Rig Veda 10.124.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 124, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.124
- Rishi
- As above for RV 10.124
- Devata
- Varuṇa with the seer-principle foregrounded
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
कविः कवित्वा दिवि रूपमासजदप्रभूती वरुणो निरपः सृजत् । क्षेमं कृण्वाना जनयो न सिन्धवस्ता अस्य वर्णं शुचयो भरिभ्रति ॥
kavíḥ kavitvā́ diví rūpám āsajad áprabhūtī váruṇo nír apáḥ sṛjat | kṣémaṃ kṛṇvānā́ janáyo ná síndhavas tā́ asya várṇaṃ śúcayo bharibhrati ||
కవి తన కవిత్వశక్తితో దివిలో తన రూపాన్ని స్థాపించాడు; అప్రతిహత సామర్థ్యముగల వరుణుడు జలాలను విడుదల చేశాడు. క్షేమం (శాంతి, భద్రత) మరియు సురక్షిత విస్తారాన్ని కల్పిస్తూ—తల్లులవలె, నదులవలె—ఆ శుచి (పవిత్ర) ధారలు అతని దీప్త వర్ణాన్ని ధరించి మోస్తున్నాయి.
Word by Word
- कविः
- the sage/poet (seer)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- कवित्वा
- by/with poetic wisdom (seerhood)Abstract Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (भाववाचक-तद्धित; ‘कवित्वेन’)Role करणRoot कवि + त्वा (तद्धित)
- दिवि
- in heaven, in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: द्यौ/दिव्)
- रूपम्
- a form, appearanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- आसजत्
- he attached/fastenedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot सञ्ज्/सस्ज् (धातु; ‘to attach, fasten’) + आ-
- अप्रभूती
- of unopposed power; irresistibleAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वरुणस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root अ- + प्रभूति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘power, might, supremacy’)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNoun (Proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- निरपः
- the waters (out/away)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप: ‘अपः’)Role कर्मRoot अप्/आपः (प्रातिपदिक; ‘waters’) + निस्-
- सृजत्
- he released/let flowVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot सृज् (धातु; ‘to release, let flow’)
- क्षेमम्
- security, peace, welfareNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृण्वाना
- making, producingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), आत्मनेपद-भाव, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (जनयः इति सह)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root कृ (धातु; ‘to make, do’)
- जनयः
- women (mothers/wives)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot जनी/जन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘women, wives, mothers’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न (अव्यय)
- सिन्धवः
- rivers, streamsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ताः
- those (they)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him/this (of Varuṇa)Pronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; ‘this/he’)
- वर्णम्
- color, lustre (also: appearance)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुचयः
- the bright/pure onesAdjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (ताः/सिन्धवः इत्यर्थे ‘the bright/pure ones’)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
- भरिभ्रति
- they bear/carry repeatedly; they keep bearingVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप)Role क्रियाRoot भृ (धातु; ‘to bear, carry’) with intensive/reduplicated stem (भरि-भ्र-)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): कविः | कवित्वा | दिवि | रूपम् | आसजत् | अप्रभूती | वरुणः | निः-अपः → निरपः | सृजत् | क्षेमम् | कृण्वानाः | जनयः | न | सिन्धवः | ताः | अस्य | वर्णम् | शुचयः | भरिभ्रति । मुख्य सन्धि: निः + अपः = निरपः (विसर्ग-लोप, र्-आदेश)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Seer, through seerhood, set his form in heaven. Varuṇa of unobstructed power released the waters. Making peace like mothers, like rivers, the pure ones carry his radiant color.
Inner meaning
The kavi (seer-consciousness) establishes a stable ‘heavenly form’—a supramental pattern or higher identity—above the mind. Varuṇa then releases the waters: the streams of consciousness, inspiration, and life-energies previously held back by limitation. These purified currents, maternal and river-like, create kṣema (secure wideness, peace) and bear Varuṇa’s varṇa—his luminous stamp of truth—through the being.
Universal truth
When the higher vision is fixed above, the law of truth can unseal the inner waters; purified energies then naturally nurture peace and carry a radiant order into life.
Themes
Waters of consciousness, Purification, Heavenly archetype (divi rūpam), Radiance-bearing powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Rishi of RV 10.124 (edition-dependent; hymn attributed variably in anukramaṇī traditions)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.164 (kavi/vision symbolism, thematic kinship), RV 7.49 (waters as inner streams, thematic kinship)
Significance
This verse articulates a key Vedic yoga movement: fix the higher form (rūpa) in the ‘heaven’ of consciousness, then release the waters—life and inspiration—into a peaceful, ordered flow.
The deity
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Aprabhūtī (of unobstructed power), Rājan (implicit sovereign), Ṛta-guardian (implied)
- Related deities
- Apas (Waters), Sarasvatī (inspired flow), Mitra (peaceful accord)
Cosmic role
Releaser and regulator of the cosmic waters; establisher of harmonious circulation under ṛta.
Inner power
Unsealing blocked energies; purifying and harmonizing the currents of thought and life into peace (kṣema).
