Rig Veda 10.71.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 71, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.71
- Rishi
- Bṛhaspati
- Devata
- Vāc
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अक्षण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायो मनोजवेष्वसमा बभूवुः । आदघ्नास उपकक्षास उ त्वे ह्रदा इव स्नात्वा उ त्वे ददृश्रे ॥
akṣaṇvántáḥ kárṇavantáḥ sakhā́yo manojavéṣv ásamā babhūvuḥ | ādaghnā́sa upakakṣā́sa u tve hradā́ iva snā́tvā u tve dadṛśre ||
కళ్లున్న, చెవులున్న సఖులు మనస్సు వేగచలనాల్లో అసమానులయ్యారు. కొందరు మోకాళ్ల వరకే, కొందరు చంకల వరకే; మరికొందరు మాత్రం—స్నానం చేసిన తర్వాత హ్రదాల్లా—నీలో నిర్మలమై ప్రకాశిస్తూ ప్రత్యక్షమవుతారు.
Word by Word
- अक्ष्ण्वन्तः
- having eyes, seeingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अक्ष्ण्वन्त् (अक्ष्णु- ‘आँख’ + -वत्)
- कर्णवन्तः
- having ears, hearingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot कर्णवन्त् (कर्ण ‘कान’ + -वत्)
- सखायः
- friends, companionsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक: सखा-)
- मनोजवेषु
- in the mind-swift (impulses/paths), in mental speedNoun/Adjective (compound used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot मनोजव (मनस् + जव)
- असमा
- unequal, unlike (others)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (वैदिक रूप: असमा = असमानाः)Role कर्तृRoot असमान् (a- + समान)
- बभूवुः
- they becameVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root भू
- आदघ्नासः
- reaching down / low-reaching (epithet)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot आदघ्न (आ-√दघ्/दघ्न् ‘to reach/attain’; वैदिक विशेषण) अथवा ‘आदघ्न’ = ‘अधः-घ्न’ (नीचं हन्ति/दब्नोति) इति व्युत्पत्तिः (पाठभेद-व्याख्येय)
- उपकक्षासः
- those at the side/nearby; attendants (lit. ‘at the flank’)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot उपकक्षा (उप- + कक्षा)
- उ
- indeed, andIndeclinableनिपातःRoot उ
- त्वे
- in youPronounसप्तमी (वैदिक/छान्दस), एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot त्वद्
- ह्रदाः
- lakes, poolsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot ह्रद (ह्रदः)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-निपातःRoot इव
- स्नात्वा
- having bathedVerbal indeclinable (gerund)क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययम्Root √स्ना
- उ
- indeed, andIndeclinableनिपातःRoot उ
- त्वे
- in youPronounसप्तमी (वैदिक/छान्दस), एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot त्वद्
- ददृश्रे
- they have seen / they appeared (to sight)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (आत्मनेपद-रूप: ददृश्रे)Root √दृश्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अक्ष्ण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायः मनोजवेषु असमा बभूवुः । आदघ्नासः उपकक्षासः उ त्वे ह्रदाः इव स्नात्वा उ त्वे ददृश्रे ॥ 1) सखायो मनोजवेष्वसमा → सखायः मनोजवेषु असमा (ः + म → ओ; उ + अ → वा-लोप/संयोगः)
- 2) आदघ्नास उपकक्षास → आदघ्नासः उपकक्षासः (ः + उ → ओ/उ-पूर्वसन्धिः; संहितायां विसर्गलोपः)
- 3) उ त्वे (निपात + सर्वनाम) संहितायां यथावत्
- 4) ह्रदा इव → ह्रदाः इव (विसर्गः)
- 5) स्नात्वा उ → स्नात्वा उ (स्वर/प्लुत्यादि निपात-संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Companions with eyes and companions with ears became unequal in the swift movements of the mind. Some are only up to the knees, some up to the armpits; but others—like pools after bathing—shine forth in you, made clear.
Inner meaning
All seekers may possess the same outer faculties (eyes/ears), yet in the mind’s swift field (manojava) their capacities diverge. Some enter only shallowly into Vāc—‘knee-deep’: partial understanding. Some go deeper—‘armpit-deep’: greater immersion but not complete. Others become like clear lakes after bathing: the mind is purified, transparent, and reflective; in them Vāc shines (dadṛśre) as direct clarity. The gradations describe stages of inner receptivity and purification, not social hierarchy.
Universal truth
Spiritual perception differs by depth of immersion and purification, not by mere access to teachings. Clarity comes when the mind becomes a clean reservoir rather than a turbulent stream.
Themes
spiritual hierarchy, inner immersion, purity and clarity
The seer
- Rishi
- Bṛhaspati
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.71.4, Rig Veda 10.71.5, Rig Veda 10.71.6, Rig Veda 10.71.8
Family tradition
Teachers of brahman who map inner stages of realization and purification of mind for the reception of mantra.
Significance
The seer offers a phenomenology of hearing/seeing: degrees of immersion in Vāc correspond to degrees of inner cleansing and steadiness.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāc
- Epithets
- Prakāśinī (shining, implied), Śuddhā (purifying, implied)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (purifying stream), Agni (inner fire of purification)
Cosmic role
Differentiates and perfects seekers by revealing herself according to their clarity; turns mind into a luminous vessel of ṛta.
