Rig Veda 1.91.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 91, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.91
- Devata
- Soma
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वं सोम क्रतुभिः सुक्रतुर्भूस्त्वं दक्षैः सुदक्षो विश्ववेदाः । त्वं वृषा वृषत्वेभिर्महित्वा द्युम्नेभिर्द्युम्न्यभवो नृचक्षाः ॥
tváṃ sóma krátubhiḥ sukrátur bhūs tváṃ dákṣaiḥ sudákṣo viśvávedāḥ | tváṃ vṛ́ṣā vṛṣatvébhir mahitvā́ dyumnébhiḥ dyumnī́ abhavo nṛcákṣāḥ ||
Ты, о Сома, силами воли — совершенномощен; энергиями различения — совершеннодействителен, всеведущий. Ты — Бык своими бычьими силами; величием и светозарными свершениями ты становишься зрящим людей.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- thou, youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रतुभिः
- with (thy) powers/insights (kratus)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुक्रतुः
- of good resolve, very wiseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root सु-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्ग/उपपद-समास)
- भूः
- thou wast / becameVerbलुङ् (आorist), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (असि-लोपयुक्त वैदिक रूप: भूः = अभूः/अभूः)Role क्रियाRoot भू (धातु)
- त्वम्
- thouPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- दक्षैः
- with skills/abilities (dakṣas)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदक्षः
- very skillfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root सु-दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्ववेदाः
- knower of allAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक दीर्घ-आः प्रथमा एकवचन)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root विश्व-विद्/वेद (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास: ‘all-knowing’)
- त्वम्
- thouPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- वृषा
- the bull; the mighty oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root वृषन्/वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषत्वेभिः
- with acts/qualities of bullhood, with virilitiesNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot वृषत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व भाव-प्रत्यय)
- महित्वा
- with greatnessNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental)Role करणRoot महित्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व)
- द्यु्म्नेभिः
- with splendors, with gloriesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot द्यु्म्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्यु्म्न्यः
- splendid, gloriousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: -यः)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root द्यु्म्न्य (प्रातिपदिक; द्यु्म्न + यत्/य)
- अभवः
- thou becamestVerbलुङ् (आorist), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भू (धातु)
- नृचक्षाः
- whose gaze is on men; man-observingAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक -आः)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root नृ-चक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि: ‘having men as (thy) gaze/seen’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): त्वम् | सोम | क्रतुभिः | सुक्रतुः | भूः || त्वम् | दक्षैः | सुदक्षः | विश्ववेदाः || त्वम् | वृषा | वृषत्वेभिः | महित्वा | द्युम्नेभिः | द्युम्न्यः | अभवः | नृचक्षाः । 1) ‘सो॑म॒’ → ‘सोम’ (सम्बोधन). 2) ‘दक्षै॑:’ विसर्ग-लोप/चिह्नलेखन
- पदः ‘दक्षैः’. 3) ‘द्युम्न्य॑भवो’ = ‘द्युम्न्यः + अभवः’ (अः + अ → अ; पदान्त ‘-यः’ वैदिक). 4) ‘भू॒स्’ पाठे ‘भूः’ (लुङ् 2sg वैदिक रूप)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma is perfectly powerful by his wills (kratu), perfectly capable by his skills (dakṣa), knower of all; he is the Bull by bull-strengths; by greatness and luminous splendors he becomes the seer of men.
Inner meaning
Soma is described as a complete transformative force. Kratu = will-power/intention in consciousness; Soma makes it su-kratu—rightly effective. Dakṣa = discerning skill/organizing intelligence; Soma makes it su-dakṣa—competent and exact. Viśvavedāḥ = all-knowing: delight here is not ignorance but a comprehensive consciousness. ‘Vṛṣā’ (bull) signifies the potent generative force; Soma’s ‘bull-strengths’ are the virile energies of spiritual force that fertilize mind and life. With mahitvā (greatness) and dyumnas (luminous fulfillments), Soma becomes nṛ-cakṣāḥ—seer for humanity: he gives the human being a higher seeing through delight.
