Rig Veda 6.44.21: Mandala 6, Sukta 44, Mantra 21
Sukta 6.44
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Soma, with Indra-soma resonance
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
वृषासि दिवो वृषभः पृथिव्या वृषा सिन्धूनां वृषभः स्तियानाम् । वृष्णे त इन्दुर्वृषभ पीपाय स्वादू रसो मधुपेयो वराय ॥
vṛ́ṣāsi divó vṛ́ṣabhaḥ pṛthivyā́ vṛ́ṣā síndhūnāṃ vṛ́ṣabhaḥ stiyā́nām | vṛ́ṣṇe te índur vṛṣabha pīpāya svādú rásaḥ madhu-péyo várāya ||
इंद्र आसमान की भी ताकत हैं, धरती की भी। नदियों के पानी पर भी उनका राज है। सोम का जूस उनके लिए फूल रहा है। यह जूस मीठा है, जैसे शहद हो। जो बड़ा चाहता है, वो इसको पीता है।
Word by Word
- वृषा
- bull; mighty oneNoun (used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate-nominative with असि)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष् (वर्षणे/सेचने)
- असि
- you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (copula) links subject and predicateRoot √अस् (भू)
- दिवः
- of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/Genitive relation (of heaven)Root दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषभः
- bullNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate-nominative; apposition to वृषा)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/Genitive relation (of earth)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषा
- bull; mighty oneNoun (used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate-nominative; implied ‘असि’)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- सिन्धूनाम्
- of the riversNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/Genitive relation (of the rivers)Root सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषभः
- bullNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate-nominative; apposition)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- स्तियानाम्
- of the streams/flowing watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/Genitive relation (of the flowing waters)Root स्तिया (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic, ‘waters/streams’)
- वृष्णे
- for the bull (mighty one)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (for/to the bull/mighty one)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role Genitive relation (your)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम)
- इन्दुः
- Soma-drop; SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषभ
- O bull!Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Address (sambodhana)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पीपाय
- has drunk deeply; has drunk again and againVerbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; intensive stem पीपाय-Role Kriyā (main verb)Root √पा (पाने/पिबति) — Vedic intensive/causative-like perfect form
- स्वादू
- sweetAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with रसः)Role Viśeṣaṇa (of रसः)Root स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
- रसः
- juice; essenceNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (appositional/identificatory with इन्दुः; ‘the sweet juice’)Root रस (प्रातिपदिक)
- मधुपेयः
- honey-drinkable; fit to be drunk as honeyAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with रसः/इन्दुः)Role ViśeṣaṇaRoot मधु-पेय (समास: मधु + पेय) < √पा
- वराय
- for the excellent one / for a boonNoun/Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (for the choice/excellent one; for boon/for the best)Root वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): वृषा असि | दिवः वृषभः पृथिव्याः | वृषा सिन्धूनाम् वृषभः स्तियानाम् | वृष्णे ते इन्दुः वृषभ पीपाय | स्वादू रसः मधुपेयः वराय || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) वृषा॑सि = वृषा + असि (आ + अ → आ; लिखितरूपे ‘सि’ संधि-लोपेन संयुक्तम्). (2) त॒ इन्दु॑ः = ते + इन्दुः (ए + इ → ए; पदान्त ‘ते’ एन्क्लिटिक). अन्यत्र स्पष्ट संधि-परिवर्तन न्यूनम्
- ‘मधुपेयः’ समासरूपम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
You are the Bull of heaven and the Bull of earth, the Bull of the rivers and the lord of firm stations. For you the Soma-drop swells; sweet is its essence, a honey-drink for the chooser of the supreme.
Inner meaning
The mantra identifies the bull-power as a universal dynamism pervading all planes: heaven (mind), earth (embodied nature), rivers (flowing energies), and firm stations (stable realizations). Soma (Ananda) ‘swells’ for that power—when the being chooses the highest (varāya), delight becomes concentrated, sweet, and sustaining. It is an inner physiology: wideness and stability are both fed by bliss.