Inner power
Purification through sound and meaning; capacity to make consciousness transparent and reflective.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pedagogical: differentiation of adhikāra among reciters/seekers; suggests graded initiation into mantra-depth.
अ॒क्ष॒ण्वन्त॒: कर्ण॑वन्त॒: सखा॑यो मनोज॒वेष्वस॑मा बभूवुः । आ॒द॒घ्नास॑ उपक॒क्षास॑ उ त्वे ह्र॒दा इ॑व॒ स्नात्वा॑ उ त्वे ददृश्रे ॥
अ॒क्ष॒ण्ऽवन्तः॑ । कर्ण॑ऽवन्तः । सखा॑यः । म॒नः॒ऽज॒वेषु॑ । अस॑माः । ब॒भू॒वुः॒ । आ॒द॒घ्नासः॑ । उ॒प॒ऽक॒क्षासः॑ । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वे॒ । ह्र॒दाःऽइ॑व । स्नात्वाः॑ । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वे॒ । द॒दृ॒श्रे॒ ॥
akṣaṇ-vantaḥ | karṇa-vantaḥ | sakhāyaḥ | manaḥ-javeṣu | asamāḥ | babhūvuḥ | ādaghnāsaḥ | upa-kakṣāsaḥ | oṃ iti | tve | hradāḥ-iva | snātvāḥ | oṃ iti | tve | dadṛśre
44
4×11
Quick yet measured; mirrors ‘manojava’ while keeping discernment.
Helps the listener notice mental speed without being swept away; supports a settling into clarity.
- akṣaṇvantaḥ
- Literal: having eyes. Symbolic: capacity for vision—outer and inner
- karṇavantaḥ
- Literal: having ears. Symbolic: capacity for hearing—outer and inner
- manojaveṣu
- Literal: in the mind’s swift movements. Symbolic: rapid thought-currents where discernment is tested
- asamāḥ
- Literal: unequal. Symbolic: unequal preparedness and depth of realization
- ādaghnāsa
- Literal: knee-deep. Symbolic: shallow entry into truth; partial assimilation
- upakakṣāsa
- Literal: up to the armpits. Symbolic: deeper immersion; substantial but incomplete transformation
- hradā iva snātvā
- Literal: like pools after bathing. Symbolic: purified mind reflecting truth; lucidity after cleansing
Pedagogical: differentiation of adhikāra among reciters/seekers; suggests graded initiation into mantra-depth.
Recited as teaching on gradations of receptivity; apt for group study/chant circles to encourage humility and persistence.
Group recitation followed by silent observation of mind’s ‘swift movements’.
In-app guidance for practitioners: normalize stages (knee/armpit/clear lake) and encourage steady purification rather than comparison.
akṣa ‘eye’ (PIE *h₃ekʷ- ‘see’) and karṇa ‘ear’ (PIE *ḱerh₂- ‘horn/ear’ semantic cluster) mark sensory faculties, but the verse uses them to speak of inner capacity. manojava ‘mind-speed’ (manas + java ‘speed’) indicates rapid ideation. Depth metaphors (knees/armpits) map degrees of immersion in Vāc.
graded realization, purification leading to clarity, mind-speed vs depth
Unequal participation reflects varying alignment with ṛta; the clear-lake mind is a seat where ṛta can mirror itself.
Satya appears as ‘clarity’ (prasāda) when the instrument is clean.
Consciousness becomes a vessel; manifestation of truth depends on the purity of the receiving field.
Yoga psychology (citta-śuddhi, prasāda) anticipated in Vedic imagery.
Lake = settled mind; bathing = purification by discipline and truthfulness; depth = degree of surrender/immersion in mantra-consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘unequal immersion in the Word’: all possess faculties, yet only some enter Vāc deeply enough to become clear and shining—like cleansed waters—while others remain shallow.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The body-depth measure (knees/armpits) is an archaic poetic device for degrees of participation, comparable to IE traditions that quantify spiritual/intellectual attainment via spatial metaphors (depth, ascent).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Vāc is the medium in which seekers ‘immerse’; her revelation is proportional to purity and depth. The rishi maps inner progress: from shallow contact to clarified manifestation.
Observe depth of reception: ‘Am I knee-deep or lake-clear today?’ without judgment.
Ājñā (clarity)
Slow exhale-lengthening (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 8) to settle mental speed; then chant once and listen to after-sound.
From manojava (rapid mind) to prasāda (clear stillness).
Practice ‘inner bathing’: truthfulness in speech, reduction of noise, and brief silence after each recitation so the mind becomes a clear pool.
Let the cadence quicken slightly on ‘manojaveṣu’ but keep svara exact; emphasize udātta on ‘asamā’ and ‘hradā iva’.
Tiny pause after ‘asamā babhūvuḥ’; keep the final pāda luminous and open in tone.
‘akṣaṇvantaḥ’ articulate kṣ clearly; do not reduce to ‘akhan-’., ‘upakakṣāsa’ keep both kṣ sounds distinct., ‘snātvā’ long ā and clear tv cluster., ‘dadṛśre’ vocalic ṛ twice: da-dṛ-śre.
Bright, clear, observational; end with a softened, transparent timbre.
5
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
