Rig Veda 4.37.2: Mandala 4, Sukta 37, Mantra 2
Sukta 4.37
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Rbhus / divine powers addressed as 'you'
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ते वो हृदे मनसे सन्तु यज्ञा जुष्टासो अद्य घृतनिर्णिजो गुः । प्र वः सुतासो हरयन्त पूर्णाः क्रत्वे दक्षाय हर्षयन्त पीताः ॥
té vo hṛdé mánase santu yajñā́ juṣṭā́so adyá ghṛtánirnijo guḥ | prá vaḥ sutā́so harayanta pūrṇā́ḥ krátve dákṣāya harṣayanta pītā́ḥ ||
សូមឲ្យការបូជានៅក្នុងចិត្តនិងគំនិតរបស់អ្នក ដែលជាការស្វាគមន៍ថ្ងៃនេះ ដែលរះរៀងរាល់ដោយភាពច្បាស់លាស់នៃពន្លឺដែលបានលាប។ សូមឲ្យទឹកសូមដែលបានរំសាយ ពេញនិងហូរច្រាល ហូរទៅមុខសម្រាប់ឆន្ទៈនិងអំណាចនៃការយល់ដឹងរបស់អ្នក; ដែលបានផឹក ពួកគេធ្វើឲ្យថាមពលខាងក្នុងរីករាយ។
Word by Word
- ते
- they (those)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हृदे
- to the heartNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनसे
- to the mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्तु
- let (them) beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रियापद)Root अस् (धातु)
- यज्ञाः
- sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जुष्टासः
- pleasing, welcomedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot जुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जुष् ‘सेव्/प्री’)
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अद्य (अव्यय)
- घृतनिर्णिजः
- having ghee as (their) shining adornment / ghee-cladAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot घृत-निर्णिज (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- गुः
- have gone / cameVerbलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; वैदिक-रूपम्Role (क्रियापद)Root गम् (धातु)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गःRole (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतासः
- pressed (Soma-draughts)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सु ‘सव्/प्रसव’ → ‘सोमः सुतः’)
- हरयन्त
- they bore/bring, they carriedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रियापद)Root हृ (धातु; caus./denom. ‘हरयति’)
- पूर्णाः
- fullAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रत्वे
- for (ritual) power / resolveNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- दक्षाय
- for skill / strengthNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- हर्षयन्त
- they gladdened, they exhilaratedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रियापद)Root हृष् (धातु) + णिच्
- पीताः
- having been drunk / drunk (i.e., after drinking)Adjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पा ‘पिब्’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते | वः | हृदे | मनसे | सन्तु | यज्ञाः | जुष्टासः | अद्य | घृतनिर्णिजः | गुः || प्र | वः | सुतासः | हरयन्त | पूर्णाः | क्रत्वे | दक्षाय | हर्षयन्त | पीताः || 1) ‘ते वो’ इत्यत्र ‘ते’ + ‘वः’ (एन्क्लिटिक) — संधिः न विशेषः। 2) ‘हृदे मनसे’—द्वे चतुर्थ्यौ (द्वन्द्वार्थे) ‘वः’ इत्यस्य समर्पण-सम्बन्धः। 3) ‘घृतनिर्णिजो गुः’ पाठे ‘घृतनिर्णिजः’ (प्रथमा बहु) + ‘गुः’ (√गम् लिट् 3pl वैदिक-रूप) — विसर्गः पदान्ते प्रायः संहितायां लोप/परिवर्तनं दृश्यते
- पदपाठानुसारं पृथक्। 4) ‘प्र वः’—उपसर्ग ‘प्र’ + सर्वनाम ‘वः’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the sacrifices be in your heart and mind, welcome today, shining with ghee-brightness. Let the pressed Soma, full and overflowing, stream forth for your will (kratu) and your skill/discernment (dakṣa); when drunk, it makes the energies rejoice.
Inner meaning
The offering must become internalized: yajñāḥ in heart and mind means the whole practice is held as a living intention and felt presence. Ghṛtanirṇij is the clarity of illumined substance—consciousness made smooth, bright, and unctuous by light (ghṛta = clarified seeing). Soma is the current of divine Ananda; when ‘pressed’ (suta) it is released by inner effort and right method. It streams to empower kratu (divine will/intention) and dakṣa (discriminating skill). When the Ananda is received, the inner horses/energies rejoice—vital nature becomes glad and cooperative.
Universal truth
When practice moves from outer act to heart-mind presence, joy becomes a force that strengthens will and intelligence; true delight refines and energizes action.
Themes
Soma-offering, Inner gladness, Consecration of mind and heart
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.26-4.27 (Vāmadeva’s mystical utterances—traditional), RV 4.37 (Ṛbhu invocation sequence)
Family tradition
Gautama hymns often unite knowledge and delight—illumination (dakṣa) supported by Soma’s joy.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s seerhood stresses internal sacrifice: offerings must become states of consciousness, and Soma becomes an inner current empowering will and discernment.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛbhus / invoked powers receiving Soma (addressed as ‘you’)
- Epithets
- juṣṭāsaḥ (well-pleased), ghṛtanirṇijaḥ (clothed in clarified light)
- Related deities
- Soma (as the delight-current), Agni (as carrier of offering), Indra (as chief enjoyer/receiver of Soma in many hymns)
Cosmic role
Receivers and distributors of Soma-force; they stabilize and refine the workings of yajña in the human instrument.
