Rig Veda 6.40.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 40, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.40
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अस्य पिब यस्य जज्ञान इन्द्र मदाय क्रत्वे अपिबो विरप्शिन् । तमु ते गावो नर आपो अद्रिरिन्दुं समह्यन्पीतये समस्मै ॥
ásya píba yásya jajñāná índra madā́ya krátve ápi-bo virapśin | tám u te gā́vo nára ā́po ádrir índuṃ sám ahyan pītáye sám asmai ||
Bebe de esto — de aquello que, nacido en ti, Indra, bebiste para el éxtasis y para el Krátu, la fuerza de voluntad, oh de amplia acción. Para ti, los rayos, las potencias varoniles, las aguas y la piedra de prensar han impulsado juntos esta gota de Soma — juntos para tu bebida, juntos para ti.
Word by Word
- अस्य
- of this (Soma/juice)Pronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्य (षष्ठी)
- पिब
- drink!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम? actually 2nd sg imperative, परस्मैपद, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root पा (पान) धातु
- यस्य
- whosePronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → यस्य (षष्ठी)
- जज्ञानः
- having known (it)Participle (Adjective) used substantivelyपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट-भावः) ‘having known/recognized’Role कर्तृ (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root ज्ञा (ज्ञान) धातु; क्त/क्विप्-प्रकारः: जज्ञा- (परिपूर्ण) → जज्ञान (परस्मैपद-परिपूर्ण-भाव)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदाय
- for exhilarationNounपुं, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (purpose)Root मद (प्रातिपदिक) ‘मद/उन्माद/हर्ष’
- क्रत्वे
- for (your) might/resolveNounपुं, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजनRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘शक्ति/संकल्प/यज्ञ-प्रज्ञा’
- अपिबः
- you drankVerbलुङ् (अorist), मध्यम? actually 2nd sg aorist: ‘अपिबः’, परस्मैपद, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root पा (पान) धातु
- विरप्शिन्
- O strong-limbed oneAdjective (vocative)पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root वि-रप्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-विशेषण) ‘strong-armed/with powerful limbs’ (Vedic epithet)
- तम्
- that (Soma/Indu)Pronounपुं/नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (सम्-अह्यन् इत्यस्य)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → तम् (द्वितीया)
- उ
- indeed/andIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/connecting)Root उ (निपात)
- ते
- your / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (here: षष्ठी ‘of you/your’)Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम) → ते
- गावः
- cowsNounस्त्री, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्-अह्यन्)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- नरः
- menNounपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्-अह्यन्)Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्री, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्-अह्यन्)Root आप् (प्रातिपदिक; plural tantum) ‘waters’
- अद्रिः
- the pressing-stoneNounपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्-अह्यन्)Root अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक) ‘stone; pressing-stone’
- इन्दुम्
- the Soma-dropNounपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (सम्-अह्यन्)Root इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘Soma-drop’
- समह्यन्
- they pressed/preparedVerbलुङ् (aorist), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root सम् + अह्/अह्य् (Vedic) ‘to press/drive together; to prepare’ (here: ‘to press/prepare (Soma)’)
- पीतये
- for drinkingNounस्त्री, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजनRoot पीति (प्रातिपदिक) ‘drinking; draught’
- सम्
- together/fullyIndeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्ग/निपातRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अस्मै
- for him (for Indra)Pronounपुं, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (recipient)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम) → अस्मै
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (Vedic sandhi resolved): अस्य | पिब | यस्य | जज्ञानः | इन्द्र | मदाय | क्रत्वे | अपिबः | विरप्शिन् | तम् | उ | ते | गावः | नरः | आपः | अद्रिः | इन्दुम् | समह्यन् | पीतये | सम् | अस्मै । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) तमु → तम् + उ (anusvāra before vowel)
- (2) अद्रिरिन्दुम् → अद्रिः + इन्दुम् (visarga before vowel, RV orthography often writes -र्-)
- (3) सम॑ह्यन्पी॒तये → समह्यन् + पीतये (final -न् before p-; written as -न्प-)
- (4) सम॑स्मै → सम् + अस्मै (m before vowel; often written together)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Drink of this Soma—of that which, once born in you, Indra, you drank for ecstasy and for will-force, O wide-working one. For you the cows, the strong men, the waters, and the pressing-stone have together driven this Soma-drop for your drinking.