Universal truth
Spiritual force is not partial; it must possess both the heights and the foundations. When aspiration chooses the highest good, the essence of experience ripens into sweetness that nourishes stable realization.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Cosmic virility and abundance, Inner delight (rasa/madhu), Support of worlds (dyāvāpṛthivī implied)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.44.20-24, RV 6.43 (Indra), RV 6.48 (Agni)
Family tradition
Bārhaspatya inspiration: speech that establishes ‘stations’ (stis) of truth and calls down Soma’s sweetness into life.
Significance
The seer maps a complete yoga: force in all worlds, sweetness of essence, and the decisive choice (vara) that aligns the being to the supreme.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma (Indu) with Indraic ‘bull-force’ resonance
- Epithets
- vṛṣā, vṛṣabha, indu, svādu-rasa, madhupeya
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Uṣas, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Pervasive delight that strengthens gods and worlds; the sap that makes heaven and earth fruitful and stable.
Inner power
Ananda that both flows (sindhu) and stabilizes (stiyāni); sweetness that empowers aspiration to choose the highest.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma praise in pressing context; also suitable for Soma Pavamāna sequences as a laud of Indu’s power.
वृषा॑सि दि॒वो वृ॑ष॒भः पृ॑थि॒व्या वृषा॒ सिन्धू॑नां वृष॒भः स्तिया॑नाम् । वृष्णे॑ त॒ इन्दु॑र्वृषभ पीपाय स्वा॒दू रसो॑ मधु॒पेयो॒ वरा॑य ॥
वृषा॑ । अ॒सि॒ । दि॒वः । वृ॒ष॒भः । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । वृषा॑ । सिन्धू॑नाम् । वृ॒ष॒भः । स्तिया॑नाम् । वृष्णे॑ । ते॒ । इन्दुः॑ । वृ॒ष॒भ॒ । पी॒पा॒य॒ । स्वा॒दुः । रसः॑ । म॒धु॒ऽपेयः॑ । वरा॑य ॥
vṛṣā | asi | divaḥ | vṛṣabhaḥ | pṛthivyāḥ | vṛṣā | sindhūnām | vṛṣabhaḥ | stiyānām | vṛṣṇe | te | induḥ | vṛṣabha | pīpāya | svāduḥ | rasaḥ | madhu-peyaḥ | varāya
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4 × ~11 syllables; strong caesura supports enumerations (heaven/earth/streams/stations).
Declarative, all-encompassing roll; a litany of totality followed by sweetness.
Expands the sense of space and completeness, then settles into a savoring cadence on svādu-rasa.
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: mind-plane; luminous consciousness above the ordinary mentality
- पृथिव्याः (pṛthivyāḥ)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: embodied nature; the field of practice and stability
- सिन्धूनाम् (sindhūnām)
- Literal: rivers/streams. Symbolic: currents of life-force and thought; flowing energies
- स्तियानाम् (stiyānām)
- Literal: firm stations, fixed abodes. Symbolic: stable states of realization; established inner poises
- इन्दुः (induḥ)
- Literal: Soma-drop. Symbolic: condensed bliss/illumined essence distilled from experience
- रसो (rasaḥ)
- Literal: sap, essence, taste. Symbolic: the felt essence of consciousness—Ananda as experiential truth
- मधुपेयः (madhupeyaḥ)
- Literal: honey-drinkable. Symbolic: delight that can be ‘drunk’—assimilated as sustaining joy
- वराय (varāya)
- Literal: for the chooser of the best/supreme. Symbolic: the soul’s preference for the highest; psychic consent to the Divine aim
Soma pressing and offering (Somayāga context; recitation in Soma-stotras/śastras associated with Indra-Soma praise—general rather than a single fixed Śrauta niche without full Anukramaṇī cross-check)
During Soma offerings, especially when Soma is celebrated as strength and essence.
Stotra/śastra-style praise; inviting Soma to swell and become sweet for the rite.
A mantra for integration: invoke delight in both ‘heaven’ (meditation) and ‘earth’ (daily work), asking for stable stations of practice.
