Rig Veda 2.36.3: Mandala 2, Sukta 36, Mantra 3
Sukta 2.36
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ, within a Soma-invitation context
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अमेव नः सुहवा आ हि गन्तन नि बर्हिषि सदतना रणिष्टन । अथा मन्दस्व जुजुषाणो अन्धसस्त्वष्टर्देवेभिर्जनिभिः सुमद्गणः ॥
améva naḥ su-havā́ ā́ hí gántana ní barhíṣi sadatanā ráṇiṣṭana | áthā mandasva jujuṣāṇó ándhasaḥ tváṣṭar devébhir jáni-bhiḥ sumád-gaṇaḥ ||
Như về chính mái nhà mình, hỡi các quyền năng dễ được thỉnh mời, hãy đến đây với chúng tôi; hãy ngồi xuống trên bãi cỏ thiêng (barhis), an trú và hoan hỷ. Rồi hãy vui say, khi đón nhận tinh chất đã được ép. Hỡi Tvaṣṭṛ, cùng các sự sinh thành thần thánh, như một đoàn thể của thiện niệm, xin nắn đúc trong chúng tôi hình dạng đúng đắn.
Word by Word
- अमेव
- not indeed; not at allIndeclinableअव्यय; निपात (निषेध/विशेषणार्थ)Root अमेव (प्रातिपदिक; अव्यय-प्रयोग) < अ- (निषेध) + मेव (एव)
- नः
- to us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी (एन्क्लिटिक) एकवचन-बहुवचन-प्रयोग; ‘our/to us’ (वेदे बहुधा दत्तिवत्)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- सुहवाः
- easy to invoke (O ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सु-हव (प्रातिपदिक) < √ह्वे (ह्वयति ‘आह्वान’)
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात; गमनार्थेRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- हि
- indeed; forIndeclinableनिपात; अवधान/हेतौRoot हि (निपात)
- गन्तन
- come (you all)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; वैदिक-आदेश ‘गन्तन’ (= गच्छत)Root √गम्
- नि
- down; uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग; अधो/अवरोहणार्थRoot नि (उपसर्ग)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot बर्हिस्
- सदतना
- sit down (you all)Verbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; वैदिक रूप ‘सदतना’ (= सीदत)Root √सद् (सीदति ‘उपवेशन’)
- रणिष्टन
- rejoice / resound (you all)Verbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; वैदिक ‘रणिष्टन’ (उत्साह/आनन्द/ध्वनि-प्रकटीकरणार्थ)Root √रन्/√रण् (ध्वन्यर्थ/स्तुत्यर्थ; वैदिक) अथवा √रि (गत्यर्थ) + -इष्ट (तीव्र/श्रेष्ठ) + लोट्-बहु
- अथा
- thenIndeclinableक्रम/अनन्तर्ये निपातRoot अथा (निपात)
- मन्दस्व
- be exhilarated / rejoiceVerbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √मन्द् (मन्दते ‘हर्ष/मद’)
- जुजुषाणः
- enjoying; taking pleasure inParticipleवर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्) आत्मनेपदी; पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot √जुष् (जोषयति/जुषते ‘सेव्, प्री’)
- अन्धसः
- of the soma-juice / of the draughtNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अन्धस्
- त्वष्टा
- Tvaṣṭṛ (the divine artisan)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot त्वष्टृ (देवनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेभिः
- with the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot देव
- जनिभिः
- with (his) births / by generationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-वैदिक चल; तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot जनि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जन्म/उत्पत्ति/जाति’)
- सुमद्गणः
- having a joyous troop / of good exhilaration (in his company)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot सुमद्गण (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास) < सु- + मद् (मद ‘हर्ष/मद’) + गण
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अमेव | नः | सुहवाः | आ | हि | गन्तन | नि | बर्हिषि | सदतना | रणिष्टन | अथा | मन्दस्व | जुजुषाणः | अन्धसः | त्वष्टा | देवेभिः | जनिभिः | सुमद्गणः । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) ‘सुहवा॒ आ’ = सुहवाः + आ (विसर्ग-सन्धि; अकारे लोप/दीर्घ-प्रवृत्ति वैदिक पाठभेदानुसार)
- (2) ‘आ हि’ पदद्वयम्
- (3) ‘गन्तन नि’ पदसीमा
- (4) ‘बर्हिषि सदतना’ पदसीमा
- (5) ‘अन्धसस्त्वष्टा’ = अन्धसः + त्वष्टा (विसर्गः + त् → स् + त् संयोग; संहितायां ‘अन्धसस्-’)
- (6) ‘देवेभिर्जनिभिः’ = देवेभिः + जनिभिः (विसर्गः + ज् → र्; ‘-भिर्ज-’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Come to us as if at home, O easy-to-invoke ones; sit on the sacred seat and rejoice. Then be glad, accepting the pressed juice. O Tvaṣṭṛ, with the divine births, a company of good thought, fashion in us the right form.
Inner meaning
The mantra invites beneficent powers to enter the prepared consciousness ‘as at home’—i.e., make the higher influences natural and intimate. They are asked to sit on barhis (receptive field) and delight in Soma (pressed essence of bliss). Then Tvaṣṭṛ, the divine shaper, is invoked to ‘form’ (the central function of Tvaṣṭṛ) the being according to the divine becomings (devebhir janibhiḥ): to reconfigure nature with a ‘sumad-gaṇa’—a collective of right thoughts and harmonious impulses. Psychologically, Tvaṣṭṛ is the power that gives true form to the life and mind once delight is received—turning inspiration into a well-shaped character and instrument.
