Sukta 154
Sukta 10.154
Soma (and implicitly the Fathers/blessed as recipients)
ಈ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರವು ಅಂತ್ಯಕ್ರಿಯೆ/ಪಿತೃಸಂಬಂಧಿತ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆ. ಅಗಲಿದವನು ಸೋಮವು ಸಿಹಿಯಾಗಿ ಹರಿಯುವ, ತುಪ್ಪದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿಸುವ, ಯಜ್ಞಾರ್ಪಣೆಯಾಗಿ ಸ್ವೀಕೃತವಾಗುವ ಧನ್ಯರ ಸಂಗತಿಗೆ ನಡೆಸಲ್ಪಡಲಿ ಎಂದು ಬೇಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಸು-ಗತ’ರಾದವರ ವರ್ಗಗಳನ್ನು ಹೆಸರಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ—ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಧೈರ್ಯಶಾಲಿಗಳು, ಸ್ವಯಂತ್ಯಾಗಿಗಳು, ಮಹಾದಾನಿಗಳು, ತಪಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಜನಿಸಿದ ಋಷಿಗಳು—ಮತ್ತು ಯಮನ ಅಧೀನದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಅವರ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಯ ಲೋಕವನ್ನು ಆತ್ಮನು ಪಡೆಯಲಿ ಎಂದು ವಿನಂತಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.
Mantras
Mantra 1
सोम एकेभ्यः पवते घृतमेक उपासते । येभ्यो मधु प्रधावति ताँश्चिदेवापि गच्छतात् ॥
ಯಾರಿಗಾಗಿ ಸೋಮ ಹರಿಯುತ್ತದೋ—ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಘೃತರೂಪವಾಗಿ, ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಉಪಾಸ್ಯ ಅರ್ಪಣವಾಗಿ—ಯಾರ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಮಧು (ಮಾಧುರ್ಯ) ಪ್ರವಹಿಸುತ್ತದೋ, ಅವರ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಅವನು ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ತಲುಪಲಿ.
Mantra 2
तपसा ये अनाधृष्यास्तपसा ये स्वर्ययुः । तपो ये चक्रिरे महस्ताँश्चिदेवापि गच्छतात् ॥
ತಪಸಿನಿಂದ ಯಾರು ಅನಾಧೃಷ್ಯ (ಅಜೇಯ)ರಾಗಿರುವರೋ, ತಪಸಿನಿಂದ ಯಾರು ಸ್ವರ್-ಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿರುವರೋ, ತಪಸಿನಿಂದ ಯಾರು ಮಹತ್ (ವಿಶಾಲತೆಯನ್ನು) ರೂಪಿಸಿರುವರೋ—ಅವರ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಅವನು ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ತಲುಪಲಿ.
Mantra 3
ये युध्यन्ते प्रधनेषु शूरासो ये तनूत्यजः । ये वा सहस्रदक्षिणास्ताँश्चिदेवापि गच्छतात् ॥
ಯುದ್ಧಗಳ ಪ್ರಧನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶೂರರಾಗಿ ಹೋರಾಡುವವರು, ಋತಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ತಮ್ಮ ದೇಹವನ್ನೇ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಿದವರು, ಅಥವಾ ಸಹಸ್ರ-ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾ (ಸಾವಿರಗಣಿ ದಾನ-ದಕ್ಷಿಣೆ) ನೀಡಿದವರು—ಅವರ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಅವನು ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ಹೋಗಲಿ; ಅವರನ್ನೇ ಅವನು ಹೊಂದಲಿ.
Mantra 4
ये चित्पूर्व ऋतसाप ऋतावान ऋतावृधः । पितॄन्तपस्वतो यम ताँश्चिदेवापि गच्छतात् ॥
ಯಮನೇ, ಪೂರ್ವಕಾಲದ ಋತ-ಸಾಪ (ಋತದ ಸಹಚರರು), ಋತವಾನ್ (ಋತವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿದವರು), ಮತ್ತು ಋತ-ವೃಧ (ಋತವನ್ನು ವೃದ್ಧಿಗೊಳಿಸಿದವರು) ಆಗಿದ್ದ—ತಪಸ್ವಿ ಪಿತೃಗಳ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಅವನು ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ಹೋಗಲಿ; ಅವರನ್ನೇ ಅವನು ಹೊಂದಲಿ.
