Rig Veda 2.30.7: Mandala 2, Sukta 30, Mantra 7
Sukta 2.30
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Soma
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
न मा तमन्न श्रमन्नोत तन्द्रन्न वोचाम मा सुनोतेति सोमम् । यो मे पृणाद्यो ददद्यो निबोधाद्यो मा सुन्वन्तमुप गोभिरायत् ॥
ná mā tamat ná śramat nóta tandrat ná vocāma mā sunóte ’ti sómam | yó me pṛṇā́d yó dádat yó ní-bodhād yó mā sunvántam úpa góbhir ā́yat ||
कोई यह न कहे कि मैं थक गया, बूढ़ हो गया, सोम नहीं पीस रहा। जो मुझे देता है, जो जगाता है, जो मेरे पास आता है, मैं उसकी बात मानता हूँ।
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (negation)Root न
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेध/प्रतिषेध (prohibitive particle)Root मा
- तमन्
- darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (object of negated state)Role KarmaRoot तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) → तमन् (वैदिक रूप)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- श्रमन्
- toil; fatigueNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्रम (प्रातिपदिक) → श्रमन् (वैदिक रूप)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अपि (enclitic connective)Root उत
- तन्द्राम्
- drowsiness; slothNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तन्द्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- वोचाम
- may I say; let me speakVerbलोट् (वैदिक/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot वच्
- मा
- do notIndeclinableप्रतिषेध (prohibitive)Root मा
- सुनोते
- presses (Soma)Verbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole KartāRoot सु (सोमसवनार्थे) / सू
- इति
- thusIndeclinableउद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative)Root इति
- सोमम्
- Soma (the pressed drink/deity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- to/for me; of mePronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic genitive)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- पृणात्
- fills; satisfiesVerbलट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (वैदिक), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot पॄ/पृ (पूरणे)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद्
- ददत्
- givingVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot दा (दाने)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद्
- निबोधात्
- may he take notice; may he heedVerbलोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot बुध् (अवबोधने) + नि
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद्
- मा
- mePronounद्वितीया एकवचन (enclitic)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- सुन्वन्तम्
- pressing (Soma)Participle (Adjectival)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-समूह), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सु (सोमसवनार्थे) → सुन्वन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- उप
- towards; nearIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (directional)Root उप
- गोभिः
- with cows; with cattleNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिक), तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयत्
- came; approachedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot या (गत्यर्थे) + आ
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): न मा तमन्न श्रमन्नोत तन्द्रन्न वोचाम मा सुनोतेति सोमम् । यो मे पृणाद्यो ददद्यो निबोधाद्यो मा सुन्वन्तमुप गोभिरायत् ॥ मुख्य संधि-स्थल: (1) तमन् + न → तमन्न (व्यञ्जन-संधि: न् + न), (2) श्रमन् + न → श्रमन्न, (3) तन्द्राम् + न → तन्द्रन्न (म् + न → न्न, वैदिक लेखन), (4) सुनोते + इति → सुनोतेति (स्वर-संधि: ए + इ → एति), (5) पृणात् + यः → पृणाद्यो (त् + य → द्य), (6) ददत् + यः → ददद्यो (त् + य → द्य), (7) निबोधात् + यः → निबोधाद्यो (त् + य → द्य), (8) उप + गोभिः → उप गोभिः (पदविराम; संधि न किया), (9) गोभिः + आयत् → गोभिरायत् (विसर्ग/र्-संधि: भिः + आ → भिरा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker prays that no one should say he has become dull, fatigued, or slack and therefore no longer presses Soma. He affirms and welcomes whoever fills him, gives to him, awakens him, and comes to him while he presses Soma, bringing “cows” (goods/light-rays).
Inner meaning
A vow of inner sādhana: “Let not inertia (tamas), strain (śrama), or drowsy negligence (tandrā) be named in me as the cause for abandoning the pressing of Soma.” The Soma-pressing is the conscious extraction of delight (ānanda) from experience by aspiration and offering. The true helpers are the inner powers that (1) fill the being (pṛṇāti: wideness and plenitude), (2) give (dadat: bestow energies/insights), (3) awaken (nibodhāt: rouse the soul from subconscient sleep), and (4) arrive with the “cows” (gobhiḥ: rays of knowledge) while the seeker is actively pressing—i.e., while practice is alive. The mantra rejects self-identification with fatigue and reaffirms alliance with illuminating forces.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice fails mainly through tamasic self-labeling (“I’m dull, tired, done”); it succeeds by renewed aspiration and by welcoming whatever increases plenitude, generosity, wakefulness, and light. Perseverance is not grim effort but a continuous ‘pressing’ that converts life into conscious delight and knowledge.
Themes
self-exhortation, anti-inertia discipline, Soma as inner delight, arrival of illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.1–2.43 (Gṛtsamada maṇḍala core), RV 2.4 (Agni as priest of the inner rite), RV 2.11–2.12 (Indra’s victory imagery)
Family tradition
Bharadvāja–Bhṛgu line emphasis on Agni/Soma as inner sacrifice and victorious clarity over hostile powers; hymns often pair psychological discipline with divine help.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s voice is marked by practical yogic insistence: keep the sacrifice continuous, refuse tamasic narratives, and call the gods as living powers that awaken and widen the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (the purified), Indu (the drop), Madhu (honey-sweet), Amṛta (immortal essence)
- Related deities
- Agni (will that kindles the pressing), Indra (illumined mind that enjoys Soma), Maruts (life-forces that intensify)
Cosmic role
Soma is the delight-principle that sustains gods and worlds; it flows as the sap of life and the ecstasy that uplifts mind toward immortality.
