Rig Veda 2.36.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 36, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.36
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra-associated heroic powers, within Soma-invitation frame
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यज्ञैः सम्मिश्लाः पृषतीभिॠष्टिभिर्यामञ्छुभ्रासो अञ्जिषु प्रिया उत । आसद्या बर्हिर्भरतस्य सूनवः पोत्रादा सोमं पिबता दिवो नरः ॥
yajñáiḥ sammiślā́ḥ pṛ́ṣatībhiḥ ṛṣṭí-bhir yā́man chubhrā́saḥ añjíṣu priyā́ uta | āsádyā barhír bharatasya sūnavaḥ potrā́d ā́ sómaṃ pibatā divó naraḥ ||
Mezclados con los sacrificios, brillantes en vuestro camino, queridos en vuestros arneses resplandecientes, armados con lanzas de voluntad eficaz — venid; sentaos en el barhis, oh hijos de Bharata. Bebed el Soma de la ofrenda del Potṛ, oh varones del cielo, héroes del mundo luminoso.
Word by Word
- यज्ञैः
- with sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot यज्ञ
- सम्मिश्लाः
- mingled together, blendedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सम्-मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक: सम्मिश्ल)
- पृषतीभिः
- with the speckled (mares/cows)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot पृषती
- ऋष्टिभिः
- with lances/spearsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot ऋष्टि
- यामन्
- course, journey, pathNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यामन्
- शुभ्रासः
- bright, shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शुभ्र
- अञ्जिषु
- in the unguents/ointments (i.e., in anointings)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अञ्जि
- प्रियाः
- dear, belovedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot प्रिय
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उत
- आसद्य
- having sat down/approachedVerbal (absolutive)क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (ल्यप्); अव्ययभावRoot आ-√सद्
- बर्हिः
- the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot बर्हिस्
- भरतस्य
- of BharataNoun (proper/tribal)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root भरत
- सूनवः
- sons, offspringNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सूनु
- पोत्रात्
- from the Poṭra (priestly office/seat)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी; एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot पोत्र
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सोम
- पिबत
- drink!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √पा
- दिवः
- of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root दिव्
- नरः
- men, heroes (O men)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नर
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): यज्ञैः | सम्मिश्लाः | पृषतीभिः | ऋष्टिभिः | यामन् | शुभ्रासः | अञ्जिषु | प्रियाः | उत | आसद्य | बर्हिः | भरतस्य | सूनवः | पोत्रात् | सोमम् | पिबत | दिवः | नरः । Notes: (1) पृषतीभिॠ॒ष्टिभिः → पृषतीभिः ऋष्टिभिः (इ/ऋ संधि with RV orthography)
- (2) याम॑ञ्छु॒भ्रासो॑ → यामन् शुभ्रासः (न् + श् → ञ्छ्)
- (3) अ॒ञ्जिषु॑ is loc. pl. of अञ्जि- (Vedic), ‘in anointings/unguents’
- (4) पो॒त्रादा → पोत्रात् (abl. sg.; final -t before voiced/initial vowel often written with -d in saṃhitā)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Mixed with the sacrifices, bright on their journey, dear in shining harness, armed with spears—come, sit on the sacred grass, O sons of Bharata. Drink the Soma from the Potṛ’s offering, O heroes of heaven.
Inner meaning
The verse calls to the ‘divó naraḥ’—heroic luminous powers (often read as Indra’s companions or Marut-like forces) that move with the yajña (the inner work). Their ‘spears’ (ṛṣṭi) are pointed wills, capacities to pierce resistance; their ‘shining harness’ (añjiṣu) is the clarified vital equipment made luminous by aspiration. ‘Sons of Bharata’ can be read inwardly as powers born of the bearing/maintaining flame (bhar- root: to bear, to carry): energies that uphold the sacrifice. They are invited to the barhis (the prepared seat of receptivity in consciousness) and to drink Soma from the Potṛ—symbol of purification/cleansing selection in the rite, i.e., the faculty that filters and refines the offering so only the pure essence is taken up by the powers.
Universal truth
Effective spiritual action requires luminous energies that are disciplined, bright, and armed with a will that can pierce confusion. When the being becomes a prepared seat of receptivity and the offering is purified, the higher forces can enter and be nourished by joy.
Themes
Soma-ritual, invitation and seating, purification (Potṛ), heroic luminous powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 2.36 (hymn context), RV 7.56-7.58 (Marut/heroic power themes, thematic)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s hymnic style often integrates priestly precision (roles like Potṛ) with a luminous-heroic psychology of powers that assist Indra and the sacrifice.
Significance
The seer is assembling the inner entourage—purified, armed energies—to sit in the prepared consciousness and be nourished by Soma, so the work proceeds with bright force and right purification.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra-associated heroic powers (divó naraḥ)
- Epithets
- divó naraḥ, śubhrāsaḥ (bright ones), bharatasya sūnavaḥ (sons of Bharata)
- Related deities
- Indra, Maruts (probable nuance), Agni (as bearer of the sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Assist the luminous sovereignty (Indra) in the sacrifice; embody swift, bright force that supports the journey of the yajña and combats resistance.
Inner power
Purified dynamic energies—courage, initiative, disciplined vitality—fed by delight and guided by higher light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma invitation to a group of deities/powers; explicit mention of Potṛ indicates a formal Śrauta Soma setting.
