Rig Veda 2.37.4: Mandala 2, Sukta 37, Mantra 4
Sukta 2.37
अपाद्धोत्रादुत पोत्रादमत्तोत नेष्ट्रादजुषत प्रयो हितम् । तुरीयं पात्रममृक्तममर्त्यं द्रविणोदाः पिबतु द्राविणोदसः ॥
apā́d hotrā́d utá potrā́d amattóta neṣṭrā́d ajuṣata práyo hitám | turī́yaṃ pā́tram amṛ́ktam amártyaṃ draviṇodā́ḥ píbatū drāviṇodásaḥ ||
لقد شرب من الهوتَر (Hotṛ)، ومن البوتَر (Potṛ) ابتهج؛ ومن النِشْتَر (Neṣṭṛ) قَبِلَ القُربانَ الموضوع. فليشرب دْرَفِنوداه (Draviṇodāḥ) الإناءَ الرابعَ—غيرَ ممزوجٍ، خالدًا؛ وليشرب واهبو الغِنى والوفرة.
Soma distribution across priestly channels culminating in a ‘fourth vessel’; emphasizes graded assimilation and a culminating pure draught
fourth (turīya) as integrative transcendence over the triad, immortality (amṛta/amartya) as deathless consciousness, purity (amṛkta) as unadulterated essence
Implicit in the staged sequence and the rightful placing (hitam) of the offering.
‘Unmixed’ points to truth of substance—Ananda not adulterated by ego-reaction.
From differentiated functions to a higher synthesis (‘fourth’)—a Vedic anticipation of ascending planes of consciousness.
Integral/Upaniṣadic bridge: graded consciousness culminating in stable Ananda (amṛta).
Pressed Soma = distilled joy; straining = purification; vessel = capacity of consciousness; ‘fourth’ = deeper level beyond ordinary mixture.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A graded sequence of Soma assimilation through three priestly channels culminates in the ‘fourth vessel’—pure and immortal. Mythically and psychologically, the ascent through ordered functions reaches a higher integrative state (turīya) where the essence is unmingled and deathless.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amártya ‘immortal’ uses the productive IE privative *n̥-/a- plus ‘mortal’ notion (mṛtyu). The structural use of ordinals (turīya) and ritual distribution reflects an inherited Indo-Iranian tendency to encode metaphysics through liturgical number-symbolism.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi maps the devatā’s satisfaction across successive mediations (invocation–purification–guidance), then offers the culminating ‘fourth’ pure draught; the devatā, as giver of plenitude, drinks and thereby authorizes the final bestowal of draviṇa—fullness of being and immortalizing force.
Move through four steps: invoke (Hotṛ), purify (Potṛ), integrate (Neṣṭṛ), then rest in ‘unmixed’ Ananda (turīyaṃ pātram).
Viśuddha (mantric word/Hotṛ), Ājñā (discernment/Potṛ), Anāhata (integration/Neṣṭṛ), Sahasrāra (unmixed Ananda as descent).
4-part breathing (equal inhale/hold/exhale/hold) to mirror the ‘fourth vessel’ culmination, kept gentle.
Quiet wonder with stable sweetness; non-reactive joy.
On each priest-term, pause briefly: (Hotṛ) ‘I call upward’, (Potṛ) ‘I remove mixture’, (Neṣṭṛ) ‘I harmonize’, then (turīyam) ‘I receive pure delight’.
Chant with Vedic accents as marked (e.g.,,, ); keep udātta elevated; avoid smoothing into song.
Give clear breaks after each priest-source (… | … | …). Emphasize ‘ ’ as the climax.
Maintain consonant clusters: ‘hotrāt’, ‘potrāt’, ‘neṣṭrāt’ without extra vowels, Pronounce ‘amṛktam’ with vocalic ṛ; do not say ‘amritam’ here, Keep retroflex ṭ in (neṣṭrāt) crisp
Clear, slightly solemn, culminating in a brighter tone on ‘amartyaṃ’.
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