Key lexemes: (1) vṛṣā / vṛṣabha: from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, sprinkle; be virile, strong’ → symbol of overflowing force that ‘rains’ power and fertility into the being; vṛṣabha ‘chief-bull’ as leader-force. (2) sindhu: ‘river/stream’, often inner flow of energies and movements. (3) stiyāna- (RV): connected to √sthā ‘to stand’ → ‘standing-places, fixed stations’, interpreted as stabilized planes of consciousness. (4) indu: Soma as ‘drop’ and ‘luminous essence’; linked with √ind/√id (shining/refreshing in Vedic usage), functioning as delight-force. (5) pīpāya: intensive/perfect formation from √pī ‘swell, be abundant’ → the Soma increases, becomes full. (6) rasa: ‘sap/essence/taste’ from √ras ‘to taste’ → experiential delight of truth. (7) madhu: ‘honey/sweetness’ → beatitude; madhu-peya ‘honey-drink’ as sweetness fit for assimilation by the soul. (8) vara: from √vṛ ‘to choose’ → ‘chosen/best’; in inner sense, the being that chooses the higher (the seeker aligned to ṛta).
Ṛta as stable order (‘stiyāna’ as stations of order), Ananda/rasa (delight as essence of realization), Bṛhat (vastness of heaven/earth upheld by power)
‘Firm stations’ indicate the fixing of consciousness in Ṛta—right placement of powers.
Rasa is Satya tasted—truth experienced as sweetness, not concept.
Worlds are sustained by a pervading force and its delight-sap; sweetness is a creative principle.
Integral Vedantic tendency: Ananda as substance of manifestation across planes.
unspecified
unspecified
Heaven/earth = higher and lower nature; rivers = energetic flows; honey = concentrated delight; Soma drop = distilled bliss.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Soma-as-Bull mythologem: Soma/Indu is figured as the generative, rain-like force that pervades and fertilizes heaven, earth, and the flowing rivers, and also rules the ‘stations’ (stable cosmic orders). Psychologically, the pressed Soma is the distilled delight-force that swells in the seeker and feeds the ascent toward the ‘chosen/supreme’ (vara).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vṛṣ- ‘rain/virile’ aligns with Indo-European associations of the bull with storm-fertility (cf. widespread IE bull/storm symbolism). madhu ‘honey/sweet’ has clear IE cognates (e.g., English ‘mead’ < *medhu-), supporting the semantic field of sweetness/intoxicating delight. √as ‘to be’ is a direct reflex of PIE *h₁es-.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer affirms Soma’s all-pervading lordship (heaven/earth/streams/stations) and offers the Soma itself as swelling sweetness ‘for thee’—a reciprocal exchange: the human vessel prepares and intensifies the delight (pīpāya), while the deity-power returns abundance and right ordering (ṛta) through the established ‘stations’ and flowing currents of life.
Feel Soma as sweetness pervading all layers—mind, body, flows, and stable poises; practice choosing the highest intention repeatedly.
Viśuddha (rasa/nectar) to Ājñā (choice/vara)
Slow inhale ‘widening’ (divaḥ/pṛthivyāḥ), slow exhale ‘sweetening’ (svādu rasa); optional bhrāmarī-like soft hum to evoke madhu.
Widened, quietly joyful, integrative awareness.
After settling, scan: (1) mind-space, (2) body-ground, (3) energy-flows, (4) stable witness. Invite one sweetness to pervade all; end by an inner ‘yes’ to the supreme choice.
Maintain clear udatta rises on repeated vṛṣā/vṛṣabha; keep enumerations evenly paced; end-pada sweetening on svādu raso.
Do not rush the list: divo | pṛthivyā | sindhūnām | stiyānām; then soften and lengthen on svā́dū́ rásaḥ.
vṛṣā: long ā at end., stiyānām: cluster st- clear; long ā., pīpāya: long ī; both p’s articulated., madhupeyaḥ: dh soft aspirate; ‘peya’ as ‘pay-a’., varāya: long ā; roll lightly into y.
Even, expansive, ending with a mellow ‘sweet’ timbre.
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