Rig Veda 6.23.9: Mandala 6, Sukta 23, Mantra 9
Sukta 6.23
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
तं वः सखायः सं यथा सुतेषु सोमेभिरीं पृणता भोजमिन्द्रम् । कुवित्तस्मा असति नो भराय न सुष्विमिन्द्रोऽवसे मृधाति ॥
táṃ vaḥ sakhā́yaḥ sáṃ yáthā sutéṣu sómebhir īṃ pṛṇatá bhojám índram | kúvit tásmā asáti no bharā́ya ná suṣvím índro ’váse mṛdhāti ||
Freunde, füllt und vollendet jenen Indra, den Genießer (bhoja), mit den gepressten Soma-Tränken, wie man es bei den Opfergaben tut; sättigt ihn mit Soma. Gewiss wird er für uns da sein zum Tragen und Herbeibringen der Fülle; Indra lässt den gut Pressenden nicht im Stich, wenn das Seiende seine Hilfe sucht.
Word by Word
- तम्
- him (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (यहाँ पुंलिङ्ग), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सखायः
- friendsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- यथा
- as, so thatIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/उपमानार्थक अव्ययRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- सुतेषु
- in the pressed (Soma-juices)Noun (kṛdanta used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सुत (√सु "to press" → सोम-निष्पन्न; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
- सोमेभिः
- with Soma (draughts)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईम्
- him (indeed)Indeclinableनिपात (प्रायः ‘him/indeed’ बलवाचक/अनुवाचक)Root ईम् (निपात/अव्यय; enclitic)
- पृणत
- fill/satisfy (you all)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √पॄ/पृ (पृणाति) "to fill, satisfy"
- भोजम्
- the bountiful oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root भोज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘giver/enjoyer, bountiful one’)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कुवित्
- perhaps? / is it possible that…?Indeclinableनिपात (perhaps? whether? अर्थे)Root कु + वित् (निपातसमूह; प्रश्न/संशयार्थ)
- तस्मै
- to himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- असति
- in (a case of) absence / when there is notNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (लोके ‘असति’ = ‘in the absence/when there is not’)Role अधिकरणRoot असत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘non-being/absence’)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भराय
- for bringing/helpNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य)Root भर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bringing, support, help’)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक निपातRoot न (अव्यय-निषेध)
- सुष्विम्
- the good presser (of Soma)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (न-मृधाति इत्यस्य)Root सुष्वि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good-pressing/one who presses well’)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवसे
- for help/protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘aid, protection’)
- मृधाति
- fails/neglects (is not hostile)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √मृध् (मृध्नाति/मृधाति) ‘to neglect, be hostile, fail’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (main): वः सखायः (visarga before s-)
- सखायः सं → सखायः सम् (anusvāra before y-)
- यथा सुतेषु (no change)
- सोमेभिः ईम् → सोमेभिरीं (visarga→r before vowel; īm enclitic)
- पृणत + भोजम् + इन्द्रम् (simple juxtaposition)
- कुवित् तस्मै (no change)
- तस्मै असति (vowel contact kept in saṃhitā)
- नः भराय (no change)
- न सुष्विम् इन्द्रः → न सुष्विमिन्द्रः (sandhi: m + i → mi)
- इन्द्रः अवसे → इन्द्रोऽवसे (visarga before vowel → o’)
- अवसे मृधाति (no change)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Friends are told to fill Indra the Enjoyer with pressed Soma. Surely he will support our bringing of wealth; Indra does not fail the one who presses well when help is sought.
Inner meaning
The ‘friends’ (sakhāyaḥ) are the allied powers in us—aspiration, faith, will, and supportive movements of the being—who cooperate in the inner sacrifice. To ‘fill Indra’ is to intensify the illumined Mind with Soma: feed the higher consciousness with distilled delight so it can act fully as bhoja (enjoyer/master of enjoyment), i.e., one who governs and distributes the energies. The mantra affirms a law of sadhana: sincere, well-prepared offering (suṣvim—good pressing) is met by unfailing response. When the being seeks help (avase), Indra does not ‘mṛdhāti’—does not neglect/withhold; he becomes present for ‘bharāya’—the carrying and bringing of plenitude into life.
Universal truth
When the inner practice is done carefully and consistently, higher help becomes reliable. Collective support within the personality (harmonized parts) strengthens the descent of illumination, which then brings real capacity and abundance of being.
Themes
communal exhortation, Soma-ritual, divine reliability, bringing down force (bhṛ)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.23.1-10, RV 6.24.1-10
Family tradition
Bārhaspatya-associated emphasis on cooperative inner forces (sakhāyaḥ) and the efficacy of well-formed offering.
Significance
Bharadvāja often speaks to an inner fraternity—powers that must be brought into concord—so the Indra-force can be filled and act without obstruction.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- bhoja (enjoyer/master), helper who does not fail (na…mṛdhāti)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Receives Soma and empowers victories; ensures the flow of plenitude after right offering.
Inner power
Reliable illumined force that responds to sincerity; turns delight into mastery and effective aid.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing context; exhortation to assistants/companions in the rite to complete offerings to Indra.
