Rig Veda 1.2.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.2
- Rishi
- Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra-Vāyu
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्रवायू इमे सुता उप प्रयोभिरा गतम् । इन्दवो वामुशन्ति हि ॥
índravāyū imé sutā́ úpa práyo-bhir ā́ gátam | índavo vām uśánti hí ||
ఓ ఇంద్రా, వాయూ! ఇవి సుతమైన (పిండిన) సోమాలు, ఆనందదాయక శక్తులతో కూడినవి; వీటి సమీపానికి రండి. ఎందుకంటే సోమబిందువులు నిజంగా మిమ్మల్నే కోరుకుంటున్నాయి.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रवायू
- O Indra and VāyuNoun (dual compound vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति; द्विवचन (समास: द्वन्द्व)Role सम्बोधन (आह्वान)Root इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक) + वायु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इमे
- thesePronoun/Determinerपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (सुताः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुताः
- pressed (Soma-drops)Noun (from participle)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (उशन्ति इत्यस्य कर्ता)Root सु (धातु) → सुत (कृदन्त, भूतकृत्/कर्मणि) → प्रातिपदिक सुत-
- उप
- near, hitherIndeclinable (preverb/adverb)अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (आगतम् इत्यस्य)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रयोभिः
- with refreshments/offeringsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करण (means/instrument: ‘with refreshments/offerings’)Root प्रयस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘refreshment/pleasure/strengthening draught’)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (गम् धातोः उपसर्गः)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- गतम्
- come (you two)Verb-form (imperatival injunctive sense via participle)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधनार्थे विधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थ-प्रयोगः; द्विवचन-सम्बन्ध (इन्द्रवायू इत्यस्य)Role क्रिया (आह्वान: ‘come!’)Root गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
- इन्दवः
- the Soma-dropsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (उशन्ति इत्यस्य)Root इन्दु- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘Soma drop’)
- वाम्
- of/for you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया-रूप; द्विवचन (enclitic) — here genitive ‘of you two/for you two’Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (उशन्ति: ‘desire for you two’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → वाम्
- उशन्ति
- desire, long forVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot वश्/उश् (धातु; ‘to desire, wish’) → उश् (प्रसव)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinable (particle)अव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ (emphasis/causal: ‘indeed/for’)Root हि (निपात)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इन्द्रवायू | इमे | सुताः | उप | प्रयोभिः | आ | गतम् || इन्दवः | वाम् | उशन्ति | हि || 1) इन्द्र॑वायू = इन्द्र + वायू (द्वन्द्व-समास; द्विवचन-सम्बोधन)
- 2) इ॒मे सु॒ता: ‘इमे’ (प्रथमा बहु) ‘सुताः’ (प्रथमा बहु) — विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः
- 3) उप॒ प्रयो॑भि॒रा ग॑तम्: प्रयोभिः + आ → प्रयोभिः आ (सन्ध्यभावः/पदविभागः; मन्त्रलेखनात् ‘...भिरा...’)
- 4) वामु॒शन्ति = वाम् + उशन्ति (अनुस्वार-लोप/संयोग; पदविभागः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra and Vāyu, come to these pressed Soma offerings with their delights; the Soma drops long for you.
Inner meaning
Indra (illumined mind) and Vāyu (life-force) are invoked together because transformation requires both: light to perceive and prāṇa to execute. The Soma-pressings are the concentrated extract of delight released by inner effort; ‘prayaḥ’ are the powers/foods of delight that carry the offering upward and invite the descent. The Soma drops ‘yearn’ (uśanti) because delight naturally seeks union with the illumined mind and the free breath; when they meet, the being is uplifted—mind becomes victorious and life-force becomes wide and swift.
Universal truth
Joy seeks its fulfillment in union with clarity and right energy; when mind and life cooperate, delight becomes power and progress.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Invocation / āvāhana, Inner awakening (force + breath), Descent of divine powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Vaiśvāmitra
- Other hymns
- RV 1.2.5, RV 1.2.6, RV 1.3 (related invitatory sequences)
Family tradition
A seer-line that frequently couples deities to show integrated faculties (mind-life, will-knowledge) in the yoga of the sacrifice.
Significance
This dual invocation expresses a key Aurobindonian insight: illumination (Indra) must descend into and govern prāṇa (Vāyu) for stable transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Vāyu (dual)
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan (Indra, implied slayer of the Coverer), Āśu (Vāyu, swift), Vājinīvasū (next verse epithet continuing the idea: lords of plenitude/force)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Joint governance of mental illumination and vital motion; first recipients of Soma in certain sequences; establish victorious progress.
Inner power
Union of clear discerning intelligence with energetic execution; bliss becomes dynamis (shakti) in the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma rite: invitation to Indra-Vāyu to approach the Soma pressings and drink.
इन्द्र॑वायू इ॒मे सु॒ता उप॒ प्रयो॑भि॒रा ग॑तम् । इन्द॑वो वामु॒शन्ति॒ हि ॥
इन्द्र॑वायू॒ इति॑ । इ॒मे । सु॒ताः । उप॑ । प्रयः॑ऽभिः॒ । आ । ग॒त॒म् । इन्द॑वः । वाम् । उ॒शन्ति॑ । हि ॥
indravāyūiti | ime | sutāḥ | upa | prayaḥ-bhiḥ | ā | gatam | indavaḥ | vām | uśanti | hi
24
3 × 8
Invitatory, forward-driving; dual-name opening gives a strong lift.
