Rig Veda 8.7.16: Mandala 8, Sukta 7, Mantra 16
Sukta 8.7
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Devata
- Indra’s assisting powers
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
ये द्रप्सा इव रोदसी धमन्त्यनु वृष्टिभिः । उत्सं दुहन्तो अक्षितम् ॥
yé drapsā́ iva ródasī́ íti dhámanty ánu vṛṣṭíbhiḥ | útsaṃ dúhanto ákṣitam ||
Oni, jak lśniące krople, tchną i rozszerzają oba światy swoimi deszczami, dojąc niewyczerpane źródło, te są mocami, które czynią istotę żyzną strumieniami rozkoszy i wiedzy.
Word by Word
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- द्रप्साः
- drops; spray-dropsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot द्रप्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root इव (निपात)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, द्विवचनम् (युगलार्थे)Role कर्मRoot रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व-युगलार्थे ‘द्यावापृथिव्यौ’)
- धमन्ति
- they blow; they set in motionVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root ध्मा (धातु; ‘धमति’)
- अनु
- along, after, in accordance withIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वृष्टिभिः
- with rains; by rain-showersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्सम्
- spring; fountain; sourceNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot उत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहन्तः
- milking; drawing (out)Participleवर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot दुह् (धातु) → दुहन्त् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- अक्षितम्
- unexhausted; imperishableAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (उत्सम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot अ-क्षि-त (नञ् + √क्षि ‘क्षय’/‘क्षिणोति’ → ‘क्षय’), प्रातिपदिक ‘अक्षित’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ये | द्रप्साः | इव | रोदसी | धमन्ति | अनु | वृष्टिभिः | उत्सम् | दुहन्तः | अक्षितम् । 1) ‘धमन्त्यनु’ = धमन्ति + अनु (इ-उ संयोगे यकारादेशः/यण्-सन्धिः: इ + अ → य + अ)
- 2) ‘वृष्टिभि:’ इत्यत्र विसर्गः पदान्ते (संहितायां) ‘वृष्टिभिः’। 3) ‘दुहन्तो अक्षितम्’ = दुहन्तः + अक्षितम् (विसर्गः अकारादौ लोपः/ओकारादेशः न; अकारादौ सामान्यतः विसर्गः ‘ः’ एव, संहितायां ‘दुहन्तो’ पाठभेद/संहितारूपेण ओकारः दृश्यते; पदपाठे ‘दुहन्तः’)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
They, like drops (drapsāḥ), expand/breathe upon the two worlds (rodasī) with their rains (vṛṣṭibhiḥ), milking the inexhaustible spring (utsa… akṣitam).
Inner meaning
The ‘drops’ are luminous energies—Marut-Soma powers—that descend as rainings of inspiration, widening the inner heaven (mind) and earth (vital/physical) so consciousness can become spacious. They ‘milk’ the inexhaustible source: the perennial well of Ananda and knowledge in the depths (utsa akṣita), releasing streams that fertilize the being.
Universal truth
When higher energies repeatedly pour into the system, inner capacity expands; one begins to draw from an inexhaustible source rather than from limited personal reserves.
Themes
rain-and-fertility symbolism, Soma as flow, cosmic widening, inner abundance
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.7.17, RV 8.7.19, RV 8.6 (Marut/Indra vigor themes)
Family tradition
Kāṇva poetry often uses dynamic nature-imagery (rain, drops, widening) as a code for inner movements of consciousness and Soma-like delight.
Significance
The seer maps a psychology of descent: not only ascent by effort, but widening by repeated ‘rainings’ of higher force.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (Indra-associated storm-powers; Soma-drop imagery)
- Epithets
- pṛśnimātaraḥ (children of Pṛśni, in the next verse), ṛbhukṣāḥ (skillful, in Marut lore), sudānavah (good givers, nearby context)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Vāyu
Cosmic role
Agents of expansion, purification, and dynamic harmony; they prepare the field for Indra’s victory and for Soma’s flow.
Inner power
Breath-force and nervous energy uplifted into luminous movement; the capacity to widen the ‘two worlds’ within.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut/Indra praises in Soma liturgy (general)
ये द्र॒प्सा इ॑व॒ रोद॑सी॒ धम॒न्त्यनु॑ वृ॒ष्टिभि॑: । उत्सं॑ दु॒हन्तो॒ अक्षि॑तम् ॥
ये । द्र॒प्साःऽइ॑व । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । धम॑न्ति । अनु॑ । वृ॒ष्टिऽभिः॑ । उत्स॑म् । दु॒हन्तः॑ । अक्षि॑तम् ॥
ye | drapsāḥ-iva | rodasī iti | dhamanti | anu | vṛṣṭi-bhiḥ | utsam | duhantaḥ | akṣitam
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4 × ~11 (approx.)
