Rig Veda 8.97.8: Mandala 8, Sukta 97, Mantra 8
Sukta 8.97
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्मे इन्द्र सचा सुते नि षदा पीतये मधु । कृधी जरित्रे मघवन्नवो महदस्मे इन्द्र सचा सुते ॥
asmé indra sacā́ suté ní ṣadā pītáye mádhu | kṛdhī jaritré maghavann ávo mahat asmé indra sacā́ suté ||
Bei uns, o Indra, gemeinsam — beim gepressten Soma — setz dich nieder, um die Süße zu trinken. Schaffe dem Sänger, o Freigebiger, große Hilfe — hier bei uns, o Indra, beim gepressten Soma.
Word by Word
- अस्मे
- for us / to usPronounद्वितीया/चतुर्थी? (वैदिके) — चतुर्थी एकवचन (अस्मे = अस्मै) ‘हमारे लिये/हममें’Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र
- सचा
- together (with), in companyIndeclinableअव्यय (सह/समं) प्रयोगःRole सहकारक (सहभाव) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot सच् (सचते) / सचा (अव्यय)
- सुते
- in/at the pressed (Soma)Noun (from participle)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (सुते) — ‘सुते (सोमे)’Role अधिकरणRoot सुता (ppp of √सु ‘to press’)
- नि
- down, inPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot नि
- षद
- sit (down)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘सीद’Role क्रिया (इन्द्रस्य) / कर्तृ-प्रवृत्तिःRoot √सद् (सीदति) / वैदिक आज्ञार्थे ‘षद’
- पीतये
- for drinkingVerbal noun / Infinitiveचतुर्थी-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयुक्तः (अर्थे: ‘पानाय’)Role प्रयोजन (उद्देश्य) / सम्प्रदानार्थRoot पीति (from √पा ‘to drink’) / पीतये (inf.)
- मधु
- sweet drink; honey; SomaNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (कर्म)Role कर्मRoot मधु
- कृधी
- make! / do!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (इन्द्रस्य) / कर्तृ-प्रवृत्तिःRoot √कृ (करोति)
- जरित्रे
- for the singer/praiserNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot जरितृ (from √गॄ/√जर् ‘to sing/praise’ → jaritṛ ‘praiser’)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful oneNoun/Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot मघवन्
- अवः
- help, aidNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (वैदिके ‘अवः’ = ‘अवसम्/अवः’ सहायता)Role कर्मRoot अवस्
- महत्
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘अवः’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्म (विशेषणत्वेन)Root महत्
- अस्मे
- for usPronounचतुर्थी एकवचन (अस्मे = अस्मै) — ‘हमारे लिये’Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र
- सचा
- together (with)Indeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot सचा (अव्यय)
- सुते
- in/at the pressed SomaNoun (from participle)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सुता (ppp of √सु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वैदिक-सन्धि-निरसनम्): अस्मे इन्द्र सचा सुते | नि षद (नि + सद् → नि षद, वैदिके ‘ष’ आदेशः) | पीतये मधु | कृधी जरित्रे मघवन् अवः महत् | अस्मे इन्द्र सचा सुते || ‘अस्मे’ वैदिक-प्रयोगे चतुर्थ्यर्थे (अस्मै) बहुधा दृश्यते। ‘सुते’ सप्तमी—‘सुते (सोमे)’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
With us, O Indra, in the pressed Soma, sit down to drink the sweetness. Make for the singer, O Bounteous One, a great help—here with us, O Indra, in the pressed Soma.
Inner meaning
The practitioner invites Indra to ‘sit’ (ni ṣadā) within the prepared inner offering—stabilize illumination in the being. ‘Madhu’ is the sweetness of Soma-bliss; drinking it means the illumined mind assimilates delight and becomes active in us. The ‘singer’ (jaritṛ) is the articulating soul-power that forms mantric speech; it asks for ‘mahad avo’—a large, decisive help: protection, right action, and victorious clarity in life’s battle. The repetition of ‘asme…sute’ seals the intimacy: the divine power is to be present in the very substance of our practice.
Universal truth
When we prepare a sincere inner offering and invite higher intelligence to take its seat within, guidance becomes stable and help becomes large—transforming speech, action, and destiny.
Themes
āsyā/niṣad invitation, Soma drinking, help for the singer, divine companionship
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.97.1-11
Family tradition
Indra-āvāhana and āsana imagery common in Soma hymns; exact seer line not preserved in provided data.
Significance
A practical yogic instruction in mantra-form: prepare delight (Soma), invite illumination to sit, then ask for large help in expression and action.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan (Bounteous One), Indra (lord of luminous mind)
- Related deities
- Agni (seat-maker within), Soma, Bṛhaspati (power of inspired speech)
Cosmic role
Guest of the sacrifice who comes, sits, drinks Soma, and grants help and victory.
