Rig Veda 8.76.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 76, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.76
- Devata
- Indra, Soma context
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अयं ह येन वा इदं स्वर्मरुत्वता जितम् । इन्द्रेण सोमपीतये ॥
ayáṃ ha yéna vā idáṃ svàr marútvatā jitám | índreṇa sómapītaye ||
यह वही इंद्र है जिसने मरुत के साथ मिल के दुनिया जीत ली, रोशनी वाली दुनिया। अब वो सोमा पीने के लिए आया है।
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one), hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (वाक्ये निर्दिष्टः/प्रस्तुतः) अथवा विषय-निर्देशःRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ह
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root ह (निपात)
- येन
- by which, with whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः (साधारण-प्रयोगः), तृतीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-निपातःRoot वा (निपात)
- इदम्
- this (thing), thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role Kartā/विषयः (निर्देशः) अथवा कर्म-निर्देशः (सन्दर्भानुसारम्)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वः
- heaven, the sky-worldNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot स्वर्/स्वः (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्वर्ग/दिव्’)
- मरुत्वता
- with the Maruts; accompanied by the MarutsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role Karaṇa (सहचर/सहाय-भावः: ‘मरुत्वता’ = मरुद्भिः सह/मरुत्सहितेन)Root मरुत्वन्त् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; मरुत् + वन्त्)
- जितम्
- won, conqueredParticiple (verbal adjective)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (सन्दर्भे कर्म-विशेषणम्)Role Karma (स्वः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्: ‘स्वः … जितम्’)Root √जि (जये) → जित (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रेण
- by/with IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमपीतये
- for Soma-drinking; for drinking SomaNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role Sampradāna (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजनम्)Root सोमपीति (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पीति ‘पान/पेय’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अयम् | ह | येन | वा | इदम् | स्वः | मरुत्वता | जितम् | इन्द्रेण | सोमपीतये || 1) स्वर्मरुत्वता → स्वः + मरुत्वता (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: स्वः + म- → स्वर्म-)
- 2) इन्द्रेण सोमपीतये: सन्धि-रहितं (पदसीमा पर)
- 3) ‘जितम्’ क्त-कृदन्तं, ‘स्वः’ (स्वर्गम्) इत्यस्य कर्म-विशेषणरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
This is he by whom this luminous world (svar) was won with the Maruts—Indra for the drinking of Soma.
Inner meaning
Indra, illumined Mind, supported by the Maruts (purified life-forces), wins svar—the plane of luminous consciousness. He comes for Soma-drinking: the reception and enjoyment of divine Ananda (bliss) that consolidates the victory. The sequence is integral: dynamic energies purified → illumination established → bliss received, stabilizing the new light in the being.
Universal truth
Lasting victory is not merely insight but a new luminous world-state stabilized by joy. Bliss is not an afterthought; it is the confirming nectar that seals transformation.
Themes
winning of svar, Soma-drinking, Indra-Maruts synergy, illumination
The seer
Significance
The mantra encodes a yogic progression: victory of light (svar) is coupled with Soma (bliss). This is characteristic of the RV’s integral psychology—knowledge and joy as mutually sustaining.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Maruts; Soma context)
- Epithets
- svarjit (winner of the luminous world, implied), marutvat (attended by Maruts), somapā (Soma-drinker, implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Agni, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Winner of heaven; receiver of Soma; power that establishes luminous order and enjoyment of divine delight.
Inner power
Illumination that can be delighted in—mind-force capable of receiving Ananda without distortion; dynamic harmony of prāṇa and light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma yajña: calling Indra for Soma-drinking; celebrating winning of svar
अ॒यं ह॒ येन॒ वा इ॒दं स्व॑र्म॒रुत्व॑ता जि॒तम् । इन्द्रे॑ण॒ सोम॑पीतये ॥
अ॒यम् । ह॒ । येन॑ । वै । इ॒दम् । स्वः॑ । म॒रुत्व॑ता । जि॒तम् । इन्द्रे॑ण । सोम॑ऽपीतये ॥
ayam | ha | yena | vai | idam | svaḥ | marutvatā | jitam | indreṇa | soma-pītaye
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3 x 8 (probable)
Upward, triumphant, concluding in a ‘libation’ cadence.
