Rig Veda 1.22.12: Mandala 1, Sukta 22, Mantra 12
Sukta 1.22
- Devata
- Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī, Agnāyī
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इहेन्द्राणीमुप ह्वये वरुणानीं स्वस्तये । अग्नायीं सोमपीतये ॥
ihéndrāṇīm úpa hvaye varuṇānī́ṃ svastáye | agnāyī́ṃ sómapītaye ||
मैं इंद्राणी को बुला रहा हूँ, वरुणानी को भी, भले के लिए। और अग्नायी को भी, सोम पीने के लिए।
Word by Word
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role अधिकारणRoot इह (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राणीम्
- IndrāṇīNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्राणी (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near; towardsIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्गार्थे: ‘निकटम्/अभिमुखम्’)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ह्वये
- I invoke/callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वे (ह्वा) आह्वाने
- वरुणानीम्
- VaruṇānīNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वरुणानी (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वस्तये
- for well-beingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नायीम्
- Agnāyī (Agni’s consort)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्नायी (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमपीतये
- for the drinking of SomaNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सोमपीति (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पीति < √पा ‘पाने’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: इहेन्द्राणीम् → इह + इन्द्राणीम् (स्वर-सन्धि: अ/इ-सम्पर्के ‘इह’ + ‘इन्द्राणीम्’ संहितायाम् ‘इहेन्द्राणीम्’)
- अन्यत्र पदच्छेदः: उप ह्वये (उपसर्गः पृथक्), वरुणानीं स्वस्तये (कोऽपि विशेष-सन्धिः न), अग्नायीं सोमपीतये (समास/तत्पुरुष-प्रातिपदिक ‘सोमपीति’ = सोमस्य पीतिः; पदयोः सन्धिः न)
- Accents (as in Saṃhitā): इ॒हेन्द्रा॒णीम् उप॑ ह्वये वरुणा॒नीं स्व॒स्तये॑ । अ॒ग्नायीं॒ सोम॑पीतये ॥
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker calls near Indrāṇī and Varuṇānī for wellbeing, and Agnāyī for Soma-drinking.
Inner meaning
Three sovereign feminine powers are invoked as practical supports: Indrāṇī (power of Indra) for victorious illumination and courageous right action; Varuṇānī (power of Varuṇa) for harmony, law, and vast peace that brings svasti (wholeness); Agnāyī (power of Agni) for the receptive participation in Soma—so delight can be assimilated by the will and turned into transformative force. Together they balance illumination, order, and effective aspiration nourished by bliss.
Universal truth
Wellbeing is integral: it arises when illumination, right law, and aspiring will are harmonized and nourished by inner delight.
Themes
Goddess-invocation, Svastī, Soma-ritual, Integration-of-powers
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.22.12 (specific naming of three devī-powers)
Significance
A concise integral formula: call the shaktis of illumination (Indra), law/peace (Varuṇa), and will (Agni) so wellbeing and blissful transformation become possible.
The deity
- Devata
- Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī, Agnāyī
- Epithets
- Śakti of Indra, Śakti of Varuṇa, Śakti of Agni
- Related deities
- Indra, Varuṇa, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
They personify the feminine complements that make the gods’ cosmic functions effective: victory of light, harmony of law, and transformative fire.
Inner power
Indrāṇī: conquering illumination against inner obstruction; Varuṇānī: wideness, purification, and calm order; Agnāyī: ardent will capable of receiving ānanda (Soma) and converting it into power.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation for svasti and Soma participation within sacrificial sequence
इ॒हेन्द्रा॒णीमुप॑ ह्वये वरुणा॒नीं स्व॒स्तये॑ । अ॒ग्नायीं॒ सोम॑पीतये ॥
इ॒ह । इ॒न्द्रा॒णीम् । उप॑ । ह्व॒ये॒ । व॒रु॒णा॒नीम् । स्व॒स्तये॑ । अ॒ग्नायी॑म् । सोम॑ऽपीतये ॥
iha | indrāṇīm | upa | hvaye | varuṇānīm | svastaye | agnāyīm | soma-pītaye
32
4 × ~8
Direct and litany-like; names land with clarity, supporting focused invocation.
Creates a triadic alignment in the listener—light, order, and fire—ending in a receptive openness to bliss.