Energizes and clarifies simultaneously; good for invoking alertness with calm force.
- इन्द्रवायू (indra-vāyū)
- Literal: Indra and Vāyu. Symbolic: illumined mind + divine life-force acting in harmony
- सुता (sutāḥ)
- Literal: pressed (Soma). Symbolic: distilled delight/concentrated essence obtained by inner offering
- प्रयःभिः (prayaḥ-bhiḥ)
- Literal: with delights/nourishments. Symbolic: carrying powers of enjoyment that support the sacrifice
- इन्दवः (indavaḥ)
- Literal: Soma drops. Symbolic: units of bliss-consciousness seeking assimilation
- उशन्ति (uśanti)
- Literal: desire/yearn. Symbolic: the inherent aspiration of delight to unite with its divine receivers
Soma-yajña context; typical of early Soma pressing invocations (e.g., prātaḥ-savana orientation in later ritual mapping), inviting the deities to partake of the pressed Soma.
At Soma offering moments, especially in opening praises to invite deities to the seat.
Calling the dual deities to the offering; mentally uniting clarity (Indra) and breath-force (Vāyu).
Before study or disciplined action: invoke ‘clear mind + strong breath’ so delight supports effort rather than distracts.
Key terms: (1) (Indra): commonly connected with √/√ nuances ‘to kindle, to drop, to be powerful’; in Vedic symbolism Indra is the lord of illumined Mind/Force who releases light and plenitude. (2) (Vāyu): from √ ‘to blow’; the cosmic and inner prāṇa, the mover of life-force. (3) (suta): past participle of √ ‘to press out’ (Soma); inwardly ‘expressed essence’ extracted by tapas/discipline. (4) (prayaḥ): from √/√ ‘to please, satisfy, gladden’; prayaḥ as ‘nourishment, refreshment, delight-giving substance/impulse’—supports of the offering. (5) (gatam): imperative dual from √ ‘to go/come’; liturgical summons of descent/approach. (6) (uśanti): present plural from √/√ ‘to desire, wish’; indicates the offerings’ inherent aspiration toward the invoked powers.
R̥ta (right order expressed as correct invocation and descent of powers), Satyam-R̥tam (truth-force as illumined power + life-force integration), Tapas (discipline that ‘presses out’ the essence)
Harmony of mind and life is ṛta within the individual—right order of powers.
Indra embodies truth-seeing; Soma yearns to be held in that truth-light.
Delight (Soma) becomes a creative force when received by illumined mind and free prāṇa.
Vedic integral psychology: faculties as gods; their union as realization.
Atmosphere = inner mental-vital field; wind = prāṇa movement; Soma drops = bliss-points seeking assimilation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘invited descent’ of paired cosmic powers to the Soma: Indra (victorious illumined force) and Vāyu (life-breath, swift mover) are summoned to approach and drink. Mythically, Soma is the mediator that draws the gods; psychologically, the distilled delight (Soma) calls the higher Force and the freer Breath to enter the human field and energize the ascent toward R̥ta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘to go/come’ (gatam) continues PIE *gʷem- ‘to go, come’ (cf. English ‘come’ via Germanic *kweman- is debated but often compared; clearer: Sanskrit, Avestan jam-). √ ‘to blow’ (vāyu) reflects PIE *h₂weh₁- ‘to blow’ (cf. Latin ventus ‘wind’, English ‘wind’ as a parallel semantic field though from PIE *h₂wē-/*h₂weh₁). The semantics of ‘pressed Soma’ (√) aligns with an inherited Indo-Iranian ritual lexicon where extraction/pressing yields a sacred invigorant (Skt soma / Av haoma).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer establishes reciprocity through invitation and readiness: the Soma is already ‘pressed’ (sutaḥ), i.e., the human side has performed concentration and offering; therefore the gods are asked to ‘come near’ (upa… ā gatam). The line ‘the drops desire you’ shifts agency to the offering itself—suggesting that when inner delight is purified and expressed, it naturally attracts Indra’s luminous force and Vāyu’s liberated breath, completing the circuit of exchange (human preparation ↔ divine descent).
Unite clear seeing (Indra) with free breath (Vāyu); let bliss fuel steady effort.
ajna (clarity) and manipura (power/drive regulated)
3-part breathing (lower-mid-upper) with steady rhythm; on inhale ‘ā gatam’ feel the approach of power.
Dynamic poise—energetic yet lucid.
Chant 9 times; then sit and observe: (1) bright thought-current, (2) steady breath-current, (3) a subtle joy behind both. Offer agitation into the Soma-fire of delight.
Keep udātta prominence on the dual name indravāyū and on ā gatam; maintain crisp falls on svarita endings.
Do not merge vowels across word boundaries: ime sutā upa; keep ‘vām’ distinct.
indravāyū: clear conjunct ‘dr’; long āyū at end, sutāḥ: long ā; visarga ḥ, prayobhir: ‘yo’ clear; aspirate bh, ā gatam: long ā; hard g, indavo: short i; dental d, uśanti: palatal ś; short a
Bright, commanding, forward-projected without strain.
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