Rig Veda 8.38.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 38, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.38
- Rishi
- Śyāvāśva Ātreya
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
इमा जुषेथां सवना येभिर्हव्यान्यूहथुः । इन्द्राग्नी आ गतं नरा ॥
imā́ juṣéthāṃ sávanā yébhir havyā́ny ūháthuḥ | indrā́gnī ā́ gatam narā ||
ഈ സവനങ്ങളിൽ (സോമപിഴിയലുകളിൽ) നിങ്ങൾ ഇരുവരും ആനന്ദിക്കുവിൻ—ഇവയാൽ നിങ്ങൾ ഹവ്യങ്ങളെ വഹിച്ച് എത്തിക്കുന്നു. ഹേ ഇന്ദ്രാഗ്നീ, ഹേ നരാ (വീരദ്വയം), ഇവിടെ വരുവിൻ.
Word by Word
- इमाः
- thesePronoun (Demonstrative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्म (सवनानि/हव्यानि इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण निर्देशः)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जुषेथाम्
- may you two enjoy / acceptVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (सम्बोधनयोः इन्द्राग्नी) / विधेयRoot √जुष् (सेवने/प्रीतौ)
- सवनानि
- pressings; Soma-offeringsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सवन (प्रातिपदिक; √सु ‘सोमप्रसवने’ इत्यस्मात्)
- येभिः
- by which; with whichPronoun (Relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण (यैः साधनैः/येषु सवनेषु)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हव्यानि
- oblations; things to be offeredNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘यज्ञे’ इत्यस्मात्)
- ऊहथुः
- you two have conveyed/broughtVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/कथनात्मक), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: इन्द्राग्नी)Root √ऊह् (ऊहने/वहने ‘to convey/bring’)
- इन्द्राग्नी
- O Indra and AgniNoun (Dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग (देवताद्वन्द्व), सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र + अग्नि (समास: द्वन्द्व)
- आ
- hither; towards (us)Indeclinable (Preverb/Particle)Role क्रियाविशेषण (आगमनदिशा/सम्प्राप्ति)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- गतम्
- come! (come hither)Verbal adjective (Participle)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/आज्ञार्थे प्रयोगः, द्विवचनार्थे (युगलदेवतायाम्)Role क्रिया (आगमन-आदेशः)Root √गम् (गत्यर्थ) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- नरा
- O two men/heroic onesNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधन (इन्द्राग्न्योः विशेषणम्)Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इमाः | जुषेथाम् | सवनानि | येभिः | हव्यानि | ऊहथुः | इन्द्राग्नी | आ | गतम् | नरा || 1) येभिर्हव्यान्यूहथुः = येभिः + हव्यानि + ऊहथुः
- विसर्ग-लोपः/रेफ-सन्धिः (ः→र्) ‘येभिः’ + ‘हव्यानि’, तथा ‘हव्यानि’ + ‘ऊहथुः’ इत्यत्र स्वर-सन्धिः (इ + ऊ → यू) → ‘हव्यान्यूहथुः’। 2) इन्द्राग्नी: इन्द्र + अग्नी (द्वन्द्वसमास; द्विवचन-सम्बोधनरूपम्)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
An invitation to Indra and Agni to delight in these Soma pressings by which they carry/bring the offerings; again calling them to come.
Inner meaning
The ‘savanā’ (pressings) are repeated inner extractions of bliss and clarity from life-substance. Indra-Agni are asked to ‘bear’ the offerings: the illumined mind and divine will lift the aspirant’s energies and present them to the higher Truth, converting raw impulses into consecrated force.
Universal truth
Progress is rhythmic and repeated: each ‘pressing’ is a renewed effort to extract joy and offer it upward; higher capacities then carry the offering forward, turning aspiration into effective transformation.
Themes
Soma-ritual, carrying the offering, invitation, rhythm of pressings
The seer
- Rishi
- Śyāvāśva Ātreya
- Lineage
- Ātreya (Atri lineage)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.38.4, Rig Veda 8.38.6, Rig Veda 8.38.7, Rig Veda 8.38.8
Family tradition
Atri hymnic style often stresses practical invocation, repeated calls, and the effective working of deva-forces through Soma and Agni.
Significance
The seer highlights process: not a single inspiration but recurring ‘pressings’—a psychology of iterative purification and ascent supported by Indra-Agni.
The deity
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Epithets
- narā (heroic pair)
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Conveyors of the offering: Agni as carrier of oblation; Indra as receiver/empowerer who returns force and light.
