Rig Veda 10.116.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 116, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.116
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्य पिब क्षुमतः प्रस्थितस्येन्द्र सोमस्य वरमा सुतस्य । स्वस्तिदा मनसा मादयस्वार्वाचीनो रेवते सौभगाय ॥
asyá píba kṣumatáḥ prástitasyéndra sómasya váraṃ ā́ sutásya | svastidā́ mánasā mādayasvār-vācī́nó reváte sáubhagāya ||
इंद्र, इस सोम रस को पियो, यह बहुत रस वाला है और तैयार है। सबसे अच्छा हिस्सा पियो जो निचोड़ा गया है। तुम अच्छा देते हो, अपने मन से खुश हो जाओ। हमारी तरफ मुड़ के देखो, चमक और अच्छी किस्मत के लिए।
Word by Word
- अस्य
- of this (Soma)Pronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पिब
- drink!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root पा (पाने)
- क्षुमतः
- of the nourishing/strength-giving (one)Adjectiveपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole विशेषण (सम्बन्ध) — सोमस्यRoot क्षुमत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘क्षु’/‘क्षुमा’ = पोषण/बल/समृद्धि + -मत्)
- प्रस्थितस्य
- of the set-forth/ready (Soma)Participle (Adjectival)पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole विशेषण (सम्बन्ध) — सोमस्यRoot प्र-स्था (गत्यर्थ) → प्रस्थित (कृदन्त, भूतकृत्/क्त)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरम्
- the best/choice (portion)Nounनपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (पिब) / ‘श्रेष्ठम्’ अर्थेRoot वर (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; in (intensively)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (पिब/मादयस्व इत्यादि क्रियायोगे) अथवा निपातRole (क्रियाविशेषण) —Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सुतस्य
- of the pressed (Soma)Participle (Adjectival)पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole विशेषण (सम्बन्ध) — सोमस्यRoot सु (अभिषवे) → सुत (कृदन्त, क्त)
- स्वस्तिदा
- O giver of well-beingNoun/Adjective (agent-noun)पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root स्वस्ति-द (समास: स्वस्ति ‘कल्याण’ + द ‘देने’ → ‘स्वस्तिद’)
- मनसा
- with (your) mind; mentallyNounनपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (instrument) / भावेनRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मादयस्व
- be exhilarated; intoxicate yourselfVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया) —Root मद् (हर्षे/मत्तत्वे) — आत्मनेपद
- अर्वाचीनः
- turned hither; facing towards usAdjectiveपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (इन्द्रः) / क्रियाविशेषणभावःRoot अर्वाचीन (प्रातिपदिक)
- रेवते
- for the wealthy/prosperous (one)Adjectiveपुं, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (for the benefit of)Root रेवत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धनवान्/समृद्ध’)
- सौभगाय
- for good fortune; for prosperityNounनपुंसक/पुं (भाववाचक), चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (for good fortune)Root सौभग (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सुभगत्व’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अस्य | पिब | क्षुमतः | प्रस्थितस्य | इन्द्र | सोमस्य | वरम् | आ | सुतस्य || स्वस्तिदा | मनसा | मादयस्व | अर्वाचीनः | रेवते | सौभगाय || मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) प्रस्थितस्य + इन्द्र → प्रस्थितस्येन्द्र (अ + इ = ए)
- (2) वरम् + आ → वरमा (म् + आ → मा; अनुस्वार/मकारादेशः)
- (3) मादयस्व + अर्वाचीनः → मादयस्वार्वाचीनः (अ + अ = आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to drink this Soma—rich in sap and set forth—taking the best portion of the pressed juice. As giver of well-being, he should rejoice with his mind, turning toward the singer for wealth and good fortune.
Inner meaning
The Soma is described as kṣumat (full of sap, nourishing essence) and prasthita (set in motion/placed forward): the delight is prepared and offered as a living current. Indra is invited to take the ‘vara’—the best part—meaning the subtlest essence of joy, not crude excitement. ‘Svastidā’ indicates Indra’s function of establishing inner well-being (harmonized order). ‘Manasā mādayasva’ calls for mental rapture: illumination must rejoice in delight, not merely fight. ‘Arvācīnaḥ’—turning inward/toward us—signals the descent of higher light into the embodied nature, granting revat (luminous abundance) and saubhaga (true soul-fortune).
Universal truth
The highest power acts best when it receives the finest essence of joy; well-being is the sign of right alignment, and prosperity is primarily a luminous inner condition that then shapes outer life.
Themes
Soma intoxication as spiritual expansion, inviting Indra inward, boons of well-being and felicity
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.116.2
Family tradition
Late tenth-maṇḍala Indra-Soma praise style
Significance
The seer emphasizes refinement: the ‘best portion’ of Soma is a yogic hint—offer the purest joy to the highest light for stable well-being and true fortune.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Svastidā (giver of well-being), Arvācīna (turned toward us)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Aśvins (svasti motif resonance)
Cosmic role
Receives soma to expand power; brings prosperity and victory; turns the divine forces toward the human field.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence that, when delighted, organizes mind and life into harmony, abundance, and fortunate right movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra soma-libation with emphasis on choice portion (vara).
