Rig Veda 8.85.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 85, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.85
- Rishi
- Kṛṣṇa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
शृणुतं जरितुर्हवं कृष्णस्य स्तुवतो नरा । मध्वः सोमस्य पीतये ॥
śṛṇutáṃ jaritúr hávaṃ kṛ́ṣṇasya stuvató narā | mádhvaḥ sómasya pītáye ||
Ashvin bhai, suno Krishna kya gaata hai. Woh tumhari tarif kar raha hai. Aao aur meetha Soma piyo, yeh tumhe khush rakhega.
Word by Word
- शृणुतम्
- hear (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root श्रु (धातु)
- जरितुः
- of the singer/praiserNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of the singer’Root जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √जृ/जर् ‘to praise, sing’ से कर्तृ-नाम)
- हवम्
- the call/invocationNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (श्रृणुतम् का)Root हव (प्रातिपदिक; √ह्वे/हू ‘to call, invoke’)
- कृष्णस्य
- of KṛṣṇaAdjective (used as substantive)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of Kṛṣṇa’Root कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तुवतः
- of the praising one (who praises)Participle (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (स्तुवत्-शब्द)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of (him) praising’Root स्तु (धातु) → स्तुवत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)
- नरा
- O you two men/heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधन (addressed)Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- मध्वः
- of honey/sweetnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: मध्वः = मधुनः)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of sweetness / of honey’Root मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of Soma’Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पीतये
- for drinkingNoun (action noun)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (दत्तव्य-प्रयोजन) — ‘for drinking’Root पा (धातु) → पीति (कृदन्त/भाव-नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: शृणुतम् | जरितुः | हवम् | कृष्णस्य | स्तुवतः | नरा | मध्वः | सोमस्य | पीतये || 1) जरितुः + हवम् → जरितुर्हवम् (रेफ-संधि: विसर्ग/र्-आदेशः)
- 2) मध्वः = वैदिक षष्ठी एकवचन (मधु-), क्लासिकल मधुनः के स्थान पर
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Aśvins are asked to hear the call of the singer Kṛṣṇa who praises them, addressed as heroic men (narā), for drinking the honeyed Soma.
Inner meaning
The inspired voice (jaritṛ) calls the divine twins to respond to praise; their ‘heroism’ is the courageous, effective intervention in the mixed nature—cutting through inertia, restoring harmony—so Soma-delight can be received.
Universal truth
True ‘heroism’ is inner: the power that answers aspiration, heals fragmentation, and makes delight a stable part of consciousness.
Themes
call-and-response, praise (stuti) as ascent, Soma-delight assimilation
The seer
- Rishi
- Kṛṣṇa (named within verse as the praising singer)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.85.3, Rig Veda 8.85.5, Rig Veda 8.85.6
Family tradition
Poetic-invocation tradition of Maṇḍala 8; emphasis on refrain and personal call.
Significance
The rishi-function is highlighted as jaritṛ—one who ‘sings into being’ a connection; the mantra models how praise becomes a force that summons help.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Narā, Aśvinā, Nā́satyā (traditional), Swift healers
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
They intervene at the critical moment, restoring wholeness and enabling the journey toward dawn-consciousness.
Inner power
Heroic harmonization: they reconcile opposites in the being (mind/vital/body), enabling stable reception of Soma.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation to Aśvins in Soma sequence (general)
शृ॒णु॒तं ज॑रि॒तुर्हवं॒ कृष्ण॑स्य स्तुव॒तो न॑रा । मध्व॒: सोम॑स्य पी॒तये॑ ॥
शृ॒णु॒तम् । ज॒रि॒तुः । हव॑म् । कृष्ण॑स्य । स्तु॒व॒तः । न॒रा॒ । मध्वः॑ । सोम॑स्य । पी॒तये॑ ॥
śṛṇutam | jarituḥ | havam | kṛṣṇasya | stuvataḥ | narā | madhvaḥ | somasya | pītaye
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4×8; closing refrain pāda
Call-and-response feel; direct imperative opening
Creates immediacy (‘hear!’), then settles into sweetness; supports a devotional yet strong inward posture.