In ritual
Where it is used
Water-release and Varuṇa invocations; purification and peace-making rites (conceptual)
क॒विः क॑वि॒त्वा दि॒वि रू॒पमास॑ज॒दप्र॑भूती॒ वरु॑णो॒ निर॒पः सृ॑जत् । क्षेमं॑ कृण्वा॒ना जन॑यो॒ न सिन्ध॑व॒स्ता अ॑स्य॒ वर्णं॒ शुच॑यो भरिभ्रति ॥
क॒विः । क॒वि॒ऽत्वा । दि॒वि । रू॒पम् । आ । अ॒स॒ज॒त् । अप्र॑ऽभूती । वरु॑णः । निः । अ॒पः । सृ॒ज॒त् । क्षेम॑म् । कृ॒ण्वा॒नाः । जन॑यः । न । सिन्ध॑वः । ताः । अ॒स्य॒ । वर्ण॑म् । शुच॑यः । भ॒रि॒भ्र॒ति॒ ॥
kaviḥ | kavi-tvā | divi | rūpam | ā | asajat | apra-bhūtī | varuṇaḥ | niḥ | apaḥ | sṛjat | kṣemam | kṛṇvānāḥ | janayaḥ | na | sindhavaḥ | tāḥ | asya | varṇam | śucayaḥ | bharibhrati
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4 x ~11
Flowing yet stately—first half establishes the higher; second half releases and spreads like rivers.
Induces a sense of elevation (head/upper space) followed by a soothing downward spread of calm through the system.
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer, poet. Symbolic: illumined consciousness; the inner knower
- कवित्वा (kavitvā)
- Literal: by seerhood. Symbolic: by the faculty of direct vision (dṛṣṭi) beyond reasoning
- दिवि (divi)
- Literal: in heaven. Symbolic: in the higher mind/illumined plane; above ordinary mentality
- रूपम् (rūpam)
- Literal: form. Symbolic: stable pattern of the soul’s higher being; archetype of realization
- अप्रभूती (aprabhūtī)
- Literal: unobstructed power. Symbolic: sovereign force not limited by ego or inertia
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: streams of consciousness, inspiration, inner life-force
- क्षेमम् (kṣemam)
- Literal: peace, safety, well-being. Symbolic: secure wideness; settled harmony after purification
- शुचयः (śucayaḥ)
- Literal: the pure ones. Symbolic: purified currents/forces (clarified prāṇas, thoughts) that serve truth
- वर्णम् (varṇam)
- Literal: color, hue, lustre. Symbolic: radiant signature of truth-consciousness; luminous quality carried into nature
Water-release and purification symbolism; relevant to rites emphasizing cleansing, peace (kṣema), and truth-order.
In rites emphasizing waters, cleansing, restoration of order; in practice, after turmoil to re-establish harmony
Invocation to Varuṇa; symbolic ‘release’ of waters; offerings for purification
Chant after emotional congestion to ‘let the waters flow’—supporting calm, clear processing and restoration.
kavi from √ku/√kav ‘to see/know poetically’ (seer-poet). √sṛj ‘release’ (waters as liberated flows). kṣema ‘rest, security’ (PIE *tḱei-? uncertain; Indo-Iranian semantic field of dwelling/safety). varṇa ‘color, radiance’ from √vṛ ‘cover/choose’ in later semantics; in Vedic often ‘hue/lustre’ as manifest quality.
seerhood (kavitva) as creative cognition, Varuṇa as regulator and liberator, kṣema (peace/safe wideness)
Varuṇa’s unobstructed power releases waters in right measure—orderly flow rather than flood or drought.
Varṇa as the luminous mark of satya carried by purified forces.
Creation as descent of form from heaven and release of waters—pattern above, flow below.
Vedic symbolism of higher archetype (rūpa) and descending energies; consonant with yogic ‘descent’ after ascent.
Higher identity established in the mind’s summit; then a gentle, maternal flow of purified energies through the nerves and heart bringing peace.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Release of the waters by a sovereign deity: Varuṇa lets loose the streams that bring kṣema. In the inner reading, it is the liberation of life-flows and inspirations once the higher form is established in ‘heaven’ (divi).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘waters released’ formula (apaḥ + √sṛj) is a common Indo-Iranian poetic action, comparable to Avestan imagery of freeing waters under aša (order). The seer-poet (kavi) is also Indo-Iranian (Avestan kavi- as a sacral/royal figure), indicating shared cultural-poetic inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi as kavi participates in creation: by kavitva he fixes a higher form; Varuṇa responds by releasing the waters—divine action answering human inspired cognition. The ‘pure ones’ then carry the deity’s radiance, suggesting the practitioner’s clarified faculties become bearers of the god’s light.
Visualize a luminous ‘form in heaven’ (a clear ideal of truth) above the head; invite Varuṇa to release blocked inner waters as calm flow.
sahasrāra/ājñā (higher form) and anāhata (peaceful widening)
Inhale imagining ascent to ‘divi rūpam’; exhale imagining waters released down the spine as cool clarity.
Quiet illumination with gentle descending peace.
After chanting, sit 3–5 minutes feeling the ‘pure rivers’ of attention and breath move without strain; let thoughts become śuci (clear) rather than suppressed.
Rigvedic accenting as per śākhā; keep a gentle rise on udātta, with soft falls on svarita.
Do not rush ‘kaviḥ kavitvā’; allow a slight lift on ‘divi’; broaden tone on ‘nir apaḥ sṛjat’.
: v + tva cluster clear (ka-vit-vā), : long ā then sa-jat, : bh aspirated; long ū (bhū), : retroflex dh? (it is dental dh), keep ‘sindhavaḥ’ smooth, : double bhr—bha-ri-bhra-ti
cool, even, flowing—like water
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