Rig Veda 8.36.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 36, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.36
- Rishi
- Atri lineage explicitly invoked
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अत्रीणां स्तोममद्रिवो महस्कृधि पिबा सोमं मदाय कं शतक्रतो । यं ते भागमधारयन्विश्वाः सेहानः पृतना उरु ज्रयः समप्सुजिन्मरुत्वाँ इन्द्र सत्पते ॥
atrī́ṇāṃ stómam adrivo maháḥ kṛdhi píbā sómaṃ mádāya káṃ śatakrato | yáṃ te bhāgám adhārayan víśvāḥ sehānáḥ pṛ́tanā urú jráyaḥ sám apsu-jín marútvān indra sat-pate ||
O Steinträger (adrivo), mache den Hymnus der Atris zu Größe; trink Soma zum Rausch der Freude, o Śatakratu. Jenen Anteil, den alle Schlachten, vorandrängend, in dir festgesetzt haben—mit ihm schreite voran in weitem sieghaften Ansturm; siege in den Wassern der Tiefe, o Indra mit den Maruts, Herr der Wahrhaftigen (satpati).
Word by Word
- अत्रीणाम्
- of the AtrisNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive-relation)Root अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमम्
- hymn of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्रिवः
- O stone-bearer (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अद्रिवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- महः
- greatness; mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (Vedic: ‘महः’ as object)Role कर्मRoot महत्/महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृधि
- make!; do!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root कृ (धातु)
- पिब
- drink!Verbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root पा (धातु)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- मदाय
- for exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (purpose)Root मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- कम्
- (some/which)Pronoun/Indefiniteपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (enclitic interrog./indef.)Role कर्म (adverbial/idiomatic)Root क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शतक्रतो
- O of a hundred powers (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot शतक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- यम्
- which; whomPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भागम्
- share; portionNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधारयन्
- they placed/held (for you)Verbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root धृ (धातु) + अधि- (उपसर्ग)
- विश्वाः
- all (the peoples/hosts)Adjective (substantive)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- सेहानः
- prevailing; overpoweringParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (कर्तरि) वर्तमान/परिपूर्णभाव-प्रायःRole कर्तृ (to following action/epithet)Root सह् (धातु) → सेह (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; Vedic perfect/participle formation)
- पृतनाः
- battles; hostile hostsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्म/विषय (object of overcoming)Root पृतना (प्रातिपदिक)
- उरु
- widely; broadAdjective/Adverbनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (adverbial)Role विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषणRoot उरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्रयः
- advance; onrushNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (Vedic nom. in -ः)Role अधिकारण/परिणाम (as ‘course/advance’)Root ज्रयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- समप्सुजित्
- conquering in the waters (or: in the streams)Adjective (compound epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सम्-अप्सु-जित् (समास; √जि ‘to conquer’)
- मरुत्वान्
- accompanied by the MarutsAdjective (possessive)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot मरुत्वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्पते
- O lord of the good/true (patron)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सत्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): अत्रीणाम् | स्तोमम् | अद्रिवः | महः | कृधि | पिब | सोमम् | मदाय | कम् | शतक्रतो | यम् | ते | भागम् | अधारयन् | विश्वाः | सेहानः | पृतनाः | उरु | ज्रयः | समप्सुजित् | मरुत्वान् | इन्द्र | सत्पते । प्रमुख-सन्धि: (1) महस्कृधि → महः + कृधि (visarga before k)
- (2) पिबा सोमं → पिब + सोमम् (pada form ‘पिब’)
- (3) मदाय कं → मदाय + कम्
- (4) भागमधारयन् → भागम् + अधारयन्
- (5) विश्वाः सेहानः → visarga before s
- (6) समप्सुजिन्मरुत्वाँ → समप्सुजित् + मरुत्वान् (final -t before m; Vedic sandhi/orthography)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, wielder of the stone, is asked to make the hymn of the Atris great; he is urged to drink Soma for ecstasy. With the portion set for him, he is asked to overcome all battles, advance with wide victorious drive, and conquer in the depths, with the Maruts, lord of truth.
