Rig Veda Sukta 36
Mandala 2Sukta 366 Mantras

Sukta 36

Sukta 2.36

Rishi

Vasiṣṭha (traditional attribution for RV 2.36 within the Vasiṣṭha family corpus of Maṇḍala 2)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 2.36; requires metrical verification against pada counts)

RV 2.36 przedstawia zaproszenie na ofiarę Somę, w którym Indrę (i związane z nim boskości królewskie) wzywa się do przybycia, zajęcia miejsc i wypicia miodowatej Somy rozdzielonej przez urzędy kapłańskie. Hymn łączy żywy obraz tłoczenia, krowy/promienie i wody „dojone” przez kamienie, z precyzyjnymi wskazówkami rytualnymi (Hotṛ, Āgnīdhra, Praśāstṛ), przedstawiając ofiarę jako uporządkowany kanał, który budzi bogów i uwalnia siłę, władzę oraz właściwe przewodnictwo.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 2.36

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • IndraMantras 1, 5with Soma-offering emphasis, ritual roles Hotṛ etc. foreground the Soma-yajña frame

    Indra is praised as the foremost lord of might who responds to the Soma-pressing, comes swiftly to the call, and drinks the oblation sealed by svāhā/vaṣaṭ through the Hotṛ’s speech.

  • TvashtriMantra 3Tvaṣṭṛ (explicit), within a Soma-invitation context

Mantras

Mantra 1

तुभ्यं हिन्वानो वसिष्ट गा अपोऽधुक्षन्त्सीमविभिरद्रिभिर्नरः । पिबेन्द्र स्वाहा प्रहुतं वषट्कृतं होत्रादा सोमं प्रथमो य ईशिषे ॥

Dla ciebie, o Indro, natchnione ruchy ponaglają; świetliste Promienie i Wody są wydojone dla ciebie przez moce wzniesienia, przez kamienie tłoczące, przez dążących ludzi. Pij, o Indro, Somę ofiarowaną ze svāhā, wylaną i opieczętowaną przez vaṣaṭ; ze słowa Hotṛa weź Somę, ty, który pierwszy masz władzę i moc inicjacji.

Mantra 2

यज्ञैः सम्मिश्लाः पृषतीभिॠष्टिभिर्यामञ्छुभ्रासो अञ्जिषु प्रिया उत । आसद्या बर्हिर्भरतस्य सूनवः पोत्रादा सोमं पिबता दिवो नरः ॥

Zmieszane z ofiarami, jasne w swojej podróży, drogie w swoim lśniącym rzędzie, uzbrojone w włócznie skutecznej woli, przyjdźcie i usiądźcie na świętym siedzeniu, o synowie Bharaty. Pijcie Somę z ofiary Potṛa, o bohaterowie świetlistego świata.

Mantra 3

अमेव नः सुहवा आ हि गन्तन नि बर्हिषि सदतना रणिष्टन । अथा मन्दस्व जुजुषाणो अन्धसस्त्वष्टर्देवेभिर्जनिभिः सुमद्गणः ॥

Przyjdźcie do nas tutaj, jakby w domu, o moce łatwe do wezwania; usiądźcie na świętym siedzeniu i radujcie się. Wtedy radujcie się, przyjmując tłoczony esencjonalny napój; o Tvaṣṭṛ, z boskimi zrodzeniami, towarzystwo dobrej myśli, ukształtuj w nas właściwą formę.

Mantra 4

आ वक्षि देवाँ इह विप्र यक्षि चोशन्होतर्नि षदा योनिषु त्रिषु । प्रति वीहि प्रस्थितं सोम्यं मधु पिबाग्नीध्रात्तव भागस्य तृप्णुहि ॥

Sprowadź bogów tutaj, o oświecony widzu; ofiaruj, pragnąc, o Hotṛ, i usiądź w trzech łonach, potrójnym siedzeniu objawienia. Przyjmij to, co jest przedłożone, miodową rozkosz Somy; pij z porcji Āgnīdhry i bądź zadowolony ze swego udziału.

Mantra 5

एष स्य ते तन्वो नृम्णवर्धनः सह ओजः प्रदिवि बाह्वोर्हितः । तुभ्यं सुतो मघवन्तुभ्यमाभृतस्त्वमस्य ब्राह्मणादा तृपत्पिब ॥

To jest dla ciebie, o Indro, pomnażacz twej ucieleśnionej mocy, siła i moc złożone w twych ramionach w najwyższym niebie. Dla ciebie jest wytłoczona, o szczodry; dla ciebie jest przyniesiona: pij do syta z tego brahmanu, natchnionego słowa, i bądź zadowolony.

Mantra 6

जुषेथां यज्ञं बोधतं हवस्य मे सत्तो होता निविदः पूर्व्या अनु । अच्छा राजाना नम एत्यावृतं प्रशास्त्रादा पिबतं सोम्यं मधु ॥

Radujcie się w ofierze; przebudźcie się na moje wezwanie. Siedząc, Hotṛ podąża za odwiecznym wezwaniem. Do was dwóch Królów przychodzi hołd, zwrócony ku wam; ze słowa Praśāstṛa pijcie miodową rozkosz Somy.

