Rig Veda 3.46.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 46, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.46
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यं सोममिन्द्र पृथिवीद्यावा गर्भं न माता बिभृतस्त्वाया । तं ते हिन्वन्ति तमु ते मृजन्त्यध्वर्यवो वृषभ पातवा उ ॥
yáṁ sómam indra pṛthivī́-dyā́vā gárbhaṁ ná mātā́ bibhṛtás tvāyā́ | táṁ te hinvanti tám u te mṛjanti adhvaryávo vṛṣabha pātávā u ||
السُّوما الذي تسنده لك الأرضُ والسماءُ، كما تحمل الأمُّ جنينَها—ذلك يحرّكونه لك، وذلك ينقّونه لك، أيها الثور، لكي تشربه.
Word by Word
- यम्
- whom/whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- सोमम्
- Soma (the pressed drink/deity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम (prātipadika)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (prātipadika)
- पृथिवी
- EarthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पृथिवी (prātipadika)
- द्यावा
- the two heavens (Heaven and Earth pair)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा द्विवचन (Vedic nom. du. of dyā́v-)Role कर्तृRoot द्याव्/द्यौ (prātipadika)
- गर्भम्
- embryo, womb-childNounपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गर्भ (prātipadika)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न (avyaya)
- माता
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मातृ (prātipadika)
- बिभृतः
- has borne/has carriedVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन; Vedic perfect form used with plural/dual subject possibleRole क्रियाRoot √भृ (भरणे)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचन (enclitic)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- आया
- unto, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (directional: ‘towards, unto’)Root आ (upasarga/avyaya)
- तम्
- him/thatPronounपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- ते
- of you/yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- हिन्वन्ति
- they impel/drive onVerbलट्, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √हि/√हिन्व् (प्रेरणे, ‘to set in motion, impel’)
- तम्
- him/thatPronounपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद्
- उ
- indeed, andIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/enclitic)Root उ (avyaya)
- ते
- of you/yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- मृजन्ति
- they cleanse/purifyVerbलट्, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √मृज् (मार्जने, ‘to wipe/clean/purify’)
- अध्वर्यवः
- the Adhvaryu priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अध्वर्यु (prātipadika)
- वृषभ
- O bull (strong one)Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वृषभ (prātipadika)
- पातवा
- to drinkVerbal noun (infinitive)तव-प्रत्ययान्त (Vedic infinitive)Role प्रयोजन/उद्देश्यRoot √पा (पाने, ‘to drink’) + तुमुन्/तव (infinitive)
- उ
- indeed, andIndeclinableनिपात (enclitic)Root उ (avyaya)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): यं सोमम् इन्द्र पृथिवी द्यावा गर्भम् न माता बिभृतः त्वा आया । तं ते हिन्वन्ति तम् उ ते मृजन्ति अध्वर्यवः वृषभ पातवा उ । Notes: (1) पृथिवीद्यावा → पृथिवी द्यावा (vowel sandhi ī + d-)
- (2) गर्भं न → गर्भम् न (anusvāra before dental)
- (3) बिभृतस्त्वा → बिभृतः त्वा (visarga sandhi)
- (4) त्वाया → त्वा आया (ā + ā contraction in saṃhitā)
- (5) तमु → तम् उ (enclitic u)
- (6) मृजन्त्यध्वर्यवो → मृजन्ति अध्वर्यवः (i + a sandhi; final -o in saṃhitā for -aḥ)
- (7) पातवा उ is Vedic infinitive + enclitic u
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Soma that Earth and Heaven uphold for Indra like a mother carrying a child is urged forward and purified by the priests so that Indra, the Bull, may drink.
Inner meaning
The delight of consciousness (Soma) is held and matured between the foundations of our being: Earth (the physical/nervous base) and Heaven (the luminous mental/spiritual heights). Like a child in the womb, this bliss is fostered until it can be ‘pressed’—made conscious and extractable. The adhvaryus symbolize the disciplined will and right method that set the experience in motion and cleanse it of mixture, offering it to the illumined mind (Indra) so it may become strength and victorious ecstasy.
Universal truth
Higher joy is not accidental; it is gestated between grounded embodiment and aspiring consciousness, then refined by practice until it becomes a stable nourishment for clarity and power.
Themes
Soma gestation and purification, Cosmic support of the offering, Preparation for divine drinking (assimilation)
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Kauśika lineage in later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.33, RV 3.46, RV 3.47
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 3’s seer-poet of dynamic yoga: the human being as sacrificer who refines energies into divine nourishment.
Significance
He links cosmic supports (Earth-Heaven) with inner discipline (pressing/cleansing) to show how ānanda becomes a force for illumination rather than a fleeting pleasure.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- indra, vṛṣabha (bull)
- Related deities
- Soma, Dyauḥ, Pṛthivī, Agni
Cosmic role
Receives Soma to increase force for breaking obstruction and establishing luminous order.