Lifts the listener into a bright victorious mood, then softens into relish/joy (Soma).
- स्वः (svaḥ / svar)
- Literal: heaven, luminous world. Symbolic: plane of illumination; clarified consciousness above the obscuring mind
- मरुत्वता (marutvatā)
- Literal: with the Maruts. Symbolic: illumination accompanied by purified prāṇa and right dynamism
- जितम् (jitam)
- Literal: won, conquered. Symbolic: established attainment; secured realization
- सोमपीतये (soma-pītaye)
- Literal: for Soma-drinking. Symbolic: for receiving divine bliss (Ananda) that strengthens and confirms the light
- इन्द्रेण (indreṇa)
- Literal: by/with Indra. Symbolic: by the power of illumined mind-force
Soma offering invitation; links Indra’s cosmic victory with his present coming to drink Soma at the sacrifice.
During Soma pressing/offerings to Indra with Marut-associated praises
Offer Soma, recite victory verses to invite Indra’s presence and power
Use after a successful meditation or breakthrough: to ‘drink Soma’ inwardly—resting in joy so the illumination integrates into life.
(svaḥ/svar) from root indicating brightness/sky; in RV often the plane of luminous consciousness. (jita) from √ (ji, 'to conquer, win')—inner conquest over darkness. -: soma from √ (su, 'press, extract')—the expressed essence; pīti from √ (pā, 'to drink')—to take in, assimilate.
svar as truth-light consciousness, victory as inner ascent, Soma as delight/immortal essence
Winning svar is establishing R̥ta in consciousness; Soma is the delight of R̥ta.
Soma-drinking implies a truth-joy that is stable and not dependent on external outcomes.
Ascent to luminous world and its consolidation by bliss—evolutionary fulfillment motif.
Integral yoga reading: illumination (Indra) + bliss (Soma) supported by prāṇa-purification (Maruts).
morning (Soma pressing often linked with dawn; symbolic)
Sky = open luminous mind; sun = truth-light; Soma = nectarean joy; winds = breath/energy currents that support ascent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'winning of svar'—the conquest/establishment of the luminous world by Indra with the Maruts. Inner sense: the gaining of illumined consciousness through the allied forces of mind and life energized by the gods.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ 'conquer' reflects PIE *gʷʰey-/*gʷʰeiH- type victory/overcoming semantics (cognate mapping debated), while √ 'drink' has clear IE parallels (Latin pōtāre, 'potable' from *peh₃- 'drink'). The formulaic purpose dative - (pītaye) is a productive Indo-Aryan syntactic archaism.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi ties the god’s archetypal achievement (winning svar) to the immediate ritual invitation (Soma-drinking), implying: as Indra assimilates Soma (delight-force), he re-enacts the victory within the sacrificer’s consciousness.
After invoking light, consciously receive ‘Soma’: a settled joy that spreads through the being and stabilizes the illumination.
Sahasrara/Ājñā (svar) with Anahata (joy as sweetness)
Soft ujjāyī or simple slow exhale; on exhale feel ‘Soma’ descending as cool nectar through head and chest.
From luminous clarity to blissful integration.
Do not rush from insight into action. Pause and ‘drink’ the joy of the attained light; let it permeate nerves and emotions so the victory becomes a new normal.
Lift on svaḥ and soma-pītaye; let the cadence soften on the final phrase to evoke ‘relish’.
ayám ha… yéna… vá idám… sváḥ… marútvātā́… jítam… índreṇa… sómapītaye (approx.).
svaḥ: pronounce ‘svah’ with light final ḥ, marutvatā: keep ‘tv’ cluster clear, somapītaye: long ī in pī; ‘ta-ye’ three-part ending, Avoid flattening ‘jitam’: ‘ji-tam’ cleanly
Uplifted then gently sweet, as if concluding with gratitude.
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