Inner meaning
The Soma is described as ‘born in you’ (jajñāna): delight is not foreign but arises from the awakened Indra-consciousness itself, then is consciously ‘drunk’ to intensify ecstasy and effective will (kratu). The forces that prepare it—cows (rays of knowledge), nara (strong powers of the being), waters (flowing consciousness), and adri (the pressing-stone: concentrated pressure/discipline)—collaborate to distill and propel the Soma-drop (indu) toward the illumined mind for assimilation. This is an inner alchemy: knowledge, strength, flow, and tapas-like pressure produce Ananda that empowers will.
Universal truth
Joy becomes transformative when it is consciously generated and assimilated through a disciplined collaboration of clarity, strength, flow, and concentrated effort. Then delight feeds will, and will expresses delight as effective action.
Themes
Soma as luminous essence, preparation of inner delight, empowerment of will-force, collaboration of faculties
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.40, RV 6.39
Family tradition
Mantric psychology of Soma: delight distilled by disciplined forces and offered to Indra-consciousness
Significance
The seer highlights a key Aurobindonian motif: Soma is produced by inner ‘pressing’—tapas and illumination cooperate to yield Ananda that strengthens kratu (will) for transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Virapśin (wide-working), Somapā (Soma-drinker, implied), Kratumān (possessor of kratu, implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Āpas, Agni (pressing/offerer, implicit), Bṛhaspati (illumined word, allied to cows as rays)
Cosmic role
Receives Soma and becomes the victorious power enabling order and expansion; integrates offerings from multiple cosmic forces.
Inner power
The integrative luminous mind that assimilates delight and converts it into effective will and far-reaching action within the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra emphasizing collaborative preparation of Soma
अस्य॑ पिब॒ यस्य॑ जज्ञा॒न इ॑न्द्र॒ मदा॑य॒ क्रत्वे॒ अपि॑बो विरप्शिन् । तमु॑ ते॒ गावो॒ नर॒ आपो॒ अद्रि॒रिन्दुं॒ सम॑ह्यन्पी॒तये॒ सम॑स्मै ॥
अस्य॑ । पि॒ब॒ । यस्य॑ । ज॒ज्ञ॒नः । न्द्र॒ । मदा॑य । क्रत्वे॑ । अपि॑बः । वि॒ऽर॒प्शि॒न् । तम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । ते॒ । गावः॑ । नरः॑ । आपः॑ । अद्रिः॑ । इन्दु॑म् । सम् । अ॒ह्य॒न् । पी॒तये॑ । सम् । अ॒स्मै॒ ॥
asya | piba | yasya | jajñanaḥ | ndra | madāya | kratve | apibaḥ | vi-rapśin | tam | oṃ iti | te | gāvaḥ | naraḥ | āpaḥ | adriḥ | indum | sam | ahyan | pītaye | sam | asmai
44
4 × ~11
Dense and cumulative; ‘sam…sam…’ repetition creates a gathering cadence
Induces a sense of convergence—many forces joining into one concentrated offering and inner uptake.
