Rig Veda 7.90.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 90, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.90
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Vāyu
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्र वीरया शुचयो दद्रिरे वामध्वर्युभिर्मधुमन्तः सुतासः । वह वायो नियुतो याह्यच्छा पिबा सुतस्यान्धसो मदाय ॥
prá vīra-yā́ śúcayo dadrire vām adhvaryúbhir mádhu-mantaḥ sutā́saḥ | váha vāyo ni-yúto yā́hy ácchā píbā sutásyā́ndhaso mádāya ||
Vorwärts, mit Heldenkraft, sind zu euch beiden die reinen, ausgepressten Gaben geeilt, von den Adhvaryus bereitet, honigreich. O Vāyu, bring deine angeschirrten Gespanne; komm her — trink vom ausgepressten Soma, von seinem Saft, zur berauschenden Wonne, die das Sein weitet.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वीरया
- with/through (your) manly power/heroic strengthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन (instrumental sg.)Role KaraṇaRoot वीर (prātipadika)
- शुचयः
- the bright/pure onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role KartāRoot शुचि (prātipadika)
- दद्रिरे
- have run/streamed forthVerbलिट् (perfect); 3rd person plural; परस्मैपदRoot दृ (धातु; Vedic perfect/reduplicated)
- वाम्
- of you two (O Indra–Vāyu / the two gods)Pronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया-द्विवचन रूप (Vedic enclitic); here genitive dual ‘of you two’Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (pronoun)
- अध्वर्युभिः
- by the adhvaryu-priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचन (instr. pl.)Role KaraṇaRoot अध्वर्यु (prātipadika)
- मधुमन्तः
- honeyed, sweetAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role KartāRoot मधुमन्त् (prātipadika)
- सुतासः
- the pressed (soma-draughts)Noun (kṛdanta used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role KartāRoot सुत (PPP from √सु ‘to press’)
- वह
- carry! bring!Verbलोट् (imperative); 2nd person singular; परस्मैपदRoot वह् (धातु)
- वायो
- O VāyuNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन (voc. sg.)Root वायु (prātipadika)
- नियुतः
- the yoked teams (of horses), niyutsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचन (acc. pl.)Role KarmaRoot नियुत् (prātipadika)
- याहि
- come, goVerbलोट् (imperative); 2nd person singular; परस्मैपदRoot या (धातु)
- अच्छा
- hither, towards (us)Indeclinabledirectional adverbRoot अच्छा (indeclinable)
- पिब
- drink!Verbलोट् (imperative); 2nd person singular; परस्मैपदRoot पा (धातु)
- सुतस्य
- of the pressed (soma)Noun (kṛdanta)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन (gen. sg.)Root सुत (PPP from √सु)
- अन्धसः
- of the soma-juice, of the draughtNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन (gen. sg.)Root अन्धस् (prātipadika)
- मदाय
- for exhilaration, for intoxicationNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचन (dat. sg.)Role SampradānaRoot मद (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): प्र | वीरया | शुचयः | दद्रिरे | वाम् | अध्वर्युभिः | मधुमन्तः | सुतासः || वह | वायो | नियुतः | याहि | अच्छा | पिब | सुतस्य | अन्धसः | मदाय || Notable: वामध्वर्युभिः → वाम् + अध्वर्युभिः (final -म् before vowel)
- याह्यच्छा → याहि + अच्छा (i + a coalescence in saṃhitā)
- सुतस्यान्धसः → सुतस्य + अन्धसः (y + a junction)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The pure, honey-rich soma pressings prepared by the priests run forward to you both. O Vāyu, bring your yoked teams, come here, and drink the pressed soma-juice for exhilaration.
Inner meaning
Soma is the delight-substance of consciousness distilled by disciplined practice (adhvaryu = the executive will in the sacrifice). The offerings ‘run’ because aspiration becomes dynamic and urgent (pra…dadrire). Vāyu is the life-breath and life-force that can carry the offering upward; his niyut (yoked powers) are the harnessed prāṇic currents. The call to ‘drink for madāya’ is an invitation for the vital being to be intoxicated not by desire but by divine ānanda, expanding the vessel of consciousness.
Universal truth
When aspiration is purified and prepared with skill, the life-force itself becomes an ally: breath and vitality can be yoked to carry consciousness toward joy and wideness rather than restlessness.
Themes
soma-invitation, vital-force-deity, ecstasy-and-widening, ritual-as-inner-yoga
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.90 (Indra–Vāyu/Soma invitations), RV 7.91 (related soma praise, traditional sequence)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns often integrate ethical vastness (Varuṇa) with dynamic ascent (Indra-Vāyu/Soma), showing a complete yoga of purification and energised illumination.
Significance
The seer emphasizes disciplined preparation (inner adhvaryu) and the right energising of prāṇa so that delight supports illumination rather than dispersal.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāyu (with an implied dyad ‘vām’, often Indra–Vāyu in soma context)
- Epithets
- Vāyo (voc.), Niyutvān (implied: possessor of niyuts), Śucipā (contextual pairing with 7.90.2)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Mover of the worlds; carrier of offerings; first drinker of soma in many rites; mediator between earth and heaven through breath/wind.
