Rig Veda 8.17.3: Mandala 8, Sukta 17, Mantra 3
Sukta 8.17
- Rishi
- Kāṇva tradition
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ब्रह्माणस्त्वा वयं युजा सोमपामिन्द्र सोमिनः । सुतावन्तो हवामहे ॥
brahmā́ṇas tvā vayáṃ yujā́ soma-pā́m indra somínaḥ | sutā́vanto havāmahe ||
ہم برہمن کے خالق تجھے جوتے ہیں، اے سوما پینے والے اِندر، سوما نچوڑنے والوں کے ساتھ۔ نچوڑی ہوئی خوشی رکھتے ہوئے ہم تجھے پکارتے ہیں۔
Word by Word
- ब्र॒ह्माणः
- the Brahmins / sacred formulatorsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- युजा
- as a yokefellow / in companionshipNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot युज् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘yoke/companion’)
- सोमपाम्
- Soma-drinkerNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोमपा (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पा ‘drinker’)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole (सम्बोधन)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमिनः
- the soma-possessors / soma-offerersAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सोमिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having soma / soma-possessing’)
- सुतावन्तः
- having pressed (soma)Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सुतावत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having pressed soma’, from सुत ‘pressed’)
- हवामहे
- we invoke / we callVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root ह्वे (धातु; √ह्वा/ह्वे ‘to call, invoke’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ब्रह्माणः त्वा वयम् युजा सोमपाम् इन्द्र सोमिनः । सुतावन्तः हवामहे ॥ Sandhi: (1) सोमपामि॑न्द्र = सोमपाम् + इन्द्र (म् + इ → मि; Vedic external sandhi). (2) अन्यत्र स्पष्ट संधि-परिवर्तनं न
- ‘सोमिनः’ ‘सुतावन्तः’ स्वतंत्रपदानि।
The meaning
Outer meaning
We, the makers of the brahman, yoke you—O Indra, drinker of Soma—with the Soma-pressers. Possessing the pressed Soma, we call you.
Inner meaning
The ‘makers of brahman’ are those who form the true word—clarified intention and inspired formulation. By that truth-power they ‘yoke’ Indra: they establish a stable connection with the illumined Mind. ‘Soma-pressers’ are the inner workers who extract bliss from experience through tapas and right method. When the being becomes ‘sutāvantaḥ’ (having the pressed Soma), aspiration is no longer dry; it carries living ananda, and the call (havāmahe) becomes effective—illumination answers readily.
Universal truth
When speech/intention is truthful and consciousness has distilled joy from practice, the higher intelligence can be firmly linked to life; then invocation becomes efficacious and transformation accelerates.
Themes
priestly-agency, invocation, Soma-preparation, yoking-by-word
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇva (Kāṇva tradition)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.17.1-4
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns frequently join brahman (true word) with soma (delight) to make invocation effective—speech and bliss as twin supports of realization.
Significance
This verse highlights the rishi-function: forging brahman and pressing soma—creating the conditions for a stable descent of illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Somapā (Soma-drinker), Maghavan (giver of boons)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Receives Soma, becomes empowered, and grants victorious illumination and force to the sacrificer.
Inner power
The luminous intelligence that grows stronger by ananda and then governs the energies of action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and Indra invocation (general)
ब्र॒ह्माण॑स्त्वा व॒यं यु॒जा सो॑म॒पामि॑न्द्र सो॒मिन॑: । सु॒ताव॑न्तो हवामहे ॥
ब्र॒ह्माणः॑ । त्वा॒ । व॒यम् । यु॒जा । सो॒म॒ऽपाम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । सो॒मिनः॑ । सु॒तऽव॑न्तः । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ ॥
brahmāṇaḥ | tvā | vayam | yujā | soma-pām | indra | sominaḥ | suta-vantaḥ | havāmahe
Not determined from provided data.
Collective, declarative cadence (‘we… we…’), creating a communal force of invocation.
Builds confidence and cohesion; strengthens the sense of active participation in the inner sacrifice.
- ब्रह्माणः (brahmāṇaḥ)
- Literal: makers/possessors of brahman. Symbolic: those who shape truth-conscious speech and intention
- युजा (yujā)
- Literal: we yoke. Symbolic: establish conscious linkage/integration with the higher power
- सोमपाम् (soma-pām)
- Literal: Soma-drinker. Symbolic: illumined Mind that feeds on ananda to increase force and clarity
- सोमिनः (sominaḥ)
- Literal: Soma-pressers/possessors of Soma. Symbolic: inner practitioners who distill bliss through tapas
- सुतवन्तः (suta-vantaḥ)
- Literal: having the pressed (Soma). Symbolic: a state where joy is extracted and available as supporting substance
- हवामहे (havāmahe)
- Literal: we call/invoke. Symbolic: aspiration that summons response from higher consciousness
Priestly self-identification in Soma rite: the brahmāṇas declare their role in yoking/invoking Indra, emphasizing Soma preparation (suta) as the condition of effective call.
During Soma sessions when the pressers call Indra to drink and empower the rite.
Pressing Soma, reciting brahman, invoking Indra to partake.
A mantra for group practice: chant together before meditation to unify intention (brahman) and joy (soma) and invite clarity.
brahmāṇa: agent/collective from brahman (√bṛh ‘expand’); √yuj ‘yoke’ (PIE *yeug-); soma from √su ‘press’; pā́m from √pā ‘drink’ (PIE *peh₃-); √hū ‘call/invoke’ (Vedic).
speech as creative act (brahman-making), delight as nourishment of divine force (Soma-drinking)
Right formation of brahman and right pressing of soma are ṛta-actions enabling divine response.
Brahman implies satya-vāc: truth-speech that aligns the being with Reality.
Word and delight as creative powers: they ‘yoke’ higher consciousness into the manifest life.
Vedic mantra-psychology with ananda as transforming substance (Integral Yoga reading).
Pressing = extracting subtle joy from experience; drinking = illumination absorbing ananda; yoking = integration of higher mind with active nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘yoking and calling’ mythologem: the brahman-makers actively harness Indra through mantra and Soma—innerly, disciplined speech and prepared delight draw the luminous power into effective presence.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj (PIE *yeug-) and √pā (PIE *peh₃-) are clear inheritances. The middle form havāmahe reflects archaic Indo-European voice systems where invocation is conceived as an act involving the subject’s participation/engagement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The human side claims craftsmanship: ‘we are brahmāṇas’—we shape the Word and prepare Soma. Indra is approached as soma-pā́m, implying the deity’s action depends on being ‘fed’ by delight and called by the rightly formed mantra.
Unite truthful formulation (brahman) with distilled joy (soma) and consciously ‘yoke’ the mind to higher illumination.
viśuddha (truthful word) linked to ājñā (illumined mind)
Japa with gentle ujjāyī-like throat awareness to emphasize vāc/brahman; keep breath even and nourishing.
Integrated invocation: clarity + sweetness + will.
Begin by stating a clear sankalpa (brahman); recall a felt sense of quiet joy (soma); then repeat the mantra to link both and invite a decisive, luminous guidance.
Not provided; consult a Rigvedic svara source for precise accents.
Keep ‘brahmāṇas tvā vayaṃ’ flowing as one opening; mark a respectful emphasis on ‘indra’; let ‘havāmahe’ end with a clear, open vowel.
(brahmāṇas tvā): avoid inserting vowels in clusters, (yujā): long ā, (somapām): long ā; final nasal m, (sominaḥ): short i; visarga not present, (havāmahe): ha-vā-ma-he, long ā
Steady, collective, slightly resonant in the chest to convey invocation-force.
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