Rig Veda 3.48.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 48, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.48
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यज्जायथास्तदहरस्य कामेंऽशोः पीयूषमपिबो गिरिष्ठाम् । तं ते माता परि योषा जनित्री महः पितुर्दम आसिञ्चदग्रे ॥
yáj jā́yathās tád áhar asyá kā́me aṃśóḥ pīyū́ṣam ápibo giriṣṭhā́m | táṃ te mātā́ pári yóṣā́ jánitrī maháḥ pitúr dáma ā́ asiñcad ágre ||
जब तुम पैदा हुए, उस दिन तुमने सोम पिया था। तुम्हारी माँ ने तुम्हारे लिए पहले डाल दिया था। यह बड़े पिता के घर में हुआ।
Word by Word
- यत्
- which; whatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (relative object: ‘that which’)Root यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- जायथाः
- you were bornVerbलुङ् (aorist), आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole Kartā (you)Root जन् (धातु)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (correlative: ‘that’)Root तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- अहः
- dayNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (time: ‘on that day’)Root अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of thisPronounपुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root इदम् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- कामे
- in the desire; at the wishNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (sphere/occasion: ‘in/at the desire’)Root काम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अंशोः
- of Soma (the stalk/juice)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive: of Soma)Root अंशु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पीयूषम्
- sweet drink; milk/nectarNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पीयूष (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपिबः
- you drankVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole Kartā (you)Root पा (धातु)
- गिरिष्ठाम्
- mountain-staying; from the mountainsAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (qualifying पीयूषम् understood as ‘that which is mountain-dwelling/kept in the mountains’)Role Karma (as qualifier of the object drunk)Root गिरि-स्था (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास)
- तम्
- him/thatPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचन (enclitic)Role Sambandha (genitive: ‘your’)Root युष्मद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- माता
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around; aboutIndeclinableअव्ययRole (preverb/adverbial)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- योषा
- woman; young wifeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to माता)Root योषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनित्री
- begetter; motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root जनितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- महः
- of the great one; of greatnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पितुः
- of the fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- दमः
- house; homeNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (locus, with implied ‘in’)Root दम (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; intoIndeclinableअव्ययRole (preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- असिञ्चत्
- she pouredVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole Kartā (mother as subject)Root सिच् (धातु)
- अग्रे
- in front; at firstIndeclinable (adverbial locative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषण)Role Adhikaraṇa (time: ‘at first’)Root अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): यज्जायथाः → यत् + जायथाः
- तदहः → तत् + अहः
- कामेंऽशोः → कामे + अंशोः (’ऽ’ = avagraha after vowel coalescence)
- अपिबो → अपिबः (RV orthography often writes -o for -aḥ before voiced sound/pause)
- गिरिष्ठाम् treated as compound adjective (गिरि-स्था) in acc. sg. fem. qualifying the drunk ‘पीयूषम्’ (semantic agreement). Remaining forms are straightforward without further external sandhi
The meaning
Outer meaning
When you were born, on that day, you drank the mountain-standing sweetness of the Soma-stalk; and your mother, the begetting woman, first poured it for you in the house of the mighty Father.
Inner meaning
At the very birth of the illumined power, it drinks ‘giriṣṭhām pīyūṣam’—the sweetness stationed on the mountain: the higher, firm-standing plane of consciousness where Soma (bliss) is stable. The ‘mother’ (mātā, yoṣā janitrī) is the shaping power of Nature/Prakṛti (often Aditi in symbolic reading), who first pours the delight in the ‘house of the mighty Father’—the vast Consciousness (Mahān Pitā), the supreme origin. Psychologically: true bliss is not manufactured by the surface mind; it is poured from above by the formative Shakti when the higher birth is ready.
Universal truth
Lasting sweetness comes from higher ground. When a new consciousness is born, the nurturing power of existence supplies it with delight drawn from the heights, rooting growth in a greater Source than the ego.
Themes
Indra’s infancy myth, Soma origin, mother/father symbolism, nectar from the heights
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Kauśika (Viśvāmitra tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.48, RV 3.47, RV 3.62
Family tradition
Mantras of ‘birth’ and ‘pouring’ emphasize descent of higher substance into the embodied being.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s vision often links ascent (mountain) and descent (pouring): the new power is born when the higher sweetness is made available by the Mother-force.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- new-born (by narrative), Soma-drinker
- Related deities
- Soma, Aditi (as Mother-symbol), Dyaus/Pitṛ (as Father-symbol)
Cosmic role
Receives the summit-Soma and becomes capable of world-action founded on higher delight.
