Rig Veda 2.14.8: Mandala 2, Sukta 14, Mantra 8
Sukta 2.14
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अध्वर्यवो यन्नरः कामयाध्वे श्रुष्टी वहन्तो नशथा तदिन्द्रे । गभस्तिपूतं भरत श्रुतायेन्द्राय सोमं यज्यवो जुहोत ॥
ádhvaryavo yán naraḥ kāmayā́dhve śruṣṭī́ váhanto naśathā tád índre | gábhasti-pūtaṃ bharata śrutā́ya índrāya sómaṃ yajyavo juhota ||
ಹೇ ಅಧ್ವರ್ಯುಗಳೇ, ಹೇ ನರರೇ, ನೀವು ಯಾವ ಕಾಮನೆಯನ್ನು ಇಚ್ಛಿಸಿ ಸಾಧಿಸುತ್ತೀರೋ—ಸುಯೋಜಿತ (ಶ್ರುಷ್ಟಿ)ಯನ್ನು ಹೊತ್ತು—ಅದನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ಇಂದ್ರನಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಿರಿ. ಕಿರಣ/ಹಸ್ತಗಳಿಂದ ಶುದ್ಧಗೊಂಡ ಸೋಮವನ್ನು ತಂದುಕೊಡಿ; ಹೇ ಯಜ್ಯವರೇ, ‘ಶ್ರುತ’ (ಆಹ್ವಾನವನ್ನು ಕೇಳುವ) ಇಂದ್ರನಿಗೆ ಸೋಮವನ್ನು ಹೋಮಿಸಿರಿ.
Word by Word
- अध्वर्यवः
- O adhvaryu-priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (आह्वान) / कर्ता (वाक्य-प्रवर्तक)Root अध्वर्यु- (प्रातिपदिक) < अध्वर (यज्ञ) + यु (कर्तृ)
- यत्
- which/thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Role कर्म (यत् = ‘which/that’ as object of नशथा)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नरः
- O menNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (हे नरः) / कर्ता (कामयाध्वे)Root नर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- कामयाध्वे
- you desireVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ = यूयम्)Root कम्/कामय् (धातु: कामय् ‘to desire’)
- श्रुष्टी
- obedient service / readiness to serveNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (वहन्तः—‘bearing/bringing’ what?)Root श्रुष्टि- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘obedience/ready service’, Vedic)
- वहन्तः
- carrying, bearingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (नरः—‘carrying’) / क्रियाविशेषण (कामयाध्वे के साथ)Root वह् (धातु ‘to carry’)
- नशथा
- you two reach/attainVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद (Vedic form)Role क्रिया (कर्तृ = युवाम्, इन्द्र-सम्बद्ध द्वयम्/देवद्वयम्)Root नश् (धातु ‘to reach/attain’)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (नशथा—‘reach that’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रे
- in/with IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारण (यत्र/यस्मिन्—‘in/with Indra’; Vedic locative of reference)Root इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गभस्तिपूतम्
- purified by (the priests’) handsAdjective (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सोमम् विशेषण)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot गभस्ति- (हस्त/किरण) + पूत- (√पू ‘to purify’, क्त)
- भरत
- bring!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ = यूयम्)Root भृ (धातु ‘to bear/bring’)
- श्रुताय
- for the renowned (one)Adjective used substantivelyपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (for the renowned one)Root श्रुत- (√श्रु ‘to hear’, क्त; ‘renowned/heard-of’)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (भरत/जुहोत—what is brought/offered)Root सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्यवः
- O sacrificers / O worshippersNoun/Adjective (vocative plural)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (आह्वान)Root यज्य- (√यज् ‘to worship/sacrifice’; ‘fit for sacrifice’/‘sacrificing’)
- जुहोत
- offer!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ = यूयम्)Root हु (धातु ‘to offer, sacrifice’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): अध्वर्यवः | यत् | नरः | कामयाध्वे | श्रुष्टी | वहन्तः | नशथा | तत् | इन्द्रे । गभस्ति-पूतम् | भरत | श्रुताय | इन्द्राय | सोमम् | यज्यवः | जुहोत ॥ Notable sandhi: (1) तदिन्द्रे → तत् + इन्द्रे (final -d → -t before vowel; then coalescence in saṃhitā)
- (2) श्रुतायेन्द्राय → श्रुताय + इन्द्राय (vowel sandhi ā + i → āy i-, written as -ाये-)
- (3) गभस्तिपूतम् is a tatpuruṣa compound ‘hand-purified’
- Accents as in saṃhitā: अध्व॑र्यवो॒, यन्न॑रः, का॒मया॑ध्वे, श्रु॒ष्टी, वह॑न्तो, तदिन्द्रे॑, गभ॑स्तिपूतं, श्रु॒तायेन्द्रा॑य, सोमं॑
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whatever the priests desire and accomplish while carrying the well-yoked pressings, they should place that in Indra. Bring Soma purified by the rays/hands; offer Soma to Indra who hears and responds.
Inner meaning
All human striving (kāma + effort) is to be consciously surrendered into the illumined Mind (Indra). The ‘well-yoked’ pressings are rightly harnessed energies and disciplines. Soma ‘purified by the rays/hands’ signifies delight clarified by conscious touch—joy refined through awareness, not raw excitement. Indra as Śrutá is the inner power that truly ‘hears’ aspiration and answers with guidance and strength.
Universal truth
Desire becomes liberating when yoked to discipline and offered to a higher intelligence; purified joy is a direct means of communion with the responsive Divine within.