Universal truth
True power is not grim; when delight is purified it becomes effective will, intelligent skill, strength, and luminous insight—turning human nature into a clearer instrument of the divine.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Will-power, Illumination, Strength symbolism (bull)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.91.1-23
Significance
The seer formulates a psychology of transformation: ananda (Soma) is shown as the hidden basis of will, skill, strength, and vision—core themes in Aurobindo’s reading of Soma as divine delight.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma
- Epithets
- sukratu (perfect in will), sudakṣa (perfect in discernment), viśvavedāḥ (all-knowing), vṛṣā (the Bull), nṛcakṣāḥ (seer of men)
- Related deities
- Indra (mind-force strengthened by Soma), Agni (will-fire that carries Soma), Sarasvatī/Bṛhaspati (illumined word/knowledge that Soma supports)
Cosmic role
To empower gods and humans with immortal delight that becomes will, capacity, strength, and luminous accomplishment.
Inner power
Ananda as executive power: it converts desire into right will, confusion into skill, weakness into strength, and blindness into vision.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma hymn recitation in Soma offerings; praise to intensify Soma’s presence
त्वं सो॑म॒ क्रतु॑भिः सु॒क्रतु॑र्भू॒स्त्वं दक्षै॑: सु॒दक्षो॑ वि॒श्ववे॑दाः । त्वं वृषा॑ वृष॒त्वेभि॑र्महि॒त्वा द्यु॒म्नेभि॑र्द्यु॒म्न्य॑भवो नृ॒चक्षा॑: ॥
त्वम् । सो॒म॒ । क्रतु॑ऽभिः । सु॒ऽक्रतुः॑ । भूः॒ । त्वम् । दक्षैः॑ । सु॒ऽदक्षः॑ । वि॒श्वऽवे॑दाः । त्वम् । वृषा॑ । वृ॒ष॒ऽत्वेभिः॑ । म॒हि॒ऽत्वा । द्यु॒म्नेभिः॑ । द्यु॒म्नी । अ॒भ॒वः॒ । नृ॒ऽचक्षाः॑ ॥
tvam | soma | kratu-bhiḥ | su-kratuḥ | bhūḥ | tvam | dakṣaiḥ | su-dakṣaḥ | viśva-vedāḥ | tvam | vṛṣā | vṛṣa-tvebhiḥ | mahi-tvā | dyumnebhiḥ | dyumnī | abhavaḥ | nṛ-cakṣāḥ
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4×11 (approx.)
Strong, virile enumeration—each clause adds a new power, building momentum.
Builds inner strength and confidence; the repeated ‘tvaṃ’ anchors identity in the invoked power.
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: resolve, will, power of intention. Symbolic: spiritual will-force; directive intention in yoga
- सुक्रतु (sukratu)
- Literal: of good will/power. Symbolic: rightly effective will aligned with truth
- दक्ष (dakṣa)
- Literal: skill, capacity, discernment. Symbolic: organizing intelligence; practical discrimination
- सुदक्ष (sudakṣa)
- Literal: well-skilled, capable. Symbolic: purified competence—exactness without ego
- विश्ववेदाः (viśvavedāḥ)
- Literal: knower of all. Symbolic: integral awareness carried by ananda
- वृषा / वृषत्व (vṛṣā / vṛṣatva)
- Literal: bull / bullhood. Symbolic: generative spiritual strength; potent force that breaks inertia
- महित्व (mahitva)
- Literal: greatness. Symbolic: wideness and sovereign amplitude of consciousness
- द्यु्म्न (dyumna)
- Literal: splendor, luminous power. Symbolic: illumined fulfillments/achievements in consciousness
- नृचक्षा: (nṛcakṣāḥ)
- Literal: seer of men. Symbolic: giver of higher seeing to the human instrument
Soma praise in pressing context; supports consecration of Soma as power of will, discernment, and luminous fulfillment for the sacrificer.
