Rig Veda 4.47.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 47, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.47
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Vāyu
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shringara (love)
वायो शुक्रो अयामि ते मध्वो अग्रं दिविष्टिषु । आ याहि सोमपीतये स्पार्हो देव नियुत्वता ॥
vāyo śukró ayāmi te mádhvo ágraṃ divíṣṭiṣu | ā yāhi sóma-pītaye spārhó deva niyútvātā ||
Wahai Vāyu, Kuasa yang bercahaya, aku bawakan kepadamu sari pertama madhu (kemanisan) di antara usaha-usaha menuju langit. Datanglah ke sini untuk meminum Soma—wahai dewa yang diidamkan—dengan niyut (tunggangan)mu yang teratur.
Word by Word
- वायो
- O VāyuNoun (address)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुक्रः
- bright, pureAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण) / विधेय-विशेषणRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अयामि
- I offer / I presentVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √यम् (यच्छति/यमति) — ‘to extend, offer, present’
- ते
- to/for you; yourPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्धे); एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मध्वः
- of honey / of sweetness (i.e., Soma)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)Root मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्रम्
- the foremost part, the first portionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिविष्टिषु
- in the heavenly abodes / in the celestial stationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot दिविष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towards (us)Indeclinableआह्वान/आगमनार्थ-निपातRole क्रियाविशेषण (आगमन-निर्देशक)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- याहि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √या (to go)
- सोमपीतये
- for Soma-drinkingNoun (purpose)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (प्रयोजन-चतुर्थी)Root सोम-पीति (समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘सोमस्य पीतिः’)
- स्पार्हः
- desirable, eagerly soughtAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण) / विधेय-विशेषणRoot स्पार्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
- देव
- O godNoun (address)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- नियुत्वता
- with (your) yoked teams (niyuts)Adjective (instrumental accompaniment)पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करण / सहार्थ-तृतीयाRoot नियुत्वत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having/with niyuts’ i.e., yoked teams)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: वायो | शुक्रः | अयामि | ते | मध्वः | अग्रम् | दिविष्टिषु || आ | याहि | सोमपीतये | स्पार्हः | देव | नियुत्वता || 1) वायो = वायो (सम्बोधन-एकवचन) < वायु
- ओ-कारः सम्बोधन-प्रत्ययः। 2) मध्वो अग्रं: मध्वः + अग्रम्
- विसर्गस्य ओ-आदेशः (विसर्ग-सन्धि) ‘मध्वः’ → ‘मध्वो’ परे स्वरादौ। 3) दिवि॑ष्टिषु: संहितापाठे ‘दिवि’ इव दृश्यते, पदपाठानुसारं ‘दिविष्टिषु’ (प्रातिपदिक ‘दिविष्टि’)—अत्र ‘दिवि’ पृथक् पदं न। 4) सोम॑पीतये: समासपदं
- सन्धि-विच्छेदः न आवश्यकः। 5) नियुत्वता: ‘नियुत्’ + ‘वत्’ (मतुप्/वतुप्-प्रत्यय) → ‘नियुत्वत्’
- तृतीया-एकवचन ‘नियुत्वता’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Vāyu, shining one, I bring to you the first portion of honey/sweetness among the heavenward strivings. Come for Soma-drinking, desirable god, with your yoked steeds.
Inner meaning
Vāyu is invoked as śukra—luminous life-power, not mere physical wind. The ‘first essence of honey’ is the earliest taste of ananda released when aspiration turns upward (diviṣṭiṣu: strivings toward the luminous planes). Vāyu is asked to come yoked with niyuts—ordered energies—meaning the prāṇa must be disciplined, rhythmic, and aligned to receive Soma. The seeker offers the first delight to the life-force so it can become a pure carrier of higher joy rather than a restless vital.
Universal truth
The life-force must be illumined and ordered to bear spiritual delight. When prāṇa is disciplined, the earliest sweetness of awakening can be stabilized and made a vehicle for ascent.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Invocation/Āvāhana, Inner ascent and purification, Delight as spiritual essence
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.47.2, RV 4.46.6–7, RV 1.134 (Indra-Vāyu parallels—different maṇḍala)
Family tradition
In RV 4, Vāmadeva often distinguishes and coordinates powers: Agni (will), Indra (light), Vāyu (prāṇa), Soma (ananda).
Significance
The seer presents a yogic sequence: upward striving → first sweetness → disciplined prāṇa receives Soma → harmony with the divine host.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāyu
- Epithets
- śukra (luminous), spārha (desirable), niyutvat (yoked with niyuts)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Vāyu moves between worlds, first to receive Soma, distributing life and motion; he is the carrier of offerings and the breath of the cosmos.
Inner power
Regulation and uplift of prāṇa; swift responsiveness to aspiration; power to make the vital a clear channel for ananda.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña: invitation to Vāyu as first Soma-drinker
वायो॑ शु॒क्रो अ॑यामि ते॒ मध्वो॒ अग्रं॒ दिवि॑ष्टिषु । आ या॑हि॒ सोम॑पीतये स्पा॒र्हो दे॑व नि॒युत्व॑ता ॥
वायो॒ इति॑ । शु॒क्रः । अ॒या॒मि॒ । ते॒ । मध्वः॑ । अग्र॑म् । दिवि॑ष्टिषु । आ । या॒हि॒ । सोम॑ऽपीतये । स्पा॒र्हः । दे॒व॒ । नि॒युत्व॑ता ॥
vāyo iti | śukraḥ | ayāmi | te | madhvaḥ | agram | diviṣṭiṣu | ā | yāhi | soma-pītaye | spārhaḥ | deva | niyutvatā
48
4 pādas × 12 syllables (jagatī)
Longer, flowing, wind-like movement; spacious cadence suited to Vāyu imagery.