अ॒स्य पि॑ब क्षु॒मत॒: प्रस्थि॑त॒स्येन्द्र॒ सोम॑स्य॒ वर॒मा सु॒तस्य॑ । स्व॒स्ति॒दा मन॑सा मादयस्वार्वाची॒नो रे॒वते॒ सौभ॑गाय ॥
अ॒स्य । पि॒ब॒ । क्षु॒ऽमतः॑ । प्रऽस्थि॑तस्य । इन्द्र॑ । सोम॑स्य । वर॑म् । आ । सु॒तस्य॑ । स्व॒स्ति॒ऽदाः । मन॑सा । मा॒द॒य॒स्व॒ । अ॒र्वा॒ची॒नः । रे॒वते॑ । सौभ॑गाय ॥
asya | piba | kṣu-mataḥ | pra-sthitasya | indra | somasya | varam | ā | sutasya | svasti-dāḥ | manasā | mādayasva | arvācīnaḥ | revate | saubhagāya
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Balanced and persuasive rather than martial; smoother flow than 10.116.1.
Creates a calm exhilaration—invites descent of well-being and luminous abundance.
- क्षुमत् (kṣumat)
- Literal: sapful, nourishing. Symbolic: richness of conscious essence in the offered delight
- प्रस्थित (prasthita)
- Literal: set forth, placed forward. Symbolic: delight made active as a current for ascent/descent
- वरम् (varam)
- Literal: best, choice portion. Symbolic: subtlest ananda-essence; refined offering
- सुत (suta)
- Literal: pressed (soma). Symbolic: delight extracted by discipline and aspiration
- स्वस्तिदाः (svastidāḥ)
- Literal: giver of well-being. Symbolic: power that harmonizes the being into right order
- मनसा (manasā)
- Literal: with the mind. Symbolic: illumined mentality receiving and rejoicing in ananda
- मादयस्व (mādayasva)
- Literal: be exhilarated, rejoice. Symbolic: let higher consciousness intensify joy into power
- अर्वाचीनः (arvācīnaḥ)
- Literal: turned this way, toward us. Symbolic: descent/turning of higher light into the embodied seeker
- रेवत् (revat)
- Literal: rich, shining, wealthy. Symbolic: luminous abundance of inner riches
- सौभग (saubhaga)
- Literal: good fortune. Symbolic: soul-fortune: rightness, felicity of being
Soma offering invitation; aligns Indra’s mind (manas) with the sacrificer for svasti and saubhaga.
When offering the best draught to Indra; can accompany a ‘main offering’ moment.
Offer soma; inwardly present the finest joy (quiet, clear ananda) to the illumined mind.
Use when seeking inner harmony and prosperity: chant before planning/decision-making so that action is guided by well-being (svasti) rather than anxiety.
kṣu (sap/food-essence) supports the inner ‘nutritive rasa’. √mad ‘be exhilarated’ is Soma’s psychological action: widening and intensifying consciousness. svasti (su-asti ‘good being’) is well-being as right state of being. bhaga (in saubhaga) is ‘portion, delight, felicity’; thus saubhaga is ‘happy participation in the divine allotment’.
svasti (good-being), madhu/mada (ecstatic widening), bhaga (felicity/portion)
Svastidā implies the restoration of right order in the being.
The ‘best portion’ corresponds to truth-essence—purified delight aligned with satya.
Descent of higher power toward the human (‘arvācīna’), enabling manifestation of abundance.
Vedantic-yogic tendency: ananda as substance of realization; harmony as sign of truth.
Juice/sap = essence of consciousness; flow = movement of delight between planes; turning toward = descent of light into life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra is invited to drink the ‘best portion’ of Soma and become inwardly exhilarated, turning toward the human. Mythically, the god’s approach is secured by the offering; psychologically, the higher force is drawn into the inner being for svasti and luminous abundance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svasti (su-asti) transparently preserves √as ‘be’ (PIE *h₁es-). √mad ‘be drunk/exhilarated’ is Indo-Iranian. The compound saubhaga continues the archaic ‘portion/felicity’ semantics of bhaga (cf. Avestan baga).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi seeks not only Indra’s action but Indra’s orientation: ‘arvācīnaḥ’—turned toward us. The offering becomes a means to align divine mind (manas) with human aspiration, producing svasti and saubhaga as inner states.
Refine and offer ‘the best portion’ of delight—quiet ananda without excitement—and invite illumined mind to turn toward embodied life.
Ajna (illumination) with Anahata (well-being/saubhaga) integration.
Slow-moderate breathing; chant on long exhale; brief silent inhale imagining ‘vara soma’ gathered in the heart/forehead.
Settled joy with inward descent of light.
After chanting, sit 2–5 minutes: feel a soft downward beam from forehead to heart, carrying svasti (harmonizing ease) and revat (luminous fullness).
Notated svaras not provided; keep a gentle rise on ‘svastidā’ and ‘arvācīnaḥ’ to highlight well-being and descent.
Do not over-emphasize; this verse works best with even tone and clear caesuras after each pāda.
kṣumat: pronounce kṣ as a single cluster, prasthitasya: keep sth cluster clear, svastidā: v soft, avoid ‘swasti’ becoming ‘suasti’, mādayasva: long ā; ‘yasva’ smooth, saubhagāya: au diphthong clear
Softly luminous, steady, slightly inward.
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