Rig Veda 1.109.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 109, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.109
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अश्रवं हि भूरिदावत्तरा वां विजामातुरुत वा घा स्यालात् । अथा सोमस्य प्रयती युवभ्यामिन्द्राग्नी स्तोमं जनयामि नव्यम् ॥
áśravaṃ hí bhūridā́vattarā vāṃ víjāmātur utá vā ghā syālāt | áthā sómasya práyatī yuvábhyām indrā́gnī stómaṃ janayāmi návyam ||
ഞാൻ കേട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു: നിങ്ങൾ ഇരുവരും മഹാദാതാക്കളാണ്—മരുമകനേക്കാളും, അഥവാ ഭാര്യാസഹോദരനേക്കാളും പോലും കൂടുതൽ ഉദാരർ. അതുകൊണ്ട് സോമന്റെ മുന്നേറുന്ന പ്രേരണയോടെ, ഹേ ഇന്ദ്ര-അഗ്നീ, നിങ്ങൾക്കായി ഞാൻ പുതിയ സ്തുതി—പുതിയ സ്തോമം—ഉദ്ഭവിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- अश्रवम्
- I heardVerbलुङ् (अorist), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया)Root श्रु (धातु)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Role सम्बन्ध/हेतु (emphasis/causal particle)Root हि (निपात)
- भूरिदावत्तराः
- more bountiful-giving (more generous)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वां इत्यस्य देवद्वयस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणम्Root भूरिदावत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; भूरि-दाव-तर)
- वाम्
- of you two / you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (Vedic: enclitic form)Role सम्बन्ध (of you two)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- विजामातुः
- of the son-in-law (vijāmatṛ)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘than/among the son-in-law’ context)Root विजामातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययRole समुच्चय (and/also)Root उत (निपात)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययRole विकल्प (or)Root वा (निपात)
- घ
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableवैदिक-निपात (emphatic)Role बल/निश्चय (emphasis)Root घ (निपात)
- स्यालात्
- from/than the brother-in-lawNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole अपादान (from, than)Root स्याल (प्रातिपदिक)
- अथ
- then, nowIndeclinableअनन्तरार्थक-अव्ययRole क्रम/अनन्तर (then/now)Root अथ (निपात)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (of Soma)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रयती
- the two impulses/efforts (forward-strivings)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (युवभ्याम् इत्यस्य सह)Role कर्तृ (as subject: ‘the two forward-impulses/efforts’)Root प्रयति (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवभ्याम्
- for you two / with you twoPronounचतुर्थी/तृतीया, द्विवचनRole सम्प्रदान (for you two) / करण (with you two) संदर्भानुसारRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- इन्द्राग्नी
- O Indra and AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधन (vocative address)Root इन्द्र + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व)
- स्तोमम्
- a hymn of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनयामि
- I generate, I produceVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (णिच्-प्रयोगः)Role क्रिया (I produce)Root जन्/जनी (धातु; causative stem जनय-)
- नव्यम्
- new, freshAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (स्तोमम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणम्Root नव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): अश्रवम् | हि | भूरिदावत्तराः | वाम् | विजामातुः | उत | वा | घ | स्यालात् | अथ | सोमस्य | प्रयती | युवभ्याम् | इन्द्राग्नी | स्तोमम् | जनयामि | नव्यम् । विशेष-सन्धि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) ‘भूरिदावत्तरा’ इति संहितायां दीर्घ/स्वरचिह्नयुक्तं रूपं
- पदे ‘भूरिदावत्तराः’ (प्रथमा बहु) — वां (द्विवचन-सम्बन्ध) इत्यस्य देवद्वय-विशेषणत्वेन बहुवचन-प्रयोगः वैदिक-शैली। (2) ‘इन्द्राग्नी’ = इन्द्र + अग्नि (द्वन्द्व), सम्बोधन-द्विवचन। (3) ‘जनयामि’ णिच् (causative) ‘जन्’ धातोः। (4) ‘घ’ वैदिक-निपातः (emphatic)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer says he has heard Indra and Agni are more generous than a son-in-law or brother-in-law. Therefore, with Soma’s forward movement, he produces a new hymn for them.
Inner meaning
Human relations (in-law generosity) are used as a familiar measure, then surpassed: the inner gods are the true benefactors, lavish in giving strength, light, and joy when approached rightly. ‘Soma’s forward movement’ (prayatī) indicates the progressive flow of delight released by aspiration and concentration; as it advances, it carries speech into new creation—‘a new stoma’ (navya stoma), a fresh formation of affirmation rather than mechanical repetition. Psychologically: as bliss begins to move forward in the system, inspired expression naturally renews itself and offers itself to the illumined mind and divine will.
Universal truth
The deepest support does not come from outer dependency but from inner alignment with luminous intelligence and divine will; when inner joy begins to flow, creative and renewed expression arises.
Themes
Divine generosity, Soma-impulse, Renewed hymn-making
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.109.1, RV 1.109.3
Significance
Highlights the Vedic principle that true giving is from the inner gods; and that Soma (ānanda) is the mover that renews mantra and life.
