Rig Veda 5.72.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 72, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.72
- Rishi
- Atri explicitly referenced
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Shringara (love)
मित्रश्च नो वरुणश्च जुषेतां यज्ञमिष्टये । नि बर्हिषि सदतां सोमपीतये ॥
mitráś ca no váruṇaś ca juṣetā́m yajñám iṣṭáye | ní barhíṣi sadatāṃ sóma-pītaye ||
Semoga Mitra dan Varuṇa berkenan pada yajña (persembahan) kami, demi pemenuhan yang dipilih jiwa. Biarlah mereka duduk di atas barhis untuk meminum Soma.
Word by Word
- मित्रः
- MitraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- जुषेताम्
- may the two enjoy/favourVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद-रूप (वेदिक), ३ पुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot जुष् (धातु, भ्वादि; ‘सेव्/प्री’)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- इष्टये
- for the oblation/desired offeringNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; यज्-धातु से ‘इष्टि’)
- नि
- down; in (as preverb)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदताम्
- let the two sitVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, ३ पुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot सद् (धातु; ‘आसीद्/उपविश्’)
- सोमपीतये
- for Soma-drinkingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सोमपीति (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पीति ‘पान’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): मित्रः च नः वरुणः च जुषेताम् यज्ञम् इष्टये । नि बर्हिषि सदताम् सोमपीतये ॥ विशेष: ‘जुषेताम्’ वेदिक-लोट् ३ द्वि (मित्रावरुणयोः) — प्रार्थना/आशीः। ‘नः’ एन्क्लिटिक षष्ठी बहुवचन (अस्मद्)। ‘सोमपीतये’ समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रकृति): सोमस्य पीतिः → सोमपीतिः, तस्यै (चतुर्थी) ‘सोमपीतये’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Mitra and Varuṇa enjoy our sacrifice for the desired boon; let them sit on the barhis to drink Soma.
Inner meaning
When harmony and truth take delight (juṣetām) in the inner offering (yajña), the soul’s true choice (iṣṭi / iṣṭaye) is fulfilled—not ego preference but the psychic intention for right becoming. Their ‘sitting’ within indicates a settled divine governance; Soma then becomes a sweet strengthening force that increases concord and luminous right action.
Universal truth
Fulfilment comes when one’s offering aligns with truth and harmony; delight is then not a reward but the natural taste of right becoming.
Themes
Divine acceptance, Soma-ritual, Harmony and law, Inner consecration
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Ātreya (hymn context RV 5.72)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.72.1, Rig Veda 5.72.2
Family tradition
Ātreya tradition integrates illumination with ethical-spiritual order; the refrain across verses suggests a sustained inner rite.
Significance
The Atri current here is the call for divine participation: not merely human effort, but the gods’ ‘enjoyment’—a sign of alignment and readiness for Ananda.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Juṣetām (delighting in the offering), Ṛtasya gopā (guardians of ṛta), Satyadharmā (truth-right)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Aryaman, Bhaga
Cosmic role
They sanction and harmonize the sacrificial exchange between human aspiration and cosmic powers.
Inner power
They bring a felt approval—peace, clarity, and right relation—by which the inner yajña becomes effective and fruitful.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña acceptance formula; invitation for the deities to partake and bless the iṣṭi (desired attainment).
मि॒त्रश्च॑ नो॒ वरु॑णश्च जु॒षेतां॑ य॒ज्ञमि॒ष्टये॑ । नि ब॒र्हिषि॑ सदतां॒ सोम॑पीतये ॥
मि॒त्रः । च॒ । नः॒ । वरु॑णः । च॒ । जु॒षेता॑म् । य॒ज्ञम् । इ॒ष्टये॑ । नि । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । स॒द॒त॒म् । सोम॑ऽपीतये ॥
mitraḥ | ca | naḥ | varuṇaḥ | ca | juṣetām | yajñam | iṣṭaye | ni | barhiṣi | sadatam | soma-pītaye
Triṣṭubh (likely; consistent refrain and cadence in the hymn)
44
4×11 (approx.)
