Rig Veda 8.48.9: Mandala 8, Sukta 48, Mantra 9
Sukta 8.48
- Devata
- Soma
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
त्वं हि नस्तन्वः सोम गोपा गात्रेगात्रे निषसत्था नृचक्षाः । यत्ते वयं प्रमिनाम व्रतानि स नो मृळ सुषखा देव वस्यः ॥
tvaṃ hí nas tanváḥ soma gopā́ gā́tre-gā́tre ní-sasatthā nṛ-cákṣāḥ | yát te vayáṃ prá-mināma vratā́ni sá no mṛḷa su-sákhā deva vásyaḥ ||
Tyś istotnie stróżem naszego jestestwa, o Somo; w każdym członku i w każdej części zająłeś swoje miejsce, o widzący ludzi. Jeśli umniejszyliśmy Twoim prawom słusznego działania, wtedy bądź łaskawy dla nas - o boże, nasz dobry przyjacielu, najgotowszy do dawania najlepszego.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- youPronounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed / forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तन्वः
- body, person (of us)Nounस्त्री., षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: तन्वः = तन्वाः)Role सम्बन्धRoot तनू (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (vocative)पुं., सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- गोपाः
- protector, guardianNounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक: -आः)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण त्वम्-सम्बद्धः)Root गोपा (पुं. प्रातिपदिक; गो+पा)
- गात्रे
- in (each) limbNounनपुं., सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot गात्र (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- गात्रे
- in every limbNounनपुं., सप्तमी, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति: गात्रे-गात्रे = ‘limb by limb’)Role अधिकरणRoot गात्र (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- निषसत्थाः
- you have sat down / you are seatedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; वैदिक रूप: -त्थाःRole क्रियाRoot नि-षद् (धातु: षद् ‘to sit’; उपसर्ग: नि)
- नृचक्षाः
- man-observing, watching menAdjective/Nounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचन (त्वम्-सम्बद्धः)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root नृचक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक; नृ+चक्षस् ‘man-seeing’)
- यत्
- whatever (that)Relative pronounनपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (प्रमिनाम् इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रमिनाम
- we have diminished / violatedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot प्र-मी (धातु: मी ‘to diminish/measure’; उपसर्ग: प्र)
- व्रतानि
- vows, ordinancesNounनपुं., द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot व्रत (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- he / that (one)Pronounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (आशीर्वचन/प्रार्थना-वाक्ये ‘सः’ = ‘he/that one (Soma)’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role कर्मRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मृळ
- be gracious (to), have mercyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot मृळ्/मृड् (धातु ‘to be gracious, to pity’)
- सुषखा
- O good friendAdjective/Nounपुं., सम्बोधन, एकवचन (त्वम्/सोम-सम्बोधन)Role सम्बोधनRoot सु- + सखि/सख (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good friend’)
- देव
- O godNoun (vocative)पुं., सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देव (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- वस्यः
- what is better / a better boonAdjective (comparative)नपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचन (प्रार्थ्य-फलम्)Role कर्म (मृळ इत्यस्य—‘grant (what is) better’)Root वस्/वसु (तुल्य-प्रातिपदिक; वस्यस् ‘better, more excellent’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वैदिक-सन्धि-विग्रह): त्वं हि नः तन्वः सोम गोपाः | गात्रे गात्रे निषसत्थाः नृचक्षाः || यत् ते वयं प्रमिनाम व्रतानि | सः नः मृळ सुषखा देव वस्यः || 1) नस्तन्वः → नः तन्वः (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ + षष्ठी ‘तन्वः’)
- 2) गात्रे॑गात्रे → गात्रे गात्रे (पुनरुक्ति-समासवत् प्रयोग)
- 3) स नो → सः नः (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma is praised as the guardian of our body/being, seated in every limb, a seer of men. If we have diminished his ordinances (vratāni), he is asked to be gracious—a good friend, best giver.
