Rig Veda 4.35.4: Mandala 4, Sukta 35, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.35
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Ṛbhus
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
किम्मयः स्विच्चमस एष आस यं काव्येन चतुरो विचक्र । अथा सुनुध्वं सवनं मदाय पात ऋभवो मधुनः सोम्यस्य ॥
kím-mayaḥ svíc camása eṣá āsa yáṃ kā́vyena catúro vicakrá | áthā sunudhvam sávanaṃ madā́ya pā́ta ṛbhavo mádhunaḥ sómyasya ||
De quelle matière était cette coupe, que, par l’art inspiré, vous avez faite en quatre ? Maintenant, pressez l’offrande pour l’ivresse joyeuse ; buvez, ô Ṛbhus, le miel du Soma, le somique, le doux.
Word by Word
- किम्
- what?Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot किम् (प्रश्नसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मयः
- delight, refreshment, joyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वित्
- indeed?; perhaps; prayIndeclinableनिपात (प्रश्न/संशय/अन्वयार्थक)Root स्वित् (निपात)
- चमसः
- (Soma) cup, beakerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot चमस (प्रातिपदिक)
- एषः
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आस
- wasVerbलिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अस् (धातु)
- यम्
- whom/whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- काव्येन
- by poetic skill; by the craft of the seerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot काव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- चतुरः
- fourAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विचक्र
- fashioned, made (in a special way)Verbलिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘वि-’ उपसर्गRoot वि-चक्र (धातु √कृ/√चक्र?; वैदिक रूप)
- अथ
- then, nowIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/अनन्तरार्थक निपातRoot अथ (अव्यय)
- सुनुध्वम्
- press out well; prepareVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot सु-√नु (धातु √नु ‘to press/drive on’; वैदिक)
- सवनम्
- Soma-pressing; libationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सवन (प्रातिपदिक)
- मदाय
- for exhilaration, for intoxicationNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- पात
- drink!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन (वैदिक छन्दसि एकवचन-रूपेण बहुवचनार्थः सम्भवः); परस्मैपदRoot √पा (धातु)
- ऋभवः
- the Rbhus (divine artisans)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- मधुनः
- of sweetness; of honeyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम्यस्य
- Soma-like; belonging to SomaAdjectiveपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन (मधुनः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सोम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: कि॒म्मय॑: स्विच्चम॒स ए॒ष आ॑स॒ यं काव्ये॑न च॒तुरो॑ विच॒क्र । अथा॑ सुनुध्वं॒ सव॑नं॒ मदा॑य पा॒त ऋ॑भवो॒ मधु॑नः सो॒म्यस्य॑ ॥ पद-विच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): किम् | मयः | स्वित् | चमसः | एषः | आस | यम् | काव्येन | चतुरः | विचक्र | अथ | सुनुध्वम् | सवनम् | मदाय | पात | ऋभवः | मधुनः | सोम्यस्य । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) किम् + मयः → कि॒म्मयः (म् + म् संयोग)
- (2) स्वित् + चमसः → स्विच्चमसः (त् + च → च्च)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks: of what material was the chalice that you, by inspired artistry, made into four? Now press out the savana for delight; drink, O Ṛbhus, of the honeyed Soma.
Inner meaning
The question ‘of what substance?’ points inward: what is the base-stuff of our receptivity that can be transformed? The answer implied is consciousness itself—capable of being re-formed by kāvya (inspired, mantric creativity). The seer urges renewed pressing: extract the essence again, but for madāya—divine delight, not intoxication of desire. ‘Honeyed Soma’ becomes the sweetness of purified Ananda, drinkable by the formative powers so they can continue their work of perfection.
Universal truth
Ask not only ‘what is the experience?’ but ‘what is the substance of the experiencer?’ When consciousness is refined through inspired practice, delight becomes sweet, nourishing, and transformative.
Themes
Wonder-question, Inspired craftsmanship, Soma sweetness, Ritual exhortation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.5, RV 4.24, RV 4.33, RV 4.35, RV 4.36
Family tradition
The hymn’s questioning style is typical of Vedic psychological inquiry: mythic image becomes a probe into consciousness and its transformability.
Significance
Vāmadeva turns the Ṛbhu-myth into a contemplative question—inviting the practitioner to discover the ‘substance’ of the inner vessel and to renew the Soma-pressing as ongoing sādhanā.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛbhus
- Epithets
- kāvyakṛt (implied: doers by inspired art), madhupā (implied: drinkers of sweetness)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Sarasvatī (as inspiration, indirectly resonant with kāvya)
Cosmic role
Transformers of substance: they reveal that the material of the vessel can be reconstituted by inspiration into greater capacity.