Surging, wave-like; suitable for imagery of rain and flow.
Induces a sense of spaciousness and cleansing; supports receptive, upward-moving breath.
- द्रप्साः (drapsāḥ)
- Literal: drops, shining particles. Symbolic: descending sparks of inspiration/bliss (Soma-like)
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: mind and embodied life; the upper and lower nature
- धमन्ति (dhamanti)
- Literal: they blow, breathe, expand. Symbolic: prāṇic-spiritual expansion that widens consciousness
- वृष्टिभिः (vṛṣṭibhiḥ)
- Literal: with rainings. Symbolic: repeated descents of force, insight, joy
- उत्सम् (utsam)
- Literal: spring, fountain. Symbolic: inner source of truth-joy (Ananda)
- अक्षितम् (akṣitam)
- Literal: un-diminishing, inexhaustible. Symbolic: the perennial divine supply beyond mental fatigue
Soma praise describing the effect of the offering: rain/flow as outward sign of inner increase
When invoking rain/strength and the widening of spaces; also in sequences that celebrate Soma’s flow.
Recitation accompanying libations; symbolic ‘milking’ of the spring via offerings.
Use during overwhelm: chant to invite widening of mind and body, and to remember the inexhaustible inner source.
√dham 'blow' (PIE *dʰewh₂- 'smoke/breathe' debated; Indo-Iranian shows strong 'blow' semantics). √vṛṣ 'rain/pour; be virile' links natural fertility with inner potency. √duh 'milk' is a standard Vedic metaphor for drawing hidden riches (light/knowledge) from a source. akṣita 'inexhaustible' (a- + √kṣi) marks perennial inner spring (Ananda/illumination).
inexhaustible source (akṣita utsa), fertility/potency as spiritual increase (√vṛṣ), cosmic expansion (widening the worlds)
The rainings are ordered descents that restore right rhythm in the two worlds.
The inexhaustible spring is the satya-source behind changing experiences.
Creation as continuous outpouring: the worlds are sustained by repeated descents from a perennial fountain.
Integral Vedic psychology: apas/varṣa as movements of consciousness-force.
rainy/monsoon (suggestive)
Rain = descent of inspiration; spring = inner Ananda-source; widening worlds = expansion of mind-body field.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The release-of-waters mythologem in a non-violent form: divine drops/powers 'rain' and 'milk' an inexhaustible spring. This echoes the broader Vedic theme where the obstruction is removed and the waters/streams (knowledge-delight) flow to widen the worlds.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rodasī (two worlds) is a distinct Vedic dual formation; PIE dual is preserved strongly in Vedic. √duh 'milk' has IE parallels in pastoral lexicon (cf. English 'dug' is not cognate; but milking as inherited metaphor is widespread). √kṣi 'perish/diminish' relates to IE *tḱey-/*ksey- 'wane' proposed in some etymologies (uncertain), yet the privative formation akṣita is classically Indo-Iranian.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses the devata’s action as an inner physiology: the powers breathe into the worlds and draw out the inexhaustible source. The human role is to prepare the channel (through offering/mantra), so that rains of force and insight can descend and expand the being.
Receive the ‘rain’: open the body-mind as two worlds and allow breath to widen them gently.
anāhata (heart)
slow inhalation imagining ‘dhamanti’ (expanding), exhalation as gentle ‘rain’ through the system
spacious receptivity → flowing delight
Do not force concentration; invite widening first. Then rest attention at the heart as the ‘utsa’ and feel an inexhaustible quiet joy.
Maintain gentle rises on drapsāḥ, rodasī, vṛṣṭibhiḥ, utsam, akṣitam; keep the flow continuous like rainfall (avoid harsh breaks).
Slight emphasis on imagery-words: drapsāḥ / rodasī / vṛṣṭibhiḥ / utsam / akṣitam.
drapsā: pronounce ‘ps’ cluster cleanly, rodasī: long ī at end, dhamanti: ‘dh’ aspirated; nasal ‘n’ clear, vṛṣṭibhiḥ: retroflex ṛ; ṣṭ cluster crisp, duhantaḥ: ‘duh’ with soft h; final ḥ light
cool, flowing, resonant
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