Inner meaning
Soma is the indwelling Ananda that pervades the whole embodied system (‘limb by limb’), watching the human journey with luminous awareness (nṛcakṣāḥ). The aspirant admits lapses in right inner functioning (vrata: law of the soul’s working) and asks Soma—who is also the intimate Friend—to restore harmony, re-establish right rhythms, and give the ‘best’ (vasyaḥ): the highest good, not merely pleasant experience.
Universal truth
The deepest support of our embodied life is an indwelling delight-consciousness; when we fall from our best law, sincere confession and re-consecration reopen grace and right functioning.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Indwelling deity, Confession and grace, Protection of the inner being, Ṛta and vrata
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.48.1-12
Significance
The rishi speaks from an embodied mysticism: Soma is not only offered outwardly but seated within the limbs—an early Vedic articulation of inner indwelling and integral transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma
- Epithets
- gopā (guardian), nṛcakṣāḥ (seer of men), suṣakhā (good friend), deva (shining one)
- Related deities
- Indra, Aditi (wholeness), Agni
Cosmic role
Nectar of immortality sustaining gods and men; harmonizer and protector of life-energies.
Inner power
Indwelling delight that guards the embodied nature, restores broken right rhythms, and bestows the highest good.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma praise within Soma-yajña; also a penitential/repair (prāyaścitta-like) tone within offerings
त्वं हि न॑स्त॒न्व॑: सोम गो॒पा गात्रे॑गात्रे निष॒सत्था॑ नृ॒चक्षा॑: । यत्ते॑ व॒यं प्र॑मि॒नाम॑ व्र॒तानि॒ स नो॑ मृळ सुष॒खा दे॑व॒ वस्य॑: ॥
त्वम् । हि । नः॒ । त॒न्वः॑ । सो॒म॒ । गो॒पाः । गात्रे॑ऽगात्रे । नि॒ऽस॒सत्थ॑ । नृ॒ऽचक्षाः॑ । यत् । ते॒ । व॒यम् । प्र॒ऽमि॒नाम॑ । व्र॒तानि॑ । सः । नः॒ । मृ॒ळ॒ । सु॒ऽस॒खा । दे॒व॒ । वस्यः॑ ॥
tvam | hi | naḥ | tanvaḥ | soma | gopāḥ | gātre--gātre | ni-sasattha | nṛ-cakṣāḥ | yat | te | vayam | pra-mināma | vratāni | saḥ | naḥ | mṛḷa | su-sakhā | deva | vasyaḥ
32
4×8 (approximate)
intimate, confessional, steady
evokes inwardness and sincerity; supports self-review and re-consecration
- tanūḥ
- Literal: body, person. Symbolic: the whole formation of the being (physical-vital-mental)
- gopā
- Literal: protector, herdsman. Symbolic: guardian power preserving and guiding the inner energies
- gātre-gātre
- Literal: in each limb. Symbolic: pervasion through all parts of nature; integral yoga of embodiment
- niṣasatthā
- Literal: you have sat down, taken seat. Symbolic: stable indwelling presence (not a passing experience)
- nṛcakṣāḥ
- Literal: seer of men. Symbolic: witness-consciousness that knows human movements and corrects them
- pramināma
- Literal: we have diminished, impaired. Symbolic: loss of intensity/faithfulness in practice; dilution of right working
- vratāni
- Literal: vows/laws. Symbolic: inner laws of ṛta in action—truthful functioning
- suṣakhā
- Literal: good friend. Symbolic: intimate divine companionship in sadhana
- vasyaḥ
- Literal: more excellent, best. Symbolic: the highest good: wideness, peace, joy, truth-power
Soma-pavamāna / Soma libation context; prayer for indwelling protection, forgiveness for ritual/ethical lapses, and right enjoyment of Soma (general Soma-yajña usage).
