Rig Veda Sukta 2
Mandala 1Sukta 29 Mantras

Sukta 2

Sukta 1.2

Rishi

Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra

Chandas

Gāyatrī

Rigveda 1.2 ist ein früher Soma-Opferhymnus, der zunächst Vāyu, den schnellen Lebenshauch, einlädt, zum Opfer zu kommen und den bereiteten Soma zu trinken. Dann weitet sich die Anrufung auf Götterpaare aus — Vāyu mit Indra und schließlich Mitra-Varuṇa — und erbittet inspirierte Kraft, sieghafte Energie und die unterscheidende rechte Ordnung (dakṣa), die für wirksames heiliges Handeln nötig ist.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 1.2

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • VayuMantras 1-3, 5Vāyu

    Vāyu is praised as darśata (radiant/beautiful to behold), swift-coming to the call, and the first recipient of Soma at the pressing; he is invited to drink and to listen (śrudhi) to the hymn’s summons.

  • Indra-VayuMantra 4Indra-Vāyu (dual deity invocation)
  • IndraMantra 5dual
  • Vayu-IndraMantra 6Vāyu-Indra (dual)
  • Mitra-VarunaMantras 7-9Mitra-Varuṇa (dual deities of ṛta: harmony and vast law)

Mantras

Mantra 1

वायवा याहि दर्शतेमे सोमा अरंकृताः । तेषां पाहि श्रुधी हवम् ॥

O Vāyu, komm herbei, du Sichtbarer, Glanzvoll-Schöner. Diese Somas sind bereitet, recht zugerichtet. Trinke davon; höre unseren Ruf.

Mantra 2

वाय उक्थेभिर्जरन्ते त्वामच्छा जरितारः । सुतसोमा अहर्विदः ॥

O Vāyu, durch die Uktha-Hymnen drängen die Sänger zu dir; die Soma-Pressenden, Kenner des lichten Tages, rufen dich heran.

Mantra 3

वायो तव प्रपृञ्चती धेना जिगाति दाशुषे । उरूची सोमपीतये ॥

O Vāyu, zu dem Gebenden kommt deine weithin sich ergießende Milchkuh, der Strom; licht und weitreichend — zum Soma-Trunk.

Mantra 4

इन्द्रवायू इमे सुता उप प्रयोभिरा गतम् । इन्दवो वामुशन्ति हि ॥

O Indra und Vāyu, kommt herbei zu diesen ausgepressten Soma-Tränken, getragen von ihren Kräften der Wonne; denn die Soma-Tropfen verlangen wahrlich nach euch.

Mantra 5

वायविन्द्रश्च चेतथः सुतानां वाजिनीवसू । तावा यातमुप द्रवत् ॥

O Vāyu und Indra, ihr beide nehmt die ausgepressten Soma wahr, o Herren der Fülle und sieghafter Kraft; kommt—eilt herbei zu dem schnell dahinströmenden (Trank), der euch entgegenläuft.

Mantra 6

वायविन्द्रश्च सुन्वत आ यातमुप निष्कृतम् । मक्ष्वित्था धिया नरा ॥

O Vāyu und Indra, kommt herbei zu dem, der Soma auspresst; naht euch der dargelegten Opfergabe; schnell—so, ihr beiden Helden, durch den erwachten Gedanken (zur Wahrheit).

Mantra 7

मित्रं हुवे पूतदक्षं वरुणं च रिशादसम् । धियं घृताचीं साधन्ता ॥

Mitra rufe ich an, den mit geläuterter, makelloser Dakṣa; und Varuṇa, den Vertilger des Schadens. Mögen sie in uns das Denken vollenden, das wie leuchtendes Ghee strömt — klar, gerade und wirksam.

Mantra 8

ऋतेन मित्रावरुणावृतावृधावृतस्पृशा । क्रतुं बृहन्तमाशाथे ॥

Durch Ṛta, die Macht der Wahrheitsordnung, ihr Mitra und Varuṇa — Mehrer des Ṛta, Berührer des Ṛta — gewährt uns den großen Kratu, den weiten, lichtvollen Willen rechten Handelns.

Mantra 9

कवी नो मित्रावरुणा तुविजाता उरुक्षया । दक्षं दधाते अपसम् ॥

Mögen Mitra und Varuṇa — die beiden Kavi, weithin geboren, mit weiter, bergender Wohnstatt — uns Dakṣa verleihen, die unterscheidende Kraft rechter Gestaltung, zur Vollbringung des Apas, des wirksamen Werkes.

