Rig Veda 5.37.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 37, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.37
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
पुष्यात्क्षेमे अभि योगे भवात्युभे वृतौ संयती सं जयाति । प्रियः सूर्ये प्रियो अग्ना भवाति य इन्द्राय सुतसोमो ददाशत् ॥
puṣyā́t kṣémé abhí yóge bhavāty ubhé vṛ́tau saṃyatī́ sáṃ jayāti | priyáḥ sū́rye priyó agnā́ bhavāti yá índrāya sutá-sómo dadā́śat ||
वो शांति में रहता है और संगम में जीता है। दोनों तरफ से जब टकराव होता है, वो पूरा जीत लेता है। सूर्य को वो प्यारा है, अग्नि को भी प्यारा है। क्योंकि उसने इंद्र को सोम दिया है।
Word by Word
- पुष्य॑ात्
- may (he) prosper / may (he) cause to thriveVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ्-प्रायः वैदिक), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole (वाक्य-क्रिया)Root पुष् (धातु)
- क्षेमे॑
- in safety, in secure well-beingNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अ॒भि
- towards, over, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/दिशा)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- योगे॑
- in (time of) yoking/endeavour; in harnessing (battle/effort)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot योग (प्रातिपदिक)
- भवाति
- becomes, isVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole (वाक्य-क्रिया)Root भू (धातु)
- उ॒भे
- both (two)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole (सम्बन्धः—वृतौ इति विशेषणम्)Root उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृतौ॑
- both courses/paths; both turns (of fortune)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्म (सं जयाति इत्यस्य)Root वृति/वृत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वृ’ से)
- संय॒ती
- in the encounter, in battle/contestNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot सम्-यत् (धातु) → संयति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जयाति
- wins, conquersVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole (वाक्य-क्रिया)Root जि (धातु)
- प्रि॒यः
- dear, beloved, pleasingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (भवाति इत्यस्य)Root प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्ये॑
- with/among the Sun (god); in the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रि॒यः
- dear, belovedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (भवाति इत्यस्य)Root प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- अ॒ग्ना
- with Agni; by AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: अग्ना = अग्निना)Role करण/सह (सहचर्य-भावः)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- भवाति
- becomes, isVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole (वाक्य-क्रिया)Root भू (धातु)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (ददाशत् इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रा॑य
- to IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सु॒तसो॑मः
- (he) whose Soma is pressed; the presser/offerer of pressed SomaNoun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (ददाशत् इत्यस्य); यः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Root सुतसोम (प्रातिपदिक; सुत + सोम)
- ददा॑शत्
- has given, bestowed (offered)Verbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole (वाक्य-क्रिया)Root दा (धातु; परस्मैपद) / वैदिक परिपूर्ण-रूप
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): पुष्यात् क्षेमे अभि योगे भवाति | उभे वृतौ संयती सम् जयाति | प्रियः सूर्ये प्रियः अग्ना भवाति | यः इन्द्राय सुतसोमः ददाशत् || 1) संयती: ‘सम्’ उपसर्ग + ‘यति’ (यत्) से बना भाव/स्थानवाचक रूप
- यहाँ सप्तमी एकवचन। 2) अग्ना: वैदिक तृतीया एकवचन ‘अग्निना’ का संक्षिप्त/प्राचीन रूप। 3) सुतसोमः: कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-प्राय समास ‘सुतः सोमः यस्य’ → ‘pressed-Soma (having pressed Soma)’. 4) ददाशत्: वैदिक लिट् (परफेक्ट) 3sg, ‘दा’ धातु का पुरातन रूप
- अर्थ ‘ददौ/अदात्’ के निकट।
The meaning
Outer meaning
He prospers in peace and becomes victorious in the joining; in both turns of circumstance, when they meet in conflict, he wins. He becomes dear to the Sun and dear to the Fire—he who has given pressed Soma to Indra.
Inner meaning
The one who offers distilled delight (sutasoma) to the illumined Mind (Indra) grows in kṣema (inner peace, settled security) and in yoga (the joining—concentration and union). In both conditions—rest and challenge (ubhe vṛtau)—when opposites confront, he integrates and conquers (saṃ jayāti): not by division but by a greater harmony. Such a person becomes ‘dear’ to Surya (truth-light) and Agni (divine will): illumination and will naturally support the being that feeds the higher mind with Soma-bliss.
Universal truth
Joy offered upward becomes strength and integration: it brings peace in calm times and victory in conflict, and it aligns one with truth and will.
Themes
Fruits of offering, Victory in dual conditions, Harmony with Sun and Agni, Soma gift to Indra
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (attributed for RV 5.37 as a whole; verse-level attribution uncertain)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- RV 5.36, RV 5.38, RV 5.39
Family tradition
Atri line emphasizes practical fruits of inner sacrifice: peace, victory, and harmony with solar truth and fiery will.
Significance
Frames the sadhana-result: not only ecstatic experience, but stable peace and victorious integration in all circumstances.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Surya and Agni as approving powers)
- Epithets
- somapā, maghavan, vṛtrahan
- Related deities
- Soma, Surya, Agni, Ushas
Cosmic role
Grants victorious integration; Surya confirms truth; Agni confirms right will and transformation.
