Rig Veda 8.22.8: Mandala 8, Sukta 22, Mantra 8
Sukta 8.22
- Rishi
- Sobharī Kāṇva
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अयं वामद्रिभिः सुतः सोमो नरा वृषण्वसू । आ यातं सोमपीतये पिबतं दाशुषो गृहे ॥
ayáṃ vām ádribhiḥ sutáḥ sómo narā vṛṣaṇvasū | ā́ yātaṃ sómapītaye píbatam dāśúṣo gṛhé ||
Soma ini diperas untuk kalian oleh batu-batu pemeras, wahai dua pahlawan yang kaya akan kenikmatan yang kuat. Datanglah kemari untuk meminum Soma; minumlah di rumah sang pemberi—di dalam kesadaran persembahan yang terbuka bagi kalian.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (here)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (वाक्ये ‘सोमः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण) / Deictic subject-markerRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- of/for you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचनस्य एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम् (वेदे ‘वाम्’ = ‘युवयोः/युवाभ्याम्/युवयोः’ प्रसङ्गानुसारम्); अत्र सम्बोधन-सम्बन्धे ‘युवयोः’Role Sampradāna/सम्बन्ध (युवयोः—‘for you two / of you two’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्रिभिः
- with stones (pressing-stones)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot अद्रि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतः
- pressed, expressedParticiple/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘सोमः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root √सु (सुनोति) → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
- सोमः
- Soma (the pressed drink/deity)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नरा
- O you two men/heroic onesNoun (vocative) / Epithetपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनम् (हे नरा = ‘O you two men/heroic ones’)Role (सम्बोधन)Root नर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषण्वसू
- O you two with manly/virile wealthAdjective (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनम्; ‘नरा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role (सम्बोधन)Root वृषण्वसु- (प्रातिपदिक; वृषण् + वसु)
- आ
- hither, comeIndeclinableआह्वान/आगमनार्थकः निपातःRole (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यातम्
- come (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (मुख्यक्रिया; कर्ता = ‘नरा वृषण्वसू’)Root √या (याति)
- सोमपीतये
- for the drinking of SomaNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (दातृ/प्रयोजनार्थे)Role Sampradāna/प्रयोजन (for Soma-drinking)Root सोमपीति- (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पीति ‘drinking’)
- पिबतम्
- drink (you two)!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (आज्ञा; कर्म = ‘सोमम्’ अव्यक्तम्)Root √पा (पिबति)
- दाशुषः
- of the giver (worshipper)Participle/Noun (agent)पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (of the giver/worshipper)Root √दाश् (दाशति ‘to give, worship’) → दाशुष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, परिपूर्ण/परस्मैपदीय-परस्मैपद-परस्मैपद-परस्मैपद; प्राचीन परफेक्ट-भागवत्)
- गृहे
- in the houseNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गृह- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): अयम् वाम् अद्रिभिः सुतः सोमः नरा वृषण्वसू । आ यातम् सोमपीतये पिबतम् दाशुषः गृहे ॥ 1) ‘अयं’ = ‘अयम्’ (म् + य् → ंय् लेखनरूढिः)
- 2) ‘सोमो’ = ‘सोमः’ (विसर्गः पदान्ते ओकारादेशः संहितायाम्)
- 3) ‘या॑तं’ = ‘यातम्’ (द्विवचन-लोट्)
- 4) ‘पिब॑तं’ = ‘पिबतम्’
- 5) ‘दा॒शुषो॑’ = ‘दाशुषः’ (विसर्गः संहितायाम् ओकारादेशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Soma has been pressed with stones for the Aśvins; they are invited to come and drink it in the house of the giver (the sacrificer).
Inner meaning
The delight of consciousness (Soma) is prepared by the firm instruments of inner discipline (adri, the pressing-stones). The twin divine powers of swift help and harmonious action (Aśvins) are invited to enter the opened inner chamber of offering (dāśuṣaḥ gṛha)—the surrendered heart-mind—and drink the bliss that strengthens their work of healing and right movement in the seeker.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes a true offering, and discipline gives it form, higher harmonizing powers naturally descend and partake of the soul’s joy; that joy then becomes an active force for transformation.
Themes
Soma-ritual, invitation to drink, Aśvins as enjoyers of delight, inner offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Sobharī Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.22 (Aśvin hymn cycle), Rig Veda 8.19–8.21 (Kāṇva hymns in the same maṇḍala region)
Family tradition
Kāṇva seer-line noted for practical yoga of invocation—calling divine powers into the human journey through inspired speech (gir) and inner sacrifice.
Significance
Sobharī’s Aśvin hymns emphasize descent, help, and healing—divine powers responding to aspiration, restoring right functioning of mind-life-body so illumination can be lived.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- narā, vṛṣaṇvasū, bhiṣajā (implicit: divine physicians), swift riders (rathinau, implicit)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra, Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Twin luminous powers who traverse between Night and Dawn, bringing timely aid, restoration, and right arrangement; mediators of transition and renewal.