Inside Sukta 2

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A direct call to Vāyu—radiant and swift—to come to the well-prepared Soma and hear the worshipper’s summons.

  2. Development

    The hymn reinforces readiness of the offering and the necessity of divine attention, then expands to the cooperative arrival of Vāyu with Indra, joining breath and power.

  3. Climax

    The paired invocation urges the gods to hasten to the swiftly flowing Soma-delight, stressing immediacy, force, and fulfillment at the sacrifice.

  4. Where it settles

    The scope broadens to Mitra-Varuṇa, ending with a prayer for dakṣa—rightly ordering intelligence—so the sacred work (apas) is successfully formed and completed.

The deity: Vāyu

  • Cosmic functionAs Wind and Breath, Vāyu circulates life and motion, linking earth and midspace, carrying offerings and prayers, and energizing the gods’ approach to the sacrifice; with Indra he supports victorious force, and with Mitra-Varuṇa he upholds order and right discernment.
  • Inner significanceVāyu signifies prāṇa—the vital current that makes aspiration effective; Soma becomes the refined delight/essence offered into consciousness, awakening clarity, strength, and right formation (dakṣa) for the soul’s work (apas).

The seer

  • Madhucchandas VaiśvāmitraVaiśvāmitra (descendant/line of Viśvāmitra; traditionally linked with the Kuśika/Vaiśvāmitra family) · An early ṛṣi of Mandala 1, renowned for concise Gāyatrī hymns that open the Rig Veda’s sacrificial sequence and for shaping the invitatory style of Soma liturgy.

Famous verses

śrudhī havam
Verse 1.2.1Sets the hymn’s core action: inviting Vāyu to approach, drink the prepared Soma, and ‘hear the call,’ establishing Vāyu as the first responder in the Soma rite.Read verse 1.2.1 →
वायविन्द्रश्च चेतथः सुतानां वाजिनीवसू । तावा यातमुप द्रवत् ॥
Verse 1.2.5Highlights the dual synergy of Vāyu and Indra—breath and victorious force—urging them to recognize the pressed Soma and come quickly to the offering.Read verse 1.2.5 →
dakṣaṃ dadhāte apasam
Verse 1.2.9Concludes with Mitra-Varuṇa granting dakṣa (discerning power/right formation) for apas (effective work), giving the hymn a finishing aim beyond offering: successful right action.Read verse 1.2.9 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Swift and near-at-hand to invocation
  • First Soma-drinker in many Soma rites
  • Life-giving breath and mover of energies
  • Radiant/visible presence (darśata)
  • Listener to prayer (śrudhi havam)
  • Works in synergy with Indra’s power and Mitra-Varuṇa’s order

Also by this seer

  • Traditionally associated with RV 1.1–1.10 (including the Agni opening hymn RV 1.1)
  • Early Mandala 1 Gāyatrī-style invocations used as models for later Soma-yajña call-and-response patterns

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the Soma (pressing/straining) and set it forth as ‘araṃkṛta’ (rightly arranged).
  • Recite the opening Gāyatrī to invite Vāyu to approach and drink.
  • Repeat invocations as the Soma is presented, emphasizing listening/acceptance of the call.
  • Invoke the dual pair Vāyu–Indra to ‘take cognizance’ of the pressed Soma and hasten to the offering.
  • Conclude with an appeal to Mitra-Varuṇa for dakṣa (right discernment) to accomplish the rite’s intended work (apas).

Offerings

  • Pressed Soma (suta soma)
  • Soma-libations (graha offerings)
  • Accompanying praise/hymn as an offering of speech (vāc)

Frequently Asked Questions

It is an invitatory Soma hymn: it calls Vāyu to come quickly, drink the prepared Soma, and attend to the worshipper’s prayer, ensuring the rite becomes effective.

In many Soma-pressing traditions Vāyu is treated as the first Soma-drinker; as breath and swift motion, he represents the immediate energizing of the sacrifice.

The closing prayer asks Mitra-Varuṇa to place dakṣa (right discernment and skilled ordering) in the worshipper so the ritual ‘work’ (apas) is properly formed and fulfilled.

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