Themes
ritual instruction, purification, offering of attainments, Indra as responsive power
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Āṅgirasa)
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 2.14.8, RV 2.14.9, RV 2.13 (Agni as priest)
Family tradition
Āṅgiras teaching often moves from heroic myth to practical inner instruction; here the hymn turns directly to the practitioner’s intention and offering.
Significance
The seer emphasizes a key Aurobindonian move: convert desire into aspiration and place the fruits of action into Indra—the higher discerning consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śrutá (the Hearer / responsive), Maghavan, Vṛtrahan
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Receives Soma and in return grants power, wideness, and victorious illumination.
Inner power
Responsive guidance: the awakened intelligence that answers when sincerely invoked and fed with purified delight.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra during pressing/oblation
अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यन्न॑रः का॒मया॑ध्वे श्रु॒ष्टी वह॑न्तो नशथा॒ तदिन्द्रे॑ । गभ॑स्तिपूतं भरत श्रु॒तायेन्द्रा॑य॒ सोमं॑ यज्यवो जुहोत ॥
अध्व॑र्यवः । यत् । न॒रः॒ । का॒मया॑ध्वे । श्रु॒ष्टी । वह॑न्तः । न॒श॒थ॒ । तत् । इन्द्रे॑ । गभ॑स्तिऽपूतम् । भ॒र॒त॒ । श्रु॒ताय॑ । इन्द्रा॑य॒ । सोम॑म् । य॒ज्य॒वः॒ । जु॒हो॒त॒ ॥
adhvaryavaḥ | yat | naraḥ | kāmayādhve | śruṣṭī | vahantaḥ | naśatha | tat | indre | gabhasti-pūtam | bharata | śrutāya | indrāya | somam | yajyavaḥ | juhota
44
4×11; imperative verbs (bharata, juhota) give clear ritual-command beats.
Directive and integrative—less mythic listing, more practical instruction.
Aligns intention and action; evokes a sense of being ‘heard’ inwardly.
- कामयाध्वे (kāmayādhve)
- Literal: you desire. Symbolic: aspiration; the soul’s seeking that can be purified
- नशथा (naśathā)
- Literal: you attain/achieve. Symbolic: fulfillment through right effort; realized intention
- श्रुष्टी (śruṣṭī)
- Literal: well-yoked equipment/pressings. Symbolic: properly harnessed energies; disciplined instruments of sadhana
- गभस्तिपूत (gabhastipūta)
- Literal: purified by rays/hands (gabhasti). Symbolic: delight clarified by luminous awareness and conscious handling
- श्रुताय (śrutāya)
- Literal: to the Heard-of / the one who hears. Symbolic: the inner divine that responds to sincere call
- यज्यवः (yajyavaḥ)
- Literal: sacrificers. Symbolic: those who practice self-offering; inner workers
Instructional verse in Soma rite: directs Adhvaryus to bring ray-purified Soma and to deposit human attainments into Indra’s power.
At the point of carrying/bringing filtered Soma to the offering place; reinforces correct intention of the offering.
Bring Soma, place the offering ‘in Indra’, pour oblation.
Before meditation or work: verbally offer your day’s desire/aim into the higher mind; then cultivate a purified joy (Soma) as fuel.
√naś ‘reach, attain’ indicates successful arrival—inner accomplishment. gabhasti ‘ray/hand’ is multivalent: the ‘hand’ that holds is also a ‘ray’ that illumines; thus gabhasti-pūta ‘purified by rays’ = clarified by luminous handling. śruta from √śru ‘hear’ links to śravas: the god as ‘heard-of’ and ‘hearing’—the responsive consciousness.
alignment of human desire with divine force, purification by light (pūta by gabhasti)
Right desire aligned to ṛta becomes effective action; the offering restores harmony between will and truth.
What is sincerely offered becomes ‘heard’—truth responds to truth.
Transmutation of desire into divine force through sacrifice.
Integral Yoga resonance: surrender of works (karma) into higher consciousness.
Rays = clarifying awareness; yoking = disciplined life-force; Soma = refined delight that rises toward the sun-like mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘placing achievement into the god’: human desire and attainment are to be lodged in Indra, so the divine force becomes the holder and increaser of the work. Soma purified by rays signifies delight clarified by illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ (śruta) continues PIE *ḱleu̯- (‘hear/fame’), reflecting the inherited link between audition and glory/recognition. √naś ‘reach’ has Indo-Iranian continuity as a basic attainment verb.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi instructs the ritual agents to convert human desire into a divine possession: what is sought and reached should be offered into Indra, making the god the inner executor. Indra is invoked as śruta—known and hearing—thus the reciprocal bond is ‘call/offer’ and ‘response/power’.
Surrender and responsiveness: ‘Whatever I desire and achieve, I place in the higher Light.’ Then rest in the sense of being inwardly heard.
ājñā (inner guidance) and anāhata (sincere offering)
Nadi-śodhana (alternate nostril) 6–8 rounds, then gentle mantra repetition on natural breath.
Receptive clarity; quiet confidence.
1) Name one desire. 2) Ask: what is its truth-essence? 3) Offer that essence to Indra (brow-light). 4) Generate a clean, grateful joy (Soma) and let it fill the mind.
Triṣṭubh; keep imperatives (bharata, juhota) clearly articulated with udātta prominence as per recitational tradition.
Sustain a gentle lift on ‘śrutāya indrāya’ to convey ‘the Hearer’; soften on ‘gabhastipūtam’ as a purification moment.
kāmayādhve: long ā, ‘dhv’ conjunct clear, śruṣṭī: retroflex ṣ + long ī, gabhastipūtam: ‘bh’ voiced aspirate; long ū, yajyavo: ‘jy’ cluster clean
Clear, devotional, attentive; less martial than earlier verses.
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