Rig Veda 10.96.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 96, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.96
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh/Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
हरिं हि योनिमभि ये समस्वरन्हिन्वन्तो हरी दिव्यं यथा सदः । आ यं पृणन्ति हरिभिर्न धेनव इन्द्राय शूषं हरिवन्तमर्चत ॥
haríṁ hí yóniṁ abhí yé samásvaran hinvánto hárī divyáṁ yáthā sádaḥ | ā yáṁ pṛṇánti háribhir ná dhénava índrāya śū́ṣaṁ hári-vantam arcata ||
พวกเขาประสานเสียงมุ่งสู่แหล่งกำเนิดสีทองอ่อน เร่งเร้าฮารีคู่ (Harī) ดุจมุ่งสู่ที่ประทับทิพย์. พวกเขาเติมเต็มท่านด้วยกำลังสีทองอ่อน ดุจแม่โคเติมด้วยน้ำนม; จงขับร้องแด่อินทรา (Indra) ผู้มั่งคั่งด้วยพลังส่องประกาย—จงสรรเสริญความฮึกเหิมอันรุนแรง (śūṣa) ที่แบกพลังทองไว้.
Word by Word
- हरिम्
- the tawny (steed/one), HariNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हरि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- योनिम्
- womb; seat; sourceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot योनि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ये
- who (they)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot सम् (उपसर्ग)
- अस्वरन्
- they sounded/raised a cryVerbलुङ् (आorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot स्वर् (धातु)
- हिन्वन्तः
- impelling, urging onParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot हिव्/हिन्व् (धातु) → हिन्वत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- हरी
- the two tawny steedsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया द्विवचनRole कर्मRoot हरि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिव्यम्
- heavenly, divineAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Root दिव्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as, likeIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/उपमानार्थ अव्ययRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- सदः
- seat; session; assembly-placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: सदः = सदसम्)Role कर्मRoot सदस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पृणन्ति
- they fill, they satisfyVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot पॄ/पृ (धातु)
- हरिभिः
- with the tawny (steeds/ones)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot हरि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थ/निपातRoot न (अव्यय)
- धेनवः
- cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot धेनु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- शूषम्
- strength; vigor; impetuous powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शूष- (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरिवन्तम्
- having tawny steedsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root हरिवन्त्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्चत
- praise (you all), singVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; 2 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot अर्च् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): हरिम् | हि | योनिम् | अभि | ये | सम् | अस्वरन् | हिन्वन्तः | हरी | दिव्यम् | यथा | सदः । आ | यम् | पृणन्ति | हरिभिः | न | धेनवः | इन्द्राय | शूषम् | हरिवन्तम् | अर्चत ॥ 1) समस्वरन् = सम् + अस्वरन् (उपसर्ग-समास/सन्धि). 2) स्वरन्-रूप: अस्वरन् (लुङ् 3pl) वैदिक प्रयोग. 3) सदः वैदिक रूप, क्लासिकल में प्रायः ‘सदसम्’ (द्वितीया एकवचन) अपेक्षित
- RV में -अस्-प्रातिपदिक का संक्षिप्त रूप ‘सदः’ मिलता है. 4) हरी = हरि (द्विवचन द्वितीया) ‘दो हरि (अश्व)’
- ‘हिन्वन्तो हरी’ में कर्मरूपेण. 5) हरिं हि: अनुस्वार/म् संधि से ‘हरिं॒ हि’ (म् + ह्) यथावत्
The meaning
Outer meaning
They sound together toward the tawny source, urging on the two tawny steeds as toward the divine seat. They fill him with tawny powers as cows fill with milk; sing to Indra the vehement energy rich in tawny might.
Inner meaning
The seekers’ faculties harmonize (samasvaran) toward the ‘hari yoni’—the luminous source-plane where dynamic energies are born. They urge the twin prāṇic forces (Harī) upward toward the divine seat (divyaṃ sadaḥ), the stable station of higher consciousness. Indra is ‘filled’ by these energies as cows fill with milk: the rays/knowledges (go as light) and vital forces nourish the illumined mind, which then releases śūṣa—concentrated, vehement power for overcoming resistance.
Universal truth
When inner energies are harmonized and directed to the luminous source, the mind of illumination is nourished and becomes a force of effective transformation.
Themes
harmonized-chant, filling-the-god, cows-as-rays, indraic-force
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.96.1–10
Significance
The seer-voice represents collective inner faculties (‘they’) learning to act in unison—an important late-Vedic psychological emphasis: integration precedes illumination’s victory.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- harivant (with the tawny steeds), receiver of śūṣa (vehement force)
- Related deities
- Maruts (storm-powers/energies that aid Indra), Soma (delight that strengthens Indra), Bṛhaspati (harmonized sound/word leading to light)
Cosmic role
Leader of the luminous host; enthroned in the divine seat; empowered by offerings of energy and knowledge.