Inner power
Regulated prāṇa that lifts, clarifies, and gives speed to aspiration; the life-force made luminous and cooperative.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (pavamāna/soma-yāga context), invitation to Vāyu/Indra–Vāyu to drink
प्र वी॑र॒या शुच॑यो दद्रिरे वामध्व॒र्युभि॒र्मधु॑मन्तः सु॒तास॑: । वह॑ वायो नि॒युतो॑ या॒ह्यच्छा॒ पिबा॑ सु॒तस्यान्ध॑सो॒ मदा॑य ॥
प्र । वी॒र॒ऽया । शुच॑यः । द॒द्रिः॒ । वा॒म् । अ॒ध्व॒र्युऽभिः॑ । मधु॑ऽमन्तः । सु॒तासः॑ । वह॑ । वा॒यो॒ इति॑ । नि॒ऽयुतः॑ । या॒हि॒ । अच्छ॑ । पिब॑ । सु॒तस्य॑ । अन्ध॑सः । मदा॑य ॥
pra | vīra-yā | śucayaḥ | dadriḥ | vām | adhvaryu-bhiḥ | madhu-mantaḥ | sutāsaḥ | vaha | vāyo iti | ni-yutaḥ | yāhi | accha | piba | sutasya | andhasaḥ | madāya
48
4 pādas of ~12 syllables each
Longer, flowing, processional; suited to invitation and forward movement.
Breath-lengthening cadence; naturally synchronizes with prāṇa, producing uplift and expansive enthusiasm.
- शुचयः (śucayaḥ)
- Literal: pure ones. Symbolic: Purified movements of offering/aspiration; clarified inner energies
- सुतासः (sutāsaḥ)
- Literal: pressed (soma) offerings. Symbolic: Distilled essence of experience turned into delight for the gods (higher powers)
- अध्वर्यु (adhvaryu)
- Literal: a yajña priest who performs actions. Symbolic: The executive will/skill in sādhanā that prepares the inner oblation
- मधुमन्तः (madhumantaḥ)
- Literal: honey-rich, sweet. Symbolic: Soma charged with sweetness of ānanda, not bitter struggle
- वायो (vāyo)
- Literal: Vāyu, wind. Symbolic: Prāṇa-force; the carrier current between earth-nature and higher mind
- नियुतः (niyutaḥ)
- Literal: yoked teams (pairs). Symbolic: Harnessed prāṇic energies under discipline
- अन्धसः (andhasaḥ)
- Literal: soma-juice/essence. Symbolic: Concentrated delight-substance of consciousness
- मदाय (madāya)
- Literal: for exhilaration/rapture. Symbolic: Ecstatic widening (ānanda that enlarges being)
Soma pressing invitation (pavamāna/soma service): calling Vāyu to the soma to drink first/early; used in Agniṣṭoma and related soma sacrifices.
At soma offering moments, especially early drink for Vāyu (traditional association)
Āhvāna (invocation) and offering of soma; priests chant while soma is presented
Before meditation: a ‘breath-invitation’—offer the day’s energies to be yoked; use as a prāṇāyāma prelude.
(vāyu) from √ ‘to blow’ (wind/breath). (niyut) ‘yoked, harnessed’ from ni- + √ ‘to yoke’ (PIE *yeug-). (madhu) ‘honey, sweetness’ (PIE *medʰu-). (mada) from √ ‘to rejoice, be exhilarated’—psychologically the uplift of consciousness. (andhas) ‘soma juice, sap’ (substance → essence).
prāṇa/vital force as divine power, soma as delight-essence (ānanda) that widens consciousness, disciplined energies (niyut) as yogic harnessing
Right preparation (adhvaryu) and purity (śuci) align the offering with ṛta.
Purity of intention makes soma ‘honey-rich’—truth gives sweetness to effort.
Sustenance of the gods by soma; reciprocity between human aspiration and cosmic powers.
Integral-yogic: prāṇa is not rejected but transformed into a vehicle for ānanda and ascent.
morning (typical Vāyu soma association)
Wind = breath-current; soma = delight-essence; chariot = disciplined psycho-physical system carrying aspiration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘invitation of the wind-god to drink soma’ mythologem: the deity of vital movement is summoned with his yoked teams to partake of the pressed essence, producing māda—an expansive delight that empowers the human journey.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu ‘honey’ is a clear IE inheritance (PIE *medʰu-). √yuj ‘yoke’ (niyut) continues PIE *yeug- (Latin iugum, English yoke). The breath/wind semantics of √vā recur across IE poetic traditions linking wind with spirit and movement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- It is a relationship of offering and empowerment: the ṛṣi and ritual agents prepare the sweet soma; Vāyu is invited to accept it and, by that acceptance, to set the vital energies into a higher joy and forward motion in the sacrificer.
Yoking prāṇa to aspiration; invite the life-force to drink delight and become steady, strong, and luminous.
maṇipūra (vital force) refined upward toward anāhata (joy)
12-count inhale / 12-count exhale for 7 rounds; mentally place ‘vaha vāyo…pibā’ on the inhale, ‘madāya’ on the exhale
Energised widening; prāṇa becomes calm-speed (swift without agitation)
Begin with straight spine; feel offerings ‘run forward’ as your attention gathers. On each breath, imagine prāṇa as Vāyu’s chariot arriving; let delight spread without excitement.
Standard RV accentuation; raise voice gently on vocatives ‘vāyo’ and imperatives ‘yāhy’, ‘pibā’.
Keep ‘pra vīrayā’ strongly articulated; avoid merging ‘yāhy acchā’—make the double aspiration clear.
vīrayā: long ī, clear y glide, adhvaryubhir: cluster dhv; keep ‘yu’ short, niyuto: retroflex? (dental n), keep ‘yu’ clear, andhasaḥ: nasal ndh, do not drop aspiration
Bright, inviting, forward-driving; keep purity (śuci) in tone, not harsh.
3
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
