Rig Veda 7.74.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 74, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.74
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Adbhuta (wonder)
युवं चित्रं ददथुर्भोजनं नरा चोदेथां सूनृतावते । अर्वाग्रथं समनसा नि यच्छतं पिबतं सोम्यं मधु ॥
yuváṃ citráṃ dadathur bhójanaṃ narā cṓdethāṃ sūnṛ́tāvate | arvā́g ráthaṃ sámanasā ní yacchataṃ píbatam sōmyáṃ mádhu ||
ಹೇ ನರರೇ, ನೀವು ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ವಿಚಿತ್ರವಿಧ ಪೋಷಣೆಯನ್ನು ನೀಡುತ್ತೀರಿ, ಮತ್ತು ಸತ್ಯವಾಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮೃದ್ಧನಾದವನನ್ನು ಪ್ರೇರೇಪಿಸುತ್ತೀರಿ. ಏಕಮನಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ರಥವನ್ನು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮೀಪಕ್ಕೆ ತಂದು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿರಿ; ಸೋಮದ ಮಧುರ ಮಧುವನ್ನು ಪಾನಮಾಡಿರಿ—ನಮ್ಮೊಳಗೆ ಆನಂದವು ವೃದ್ಧಿಯಾಗಲಿ, ಸರಳವಾದ ವಾಣಿ ಪರಿಣಾಮಕಾರಿಯಾಗಲಿ.
Word by Word
- युवम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्रम्
- bright/wondrousAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (कर्मपद-विशेषण)Role कर्मRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददथुः
- you two giveVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपद, उत्तम? (न) मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, 3? (न) → मध्यमपुरुष-द्विवचन: ‘you two give’Root दा (दाने)
- भोजनम्
- nourishment/food; a gift of sustenanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भोजन (प्रातिपदिक; √भुज्/√भुज् ‘to enjoy/eat’ से भाव/करण-नाम)
- नरा
- O two men/heroic onesNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (वैदिक रूप: नरा = ‘हे नरौ’)Role सम्बोधनRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- चोदेथाम्
- you two impel/urgeVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRoot चुद् (प्रेरणे)
- सूनृतावते
- to the one possessing good/true speechAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सूनृता-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; सूनृता ‘good/true speech’ + वत् ‘possessing’)
- अर्वाक्
- hither, toward hereIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अर्वाक् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द)
- रथम्
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- समनसा
- with one accord, with a united mindAdjective/Instrumental qualifierनपुंसकलिङ्ग (मनस्), तृतीया, एकवचन (वैदिक: -सा)Role करणRoot समनस् (प्रातिपदिक; सम- + मनस्)
- नि
- down, in; (as preverb)Indeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRoot नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यच्छतम्
- hold/guide (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRoot यम् (यच्छति; ‘to restrain/guide/hold’)
- पिबतम्
- drink (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRoot पा (पाने)
- सोम्यम्
- soma-like, pertaining to SomaAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (मधु-विशेषण)Role कर्मRoot सोम्य (प्रातिपदिक; सोम-सम्बन्धिन्)
- मधु
- sweet drink; honey (here: Soma)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): युवं | चित्रं | ददथुः | भोजनं | नरा | चोदेथाम् | सूनृतावते || अर्वाक् | रथम् | समनसा | नि | यच्छतम् | पिबतम् | सोम्यम् | मधु || Notable: चि॒त्रं द॑दथुः = चित्रम् + ददथुः (anusvāra before dental)
- ददथु॒र्भोज॑नम् = ददथुः + भोजनम् (visarga before voiced bh → written -र्भ-)
- चोदेथां = चोदेथाम् (m before pause/next word)
- अर्वाग्रथम् = अर्वाक् + रथम् (k + r sandhi with voicing/assimilation in saṃhitā)
- समनसा नि = samanasā + ni (instrumental -ā with Vedic -ā/-āsa spelling)
- नि यच्छतम् = ni + yacchatam (preverb + verb). Accents as in saṃhitā are retained in the given text
- padapāṭha typically removes saṃhitā sandhi but preserves lexical accent
The meaning
Outer meaning
You two give varied nourishment, O heroes, and you impel the one rich in true speech. Bring your chariot near in one accord; drink the soma-honey sweetness.
Inner meaning
The Aśvins bestow ‘citra bhojana’—many-sided sustenance: energies, capacities, and right enjoyments that support the yoga. They ‘impel’ the sūnṛtāvat—one who holds true, harmonious speech—so inspired expression becomes effective power. The chariot is the swift movement of divine forces brought close to the embodied being. Drinking soma-madhu is the reception of divine Ananda (bliss) that sweetens and strengthens the nature.
Universal truth
When true speech and right aspiration are present, higher forces draw near; nourishment and bliss then become instruments of transformation, not indulgence.
Themes
soma-drinking, true-speech, divine-impulsion, arrival
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.74.1, RV 7.73.3
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s hymns often join right speech with effective realization; here sūnṛtā (true word) is central.
Significance
The seer highlights a key yogic law: truth-aligned speech/thought becomes a channel for divine nourishment and bliss.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- narā, givers of citra bhojana, soma-drinkers, samanasā (harmonious)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Sarasvatī (true speech—conceptual)
Cosmic role
Bestowers of sustenance and delight; they arrive swiftly to make the human journey effective.