Inner meaning
The ‘stone’ (adri) is the pressing-stone—outerly for Soma, inwardly the concentrated will/force that expresses bliss from within experience. Indra is asked to magnify (mahaḥ kṛdhi) the mantra-power (stoma) of the Atris—i.e., to increase the effective soul-force of the Word in the seeker. Soma is the delight-substance released by pressure (tapas). When Indra drinks it, the illumined mind becomes ecstatic and potent, capable of leading the whole being through conflicts and into victory in the subconscious depths, supported by the Maruts’ dynamic energies.
Universal truth
Mantra becomes transformative when the illumined intelligence takes up the pressed delight and magnifies the Word into lived power, enabling victory over both visible struggles and hidden subconscious resistances.
Themes
Power of hymn (brahma/stoma) to magnify Indra-force, Soma-ecstasy, Inner conquest
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri lineage (explicit: atrīṇām)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.40 (Atri), RV 8.36.7 (references Atri’s works)
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns are associated with the recovery of light and the power of the seer’s work (karmāṇi) under Indra’s aid; emphasis on mantra efficacy.
Significance
By naming the Atris, the verse anchors the mantra in a lineage of realized speech: the Word is not ornament but a force Indra can ‘make great’ within the practitioner.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Maruts)
- Epithets
- adrivaḥ, śatakratu, marutvān, satpati
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati (word-force affinity)
Cosmic role
Receives Soma, empowers hymns, leads divine victory over obstruction, and widens the being.
Inner power
Illumined mind that, through concentrated will (pressing-stone), turns delight into mantra-force and victorious action in all layers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and Indra libation; praise of seer-lineage offering
अत्री॑णां॒ स्तोम॑मद्रिवो म॒हस्कृ॑धि॒ पिबा॒ सोमं॒ मदा॑य॒ कं श॑तक्रतो । यं ते॑ भा॒गमधा॑रय॒न्विश्वा॑: सेहा॒नः पृत॑ना उ॒रु ज्रय॒: सम॑प्सु॒जिन्म॒रुत्वाँ॑ इन्द्र सत्पते ॥
अत्री॑णाम् । स्तोम॑म् । अ॒द्रि॒ऽवः॒ । म॒हः । कृ॒धि॒ । पिब॑ । सोम॑म् । मदा॑य । कम् । श॒त॒क्र॒तो॒ इति॑ शतऽक्रतो । यम् । ते॒ । भा॒गम् । अधा॑रयन् । विश्वाः॑ । से॒हा॒नः । पृत॑नाः । उ॒रु । ज्रयः॑ । सम् । अ॒प्सु॒ऽजित् । म॒रुत्वा॑न् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । स॒त्ऽप॒ते॒ ॥
atrīṇām | stomam | adri-vaḥ | mahaḥ | kṛdhi | piba | somam | madāya | kam | śatakrato itiśata-krato | yam | te | bhāgam | adhārayan | viśvāḥ | sehānaḥ | pṛtanāḥ | uru | jrayaḥ | sam | apsu-jit | marutvān | indra | sat-pate
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4 × ~12
Grave and expansive; supports the idea of ‘making great’ (mahas) and sustained insistence of the refrain.
Elicits a dignified power; the repeated refrain acts like a hammering ‘press’ that releases energy.
