Rig Veda 6.41.4: Mandala 6, Sukta 41, Mantra 4
Sukta 6.41
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
सुतः सोमो असुतादिन्द्र वस्यानयं श्रेयाञ्चिकितुषे रणाय । एतं तितिर्व उप याहि यज्ञं तेन विश्वास्तविषीरा पृणस्व ॥
sutáḥ sómo ásutād indra vásyān ayáṃ śréyāñ cikitúṣe ráṇāya | etáṃ titirváḥ úpa yāhi yajñáṃ téna víśvā́s táviṣīr ā́ pṛṇasva ||
सोम रस निचोड़ दिया गया है, यह उससे ज़्यादा ताकतवर है जो निचोड़ा नहीं गया। यह बेहतर है जो जाननेवाले के काम आता है और लड़ाई में मदद करता है। इंद्र, यह यज्ञ में आओ और कमी को दूर करके आओ। इससे हम में पूरी ताकत भर दो।
Word by Word
- सुतः
- pressed, expressedAdjective (past passive participle used predicatively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate qualifier of सोमः)Root √सु (सुते) / सुत- (ppp)
- सोमः
- Soma (the pressed sacred drink)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्ताRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- असुतात्
- from the unpressed (state), from what is not pressedNoun (ablatival source)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, पञ्चमी एकवचनम्Role अपादानRoot असुत- (a-suta- ‘unpressed’) (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वस्यान्
- better, more excellentAdjective (comparative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role विधेय-विशेषणम् (of अयम्/सोमः)Root वस्य- (comparative stem from वसु/वसि ‘good, excellent’)
- अयम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्ता/विषय (this one—Soma)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रेयाञ्
- more beneficial, betterAdjective (comparative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role विधेय-विशेषणम्Root श्रेयस्- (comparative of श्री ‘prosperity, splendor’)
- चिकितुषे
- for the discerning one (Indra), for the knowingNoun/Adjective used as substantive (to the wise/knowing one)पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot √चित् (चेतति) → चिकितु- (perfect/ reduplicated stem ‘one who has perceived/understood’)
- रणाय
- for battle, for combatNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (purpose)Root रण- (प्रातिपदिक)
- एतम्
- this (one), him/itPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तितिर्वः
- your overcomer/crosser (helper)Noun/Agentive + enclitic pronounतितिर्-: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्; वः: षष्ठी बहुवचनम् (enclitic ‘of you/your’)Role कर्ता (तितिर्) + सम्बन्ध (वः)Root √तॄ (तॄ/तॢ ‘to cross, overcome’) → तितिर्- (desiderative/iterative-type Vedic stem ‘one who wishes to cross/overcome’); वः = युष्मद्
- उप
- near, up toIndeclinable (preverb/adverb)Role क्रियाविशेषण (directional: ‘near’)Root उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- याहि
- come, goVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (आह्वान)Root √या (याति)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, ritualNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (goal of motion)Root यज्ञ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तेन
- with that, by thatPronoun (instrumental)पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjective (used substantively: ‘all [things]’)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (agreeing with तविषीः)Role कर्म (object of पृणस्व)Root विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तविषीः
- powers, mighty strengthsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तविषी- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- fully, untoIndeclinable (preverb)Role क्रियाविशेषण (completive/intensive)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- पृणस्व
- fill, satisfyVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √पॄ (पृणाति ‘to fill, satisfy’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: असु॑तादिन्द्र → असुतात् + इन्द्र (final -t before vowel)
- वस्या॑न॒यं → वस्यान् + अयम् (n + a sandhi)
- श्रेया॑ञ्चिकि॒तुषे॒ → श्रेयाञ् + चिकित्से/चिकितुषे (final -ñ before c; Vedic form ‘चिकितुषे’ = dat. sg.)
- ति॑तिर्व॒ उप॑ → तितिर्वः + उप (visarga-less enclitic joining)
- विश्वा॒स्तवि॑षी॒रा → विश्वाः + तविषीः + आ (ḥ + t → sibilant assimilation in saṃhitā; then ā as preverb with following verb)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Pressed Soma is more potent than unpressed; it is better for the knower in battle. Indra is asked to come to the sacrifice, overcoming insufficiency; by this Soma he should fill all his powers.