Inner power
Rapid harmonization—bringing clarity to the mind, balance to the vital, and recuperation to the embodied nature; they make the path traversable.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and offering to the Aśvins (Aśvina-graha / morning-related Soma invitations)
अ॒यं वा॒मद्रि॑भिः सु॒तः सोमो॑ नरा वृषण्वसू । आ या॑तं॒ सोम॑पीतये॒ पिब॑तं दा॒शुषो॑ गृ॒हे ॥
अ॒यम् । वा॒म् । अद्रि॑ऽभिः । सु॒तः । सोमः॑ । न॒रा॒ । वृ॒ष॒ण्व॒सू॒ इति॑ वृषण्ऽवसू । आ । या॒त॒म् । सोम॑ऽपीतये । पिब॑तम् । दा॒शुषः॑ । गृ॒हे ॥
ayam | vām | adri-bhiḥ | sutaḥ | somaḥ | narā | vṛṣaṇvasūitivṛṣaṇ-vasū | ā | yātam | soma-pītaye | pibatam | dāśuṣaḥ | gṛhe
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables (jagatī cadence; minor textual variation possible)
Flowing, expansive, forward-moving; suited to invitation and descent.
Creates a spacious ‘arrival-field’—a sense of opening and receiving, while maintaining energetic momentum.
- adri-bhiḥ
- Literal: with pressing-stones. Symbolic: firm powers of concentration, tapas, disciplined faculties that extract the essence
- sutaḥ somaḥ
- Literal: pressed Soma. Symbolic: distilled bliss/ānanda drawn from experience by inner work
- aśvinau
- Literal: the two Aśvins. Symbolic: twin divine energies—swift illumination + effective action; healers of imbalance
- narā
- Literal: two heroes/men. Symbolic: powers that battle for the soul’s journey in the human being
- vṛṣaṇvasū
- Literal: rich in potent goods/strong wealth. Symbolic: abundant in forceful delight and effective help
- somapītaye
- Literal: for Soma-drinking. Symbolic: for receiving and assimilating delight as spiritual power
- dāśuṣaḥ gṛhe
- Literal: in the giver’s house. Symbolic: in the surrendered consciousness/heart that offers itself
Direct Soma invitation (āvāhana) for the Aśvins at Soma rites; drinking (pāna) formula aligned with pressing (savana) atmosphere.
During Soma rites; invocatory moment before offering/drinking, often aligned with transitional times (dawn/morning).
Pressing Soma, calling the Aśvins to the seat, offering and drinking.
Use as a mantra of ‘inviting help’: before meditation, healing practice, or beginning a disciplined session—offer the day’s joy/energy to higher guidance.
(ádri): ‘stone’, esp. Soma-pressing stone; possibly from √ad ‘to eat’ is unlikely here; Vedic lexical root uncertain; functionally ‘the firm pressers’. (sutá): from √su ‘to press out, extract’. (sóma): from √su ‘press’ → ‘that which is pressed’; psychologically the extracted rasa/delight. (dāśúṣ): participial noun from √dāś ‘to give, offer, serve’. (píba): √pā ‘to drink’. : vṛṣaṇ- (potent) + vasu (good/wealth).
Soma as ānanda/rasa (delight-essence), descent of divine powers into the embodied house, reciprocity of offering and influx
The Aśvins’ coming ‘to the house of the giver’ expresses ṛta: right relation—offering evokes descent and right functioning.
Truth of reciprocity: sincere giving (dāśuṣ) draws true presence.
Transformation by distillation: essence drawn from the mixed life into pure delight that can build a higher formation.
Proto-yogic Vedantic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness; sacrifice as inner process.
dawn/morning (Aśvin time; transitional light)
Stones = steady will; Soma-juice = bliss extracted; house = heart-center; morning = awakening of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma for the gods’ mythologem: the divine twins are summoned to drink the pressed Soma. Innerly, the prepared delight (Soma) is offered so that higher powers may enter and partake—meaning they take up and transform the human energies through luminous enjoyment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pā ‘drink’ is Indo-European (cf. Latin pōtāre, English ‘potable’ via Latin; Sanskrit pā-). The ritual lexicon around √su ‘press’ (suta, soma) is a specifically Indo-Iranian poetic-ritual development, mirrored by Iranian haoma.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi as dāśuṣ (giver) establishes exchange: he prepares Soma; the Aśvins’ acceptance implies their active presence and aid. The ‘house’ marks intimacy: the gods are invited into the inner dwelling of the worshipper, not merely to an external rite.
Invite harmonizing higher forces to ‘drink’ (assimilate) your offered energy and turn it into healing delight.
Anāhata (heart as ‘house’ of offering)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (invite), hold (offer), exhale (release to the divine); repeat with the refrain ‘ā yātaṃ’.
Receptive descent with alert calm—quiet joy that becomes strength.
Begin by ‘pressing Soma’: recollect one pure joy or gratitude, concentrate it, offer it inwardly; then call the Aśvins to restore balance and right movement in the day.
Vedic svara notations not provided here; chant with a steady udātta emphasis on key invocatory verbs (ā yātaṃ, pibataṃ) per your śākhā tradition.
Keep clear stress on: ayám | vām | ádribhiḥ | sutáḥ | sómaḥ || ā yātám | sómapītaye | píbatam | dāśúṣo | gṛhé.
Maintain retroflex ṛ in vṛṣaṇvasū (vṛ-), not ri/ru., adri-bhiḥ: light aspiration on ‘bh’, do not over-harden., dāśuṣo: keep long ā; ṣ is retroflex., gṛhe: vocalic ṛ (gṛ-), short e at end.
Inviting, warm, forward-leaning; brighten slightly on ‘ā yātaṃ’.
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