Inner power
They regulate prāṇa and nervous energies, support truthful expression, and open the soma-current of delight in the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin soma-invitation
यु॒वं चि॒त्रं द॑दथु॒र्भोज॑नं नरा॒ चोदे॑थां सू॒नृता॑वते । अ॒र्वाग्रथं॒ सम॑नसा॒ नि य॑च्छतं॒ पिब॑तं सो॒म्यं मधु॑ ॥
यु॒वम् । चि॒त्रम् । द॒द॒थुः॒ । भोज॑नम् । न॒रा॒ । चोदे॑थाम् । सू॒नृता॑ऽवते । अ॒र्वाक् । रथ॑म् । सऽम॑नसा । नि । य॒च्छ॒त॒म् । पिब॑तम् । सो॒म्यम् । मधु॑ ॥
yuvam | citram | dadathuḥ | bhojanam | narā | codethām | sūnṛtāvate | arvāk | ratham | sa-manasā | ni | yacchatam | pibatam | somyam | madhu
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3 × ~8 syllables
Compact, sweet, and quick—mirrors ‘madhu’ and the nearness of the chariot.
Concentrates aspiration; produces a bright, nectar-like mood and readiness to receive.
- citraṃ bhojanam
- Literal: varied nourishment. Symbolic: multi-dimensional support—physical vitality, life-force balance, mental clarity, and spiritual strength
- narā
- Literal: heroes/men. Symbolic: divine powers of courageous effective action (the Aśvins)
- codethām
- Literal: you impel, urge. Symbolic: awakening and directing the will and speech toward truth-effectiveness
- sūnṛtāvate
- Literal: possessing good/true speech. Symbolic: one whose speech is aligned with truth and harmony; mantra-ready consciousness
- ratham
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: vehicle of divine forces; organized dynamic movement in the being
- samanasā
- Literal: with one mind, in harmony. Symbolic: concord of higher powers with the seeker; integration of inner faculties
- somyam madhu
- Literal: soma honey/sweetness. Symbolic: divine bliss (ānanda) distilled in consciousness; sweetness that heals and empowers
Invitation to Aśvins to approach and drink soma; aligns with soma-offering sequences.
Morning soma offerings; invitations to drink soma
Calling the Aśvins to approach and partake of soma; praising their gifts
Use to invoke nourishment and sweetness in practice—especially when speech, teaching, or mantra-recitation needs clarity and force.
: from √bhuj ‘to enjoy, partake’—inner nourishment/joy. : √cud ‘to impel’. : su- ‘good/true’ + nṛtā? (Vedic ‘right utterance’), functioning as ‘truth-speaking’ power; psychologically the straight formative word. : chariot (PIE *rot(h)o- wheel-related semantic field).
true speech (sūnṛtā) as transformative force, concord (sa-manas), nourishment as inner increase
samanasā indicates alignment of forces in right order.
sūnṛtā as truth-harmonized speech enabling effective manifestation.
Descent of delight into form: soma ‘sweetness’ enters and transforms the embodied journey.
Integral psychological interpretation: soma as bliss-substance in consciousness, not merely ritual drink.
dawn/morning (soma context with Aśvins)
Honey = sweetness of Ananda; chariot = organized dynamic force; nourishment = prāṇic and mental sustenance for growth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘chariot-bearing twins who drink soma’ mythologem: divine helpers arrive, partake, and then bestow nourishment and impulsion. Inwardly, when delight (soma-madhu) is received, the straight word (sūnṛtā) gains power to move the being forward.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu is PIE *médʰu; ratha belongs to the wheel/chariot lexicon widespread in IE poetics and ritual prestige. The dual imperative forms preserve archaic morphology typical of early Indo-European liturgical diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames the Aśvins as givers and movers: they ‘give’ nourishment and ‘impel’ the truth-speaking capacity. The offering of soma is the conscious preparation that invites their concordant descent (sa-manasā) and stabilizes their action (ni yacchatam).
Invite divine nourishment and bliss; align speech with truth; feel the ‘chariot’ of higher forces draw near.
viśuddha (true speech) and svādhiṣṭhāna (sweetness/flow of delight)
Gentle ‘nectar breath’: inhale as if drawing sweetness up the spine, exhale spreading it through chest and throat; keep breath smooth and unforced.
Receptive joy with clear articulation.
Before speaking/teaching/mantra-japa, chant and then pause: feel a sweet clarity in the throat and a quiet gladness in the heart; speak only from that settled sūnṛtā.
Maintain crisp gāyatrī pacing with correct saṃhitā accents; keep ‘madhu’ sweet but not sentimental.
Emphasize semantic peaks: citraṃ, codethām, samanasa, pibataṃ, madhu.
citraṃ: nasalization on aṃ; keep ‘tr’ crisp., sūnṛtāvate: vocalic ṛ; avoid ‘sunrit’., arvāg: final g audible; not ‘arvaa’., pibataṃ: dental t; do not retroflex., somyam: palatal y glide clear (so-myaṃ).
smooth, sweet, and focused; avoid harshness.
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