Inner meaning
What is ‘pressed’ is experience and consciousness deliberately concentrated by aspiration and discipline; unpressed is the diffuse, unmastered life-energy. The mantra states a law of inner work: concentrated delight-power (Soma) is stronger than raw impulse. For the ‘knower’ (cikituṣ) in the inner battle, this refined essence is ‘better’—it gives right joy and right force. Indra is called to the yajña (inner offering) to overcome titirvaḥ—deficiency, inadequacy, the sense of ‘not enough’ that blocks spiritual victory. By drinking Soma, the illumined mind fills (ā pṛṇasva) all its taviṣīḥ—energies of effective force within us.
Universal truth
Refinement and concentration of consciousness turn ordinary energy into effective power. The decisive victories of life come when clarity is nourished by joy and all capacities are filled from a deeper source, not from scattered effort.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Invocation of Indra, Inner battle (knowledge vs. obstruction), Plenitude of force (taviṣī)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.41.1-6, RV 6.42.1-4
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns frequently frame Indra’s ‘battle’ as the conquest of inner limitation through Soma-fed illumination.
Significance
The seer emphasizes that the divine force responds not to raw emotion but to a prepared, ‘pressed’ offering—disciplined aspiration yielding concentrated delight.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- indra (lord of luminous mind)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Champion who enlarges the human being, leading it beyond limitation into wide light.
Inner power
Discerning, victorious intelligence that converts delight into effective force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offering in Soma sacrifice
सु॒तः सोमो॒ असु॑तादिन्द्र॒ वस्या॑न॒यं श्रेया॑ञ्चिकि॒तुषे॒ रणा॑य । ए॒तं ति॑तिर्व॒ उप॑ याहि य॒ज्ञं तेन॒ विश्वा॒स्तवि॑षी॒रा पृ॑णस्व ॥
सु॒तः । सोमः॑ । असु॑तात् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । वस्या॑न् । अ॒यम् । श्रेया॑न् । चि॒कि॒तुषे॑ । रणा॑य । ए॒तम् । ति॒ति॒र्वः॒ । उप॑ । या॒हि॒ । य॒ज्ञम् । तेन॑ । विश्वाः॑ । तवि॑षीः । आ । पृ॒ण॒स्व॒ ॥
sutaḥ | somaḥ | asutāt | indra | vasyān | ayam | śreyān | cikituṣe | raṇāya | etam | titirvaḥ | upa | yāhi | yajñam | tena | viśvāḥ | taviṣīḥ | ā | pṛṇasva
44
4×11 (typical)
Energetic and expansive; suited to ‘battle’ imagery and filling of powers.
Invokes uplift and fullness; supports a felt ‘charging’ of inner faculties.
- सुत (suta)
- Literal: pressed, expressed. Symbolic: concentrated, purified essence drawn out by practice
- असुत (asuta)
- Literal: unpressed. Symbolic: diffuse, unmastered energy; unrefined consciousness
- चिकितुषे (cikituṣe)
- Literal: to the knower, the discerning. Symbolic: the awakened intelligence that can use power rightly
- रण (raṇa)
- Literal: battle. Symbolic: inner conflict with inertia, doubt, obscurity
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: inner offering and self-giving to the higher consciousness
- तितिर्वः (titirvaḥ)
- Literal: overcoming insufficiency (sense: surpassing lack). Symbolic: crossing beyond inadequacy and limitation-consciousness
- तविषीः (taviṣīḥ)
- Literal: forces, energies. Symbolic: capacities of illumined action in mind-life-body
Soma-yajña context: invitation to Indra to partake of the pressed Soma; applicable in Soma pressing rites (e.g., Agniṣṭoma sequence) as an āhvāna/invocation verse.