after tasting Soma or during sequences emphasizing Soma’s indwelling protection
recitation with offering; acknowledgement of lapses and request for grace
a mantra for restoring practice after relapse: feel Soma in each limb; ask for reset of the ‘vrata’ (right habit of consciousness)
Key terms: (1) gopā́ḥ: go- 'ray/cow' + pā- (√pā 'to protect, guard'); inner sense: protector of luminous riches (knowledge-rays) in the embodied being. (2) ní-sasattha: from √sad 'to sit, settle' with ni-; perfect 2sg, 'thou hast taken thy seat within'—Soma as indwelling delight in all members. (3) nṛ-cákṣāḥ: nṛ- 'man' + cákṣas (from √cakṣ 'to see, perceive'); 'one who perceives the human', i.e., the illumining power that knows the seeker’s condition. (4) prá-mināma: pra- + √mī 'to measure' → 'to measure out wrongly, lessen, impair'; hence 'we have impaired/transgressed'. (5) vratā́ni: from √vṛ 'to choose, will' → 'chosen observances/settled laws'; in Vedic often the divine ordinances sustaining ṛta; psychologically, right disciplines/rhythms of the inner work. (6) mṛḷa: from √mṛḍ 'to be gracious/merciful, to gladden, to heal'; Soma as reconciler restoring harmony when ordinances are breached.
Ṛta (cosmic/right order) as expressed through vratāni, Inner purification and reconciliation (mṛḷa), Deva as a luminous power acting within the human vessel
vratāni are the operational forms of ṛta in the practitioner’s life.
truth is maintained by honest recognition of diminishment and return to right law.
divine essence enters and pervades embodiment to evolve it toward the best good.
Integral-Vedāntic orientation: indwelling divine delight as immanent guide in embodied life.
cool luminous delight saturating the body-consciousness; a protective presence in every functional ‘limb’ of nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic action is Soma’s indwelling pervasion and guardianship: the pressed god enters and sits in each limb (gātre-gātre ní-sasattha), becoming the protector of the embodied being. This is paired with the confessional motif—humans may 'diminish' the divine ordinances (vratāni), and the deity is invoked as healer and reconciler (mṛḷa), restoring harmony with ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve archaic Indo-European patterns: √pā 'protect' (cf. PIE *peh₂- 'to guard, pasture' seen across Indo-Iranian pastoral semantics), √sad 'sit' (PIE *sed- 'sit'), and √cakṣ 'see' (Indo-Iranian *ćakš-; cf. Avestan čaxš- 'to see'). The compound nṛ-cákṣāḥ exemplifies inherited determinative compounding typical of early Indo-European poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker relates to Soma as an intimate inner ally (su-sakhā) who nonetheless embodies objective law (vratāni). The reciprocity is ethical-psychological: the human admits failure in right measure (pra-mināma) and seeks Soma’s restoring grace (mṛḷa). Soma’s gift (vásyaḥ) is not mere wealth but the 'best' state—plenitude of being and right functioning aligned with ṛta.
body-scan with Soma: place awareness in each limb and feel a cool, friendly luminosity guarding it.
Anāhata (heart) and whole-body field
slow inhale ‘tvaṃ hi nas tanvaḥ soma gopā’; slow exhale ‘sa no mṛḻa suṣakhā’
tender sincerity; protected embodiment
Do a truthful review of where right working was ‘diminished’; offer it without self-condemnation; re-install a simple vrata (daily practice) and feel Soma ‘sit’ again in the body.
Maintain the natural Rigvedic rise on invocations; keep ‘tvaṃ hí’ crisp; allow gentle fall on confessional clauses.
Emphasize ‘gopā’, ‘gātre-gātre’, ‘vratāni’, ‘mṛḻa’, ‘suṣakhā’.
tanvaḥ: pronounce ‘tan-vaḥ’ with visarga softly, gātre-gātre: clear long ā; slight pause at the compound break, niṣasatthā: retroflex ṣ; geminate ‘tth’ lightly, nṛcakṣāḥ: vocalic ṛ; ‘kṣ’ conjunct clear
warm, confessional, soothing
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