Induces a sense of smooth expansion and sustained breath; supports prāṇic continuity rather than short bursts.
- vāyo
- Literal: O Vāyu. Symbolic: master of prāṇa; life-current that can be purified and uplifted
- śukraḥ
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: illumined prāṇa; vital-force clarified by higher light
- madhvaḥ agram
- Literal: the first of the honey/sweetness. Symbolic: first ananda/taste of delight in sādhana; initial Soma-essence
- diviṣṭiṣu
- Literal: in the heavenward strivings/battles. Symbolic: upward endeavor of consciousness; inner ascent and effort
- somapītaye
- Literal: for Soma-drinking. Symbolic: for assimilation of ananda into prāṇa
- niyutvatā
- Literal: with yoked niyuts (steeds). Symbolic: prāṇa harnessed by rhythm, discipline, and right order
Soma-yajña context: invitation (āvāhana) to the deity for Soma pressing/drinking; aligns with early morning Soma offerings where Vāyu is prominently invoked.
Early in Soma offering sequence; Vāyu is traditionally invited first to Soma
Presenting the first Soma portion; calling Vāyu with niyuts to partake
At the start of breath-centered meditation: offer the ‘first sweetness’ (initial calm/joy) to the breath; establish rhythmic breathing as the yoked steeds.
Key terms: (1) vāyu- from √vā ‘to blow, move’ → life-breath as dynamic carrier of impulse; (2) śukra- ‘bright/clear’, linked to √śuc ‘to shine, be pure’; (3) ayāmi: 1st sg. pres. from √yam/√yā? here understood as ‘to extend/offer’ (semantic overlap in Vedic usage: setting forth/bringing forward the offering); (4) madhu ‘honey/delight’ (Indo-Iranian *madhu-, cf. Avestan maδu-), polyvalent: sweetness, intoxication, bliss; (5) agram ‘foremost’ from √ag ‘to go/lead’ > ‘front’; (6) diviṣṭiṣu: div- ‘sky/luminous’ + iṣṭi ‘seeking/striving’ (√iṣ ‘to seek, impel’), loc. pl.; (7) soma-pītaye: pīti ‘drinking’ from √pā ‘to drink’; (8) niyut- ‘yoked team/ordered yoking’, from ni- + √yuj ‘to yoke’, expressing regulated vital forces.
R̥ta (ordered movement implied by niyut- ‘regulated yoking’), Ānanda/Delight (madhu, soma), Ascent to the luminous plane (diviṣṭi-)
Niyutvatā implies prāṇa moving in ṛta—measured, aligned, non-chaotic.
Illumined prāṇa (śukra) supports truthful perception without vital distortion.
The cosmos is sustained by movement (Vāyu) receiving delight (Soma) and distributing it as life-energy.
Yoga-prāṇa emphasis; aligns with Upaniṣadic prāṇa centrality (thematic).
Morning (traditional Vāyu-first Soma association)
Wind = breath-current; Honey = subtle sweetness of awakening; Yoked steeds = regulated inhalation/exhalation; Sky = higher mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma-invitation’ mythologem: the god is called to arrive yoked with his teams to drink Soma. In the inner sense, the life-wind is summoned to take the first delight-essence and distribute it through the heavenward strivings, establishing ordered motion (r̥ta) in the vital being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu- ‘honey’ is a classic Indo-Iranian inheritance (PIE *médʰu) with cognates across Indo-European (e.g., English ‘mead’). √yuj in niyut- reflects PIE *yeug- ‘to yoke’ (Latin iugum ‘yoke’), preserving the archaic poetic image of deities arriving in harnessed teams.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity is explicit: the seer ‘brings forward’ the foremost delight (madhu/agra) and in return calls Vāyu to enter the sacrifice/inner practice to drink Soma. The offering is not mere substance but a prepared state of aspiration (diviṣṭi-) that invites the deity’s regulated force (niyut-) to act within the human field.
Illumine and yoke the breath: receive the first sweetness of stillness and let it pervade prāṇa.
Viśuddha (breath/space) supporting Anāhata (sweetness)
Coherent breathing with a light pause after exhale; feel the ‘niyuts’ as paired, even currents.
Bright prāṇic clarity, upward aspiration, sweet receptivity.
Chant on a single smooth breath per pāda if possible (jagatī flow). After chanting, keep awareness in the nostrils and heart; let a cool sweetness spread without excitement.
Apply Vedic accents from the Saṃhitā; keep ‘vāyo’ and ‘śukraḥ’ clearly articulated; long meter favors sustained svara continuity.
Do not rush compound clusters: ‘madhvo agraṃ’; keep ‘niyutvatā’ flowing to the end.
śukraḥ: ś is palatal; keep visarga light, madhvo: dh voiced aspirate; avoid ‘madvo’, spārhaḥ: long ā; ṛ is vocalic
Airy, flowing, bright; continuous breath support.
1
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