Rig Veda 8.49.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 49, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.49
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अनेहसं प्रतरणं विवक्षणं मध्वः स्वादिष्ठमीं पिब । आ यथा मन्दसानः किरासि नः प्र क्षुद्रेव त्मना धृषत् ॥
anéháṁsam prátaraṇaṁ vivákṣaṇaṁ mádhvaḥ svádiṣṭham īm piba | ā yáthā mandasānáḥ kirā́si naḥ prá kṣudrā́ iva tmanā́ dhṛ́ṣat ||
अनेहसं प्रतरं विवक्षणं मध्वः स्वादिष्ठमीं पिब। आ यथा मन्दसानः किरासि नः प्र क्षुद्र इव त्मना धृषत्॥
Word by Word
- अनेहसम्
- unhasting, not delayingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण ‘प्रतर॑णम्’ इत्यस्य)Root अनेहस् (प्रातिपदिक; a- + नेहस् ‘आलस्य/विलम्ब’)
- प्रतरणम्
- the (help for) crossing over; deliveranceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्र-√तॄ (तॄ ‘तरति’ → ‘प्रतरण’ नामधातु/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक)
- विवक्षणम्
- eloquent; making (one) speak/expressAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण ‘प्रतरणम्’ इत्यस्य)Root वि-√वच्/√वक्ष् (विवक्ष ‘to speak/utter’ → ‘विवक्षण’ नाम/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- मध्वः
- of honey; of sweetnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of honey/sweetness’)Root मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वादिष्ठम्
- sweetest, most deliciousAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण—पेयस्य)Root स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्ठ (तमप्-प्रत्यय; superlative)
- ईम्
- indeed; justIndeclinableअव्ययRoot ईम् (निपात/अव्यय)
- पिब
- drink!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √पा (पिबति)
- आ
- hither; forthIndeclinableअव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यथा
- so that; asIndeclinableअव्ययRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- मन्दसानः
- rejoicing, gladdenedParticiple (Adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शानच्; ‘rejoicing’)Role कर्ता (अन्तर्निहितः; ‘त्वम्/सः’)Root √मन्द् (मन्द ‘to rejoice/be glad’) → मन्दस (प्रातिपदिक) + -आन (शानच्/कृदन्त)
- किरासि
- you pour; you scatterVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √कॄ/√किर् (किरति ‘to pour/scatter’ → 2nd sg. ‘किरसि’; वैदिक लेखन ‘किरासि’)
- नः
- to us; ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = ‘our/to us’)Role सम्प्रदान (to us) / सम्बन्ध (our) — प्रसङ्गानुसारRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- क्षुद्र
- small; pettyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (उपमानपदे)Role कर्ता (उपमान-कर्ता)Root क्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इव (अव्यय)
- त्मना
- by (your) own self; with your own powerNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (by/with one’s own self/power)Root त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘self, own person/power’)
- धृषत्
- daring, boldParticiple (Adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि वर्तमान कृदन्त)Role कर्ता (विशेषणरूपेण—‘त्वम्/सः’)Root √धृष् (धृष्णोति/धर्षति ‘to be bold, to dare’) → धृषत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त/विशेषण, ‘daring’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्य): अनेहसम् | प्रतरणम् | विवक्षणम् | मध्वः | स्वादिष्ठम् | ईम् | पिब | आ | यथा | मन्दसानः | किरासि | नः | प्र | क्षुद्र इव | त्मना | धृषत् । 1) ‘मध्वः’ = मधु-षष्ठी एकवचन (वैदिक)
- 2) ‘किरासि’ वैदिक लेखन/उच्चारणः, सामान्यतः ‘किरसि’ (√किर्/√कॄ) लट् 2sg. 3) ‘क्षुद्रेव’ = क्षुद्र इव (इव-निपातस्य संधिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Drink the sweetest honeyed essence—unhurried, carrying us across, widening speech. Then, delighted, pour it forth for us boldly by your own force, like a small stream flowing onward.