तं व॑: सखाय॒: सं यथा॑ सु॒तेषु॒ सोमे॑भिरीं पृणता भो॒जमिन्द्र॑म् । कु॒वित्तस्मा॒ अस॑ति नो॒ भरा॑य॒ न सुष्वि॒मिन्द्रोऽव॑से मृधाति ॥
तम् । वः॒ । स॒खा॒यः॒ । सम् । यथा॑ । सु॒तेषु॑ । सोमे॑भिः । ई॒म् । पृ॒ण॒त॒ । भो॒जम् । इन्द्र॑म् । कु॒वित् । तस्मै॑ । अस॑ति । नः॒ । भरा॑य । न । सुस्वि॑म् । इन्द्रः॑ । अव॑से । मृ॒धा॒ति॒ ॥
tam | vaḥ | sakhāyaḥ | sam | yathā | suteṣu | somebhiḥ | īm | pṛṇata | bhojam | indram | kuvit | tasmai | asati | naḥ | bharāya | na | susvim | indraḥ | avase | mṛdhāti
44
4×11 (approx.)
Communal exhortation with confident assurance in the latter half.
First half energizes collective effort; second half gives trust and steadiness—good for reinforcing faith.
- sakhāyaḥ
- Literal: friends. Symbolic: harmonized inner powers and supportive movements of the seeker
- suteṣu somebhiḥ
- Literal: with pressed Soma-draughts. Symbolic: with distilled delight from practice and experience
- pṛṇatā
- Literal: fill, make full. Symbolic: intensify and sustain higher consciousness with ananda
- bhojam
- Literal: enjoyer, lord of enjoyment. Symbolic: mastery that governs energies and distributes right delight
- bharāya
- Literal: for bearing/bringing. Symbolic: bringing down plenitude into embodied life
- suṣvim
- Literal: the good presser (or good pressing). Symbolic: careful, sincere practice; purified offering
- mṛdhāti
- Literal: fails, injures, neglects. Symbolic: withholding of help—denied here as a spiritual assurance
Soma offering exhortation to the sacrificers/companions; strengthening Indra with Soma for aid in winning plenitude
At moments of pressing and offering when encouraging full libation and confidence in Indra’s response.
Encouraging the pressing/pouring; affirming the deity’s unfailing help.
Use as a group mantra for sangha practice: align supportive parts (‘friends’) and reaffirm that careful practice is met by help—countering doubt.
pṛṇata (imperative 2pl √pṝ ‘fill, satisfy’—to ‘fill’ Indra is to intensify the divine force by offering Soma/delight); bhojam (agent noun from √bhuj ‘enjoy, partake, rule’; Indra as the power that can ‘enjoy/dispense’ the energies); bharāya (dat. √bhṛ ‘bear, carry’; psychologically ‘bringing down’ force/plenitude into the embodied field); su-svim (su- ‘well’ + √sū/√su ‘press/express’; the one who expresses Soma well = one who rightly prepares inner delight); mṛdhāti (present √mṛdh ‘be hostile, injure, neglect’; negated to assert Indra’s reliable aid).
reciprocity of yajña (offering strengthens the god; god strengthens the human), right preparation (su-svim) as condition for grace, āvas (help) as divine response
The ‘law’ that good pressing yields divine response is ṛta as spiritual causality.
Assurance (na…mṛdhāti) expresses satya: truth of divine fidelity to sincere seeking.
Filling the god-force with Soma parallels nourishing the cosmic powers that sustain order and abundance.
Karmayoga-like Vedic psychology: right action (yajña) + right delight (Soma) → descent of power and plenitude.
Pressing = extracting essence from experience; friends = allied faculties; filling = sustained concentration and joy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘strengthening Indra with Soma so he may grant victory and plenitude.’ It encodes the Vedic cycle: the deity is ‘filled’ by the offering and then becomes effective as helper. Inwardly, the aspirant’s well-prepared delight (su-svim Soma) intensifies the Indra-force, which then does not ‘oppose’ but supports the descent/bringing (bhara) of spiritual fullness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘bear/carry’ (bharāya) is a clear PIE inheritance (*bher- ‘carry’; cf. Greek phérō, Latin ferō). √as ‘be’ (asati) continues PIE *h₁es- (cf. English ‘is’). √bhuj (bhojam) relates to PIE *bʰeugʰ-/*bʰug- semantic complex ‘enjoy/use’ (Indo-Iranian shows specialized development).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi speaks as organizer of a collective inner rite: ‘friends’ are urged to complete Indra by Soma. The relationship is transactional only on the surface; psychologically it is participatory—rightly prepared delight awakens the Indra-power, which reliably aids the one who performs the inner pressing with sincerity and skill.
Feed the higher mind with joy: recall moments of pure gratitude, offer them upward, and ask for guidance in action.
Maṇipūra (mastery/strength) supported by Ājñā (illumination)
On inhale: gather ‘Soma’ (felt delight); on exhale: offer upward to the brow/above-head; repeat 12–27 breaths.
Trustful dynamism; cooperative integration of parts.
When inner parts conflict, address them as ‘friends’ and align them to one offering; then act from the illumined center rather than divided impulse.
Rigvedic svaras; emphasize udātta on ‘indraṃ’ and ‘na…mṛdhāti’ for assurance.
Keep the first pāda crisp (instructional); broaden slightly on the final assurance line.
sakhāyaḥ: kh aspirated; long ā, pṛṇatā: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṇ, kuvit: pronounce as ‘ku-vit’ (two beats), suṣvim: retroflex ṣ; short i
Steady and communal; confident closing.
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