Rig Veda 1.91.10: Mandala 1, Sukta 91, Mantra 10
Sukta 1.91
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Soma
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इमं यज्ञमिदं वचो जुजुषाण उपागहि । सोम त्वं नो वृधे भव ॥
imáṃ yajñám idáṃ váco jujuṣāṇá upā́gahi | sóma tvaṃ no vṛdhé bhava ||
ขอพระองค์ทรงรับยัญพิธีนี้และถ้อยคำนี้ แล้วเสด็จมาใกล้เถิด โอ โสมะ (Soma) ขอทรงเป็นพลังแห่งความเพิ่มพูนและความเจริญสูงขึ้นแก่พวกเรา
Word by Word
- इमम्
- this (him/it), this (soma)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, riteNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) < √यज्
- इदम्
- thisPronoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वचः
- utterance, hymn, wordNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वचस् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वच्
- जुजुषाणः
- being pleased, accepting gladlyParticiple (Adjective) / Verbalपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपद-परिप्रेक्ष्ये वर्तमान/परिपूर्ण-भावार्थकः (intensive/reduplicated present participle)Role कर्तृRoot √जुष् (सेवने/तोषणे) → जुजुषाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinable (Preverb)अव्ययम्Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- आगहि
- come (hither)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root आ + √गम् (गत्यर्थे) → (लोट्) आगहि
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (Vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (सोम-निष्पत्तौ) / नाम
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us, for usPronoun (enclitic)षष्ठी (genitive) / sometimes दत्तिवत् प्रयोगः; बहुवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान (हितार्थे) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृधे
- for increase, for growthNoun (abstract) / Inflected formस्त्रीलिङ्गः (वृध्-), चतुर्थी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot वृध् (प्रातिपदिक/धातु-सम्बद्ध) < √वृध् (वर्धने)
- भव
- become; beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root √भू (सत्तायाम्) → भव
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इमम् | यज्ञम् | इदम् | वचः | जुजुषाणः | उप | आगहि | सोम | त्वम् | नः | वृधे | भव । सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) यज्ञम् + इदम् → यज्ञमिदम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: म् + इ → मि)
- (2) वचः + जुजुषाणः → वचो जुजुषाणः (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: अः + ज् → ओ + ज्; RV-पाठे ‘वचो’)
- (3) जुजुषाणः + उपागहि → जुजुषाण उपागहि (अः + उ → ओ/उ-प्रारम्भे संहितायां संयोगः; पदपाठे ‘उप | आगहि’)
- (4) उप + आगहि → उपागहि (उपसर्ग-संयोगः)
- (5) सोम + त्वम् → सोम त्वम् (विरामः/पदविभागः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Accept this sacrifice and this word; come near. O Soma, be for us our increase and growth.
Inner meaning
The ‘yajña’ is the inner work of self-offering; ‘vacas’ is the inspired mantra-thought. Soma is asked to ‘come near’ (upāgahi) by consenting to the offering—meaning the bliss-consciousness becomes intimate and active in the system. Then Soma becomes ‘vṛdhe’—the power of increase: upward growth of clarity, joy, and strength in the ascent of consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth accelerates when higher delight consents to inhabit our practice; the right word and sincere offering invite a transforming Presence.
Themes
invitation, acceptance-of-mantra, growth
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.91.9, Rig Veda 1.91.11
Family tradition
A mantra-crafting lineage (vacovid) where the ‘word’ is a vehicle of realization; the rishi links mantra, offering, and inner descent.
Significance
This verse is a classic inner-yajña formula: offering + true word → divine approach → growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma
- Epithets
- acceptor of offering (jujuṣāṇa), giver of growth (vṛdhi-kṛt, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (carrier of offering), Indra (illumined mind)
Cosmic role
Soma mediates between heaven and earth by being offered and by descending as nourishment; it increases the gods and the sacrificer.