During Soma pressing/chant sequences; also as a personal energizing hymn
Recitation with offering; inwardly, ‘offer’ one’s will (kratu) and skill (dakṣa) to be sweetened and perfected
Use before demanding tasks requiring both power and precision—invoking ‘sukratu/sudakṣa’ as a yogic alignment.
krátu-: a central Vedic term combining will, intention, and inspired intelligence; from √kṛ ‘to do’ with semantic specialization toward effective will. dákṣa-: skill, capacity, discernment (also linked to ‘right arrangement’). viśvá-vedas: ‘all-knowing’ from √vid ‘know’ (PIE *weyd-). vṛ́ṣan/bull imagery: concentrated force and generativity. dyúmna-: luminous power/achievement (from dyu ‘shine’). nṛ-cákṣas: ‘man-seeing’ (nṛ ‘man’ + √cakṣ ‘to see’), Soma as knower of human inner states.
Kratu (effective will), Dakṣa (competence/discernment), Dyumna (luminous fulfillment), Soma as inner force and knowledge
Sukratu and sudakṣa imply will and skill aligned with ṛta—effective because true.
Viśvavedāḥ suggests knowledge rooted in truth-consciousness, not partial opinion.
Generative strength (vṛṣatva) as a creative principle—delight fertilizes manifestation and progress.
Integral yoga psychology: ananda as the secret power behind tapas and knowledge.
Bull = concentrated force that overcomes inertia; nectar = distilled joy that nourishes the faculties; splendor (dyumna) = inner light of accomplishment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the sovereign potency: will (kratu), capacity (dakṣa), and luminous achievement (dyumna) culminate in a forceful ‘bull’ power that also sees and knows humanity. The mythic Soma is an empowering elixir; the inner Soma is integrated will-knowledge-delight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid in viśvá-vedāḥ reflects PIE *weyd- ‘to see/know’ (Latin video, Greek oîda). √cakṣ ‘see’ belongs to an old IE visual-perception lexicon (Indo-Iranian continuity). The dyu-/dyumná brightness vocabulary reflects PIE *dyew- ‘bright sky/day’ semantic field.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi enumerates Soma’s inner attributes as powers to be awakened in the human: effective will (sukratu), right discernment (sudakṣa), and luminous fulfillment (dyumnī). Praise is a precise naming that invites these qualities to inhabit the sacrificer’s consciousness.
Consecrate will (kratu) and discernment (dakṣa) to ananda; feel strength (vṛṣatva) rising without aggression.
Maṇipūra (power/will) with Ājñā (seeing/discernment)
Power-breath with control: inhale 4, hold 2, exhale 6 while repeating ‘tvaṃ soma…’; keep the exhale smooth to preserve sweetness
Strong, luminous, masterful calm.
Chant 3–11 times; then silently affirm: ‘Let my will be sukratu, my discernment sudakṣa, my strength vṛṣā, my seeing nṛcakṣāḥ.’ Act from that settled force.
Maintain Vedic accent discipline; repeated ‘tvaṃ soma’ sets the tonic; let accented words (kratu, dakṣa, vṛṣā, dyumn-) rise cleanly as marked in the Saṃhitā tradition.
Enumerative structure: give micro-pauses at clause boundaries to preserve clarity and power.
kratu-bhiḥ: ‘bh’ voiced aspirate; do not harden to ‘p’, sukratuḥ: keep ‘su-’ light, ‘kr’ cluster crisp, dakṣaiḥ: retroflex ‘ṣ’; diphthong ‘aiḥ’ with visarga-like ending, viśvavedāḥ: ‘śv’ cluster; long āḥ at end, vṛṣā/vṛṣatvebhiḥ: vocalic ‘ṛ’; retroflex ṣ; ‘tv’ cluster clean, dyumnebhir: ‘dyu’ as ‘d-yu’, not ‘ju’
Firm, resonant, invigorating yet controlled.
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