Rig Veda 1.151.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 151, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.151
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
यद्ध त्यद्वां पुरुमीळ्हस्य सोमिनः प्र मित्रासो न दधिरे स्वाभुवः । अध क्रतुं विदतं गातुमर्चत उत श्रुतं वृषणा पस्त्यावतः ॥
yád dha tyád vāṃ purumīḷ́hasya somínaḥ prá mitrā́so ná dadhiré svā́bhuvaḥ | ádha krátuṃ vidataṃ gātúm árcata utá śrutáṃ vṛṣaṇā pastyā́vataḥ ||
Lorsque ces presseurs de Soma, en quête d’une grâce abondante, mettent en avant votre œuvre — telle des amis, d’elle‑même efficace —, alors ils chantent votre Krátu (volonté‑puissance) et trouvent la voie. Et vous, ô deux puissants, vous les faites entendre et les affermissez dans le Pástya, la demeure de leur être.
Word by Word
- यत्
- when; that whichIndeclinable (relative pronoun used adverbially) / Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् प्रथमा/द्वितीया (यत्) — here: ‘when/that (which)’ introducing a clauseRole Adhikaraṇa (clausal/temporal link) / SambandhaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यद्-शब्द
- ह
- indeed; surelyIndeclinableनिपातः (emphatic/confirmatory)Root ह (निपात) / particle
- त्यत्
- that (yonder), that veryPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् प्रथमा/द्वितीया (त्यत्) — ‘that (yonder)’Role Karma (object of implied/understood action) / SambandhaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) with deictic/remote nuance ‘tya-’
- वाम्
- of you two; you twoPronounद्विवचनम् षष्ठी/द्वितीया (वाम्) — ‘of you two / you two’Role Sambandha (genitive) / Karma (if taken as acc.)Root युष्मद् (2nd person pronoun) — enclitic dual gen./acc.
- पुरुमीळ्हस्य
- of the much-praised oneNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे एकवचनम् षष्ठीRole Sambandha (genitive qualifier)Root पुरुमीळ्ह (प्रातिपदिक; epithet ‘much-praised/with many praises’)
- सोमिनः
- of the soma-possessor; of the soma-offererNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे एकवचनम् षष्ठी (Vedic ending -in-aḥ)Role Sambandha (genitive qualifier)Root सोमिन् (प्रातिपदिक ‘having soma; soma-possessing/connected with soma’)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinable (preverb/adverb)उपसर्गः/क्रियाविशेषणम्Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मित्रासः
- the Mitras; allies/friendsNounपुंलिङ्गे बहुवचनम् प्रथमाRole KartāRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like; asIndeclinableउपमानार्थकः निपातःRoot न (उपमा-निपात)
- दधिरे
- they have set/placed; they establishedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श) आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot धा (धातु) ‘to place, set’
- स्वाभुवः
- self-powerful; self-existent onesAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्गे बहुवचनम् प्रथमाRole Kartā (apposition to मित्रासः)Root स्वाभू (प्रातिपदिक; ‘self-existent/independent, of own power’)
- अध
- then; thereafterIndeclinableअनन्तरार्थक/अनुक्रमण-निपातः (‘then, thereupon’)Root अध (निपात)
- क्रतुम्
- power of will; resolve; ritual skillNounपुंलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीयाRole KarmaRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विदतम्
- found; discovered; obtainedParticiple (verbal adjective)नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (agreeing with गातुम्) / or adjectival to an implied objectRole Karma (qualifier)Root विद् (धातु) ‘to find/know’ → क्त (past passive participle) / or adjectival ‘found, obtained’
- गातुम्
- path; way; courseNounपुंलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीयाRole KarmaRoot गातु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘path, course, going’)
- अर्चत
- they praised; they sangVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot अर्च् (धातु) ‘to praise, sing’
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकः (‘and also’)Root उत (निपात)
- श्रुतम्
- heard; renowned; famedParticiple (verbal adjective)नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (as object alongside क्रतुम्/गातुम्) or adjectival ‘famed’Role KarmaRoot श्रु (धातु) ‘to hear’ → क्त (past passive participle) / ‘heard, famed’
- वृषणा
- O you two bulls (mighty ones)Noun (dual)पुंलिङ्गे द्विवचनम् प्रथमा (Vedic dual form) — vocative/nom. dual used for the addressed pairRole Kartā (if taken as subject) / Sambodhana (if taken as address)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक ‘bull, strong one’)
- पस्त्यावतः
- dwelling-possessing; having a home/abodeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्विवचनम् प्रथमा/सम्बोधन (agreeing with वृषणा)Role Kartā / SambodhanaRoot पस्त्यावत् (प्रातिपदिक ‘having a dwelling/home; possessing homestead’)
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution: यद्ध॒ → यत् + ह
- त्यद्वां॑ → त्यत् + वाम्
- सोमिन॒: → सोमिनः
- मित्रासो॒ → मित्रासः
- द॑धि॒रे → दधिरे
- स्वा॒भुव॑: → स्वाभुवः
- क्रतुं॑ → क्रतुम्
- गा॒तुमर्च॑त → गातुम् + अर्चत
- उ॒त → उत
- श्रु॑तं → श्रुतम्
- वृषणा प॒स्त्या॑वतः kept as two padas (dual nominative/vocative agreement). Accents (udātta/svarita) are notated in the Saṃhitā but not reproduced per-pada here beyond the given text
The meaning
Outer meaning
When Soma-pressers seeking abundant grace set forth your work like friends, self-effective, they hymn your will and find the path; and you two mighty ones make them heard and settled in their dwelling.
