Sukta 2
Sukta 1.2
Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
Gāyatrī
ऋग्वेदस्य १.२ सूक्तं प्रातःसोमयागस्य प्राचीनं स्तोत्रम्। अत्र प्रथमं शीघ्रः प्राणस्वरूपो वायुः यज्ञं प्रति आगत्य सुसंस्कृतं सोमं पातुम् आमन्त्र्यते। ततः आवाहनं युग्मदेवतासु विस्तार्यते—वायुः इन्द्रेण सह, अन्ते च मित्रावरुणौ—येन प्रेरितं बलम्, विजयी वीर्यम्, तथा यथाविधि पवित्रकर्मणि साधकं विवेकयुक्तं दक्षं च प्रार्थ्यते।
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
वायवा याहि दर्शतेमे सोमा अरंकृताः । तेषां पाहि श्रुधी हवम् ॥
हे वायो दर्शते! एहि; इमे सोमाः अरंकृताः। तेषां पाहि, श्रुधी च नः हवम्।
Mantra 2
वाय उक्थेभिर्जरन्ते त्वामच्छा जरितारः । सुतसोमा अहर्विदः ॥
हे वायो, उक्थेभिः जरितारः त्वाम् अच्छाऽऽ जरन्ते; सुतसोमाः अहर्विदः।
Mantra 3
वायो तव प्रपृञ्चती धेना जिगाति दाशुषे । उरूची सोमपीतये ॥
हे वायो, तव प्रपृञ्चती धेना दाशुषे जिगाति; उरूची सोमपीतये।
Mantra 4
इन्द्रवायू इमे सुता उप प्रयोभिरा गतम् । इन्दवो वामुशन्ति हि ॥
हे इन्द्रवायू, इमानि सुतानि सोमपानानि प्रयोभिरानन्दशक्तिभिः सह उपागतम्। इन्दवो हि वाम् एव उशन्ति।
Mantra 5
वायविन्द्रश्च चेतथः सुतानां वाजिनीवसू । तावा यातमुप द्रवत् ॥
हे वायो इन्द्रश्च, युवां सुतानां सोमपानानां चेतथः। हे वाजिनीवसू, युवाम् उप यातम्—यद् द्रवत् आनन्दं वाम् अभिधावति।
Mantra 6
वायविन्द्रश्च सुन्वत आ यातमुप निष्कृतम् । मक्ष्वित्था धिया नरा ॥
हे वायो इन्द्रश्च, सुन्वतः समीपं मक्षु उप यातम्; निष्कृतं हविर्उप निषीदतम्। हे नरौ, इत्था धिया—सत्याभिलाषिण्या जाग्रतया।
Mantra 7
मित्रं हुवे पूतदक्षं वरुणं च रिशादसम् । धियं घृताचीं साधन्ता ॥
मित्रं हुवे पूतदक्षं वरुणं च रिशादसम् । तौ नः घृताचीं धियं साधयताम् ॥
Mantra 8
ऋतेन मित्रावरुणावृतावृधावृतस्पृशा । क्रतुं बृहन्तमाशाथे ॥
ऋतेन मित्रावरुणावृतावृधावृतस्पृशा । क्रतुं बृहन्तमाशाथे ॥
Mantra 9
कवी नो मित्रावरुणा तुविजाता उरुक्षया । दक्षं दधाते अपसम् ॥
कवी नो मित्रावरुणा तुविजाता उरुक्षया । दक्षं दधाते अपसम् ॥
Inside Sukta 2
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
A direct call to Vāyu—radiant and swift—to come to the well-prepared Soma and hear the worshipper’s summons.
- Development
The hymn reinforces readiness of the offering and the necessity of divine attention, then expands to the cooperative arrival of Vāyu with Indra, joining breath and power.
- Climax
The paired invocation urges the gods to hasten to the swiftly flowing Soma-delight, stressing immediacy, force, and fulfillment at the sacrifice.
- Where it settles
The scope broadens to Mitra-Varuṇa, ending with a prayer for dakṣa—rightly ordering intelligence—so the sacred work (apas) is successfully formed and completed.
The deity: Vāyu
- Cosmic functionAs Wind and Breath, Vāyu circulates life and motion, linking earth and midspace, carrying offerings and prayers, and energizing the gods’ approach to the sacrifice; with Indra he supports victorious force, and with Mitra-Varuṇa he upholds order and right discernment.
- Inner significanceVāyu signifies prāṇa—the vital current that makes aspiration effective; Soma becomes the refined delight/essence offered into consciousness, awakening clarity, strength, and right formation (dakṣa) for the soul’s work (apas).
The seer
- Madhucchandas VaiśvāmitraVaiśvāmitra (descendant/line of Viśvāmitra; traditionally linked with the Kuśika/Vaiśvāmitra family) · An early ṛṣi of Mandala 1, renowned for concise Gāyatrī hymns that open the Rig Veda’s sacrificial sequence and for shaping the invitatory style of Soma liturgy.
Famous verses
śrudhī havam
वायविन्द्रश्च चेतथः सुतानां वाजिनीवसू । तावा यातमुप द्रवत् ॥dakṣaṃ dadhāte apasam
Attributes of the deity
- Swift and near-at-hand to invocation
- First Soma-drinker in many Soma rites
- Life-giving breath and mover of energies
- Radiant/visible presence (darśata)
- Listener to prayer (śrudhi havam)
- Works in synergy with Indra’s power and Mitra-Varuṇa’s order
Also by this seer
- Traditionally associated with RV 1.1–1.10 (including the Agni opening hymn RV 1.1)
- Early Mandala 1 Gāyatrī-style invocations used as models for later Soma-yajña call-and-response patterns
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the Soma (pressing/straining) and set it forth as ‘araṃkṛta’ (rightly arranged).
- Recite the opening Gāyatrī to invite Vāyu to approach and drink.
- Repeat invocations as the Soma is presented, emphasizing listening/acceptance of the call.
- Invoke the dual pair Vāyu–Indra to ‘take cognizance’ of the pressed Soma and hasten to the offering.
- Conclude with an appeal to Mitra-Varuṇa for dakṣa (right discernment) to accomplish the rite’s intended work (apas).
Offerings
- Pressed Soma (suta soma)
- Soma-libations (graha offerings)
- Accompanying praise/hymn as an offering of speech (vāc)
Frequently Asked Questions
It is an invitatory Soma hymn: it calls Vāyu to come quickly, drink the prepared Soma, and attend to the worshipper’s prayer, ensuring the rite becomes effective.
In many Soma-pressing traditions Vāyu is treated as the first Soma-drinker; as breath and swift motion, he represents the immediate energizing of the sacrifice.
The closing prayer asks Mitra-Varuṇa to place dakṣa (right discernment and skilled ordering) in the worshipper so the ritual ‘work’ (apas) is properly formed and fulfilled.
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