The deity
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Epithets
- भूरिदावत्तर (bhūridāvattara)
- Related deities
- Soma, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Bestowers of power and victory; receivers of Soma who respond with abundance.
Inner power
When invoked, they pour strength (vāja) and clarity into the aspirant; their generosity exceeds social exchange because it is rooted in the soul’s truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering context; stotra production for Indrāgnī
अश्र॑वं॒ हि भू॑रि॒दाव॑त्तरा वां॒ विजा॑मातुरु॒त वा॑ घा स्या॒लात् । अथा॒ सोम॑स्य॒ प्रय॑ती यु॒वभ्या॒मिन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ स्तोमं॑ जनयामि॒ नव्य॑म् ॥
अश्र॑वम् । हि । भू॒रि॒दाव॑त्ऽतरा । वा॒म् । विऽजा॑मातुः । उ॒त । वा॒ । घ॒ । स्या॒लात् । अथ॑ । सोम॑स्य । प्रऽय॑ती । यु॒वऽभ्या॑म् । इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ इति॑ । स्तोम॑म् । ज॒न॒या॒मि॒ । नव्य॑म् ॥
aśravam | hi | bhūridāvat-tarā | vām | vi-jāmātuḥ | uta | vā | gha | syālāt | atha | somasya | pra-yatī | yuva-bhyām | indrāgnī iti | stomam | janayāmi | navyam
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Conversational comparison in first half, then a decisive ‘athā’ turn into creation.
Encourages trust and release from outer bargaining; catalyzes a fresh inner utterance.
- अश्रवम् (aśravam)
- Literal: I have heard. Symbolic: received inner tradition/intuition; śruti as living hearing
- भूरिदावत्तर (bhūridāvattara)
- Literal: more abundant givers. Symbolic: powers that bestow plenitudes of consciousness
- प्रयती (prayatī)
- Literal: forward movement/advance. Symbolic: progressive flow of Soma-bliss through the being
- स्तोम (stoma)
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: affirmative formation of consciousness; mantra as strengthening speech
- नव्य (navya)
- Literal: new. Symbolic: fresh realization, not rote repetition
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: divine delight/ānanda distilled by practice
Praise at Soma offering: asserting the gods’ superior generosity to secure abundant bestowal; ‘new hymn’ marks renewed sacrificial speech.
During Soma sequences when new stotras are chanted; also as a lead-in to praise
Recitation before/with Soma libation; affirmation of the gods’ generosity
Use when motivation flags: remember inner sources are more reliable than social approval; then generate a ‘new stoma’—a fresh affirmation or gratitude practice.
: bahuvrīhi from bhū́ri ‘much’ + dā́vat ‘giving’ (√dā ‘to give’) + comparative -tara. : from pra-√yā ‘to go forth’ → ‘advance/setting forth’. : causative/denominative from √jan ‘be born’ → ‘cause to be born, produce’. The kinship comparisons (jāmātu, syāla) function as a rhetorical scale of expected generosity, surpassed by divine giving.
Tradition as śruti (aśravam), Renewal of inspired speech (navya stoma)
The ‘forward movement’ suggests the right progression of the sacrifice—inner processes unfolding in ṛta.
True giving comes from alignment with inner truth rather than outer transaction.
New mantra as new creation: speech arises from the moving Soma-force.
Vedic mantra-yoga orientation; supports integral renewal of consciousness.
Soma juice = moving delight-current that advances and renews speech and power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘divine giving surpasses human reciprocity’: social gift-exchange is transcended by the gods’ plenary bestowal, activated by Soma’s forward surge and a freshly generated stoma.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dā ‘give’ continues PIE *deh₃- ‘to give’ (cf. Greek didōmi, Latin dōnum). √jan ‘be born’ continues PIE *genh₁- (cf. Latin genus, Greek genos). These roots underpin the verse’s semantics: giving (dā) and bringing-to-birth (jan) of the hymn.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi relies on heard knowledge (aśravam) of the gods’ nature and responds by generating a new stoma; the Devata are approached as the ultimate givers whose generosity is invoked through fresh, living speech aligned with Soma’s advance.
Let delight move forward through the system; offer a fresh, sincere affirmation to illumined mind and will.
svādhiṣṭhāna (flow of delight) supporting ājñā/maṇipūra integration
Wave breathing: slightly fuller inhale to feel ‘Soma rising’, smooth exhale as ‘stoma’ offering; repeat 9 cycles.
Renewed inspiration and gentle joy.
If practice becomes routine, pause and invite ‘navya’—one new line of truth you can genuinely affirm today; let it ride on the felt current of joy rather than mental effort alone.
Ṛgvedic accents; the pivot ‘athā’ should be clearly marked to signal the turn to offering.
Keep the first pāda slightly narrative; brighten and lift on ‘indrāgnī’ and ‘stomaṃ janayāmi navyam’.
bhūridāvattarā: articulate long compound steadily; avoid swallowing vowels, vijāmātur: ‘jā’ long; dental ‘t’, syālāt: long ‘ā’, prayatī: ‘ya’ glide; long ‘ī’, janayāmi: soft ‘j’, clear ‘yā’
Warm, confident, with a creative upward inflection at the end.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