- इहे (iha)
- Literal: here. Symbolic: in this very body-life-mind; in present practice
- उप ह्वये (upa hvaye)
- Literal: I call near. Symbolic: invocation that draws powers into felt presence
- इन्द्राणीम् (indrāṇīm)
- Literal: Indrāṇī. Symbolic: shakti of illumined mind—victory, courage, luminous force
- वरुणानीम् (varuṇānīm)
- Literal: Varuṇānī. Symbolic: shakti of vast law and harmony—peace, right order, purity
- स्वस्तये (svastaye)
- Literal: for wellbeing. Symbolic: for integral wholeness—health of consciousness, harmony of parts
- अग्नायीम् (agnāyīm)
- Literal: Agnāyī. Symbolic: shakti of the will-fire—capacity to receive and use soma-bliss
- सोमपीतये (soma-pītaye)
- Literal: for Soma-drinking. Symbolic: for the intake and assimilation of divine delight into the nature
Invocation of key devī-aspects for svasti (well-being) and Soma participation; part of assembling the full complement of powers in the offering.
During deity-invitation and auspiciousness prayers; near Soma offerings/drinking segments.
Calling specific goddess-powers; ensuring wellbeing and successful Soma reception.
A short daily triune invocation: (1) call Indrāṇī for clarity and courage, (2) Varuṇānī for harmony and calm, (3) Agnāyī to assimilate joy into effective action.
Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī, Agnāyī are feminine formations with -ānī/-āyī indicating ‘belonging to/consort-power of’ the god: not mere spouses but functional śakti-aspects (force of Indra, law/vastness of Varuṇa, will-fire of Agni). svasti from su- ‘good’ + √as ‘to be’ gives ‘good-being’, a Vedic term for integral welfare. √hū ‘to call’ is the standard invitatory root; Soma-drinking again implies assimilation of delight/illumination.
svasti (integral well-being), śakti-aspect of deities (feminine powers), integration of force (Indra), law (Varuṇa), will (Agni)
Varuṇānī invoked for svasti implies wellbeing through right order and harmony.
Indrāṇī supports the victory of truth-illumination over inner falsehood.
Integral functioning of powers: illumination + law + fire, nourished by bliss, yields stable evolution.
Integral (Aurobindonian) synthesis: transformation through coordinated god-powers and ānanda.
Illumination that breaks obstruction; vast calm order that purifies; fire-will that transforms; bliss that nourishes and immortalizes experience.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The calling of the consort-powers of major gods for well-being and Soma: feminine sovereignties that stabilize and complete the divine workings. Innerly, the verse assembles force (Indrāṇī), law/wideness (Varuṇānī), and will-fire (Agnāyī) so that the Soma-delight can be safely received and integrated.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svasti ‘good-being’ uses the inherited verb √as ‘to be’ (PIE *h₁es-; cf. Lat. est, Eng. is) with the prefix su- ‘good’ (cognate to various IE ‘good/well’ formations). The -ānī feminine formations reflect productive Indo-Aryan derivation for relational feminine powers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks svasti and Soma-participation by invoking not only the primary gods but their completing feminine powers—suggesting that inner realization requires a balanced totality of forces. The reciprocity: invocation and receptivity from the human side; wholeness, order, and capacity to receive delight from the divine side.
Balance three inner shaktis: victorious clarity (Indrāṇī), calm order (Varuṇānī), transforming will receptive to joy (Agnāyī).
maṇipūra (Agni/will)
Three-part breath: inhale (Indrāṇī—clarity), hold gently (Varuṇānī—order), exhale (Agnāyī—offer/receive Soma as sweetness).
Integral wellbeing (svasti): harmonized, luminous, quietly joyful.
Chant once, then sit: feel clarity in the head, wideness in the heart, warmth in the navel; allow a subtle sweetness (Soma) to pervade without excitement; act afterward from that harmonized state.
Tri-svara; respect saṃhitā accents (e.g., इ॒हेन्द्रा॒णीम्, उप॑, वरुणा॒नीम्, स्व॒स्तये॑, अ॒ग्नायीं॒, सोम॑-).
Keep ‘iha’ grounded (presentness); lift gently on the deity-names; soften on svastaye for a blessing tone.
indrāṇīm: long ā; retroflex ṇ, varuṇānīm: retroflex ṇ; long ā and ī, agnāyīm: long āyī sequence; keep nasalization minimal and clear, svastaye: cluster sv; short a in -ta-
benedictive, even, slightly warm on Agnāyī/Soma phrase.
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