Rig Veda 8.13.27: Mandala 8, Sukta 13, Mantra 27
Sukta 8.13
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī/Trishtubh-family cadence
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
इह त्या सधमाद्या युजानः सोमपीतये । हरी इन्द्र प्रतद्वसू अभि स्वर ॥
ihá tyā́ sadha-mā́dyā yujānás sóma-pītaye | hárī índra pratádvasū abhí svàr ||
यहाँ आओ और दोनों साथियों को जोड़ो। यह वो दोनों हैं जो खुशी में मदद करते हैं। सोम पीने के लिए तैयार हो जाओ। हे इंद्र, तुम्हारी भाली ताकतें आगे बढ़ें। उनके पास धन है और वो चमक के आवाज़ करें।
Word by Word
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role अधिकारणRoot इह (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्या
- those two (the pair)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा द्विवचन (वैदिक रूप; ‘तौ/तान्’ अर्थे)Role कर्म (हरी-विशेषणम्) / संबन्धRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सधमाद्या
- rejoicing together / sharing the same exhilarationAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा द्विवचन (हरी-विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (हरी-विशेषणम्)Root सधमाद्य (प्रातिपदिक; सध- ‘सह’ + माद्य ‘मद/माद’)
- युजानः
- yoking / harnessing (himself)Participle (Verbal adjective)वर्तमानकाले आत्मनेपदीयः शानच्; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य)Role कर्तृ (इन्द्रः—‘युजमानः/योजयन्’)Root युज् (धातु) → युजान (शानच्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- सोमपीतये
- for the drinking of SomaNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचन (दातृ/प्रयोजनार्थ)Role सम्प्रदान (प्रयोजनम्)Root सोमपीति (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पीति ‘पान/पेय’)
- हरी
- the two tawny steedsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा द्विवचन (इन्द्रस्य अश्वौ)Role कर्तृ (आगमन/गमन-क्रियायाः)Root हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (Vocative)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth / forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः (गत्यर्थ/प्रकर्षार्थ)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तद्वसू
- bearing wealth / rich in treasuresCompound (Pronoun + Noun) used adjectivallyपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा द्विवचन (हरी-विशेषणम्); ‘वसु’ = ‘धन/रत्न’ → ‘वसुवत्/वसुधर’ अर्थेRole कर्तृ (हरी-विशेषणम्)Root तद् + वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towardsIndeclinableउपसर्गः/पूर्वसर्गः (अभिमुखता)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्वर
- the light / heaven (svàr)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (गत्यर्थे कर्म)Role कर्म (गन्तव्यं लक्ष्यं)Root स्वर्/स्वर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्वर्’ = स्वर्ग/प्रकाश)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इह | त्या | सधमाद्या | युजानः | सोमपीतये | हरी | इन्द्र | प्र | तद्वसू | अभि | स्वर । 1) ‘तद्वसू’ = तद् + वसू (द् + व → द्व् संधिः). 2) ‘सोमपीतये’ दत्तिवचनम् (प्रयोजनार्थे). 3) ‘स्वर’ वैदिकं ‘स्वर्’ (स्वर्ग/प्रकाश) इत्यस्य रूपम्
- अत्र द्वितीया एकवचनम् गत्यर्थकर्मत्वेन
The meaning
Outer meaning
Here, yoking those two comrades of the rapture for the drinking of Soma, O Indra, let your two tawny powers press forward with their riches and sound forth the luminous cry.
Inner meaning
In the inner sacrifice, the seeker yokes the twin harī—dynamic energies of mind and life—so they may drink Soma: the delight-substance that immortalizes and intensifies consciousness. Then these powers ‘press forward with riches’—they bring in the gains of illumination (insight, force, joy) into the active nature. ‘Abhi svara’ is the decisive note: let the inner being resound with svar—luminous truth-cry, the vibration of awakened consciousness that breaks silence into revelation.
Universal truth
When delight (Soma) is consciously received, the energies of action and thought become rich and forward-moving, and the inner voice of truth begins to sound clearly within.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Invocation of Indra, Harnessing of powers, Ascent to Light (Svar)
The seer
- Lineage
- Kāṇva (probable)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.13.23-26, RV 8.48 (Soma delight hymns; thematic)
Family tradition
Kāṇva Indra hymns repeatedly join harī–ratha imagery with Soma and svar, a compact symbolism of yoked energies, delight, and illumination.
Significance
This is a practical mantra of inner yoga: yoke energies, drink delight, and let the luminous vibration (svar) arise—marking a shift from effort to inspired resonance.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Soma-drinker (somapā; explicit here), lord of harī, bringer of svar (illumined heaven)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Uṣas, Maruts (allied forces of dynamism)
Cosmic role
Receives Soma and, empowered by it, releases light and riches; leads the victorious advance of consciousness.
Inner power
Illumined mind energized by bliss; transforms prāṇa and thought into carriers of revelation and effective action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering context: yoking Indra’s steeds and inviting Soma-drinking; stotra for Indra’s empowered approach
इ॒ह त्या स॑ध॒माद्या॑ युजा॒नः सोम॑पीतये । हरी॑ इन्द्र प्र॒तद्व॑सू अ॒भि स्व॑र ॥
इ॒ह । त्या । स॒ध॒ऽमाद्या॑ । यु॒जा॒नः । सोम॑ऽपीतये । हरी॒ इति॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । प्र॒तद्व॑सू॒ इर्ति॑ प्र॒तत्ऽव॑सू । अ॒भि । स्व॒र॒ ॥
iha | tyā | sadha-mādyā | yujānaḥ | soma-pītaye | harī iti | indra | pratadvasūirtipratat-vasū | abhi | svara
Probable Jagatī/Triṣṭubh-family; confirm by scansion (the cadence feels expansive with a strong imperative close)
44
4 pādas (likely 11 each)
Energetic yoking rhythm in first half; triumphant imperative ‘abhi svara’ as a ringing close.