Inner power
Indra as illumined mind receives Soma-bliss and translates it into mastery across changing states; Surya and Agni become friendly allies.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra; blessing for prosperity and victory for patron/householder-king
पुष्या॒त्क्षेमे॑ अ॒भि योगे॑ भवात्यु॒भे वृतौ॑ संय॒ती सं ज॑याति । प्रि॒यः सूर्ये॑ प्रि॒यो अ॒ग्ना भ॑वाति॒ य इन्द्रा॑य सु॒तसो॑मो॒ ददा॑शत् ॥
पुष्या॑त् । क्षेमे॑ । अ॒भि । योगे॑ । भ॒वा॒ति॒ । उ॒भे इति॑ । वृतौ॑ । सं॒य॒ती इति॑ स॒म्ऽय॒ती । सम् । ज॒या॒ति॒ । प्रि॒यः । सूर्ये॑ । प्रि॒यः । अ॒ग्ना । भ॒वा॒ति॒ । यः । इन्द्रा॑य । सु॒तऽसो॑मः । ददा॑शत् ॥
puṣyāt | kṣeme | abhi | yoge | bhavāti | ubhe iti | vṛtau | saṃyatī itisam-yatī | sam | jayāti | priyaḥ | sūrye | priyaḥ | agnā | bhavāti | yaḥ | indrāya | suta-somaḥ | dadāśat
44
4×11 (approx.)
Balanced and resolving; conveys integration across opposites
Soothes while strengthening; good for centering before action.
- क्षेम (kṣema)
- Literal: peace, security. Symbolic: settled inner stability and protection
- योग (yoga)
- Literal: joining, yoking. Symbolic: concentration/union of parts of the being with the higher consciousness
- वृत (vṛta)
- Literal: turn, condition. Symbolic: alternating states of life: ease and struggle, expansion and contraction
- संयती (saṃyatī)
- Literal: when they meet/contend together. Symbolic: moment of inner conflict where opposites must be mastered
- सम् जयाति (saṃ jayāti)
- Literal: wins completely. Symbolic: integral victory; harmonizing conquest
- प्रिय (priya)
- Literal: dear, beloved. Symbolic: in natural accord with the cosmic powers; supported by them
- सूर्य (sūrya)
- Literal: Sun. Symbolic: truth-illumination, right seeing
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: Fire. Symbolic: divine will, transformative aspiration
- सुतसोम (sutasoma)
- Literal: pressed Soma. Symbolic: distilled delight offered to strengthen higher functioning
Dakṣiṇā/fruit statement style within Soma context: declares the inner result of offering pressed Soma—victory in both peace and conflict, harmony with solar truth and agnic will.
As a phala-śruti style affirmation within Indra-Soma sequences: peace, victory, divine favor
Offering pressed Soma; reciting for well-being in peace and success in contest
Daily recitation before work/conflict: cultivate calm (kṣema) and focused joining (yoga), then act.
yóga from √yuj ‘to yoke, join’ → not merely ‘union’ but disciplined harnessing (inner yoga). vṛ́tau from √vṛt ‘turn’ → the alternating conditions of life; saṃ-yatī from √yam ‘to restrain/hold’ with sam- indicates meeting/closing in conflict. priyá ‘dear’ indicates harmony/fit with solar truth (sūrya) and agnic will (agni).
Yoga as yoking/integration (yuj), Victory through right alignment (jayāti), Prosperity as nourishment of being (puṣ)
Winning in both ‘turns’ suggests alignment with ṛta beyond circumstance.
Being ‘dear to Surya’ implies conformity to truth-vision.
Integration of opposites (peace/conflict) into a higher unity—an evolutionary movement of consciousness.
Integral yoga resonance: peace and power together; not withdrawal but mastery in life.
morning (implied by Surya favor; suitable for dawn practice)
Sun = clear discernment; Fire = will to transform; Soma = joy that lubricates integration and victory.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘boon of victory’ mythologem: the giver of Soma to Indra gains comprehensive victory across life’s alternations (peace/strife). Inwardly, the offering establishes a harmony with Sun (truth-light) and Agni (will), producing stable success.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yuj (yoga) continues PIE *yeug- ‘to yoke’ (cf. Latin iugum, English yoke). √jay ‘conquer’ aligns with the IE heroic lexicon of victory. These roots underpin a shared Indo-European metaphor: disciplined ‘yoking’ yields mastery.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse states a reciprocity principle: the human gives the distilled essence (Soma) to Indra; in return, the cosmic powers (Indra, and approvingly Sūrya and Agni) align with the seeker, granting inner prosperity and victory in all conditions.
Cultivate kṣema (inner safety) first; then yoga (joining) by unifying breath, attention, and intention; offer joy upward to strengthen illumination.
anāhata (peace) integrating with ājñā (clarity) and maṇipūra (victory-force)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for kṣema, then 6 slow breaths with mantra mentally on exhale.
Integrated calm-power; readiness for life’s ‘two turns’
Before a difficult conversation: 7 recitations, feel Surya above the brow (clarity) and Agni in the navel (steady will), then speak from the joined center.
Use proper Vedic accenting; keep sandhi clean in ‘ubhe vṛtau saṃyatī’; avoid flattening ‘priyaḥ sūrye priyaḥ agnā’.
Let the voice soften on ‘kṣeme’ and strengthen on ‘saṃ jayāti’; brighten again on ‘sūrye’ and ‘agnā’.
kṣeme: pronounce kṣ as a single cluster., ubhe: clear bh aspiration., saṃyatī: nasal ‘saṃ’ and palatal y., agnā: long ā; keep g voiced.
Even, calming, with a gentle radiance on Surya/Agni phrases.
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