य॒ज्ञैः सम्मि॑श्ला॒: पृष॑तीभिॠ॒ष्टिभि॒र्याम॑ञ्छु॒भ्रासो॑ अ॒ञ्जिषु॑ प्रि॒या उ॒त । आ॒सद्या॑ ब॒र्हिर्भ॑रतस्य सूनवः पो॒त्रादा सोमं॑ पिबता दिवो नरः ॥
य॒ज्ञैः । सम्ऽमि॑श्लाः । पृष॑तीभिः । ऋ॒ष्टिऽभिः॑ । याम॑न् । शु॒भ्रासः॑ । अ॒ञ्जिषु॑ । प्रि॒याः । उ॒त । आ॒ऽसद्य॑ । ब॒र्हिः । भ॒र॒त॒स्य॒ । सू॒न॒वः॒ । पो॒त्रात् । आ । सोम॑म् । पि॒ब॒त॒ । दि॒वः॒ । न॒रः॒ ॥
yajñaiḥ | sam-miślāḥ | pṛṣatībhiḥ | ṛṣṭi-bhiḥ | yāman | śubhrāsaḥ | añjiṣu | priyāḥ | uta | āsadya | barhiḥ | bharatasya | sūnavaḥ | potrāt | ā | somam | pibata | divaḥ | naraḥ
44
4×11 syllables (probable)
Processional and invitational; first half describes movement and armament, second half settles into seating and drinking.
Energizes and then stabilizes—calls forces in, seats them, and nourishes them.
- दिवो नरः (divo naraḥ)
- Literal: men/heroes of heaven. Symbolic: luminous powers/energies acting from higher consciousness
- यज्ञैः सम्मिश्लाः (yajñaiḥ sammiślāḥ)
- Literal: mingled with sacrifices. Symbolic: inseparable from the inner work; energies that grow by offering
- ऋष्टिभिः (ṛṣṭibhiḥ)
- Literal: with spears. Symbolic: piercing will, decisive force against resistance
- शुभ्रासः (śubhrāsaḥ)
- Literal: bright, white, radiant. Symbolic: purified energies free from tamas
- अञ्जिषु (añjiṣu)
- Literal: in harness/ornament. Symbolic: organized vital instrumentation made luminous
- बर्हिः (barhiḥ)
- Literal: sacrificial grass-seat. Symbolic: prepared receptive field in consciousness
- पोत्रात् (potrāt)
- Literal: from the Potṛ. Symbolic: from the purifier-faculty that strains/refines the offering
- सोमम् (somam)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: delight-essence that feeds higher action
Soma rite: seating on barhis and drinking Soma from Potṛ’s portion; emphasizes purification/fitness of offering
During Soma offering sequences to Indra’s company/assistants; as an ‘āhvāna’ (invitation) to take the seat and partake.
Inviting deities to barhis; offering Soma from Potṛ’s portion; inwardly, establishing receptivity and purified enjoyment.
Use when needing organized, purified energy (e.g., before difficult tasks): invite bright forces, seat them in calm receptivity, and feed them with a refined joy rather than agitation.
√yaj ‘to worship/sacrifice’ indicates ordered offering, aligning with ṛta. √sad ‘to sit’ marks establishment of the gods in the prepared seat (barhis). ṛṣṭi ‘spear’ relates to piercing/straightening force; psychologically the sharpened will that cleaves obscurity.
Ṛta as harmony of powers in yajña, descent and establishment of higher forces into the prepared seat (barhis)
Implied: purified, bright energies moving in ordered ‘yāman’ (path/journey) reflect ṛta.
Truth is protected through purification—only the refined essence is taken up by the powers.
Formation of a divine entourage through sacrifice—energies are shaped, armed, and seated in the right field.
Symbolic yajña psychology: deities/powers as functional principles within consciousness.
Journey = progressive movement of sadhana; spear = will; harness = organized vital; barhis = receptive mind-field; heaven = illumined plane.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The descent of the luminous ‘heavenly heroes’ to the barhis-seat and their drinking of Soma: a recurring mythic action where divine powers come to the human sacrifice to be strengthened, enabling victory over obscurity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yajñá- (from √yaj) participates in the Indo-Iranian sacrificial lexicon (Av. yasna-). div- ‘sky, shining’ (divó) continues PIE *dyeu- ‘sky/daylight’, central to IE poetics of brightness and divinity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s rite ‘mixes’ and harmonizes the powers with yajña; the devatās respond by approaching, taking their seat, and assimilating Soma—an exchange where correct ordering invites effective descent.
Invoke ‘bright energies’ of disciplined action; seat them in a calm receptive awareness; offer refined joy (Soma) to prevent force from becoming restless.
A few rounds of energizing inhale + long exhale; then recite with steady exhale to ‘seat’ the forces.
Luminous dynamism held inside calm receptivity.
When power rises, purify it (Potṛ principle): remove irritation, ambition, and haste; keep only the clear intent. Then act with spear-like will but from a seated inner stillness.
Exact Vedic accents depend on the Saṃhitā notation; keep the triṣṭubh pāda breaks and honor marked udātta peaks (especially on key invocatory nouns).
Let the first pāda move like a procession; slightly lengthen at ‘āsadyā barhiḥ’ to enact ‘sitting down’.
sammiślāḥ: pronounce śl conjunct cleanly, pṛṣatībhir: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṭ, ṛṣṭibhir: initial vocalic ṛ; keep ṣṭ cluster, añjiṣu: palatal ñ; short i, bharatasya: dental bh + r; avoid ‘bharath’, potrād ā: keep tr cluster; clear long ā after sandhi
Bright and steady; energetic in descriptive pādas, settled in invitational pādas.
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.
