Rig Veda 7.68.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 68, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.68
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अयं ह यद्वां देवया उ अद्रिरूर्ध्वो विवक्ति सोमसुद्युवभ्याम् । आ वल्गू विप्रो ववृतीत हव्यैः ॥
ayáṃ ha yád vāṃ deva-yā́ u adrír ūrdhvó vívakti soma-súd yuvábhyām | ā́ valgū́ vipró vavṛtīta havyáiḥ ||
जब सोम रस निकलने के लिए पत्थर उठाया जाता है, तब वो तुम दोनों के लिए सोम रस खोलती है। रिशि जो भगवान को ढूंढता है, वो अपनी पूजा सामान लेकर तुम्हारे पास आता है।
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ह
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root ह (निपात)
- यत्
- that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्धक-प्रयोगः)Root यद् (सम्बन्ध/यत्-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- for you two / of you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, द्विवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवया
- by/with divine (power/way)Noun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) + -या (तृतीया एकवचन) अथवा देवय (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- and, also; indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root उ (निपात)
- अद्रिः
- the stone (pressing-stone)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊर्ध्वः
- upright, raisedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (अद्रिः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- विवक्ति
- separates, apportionsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot √वच् (वच्) + वि-
- सोम
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (कर्म)Role KarmaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुद्युवभ्याम्
- to/for the two good-shining onesAdjectiveद्विवचनम्, तृतीया/चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी (भ्याम्)Role SampradānaRoot सुद्युव (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; सु- + द्युव)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वल्गू
- beautifully, pleasantlyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role KarmaRoot वल्गु (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्रः
- the inspired poet/priestNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ववृतीत
- let him turn/roll (towards), let him proceedVerbवेदिक-लोट्/विधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्-सदृश), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot √वृत् (वृत्) / √वृ (वृ) (वेदिक-रूप: ववृतीत)
- हव्यैः
- with oblationsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-style): अयम् ह यत् वाम् देवया उ अद्रिः ऊर्ध्वः विवक्ति सोमम् सुद्युवभ्याम् । आ वल्गू विप्रः ववृतीत हव्यैः । Notes: (1) यद्वाम् → यत् + वाम् (द् + व → त्व्)
- (2) देवया उ: hiatus retained with particle उ
- (3) अद्रिरूर्ध्वो → अद्रिः + ऊर्ध्वः (visarga before vowel; RV often shows coalescence in saṃhitā)
- (4) सोमसुद्युवभ्याम् → सोमम् + सुद्युवभ्याम् (final -म् before s- in saṃhitā)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When the god-seeking pressing stone is lifted upright, it releases Soma for the two Aśvins; the seer turns toward them with offerings.
Inner meaning
The ‘pressing stone’ (adri) is the concentrated force of aspiration and disciplined practice that, when raised upright (aligned), releases Soma—inner delight and immortalizing sweetness—into the system. The Aśvins are invoked as the twin operators who make this delight effective in mind and life, converting aspiration into a living flow. The vipra’s turning indicates the conscious orientation of the seeker toward these powers through offerings: attention, surrender, and right action.
Universal truth
When aspiration is rightly aligned and lifted, inner bliss is released; the seeker’s conscious offering attracts the powers that can stabilize and apply that bliss for transformation.
Themes
soma-pressing, adri symbolism, seer aspiration
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.2 (Agni as priest/leader), RV 7.23 (Indra and victory of light), RV 7.71 (Uṣas and awakening)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s line emphasizes the efficacy of the inner yajña: aspiration (tapas) + right offering (havis) = descent of light and joy.
Significance
Here Vasiṣṭha presents the practical psychology of Soma: bliss is not accidental; it is ‘pressed out’ by upright aspiration and offered consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- yuvabhyām (you two, youthful twins), swift helpers (implied), healers (implied by Aśvin nature)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Uṣas, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Receivers and distributors of Soma-force; they make the delight operative in the human field and restore balance.
