Rig Veda 1.110.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 110, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.110
क्षेत्रमिव वि ममुस्तेजनेनँ एकं पात्रमृभवो जेहमानम् । उपस्तुता उपमं नाधमाना अमर्त्येषु श्रव इच्छमानाः ॥
kṣétram iva ví mamús téjanenam ékaṃ pā́tram ṛ́bhavo jéhamānam | úpa-stutā upa-máṃ nā́dhamānā amártyeṣu śráva icchámānāḥ ||
ดุจผู้วัดแบ่งผืนนา เขาทั้งหลายใช้เชือกวัดกำหนดภาชนะเพียงใบเดียวอันสั่นไหวนั้น ผู้ได้รับการสรรเสริญ มุ่งเพียรสู่ความเหมือนอันสูงสุด ไม่ย่อท้อ ปรารถนาศรวัส—เกียรติยศอันไม่เสื่อม—ท่ามกลางเหล่าอมตะ
Alludes to crafting the ritual vessel; inwardly: shaping the receptacle of Soma/ānanda by right measure (ṛta).
Rita as measure and proportion, Upama as archetypal standard, Śravas as mantric power/glory
Tejanam (measure) is a direct symbol of Ṛta as cosmic proportion and right arrangement.
Upama as the true archetype; śravas as enduring truth-attainment.
World and self are formed by measure; perfection is a re-creation of the vessel according to higher law.
Integral yoga/psychological Vedism: transformation of the instrument by higher formative powers; also resonates with Sāṃkhya-like kṣetra notion (later).
Field = inner life-space; measuring cord = discriminative intelligence and will; trembling = disturbed prāṇa; immortals = stable higher consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The artisan-myth: the Ribhus measure and perfect a single vessel as one lays out a field. Innerly, it is the exact proportioning of the human receptacle—mind-life-body—so it can hold the divine influx without tremor or distortion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śravas (glory/fame) continues the PIE auditory-fame nexus (*ḱleu-), a hallmark of Indo-European poetics where ‘what is heard’ becomes ‘renown’ and also ‘revelation’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Praise (upastuti) is presented as activating the Ribhus’ formative work; the seer’s aspiration (icchā) aligns with the devatā’s function—perfection—so the human being may enter the amartya status through right shaping.
Bring exact measure to the personality; stabilize the trembling vessel; aspire to the divine archetype (upama).
Maṇipūra (ordering will) with Viśuddha (truth-form)
Lengthen exhale (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 6–8) to reduce ‘trembling’ prāṇa; silently note ‘measure’ on inhale, ‘align’ on exhale.
From agitated to ordered and aspiring.
After chanting, do a brief ‘inner measurement’: scan body-vital-mind, notice excess/deficiency, and make one precise correction (posture, intention, speech). End by holding the idea of ‘upama’—the higher pattern you choose to resemble.
Rigvedic accents; keep udātta crisp on key nouns (kṣetram, tejanenam, pātram, ṛbhavaḥ, śravaḥ).
Articulate the simile clearly: slight emphasis on ‘kṣetram iva’ and again on ‘ekam pātram’. Maintain Triṣṭubh caesura naturally.
kṣetram: cluster kṣ, not ‘ketram’, tejanenam̐: nasalization indicated by m̐—let it be light, not a full ‘m’, jehamānam: soft ‘jh’ (voiced aspirate), avoid ‘j’ only, amartyeṣu: retroflex ṛ not present; keep dental t, clear ‘ye’
Focused, precise, slightly lower pitch to convey steadiness.
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