Inner power
Ananda that clarifies, energizes, and unifies; it converts effort into glad aspiration and brings luminous ‘cows’ (insights) to the pressing consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (Soma-yajña) and Soma-pavamāna context (by theme, though verse is in an Indra-related hymn cluster)
न मा॑ तम॒न्न श्र॑म॒न्नोत त॑न्द्र॒न्न वो॑चाम॒ मा सु॑नो॒तेति॒ सोम॑म् । यो मे॑ पृ॒णाद्यो दद॒द्यो नि॒बोधा॒द्यो मा॑ सु॒न्वन्त॒मुप॒ गोभि॒राय॑त् ॥
न । मा॒ । त॒म॒त् । न । श्र॒म॒त् । न । उ॒त । त॒न्द्र॒त् । न । वो॒चा॒म॒ । मा । सु॒नो॒त॒ । इति॑ । सोम॑म् । यः । मे॒ । पृ॒णात् । यः । दद॑त् । यः । नि॒ऽबोधा॑त् । यः । मा॒ । सु॒न्वन्त॑म् । उप॑ । गोभिः॑ । आ । अय॑त् ॥
na | mā | tamat | na | śramat | na | uta | tandrat | na | vocāma | mā | sunota | iti | somam | yaḥ | me | pṛṇāt | yaḥ | dṛt | yaḥ | ni-bodhāt | yaḥ | mā | sunvantam | upa | gobhiḥ | ā | ayat
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to resolve and affirmation
Builds a firm inner stance against fatigue; the second hemistich rises like an invocation, inviting filling/awakening forces.
- taman/tamas (तमन्/तमस्)
- Literal: darkness, dullness. Symbolic: inertia and obscurity of consciousness that stops aspiration
- śrama (श्रम)
- Literal: toil, strain. Symbolic: ego-driven effort that exhausts instead of opening to force
- tandrā (तन्द्रा)
- Literal: drowsiness. Symbolic: negligence, half-conscious living; yogic sleep of the will
- sunoti/sunvantam (सुनोति/सुन्वन्तम्)
- Literal: presses (Soma). Symbolic: active extraction of Ananda through aspiration, offering, and discernment
- Soma (सोम)
- Literal: Soma-juice. Symbolic: divine delight, immortalizing bliss in the nervous-mental being
- pṛṇāti (पृणाति)
- Literal: fills, makes full. Symbolic: brings wideness, plenitude, and capacity to hold higher states
- dadat (ददत्)
- Literal: gives. Symbolic: bestows inner wealth: force, insight, joy
- nibodhāt (नि-बोधात्)
- Literal: awakens. Symbolic: arouses the soul/mind from subconscient habit
- go/gobhiḥ (गो/गोभिः)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge and their fruitful energies
Soma-pressing self-exhortation within Soma ritual; also an inner discipline formula against tamas (dullness) and tandrā (sloth)
During Soma preparation/pressing or as an affirmation of the sacrificer’s continuity
Pressing/extraction, offering, and calling the aiding powers
Use as a resolve-mantra before meditation: refuse tamas/strain, renew aspiration, invite wakefulness and light.
tandrá from √tand 'to be sluggish' (laziness/inertia); śram from √śram 'to toil, be exhausted'; √su 'to press' (Soma pressing); pṛṇāti from √pṝ 'to fill'; bodh from √budh 'to wake, know'. go- as light/ray is supported by its constant association with dawn, sun, and recovery motifs.
tamas vs awakening (budh), plenitude (pūrṇa) as spiritual fullness
Continuity of Soma-pressing symbolizes fidelity to R̥ta—keeping the inner rite aligned day to day.
Truth is not the story of fatigue but the recognition of what genuinely fills and awakens.
Soma as creative sap: delight that supports manifestation and opens knowledge (go).
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral Yoga reading (Aurobindo): Ananda as a plane of consciousness accessed through sacrifice.
unspecified
unspecified
Pressing = concentrated practice; juice = distilled delight; cows = released illuminations that nourish the mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic pattern becomes internalized: instead of a demon, the adversary is dullness and fatigue that stop Soma-pressing. The helper is the giver-awakener who comes with 'cows' (lights). It is the recovery of illumination through perseverance in the inner yajña.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh 'wake' reflects PIE *bʰewdʰ- (cf. English 'bid' is not cognate; but German bieten?—caution; clearer: Sanskrit budh ~ Avestan buδ). √pṝ 'fill' aligns with IE fullness semantics; √su 'press' is Indo-Iranian ritual vocabulary with Avestan parallels in haoma preparation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asserts a vow-like continuity: he refuses the identity of one who stops pressing Soma. The Devata’s reciprocity is mediated through those powers that fill, give, and awaken—divine assistance arrives precisely to the one who continues the work, bringing illumination (go) to the pressing consciousness.
Renew aspiration and replace tamasic self-talk with invocation of filling, giving, awakening forces.
Anāhata (heart—joy/Ananda) and Ājñā (light/rays of knowledge)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–8 rounds, then chant on a smooth exhale; pause briefly after each pāda to ‘receive’.
From tamasic heaviness to luminous, receptive steadiness (sattva with dynamic will).
Before practice, name the three obstacles (tamas/śrama/tandrā) and release them; then chant once or thrice, imagining Soma rising as cool joy and ‘cows’ as descending rays into the mind.
Mixed udātta/anudātta with svarita on dependent accents (recite per śākha tradition; keep main udātta lifts on key verbs: vocāma, pṛṇād, dadad, nibodhād, āyat).
Let the negations ‘na…na…na’ be clipped and firm; slightly lift on action-words of help in the second hemistich.
Keep retroflex ṇ in pṛṇād clear (pṛ-ṇād)., Differentiate ś (śraman) vs s (soma)., Hold long vowels: mā, yo, gobhiḥ (final ḥ audible as light aspiration).
Steady, resolute, with a cool, receptive tone on ‘Soma’ phrases
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