv’ cluster clean, not ‘su-v’, ṛtāyāpīvṛtam: keep ṛ short and crisp; avoid adding vowels in clusters, trikakum: pronounce ‘kakup’ with clear retroflex/velar stops, druho: aspirate lightly; do not over-roll ‘r’
Bright, projecting, with a decisive cut on ‘apa’.
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