Rig Veda 1.108.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 108, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.108
- Devata
- Indra-Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
य इन्द्राग्नी चित्रतमो रथो वामभि विश्वानि भुवनानि चष्टे । तेना यातं सरथं तस्थिवांसाथा सोमस्य पिबतं सुतस्य ॥
yá índrāgnī citrátamo rátho vām abhí víśvāni bhúvanāni cáṣṭe | ténā yātaṃ saráthaṃ tasthivā́ṃsā áthā sómasya pibatam sutásya ||
इंद्र और अग्नि, तुम्हारी सबसे चमकदार रथ है जो सारी दुनिया देखती है। उस रथ में बैठ के आओ, साथ में। फिर सोम रस पियो जो तैयार है।
Word by Word
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य (यः = ‘who/which’ introducing relative clause)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राग्नी
- O Indra and AgniNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-द्विवचन (वैदिके रूप-समासे)Role सम्बोधन (addressed deities)Root इन्द्र + अग्नि (समासः: द्वन्द्व)
- चित्रतमः
- most splendidAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (रथस्य)Root चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (superlative)
- रथः
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (चष्टे इत्यस्य)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- of you two / yourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-द्विवचन (वैदिके ‘वाम्’ = ‘of you two/for you two’)Role सम्बन्ध (possessor: ‘your’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role उपपद-सम्बन्ध (direction/extent with verb)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- विश्वानि
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (चष्टे इत्यस्य)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनानि
- worlds, realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (विश्वानि इत्यस्य विशेष्य; ‘all worlds’)Root भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; from √भू)
- चष्टे
- beholds, looks uponVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √चक्ष् (चक्षँ/चक्ष् ‘to see, behold’)
- तेन
- with thatPronounपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करण (instrument: ‘with that’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- यातम्
- come, go (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्Role क्रिया (आह्वान)Root √या (to go)
- सरथम्
- with the chariot, in one chariotAdverbial (indeclinable-like) / Noun-compoundअव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (अर्थः: ‘with the chariot / in one chariot’)Role करण/सहकार (manner/means of coming)Root स- + रथ (उपपद-समास/अव्ययीभाव-प्राय)
- तस्थिवांसौ
- having stood, stationed (you two)Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम् (परफेक्ट-कर्तरि कृदन्तः)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (यातम् इत्यस्य; ‘you two who have stood/are stationed’)Root √स्था (to stand) + क्तवतु (परिप्रत्यय; perf.-part.)
- अथ
- thenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role सम्बन्ध (sequence)Root अथ (अव्यय)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive with ‘pibataṃ’: ‘of Soma’)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिबतम्
- drink (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्Role क्रिया (आह्वान)Root √पा (to drink)
- सुतस्य
- of the pressed (Soma)Adjective (used substantively) / Nounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (qualifier of Soma: ‘of the pressed’)Root सुता (ppp from √सु ‘to press/express’) → सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolutions: (1) इन्द्राग्नी = इन्द्र + अग्नी (द्वन्द्व-समास; दीर्घ/सवर्णदीर्घ). (2) रथो वाम् = रथः वाम् (विसर्ग-लोपः before voiced consonant). (3) तस्थिवांसाथा = तस्थिवांसौ अथ (औ + अ → आ; वैदिक संधि). Accent marks in the pada-text are not reproduced in the resolved forms above
- they belong to the Saṃhitā accentuation
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra and Agni are invited to come by their most radiant chariot that looks upon all worlds; they are asked to come together on one car and drink the pressed Soma.
Inner meaning
Indra (illumined mind) and Agni (divine will) are invoked as a united force. Their ‘radiant chariot’ is the dynamic vehicle of consciousness that can survey and govern all planes of the being (all bhuvanāni). To ‘come standing together on one car’ signifies integration: will and illumination acting in harmony, not separately. Then they are to ‘drink the pressed Soma’—receive and intensify the distilled bliss/ānanda extracted by inner discipline—so that mind and will are intoxicated with divine delight and become invincible against Vṛtra-like coverings.
Universal truth
Real transformation occurs when enlightened understanding and committed will move together, supported by a higher vehicle of consciousness. When they partake of inner bliss, action and knowledge become joyful, powerful, and enduring.
Themes
Soma invitation, Divine vehicle, Indra-Agni unity, Cosmic vision
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.108
Significance
The seer’s emphasis is on unity of will and illumination—central to inner yajña. In Aurobindo’s interpretation, Indra and Agni together are decisive for victory: Agni leads the ascent; Indra breaks the cover and releases the Soma-joy.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Agni (dual)
- Epithets
- citratama ratha (most radiant chariot), saratha (together on one car)
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Indra: lord of luminous mind, slayer of Vṛtra; Agni: priest and messenger, awakener of aspiration; together they secure the sacrifice’s success and distribute the Soma.