- जज्ञनः (jajñānaḥ)
- Literal: born/has arisen. Symbolic: delight arising from awakened consciousness
- क्रत्वे (kratve)
- Literal: for will/intelligence. Symbolic: effective will-force; decisive inner power
- विरप्शिन् (virapśin)
- Literal: wide-working; far-reaching in action. Symbolic: consciousness that can act in many parts of the being
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of knowledge/illumination
- नरः (naraḥ)
- Literal: men/strong ones. Symbolic: robust powers and faculties of the nature
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: currents of consciousness and emotional flow
- अद्रिः (adriḥ)
- Literal: stone/pressing-stone. Symbolic: pressure of tapas; concentrated discipline that extracts essence
- इन्दुम् (indum)
- Literal: Soma-drop. Symbolic: distilled Ananda ready for assimilation
- सम् अह्यन् (sam ahyan)
- Literal: drove together/pressed forward. Symbolic: harmonized collaboration of inner forces toward one offering
Soma offering: emphasizes cooperative preparation (pressing, filtering) and requests Indra to drink for mada and kratu—ecstasy and effective will.
During Soma pressing and offering sequences; especially when invoking Indra’s kratu
Offer pressed Soma; praise the cooperating powers that prepare it
Use when needing coordinated effort: align clarity (cows), strength (nara), emotional flow (waters), and discipline (pressing) to distill joy that fuels will.
krátu-: from √kr ‘to do/make’ → power of effective doing; in Vedic psychology, the decisive will/intelligence. indú- ‘bright drop’ from √ind/indh semantic field of brightness/kindling (outer: Soma drop; inner: luminous essence). adrí- ‘stone’ in Soma ritual; symbolically the pressure of tapas/concentration that extracts the delight. sam- intensifies collectivity: multiple powers collaborate to prepare the Soma-force for Indra’s assimilation.
kratu (effective will), mada (ecstatic widening), collective cooperation of powers (sam-)
The ‘together’ (sam) emphasizes right coordination—Ṛta as harmony of powers producing the offering.
Cows/rays imply truth-illumination as a necessary ingredient in distilling Soma.
Inner birth of Soma within Indra: delight as emergent product of awakened consciousness.
Integral yoga reading: Ananda generated by tapas and illumination strengthens kratu for transformation.
Pressure (tapas) upon the flowing life (waters) under light (cows) yields distilled joy (Soma) that empowers the mind’s will (Indra).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is Soma’s preparation by allied powers and its drinking by Indra for mada and kratu. Innerly, illumination (cows), effective energies (naras), purifying flows (waters), and concentrated pressure (stone) collaborate to express the luminous essence (indu) that feeds the victorious will in the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- kratu (effective power) reflects the archaic IE focus on ‘making/doing’ as power (√kr). √dhā is not present, but the coordinated sam- construction and aorist narrative (apibo) preserve an old Indo-European style: recalling precedent mythic acts to authorize the present ritual request.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi reminds Indra of his own established pattern—he has drunk this Soma before for ecstasy and will—thereby strengthening the claim that Indra should repeat the act now. The rishi also frames the rite as a coordinated inner labor whose product is offered for Indra’s empowering presence.
Generate Soma inwardly: distill joy from experience and consciously ‘drink’ it to strengthen will and clarity.
Maṇipūra (kratu/will) supported by Anāhata (Soma-delight)
On inhale, feel ‘sam’—gathering forces to the center; on exhale, feel ‘pītaye’—assimilating calm joy. Repeat 12 cycles.
Collected, empowered, joy-fed will; readiness for decisive right action.
Before a difficult task, gather four supports: (1) one clear insight (cow-ray), (2) one strong capacity (nara), (3) one calming flow (water—soften emotion), (4) one discipline (adri—firm boundary). Then act from the joy that results.
Rigvedic accenting required; keep the repeated ‘sam’ segments rhythmically consistent; follow śākhā notation (not fully provided).
Give slight rhythmic emphasis to the parallelism: ‘sam … sam …’; maintain a steady cadence to express convergence.
kratve: pronounce kr cluster cleanly; short e at end., virapśin: articulate pś cluster (p + ś) distinctly, not ‘psh’ merged too heavily., adrir: clear dental d; roll r lightly., ahyan: keep h audible; avoid dropping it.
Concentrated, steady, inward-gathering
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