Rig Veda 2.36.1: Mandala 2, Sukta 36, Mantra 1
Sukta 2.36
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तुभ्यं हिन्वानो वसिष्ट गा अपोऽधुक्षन्त्सीमविभिरद्रिभिर्नरः । पिबेन्द्र स्वाहा प्रहुतं वषट्कृतं होत्रादा सोमं प्रथमो य ईशिषे ॥
túbhyaṃ hinvānáḥ vasiṣṭa gā́ apo ’dhúkṣant sīm aví-bhir ádri-bhir nárāḥ | píbéndra svā́hā prá-hutaṃ váṣaṭ-kṛtaṃ hotrā́d ā́ sómaṃ prathamó yá ī́śiṣe ||
इंद्र के लिए लोग जोश में आके सोम निकालते हैं। गाय जैसी रोशनी और पानी उसके लिए मिलता है। पत्थर से पिस के और लोगों की मेहनत से यह सब होता है। इंद्र, तुम सोम पियो, यह स्वहा के साथ दिया गया है। पहले तुम ही हो जो सबसे ऊपर बैठ के हुकुम चलाते हो।
Word by Word
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounचतुर्थी (दत्तिव) एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हिन्वानः
- impelling / urging onParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root √हिन्/हिव् (हिनोति ‘प्रेरयति, चलयति’)
- वसिष्ठ
- O VasiṣṭhaNoun (Proper)सम्बोधन एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot वसिष्ठ (ऋषि-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)
- गाः
- cowsNounद्वितीया बहुवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्मRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपः
- watersNounद्वितीया बहुवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्मRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधुक्षन्
- they milked / they drew forthVerbलुङ् (अorist) परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √दुह् (दोग्धि ‘दुहति, क्षरयति’)
- सीम्
- indeed / just / straightwayIndeclinableअव्ययRole (निपात; बल/अन्वय)Root सीम् (निपात/अव्यय)
- अविभिः
- with sheep (as means)Nounतृतीया बहुवचन पुं/स्त्रीलिङ्गRole करणRoot अवि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘भेड़/अवि’)
- अद्रिभिः
- with pressing-stonesNounतृतीया बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole करणRoot अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पत्थर, सोम-पीषण-शिला’)
- नरः
- menNounप्रथमा बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिब
- drinkVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) परस्मैपद, 2 पुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पा (पिबति ‘पानं करोति’)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (Proper)सम्बोधन एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (देव-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वाहा
- svāhā (ritual exclamation)Indeclinableअव्यय (उद्गार)Role (यज्ञीय-उद्गार)Root स्वाहा (निपात/यज्ञीय-उद्गार)
- प्रहुतम्
- well-offeredParticiple (Adjective)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), द्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म (सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Root प्र-√हु (हवति ‘आह्वयति/जुहोति’) → प्रहुत (कृदन्त)
- वषट्कृतम्
- made with the vaṣaṭ-call / vaṣaṭ-accompaniedParticiple (Adjective)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), द्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म (सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Root वषट् + √कृ (करोति) → वषट्कृत (कृदन्त)
- होत्रात्
- from the hotṛ’s office / from the recitationNounपञ्चमी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole अपादानRoot होत्रा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘होतृ-कार्य/होत्रा’)
- सोमम्
- Soma (drink)Nounद्वितीया एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रथमः
- the firstAdjectiveप्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (यः इति सम्बन्धः)Root प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronoun (Relative)प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईशिषे
- you rule / you have masteryVerbलट् (वर्तमान) आत्मनेपद, 2 पुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √ईश् (ईष्टे/ईशते ‘शासते, प्रभवति’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): तुभ्यम् | हिन्वानः | वसिष्ठ | गाः | अपः | अधुक्षन् | सीम् | अविभिः | अद्रिभिः | नरः | पिब | इन्द्र | स्वाहा | प्रहुतम् | वषट्कृतम् | होत्रात् | सोमम् | प्रथमः | यः | ईशिषे । सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) अपोऽधुक्षन् = अपः + अधुक्षन् (विसर्गस्य ‘ओ’ आदेशः, अवग्रहः)। (2) अधुक्षन्त्सीम् = अधुक्षन् + सीम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि; न् + स् → न्त्स् लेखनम्)। (3) अविभिरद्रिभिः = अविभिः + अद्रिभिः (विसर्ग-लोपः/रुत्व-प्रकारेण संहिता-पाठः)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
For Indra, the inspired urges drive forward; the cows (rays) and waters are milked for him by pressing-stones and striving men. Indra is invited to drink the Soma offered with svāhā and vaṣaṭ, taking it from the Hotṛ’s recitation, as the first master who commands.