- अद्रिवः (adrivaḥ)
- Literal: wielder of the stone. Symbolic: holder of concentrated force; master of the press—tapas that releases Soma (Ananda)
- स्तोम (stoma)
- Literal: hymn, chant. Symbolic: formed mantra-force; organized aspiration and invocation
- अत्रीणाम् (atrīṇām)
- Literal: of the Atris. Symbolic: seer-lineage of inner work—recovery of light; in practice, the awakened parts of the being that can utter true mantra
- महः कृधि (mahaḥ kṛdhi)
- Literal: make (it) great. Symbolic: increase potency, widen consciousness, intensify effective realization
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: Ananda released by inner pressure
- ब्रह्म (implicit in stoma)
- Literal: sacred formulation. Symbolic: word-power that shapes consciousness
- अप्सुजित् (apsu-jit)
- Literal: victor in waters. Symbolic: mastery in subconscious depths
Soma pressing/chanting context; strengthening the efficacy of the stoma in the sacrifice and in the inner ascent
During Soma yajña, particularly where Indra is invited to accept Soma and empower the chant.
Recite while offering Soma; honor the ṛṣi-lineage and request empowerment of the stoma.
Use before japa/recitation sessions: ask for the mantra to become ‘mahas’—more effective, more luminous, more embodied.
(adrivaḥ): epithet ‘having stones’ (adri ‘stone’); linked to Soma-pressing stones and by extension Indra’s vajra-force; the philological ambiguity supports inner sense: Indra as wielder of the force that ‘presses out’ Soma-delight. (stoma): from √stu ‘praise’ (PIE *(s)teu- ‘to praise’); psychologically mantra as formative speech that increases inner power. (mahaḥ): from √mah ‘to be great’; denotes vastness (bṛhat-like). : imperative from √kṛ ‘do, make’ (PIE *kʷer-).
mantra as shaper of consciousness (stoma → mahaḥ), Rita as victorious ordering through right utterance
True mantra aligns the being to ṛta; victory is the restoration of right vibration/order.
satpati: the Word becomes great when governed by truth, not egoic display.
Speech as a creative power: magnified stoma shapes inner reality; conquest of waters indicates transformation of the subconscious foundation.
Mantra-śakti orientation within integral Vedism.
Stone = concentrated will/tapas; Soma = bliss extracted; waters = subconscious; storm = mobilized prāṇa for execution.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the efficacy of inspired speech allied to Indra: the stoma is to be made ‘mahaḥ’ (vast), so that Indra’s victorious force may operate. Indra as adrivaḥ links to Soma pressing (release of delight) and to the thunder-force that breaks resistance; the inner battles are won by magnified mantra-power and assimilated Soma.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The core is inherited ‘praise-poetry’ technology: stoma from √stu (PIE *(s)teu-), kṛdhi from √kṛ (PIE *kʷer-), mahaḥ from √mah, showing the Indo-European nexus of ‘praise → power’. The epithetic vocative adrivaḥ exemplifies the formulaic compound/derivative style typical of archaic IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer-community (Atris) asks Indra to enlarge their hymn into a field of greatness—i.e., to accept it, inhabit it, and turn it into effective force. Reciprocity is explicit: the offering of Soma and stoma gives Indra his ‘share’; Indra returns as the victorious will that overcomes all inner conflicts and establishes the seeker in sat (true being).
‘Press’ the experience: gather attention, apply gentle inner pressure, receive Soma-like joy, then let the mantra expand and act downward into the depths.
Viśuddha (mantra/speech) empowered by Maṇipūra (tapas/force)
Ujjāyī with soft constriction; repeat ‘stomam… mahas kṛdhi’ on exhale to deepen resonance in throat and chest.
Charged stillness—speech arising from depth, not surface mind.
Chant 9 or 27 times, then sit silently and feel the ‘word’ descending into the belly and pelvis (waters), dissolving one stubborn habit.
Three-tone Vedic; treat ‘atrīṇāṃ stomam’ as a respectful invocation; keep refrain consistent across verses for meditative continuity.
Give weight to ‘adrivo’ and ‘mahaḥ kṛdhi’; slightly lengthen the pause before ‘pibā somaṃ’ to mark the invitation.
atrīṇām: long ī; retroflex ṇ, adrivaḥ: roll ‘dr’ lightly; visarga ḥ soft, mahaḥ: audible visarga, kṛdhi: vocalic ṛ; aspirated dh
Deep, steady, authoritative; let consonants be clear without harshness.
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