न नू॒नमस्ति॒ नो श्वः कस्तद्वे॑द॒ यदद्भु॑तं । अ॒न्यस्य॑ चि॒त्तम॒भि सं॑च॒रेण्य॑मु॒ताधी॑तं॒ वि न॑श्यति ॥
ná nūnámásti nó śváḥ kástádveda yádádbhutam ǀ anyásya cittámabhí saṃcaréṇyamutā́dhītam ví naśyati ǁ
Rigveda Maṇḍala 1, Sūkta 170: Dialogue Between Agastya and Indra
Act 1
The Elusiveness of Time and the Mystery of Tomorrow
Verses 1
📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context
As we enter this profound sūkta, we find ourselves immediately plunged into a rare dramatic dialogue between the seer Agastya and the great god Indra. In this opening verse, Agastya reflects on the fragile and fleeting nature of human existence and divine perception. He states that nothing is truly fixed in the present or guaranteed for tomorrow; who can truly know the wondrous, hidden workings of the cosmos? The thoughts of another person are constantly shifting, and even what has been carefully studied or memorized tends to slip away and vanish into the ether. This verse sets a philosophical foundation for the entire dialogue, reminding us that mortal comprehension is limited by time, fluctuation, and the sheer unpredictability of the divine will. Agastya is not merely complaining about forgetfulness; he is pointing to the radical transcendence of the adbhuta—the wondrous, marvelous reality that defies ordinary mental categories. It is a moment of deep existential humility before engaging with the king of the gods.
💭 Flowing Translation
Verse 1: Nothing is truly fixed today, nor is tomorrow assured; who knows that wondrous reality? The mind of another constantly wanders, and even what is learned fades away.
📝 Scholar's Reading Note
The translation adheres closely to Sāyaṇa's commentary regarding the fleeting nature of human thought and memory, while Sri Aurobindo sees in 'adbhutam' a reference to the supreme, surprising interventions of the divine consciousness that break through ordinary mental limitations.
📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown
Verse 1
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| न | na | not |
| नूनम् | nūnam | now, certainly |
| अस्ति | asti | is |
| श्वः | śvaḥ | tomorrow |
| कः | kaḥ | who? |
| अद्भुतम् | adbhutam | wondrous, marvelous |
| चित्तम् | cittam | thought, mind |
🧠
Memory Hook
Picture a wisp of smoke vanishing into the open sky at dusk — representing how tomorrow, human thoughts, and learned knowledge constantly slip away into the great unknown.
Act 2
The Clash of Comrades: Agastya Challenges Indra
Verses 2, 3
किं न॑ इंद्र जिघांससि॒ भ्रात॑रो म॒रुत॒स्तव॑ । तेभिः॑ कल्पस्व साधु॒या मा नः॑ स॒मर॑णे वधीः ॥
kím na indra jighāṃsasi bhrā́taro marútastáva ǀ tébhiḥ kalpasva sādhuyā́ mā́ naḥ samáraṇe vadhīḥ ǁ
किं नो॑ भ्रातरगस्त्य॒ सखा॒ सन्नति॑ मन्यसे । वि॒द्मा हि ते॒ यथा॒ मनो॒ऽस्मभ्य॒मिन्न दि॑त्ससि ॥
kím no bhrātaragastya sákhā sánnáti manyase ǀ vidmā́ hí te yáthā máno’smábhyamínná ditsasi ǁ
📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context
The tension breaks into the open in the second and third verses as Agastya directly confronts Indra. The seer asks why Indra intends to strike him down, reminding the god that the Maruts—Indra's own divine companions and storm-troopers—are Agastya's brothers. He demands that Indra adjust his stance, make peace properly, and refrain from destroying him in the heat of conflict. In the third verse, Indra fires back with equal vigor, questioning why his dear friend Agastya treats him with such distance and thinks he is being neglected. Indra retorts that he knows Agastya's mind very well, and that the seer is simply testing him or refusing to accept what is freely offered. This sharp, affectionate banter reveals the unique intimacy of the Vedic ṛṣi with his deity—they are not distant masters and cowering servants, but comrades bound by mutual respect and spirited dialogue.
💭 Flowing Translation
Verse 2: Why, O Indra, do you seek to strike us down? The Maruts are your brothers. Harmonize with them properly, and do not slay us in the clash.