Inner power
They bring the ability to hold offering in heart-mind and to convert delight into effective will (kratu) and skill (dakṣa).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing/offerings (savana) associated recitation; welcoming the gods and directing Soma to empower kratu/dakṣa
ते वो॑ हृ॒दे मन॑से सन्तु य॒ज्ञा जुष्टा॑सो अ॒द्य घृ॒तनि॑र्णिजो गुः । प्र व॑: सु॒तासो॑ हरयन्त पू॒र्णाः क्रत्वे॒ दक्षा॑य हर्षयन्त पी॒ताः ॥
ते । वः॒ । ह्र॒दे । मन॑से । स॒न्तु॒ । य॒ज्ञाः । जुष्टा॑सः । अ॒द्य । घृ॒तऽनि॑र्निजः । गुः॒ । प्र । वः॒ । सु॒तासः॑ । ह॒र॒य॒न्त॒ । पू॒र्णाः । क्रत्वे॑ । दक्षा॑य । ह॒र्ष॒य॒न्त॒ । पी॒ताः ॥
te | vaḥ | hrade | manase | santu | yajñāḥ | juṣṭāsaḥ | adya | ghṛta-nirnijaḥ | guḥ | pra | vaḥ | sutāsaḥ | harayanta | pūrṇāḥ | kratve | dakṣāya | harṣayanta | pītāḥ
44
4×11
Twofold movement: calm establishment (heart/mind) followed by flowing surge (Soma streams).
First steadies attention inward; then releases a felt current of joy-energy that can uplift the whole system.
- hṛd / manas
- Literal: heart / mind. Symbolic: psychic-emotive center and mental instrument unified in offering
- yajñāḥ
- Literal: sacrifices/offerings. Symbolic: the whole inner discipline of self-giving
- juṣṭāsaḥ
- Literal: welcomed, enjoyed. Symbolic: accepted by higher powers; harmonized with the divine intention
- ghṛtanirṇijaḥ
- Literal: with ghee as brightness/garment. Symbolic: clothed in clarified light; purified luminous substance of consciousness
- suta
- Literal: pressed (Soma). Symbolic: released Ananda-current through inner pressing (effort + aspiration)
- pūrṇāḥ
- Literal: full. Symbolic: abundant and complete flow of delight-force
- kratu
- Literal: will, resolve. Symbolic: divine intention-power guiding the sacrifice
- dakṣa
- Literal: skill, competence. Symbolic: luminous discernment and effective intelligence
- harayanta
- Literal: they flow/stream (also ‘make tawny’). Symbolic: currents that rush forward like energized steeds—dynamic life-force
- harṣayanta
- Literal: they make rejoice. Symbolic: Ananda quickening the vital and mental energies into glad collaboration
Soma pressing and offering; verse supports the moment of presenting Soma as accepted by the invoked powers, emphasizing assimilation (pītāḥ).
During Soma libations and praise; when emphasizing the effect of Soma on divine and human powers
Offering/pressing; recitation as accompaniment to Soma flow
Use when seeking to replace dry discipline with luminous joy: chant before meditation or creative work to invoke clarified delight supporting will and discernment.
√gam 'go' in guḥ (optative nuance: 'may they go/enter'); ghṛta from √ghṛ 'to shine/sprinkle' (traditional 'clarified butter' as outer sign; inner sense: clarified luminous essence); kratu (power of will/intelligence) and dakṣa (skill/capacity) are paired faculties—effective intention and right discrimination.
Ṛta as right exchange (juṣṭa), inner faculties: kratu (will) and dakṣa (discernment)
Soma must ‘flow’ in right channels to empower kratu/dakṣa—order as right circulation of force.
Ghṛta symbolizes truth-clarity: consciousness purified to transparent seeing.
The worlds are sustained by circulation of delight and light; in the microcosm, the being is sustained likewise.
Integral Vedantic psychology: Ananda as a real force; will and discernment as divine powers in the human.
Ghee = clarified perception; Soma stream = bliss-current; fullness = abundance of prāṇa and joy when channels are open.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic motif is 'Soma accepted and drunk by the gods,' producing exhilaration and empowerment. Psychologically, the higher powers assimilate the clarified essence of the seeker’s offering, intensifying will (kratu) and capacity (dakṣa).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- manas (mind) from PIE *men- 'think' (cf. Latin mens, English mind). √gam 'go' in guḥ from PIE *gʷem- 'come/go' (cf. Greek baínō is different; but Sanskrit gam aligns with *gʷem-). The heart/mind dyad (hṛdáy/manas) is an old Indo-European poetic pairing of affective and cognitive centers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers acts meant to inhabit the gods’ heart and mind, seeking their consent (juṣṭa). In return, the gods’ drinking/assimilation of Soma becomes the uplift of the seeker’s own faculties—will and discernment—since the devatās are powers working within the human vessel.
Place attention in heart then forehead: feel the offering ‘sit’ in both. Then imagine a cool, bright Soma-flow descending, filling the chest and abdomen with glad energy.
ajna
Cooling breath (śītalī if suitable) or slow nasal inhale/exhale; on exhale feel ‘Soma’ spread through the nerves; brief pause after exhale to taste quiet joy.
Luminous calm with energized clarity—joy supporting discipline.
If agitation arises, return to ‘ghṛta’ quality: smooth, clarified light. Let decisions (kratu) arise only after the Soma-calm is felt; then act with dakṣa (precise discernment).
Maintain gentle udātta lifts on hṛde, manase, juṣṭāsaḥ, ghṛtanirṇijaḥ, kratve, dakṣāya; allow svarita to ‘fall’ like Soma flow.
First pāda steady and inward; second pāda bright; third pāda more flowing; fourth pāda ends with a satisfied cadence on pītāḥ.
ghṛta: gh + vocalic ṛ; keep it smooth, not ‘gri-ta’, nirṇijaḥ: retroflex ṇ; ‘rṇi’ cluster careful, sūtāsaḥ/sutāsaḥ: keep short/long vowels as given; ‘tā’ long if marked, dakṣāya: retroflex ṣ; long ā
Soft, liquid resonance; let the sound ‘flow’ without sharp edges.
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