Inner power
Awakened illumination nourished by stable bliss from above, enabling fearless growth and conquest.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma rite mythic recollection supporting Indra’s Soma-drinking
यज्जाय॑था॒स्तदह॑रस्य॒ कामें॒ऽशोः पी॒यूष॑मपिबो गिरि॒ष्ठाम् । तं ते॑ मा॒ता परि॒ योषा॒ जनि॑त्री म॒हः पि॒तुर्दम॒ आसि॑ञ्च॒दग्रे॑ ॥
यत् । जाय॑थाः । तत् । अहः॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । कामे॑ । अं॒शोः । पी॒यूष॑म् । अ॒पि॒बः॒ । गि॒रि॒ऽस्थाम् । तम् । ते॒ । मा॒ता । परि॑ । योषा॑ । जनि॑त्री । म॒हः । पि॒तुः । दमे॑ । आ । अ॒सि॒ञ्च॒त् । अग्रे॑ ॥
yat | jāyathāḥ | tat | ahaḥ | asya | kāme | aṃśoḥ | pīyūṣam | apibaḥ | giri-sthām | tam | te | mātā | pari | yoṣā | janitrī | mahaḥ | pituḥ | dame | ā | asiñcat | agre
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Narrative and flowing; a gentle rise toward ‘giriṣṭhām’ then a settling cadence in the ‘house of the Father’.
Encourages trust in a higher origin of joy; good for contemplative chanting with vivid inner imagery.
- giriṣṭhām
- Literal: standing on the mountain. Symbolic: established in the higher plane (summit consciousness)
- pīyūṣam
- Literal: sweetness, nectar. Symbolic: pure bliss-essence nourishing awakening
- aṃśoḥ
- Literal: of the Soma-stalk. Symbolic: the concentrated channel/vehicle of delight-substance
- mātā / yoṣā / janitrī
- Literal: mother / woman / begetter. Symbolic: forming Shakti (Aditi/Prakṛti) who mediates higher gifts into the being
- mahaḥ pituḥ
- Literal: of the mighty Father. Symbolic: vast origin-consciousness; the supreme source-plane
- dama
- Literal: house, dwelling. Symbolic: inner home/seat where the divine presence is established
- kāme
- Literal: in desire/will. Symbolic: according to the intention of becoming—right necessity of the soul’s growth
Mythic foundation for Soma offering: legitimizes Indra as primordial Soma-drinker; supports Soma-pressing recitation.
During Soma offerings to Indra, to establish his primordial connection with Soma
Recitation affirming Indra’s right to Soma and the sanctity of the offering as ‘first poured’
Use when seeking stable joy: chant to remember that bliss can be ‘poured from above’—cultivate receptivity rather than strain.
aṃśú ‘Soma stalk, beam’ relates to ‘ray/portion’ semantics (aṃśa). pīyū́ṣa ‘milk/nectar’ from √pyā/√pī ‘to swell, be full’ → nourishing plenitude. giri ‘mountain’ as image of the higher, stable plane. asiñcat from √sic ‘to pour’ → infusion/descent.
descent of delight from the heights, birth of the victorious power in the ‘house of the Vast’, kāma as formative will of manifestation
The pouring ‘first’ in the Father’s house suggests an ordered descent: gifts come by right season and right seat.
Summit-Soma is stable truth-delight, not unstable pleasure.
Birth of a divine power nourished by higher essence mediated by the Mother—descent as a principle of manifestation.
Integral symbolic Vedism: Mother/Father as Shakti/Consciousness; Soma as ānanda-substance.
Mountain = higher plane of mind/spirit; Soma stalk = channel of delight; nectar = ānanda; house = inner seat where the divine is established.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The newborn Indra drinks the mountain Soma, poured by the Mother in the house of the Great Father: mythically, the hero-force is constituted by a first infusion of nectar from the heights; psychologically, awakening power is nourished by higher delight before it can act in the lower field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sic ‘pour’ continues PIE *seyḱ- ‘to pour’ (often compared). The parental imagery (mātā/pitā) is shared IE mythopoesis; ‘house of the father’ as origin-space parallels Indo-European cosmic household metaphors.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi anchors the present offering in a primordial precedent: Indra is not merely invited but remembered as one whose very birth is tied to Soma. This establishes confidence that the divine power naturally responds to the offered delight.
Receptivity to higher sweetness; feel bliss descending from ‘the mountain’ into the heart-mind.
Sahasrāra (descent) to Anāhata (sweetness/rasa)
Inhale imagining ascent to a quiet summit; exhale imagining nectar pouring down the central channel into the heart.
Receptive, trusting, inwardly sheltered.
If joy feels unstable, stop seeking it through excitation; instead, become still and ‘let the Mother pour’—a posture of consent and quiet aspiration.
Chant with careful attention to udātta on key narrative points; keep the flow unbroken through compounds.
Give clear lift on: jā́yathās → aháḥ → kā́me → pīyū́ṣam → giriṣṭhā́m → mātā́ → janitrī́ → maháḥ pitúḥ → āsiñcat.
giriṣṭhām: retroflex ṣṭh cluster; keep ‘ām’ long., pīyūṣam: long ī and ū; ṣ is retroflex., āsiñcat: palatal ñ; ‘c’ unaspirated, clear., pituh: short i; final ḥ light., aṃśoḥ: anusvāra before ś; keep ś crisp.
Soft, nectar-like, contemplative; let vowels lengthen naturally.
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