Verse 3: Why, O brother Agastya, being a friend, do you think so little of me? We know your mind well—you simply refuse to take what is meant for you.
📝 Scholar's Reading Note
Traditional commentators view this dialogue as a dramatization of the philosophical tension between individual intellectual exertion and divine grace. Yāska highlights the personal familiarity between the ṛṣi and the deity, showing that Vedic dialogue could embrace raw emotional honesty.
📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown
Verse 2
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | Indra, king of the gods |
| जिघांससि | jighāṃsasi | you wish to kill or strike |
| भ्रातरः | bhrātaraḥ | brothers |
| मरुतः | marutaḥ | the storm-gods, Maruts |
| समरणे | samaraṇe | in battle, in the clash |
Verse 3
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अगस्त्य | agastya | O Agastya (the seer) |
| सखा | sakhā | friend, comrade |
| मनः | manaḥ | mind, intention |
| दित्ससि | ditsasi | you wish to give or withhold |
🧠
Memory Hook
Imagine two close friends standing on a windy mountain ridge, playfully crossing swords and arguing over who is ignoring whom, yet sharing a deep underlying bond of brotherhood.
Act 3
Reconciliation at the Altar of Immortality
Verses 4, 5
अरं॑ कृण्वंतु॒ वेदिं॒ सम॒ग्निमिं॑धतां पु॒रः । तत्रा॒मृत॑स्य॒ चेत॑नं य॒ज्ञं ते॑ तनवावहै ॥
áram kṛṇvantu védim sámagnímindhatām puráḥ ǀ tátrāmṛ́tasya cétanam yajñám te tanavāvahai ǁ
त्वमी॑शिषे वसुपते॒ वसू॑नां॒ त्वं मि॒त्राणां॑ मित्रपते॒ धेष्ठः॑ । इंद्र॒ त्वं म॒रुद्भिः॒ सं व॑द॒स्वाध॒ प्राशा॑न ऋतु॒था ह॒वींषि॑ ॥
tvámīśiṣe vasupate vásūnām tvám mitrā́ṇām mitrapate dhéṣṭhaḥ ǀ índra tvám marúdbhiḥ sám vadasvā́dha prā́śāna ṛtuthā́ havī́ṃṣi ǁ
📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context
Having cleared the air through their sharp exchange, the dialogue culminates in resolution and ritual harmony. In the fourth verse, instructions are given to prepare the sacrificial grass seat (vedi) and kindle the sacred fire ahead, so that they may together weave the conscious sacrifice that leads to immortality. The conflict dissolves into cooperative divine work. In the final verse, Agastya praises Indra as the supreme lord of all treasures and the dearest protector of friends. He invites Indra to sit down and confer with the Maruts, and then partake of the pressed oblations at the proper, appointed seasons. The sūkta thus transforms from a tense confrontation into a joyous feast of spiritual communion.
💭 Flowing Translation
Verse 4: Let them make the altar-seat ready, let them kindle the fire in front; there let us two weave the sacrifice that awakens the consciousness of immortality.
Verse 5: You rule over all treasures, O lord of wealth; you are the dearest guardian of friends, O Indra. Confer with the Maruts and then partake of the oblations in their due season.
📝 Scholar's Reading Note
Sāyaṇa interprets the cooperative sacrifice as the proper mechanical execution of Vedic rites, while Sri Aurobindo emphasizes 'amṛtasya cetanam' as the inner awakening of divine immortality through the union of human aspiration and divine power.
📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown
Verse 4
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वेदिम् | vedim | the sacrificial altar/seat |
| अग्निम् | agnim | the sacred fire |
| अमृतस्य | amṛtasya | of immortality |
| यज्ञम् | yajñam | sacrifice, offering |
| तनवावहै | tanavāvahai | let us perform/weave |
Verse 5
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ईशिषे | īśiṣe | you rule, you have power |
| वसुपते | vasupate | O lord of wealth/treasures |
| मित्रपते | mitrapate | O lord of friends/alliances |
| मरुत्भिः | marutbhiḥ | with the Maruts |
| हवींसि | havīṃṣi | oblations, offerings |
🧠
Memory Hook
Picture two former rivals sitting by a crackling campfire at dawn, sharing food and warmly laughing together after clearing up a misunderstanding.