Elicits uplift and inner resonance; often produces a felt ‘vibration’ in chest/head when chanted with focus.
- इह (iha)
- Literal: here. Symbolic: in this embodied life, in the present moment of practice
- सधमाद्या (sadhamādyā)
- Literal: companions in intoxication/rapture. Symbolic: powers that share the same ananda-current; allied energies uplifted by delight
- युजानः (yujānaḥ)
- Literal: yoking, harnessing. Symbolic: discipline and integration of forces (yoga)
- सोमपीतये (soma-pītaye)
- Literal: for drinking Soma. Symbolic: for receiving ananda/bliss that clarifies and empowers
- हरी (harī)
- Literal: the two tawny ones. Symbolic: paired mind-life energies carrying Indra’s action in us
- प्रतद्वसू (pratadvasū)
- Literal: pressing forward with riches. Symbolic: advancing forces bringing inner wealth: light, strength, joy, capacity
- स्वर (svar)
- Literal: luminous heaven; also a sound/cry. Symbolic: the inner sun-world of illumination; the revelatory vibration of truth-consciousness
Soma-yajña context: invitation to Indra to come with his Harī for Soma-drinking (general Pravargya/Agniṣṭoma Soma pressing setting; specific assignment depends on śrauta mapping of 8.13)
In Soma-yajña sequences invoking Indra to drink Soma and grant riches/light
Mantric invitation; symbolic yoking; offering Soma; calling forth svar (luminous utterance)
Chant to energize meditation when dull: invoke delight (Soma) and awaken the inner ‘true note’ (svar) as a clear intuition or mantra-resonance.
: present middle participle of √yuj ‘to yoke, join, concentrate’; suggests self-harnessing of forces. : from √su ‘to press’ (outer) and as ‘essence/juice’ (inner), indicating distilled delight-consciousness. : ‘tawny, golden’—symbolically the radiant dynamic energies that carry the mind-force. : ‘good, bright, excellent; wealth’—inner abundance/plenitude of being. /: ‘shine, sound; heaven/light-world’; in RV often the plane of illumined consciousness.
Rita as right movement (yoking forces in right order), Ananda/Soma as delight powering illumination, Svar as truth-light plane
Yoking (yujānaḥ) implies ordering forces according to R̥ta so that Soma can be rightly received and expressed as light.
Svar as truth-light; the ‘cry’ is the emergence of satya-vibration in consciousness.
Delight empowers manifestation: Soma → Indra’s force → release of riches/light into the world.
Integral Vedic psychology: Soma as bliss-substance, Indra as illumined mind, svar as plane of illumination.
dawn-like awakening (implied by svar/illumination)
Soma = bliss-current; horses = pranic-mental energies; sound = inner mantra/intuition; sun/sky = awakened wide consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘arrival of Indra for Soma’ with the Harī: the mythic pattern of the god-power being summoned, yoked, and made present through Soma. Innerly, it is the concentration (√yuj) of dynamic mind-forces so that the delight-essence (Soma) can be received, enabling the sounding/manifestation of Svar (illumined consciousness).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj ‘yoke’ aligns with PIE *yeug- (cf. Latin iugum ‘yoke’, English yoke), preserving the Indo-European sacral image of ‘yoking’ powers for the rite/inner work. Indra’s function as forceful illuminator often correlates to PIE storm/warrior motifs, though ‘Indra’ as a name is Indo-Iranian-specific; the shared formulaic diction around ‘yoking’ and ‘drinking’ reflects inherited poetic technique.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal economy: the seer offers Soma (distilled delight and aspiration) and the right call; Indra responds by bringing the Harī (effective energies) and ‘vasu’ (plenitudes). The verse frames this as cooperation—human yokes the powers through conscious act; the god-power then ‘sounds Svar’ as an inner result.
Yoke breath and attention, then invoke bliss (Soma) to awaken the inner luminous resonance (svar).
Anāhata (inner sound/joy) moving to Ājñā (illumined seeing)
Gentle kumbhaka after inhale while feeling ‘Soma’ as sweetness; release with a soft internal ‘svar’ (humming mentally or softly)
Joy-energized clarity; spontaneous inner resonance and forward drive.
Chant once, then sit quietly and listen inwardly for a subtle ‘true note’ (not imagined—felt as clarity). Let that note guide the mind; allow energies to move forward without haste, carrying ‘riches’ into the next action.
Follow Saṃhitā accent marks; give a ringing, clear rise toward the close ‘abhi svara’ while keeping Vedic tonality (not melodic singing).
Build energy through first pādas; let the final imperative ‘svara’ be the clearest, brightest articulation.
sadhamādyā: keep long ā; articulate dh clearly., soma-pītaye: long ī; avoid flattening diphthongs., pratadvasū: keep retroflex/cluster clean; do not drop final long ū., svara: pronounce as ‘svar-a’ with clear v, not ‘swara’ in a modernized blur.
Bright, resonant, forward; end with a subtle ringing in the head/chest.
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