Inner meaning
Indra is urged to drink the most refined Soma (madhv-aḥ svādiṣṭham): the delight that makes the illumined Mind expansive, calm, and powerfully expressive (vivakṣaṇam). ‘Unhurried’ (anehasam) indicates steady, non-restless force; ‘carrying across’ (prataraṇam) is the passage beyond limiting states. When the higher mind is bright with joy (mandasānaḥ), it must ‘pour out’ (kirāsi) the gained light and power into our front nature—boldly, by its own inherent might (tmanā dhṛṣat).
Universal truth
True power is not haste but steady intensity. When consciousness drinks delight, speech becomes truer and wider, and the gained force naturally flows forward into life as courageous progress.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Indra-invocation, inner crossing, nectar of delight, victorious daring
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.48 (Kāṇva Soma hymns), RV 8.49.1-7, RV 1.3 (Kaṇva Indra-Agni invocations, traditional)
Family tradition
The Kāṇvas are noted for Soma-inspired intensity and a psychology of delight empowering victorious mind (Indra).
Significance
Kaṇva-vision often emphasizes the alchemy of Soma: delight transmuted into widened speech, courage, and forward movement of the soul’s journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- mandasānaḥ (rejoicing), dhṛṣat (bold)
- Related deities
- Soma, Sarasvatī (widened speech), Agni (inner offering)
Cosmic role
Receives Soma to strengthen the gods; advances the movement of victory and passage beyond obstacles.
Inner power
Luminous Mind that becomes expansive and expressive through delight, then pours force into action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-drinking invitation to Indra within Soma-yajña
अ॒ने॒हसं॑ प्र॒तर॑णं वि॒वक्ष॑णं॒ मध्व॒: स्वादि॑ष्ठमीं पिब । आ यथा॑ मन्दसा॒नः कि॒रासि॑ न॒: प्र क्षु॒द्रेव॒ त्मना॑ धृ॒षत् ॥
अ॒ने॒हस॑म् । प्र॒ऽतर॑णम् । वि॒वक्ष॑णम् । मध्वः॑ । स्वादि॑ष्ठम् । ई॒म् । पि॒ब॒ । आ । यथा॑ । म॒न्द॒सा॒नः । कि॒रासि॑ । नः॒ । प्र । क्षु॒द्राऽइ॑व । त्मना॑ । धृ॒षत् ॥
anehasam | pra-taraṇam | vivakṣaṇam | madhvaḥ | svādiṣṭham | īm | piba | ā | yathā | mandasānaḥ | kirāsi | naḥ | pra | kṣudrāiva | tmanā | dhṛṣat
48
4 pādas × 12 syllables (Jagatī typical)
Long-breathed, river-like; suited to ‘carrying across’ and ‘pouring onward’.
Induces steady expansion; supports a meditative-forward flow rather than sharp battle-staccato.
- अनेहसम् (anehasam)
- Literal: not hurrying; unagitated. Symbolic: steady tapas without restlessness; calm force
- प्रतर॑णम् (prataraṇam)
- Literal: carrying across. Symbolic: transition beyond limitation; crossing inner darkness
- विवक्ष॑णम् (vivakṣaṇam)
- Literal: widening speech/utterance. Symbolic: expansion of mantra-vision; inspired expression
- मध्वः (madhvaḥ)
- Literal: of honey/sweetness. Symbolic: nectar of bliss-consciousness
- स्वादिष्ठम् (svādiṣṭham)
- Literal: most sweet. Symbolic: most intimate delight that nourishes the soul
- मन्दसानः (mandasānaḥ)
- Literal: rejoicing, gladdened. Symbolic: illumined mind made luminous by ānanda
- किरासि (kirāsi)
- Literal: you pour/sprinkle. Symbolic: distribution of light-force into the being
- त्मना (tmanā)
- Literal: by oneself, by own nature. Symbolic: intrinsic spiritual power, not borrowed stimulus
- धृषत् (dhṛṣat)
- Literal: boldly, daringly. Symbolic: courage of illumination confronting resistance
Soma offering context (pressing and libation); usable in Soma-yajñas such as Agniṣṭoma as an Indra-invocation during the Soma-stotra/śastra sequence
At the offering of the sweetest Soma portion; also as a strengthening call before demanding sections of rite.
Recite while offering Soma; intention: Indra drinks and then bestows forward-moving power and inspired speech.