Mantra 5
सहस्रणीथाः कवयो ये गोपायन्ति सूर्यम् । ऋषीन्तपस्वतो यम तपोजाँ अपि गच्छतात् ॥
ಯಮನೇ, ಸಹಸ್ರ-ಣೀಥಾ (ಸಾವಿರ ಮಾರ್ಗಗಳ ನಾಯಕರು) ಆದ ಕವಿಗಳು, ಸೂರ್ಯನನ್ನು ಕಾಪಾಡುವವರು—ತಪಸ್ವಿ, ತಪೋಜಾ (ತಪಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಜನಿಸಿದ) ಋಷಿಗಳ ಬಳಿಗೂ ಅವನು ಹೋಗಲಿ; ಅವರನ್ನೇ ಅವನು ಹೊಂದಲಿ.
Inside Sukta 154
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Soma’s flow is introduced as sweetness and clarified radiance destined for particular blessed recipients; the prayer asks the departed to go to them.
- Development
The hymn enumerates the meritorious: battle-heroes, those who ‘gave the body’ (self-sacrifice), and great donors of abundant gifts.
- Climax
The petition expands to the highest luminous guardians—tapas-born seers and inspired poets who ‘guard the Sun,’ explicitly invoking Yama as the guide to that company.
- Where it settles
It ends with the repeated directive of attainment—may the departed indeed reach that exalted fellowship where Soma’s sweetness runs.
The deity: Soma
- In the VedaSoma is the pressed, purified, exhilarating draught—called madhu (sweetness) and likened to ghṛta (ghee/clarified radiance)—that is offered to gods and also envisioned as a stream leading the worthy onward.
- Cosmic functionHe mediates between worlds: a consecrated essence that strengthens gods, sustains ṛta (order), and, in funerary imagination, helps guide the departed toward the realm of the Fathers and the luminous company.
- Inner significanceSoma symbolizes the refined delight of consciousness—clarity, uplift, and truth-joy—that carries the inner being from heaviness to a higher, “blessed” state.
Famous verses
सोम एकेभ्यः पवते घृतमेक उपासते । येभ्यो मधु प्रधावति ताँश्चिदेवापि गच्छतात् ॥ये युध्यन्ते प्रधनेषु शूरासो ये तनूत्यजः । ये वा सहस्रदक्षिणास्ताँश्चिदेवापि गच्छतात् ॥सहस्रणीथाः कवयो ये गोपायन्ति सूर्यम् । ऋषीन्तपस्वतो यम तपोजाँ अपि गच्छतात् ॥Attributes of the deity
- Purified/pressed essence (pavamāna)
- Sweetness (madhu) and luminous ghee-like brilliance (ghṛta)
- Mediator and conveyor between human and divine spheres
- Bestower of exhilaration, inspiration, and vitality
- Associated with merit, offering, and passage to the Fathers
Also by this seer
- Mandala 10 contains several anonymous hymns of late, reflective character (funerary, philosophical, social); this sukta is typically grouped with such liturgical pieces connected to rites for the departed.
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the ritual space and invoke the Fathers (Pitṛs) and Yama as guardian of the departed path.
- Offer Soma (or Soma-substitute in later practice) with recitation of the sukta, intending the ‘flow’ to reach the worthy company.
- Name/remember the categories of the blessed (heroes, self-sacrificers, great donors, tapas-born seers) as destinations for the departed.
- Conclude with a directing prayer that the departed ‘attain’ (gacchatāt) that realm, sealing the intent with oblations and remembrance.
Offerings
- Soma libation (or authorized substitute in later śrauta/smārta adaptations)
- Ghee (ghṛta) into fire
- Water/oblations for Pitṛs (piṇḍa/udaka in later custom as correlated acts)
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a prayer that the departed person may reach the blessed realm—those worthy recipients for whom Soma flows as sweetness and radiant offering, under Yama’s guardianship.
The hymn lists examples of merit recognized in Vedic thought—valor in battle, self-sacrifice, and great generosity—as signs of those who have attained a fortunate post-death destination.
It points to ṛṣis/kavis who protect and uphold the light of truth (symbolized by the Sun). The hymn asks that the departed join this luminous, tapas-born company.
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