Rig Veda 8.76.10: Mandala 8, Sukta 76, Mantra 10
Sukta 8.76
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उत्तिष्ठन्नोजसा सह पीत्वी शिप्रे अवेपयः । सोममिन्द्र चमू सुतम् ॥
uttíṣṭhann ójasā sahá pītvī́ śípre avépayaḥ | sómam indra camū́ sutám ||
ท่านลุกขึ้นด้วยพลัง พร้อมกันนั้นเมื่อดื่มแล้วก็ทำให้ริมฝีปากสั่นไหว; โอ้ อินทรา จงดื่มโสมะ (Soma) ที่คั้นแล้วในถ้วยบูชา (chamū) เถิด.
Word by Word
- उत्तिष्ठन्
- rising up; standing upVerb (participial)Present active participle (śatṛ), nominative singular masculineRole KartāRoot उत्-स्था (√स्था)
- ओजसा
- with strength; by mightNounNeuter, instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot ओजस्
- सह
- together; along withIndeclinableindeclinable (preverb/adverbial particle)Role (sahārtha) सहचर्य/सहभाव (adverbial association)Root सह
- पीत्वी
- having drunkVerb (absolutive)Absolutive (gerund) in -त्वी (Vedic variant of -त्वा), activeRole (kriyāviśeṣaṇa) पूर्वकालRoot पा (√पा ‘to drink’)
- शिप्रे
- O (you) of the two jaws/lips (Indra)NounDual, vocative (or nominative) masculine; Vedic epithet ‘the two jaws/lips’ (of Indra) used in addressRole SambodhanaRoot शिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवेपयः
- you made (them/it) tremble; you shookVerbImperfect (luṅ), 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (with Kartā = ‘you’ understood/Indra) ; Karma = (implicit) ‘them/it’Root अव-वेप् (√वेप् ‘to tremble, shake’)
- सोमम्
- Soma (the pressed drink)NounMasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot सोम
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)Masculine, vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र
- चमू
- (in/into) the ladle; ladlefulNounFeminine, accusative singularRole Karma (object in apposition/measure with Soma) / Adhikaraṇa-like ‘in the ladle’ by senseRoot चमू
- सुतम्
- pressed; expressedVerb (past participle used adjectivally)Past passive participle (kta), accusative singular masculine; agreeing with सोमम्Role Karma (qualifier of Soma)Root सु (√सु ‘to press’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: उत्तिष्ठन्नोजसा → उत्तिष्ठन् + ओजसा (final -न् before vowel; written as -न्न- in saṃhitā). Other padas are already in near-pada form. पीत्वी is Vedic gerund (-त्वी) of √पा. अवेपयः is luṅ (imperfect) 2sg of अव-√वेप्. चमू सुतम्: सुतम् qualifies सोमम्
- चमू is accusative ‘ladle/ladleful’ (often construed as ‘in/into the ladle’ by ritual sense)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, rising up with strength after drinking, makes his lips quiver; he is urged to drink the Soma pressed in the bowl.
Inner meaning
The illumined Divine Mind (Indra) is invoked to “rise” in us with ojas (concentrated force). After tasting Soma (inner Ananda), the powers of expression and intake (śipra—lips) vibrate: the being becomes responsive, eager, and dynamically receptive to higher delight. The pressed Soma in the camū (mixing-bowl) is the prepared inner offering—refined experience distilled by aspiration and discipline—so that awakened force can surge into effective action.
Universal truth
When consciousness drinks of a deeper joy, the will and intelligence awaken and become vibrantly responsive; true power is not forced, it is released by inner delight aligned with a prepared vessel.
Themes
energization by Soma, awakening of force, ritual vessel, Indra’s dynamic action
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.76 (hymn context), Rig Veda 8.77 (adjacent narrative of Indra’s empowerment)
Family tradition
Likely Kāṇva/Angirasa-related hymn-cycle style: vigorous Indra-Soma invocation emphasizing dynamic awakening.
Significance
The anonymity foregrounds the universal yogic act: any seeker can become the ‘seer’ by reproducing the inner conditions—prepared vessel, offered delight, awakened force.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan (bounteous), Vṛtrahan (slayer of the Coverer), Śatakratu (hundred-powered in will)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstruction; releases the waters/cows (streams/rays) and establishes free movement of the luminous energies.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence and victorious will that rises after tasting Ananda and turns it into effective force in life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra (Indra-Soma praise/invocation)
उ॒त्तिष्ठ॒न्नोज॑सा स॒ह पी॒त्वी शिप्रे॑ अवेपयः । सोम॑मिन्द्र च॒मू सु॒तम् ॥
उ॒त्ऽतिष्ठ॑न् । ओज॑सा । स॒ह । पी॒त्वी । शिप्रे॒ इति॑ । अ॒वे॒प॒यः॒ । सोम॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । च॒मू इति॑ । सु॒तम् ॥
ut-tiṣṭhan | ojasā | saha | pītvī | śipreiti | avepayaḥ | somam | indra | camū iti | sutam
Two-pāda verse (as transmitted here); may correspond to a truncated/paired form in recitation traditions.