Before public speaking or difficult decisions: chant to stabilize the mind (anehasam), widen expression (vivakṣaṇam), and act boldly (dhṛṣat).
अनेहसम्: a- + नेहस् (from √nih/√nīh? ‘to move/lead’ in the sense of ‘pressing on’), here ‘without haste/strain’, steady force. प्रतर॑णम्: pra- + √tṝ ‘to cross’ → taraṇa ‘crossing’; prataraṇa ‘that which carries across in front/forwards’. विवक्षणम्: vi- + √vakṣ/√vac ‘to speak/utter’ with sense of ‘expanding articulation’; in Vedic, √vakṣ can shade into ‘to grow strong/widen’ in expression. मधु: ‘honey/sweet’, Vedic symbol for Soma-delight; from PIE *médʰu (cf. English mead). मन्दसानः: from √mand ‘to rejoice, be glad, be exhilarated’ (Soma-exaltation). किरासि: from √kṝ/√kir ‘to scatter, pour, strew’ (distribution of gifts/essence). त्मना: instr. of tman ‘self; intrinsic vital essence’ (PIE *teh₂-men- ‘breath/self’ often compared). धृषत्: from √dhṛṣ ‘to dare, be bold, assail’.
inner crossing/transition (taraṇa) as passage toward ṛta-consciousness, self-moved power (tmanā) as autonomous divine energy, delight (ānanda-like Soma-joy) as fuel of transformation
Prataraṇam implies movement aligned with R̥ta—crossing by the true path rather than forceful strain.
Vivakṣaṇam links delight to truthful, widened speech—Satya as inspired expression.
Delight → widening Word → forward flow into manifestation (like a stream).
Integral-Vedic psychology: ānanda empowers vāk (speech/vision) and karma (bold action).
Honey = concentrated sweetness of consciousness; stream = a focused channel of force; pouring = descent/distribution of gained illumination into life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Soma-drinking of Indra leading to an outpouring of power and gifts: the deity ‘drinks’ the sweet essence and then ‘pours forth’ (kirāsi) the energized abundance. In the inner sense, the awakened luminous force takes in delight and releases it as forward-driving courage and widened speech—an archetype of ‘ingestion → transmutation → distribution’.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- मधु (madhu) is a clear Indo-European inheritance (PIE *médʰu ‘honey/mead’; cf. Avestan madu, Greek méthy, Old English medu). The semantic field ‘sweet intoxicant → inspired power’ is also Indo-European poetic diction. The crossing motif in taraṇa relates to √tṝ ‘cross’ (cf. Avestan tar- ‘cross over’), supporting a shared metaphor of overcoming waters/obstacles as spiritual passage.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- It is reciprocal and operational: the seer offers the concentrated sweetness (Soma as madhu) and requests not merely external reward but an inner function—safe passage beyond limitation (prataraṇa), widened inspired expression (vivakṣaṇa), and bold forward force (dhṛṣat). The devatā is invoked as an active transformer within the human vessel: by drinking, Indra becomes ‘mandasāna’ and then distributes the energizing essence into the sacrificer’s front of consciousness (pra… kirāsi naḥ).
Feel a ‘honeyed’ sweetness in the heart; let it rise to the throat as widened truthful speech; then let it stream forward into the day’s actions.
Viśuddha (speech) supported by Anāhata (sweetness)
Sama-vṛtti (equal inhale/exhale) to cultivate anehasam; after chanting, a gentle exhale-visualization of ‘pouring forward’.
Sweet steadiness → luminous confidence.
Chant 12 times before communication tasks; keep one vow of Satya (truthful, benevolent speech) as the ‘vivakṣaṇam’ practice.
Maintain clear udatta on lexical highs; avoid rushing—honor ‘anehasam’ by even pacing.
Slight emphasis on ‘मध्वः स्वादिष्ठम्’ as the sweetness-kernel; lift on ‘धृषत्’ to mark boldness.
‘anehasam’: keep eha as distinct (a-ne-ha-)., ‘vivakṣaṇam’: pronounce kṣ (क्ष) cleanly, not ‘kh’., ‘kṣudreva’: kṣu- with rounded u; sandhi ‘-eva’ lightly connected.
Smooth, nectarean, sustained; end with a firmer tone on ‘धृषत्’.
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