Rig Veda 1.21.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 21, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.21
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
इहेन्द्राग्नी उप ह्वये तयोरित्स्तोममुश्मसि । ता सोमं सोमपातमा ॥
ihéndrāgnī úpa hvaye táyor ít stómam uśmasi | tā́ sómaṃ soma-pā́tamā ||
Tutaj wzywam Indrę i Agni, by przybliżyli się; dla tych dwóch pragniemy hymnu afirmacji - przyjdźcie, wy najdoskonalsi pijący Somę, do wyciśniętej rozkoszy.
Word by Word
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role अधिकारणRoot इह (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) अथवा इदम्-आधारित देइक्तिक
- इन्द्राग्नी
- Indra and AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र + अग्नि (समास: द्वन्द्व)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग; ‘निकटम्/उपसमीपम्’)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ह्वये
- I invoke/callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वे (ह्वयति/आह्वयति)
- तयोः
- of the two (of them)Pronounषष्ठी, द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्यय (निपात; एव/हि-भाव)Root इत् (निपात)
- स्तोमम्
- hymn of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- उश्मसि
- we desire/wishVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √वश्/उश् (वशति/उशति ‘इच्छति/कामयते’)
- ता
- those two (them)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (आह्वान/अर्पण-विषय)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमपातमा
- the best Soma-drinkersAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (इन्द्राग्नी/ता इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role विशेषण (कर्म-सम्बद्ध)Root सोमपा + तम (समास: कर्मधारय; ‘सोमं पिबति’ + तमप्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इह | इन्द्राग्नी | उप | ह्वये | तयोः | इत् | स्तोमम् | उश्मसि | ता | सोमम् | सोमपातमा । 1) इन्द्रा + अग्नी → इन्द्राग्नी (द्वन्द्व-समास; आ + अ = आ)
- 2) तयोः + इत् → तयो॒रित् (विसर्ग/रेफ-सन्धि: -ोः + इ- → -ोरि-)
- 3) स्तोमम् + उश्मसि → स्तोम॑मुश्मसि (अन्त्य -म् + उ- → म् उ- संयोग; लेखने ‘मु’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Here I call Indra and Agni near; for them we desire a hymn of praise; come, best Soma-drinkers, to the Soma.
Inner meaning
The seeker invokes the dual power of illumination and will: Indra (luminous mind that breaks the cover) and Agni (divine will/aspiration that leads the inner sacrifice). The ‘stoma’ is not mere praise but an affirming formation of consciousness—mantric thought that invites these powers to act. ‘Come to Soma’ means: enter the clarified delight and drink it within us, so mind becomes illumined (Indra) and will becomes steady and progressive (Agni).
Universal truth
Spiritual transformation requires both light and force: illumination (right seeing) and will (right becoming). When invoked together and fed by inner delight, they accelerate growth.
Themes
Invocation, Soma-ritual, Dual deity cooperation, Mantra as aspirational force
The seer
Significance
The seer invokes a foundational yogic synergy: Indra-Agni together—knowledge-force and will-force—entering the seeker’s ‘here’ to drink Soma (delight) and act.
The deity
- Devata
- Indrāgnī (Indra and Agni as a dual deity)
- Epithets
- Somapā (Soma-drinkers), Somapātamā (most excellent Soma-drinkers)
- Related deities
- Soma, Mitra (harmony, mentioned in 1.21.3)
Cosmic role
Indra: slayer of Vṛtra, releaser of the cows (rays) and waters (flow of consciousness). Agni: priest and messenger, leader of the sacrifice, establisher of the divine in the mortal.
Inner power
Indra: illuminating intelligence and victorious discernment. Agni: upward will, aspiration, and transformative heat that carries offerings and purifies nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña invocation to Indrāgnī
इ॒हेन्द्रा॒ग्नी उप॑ ह्वये॒ तयो॒रित्स्तोम॑मुश्मसि । ता सोमं॑ सोम॒पात॑मा ॥
इ॒ह । इ॒न्द्रा॒ग्नी इति॑ । उप॑ । ह्व॒ये॒ । तयोः॑ । इत् । स्तोम॑म् । उ॒श्म॒सि॒ । ता । सोम॑म् । सो॒म॒ऽपात॑मा ॥
iha | indrāgnī iti | upa | hvaye | tayoḥ | it | stomam | uśmasi | tā | somam | soma-pātamā
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3×8
Bright, swift, invocatory; ideal for calling powers ‘near’ with concentrated intent.