Upward-driving, imperative cadence—suited to arousing energy and ‘lifting’ consciousness.
Stimulates a felt rise in the chest and head; encourages a quickening (vepa) of receptivity after inward ‘drinking’.
- uttiṣṭhan
- Literal: rising up, standing up. Symbolic: awakening of higher consciousness; emergence of the illumined will-mind from inertia
- ojasā
- Literal: with strength, vigor. Symbolic: concentrated spiritual force; stable energy of tapas held in poise
- pītvī
- Literal: having drunk. Symbolic: having inwardly received Ananda/essence; assimilation of higher taste
- śipre
- Literal: (dual) lips, mouths. Symbolic: organs of reception and expression; the interface of consciousness with experience/mantra
- avepayaḥ
- Literal: you made (them) quiver, tremble. Symbolic: vibration of awakened sensitivity; thrill of inspiration and readiness
- somam
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: divine bliss, immortal delight that nourishes illumination
- camū
- Literal: bowl, vessel. Symbolic: prepared inner vessel (mind-life-body) where offerings are blended and made fit
- sutam
- Literal: pressed, expressed. Symbolic: distilled essence won by effort—purified delight made available to the gods
Soma invitation with vivid kinetic imagery; used to spur Indra’s energized participation in the pressing ceremony.
During Soma pressing/oblations where Indra is invited to partake and empower the rite.
Recitation while offering pressed Soma; inviting Indra’s presence and strength.
Use before demanding inner work (study, sadhana, difficult action): ‘drink’ calm joy first, then rise into decisive clarity.
uttíṣṭhan from ud- + √ (sthā, 'stand, rise')—awakening/standing up of force. avepayaḥ from √ (vep, 'tremble, quiver') causative/aorist: vivid somatic image for energized delight. camū 'cup/bowl' as ritual vessel; symbolically the formed receptacle of consciousness holding the expressed essence (Soma).
awakening/standing up of power (uttíṣṭhan), assimilation leading to dynamism (pītvī → action), vessel symbolism (camū as receptacle)
Right action arises when force is fed by purified delight rather than egoic strain.
Truth is approached by a consciousness that can ‘hold’ Soma—i.e., sustain joy without dispersion.
Expression of essence (suta) into form: delight distilled becomes power in manifestation.
Proto-integral yoga (Aurobindo/Kashyap lens): Ananda as fuel for illumination and effective will.
The ‘pressed Soma’ is refined inner experience; the ‘bowl’ is the composed mind-life; ‘rising’ is awakening from tamas to luminous action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The energizing of Indra through Soma: he rises in strength and becomes vibrantly stirred. Inner sense: when the illumined force assimilates delight, it awakens, intensifies, and becomes ready to act against inertia and obstruction in the human field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ (stand) reflects PIE *steh₂- (Greek hístēmi, Latin stō). √ 'tremble' has parallels in expressive IE tremor vocabulary (functional rather than direct cognate certainty). The absolutive pītvī is a characteristic Indo-Aryan converbal form used to chain actions in narrative.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi uses vivid bodily imagery (quivering lips) to concretize the god’s energization, thereby pressing for a real descent of force into the rite. The invitation to drink from the camū implies: enter the vessel of our consecration and turn its delight into victorious action.
Invoke the inner Indra to rise with ojas after consciously receiving quiet joy (soma) in the heart-mind.
Manipura–Ajna axis (force rising to illumined command)
Inhale (receive ‘Soma’ as cool delight), brief kumbhaka (hold ojas), exhale (rise/offer the force) for 9 cycles.
Energized clarity—joy-backed will rather than restless drive.
First establish a subtle sweetness (gratitude/Ananda) in the chest; then call the higher intelligence to stand up and act from that taste. Notice the ‘quiver’—a sign of receptivity, not agitation.
General RV accentuation applies (udātta on marked syllables; svarita following); exact pitch contour should be taken from a pada-text with svara marks for this śākhā.
Keep udātta clear on key lifts (e.g., uttiṣṭhan, ojasā, somam, indra); avoid flattening the imperative energy.
uttiṣṭhan: retroflex ṭh; do not soften to dental, ojasā: long ā; keep ‘ja’ voiced, śipre: ś as palatal; light ‘re’, avepayaḥ: keep ‘yaḥ’ as visarga-like ḥ at end, camū: long ū
Bright, forward, commanding yet controlled—like a call that awakens force.
11
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