Rig Veda 8.31.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 31, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.31
- Devata
- Likely a dual divinity, compatible with Aśvinau or paired household-powers
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
या दम्पती समनसा सुनुत आ च धावतः । देवासो नित्ययाशिरा ॥
yā́ dampatī́ sámanasā sunutá ā́ ca dhā́vataḥ | devā́so nítyayā́śírā ||
ഒരേ മനസ്സുള്ള ഗൃഹാധിപന്മാരായ ആ ദമ്പതികൾ സോമസവനത്തിലെ പീഡനത്തേക്കും അതിന്റെ ആഹ്വാനത്തേക്കും ഓടിയെത്തുന്നു—ദേവന്മാർ നിത്യാനന്ദ-രസത്തിന്റെ പൂർണ്ണതയോടെ ഉള്ളതുപോലെ.
Word by Word
- या
- who (she/that)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (relative pronoun)Role Kartā (relative subject) / viśeṣaṇa of दम्पतीRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- दम्पती
- the wedded pair (husband and wife)Nounपुंस्त्रीलिङ्ग-समाहारः, प्रथमा द्विवचनम्Role Kartā (subject of धावतः)Root दम्पती (prātipadika; dvandva/dual ‘house-lord and lady’)
- समनसा
- with one mind, in harmonyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental of quality; used adverbially)Role Karaṇa / hetu-bhāva (with one mind, in concord)Root समनस् (prātipadika; sa- + मनस्)
- सुनुत
- press (the Soma)!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनम्Role (to the addressed) Kartā implied; predicate commandRoot सु (dhātu ‘to press/express (Soma)’) → सुनु (present stem)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRole (directional/ingressive particle with धावतः)Root आ (upasarga)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक निपातRoot च (particle)
- धावतः
- they two run/hastenVerbलट् (present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचनम्Role predicate; Kartā = दम्पतीRoot धाव् (dhātu ‘to run, hasten’) → धाव (present stem)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (of an implied/copular sense; or apposition to दम्पती as ‘like gods’)Root देव (prātipadika)
- नित्ययाशिरा
- with a constant benediction/prayerNoun (compound/phrase in Vedic sandhi) used adverbiallyस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental of manner; Vedic form)Role Karaṇa / hetu-bhāva (with constant blessing/prayer)Root नित्य-आशिस् (prātipadika; ‘constant prayer/blessing’) → नित्ययाशिस् (Vedic contraction)
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi: (1) ‘सुनुत आ’ = ‘सुनुत’ + ‘आ’ (no change; hiatus tolerated in Vedic)
- (2) ‘च धावतः’ = ‘च’ + ‘धावतः’ (no change)
- (3) ‘नित्यया॒शिरा’ is Vedic sandhi/contraction for ‘नित्यया आशिरा’ (आशिस् ‘blessing, prayer’ in instr. sg. आशिषा/आशिरा; with preceding नित्यया ‘constant’ in instr. sg., yielding a fused phonetic form in Saṃhitā)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The two lords of the house, of one mind, hasten to the Soma-pressing and its call, like gods with perennial plenitude of delight.
Inner meaning
The ‘two lords of the house’ (dampatī) are a paired power within the seeker: the consenting duality needed for integral practice—most naturally mind and life (or will and understanding) moving in harmony (samanasā). They ‘run’ to the pressing (sunutaḥ): toward the extraction of Soma, the inner bliss-essence, by effort and aspiration. When the inner pair is unified, the call of the sacrifice is immediately answered, and the being acts ‘like gods’—with a constant (nityā) portion of āśis/āśīr (benediction, delight, plenitude).
Universal truth
Progress becomes swift when the divided parts of the being consent to one aim. Unity of intention turns effort into an extraction of joy and meaning; delight becomes sustainable rather than occasional.
Themes
dual-divinities, soma-ritual (inner essence), harmony
The seer
Significance
The verse carries a characteristic Vedic psychological instruction: harmonize the inner pair (often experienced as thought and impulse) so that the Soma-process—turning life into bliss—can proceed without friction. This is a practical yogic key embedded in domestic imagery.
The deity
- Devata
- Dampatī (the dual household powers; compatible with Aśvinau or an inner duality invoked for Soma)
- Epithets
- samanasā (of one mind), nityayā-āśirā (with perennial plenitude)
- Related deities
- Aśvinau (as swift dual helpers), Indra (receiver of Soma), Soma
Cosmic role
Guardians of the ‘house’ (ordered field of life); facilitators of the sacrifice by bringing concord and swift participation.
Inner power
The power of integration—uniting the executive life-force with the discerning mind so the Soma (bliss) can be pressed out and shared through the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-pressing invitation (conceptual): calling the assisting powers to the pressing and offering.
