Rig Veda 8.82.8: Mandala 8, Sukta 82, Mantra 8
Sukta 8.82
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यो अप्सु चन्द्रमा इव सोमश्चमूषु ददृशे । पिबेदस्य त्वमीशिषे ॥
yó apsú candrámā iva sómaś camū́ṣu dadṛ́śe | píbéd asya tvám ī́śiṣe ||
وہ سوم جو کٹوروں میں پانی میں چاند کی طرح دکھائی دیتا ہے، اسے پی، تو اس کے کام کرنے کا مالک ہے۔
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः)Role Kartā (यः = कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी) / सम्बन्धःRoot यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अ॒प्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अप्- (स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक; ‘जल’)
- च॒न्द्रमाः
- the moonNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (उपमान-कर्तृ) / उपमानम्Root चन्द्रमस्-/चन्द्रमा- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (उपमा-सूचक)Root इव (निपात)
- सोमः
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- च॒मूषु॒
- in the ladles/cupsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot चमू- (स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक; ‘पात्र/चमस-समूहः’)
- ददृशे
- has appeared / was seenVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √दृश् (दर्शन)
- पिबेत्
- may he drinkVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √पा (पान)
- अस्य
- of him/this (of this one)Pronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धः (genitive) / अधिकार-सम्बन्धःRoot इदम्/अदस्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- youPronounउत्तम-पुरुषार्थे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईशिषे
- you rule / you have masteryVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √ईश् (ईश्वरे/अधिपत्ये)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: चन्द्रमा॑ इव → चन्द्रमाः + इव (visarga before vowel, often written without explicit visarga in Saṃhitā)
- सोम॑श्च॒मूषु॒ → सोमः + चमूषु (visarga + c → śc in Saṃhitā)
- पिबेद॑स्य॒ → पिबेत् + अस्य (final -t before vowel becomes -d in Saṃhitā). Accent marks are retained as in the given Saṃhitā text
- pada-forms shown are the resolved lexical forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Soma seen in the bowls like the moon in the waters—drink it; you are the lord of its working.
Inner meaning
Soma in the inner vessels shines like the moon reflected in waters: a cool, luminous Ananda appearing within the flowing movements of life (apsu—waters). The seeker asks Indra to drink—i.e., let the illumined mind assimilate this calm radiance and govern its operation (īśiṣe), so that the emotional-vital waters are pacified and made reflective of higher light rather than turbulent.
Universal truth
When the mind governs the life-waters, inner bliss appears as a quiet, moonlike radiance—cool, steady, and transformative.
Themes
Soma-imagery, moon-and-waters, inner-vision
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.82.7 (parallel refrain), RV 9. (Soma as shining/purifying—broad resonance)
Family tradition
The Kāṇva style often uses vivid natural images (moon/waters) as precise symbols for inner states of consciousness.
Significance
Gives a classic Aurobindonian symbol: Soma’s moonlike radiance in the waters—Ananda reflected in life when the instruments are purified and governed by Indra.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- īśitṛ (ruler), Soma-pā, jyotiṣmat (luminous—contextual)
- Related deities
- Soma, Varuṇa (waters/order), Agni
Cosmic role
Makes the waters (life) safe and luminous by governing Soma’s force; sustains the victory of light.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence that calms and clarifies the vital, making it a reflector of higher Ananda.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra Soma drinking; poetic visualization of Soma’s appearance
यो अ॒प्सु च॒न्द्रमा॑ इव॒ सोम॑श्च॒मूषु॒ ददृ॑शे । पिबेद॑स्य॒ त्वमी॑शिषे ॥
यः । अ॒प्ऽसु । च॒न्द्रमाः॑ऽइव । सोमः॑ । च॒मूषु॑ । ददृ॑शे । पिब॑ । इत् । अ॒स्य॒ । त्वम् । ई॒शि॒षे॒ ॥
yaḥ | ap-su | candramāḥ-iva | somaḥ | camūṣu | dadṛśe | piba | it | asya | tvam | īśiṣe
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4 × ~8 syllables (approximate)
Gentle imagery (“moon in waters”) within a firm imperative structure; coolness held by command.
Soothes the emotional field while keeping the mind sovereign—calm radiance with steadiness.
- apsu (अप्सु)
- Literal: in the waters. Symbolic: life-movements, vital-emotional currents, subconscient flow
- candramā iva (चन्द्रमा इव)
- Literal: like the moon. Symbolic: cool luminous consciousness; reflective Ananda
- dadṛśe (ददृशे)
- Literal: is seen, appears. Symbolic: the moment of inner perception/manifestation of bliss
- camūṣu (चमूषु)
- Literal: in the bowls. Symbolic: inner receptacles—vital/mental formations prepared to hold Soma
- īśiṣe (ईशिषे)
- Literal: you rule/dispose. Symbolic: higher governance over the working of delight in the nature
Soma offering with visual imagery: Soma’s appearance in vessels is likened to moonlight on waters, underscoring its luminous delight-quality.
During Soma offerings when Soma is displayed in vessels; supports contemplative seeing of Soma’s ‘shine’.
Presentation/raising of Soma in bowls; invitation to drink; affirmation of Indra’s lordship.
For emotional turbulence: chant while visualizing a moon reflected in still water inside the heart—cool bliss governed by clear mind.
apsu: locative plural of ap 'waters'—often life, flow, subconscient depths. candramā: 'moon' from √cand 'shine'; here an imagistic marker of reflected, soothing luminosity. dadṛśe: perfect/middle of √dṛś 'to see'—appearance/manifestation.
reflection/manifestation of light in the life-plane, delight as luminous calm
Indra’s rule over Soma in the waters symbolizes ordering of life-force by higher intelligence in accord with Ṛta.
The true light appears as reflection when the waters are clear—truth mirrored in life.
Emergence of luminous consciousness within the flow of life-substance.
Integral psychological symbolism: waters = life; moon = calm light; Soma = Ananda; Indra = governing illumination.
night (moon imagery, symbolically)
Moon = cool luminous Ananda; waters = vital-emotional currents; reflection = manifestation of higher consciousness in life-nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as lunar luminosity in the waters: delight appears as a shining presence within the flowing life (apsu). Indra is urged to drink—i.e., to seize and govern that manifested delight and turn it into effective power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The water/light imagery is a deep IE poetic complex (radiance upon waters as a sign of revelation). √dṛś 'see' continues an IE perception root (cf. Greek derkomai 'see').
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi points to a visible epiphany of Soma (dadṛśe) and invites Indra’s sovereign action: the god must not only be present but rule the energy that has appeared in the life-waters.
Stabilize the life-waters; perceive the moonlike Soma-radiance within; let Indra (clear intelligence) govern its movement.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/vital) harmonized by Ājñā (governance)
Cooling breath (śītalī/śītkārī optional) or slow nasal breathing; visualize ‘moon in waters’ on exhale.
Cool, reflective calm; quiet joy without excitement.
If emotions surge, chant softly; imagine the bowl of the heart as still water; see a steady moon of bliss; affirm inner sovereignty (īśiṣe) over reactions.
Accents not supplied; keep “candramā iva” flowing and imagery-rich; maintain clear imperative “piba”.
Soften tone on “apsu candramā iva”; firm up on “pibed asya tvam īśiṣe”.
apsu: ‘ap-su’ (do not insert extra vowel), candramā: clear ‘ndra’ cluster; long ā at end, dadṛśe: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ḍ, īśiṣe: long ī; ṣ as retroflex ‘sh’
Cool, even, moonlike; minimal vibrato; inward projection.
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