Inner power
Capacity to assimilate refined bliss and convert it into courage, clarity, and victorious action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offering within Soma sacrifice; purification (mṛj-) of Soma and presentation for drinking
यं सोम॑मिन्द्र पृथि॒वीद्यावा॒ गर्भं॒ न मा॒ता बि॑भृ॒तस्त्वा॒या । तं ते॑ हिन्वन्ति॒ तमु॑ ते मृजन्त्यध्व॒र्यवो॑ वृषभ॒ पात॒वा उ॑ ॥
यम् । सोम॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । पृ॒थि॒वीद्यावा॑ । गर्भ॑म् । न । मा॒ता । बि॒भृ॒तः । त्वा॒ऽया । तम् । ते॒ । हि॒न्व॒न्ति॒ । तम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । ते॒ । मृ॒ज॒न्ति॒ । अ॒ध्व॒र्यवः॑ । वृ॒ष॒भ॒ । पात॒वै । ऊँ॒ इति॑ ॥
yam | somam | indra | pṛthivīdyāvā | garbham | na | mātā | bibhṛtaḥ | tvāyā | tam | te | hinvanti | tam | oṃ iti | te | mṛjanti | adhvaryavaḥ | vṛṣabha | pātavai | oṃ iti
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4 × ~11 syllables
Maternal, carrying movement in the first half; energetic, practical cadence in the second (impel/cleanse/drink).
Creates a sense of ‘gestation then offering’: first a held, womb-like containment, then a clear forward propulsion.
- पृथिवी-द्यावा (pṛthivī-dyāvā)
- Literal: Earth and Heaven. Symbolic: lower foundation and higher plane supporting growth of consciousness
- गर्भ (garbha)
- Literal: embryo, womb-child. Symbolic: latent spiritual delight/realization developing within
- माता (mātā)
- Literal: mother. Symbolic: nurturing Shakti that bears and protects the growth
- हिन्वन्ति (hinvanti)
- Literal: they impel, set in motion. Symbolic: activation of inner energy and aspiration through methodical effort
- मृजन्ति (mṛjantि)
- Literal: they cleanse/purify. Symbolic: purification of experience—removing ego-mixture and restlessness
- अध्वर्यवः (adhvaryavaḥ)
- Literal: officiating priests. Symbolic: right-willed executors: disciplined practice, precise inner action
- वृषभ (vṛṣabha)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: Indra’s virile force: steadfast power of illumination
Direct Soma-pressing and purification: Adhvaryu actions (impelling, filtering/cleansing) prior to offering to Indra
At pressing (savana) and offering sequences; especially when emphasizing Soma’s purification and Indra’s drinking.
Pressing, filtering/cleansing Soma; offering to Indra with praise.
A mantra for refining joy: before consuming sensory pleasure, ‘cleanse’ it by intention—offer it inwardly to the higher mind so it becomes strength, not bondage.
garbhá- ‘womb/embryo’ from √gṛbh/√garbh ‘to seize/enclose’ (seed held for manifestation); bibhṛtás dual from √bhṛ ‘bear’; hinvanti from √hi ‘impel’; mṛjanti from √mṛj ‘cleanse’; pātávai dat. infinitive from √pā ‘drink’. Earth-Heaven as bearers indicates Soma’s cosmic legitimacy and maturation before it becomes drinkable power.
Soma as ‘embryo’ of delight/truth held between heights and depths, Purification (mṛj) as inner clarification before reception, Right action (adhvaryu) as executive function of Ṛta
The ‘right method’ (adhvaryu function) shows Ṛta as precise process: impel, cleanse, offer.
Soma as truth-delight upheld by the two worlds; when purified, it supports true strength rather than excitation.
Gestation of divine delight within the two worlds; manifestation through purification.
Integral yoga reading: embodiment (Earth) and aspiration (Heaven) jointly carry the developing delight until it is consciously offered.
Bliss grows between grounding and uplift; practice extracts and purifies it into usable spiritual nourishment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma as embryo’ mythologem: the offering is a living seed upheld by Heaven and Earth, then ritually/psychologically impelled and purified for Indra’s drinking. Inner sense: delight-truth is gestated between higher aspiration (dyauḥ) and embodied nature (pṛthivī), then clarified and set in motion so the Indra-force can assimilate it.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The birth/gestation metaphor is pan-IE; √bhṛ ‘bear’ is strongly IE (ferō/pherō). The priestly agent noun adhvaryu is specifically Vedic, but the underlying notion of ‘rightly ordered action’ aligns with IE ritual poetics where correct performance enables divine ingestion/empowerment.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi frames the rite as an inner physiology: the cosmos bears the Soma-seed; the human executors (adhvaryu as disciplined will) purify and impel it; Indra drinks—i.e., the divine power assimilates the clarified essence and becomes active for victory and order in the sacrificer.
‘Gestate and offer’ practice: feel joy as a subtle embryo in the heart-mind; refine it by sincerity; offer it upward to illumined discernment.
anāhata (heart’s nurturing) moving toward ājñā (illumined clarity)
Gentle coherent breathing: inhale ‘hold/support’ (Earth-Heaven), exhale ‘cleanse/offer’ (mṛj-/hinv-).
Quietly nurtured ānanda becoming lucid and strong.
When joy arises, do not grasp; hold it steadily, purify it of demand, then let it feed clarity and courage (Indra).
Rigvedic accentuation preserved; emphasize udātta on ‘somam’, ‘indra’, and action verbs ‘hinvanti’, ‘mṛjantि’.
First pāda: chant with a cradling steadiness; second pāda: clearer articulation on the verbs, slightly more energetic.
‘pṛthivīdyāvā’ as a compound: pṛ-thi-vī-dyā-vā; keep long vowels clear, ‘garbhaṃ na’—do not nasalize the ‘na’; keep anusvāra on garbhaṃ distinct, ‘adhvaryavo’ with clear dhv cluster; avoid ‘ad-vari’
Warm, steady, nurturing in first half; firm and clear in second.
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