Inner power
Integrated prāṇa and knowledge feeding the illumined mind, generating decisive force against inner obstruction.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within soma/strength rites (general)
हरिं॒ हि योनि॑म॒भि ये स॒मस्व॑रन्हि॒न्वन्तो॒ हरी॑ दि॒व्यं यथा॒ सद॑: । आ यं पृ॒णन्ति॒ हरि॑भि॒र्न धे॒नव॒ इन्द्रा॑य शू॒षं हरि॑वन्तमर्चत ॥
हरि॑म् । हि । योनि॑म् । अ॒भि । ये । स॒म्ऽअस्व॑रन् । हि॒न्वन्तः॑ । हरी॒ इति॑ । दि॒व्यम् । यथा॑ । सदः॑ । आ । यम् । पृ॒णन्ति॑ । हरि॑ऽभिः । न । धे॒नवः॑ । इन्द्रा॑य । शू॒षम् । हरि॑ऽवन्तम् । अ॒र्च॒त॒ ॥
harim | hi | yonim | abhi | ye | sam-asvaran | hinvantaḥ | harī iti | divyam | yathā | sadaḥ | ā | yam | pṛṇanti | hari-bhiḥ | na | dhenavaḥ | indrāya | śūṣam | hari-vantam | arcata
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4 × ~11 syllables (probable; some late variability)
Driving, collective, and rhythmic—fits the image of unison sound and urging motion.
Synchronizes breath and will; evokes a sense of coordinated ascent and filling of inner power.
- समस्वरन् (samasvaran)
- Literal: sounded together in unison. Symbolic: harmonization of thought, will, and feeling into one aspiration
- हरिं योनिम् (hariṃ yonim)
- Literal: tawny womb/source. Symbolic: luminous origin of dynamic force; source of illumined energy
- हिन्वन्तः (hinvantaḥ)
- Literal: urging onward. Symbolic: driving prāṇa upward by aspiration and discipline
- दिव्यं सदः (divyaṃ sadaḥ)
- Literal: divine seat/assembly. Symbolic: stable plane of higher consciousness; inner heaven-state
- पृणन्ति (pṛṇanti)
- Literal: they fill. Symbolic: nourish and intensify the Indra-force within
- धेनवः (dhenavaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of knowledge/light (go) that yield the milk of insight
- शूषम् (śūṣam)
- Literal: vehemence, vigor. Symbolic: concentrated spiritual force for conquest of obscurity
- हरिवन्तम् (harivantam)
- Literal: possessing the tawny ones. Symbolic: illumined mind supported by dynamic prāṇa-powers
Soma praise: chanting (sam-asvaran) and filling Indra with offerings/energies parallels soma-infusion and stotra performance.
When invoking Indra’s power and the support of his energies (Harī/Marut-like)
Recitation while offering; symbolically ‘filling’ Indra with strength
Group chanting for coherence: use as a mantra for team alignment, collective meditation, or before demanding collective action—‘samasvara’ as inner/outer unison.
yoni ‘source’ highlights origin rather than physicality. √svar ‘sound’ gives ‘harmonized invocation’. dhenu ‘cow’ in RV regularly supports inner ‘ray/nourishing stream’ by its function of giving milk (light/nourishment). śūṣa denotes concentrated vigor; in Indra-hymns it is the force that breaks obstacles (Vṛtra-type within).
ṛta as harmony (sam-asvaran), inspiration (sadas as divine session), force against obstruction (śūṣa)
Samasvara is ṛta in sound: right harmony produces right power.
True force (śūṣa) arises from alignment with the divine seat, not from egoic push.
Nourishment of the god within by rays and energies—microcosmic reproduction of cosmic strengthening of Indra.
Mantric yoga of integration: sound-unison → ascent → stabilized light.
Sound = vibrational alignment; cows/milk = knowledge and its nourishing essence; horses = prāṇa; sky-hall = higher mind plane.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic pattern of ‘filling Indra’ with the offering so he can release power: the cows/rays nourish, the chant harmonizes, and Indra’s śūṣa becomes active—an inner Vṛtra-slaying readiness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √svar ‘sound’ aligns with PIE *swer- ‘sound’ (cf. English swerve is different; but Latin susurrus is separate; still PIE *swer- is a standard proposal for sound/resonance). yoni/source imagery corresponds to archaic IE ‘womb/source’ metaphors for origin.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi-community (chanters) harmonizes speech and offering to ‘fill’ Indra; Indra responds by manifesting śūṣa—effective force and victory—within the human field.
Bring all parts into ‘samasvara’—one aspiration toward the luminous source; then feel prāṇa (Harī) rise to the brow/crown seat.
Ājñā
Coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while softly humming on exhale to create inner unison; then chant once clearly.
Unified, upward-driven, luminous readiness.
Before chanting, collect attention in the spine; on ‘hariṃ yonim’ visualize a golden source above the head; on ‘hinvanto harī’ feel two currents rising; rest in ‘divyaṃ sadaḥ’ as still luminous seat.
Keep the collective lift on samasvaran; stress harī as paired; brighten on divyaṃ; land firmly on śūṣam.
hariṃ hi yonim | abhi ye | samasvaran || hinvanto harī | divyaṃ yathā | sadaḥ || ā yaṃ pṛṇanti | haribhir na | dhenavaḥ || indrāya śūṣaṃ | harivantam | arcata.
samasvaran: pronounce as ‘samasvaran’ (no extra vowel between s and v), hinvantaḥ: hv cluster (h+v) clean, dhenavaḥ: dh aspirated; e long, arcata: c as ‘ch’ sound (palatal), not ‘k’
Unified and rhythmic; suitable for group recitation with steady beat.
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