या दम्प॑ती॒ सम॑नसा सुनु॒त आ च॒ धाव॑तः । देवा॑सो॒ नित्य॑या॒शिरा॑ ॥
या । दम्प॑ती॒ इति॒ दम्ऽप॑ती । सऽम॑नसा । सु॒नु॒तः । आ । च॒ । धाव॑तः । देवा॑सः । नित्य॑या । आ॒ऽशिरा॑ ॥
yā | dampatī itidam-patī | sa-manasā | sunutaḥ | ā | ca | dhāvataḥ | devāsaḥ | nityayā | āś irā
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4 pādas × ~8 syllables (approximate)
Quick, forward-driving; suitable for ‘hastening’ (dhāvataḥ).
Energizes resolve and synchronizes breath with intention; helps gather scattered parts into one movement.
- दम्पती (dampatī)
- Literal: lords of the house (husband & wife). Symbolic: paired governing powers in the being—mind & life / knowledge & will acting together
- समनसा (samanasā)
- Literal: with one mind; in accord. Symbolic: inner consent, integration, absence of self-contradiction
- सुनुतः (sunutaḥ)
- Literal: to the pressing (of Soma). Symbolic: to the disciplined extraction of inner delight/essence from experience
- धावतः (dhāvataḥ)
- Literal: they run/hasten. Symbolic: readiness, prompt response of the nature to the soul’s call
- नित्यया आशिरा (nityayā āśirā)
- Literal: with perennial portion/blessing. Symbolic: stable delight and sustaining grace, not dependent on outer circumstance
- देवासः (devāsaḥ)
- Literal: gods. Symbolic: luminous powers of consciousness acting in their own right nature
Soma-pressing (savana) invitation motif: calling the dual powers to the expressed essence
During Soma-yajña sequences or hymns that summon deities swiftly to the offering.
Recitation while preparing/pressing Soma or during invitation (āhvāna) to the deities.
Before meditation or creative work: recite to align mind and life, then begin the ‘pressing’—extracting joy/meaning from the day’s material.
dampatī: ‘lords of the house’ (dam ‘house’ + pati ‘lord’), often used for a divine pair; psychologically, twin governing powers that harmonize the inner dwelling. samanasā: manas as coordinating mind—unity is prerequisite for effective ascent. dhāv: to run/flow—can indicate both speed and streaming of energies. āśir/āśis: ‘blessing, share’—inner sense: a constant portion of delight-force that sustains the work.
harmony of mind (samanasā) as condition for ṛta, perennial delight (ānanda/āśis as sustaining share)
Samanasā is ṛta in psychological form—parts moving in lawful concord.
True progress requires truthfulness of intention (no inner double-mindedness).
Soma as distilled essence: creation through extraction and refinement of consciousness.
Integral-Vedic psychology (Aurobindo): Soma as ānanda, gods as inner powers.
The pressing is inner churning/refinement; speed is readiness of the nature; the ‘two’ are complementary faculties that must consent for bliss to flow.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The summoned divine pair hastening to Soma: the twin powers respond to the expressed essence. In inner terms, when the being becomes ‘one-minded’, the complementary forces (illumination and force; joy and right action) rush to partake and to aid.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pati ‘lord’ reflects PIE *pótis ‘master’ (cf. Greek posis). manas relates to PIE *men- ‘think’ (cf. Latin mens). These inherited terms carry the archaic Indo-European idiom of ‘one mind’ as a sacral-heroic condition.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s act is the pressing—extracting inner essence. The devatā-pair reciprocates by arriving with ‘nitya āśis’, a constant blessing-force, implying that sincere expression of essence calls down stable divine support.
Unify the ‘inner couple’: let mind agree with the soul’s aspiration and life-force consent to execute it; then ‘press Soma’—extract delight from breath and awareness.
Ājñā (unifying intention) with support from Maṇipūra (execution/drive)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) to create concord; on exhale, feel ‘pressing out’ tension into clarity.
Collected dynamism—quietly forceful readiness.
Before practice, ask: ‘Are my thought and impulse one?’ Recite once slowly, then 3–9 times with a steady pace, beginning meditation immediately after.
Maintain clear udatta rises on key stems; keep compound ‘nityayāśirā’ flowing as one phrase (sandhi-respecting).
Do not rush ‘samanasā’; let it be the stabilizing pivot before ‘dhāvataḥ’.
‘dampatī’—keep dental d, and short a in -pa-., ‘samanasā’—distinct ‘sa-ma-na-sā’ with long ā at end., ‘sunutaḥ’—nu is short; keep retroflex ṭ? (here taḥ dental)., ‘āśirā’—long ā at start; ś is palatal.
Bright, forward, but controlled; clear articulation to embody ‘one mind’.
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