Inner power
They organize inner energies: Agni purifies and uplifts; Indra clarifies intention and breaks resistance so the offering can be carried without distortion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (savana) within Soma-yajña; Indrāgnī invitatory
इ॒मा जु॑षेथां॒ सव॑ना॒ येभि॑र्ह॒व्यान्यू॒हथु॑: । इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ आ ग॑तं नरा ॥
इ॒मा । जु॒षे॒था॒म् । सव॑ना । येभिः॑ । ह॒व्यानि॑ । ऊ॒हथुः॑ । इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ इति॑ । आ । ग॒त॒म् । न॒रा॒ ॥
imā | juṣethām | savanā | yebhiḥ | havyāni | ūhathuḥ | indrāgnī iti | ā | gatam | narā
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8|8|8
Repetitive and incantatory; supports the theme of repeated savanā (pressings).
Builds steady momentum; each repetition feels like another ‘pressing’—extracting and offering subtle delight.
- imā savanā
- Literal: these pressings (Soma pressings). Symbolic: repeated yogic distillations—moments of concentrated practice yielding Ananda
- juṣethām
- Literal: enjoy/accept. Symbolic: inner consent of the higher powers to participate in one’s sadhana
- havyāni
- Literal: offerings (to be carried). Symbolic: consecrated thoughts, energies, works offered to the Divine
- ūhathuḥ
- Literal: you two bear/convey. Symbolic: the twin power that lifts the offering beyond ego into a higher plane of effectiveness
- indrāgnī
- Literal: Indra and Agni. Symbolic: illumination + will working together
- ā gatam
- Literal: come. Symbolic: descent and presence in the practitioner’s field
- narā
- Literal: heroes. Symbolic: courageous assisting powers within the soul-nature
Savana-triad (morning/midday/evening pressings): invitation to partake and to ‘carry’ the offering to its fulfilment
At or around the savana times (morning/midday/evening pressings in broader Soma ritual frameworks).
Recite while presenting Soma and inviting Indra-Agni to carry the havis (offerings).
Use as a mantra of ‘renewal’: at the start of a practice session or whenever restarting after distraction—‘these pressings’ as today’s renewed effort.
savana from √su ‘press out’ (suta, savana): repeated extraction of essence. √ūh ‘carry/convey’ suggests the gods as carriers of the offering into the higher planes—innerly, they transport the will and delight into effective realization.
effective transmission of offering (havyāni + ūh), rhythmic progression (repeated savana as stages of inner ascent)
The cosmos responds to ordered repetition; savanā mirror the rhythmic law of ṛta.
Offerings carried rightly require truth in motive—clarity (Indra) and sincerity (Agni).
Transformation through churning/pressing of substance into delight; ascent-descent exchange.
Integral Yoga hermeneutic: tapas (pressing) yields Ananda (Soma) which fuels further illumination and will.
Pressing = concentration and friction of practice; Soma = joy/Ananda released; carrying offerings = uplift of energies into higher consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gods as bearers of the offering: Indra-Agni not only receive but ‘carry’ the havyas—mythically across worlds, psychologically by transforming offered energies into accomplished force and illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √su ‘press’ is Indo-Iranian ritual vocabulary (Avestan hu- in related semantic spheres). √ūh ‘carry’ is less clearly PIE-wide but fits an inherited semantic of ‘conveying/transport’ within Indo-Iranian.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts his offerings to the divine pair as active mediators: by their acceptance (juṣ) and conveyance (ūh), the sacrifice becomes a bridge from human intention to divine realization.
Repeatedly ‘press’ experience into offering: extract a quiet joy from breath and attention; offer it to the inner Indra-Agni for uplift.
maṇipūra (will/Agni) and ājñā (clarity/Indra)
4-4 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 4) while feeling ‘pressing’ on inhale (gathering) and ‘offering/carrying’ on exhale (release).
Rhythmic concentration; calm strength.
When practice feels dry, repeat the mantra 9–27 times, imagining each cycle as a new savana: gather attention, extract a drop of joy, offer it; feel the inner powers lifting it upward.
Maintain Vedic accents; lift on key verbs (juṣethām, ūhathuḥ) and on the divine name (indrāgnī).
Keep ‘ūhathuḥ’ crisp with long ū; avoid swallowing final visarga-less ending.
imā: long ā, savanā: clear va-naa, yebhiḥ: ye-bhiḥ (aspirate bh), havyāni: hav-yā-ni (do not over-separate), ūhathuḥ: long ū; th aspirated; final ḥ lightly released
Firm, rhythmic, slightly percussive to mirror ‘pressing’.
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