Rig Veda 8.76.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 76, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.76
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
इन्द्रं प्रत्नेन मन्मना मरुत्वन्तं हवामहे । अस्य सोमस्य पीतये ॥
índraṃ pratnéna mánmanā marútvantaṃ havāmahe | asyá sómasya pītáye ||
إندرا ندعوه—المصحوب بالماروت—بالعقلِ القديمِ ذي التطلّع، لشربِ هذا السُّوما؛ لكي تستيقظ في كياننا من جديد القوةُ العتيقةُ الصادقة.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रम्
- Indra (as the one invoked)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्म (हवामहे इति क्रियायाः)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रत्नेन
- with the ancient (former, primeval)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करण (मन्मना सह—‘by/with the ancient [thought]’)Root प्रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्मना
- with (our) thought / intentionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करण (instrumental of means: ‘with thought/intent’)Root मन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘thought, mind, intention’)
- मरुत्वन्तम्
- accompanied by the Maruts / having the MarutsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; इन्द्रम् विशेषयतिRole कर्म (इन्द्रम् विशेषणरूपेण)Root मरुत्वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; मरुत् + वन्त् ‘possessing the Maruts’)
- हवामहे
- we invoke / we call uponVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √ह्वा (ह्वयति/हवते) ‘to call, invoke’
- अस्य
- of thisPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन; (पुं/नपुं) सन्दर्भानुसारRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of this’)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (पीतये इत्यस्य—‘of Soma’)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पीतये
- for drinking (for the drink)Noun (verbal noun / infinitival dative sense)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (dative of purpose: ‘for drinking’)Root पीति (प्रातिपदिक; action-noun from √पा ‘to drink’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इन्द्रम् | प्रत्नेन | मन्मना | मरुत्वन्तम् | हवामहे | अस्य | सोमस्य | पीतये । बाह्यसन्धिः विशेषः न
- केवलं पदान्त-प्रयोगः। ‘अस्य सोमस्य’ इति षष्ठी-षष्ठी सम्बन्धः
- ‘पीतये’ चतुर्थी-प्रयोजनार्थे (infinitival-dative sense) प्रयुक्ता।
The meaning
Outer meaning
We invoke Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, with the ancient mind, for the drinking of this Soma.
Inner meaning
The call rises from the ‘pratna manman’—the timeless, original aspiration in the human being that remembers the higher truth. Indra (illumined mind) is invited with the Maruts (uplifted life-forces) to drink Soma (divine delight), i.e., to take into himself our offered ecstasy so that illumination and force may intensify and act.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress renews itself when we return to the oldest, deepest aspiration and feed the higher consciousness with delight rather than strain; then clarity and energy cooperate.
Themes
Soma invitation, ancient aspiration, Indra-Maruts, inner assimilation
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.76.1-12, Rig Veda 8.48 (Soma as inner ecstasy, thematic resonance)
Family tradition
Indra-Soma devotional-psychological strain: invoking Indra not merely for outer victory but for inner renewal through Soma-delight.
Significance
The seer emphasizes continuity of yoga: the ‘ancient mind’ is the timeless capacity in us to aspire and receive delight as the fuel of illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Marut-companioned)
- Epithets
- marutvant
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati (opening by the Word; conceptual ally)
Cosmic role
Receives Soma and, empowered by it, conquers the Coverer; establishes luminous order in the worlds.
Inner power
The discerning, victorious intelligence that grows by Ananda—illumination fed by delight, supported by disciplined energies.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra in Soma-yajña; invitation to ‘drink’ before/with oblations.
इन्द्रं॑ प्र॒त्नेन॒ मन्म॑ना म॒रुत्व॑न्तं हवामहे । अ॒स्य सोम॑स्य पी॒तये॑ ॥
इन्द्र॑म् । प्र॒त्नेन॑ । मन्म॑ना । म॒रुत्व॑न्तम् । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ । अ॒स्य । सोम॑स्य । पी॒तये॑ ॥
indram | pratnena | manmanā | marutvantam | havāmahe | asya | somasya | pītaye
44
4×11 (approx.)
