Rig Veda 8.72.13: Mandala 8, Sukta 72, Mantra 13
Sukta 8.72
- Devata
- Indra with Soma as medium
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ सुते सिञ्चत श्रियं रोदस्योरभिश्रियम् । रसा दधीत वृषभम् ॥
ā́ suté siñcata śríyaṃ ródasyor abhi-śríyam | rasā́ dadhīta vṛṣabhám ||
Wlejcie w wyciśnięty Somę moc obfitości, przelewający się blask dla Nieba i Ziemi; sokiem zachwytu ugruntujcie w sobie Siłę Byka.
Word by Word
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (गत्यर्थे/आभिमुख्ये)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सुते
- in the pressed Soma (at the pressing)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी एकवचन (सुते = ‘in/at the pressed (soma)’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सु (धातु) → सुत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
- सिञ्चत
- pour; sprinkle (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot सिच् (सिञ्चति)
- श्रियम्
- splendour; prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्री (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदस्योः
- of the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे (वेदे प्रायः), षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन; here षष्ठी द्विवचन (‘of the two worlds’)Root रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्यावापृथिवी’)
- अभिश्रियम्
- surpassing splendour; superlative prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (apposition to श्रियम्)Root अभि (उपसर्ग) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक) → अभिश्री (स्त्री.)
- रसा
- with sap; with juiceNounपुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया एकवचन (वेद. ‘with sap/juice’)Role KaraṇaRoot रस (पुं./नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- दधीत
- may he place; may he bestowVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक optative/jussive), प्रथम्पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot धा (दधाति)
- वृषभम्
- the bull (strong one)Nounपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: आ | सुते | सिञ्चत | श्रियम् | रोदस्योः | अभिश्रियम् | रसा | दधीत | वृषभम् । 1) रोदस्योः = रोदसी (द्विवचन) + षष्ठी द्विवचन -ओः। 2) अभिश्रियम्: अभि- उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपदेन ‘श्री’ इत्यस्य विशेषणभावः
- मन्त्रे श्रियम् इत्यस्य समनाधिकरण-कर्मपदत्वेन। 3) रसा तृतीया एकवचन (करणे) — ‘रस’ शब्दस्य वेदिक-प्रयोगः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Pour splendor (śrī) into the pressed Soma; make it an overflowing glory for Heaven and Earth; with rasa establish the Bull (vṛṣabha).
Inner meaning
Let the pressed delight (Soma) be infused with śrī—power of plenitude, harmony, and luminous prosperity—so that both the higher and lower poles of our being (dyu and pṛthivī: heaven and earth) are filled with a greater radiance. By the sap of delight (rasā), set firm within the dynamic divine force (Indra as vṛṣabha, the Bull), i.e., establish an illumined will-power that can act without ego and defeat resistance.
Universal truth
When bliss is united with plenitude and truth-harmony, strength becomes beneficent: power is established not by strain but by the sap of a deeper joy.
Themes
Infusion of plenitude, Indra as Bull-force, Transformation of mind-body, Soma as medium of delight
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.72.1-19 (sequence)
Family tradition
Kāṇva-Indra-Soma synergy: Soma as medium, Indra as power; emphasis on śrī as effective plenitude in action.
Significance
The rishi-voice teaches a key Aurobindonian principle: strength must be founded on delight (rasa) and plenitude (śrī), not on rajasic strain.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (as Vṛṣabha) through Soma
- Epithets
- Vṛṣabha (Bull), Maghavan (bountiful, implied by śrī), Vṛtrahan (slayer of the coverer, implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Dyāvāpṛthivī
Cosmic role
Indra establishes luminous order by breaking obstructions; Soma feeds his might; śrī makes the victory fruitful for both heaven and earth.
Inner power
Illumined mental force and courageous will that acts from joy and plenitude, not from deficiency.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma libation to Indra; strengthening offering
आ सु॒ते सि॑ञ्चत॒ श्रियं॒ रोद॑स्योरभि॒श्रिय॑म् । र॒सा द॑धीत वृष॒भम् ॥
आ । सु॒ते । सि॒ञ्च॒त॒ । श्रिय॑म् । रोद॑स्योः । अ॒भि॒ऽश्रिय॑म् । र॒सा । द॒धी॒त॒ । वृ॒ष॒भम् ॥
ā | sute | siñcata | śriyam | rodasyoḥ | abhi-śriyam | rasā | dadhīta | vṛṣabham
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Likely 4 padas with a strong imperative drive (siñcata, dadhīta).