Inner power
Unified knowledge-force and will-force that can survey all parts of the being and energize them with bliss, producing courageous, effective progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing/offerings: invitation to Indra-Agni to arrive and partake of Soma
य इ॑न्द्राग्नी चि॒त्रत॑मो॒ रथो॑ वाम॒भि विश्वा॑नि॒ भुव॑नानि॒ चष्टे॑ । तेना या॑तं स॒रथं॑ तस्थि॒वांसाथा॒ सोम॑स्य पिबतं सु॒तस्य॑ ॥
यः । इ॒न्द्रा॒ग्नी॒ इति॑ । चि॒त्रऽत॑मः । रथः॑ । वा॒म् । अ॒भि । विश्वा॑नि । भुव॑नानि । चष्टे॑ । तेन॑ । आ । या॒त॒म् । स॒ऽरथ॑म् । त॒स्थि॒वांसा॑ । अथ॑ । सोम॑स्य । पि॒ब॒त॒म् । सु॒तस्य॑ ॥
yaḥ | indrāgnī iti | citra-tamaḥ | rathaḥ | vām | abhi | viśvāni | bhuvanāni | caṣṭe | tena | ā | yātam | sa-ratham | tasthivāṃsā | atha | somasya | pibatam | sutasya
Gāyatrī (probable; concise 3-pāda structure typical for many Indra-Agni invitations)
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3 pādas of ~8 syllables each (with Vedic variations)
Quick, bright, invitatory; compact propulsion like a chariot’s movement
Energizes and focuses; creates a vivid forward pull, then a sweet settling on ‘pibatam sutasya’ (drink the Soma).
- इन्द्राग्नी (indrāgnī)
- Literal: Indra and Agni. Symbolic: Illumined mind + divine will; knowledge-force and aspiration-force united
- चित्रतमः (citratamaḥ)
- Literal: most bright/variegated, most radiant. Symbolic: Highest luminous instrument of consciousness; many-sided clarity
- रथः (rathaḥ)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: Vehicle of yogic movement; organized force for progress across planes
- विश्वानि भुवनानि (viśvāni bhuvanāni)
- Literal: all worlds. Symbolic: All levels of being—physical, vital, mental, higher mental
- चष्टे (caṣṭe)
- Literal: sees, beholds. Symbolic: Comprehensive awareness; sovereign vision across the nature
- सरथम् (saratham)
- Literal: on one chariot, together. Symbolic: Integration of powers; unified sadhana
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: Divine bliss; delight of existence distilled in consciousness
- सुत (suta)
- Literal: pressed/extracted. Symbolic: Bliss released by inner pressing—discipline, concentration, purification
Direct Soma-invitation (āhvāna): calling Indra-Agni to the pressing to drink suta soma; standard Soma rite function.
During soma-libation sequences (pibataṃ) and āvāhana (invitation) moments
Recite while offering Soma or mentally offering refined delight; visualize descent of force
Use before work or difficult action: invoke united will (Agni) and clarity (Indra), then ‘offer’ a moment of inner sweetness (Soma) to prevent dry striving.
√cakṣ ‘see’ relates to PIE *kʷek̂-/*kek̂- ‘see’ (cf. Skt cakṣ-, Lat. cēnseō via different developments). √sthā is PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’. soma from √su ‘press’ (suta ‘pressed’). citra ‘bright, variegated’ from √cit ‘perceive’ with semantic shift to ‘conspicuous/bright’.
integration of will and force, multiple worlds (bhuvana) as planes of consciousness, Soma as delight/immortalizing essence
The chariot that ‘sees all worlds’ implies governance by right order—nothing in the nature is left unconscious or disorderly.
Indra’s vision (caṣṭe) is the truth-seeing mind; Agni’s will executes that truth.
Descent of bliss (Soma) into the active instruments (mind and will) to transform the worlds of the being.
Aurobindonian-Vedic psychology: Soma as delight supporting transformation; Indra-Agni as united knowledge-will.
Fire is aspiration; chariot is organized yogic force; Soma is distilled bliss; radiance is illumination that can survey all inner worlds.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘divine arrival on the radiant chariot to drink Soma’ mythologem: Indra-Agni descend via their all-seeing vehicle. Inner sense: united force and will enter the seeker’s field to partake of the offered delight, strengthening transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Dual compound devatā (Indrāgnī) reflects archaic Indo-European pairing of functions. √sthā (PIE *steh₂-) and √su ‘press’ (PIE *sewH- ‘press/juice’ debated) show inherited ritual lexicon; bhuvana (from √bhū ‘become’, PIE *bʰuH-) encodes ‘worlds’ as modes of being.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers Soma as conscious delight and calls the paired powers to arrive together—implying that true action requires both illumined force (Indra) and divine will (Agni) established in one movement before the Soma can be fully received.
Unify aspiration (Agni) and illumination (Indra) into one ‘vehicle’ of practice; then receive Soma—quiet joy—into both mind and will.
Maṇipūra (Agni/will) and Ājñā (Indra/illumination); Soma as a descending sweetness touching Sahasrāra and permeating downward
Brisk-energetic inhalation on ‘ya indrāgnī…’; steady exhalation on ‘tenā yātaṃ…’; soft savoring pause after ‘somasya’ before ‘pibatam’.
Dynamic concentration (ekāgratā) with a luminous joy-tone.
Before action: visualize a radiant chariot in the heart-mind region; place will and understanding together upon it; offer a drop of gratitude/joy as Soma—then proceed.
Rigvedic accents; keep bright lift on ‘indrāgnī’ and ‘citratamo’; cadence should ‘roll’ like a chariot toward ‘pibatam’.
Phrase as: ya indrāgnī | citratamo ratho vām || abhi viśvāni | bhuvanāni caṣṭe || tenā yātam | sarathaṃ tasthivāṃsā || athā somasya | pibatam sutasya || (maintain internal pauses without breaking flow).
(indrāgnī): long ā; clear conjunct ‘gn’, (citratamaḥ): ‘tr’ cluster; final ḥ audible, (caṣṭe): retroflex ṣṭ, (saratham): light ‘r’, short a, ā (tasthivāṃsā): aspirate th; nasal ṃ, (pibatam): short i; dental t, (sutasya): short u; clear ‘sy’
Bright, forward, resonant; avoid heaviness—keep it ‘riding’
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