Measured invocatory stride—less explosive than pure battle-verses, more ‘summoning’ and ‘offering’.
Creates a sense of returning to a deep, old aspiration; prepares the system to receive delight without dispersal.
- प्रत्नेन (pratnena)
- Literal: by the ancient/primeval. Symbolic: the perennial aspiration, the original soul-memory of the Truth
- मन्मना (manmanā)
- Literal: with mind/thought (devotional intention). Symbolic: formed will-thought, concentrated intention of the seeker
- मरुत्वन्तम् (marutvantam)
- Literal: with the Maruts. Symbolic: illumination supported by harmonized prāṇa and heroic impulses
- सोमस्य पीतये (somasya pītaye)
- Literal: for Soma’s drinking. Symbolic: for the enjoyment/assimilation of divine Ananda that strengthens and clarifies consciousness
Formal invitation to Indra for Soma; emphasizes continuity with the 'ancient' tradition/inner archetype (pratna).
At Soma pressing/offerings when Indra is invited to partake.
Chant during offering; inwardly ‘press’ Soma as refined joy and present it to the higher mind.
Use when motivation is stale: recall the ‘pratna’ aspiration; chant to reawaken authentic intent and allow joy to energize practice.
(pratna) 'ancient' from pra- + tana?/tan 'stretch' (semantic of 'former/earlier, stretched back'); RV usage: the original, archetypal. (manman) from √ (man, 'think, form in mind'): not discursive intellect but shaped intention/aspiration. Soma as pressed essence (√ 'press out'); pīti from √ 'drink' as inward assimilation.
ancient archetypal consciousness (pratna), intentional mind (manman) as instrument, assimilation of delight-force (Soma)
The ‘ancient’ aspiration aligns the personal with the perennial Ṛta.
Manman as truthful formation of will—sincere, not restless desire.
Soma as life-sap of the worlds; its drinking is assimilation of creative delight.
Integral/psychological Veda: delight is not escape but power for transformation.
Often linked with Soma pressings (daytime cycles), though not specified here.
Soma = distilled joy/Ananda; Maruts = regulated prāṇa; ancient mind = deep psychic memory of the goal.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The recurring liturgical myth of 'Indra comes for Soma'—a re-enactment of the god’s strengthening by delight/essence, enabling victory. Inner sense: the illumined force is invoked through the ancient will-to-know (pratna manman) to drink and thereby act within us.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ (think) reflects PIE *men- (mind): Latin mens, Greek ménos (force of mind/spirit). √ (drink) reflects PIE *peh₃-. The instrumental constructions (pratnena, manmanā) show archaic Indo-Aryan use of instrumentality for means-of-invocation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers not only Soma but also the 'manman'—a shaped inner intention—calling Indra to partake; the reciprocity is: aspiration and delight offered, victorious power returned to the human field.
Reconnect with the oldest aspiration; offer refined joy to the inner Indra so illumination can act.
Anāhata (heart aspiration) supporting Ājñā (illumined mind)
Gentle inhale on ‘indram…’, exhale on ‘havāmahe’; then a soft pause before ‘somasya pītaye’ to feel offering of delight.
Quiet aspiration with a sweetness of devotion; receptive clarity.
Before sitting, recall one pure reason you began the path (pratna). Chant 12 times; then meditate on a subtle sweetness in the heart rising to the brow.
Use traditional Vedic accents per śākhā; maintain clear udātta lifts on key words (índram, pratnéna, somásya).
Do not over-emphasize every syllable; let accented syllables carry the rise, with unaccented flowing evenly.
pratnena: dental n, not retroflex, manmanā: keep both ‘man’ units distinct; long ā at end, pītaye: long ī; ‘t’ is dental, light, marutvantam: keep ‘tv’ cluster crisp
Warm, devotional, steady—like offering rather than command.
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