Inside Sukta 36

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The hymn opens with dynamic preparation: Soma is pressed and ‘milked’ for Indra, and the god is urged to drink the offering validated by ritual acclamation.

  2. Development

    Attention moves from mythic-sacral imagery (cows/waters, pressing stones, striving men) to explicit liturgical choreography—invitation, seating, and reception—through named priestly functions.

  3. Climax

    The pivotal moment is the formal arrival and enthronement in the ‘three seats’ and the immediate command to drink the prepared honeyed Soma as the deity’s rightful portion.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn concludes by urging the royal divinities to take delight, awaken to the summons, and drink by the authoritative priestly word, sealing participation and satisfaction in the rite.

The deity: Indra

  • In the VedaHe is approached as the first in mastery (prathamo ya īśiṣe), the one who takes initiative and command when rightly invoked.
  • Cosmic functionHe embodies victorious force that breaks obstruction, releases the life-giving waters/cows (light and abundance), and safeguards the community by empowering right action through the sacrificial exchange.
  • Inner significanceIndra signifies awakened will and courageous clarity—the inner capacity to overcome inertia and obstruction, to ‘release the waters’ of energy and insight when the mind is properly concentrated (Soma) and guided by disciplined speech (mantra).

The seer

  • VasiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha gotra (Vasiṣṭha family corpus of Maṇḍala 2) · One of the foremost ṛṣis of the Rig Veda, celebrated as a paradigmatic seer-priest (brahman/Hotṛ voice) whose hymns integrate spiritual insight with exact sacrificial practice; later tradition strongly associates him with royal counsel and the preservation of sacred order (ṛta).

Famous verses

prathamo ya īśiṣe
Verse 2.36.1Programmatic verse that compresses the whole Soma logic: pressing/milking imagery, priestly mediation (Hotṛ), and Indra’s primacy in mastery; it sets the hymn’s ritual and theological center.Read verse 2.36.1 →
yoniṣu triṣu
Verse 2.36.4Highlights the operational ritual frame: calling the gods, seating in the ‘three wombs/seats,’ and specifying Soma as ‘honey’ with reference to the Āgnīdhra’s portion—rarely so explicit in priestly mechanics.Read verse 2.36.4 →
जुषेथां यज्ञं बोधतं हवस्य मे सत्तो होता निविदः पूर्व्या अनु । अच्छा राजाना नम एत्यावृतं प्रशास्त्रादा पिबतं सोम्यं मधु ॥
Verse 2.36.6Concluding invitation that emphasizes awakening to the call and drinking ‘from the Praśāstṛ’s word,’ reinforcing that correct speech and office-based order complete the sacrificial exchange.Read verse 2.36.6 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Might and victory (vīrya)
  • Swift response to invocation
  • Soma-loving and sacrifice-confirming
  • Releaser of waters/light (symbolic abundance)
  • Lordly command and initiative (īśiṣe)
  • Protector of order through strength

Also by this seer

  • Large portion of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 7 traditionally attributed to Vasiṣṭha and his lineage
  • Multiple hymns in Rig Veda Maṇḍala 2 attributed to the Vasiṣṭha family
  • Vasiṣṭha is a prominent figure across Itihāsa-Purāṇa traditions as a royal preceptor and sage

The rite, step by step

  • Soma is pressed with adri-stones; the ‘milking’ imagery (cows/waters) marks the extraction and purification of the drink.
  • Hotṛ recites the inviting/empowering mantra; oblation is offered with svāhā and sealed with vaṣaṭ (formal confirmation).
  • The officiant calls the gods to come and ‘sit in the three seats’ (yoniṣu triṣu), establishing divine presence in the ritual space.
  • Portioned Soma is presented: the deity is invited to receive what is set forth (prasthita) and drink the honeyed Soma (somyaṃ madhu).
  • Priestly distribution is signaled: drinking ‘from the Āgnīdhra’s portion’ and later ‘from the Praśāstṛ’s word,’ highlighting ordered liturgical roles.
  • Closing invitation: the ‘two kings’ are urged to delight in the sacrifice and awaken to the call, completing the circuit of offering → reception → satisfaction.

Offerings

  • Pressed Soma (somyaṃ madhu)
  • Invocatory formulas (svāhā, vaṣaṭ) accompanying the offering
  • Ancillary oblations customary to Soma rites (e.g., ghee/clarified butter in the broader rite context)

Frequently Asked Questions

It is primarily an invitation hymn within the Soma sacrifice, urging Indra (and associated royal divinities) to come, take their seat, and drink the prepared Soma portion.

Because the Soma-yajña is a coordinated rite: each priest has a defined role, and the hymn marks that the offering and the deity’s reception are validated through these offices and their authorized speech.

It describes Soma as a sweet, exhilarating sacred drink—both a literal pressed offering and a symbol of concentrated vitality and inspiration that empowers Indra and the rite itself.

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