Commanding and constructive; the sound supports ‘pouring’ then ‘establishing’.
Energizes will while keeping it sweet; good for aligning power with inner joy.
- सुते (sute)
- Literal: in the pressed (Soma). Symbolic: purified delight made ready for offering
- श्रियम् (śriyam)
- Literal: splendor, fortune, beauty. Symbolic: plenitude-power; harmonizing abundance of the soul
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: higher mind and embodied nature; the two poles to be unified
- रसा (rasā)
- Literal: with sap/juice. Symbolic: essence of delight; ananda-juice that nourishes strength
- वृषभम् (vṛṣabham)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: Indraic force: luminous strength, victorious power
Soma offering: infusion of śrī into Soma; inner: fill the prepared consciousness with plenitude so mind-body (rodasī) are transfigured; establish the strong force (vṛṣabha) by rasa.
At moments of offering where Soma is ‘enriched’ and dedicated to Indra for victory and increase
Pouring/mixing; offering Soma; invoking śrī and strength
Before demanding work or leadership, invoke ‘śrī into Soma’: bring calm joy into the system, then act from that centered power.
śrī: ‘shine, prosper’ (root √śri/√śray ‘to lean on, resort; also ‘to radiate’ in later usage) → here ‘splendor/plenitude’. rasa: ‘sap/juice’ → essence of experience, delight. vṛṣabha: from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, be virile, invigorate’ → ‘bull’ as emblem of potent force (often Indra). dadhīta: optative from √dhā ‘to place’.
plenitude (śrī) as spiritual richness, integration of Heaven–Earth (rodasī) in transformation, rasa as essence-delight sustaining realization
Śrī is not mere wealth but right-ordered plenitude; it becomes ‘abhiśrī’ (overflowing) when aligned with rita.
True splendor is the radiance of truth in both mind and body-life.
Worlds are sustained by delight and plenitude; strength (Indra) is established by rasa.
Integral Vedanta: power founded on Ananda; unity of higher-lower (rodasī) through infused consciousness.
Juice/sap = delight-substance; bull = dynamic force; heaven/earth = mind/body integration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Pouring śrī into Soma and establishing the Bull: the mythic act of empowering Indraic strength through Soma so that Heaven and Earth receive an intensified splendor—innerly, plenitude infused into the prepared consciousness to uphold a powerful realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā ‘place’ is a central IE root; vṛṣ- (rain/virility) aligns with IE storm-fertility semantics. The dual rodasī (Heaven–Earth) is a classic IE cosmological pair, mirrored in Greek Ouranos–Gaia type structures.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi commands the rite/inner act: ‘pour’ and ‘establish.’ The devatā (Indra as vṛṣabha) is not distant; it is to be seated within by rasa, so the practitioner’s whole field (rodasī) becomes a vessel of śrī.
Infuse the inner ‘Soma’ (quiet joy) with śrī (harmonious plenitude), then anchor a steady ‘bull-force’ in the solar plexus/heart for right action.
Manipura (power) harmonized by Anahata (śrī/beauty) and Ajna (illumination).
Inhale imagining golden śrī pouring into a cool lunar nectar at the heart; exhale establishing strength in the spine/center.
Joy-powered strength; integrated heaven-and-earth awareness.
If force becomes harsh, return to rasa; if joy becomes passive, establish vṛṣabha—steady, luminous strength.
Not fully determinable without accent text; chant imperatives with clear udātta lift (siñcata, dadhīta).
Give prominence to śrīyám and vṛṣabhám; keep rodasyoḥ flowing as a linking phrase.
(siñcata): nasal ‘ñc’ clean, (śriyam): ‘śr’ cluster crisp, short i, (rodasyoḥ): long ‘yoḥ’, (rasā): long ā, (vṛṣabham): retroflex ṛ, ṣ, short a
Clear, bright, strengthening tone without strain.
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