Quickens aspiration; produces a clean, upward movement in attention and a sense of summoned presence.
- इह (iha)
- Literal: here. Symbolic: in this body-life-mind; in the present moment of practice
- इन्द्राग्नी (indrāgnī)
- Literal: Indra and Agni (dual). Symbolic: illumined mind + divine will acting conjointly in the sadhana
- उप ह्वये (upa hvaye)
- Literal: I call near. Symbolic: invite into intimate action within the consciousness
- स्तोमम् (stomam)
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: affirming mantra-thought that shapes inner substance
- उश्मसि (uśmasi)
- Literal: we desire/seek eagerly. Symbolic: aspiration—psychic demand for the divine working
- सोमम् (somam)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: divine delight, nectar of consciousness, clarified essence
- सोमपातमा (somapātamā)
- Literal: most perfect Soma-drinkers. Symbolic: powers most capable of receiving/transmuting delight into light and force
Soma sacrifice: invitatory calling Indra-Agni to the Soma offering (savana), paired deities receiving libation and stoma.
At the opening/approach of Soma offering sequences; to invite Indra-Agni to partake
Calling the deities, offering Soma libations, reciting stoma
Use at the start of meditation to invoke clarity (Indra) and steady will (Agni) and to ‘drink Soma’ as inner sweetness/ānanda.
hvaye: 1sg of √hū ‘to call, invoke’ (PIE *ḱlew- is ‘hear’; different; √hū is Indo-Iranian). Indra: name possibly from *ind- ‘powerful’ (uncertain); functionally ‘lord of luminous force’. Agni: from PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis ‘fire’ (cf. Lat. ignis, Lith. ugnìs). uśmasi: 1pl of √vaś/√uś ‘desire’ (semantic ‘yearn’). soma-pātamā: pātama superlative of √pā ‘drink’ (PIE *peh₃- ‘drink’; cf. Lat. pōtāre).
Rita through coordinated powers (dual harmony of force and will), Soma as Ananda (delight) received by the gods within
Indra-Agni restore Ṛta in the human field: light and will reorder the being.
Stoma as truth-affirmation draws Satya into mind and speech.
Transformation by descent of light-force and will-force nourished by delight.
Integral yoga reading: illumination + purification + delight as triune method.
Fire = will; thunderbolt = decisive discernment; Soma = delight-essence feeding both.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘arrival of the gods to Soma’: the invoked pair Indra-Agni are summoned to the pressed Soma. Mythically, divine powers come to the offering; psychologically, force (Indra) and will/flame (Agni) are brought near to drink the delight and empower the ascent.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Agni is a clear PIE inheritance (*h₁n̥gʷnis). √pā ‘drink’ is PIE (*peh₃-). The dual compound indrāgnī exemplifies early Indo-European poetic pairing (dvandva-like coordination), also seen in Greek divine pair invocations.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers stoma (formulated speech) and Soma (delight-essence); the devatā are invited to ‘come near’—i.e., to become operative in the sacrificer. The relationship is one of yogic cooperation: invocation draws the powers into the adhāra so they can act.
Invite Indra (clarity) and Agni (will) into the heart; offer thoughts and impulses into the inner fire; receive Soma as quiet joy.
Anāhata (heart) as the ‘here’ of invocation; Ajñā as Indra’s seat (optional).
Inhale: ‘iha indrāgnī’ (feel presence); exhale: ‘upa hvaye’ (invitation). Then rest in a gentle natural breath while sensing Soma as sweetness in the chest.
Invocatory concentration leading to luminous calm.
Chant 3 or 9 times; then sit and observe: (1) a clearer thought-current (Indra), (2) a steadier aspiration (Agni), (3) a subtle sweetness (Soma). Offer any restlessness into Agni and ask Indra to break the cover.
Rigvedic accents apply; without śākhā svara marks, use a restrained three-level pitch with gentle rise on likely udātta syllables (e.g., indrā-, sto-, so-).
Keep ‘indrāgnī’ as a single dual-unit; avoid breaking the compound. Let ‘somapātamā’ flow as one rhythmic arc.
(ihendrāgnī): sandhi—‘iha’ + ‘indrāgnī’ often sounds like ‘ihendrāgnī’, (upa hvaye): hv cluster—soft ‘h-vy’, (stomam): st cluster clean, (uśmasi): ś as palatal, (somapātamā): long ā; retroflex ṭ
Bright, calling tone; slightly elevated pitch to ‘summon near’.
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