Vrtra's "nameless body/secret place"

Question

I've been reading up on the Rg Veda and find one verse peculiar.

अति॑ष्ठन्तीनामनिवेश॒नानां॒ काष्ठा॑नां॒ मध्ये॒ निहि॑तं॒ शरी॑रम् ।
वृ॒त्रस्य॑ नि॒ण्यं वि च॑र॒न्त्यापो॑ दी॒र्घं तम॒ आश॑य॒दिन्द्र॑शत्रुः ॥
atiṣṭhantīnām aniveśanānāṃ kāṣṭhānām madhye nihitaṃ śarīram |
vṛtrasya niṇyaṃ vi caranty āpo dīrghaṃ tama āśayad indraśatruḥ ||

English translation:

“The waters carry off the nameless body of Vṛtra, tossed into the midst of the never- stopping, never-resting currents. The foe of Indra has slept a long darkness.”

Doniger translation:

"In the midst of the channels of the waters which never stood still or rested, the body was hidden. The waters flow over Vṛtra's secret place; he who found Indra an enemy to conquer him sank into long darkness"

What exactly does "vṛtrasya niṇyaṃ" refer to? Or am I reading the Sanskrit incorrectly?

Answer 1

This verse is part of first mandala, 32 sukta, verse 10. This Sukta talks about manly deeds of Indra and how he achieved, the "Thunder weilder" by killing a Asura by name "vṛtrasura". As said in first verse of same sukta:

“I declare the former valorous deeds of Indra, which the thunderer has achieved; he clove the cloud; he cast the waters down (to earth); he broke (a way) for the torrents of the mountain.” ||1||

...

“With his vast destroying thunderbolt, Indra struck the darkling mutilated Vṛtra; as the trunks of trees are felled by the axe, so lies Ahi prostrate on the earth.” ||5||

“The arrogant Vṛtra, as if unequaled, defied Indra, the mighty hero, the destroyer of many, the scatterer of foes; he has not escaped the contact of the fate (Indra's) enemies. The foe of Indra has crushed the (banks of the) rivers.” ||6||

So, now it is clear Vṛtra was a Asura. Now What exactly does "vṛtrasya niṇyaṃ" refer to? To answer your question, we should read the verse correctly.

atiṣṭhantīnām aniveśanānāṃ kāṣṭhānām madhye nihitaṃ śarīram | vṛtrasya niṇyaṃ vi caranty āpo dīrghaṃ tama āśayad indraśatruḥ ||

Where shariram means body which has to be connected to the next line vṛtrasya niṇyaṃ. vṛtrasya means "vṛtra's" and "niṇyaṃ" means hidden/secret. Simply saying "vṛtra's hidden" may not sound correct, but if we say "vṛtra's hidden body", it would make sense as after Indra kills him, the water flows over him and makes his body hidden.

I found more relatable translation from sri-aurbindo's rigveda mandala 1, sukta 32:

The hidden body of Vritra  laid in the midst of courses of the not standing ones, not stopping – the Waters  spread widely; {he,} to whom Indra is enemy, lay in the long darkness.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The mantras of Vedas are multi layered and have metaphoric meanings. Story of Vritra and Indra is used to describe the process of raining.

The deposited body was in the midst of waters which neither stay nor rest Waters march against the secret (outlet) of Vrtra ; in deep darkness lay he whose enemy is Indra. The deposited body, i.e. the cloud, was in the midst of waters which neither stay nor rest, i. e. waters which are non-stationary. Sarira (body) is derived from (the root) ar (to kill), or from iam (to destroy). Waters march against, i.e. know, [the secret] outlet of Vrtra. Dirgha (long) is derived from dragh (to lengthen). Tamos (darkness) is derived from tan (to spread). A-iayad is formed from (the root) d-s% (to lie). Whose enemy is Indra, i. e. Indra is his slayer, or destroyer, therefore he (is called) having Indra as his enemy. 'Rut who is Vrtra? ‘It is a cloud,’ say the etymologists. [c It is a demon, son of Tvasta,’ say the legendarians.] The phenomenon of rain is produced by the commingling of water (vapours) and lightning ( jyotis ). With reference to this, there are figurative descriptions of battle. Indeed, the descriptions of Vedic stanzas and the narratives of the Br&hmanas (depict him), r.o doubt, as a serpent. By expanding his body, he blocked the channels (of the rivers). When he was killed, waters flowed forth. The following is the stanza which explains this. [Nirukta 2:17]

So as we can read that Vritra is actually the cloud. The commentry on the verse explains;

Durga explains ninyam as the outlet in the cloud through which the waters flow down. Roth translates Vrtraaya ninyam as ‘non Vrtra unbemerkt’, i. e. without being noticed 'by Vrtra ; see op. cit p. 21.