Inner meaning
The Soma-pressers are the inner workers extracting bliss (soma) from experience. When they place forward the divine working (your kratu) with the openness of friendship (mitrāsaḥ), it becomes self-effective (svābhuvaḥ): the will of Mitra-Varuṇa acts from within rather than as imposed rule. Then the seeker discovers the gātu—an inner passage/path of progress—and is ‘heard’ (śrutam): the soul’s call reaches the higher planes and returns as guidance. ‘Home’ (pastyā) becomes the settled poise of the being, no longer wandering in mixed impulses.
Universal truth
Grace increases when effort becomes sincere collaboration with the Divine. When inner work aligns with truth and harmony, the path reveals itself and the being becomes inwardly established.
Themes
Soma-ritual, path-finding, divine response, effective will, dual sovereignty
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Aucathya (traditional)
- Lineage
- Aucathya (probable)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.164, Rig Veda 1.165, Rig Veda 1.166
Family tradition
Seer-poetry emphasizing hidden correspondences: soma-work, path-finding, and establishment in ṛta.
Significance
The verse highlights a key yogic movement: when the divine will is accepted as one’s own true will (svābhu), progress becomes natural and the path opens.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- vṛṣaṇā (the two mighty/virile ones), purumīḻha (rich in grace), svābhu (self-effective)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Indra
Cosmic role
They make the rite effective by right will (kratu), and establish the human in a stable order (pastyā).
Inner power
Power to convert aspiration into a self-sustaining discipline; grants inner hearing and guidance; reveals the path of truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña context (theme of sominaḥ); also general Mitra-Varuṇa stotra usage
यद्ध॒ त्यद्वां॑ पुरुमी॒ळ्हस्य॑ सो॒मिन॒: प्र मि॒त्रासो॒ न द॑धि॒रे स्वा॒भुव॑: । अध॒ क्रतुं॑ विदतं गा॒तुमर्च॑त उ॒त श्रु॑तं वृषणा प॒स्त्या॑वतः ॥
यत् । ह॒ । त्यत् । वा॒म् । पु॒रु॒ऽमी॒ळ्हस्य॑ । सो॒मिनः॑ । प्र । मि॒त्रासः॑ । न । द॒धि॒रे । सु॒ऽआ॒भुवः॑ । अध॑ । क्रतु॑म् । वि॒द॒त॒म् । गा॒तुम् । अर्च॑ते । उ॒त । श्रु॒त॒म् । वृ॒ष॒णा॒ । प॒स्त्य॑ऽवतः ॥
yat | ha | tyat | vām | puru-mīḷhasya | sominaḥ | pra | mitrāsaḥ | na | dadhire | su-ābhuvaḥ | adha | kratum | vidatam | gātum | arcate | uta | śrutam | vṛṣaṇā | pastya-vataḥ
44
4 × 11 (approx.)
Directive and progressive, with a ‘path-opening’ cadence.
Encourages resolve and confidence; supports the feeling of being guided and inwardly established.