Inner meaning
Indra is the divine Mind-Power that receives the Soma of delight and turns it into victorious illumination. The ‘cows’ are rays of knowledge; the ‘waters’ are streams of consciousness. They are ‘milked’ by the adri (pressing-stones)—symbol of concentrated effort/discipline that extracts essence—and by the naraḥ (energetic human powers) who strive upward. The Hotṛ’s word is the awakened speech of the soul that offers the delight-essence to the illumining Mind. Indra, ‘prathamaḥ…īśiṣe’—the first who has mastery—signifies that the luminous intelligence must lead the inner sacrifice, taking the Soma so it can break resistances and establish right action.
Universal truth
Joy and illumination are not accidental: they are extracted through disciplined concentration and offered through truthful speech and aspiration. When the higher mind receives this essence, it becomes the leader that organizes life and conquers obscurity.
Themes
Soma-ritual, invocation, illumination (cows/rays), extraction of essence (milking/pressing), Indra as victorious lordship
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Āditya-associated Vasiṣṭha line)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1-7.104 (Vasiṣṭha Maṇḍala), RV 2.36 (hymn group context)
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭha tradition frequently emphasizes right speech (hotṛ), harmony with ṛta, and the leadership of luminous powers (Indra/Agni) in the inner and outer sacrifice.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s voice here is priestly and yogic: the Hotṛ’s speech offers delight to Indra so the illumining mind can preside as the first master of the inner work.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- prathamaḥ (the first/foremost), īśiṣe (you rule/command), Soma-drinker (implicit)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts (as allied energies of action/force), Bṛhaspati (as power of mantra and illumination)
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, establisher of luminous order, receiver of Soma who releases the cows (rays) and waters (flows) into clarified movement.
Inner power
Illuminating intelligence that, fed by delight, becomes decisive will and victorious discernment against inner darkness and inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña invitation to Indra; Hotṛ recitation with svāhā/vaṣaṭ formulae foregrounded.
तुभ्यं॑ हिन्वा॒नो व॑सिष्ट॒ गा अ॒पोऽधु॑क्षन्त्सी॒मवि॑भि॒रद्रि॑भि॒र्नर॑: । पिबे॑न्द्र॒ स्वाहा॒ प्रहु॑तं॒ वष॑ट्कृतं हो॒त्रादा सोमं॑ प्रथ॒मो य ईशि॑षे ॥
तुभ्य॑म् । हि॒न्वा॒नः । व॒सि॒ष्ट॒ । गाः । अ॒पः । अधु॑क्षन् । सी॒म् । अवि॑ऽभिः । अद्रि॑ऽभिः । नरः॑ । पिब॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । स्वाहा॑ । प्रऽहु॑तम् । वष॑ट्ऽकृतम् । हो॒त्रात् । आ । सोम॑म् । प्र॒थ॒मः । यः । ईशि॑षे ॥
tubhyam | hinvānaḥ | vasiṣṭa | gāḥ | apaḥ | adhukṣan | sīm | avi-bhiḥ | adri-bhiḥ | naraḥ | piba | indra | svāhā | pra-hutam | vaṣaṭ-kṛtam | hotrāt | ā | somam | prathamaḥ | yaḥ | īśiṣe
44
4×11 syllables (probable)
Martial and ascending; suitable for invitation to a leading power and for energizing the offering.
Invokes uplift and command; stimulates clarity and readiness, as if calling the inner Indra to the front.
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind, lord of illumination and victorious discernment
- गाः (gāḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: streams of consciousness; life-flows to be clarified
- अधुक्षन् (adhukṣan)
- Literal: they milked. Symbolic: they drew out usable light/essence from the depths
- अद्रिभिः (adribhiḥ)
- Literal: with stones (pressing-stones). Symbolic: disciplined pressure/concentration extracting Soma-essence
- नरः (naraḥ)
- Literal: men, heroes. Symbolic: energies of the seeker—striving powers of ascent
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: divine delight/immortal nectar of consciousness
- होत्रात् (hotrāt)
- Literal: from the Hotṛ. Symbolic: from the soul’s awakened speech offering the essence
- स्वाहा / वषट्कृतम् (svāhā / vaṣaṭkṛtam)
- Literal: ritual exclamations sealing the offering. Symbolic: acts of consecration and firm assent—inner ‘yes’ that fixes the offering in consciousness
Soma sacrifice setting; invitation to Indra to drink Soma from Hotṛ’s recitation, with svāhā/vaṣaṭ formulas; applicable in pressing-day liturgy (e.g., Agniṣṭoma-type Soma rites)
During Soma pressing and offering sequences where Indra is invoked to drink and empower the rite.