- शृणुतम् (śṛṇutam)
- Literal: hear (you two). Symbolic: opening of higher consciousness to the human call
- जरितृ (jaritṛ)
- Literal: singer/praiser. Symbolic: the inspired faculty that formulates aspiration and gratitude
- स्तुवतः (stuvataḥ)
- Literal: of one who praises. Symbolic: the upward movement that aligns the being to the divine
- नरा (narā)
- Literal: men, heroes. Symbolic: powers of courageous effective action within consciousness
- मध्वः सोमस्य (madhvaḥ somasya)
- Literal: of honeyed Soma. Symbolic: sweet Ananda prepared for assimilation
Soma offering invitation; imperative ‘hear’ aligns with the moment of calling the deity to the oblation in Soma-yajña.
At dawn Soma pressing/offerings; invitatory recitations
Calling and welcoming; offering Soma portion
Use when seeking inner help for integration/healing; chant as a ‘hearing prayer’—to be heard by the higher forces within.
śṛṇutám: √śru ‘to hear’ (< PIE *ḱleu̯- ‘hear, be famed’; cf. Greek klúō, English ‘listen’ via different lineage) — hearing here implies divine attention and descent. jaritúḥ: from jaritṛ, related to √gṛ/√jar (praise/chant in Vedic usage); functionally ‘the articulating mind/voice’. nárā: nṛ́ ‘man, hero’ (< PIE *h₂nḗr ‘man’; cf. Greek anḗr), marking the Ashvins as vigorous agents. stuvatáḥ: √stu ‘praise’—praise as steady uplifting of consciousness toward the devatā.
śravaṇa as receptivity (divine hearing as opening of higher mind), Rita as right response: gods ‘hear’ when the call is aligned, mantra as formative power
Hearing the call implies alignment: when the being praises in truth, r̥ta allows response and restoration.
Praise (stuti) becomes satya when it expresses lived aspiration, not mere words.
From divided human instruments to a more whole, joy-bearing formation.
Vedic psychological symbolism (Aurobindo): gods as inner powers responding to aspiration.
dawn threshold
Dawn = awakening of perception; hearing = receptivity of higher mind; Soma = delight stabilizing the awakened state.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic pattern of ‘the gods hearing the human call’: the Ashvins are asked to listen and respond. Inner sense: when the aspirant sustains stuti (affirming mantra), the higher powers become ‘audible’ and active—attention from above is the first descent of help.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- nárā (dual of nṛ́) continues PIE *h₂nḗr ‘man/hero’ (Greek anḗr), showing inherited heroic address-forms. √śru ‘hear’ relates to PIE *ḱleu̯- ‘hear/fame’, tying audition and renown—divine ‘hearing’ is also divine ‘making-famous/confirming’ the hymn.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi is ‘jaritṛ’—the articulator—whose praise is not flattery but a technology of consciousness. The Ashvins are requested to enter the field of the hymn by hearing; their hearing is the sign of acceptance, enabling Soma-delight to be effectively received and transformed into force and healing.
Practice ‘being heard’: align speech, heart, and will; invite the inner helpers to act.
Viśuddha (mantric speech) and Anāhata (devotional openness)
Soft ujjāyī-like whisper (very mild) to deepen ‘hearing’ quality; exhale longer on the refrain
Attentive receptivity with steady courage
Chant 8 times, then sit 2 minutes in silence as if listening for the Aśvins’ response—subtle adjustments in breath, posture, and mental clarity.
Not provided; chant with clear imperatives on ‘śṛṇutam’; exact svara requires annotated text.
Slightly stress the opening ‘śṛṇutam’; keep ‘narā’ crisp; let the refrain be smooth and continuous.
śṛṇutam: vocalic ṛ; avoid ‘ri’—keep syllabic r, jaritur: soft j; dental t; short u, stuvataḥ: clear v; final ḥ light visarga, narā: long ā
Firm at start, then mellifluous on the refrain
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