- सोमिनः (sominaḥ)
- Literal: Soma-pressers. Symbolic: Inner practitioners extracting delight/essence from life; refiners of consciousness
- पुरुमीळ्हस्य (purumīḻhasya)
- Literal: of much grace/praise-worthy. Symbolic: Abundant divine favour responding to sincere offering
- मित्रासः (mitrāsaḥ)
- Literal: as friends. Symbolic: Attitude of conscious alliance with the Divine (not fear-based obedience)
- स्वाभुवः (svābhuvaḥ)
- Literal: self-becoming, self-effective. Symbolic: Spontaneous right action arising from inner truth-nature
- क्रतुं (kratuṃ)
- Literal: will, intelligent force. Symbolic: Effective divine intention organizing the sacrifice of life
- गातुम् (gātum)
- Literal: path, passage. Symbolic: Inner way through obscurity; a channel of progress
- श्रुतम् (śrutam)
- Literal: heard. Symbolic: Answered prayer; receptivity established between human and divine consciousness
- पस्त्यावतः (pastyāvataḥ)
- Literal: having a dwelling/home. Symbolic: Settled inner station—stable consciousness in the psychic/home of being
Soma context explicit (sominaḥ): hymn for Soma pressing, seeking the pair’s grace to establish right working (kratu) and open the path (gātu).
During Soma pressing/praise sequences; or as an invocation before concentrated inner work.
Offering praise and aligning will (kratu) with divine order.
Chant before meditation/work to align intention; useful for decisions, when seeking the ‘right path’ and stable inner footing.
-ী (puru-mīḷ́ha): puru ‘much’ + mīḷha (from √mīḍh ‘to be gracious, to favour’). (krátu): central Vedic term—effective will/intelligence; not mere ‘sacrifice’ but the power that chooses and accomplishes. √vid ‘know/find’ is PIE *weyd- (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit). (gātú): from √gā ‘go’; the ‘way of going’—path of realization. √arc: ‘shine/praise’—praise as making luminous.
kratu (effective will), gātu (path of realization), śruti as divine hearing/response, friendship/consent (mitra) as condition for grace
Finding the gātu is discovering the line of ṛta through confusion and mixed nature.
What is ‘heard’ is the response of truth to sincere call; truth becomes guidance.
The path is ‘found’—as if pre-existent in the cosmic order—when will aligns with the gods.
Integral-psychological Vedic interpretation: will and delight (soma) are instruments of ascent.
Soma = delight/ānanda; path = channel of ascent through consciousness; home = stable psychic station.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Soma-pressers ‘set forth’ the gods’ working and thereby ‘find the path’: the mythic pattern is that right offering awakens divine guidance. Psychologically, when the seeker’s energies become harmonious (mitrāsaḥ) and self-effective (svābhuvaḥ), the will (kratu) becomes luminous and discovers the passage to higher realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid (know/find) is a classic PIE *weyd- root with broad Indo-European reflexes. The semantic pairing of ‘hearing’ (śrutam) and ‘fame/renown’ elsewhere belongs to inherited oral-poetic culture. The dual address and sovereignty semantics align with Indo-Iranian religious diction shared with the Avesta.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames a conditional reciprocity: human harmony and forward offering activate divine hearing and establishment. The gods respond not merely with external gifts but by making the seekers ‘heard’ (recognized) and inwardly settled (pastyā́vataḥ) in their true home of being.
Offer your intention (kratu) into a wider truth; ask for the next right step (gātu) to become clear.
manipura (will/kratu) and ajna (path-seeing)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while repeating ‘kratuṃ… gātum’; feel will quieting into clarity.
Active clarity—calm strength, guided movement.
Before action: (1) recall friendship with the Divine (mitra-bhāva), (2) place forward the intention, (3) wait briefly for the inner ‘heard’ response—an unmistakable quiet yes/no or clear step.
Follow saṃhitā accents: maintain udatta on emphasized verbs/nouns (e.g., dadhire, kratuṃ, gātum, śrutam) as marked in the text tradition.
Let the cadence rise on ‘kratuṃ’ and resolve on ‘gātum’; keep dual vocative ‘vṛṣaṇā’ strong and even.
yad dha: keep ‘dha’ aspirated, purumīḻhasya: retroflex ḻ (if your tradition distinguishes; otherwise clear ‘l’), long ī, svābhuvaḥ: ‘bh’ voiced aspirate, ‘vaḥ’ with visarga breath, pastyāvataḥ: ‘styā’ cluster clean, long ā
clear, directive, confident; avoid haste so ‘gātu’ remains distinct.
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