Balanced and affirmative; a cadence of consent and settling.
Gives a sense of being ‘received’ by the divine—confidence, warmth, and quiet joy.
- जुषेताम् (juṣetām)
- Literal: may they enjoy/accept. Symbolic: Divine consent and intimate participation in the inner work
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice, offering. Symbolic: Integral self-offering—thought, will, emotion given to the higher purpose
- इष्टये (iṣṭaye)
- Literal: for the desired rite/boon. Symbolic: For the soul’s chosen fulfilment; the true aim (teleology) of sadhana
- बर्हिषि (barhiṣi)
- Literal: on the grass-seat. Symbolic: Inner altar-field prepared by purity and quiet
- सोमपीतये (somapītaye)
- Literal: for Soma-drinking. Symbolic: For the assimilation of Ananda that nourishes light and unity
Soma sacrifice invitatory: requesting divine acceptance (juṣ-) of yajña and seating on barhis for Soma.
At moments of offering acceptance and prior to Soma libation; also suitable as a closing affirmation of a session.
Recite while presenting oblation and mentally ‘seating’ the powers in the altar-space.
Use at the end of meditation/prayer: offer the day’s effort inwardly and rest in a sense of divine consent and sweetness.
juṣetām from √juṣ ‘to enjoy, be pleased, accept’ (also ‘to foster by enjoyment’). iṣṭi from √iṣ ‘to desire, seek’; in Vedic ritual iṣṭi is an offering/desired rite, inwardly the chosen aim of the soul. Mitra/Varuṇa as paired powers: relation (Mitra) + vast binding law (Varuṇa) together sustain ṛta.
Ṛta (order) via Mitra–Varuṇa, Iṣṭi (willed attainment), Yajña as inner offering
Acceptance by Mitra–Varuṇa indicates alignment with ṛta; then Soma can be safely ‘drunk’.
Truth becomes experiential as peace and right relation, not merely concept.
Right offering invites higher powers; their participation transforms the being and releases delight.
Integral Yoga resonance: self-offering (yajña) leading to divine Ananda and right becoming.
Moonlike Soma-calm in the mind when harmony and truth preside; the inner seat is the purified heart-mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gods’ ‘enjoyment/acceptance’ of the yajña: the mythic reciprocity where divine powers are nourished by Soma and in turn establish harmony and lawful vastness in the world and in the sacrificer.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Mitra is Indo-Iranian *mitra- ‘contract, alliance’ (cf. Avestan Miθra). Varuṇa’s name relates to binding/encompassing (often connected with √vṛ ‘cover/enclose’), echoing a PIE theme of cosmic enclosure. √iṣ ‘desire’ has Indo-European parallels in volitional semantics; the optative juṣetām encodes wish/benediction typical of early Indo-European poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi offers a disciplined yajña aligned with a chosen inner aim (iṣṭi), asking Mitra–Varuṇa to consent to it (juṣ-) and to become inwardly present (ni…barhiṣi), indicating a collaborative ascent: human aspiration invites divine harmonizing governance.
Cultivate the sense of divine acceptance: offer thoughts/emotions, then feel harmony and truth ‘enjoy’ the offering.
Anāhata
Soft exhale-lengthening (inhale 4, exhale 6) for 5 minutes while repeating ‘juṣetām’.
Receptive devotion with quiet joy; a relational peace.
Chant once, then pause: notice where the being resists offering. Offer that too. When a subtle sweetness arises, stay with it without grasping—this is Soma’s ‘drinking’.
Vedic accenting per śākhā; maintain clear udātta peaks (not notated here).
Stress ‘mítraś ca nó varúṇaś ca’ with clear caesura; let refrain flow smoothly as a single offering phrase.
mitraśca: sandhi ‘ś ca’ clean, not ‘scha’, juṣetām: retroflex ṣ; long ā at end, yajñam: nasal ñ + ‘ya’ articulation, iṣṭaye: retroflex ṣṭ cluster, keep crisp
Warm, prayerful, slightly softer than declarative invocations.
3
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