At Soma pressing/oblation moments, especially for Indra’s empowerment
Praise of pressed Soma; invitation for Indra to come and drink; consecration of force
Use before study, decision, or conflict: affirm that refined inner joy is stronger than scattered drive; invoke clarity to fill all capacities.
Key terms: (1) (suta) from √su 'to press out, to distil'—Soma becomes an active, expressible delight-power when 'pressed' by tapas and right method. (2) (asutāt) privative a- + suta: the unpressed/latent state; psychologically, delight not yet extracted from experience. (3) - (cikituṣe) perfect participial dative/locative sense from √cit 'to perceive, know, be conscious'—the offering is 'for the discerning consciousness'. (4) (raṇa) 'battle'—from √raṇ/√ram nuances of contest/joyous intensity; in RV often the struggle where Indra’s force breaks the coverers. (5) (titirvaḥ) from √tṝ 'to cross over' (cf. tara-): suggests passing beyond lack/obstruction; an inner transition. (6) (taviṣī) from taviṣ- 'strength, impetuous force'—Indra’s dynamic faculties. (7) (pṛṇasva) middle imperative from √pṝ 'fill, satisfy'—not acquisition but plenitude of force in the being.
Ṛta (right ordering through right sacrifice/action), Tapas (pressing/extraction as inner heat and discipline), Satyam–Ṛtam–Bṛhat (truth-order-vastness as the aim of fullness)
The ‘pressed’ (purified) offering aligns energies with r̥ta, making force right and effective.
For the knower, power is governed by truth-discrimination (cikituṣ).
Alchemical transformation: extraction of essence (Soma) from the mixed to empower ascent.
Integral/psychological Veda (Aurobindo/Kashyap emphasis on inner yajña).
Pressing = concentration; juice = delight-current; battle = struggle with inner obscurity; filling = plenitude of faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'pressed Soma summons Indra for battle' motif: Soma, once extracted and made potent, calls the Indra-force to the yajña so that Indra may deploy and 'fill' his taviṣīs (powers). Mythically this is the recurring pattern where Soma intoxication empowers Indra’s victory over obstructing forces; psychologically it is the awakening of delight-energy that enables the luminous will to overcome inner deficiency and resistance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pṝ 'fill' (pṛṇasva) aligns with PIE *pleh₁- 'to fill' (cf. Greek πίμπλημι pímplēmi, Latin plēre/implēre). √tṝ 'cross' (titirvaḥ) reflects PIE *terh₂- 'to cross over, overcome' (cf. English 'through' via Germanic developments; also Sanskrit tara- 'crosser'). The semantic pairing 'crossing beyond' + 'filling' encodes a classic Indo-European victory-to-plenitude sequence: overcoming obstacle → attaining fullness.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity is explicit: the seer offers a superior, 'pressed' Soma (inner delight made active through discipline) and invites Indra to 'approach the yajña'; in return Indra is asked to complete the exchange by filling all his powers into the sacrificer’s field—i.e., to install victorious force in the human vessel for the inner battle. The yajña is the meeting-ground where human aspiration and divine energy mutually intensify.
Feel a refined joy (Soma) gathered by attention; offer it upward to the illumined mind; then let all faculties fill and organize around that joy.
maṇipūra (force) supported by ājñā (clarity)
Brisk-then-settle: 6–9 rounds of bhastrikā (gentle), followed by quiet breathing while repeating the mantra mentally.
Victorious clarity; energized equilibrium.
When inadequacy arises, do not push harder; ‘press’ the consciousness—simplify, concentrate, recover delight—then act from that fullness.
Maintain Vedic accent contours; keep udatta lifts clear on key verbs (yāhi, pṛṇasva) where accented in the recension.
Sustain long vowels (somo, śreyān) without over-stressing; let each pāda land firmly.
sutaḥ: final visarga lightly, asutād: long ā before d; dental d, śreyāñ: palatal ñ, nasalized cluster, yajñaṃ: ‘jñ’ conjunct, not ‘yagna’ with hard g, pṛṇasva: vocalic ṛ; sv as cluster
Invocatory, forceful but controlled; end each pāda with a slight settling.
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