Inner power
Settled illumination—clarity that stays; generosity that becomes effective aid in life’s movements.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invited to take seat and drink Soma (āsana + pāna)
अ॒स्मे इ॑न्द्र॒ सचा॑ सु॒ते नि ष॑दा पी॒तये॒ मधु॑ । कृ॒धी ज॑रि॒त्रे म॑घव॒न्नवो॑ म॒हद॒स्मे इ॑न्द्र॒ सचा॑ सु॒ते ॥
अ॒स्मे इति॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । सचा॑ । सु॒ते । नि । ष॒द॒ । पी॒तये॑ । मधु॑ । कृ॒धि । ज॒रि॒त्रे । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । अवः॑ । म॒हत् । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । सचा॑ । सु॒ते ॥
asme iti | indra | sacā | sute | ni | ṣada | pītaye | madhu | kṛdhi | jaritre | magha-van | avaḥ | mahat | asme iti | indra | sacā | sute
Likely Triṣṭubh (with a repeated pāda-like refrain; Book 8 often mixes refrain structures)
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4×11 (approx.), with repetition of the opening phrase as a closing seal
Invitational and settling; the ‘ni ṣadā’ gives a grounding cadence.
Encourages inward settling and sweetness; good for beginning a sitting practice (āsana) and establishing calm force.
- अस्मे (asme)
- Literal: with us/in us. Symbolic: immanence—divine force seated in the practitioner
- सचा (sacā)
- Literal: together with. Symbolic: companionship; co-working of human effort and divine power
- सुते (sute)
- Literal: in the pressed (Soma). Symbolic: in distilled inner delight prepared by discipline
- नि षदा (ni ṣadā)
- Literal: sit down. Symbolic: stabilize; take a settled seat in consciousness
- पीतये मधु (pītaye madhu)
- Literal: to drink sweetness. Symbolic: assimilation of bliss that empowers illumination
- जरित्रे (jaritre)
- Literal: for the singer/praiser. Symbolic: for the mantric soul-voice; the expressive being
- मघवन् (maghavan)
- Literal: bounteous. Symbolic: grace that gives increase—spiritual and practical
- अवो महत् (avo mahat)
- Literal: great help. Symbolic: decisive intervention: protection, right force, victory over obstruction
Seating and offering: inviting Indra to sit at the Soma and grant protection to the singer.
During Soma offering when inviting Indra to the barhis/seat
Āvāhana and āsana; offering madhu/Soma; requesting protection/help for the chanter
Use at the start of meditation: ‘sit with me in this practice’; also before chanting/speaking to request ‘great help’ for truthful expression.
sacā: ‘together with’ (adverbial/instrumental sense). ṣad: imperative from √sad ‘sit’. pītaye: dative infinitive from √pā ‘drink’. madhu: ‘honey/sweet’ (PIE *médʰu ‘honey, mead’). kṛdhī: imperative from √kṛ ‘do/make’. jaritṛ: from √gṛ/√jar? RV jaritṛ ‘singer/praiser’. ávaḥ: help/favor (protective power).
divine presence ‘with us’ as inner descent, madhu as delight that sweetens and empowers consciousness, avaḥ as grace/protective force
Indra’s seated presence supports right action and right speech—expressions of ṛta in life.
The singer seeks help for utterance that carries truth-force, not mere sound.
Establishing the divine guest in the human vessel; descent and fixation of power in matter.
Integral Vedic yoga: descent (āgamanam) and fixation (niṣad) of higher consciousness in embodied practice.
Sweetness = inner bliss; seat = stable consciousness; pressing = tapas/distillation of experience into essence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The hospitality/seat mythologem: the god is invited to ‘sit’ and drink the mead. Interiorly it is the settling of the higher force in the prepared consciousness so that it can act as ‘great help’ (avaḥ mahat).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu is a strong Indo-European cultural isogloss (Skt madhu, Av medu-, Gk méthy, Eng mead). √sad ‘sit’ and √kṛ ‘do’ are core inherited verbal notions used in ritual performatives.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers a place and sweetness (pressed Soma) and asks Indra to reciprocate by establishing protective power for the jaritṛ. The refrain ‘with us…in the pressed Soma’ stresses sustained presence rather than a momentary visitation.
Invite illumined mind to ‘sit’ in the practitioner; cultivate sweetness without slackness; ask for effective help in speech and action.
hṛdaya (sweetness) + ājñā (illumination seated)
Seated practice: inhale ‘asme indra sacā’; exhale ‘ni ṣadā’; then rest for 2 breaths in silence; repeat 7 cycles
From restless seeking to seated presence; from dryness to sweet clarity
Begin your sitting with this verse once; feel Indra ‘taking a seat’ in the brow/heart. Then speak (or journal) one truthful sentence (sūnṛtā) asking for ‘mahad avo’ in the day’s key task.
Chant with a settling downward resolution on ‘ni ṣadā’; keep the repeated ‘asme indra sacā sute’ identical in contour to seal the invocation.
Lightly emphasize ‘pītaye madhu’ (sweetness) and ‘avo mahat’ (great help).
ni ṣadā: retroflex ṣ; keep ‘sadā’ with long ā, maghavann: double n with slight hold; ‘gh’ aspirated, jaritre: ‘j’ soft; short i vowels clear
Seated, resonant, inward; let sweetness color the tone.
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