Pressing (adri), offering (svāhā/vaṣaṭ), and Hotṛ’s śastra; inwardly, concentrated extraction and consecration of delight to illumined mind.
As a pre-meditation or pre-work invocation: ‘Let my energies extract the essence; let the higher mind receive it and lead.’ Useful when clarity and initiative are needed.
Key roots: √duh ‘to milk/extract’ supports the symbolism of drawing out concealed essence (light/waters) from the subconscient. √hinv ‘to impel’ indicates dynamic initiation of the sacrifice as inner movement. √īś ‘to rule’ frames Indra as the master-power presiding over the first decisive victory. adrí ‘stone/mountain’ in Soma-context denotes the pressing-stones; psychologically, concentrated firmness that releases delight. gó ‘cow’ is multivalent: cow/ray/wealth; here best read as rays of illumination extracted for Indra’s strengthening.
Ṛta (right order) implied through correct offering and effective invocation, Satyam–Ritam–Bṛhat as the background aim: illumination and victorious right action, inner sacrifice as transformation of energies into delight (Soma)
Implied through correct offering and the ordered roles (Hotṛ) that align human action with cosmic law.
Truthful speech (hotrā) and consecration fix the offering; illumination is grounded in sincerity and exactness.
Extraction of essence from the hidden and its transformation into luminous mastery.
Mantric-psychological reading aligned with Integral Yoga: sacrifice as inner process of extraction, offering, and illumination.
Cows = rays of knowledge; waters = consciousness currents; stones = concentrated discipline; Soma = delight-essence; drinking = assimilation by illumined mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘milking’ of cows and waters for Indra is the classic mythic pattern of releasing Light and the life-flows for the god of victorious mind-force. Rather than cattle-raid, it encodes the recovery/extraction of illumined knowledges (gāḥ) and purifying energies (apah) from concealment, made possible by concentrated pressure (adri) and heroic striving (naraḥ).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √duh ‘milk’ (Skt. duh-) aligns with PIE *dʰewgʰ- ‘to produce, be strong/fit’ debated; the semantic field of ‘drawing out’ is Indo-European in ritual extraction metaphors. √īś ‘rule/own’ is often connected with Indo-Iranian sovereignty vocabulary (cf. Avestan īš- ‘to own/rule’). gó ‘cow’ has broad IE reflexes (Lat. bōs via *gʷou-), supporting the archaic poetic equation of ‘cow’ with value-bearing ‘wealth/light’ in IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer (Vasiṣṭha/Hotṛ-function) mediates a reciprocity: he ‘impels’ the rite and offers Soma with correct consecratory formulas (svāhā, vaṣaṭ), while Indra is asked to ‘drink’—i.e., to take into himself the offered delight and, strengthened, to exercise sovereign mastery (īśiṣe) for the sacrificer’s inner victory and illumination.
Offer the ‘pressed essence’ of experience to the higher mind; let Indra (illumined intelligence) drink and lead decisions and action.
Brisk-energetic recitation synchronized with exhale; brief pause after each pāda to feel ‘offering’ and ‘receiving’.
Active luminous concentration—clarity with force.
Begin by gathering scattered energies (naraḥ). ‘Press’ experience through attention (adri). Offer the distilled delight to the inner Indra; then act from that clarified command rather than from impulse.
Requires Śākala accent notation for exact udatta/anudatta/svarita; follow Saṃhitā marks carefully, especially around enclitics and vocatives (indra).
Keep vocative ‘indra’ clear; do not rush through ritual formula words (svāhā, vaṣaṭkṛtam)—they should sound ‘sealed’.
hinvāno: nasalized vā; avoid ‘hinvano’ flattening, apo ’dhukṣan: keep avagraha; do not insert extra vowel between o and a, adribhir: retroflex ḍ sound not present—here ‘dri’ cluster; keep r crisp, vaṣaṭkṛtam: retroflex ṣ; clear ṛ in kṛ, hotrād ā: maintain sandhi with a clean pause at pāda end
Bright, commanding, uplifted; slightly stronger on imperatives (piba).
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