Inner power
Inspired craftsmanship (kāvya-śakti) that can sweeten and refine delight, making it fit for divine use.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and offering to Ṛbhus
कि॒म्मय॑: स्विच्चम॒स ए॒ष आ॑स॒ यं काव्ये॑न च॒तुरो॑ विच॒क्र । अथा॑ सुनुध्वं॒ सव॑नं॒ मदा॑य पा॒त ऋ॑भवो॒ मधु॑नः सो॒म्यस्य॑ ॥
कि॒म्ऽमयः॑ । स्वि॒त् । च॒म॒सः । ए॒षः । आ॒स॒ । यम् । काव्ये॑न । च॒तुरः॑ । वि॒ऽच॒क्र । अथ॑ । सु॒नु॒ध्व॒म् । सव॑नम् । मदा॑य । पा॒त । ऋ॒भ॒वः॒ । मधु॑नः । सो॒म्यस्य॑ ॥
kim-mayaḥ | svit | camasaḥ | eṣaḥ | āsa | yam | kāvyena | caturaḥ | vi-cakra | atha | sunudhvam | savanam | madāya | pāta | ṛbhavaḥ | madhunaḥ | somyasya
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4 × ~11
Interrogative opening followed by imperative urgency; a turn from inquiry to practice.
First awakens reflective attention, then mobilizes energy to ‘press’ and ‘drink’—a complete inner movement.
- किम्-मयः (kim-mayaḥ)
- Literal: made of what? of what substance?. Symbolic: inquiry into the base of the instrument—self-examination of the nature of one’s consciousness
- काव्येन (kāvyena)
- Literal: by poetic/inspired art. Symbolic: mantric inspiration and intuitive formation that reshapes inner capacities
- सुनुध्वम् (sunudhvam)
- Literal: press out (plural imperative). Symbolic: repeat the inner extraction: concentrate, purify, distill essence from experience
- मदाय (madāya)
- Literal: for exhilaration/delight. Symbolic: for divine joy that energizes rightly (not rajasic intoxication)
- मधुनः सोम्यस्य (madhunaḥ somyasya)
- Literal: of the honeyed Soma. Symbolic: sweet Ananda—bliss with warmth, harmony, and healing quality
- चमस (camasa)
- Literal: chalice. Symbolic: capacity of receptivity; the formed mind/heart as vessel
Soma pressing exhortation; highlights kavi-artistry as enabling right reception of soma
In Ṛbhu sequences within Soma rites; also as a rhetorical praise of their miracle
Questioning the mythic deed, then commanding renewed pressing and Soma-drinking
A mantra for self-inquiry followed by action: ask ‘what is my mind made of today?’ then do a short practice to distill sweetness (gratitude, silence, devotion).
kāvya from kavi ‘seer’—not mere poetry but intuitive formation. madāya from √. madhu ‘honey’ from PIE *médʰu (cf. English mead, Greek μέθυ). The question ‘kim-maya’ suggests occult substance: the vessel is made of a conscious-stuff, capable of multiplication—psychologically, the substance is the plasticity of mind-life under inspired skill.
Kavi-intuition (kāvya) as formative knowledge, Ananda (madhu/mada) as spiritual sweetness
Madāya is framed as right enjoyment—delight disciplined by the order of the sacrifice.
The question ‘what-substance’ points to satya as the real basis behind appearances.
Substance is plastic to consciousness: inspired power can re-form capacity and experience.
Vedic psychological hermeneutic; anticipates Upaniṣadic inquiry into the ‘stuff’ of self (ātman as basis).
Honey = sweetness of purified Ananda; pressing = tapas/concentration; drinking = assimilation into the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mysterious substance and inspired making of the fourfold soma-cup, followed by the immediate call to press and drink. Inwardly: inquire into the ‘stuff’ of the receptive consciousness and then actively extract and assimilate the sweetness of soma-delight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu is a clear Indo-European inheritance (PIE *médʰu: Sanskrit madhu, Avestan maδu, Greek methy, Old English medu). The shared ‘honey/intoxicant’ lexeme points to a common Indo-European sacral-poetic complex.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi both marvels at the Ṛbhus’ occult workmanship and immediately urges participation: admiration turns into practical ritual-psychological instruction—press (extract essence) and drink (assimilate delight).
Self-inquiry into the ‘substance’ of the vessel: notice whether the mind is restless, dull, or clear; then ‘press’ for sweetness through breath and remembrance of delight.
From reflective witnessing to sweetened, uplifted assimilation.
Chant once. Sit 2 minutes asking silently: ‘What is my awareness made of right now?’ Then practice 12 slow breaths, feeling a ‘honeyed Soma’ sweetness spreading in the chest and throat; end by offering that sweetness to action.
Rigvedic accents; interrogative opening benefits from clear pitch contour without dramatization; keep udātta crisp on kāvyena, vicakra, sunudhvam, madāya, madhunaḥ.
Slight pause after the question pāda; then a more imperative drive in the latter half.
kimmayaḥ: articulate gemination mm; keep ‘mayaḥ’ light, svic (svit): pronounce as ‘svit’ with short i, kāvyena: long ā; y consonant clear, sunudhvam: nu-dhvam cluster; avoid inserting vowel between dh-v, pāta: long ā; ṭ retroflex, somyasya: soft ‘s’ (not ṣ); keep ‘ya’ clear
First contemplative, then warmly exhortative; let ‘madhunaḥ’ carry a sweet tone.
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