Inner power
Indwelling Ananda that strengthens aspiration and expands consciousness upward.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma yajña invitation/āvāhana within Soma praise
इ॒मं य॒ज्ञमि॒दं वचो॑ जुजुषा॒ण उ॒पाग॑हि । सोम॒ त्वं नो॑ वृ॒धे भ॑व ॥
इ॒मम् । य॒ज्ञम् । इ॒दम् । वचः॑ । जु॒जु॒षा॒णः । उ॒प॒ऽआग॑हि । सोम॑ । त्वम् । नः॒ । वृ॒धे । भ॒व॒ ॥
imam | yajñam | idam | vacaḥ | jujuṣāṇaḥ | upa-āgahi | soma | tvam | naḥ | vṛdhe | bhava
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3×8
Invocatory and ascending; the last pāda lands on ‘vṛdhe bhava’ like a growth-affirmation.
Encourages nearness and receptivity; ends with a strong suggestion of increase.
- यज्ञम् (yajñam)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: Inner offering of ego, desire, and energies into the divine work
- वचः (vacaḥ)
- Literal: word, utterance. Symbolic: Mantric speech / inspired thought that shapes consciousness
- जुजुषाणः (jujuṣāṇaḥ)
- Literal: accepting, taking pleasure in. Symbolic: Divine consent; the higher power enjoys and takes up the offering
- उपागहि (upāgahi)
- Literal: come near, approach. Symbolic: Intimate descent/indwelling of Soma-force
- वृधे (vṛdhe)
- Literal: for increase, growth. Symbolic: Upward evolution—expansion, strengthening, ascent
Standard invitatory: Soma is asked to approach the rite, accept mantra and offering, and become the force of vṛddhi (increase) for the sacrificer.
When inviting Soma to the rite and affirming desired increase (strength, prosperity, plenitude).
Recitation accompanying offering and calling the deity to ‘sit near’.
Use at the start of meditation/practice: offer the session and invoke Soma-consciousness to enter and increase inner capacities.
(yajñá-): from √yaj ‘to worship, sacrifice’; psychologically a disciplined offering of energies. (vácaḥ): from √vac ‘speak’; mantra as truth-speech. √juṣ: ‘to enjoy, accept favorably’. √vṛdh: ‘grow, increase’; inner intensification and expansion of consciousness.
mantra as formative truth-speech (vacas), vṛddhi as expansion of being
The ‘right word’ and ‘right offering’ are movements of Ṛta that compel divine nearness.
Vacas as truth-speech: when aligned to Satya, it becomes a channel for Soma’s descent.
Growth (vṛdhi) as a cosmic law: the divine increases in the human vessel through sacrifice.
Mantra-yoga / inner sacrifice doctrine
dusk/night (Soma approach)
A cool, luminous influx into the ‘fire’ of aspiration, producing steady upward growth rather than feverish excitement.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘god invited to the sacrifice’ mythologem: divine presence is drawn by accepted speech and offering. Innerly, the delight-power approaches when the mantra is rightly received and the discipline (yajña) is sincere.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam ‘go/come’ is a core IE root (PIE *gʷem-). √vac ‘speak’ aligns with PIE *wekʷ- (voice/say). The preverbs upa-ā- show inherited Indo-European preverb stacking to nuance motion and approach.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi offers two channels—yajña (act) and vacas (word)—and asks Soma to consent (jujuṣāṇa). The relationship is cooperative: Soma’s acceptance turns the practice into vṛddhi, an actual increase of inner capacity.
Consecrate the practice (yajña) and invite Soma to come close as palpable sweetness and wideness.
Sahasrara (descent)
3 slow breaths: on inhale ‘upāgahi’ (draw near), on exhale ‘vṛdhe bhava’ (increase).
Consecrated receptivity; upward-leaning aspiration.
Begin sessions by offering thoughts and motives; chant once slowly, then sit and allow a subtle ‘nearness’ to form before proceeding.
Ṛgvedic accents; maintain lift on ‘sóma’ and clarity on ‘upāgahi’.
Keep ‘jujuṣāṇaḥ’ smooth (no breaking); pause lightly after ‘vacaḥ’; end firmly on ‘vṛdhe bhava’.
imam: short i; final m light, yajñam: ‘jñ’ conjunct, nasalized, vacaḥ: final ḥ soft, jujuṣāṇaḥ: retroflex ṣ; long ā, upāgahi: long ā; g hard, vṛdhe: vocalic ṛ; dh aspirated
Inviting, inward, slightly ascending on the last pāda.
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