Inner power
They regulate the prāṇic and mental instruments so the Soma-flow becomes harmonizing rather than intoxicating; they turn aspiration into effective progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (savana) context; invitation to Aśvins to partake of Soma
अ॒यं ह॒ यद्वां॑ देव॒या उ॒ अद्रि॑रू॒र्ध्वो विव॑क्ति सोम॒सुद्यु॒वभ्या॑म् । आ व॒ल्गू विप्रो॑ ववृतीत ह॒व्यैः ॥
अ॒यम् । ह॒ । यत् । वा॒म् । दे॒व॒ऽयाः । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । अद्रिः॑ । ऊ॒र्ध्वः । विव॑क्ति । सो॒म॒ऽसुत् । यु॒वभ्या॑म् । आ । व॒ल्गू इति॑ । विप्रः॑ । व॒वृ॒ती॒त॒ । ह॒व्यैः ॥
ayam | ha | yat | vām | deva-yāḥ | oṃ iti | adriḥ | ūrdhvaḥ | vivakti | soma-sut | yuvabhyām | ā | valgū iti | vipraḥ | vavṛtīta | havyaiḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables; the syntax naturally breaks into four strong beats.
Firm, upright cadence mirroring ūrdhva (uplift).
Encourages inner alignment and a ‘lifting’ sensation; supports steady aspiration.
- अद्रि (adri)
- Literal: pressing stone. Symbolic: concentrated tapas/discipline that expresses the essence from experience
- ऊर्ध्वः (ūrdhvaḥ)
- Literal: upright/raised. Symbolic: alignment of will; aspiration lifted toward the higher consciousness
- विवक्ति (vivakti)
- Literal: separates/releases. Symbolic: discerns and brings out the subtle essence (soma) from the mixed mass
- सोमसुत् (soma-sut)
- Literal: Soma-pressed. Symbolic: the expressed delight/ānanda extracted by inner practice
- देवयाः (devayāḥ)
- Literal: god-seeking. Symbolic: movement of the being toward the divine; aspiration and consecration
- हव्यैः (havyaiḥ)
- Literal: with offerings. Symbolic: acts of self-giving: attention, intention, right works, gratitude
Direct reference to Soma pressing (adri, soma-sut); situates hymn in Soma ritual moment
During Soma extraction/pressing sequences; especially morning-related Aśvin associations.
Pressing/expressing Soma; offering (havis) with invocation.
Chant before meditation to ‘raise the adri’: align posture and intention, then invite a calm joy to emerge; useful for those seeking sweetness without agitation.
adri- ‘stone’ becomes symbolically the firm instrument of pressure: the will that crushes the raw substance to release soma (delight/essence). vivakti (vi- + √vic/√vac) indicates ‘separating out’—discrimination that releases the subtle from the gross, a key psychological operation.
discernment/separation (vi- as analytic power), release of essence (soma) through tapas-like pressure
Upright alignment is living in ṛta—right poise that allows essence to be released.
Vivakti as discernment: separating truth-essence from confusion.
Extraction of essence from matter; manifestation of delight through discipline.
Integral-psychological Vedism: Soma as delight-substance of consciousness.
Dawn/morning pressing (typical Aśvin-Soma association)
Disciplined aspiration expresses inner sweetness; offerings are conscious energies given upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The pressing of Soma as a transformative act that ‘releases’ the divine drink for the gods—mythically the extraction of immortal delight; psychologically the extraction of subtle essence from the being by upright will and discernment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛt ‘turn’ (vavṛtīta) reflects PIE *wert- (Latin vertere). The semantic of ‘turning toward’ gods is both physical orientation in ritual and inner reorientation of consciousness.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents the rite as already operative (Soma released) and positions himself as vipra turning with offerings. The gods are not abstract; they are invoked as immediate participants in the transformative act.
‘Press out’ Soma: feel a subtle sweetness emerging from the heart-center and rising to the brow; offer it upward to the divine Helpers for right distribution.
Anāhata (sweetness/devotion) and Ājñā (clarity)
Inhale 4, exhale 6 for 12 cycles; on exhale feel ‘pressing’; after cycles chant once slowly.
Quiet uplift with gentle inner nectar-flow.
Sit upright (ūrdhva). On ‘ūrdhvo vivakti’ imagine a vertical channel opening; on ‘somasut’ feel the release of subtle joy; conclude by offering the experience (havyaiḥ) without grasping.
Three-tone Vedic chant; emphasize udātta on structural verbs (vivakti, vavṛtīta) and key nouns (adriḥ, soma-sut).
Keep compounds clear: somasud yuvabhyām—do not swallow consonant clusters; maintain steady low tone on anudātta sequences.
adriḥ: crisp dental d; light visarga at end., ūrdhvo: sustain ū; avoid turning dhv into b., vivakti: articulate v-v; keep short i., vavṛtīta: roll ṛ lightly; keep long ī distinct.
Steady, upright, reverent; minimal vibrato.
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