Universal truth
Spiritual realization is not only illumination and joy; it must be shaped into a stable form of life. When the being becomes receptive and accepts the essence of delight, the divine formative intelligence can remodel the nature into harmony and right function.
Themes
Soma-joy (mada), divine formation, descent and seating, inner consent (jujuṣāṇa)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.2 (Agni shaping and protection themes, thematic), RV 10.53 (Tvaṣṭṛ-related motifs, thematic)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s priest-seer emphasis includes the power of right formation through mantra and divine harmony; Tvaṣṭṛ’s shaping is central to making the sacrifice effective in life.
Significance
The seer moves from invitation and delight to formation: the divine must not only descend but also reshape the human instrument into a coherent ‘good-thought host’.
The deity
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ
- Epithets
- Tvaṣṭṛ (Shaper), sumadgaṇa (with a host of good thought), devebhir janibhiḥ (with divine begettings)
- Related deities
- Viśvakarman (later artisan archetype), Agni (as transformative fire), Soma (as delight enabling formation)
Cosmic role
Cosmic artisan who fashions forms, proportions, and functional harmonies; gives right shape to beings and their powers.
Inner power
Formative intelligence in yoga: organizes thoughts, emotions, and energies into a coherent instrument fit for higher consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma invitation with barhis seating; Tvaṣṭṛ invoked for right formation/blessing within the rite.
अ॒मेव॑ नः सुहवा॒ आ हि गन्त॑न॒ नि ब॒र्हिषि॑ सदतना॒ रणि॑ष्टन । अथा॑ मन्दस्व जुजुषा॒णो अन्ध॑स॒स्त्वष्ट॑र्दे॒वेभि॒र्जनि॑भिः सु॒मद्ग॑णः ॥
अ॒माऽइ॑व । नः॒ । सु॒ऽह॒वाः॒ । आ । हि । गन्त॑न । नि । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । स॒द॒त॒न॒ । रणि॑ष्टन । अथ॑ । म॒न्द॒स्व॒ । जु॒जु॒षा॒णः । अन्ध॑सः । त्वष्टः॑ । दे॒वेभिः॑ । जनि॑ऽभिः । सु॒मत्ऽग॑णः ॥
amāiva | naḥ | su-havāḥ | ā | hi | gantana | ni | barhiṣi | sadatana | raṇiṣṭana | atha | mandasva | jujuṣāṇaḥ | andhasaḥ | tvaṣṭaḥ | devebhiḥ | jani-bhiḥ | sumat-gaṇaḥ
44
4×11 syllables (probable)
Hospitable and settling in the first half; constructive and shaping in the second half.
Brings a sense of welcome and receptivity, then a subtle ‘molding’ feeling—order arising in the mind.
- सुहवा (suhavā)
- Literal: easy to call/invoke. Symbolic: powers that respond readily to sincere aspiration
- अमाइव (amāiva)
- Literal: as if at home. Symbolic: intimate presence; the divine made natural in the inner house
- बर्हिषि (barhiṣi)
- Literal: on the sacrificial seat. Symbolic: receptive field of consciousness prepared by discipline
- मन्दस्व (mandasva)
- Literal: be glad, rejoice. Symbolic: settle into luminous delight rather than restless excitement
- अन्धसः (andhasaḥ)
- Literal: pressed Soma-juice/essence. Symbolic: distilled bliss-essence extracted by concentration
- त्वष्टृ (tvaṣṭṛ)
- Literal: the shaper, artisan deity. Symbolic: formative intelligence that fashions the instrument of nature
- जनि॑भिः (janibhiḥ)
- Literal: births, begettings. Symbolic: divine becomings—higher formations entering the being
- सुमद्गणः (sumadgaṇaḥ)
- Literal: company/host of good thought. Symbolic: harmonized collective of right ideas, impulses, and tendencies
Soma rite: seating on barhis; invocation of Tvaṣṭṛ as formative power aiding right shaping of the sacrifice and the inner being
During Soma offerings where multiple deities are invited to sit and partake; Tvaṣṭṛ invoked for shaping the outcome and the sacrificer’s well-being.
Invitation to seat; offering of Soma; blessing for well-formed issue/benefit; inwardly, receiving delight and allowing re-formation of nature.
Use in meditation after an uplifting experience: pray not only for more experience, but for integration—right form in habits, speech, and action.
√sad ‘sit’ underlines establishment of devatā within the ‘seat’ of consciousness. √mad ‘be glad/intoxicated’ is Soma’s effect: intensification/expansion of force. tváṣṭṛ from √tvaṣ ‘to fashion, form’ indicates the archetypal shaper—psychologically the power that gives right form to energies and thoughts.
formation of the being (tvaṣṭṛ) toward ṛta, sumanas/sumat as right-mindedness and harmony
Implied: right form is the embodiment of ṛta in mind-life-body.
Satya becomes ‘formed truth’—truth not only seen but embodied in nature’s structure.
Cosmic artisanry: the divine shapes beings through successive becomings; delight is a medium of creation.
Integral-psychological Veda: transformation requires both illumination (Indra) and formation (Tvaṣṭṛ).
Seat = receptivity; Soma-juice = distilled bliss; home = stable inner dwelling; shaping = reconfiguration of nature’s forms.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The divine craftsman Tvaṣṭṛ comes to the sacrifice, sits, rejoices, and by accepting Soma shapes the right form—mythically the fashioning of the soul’s vessel so that higher forces can be embodied.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘shaper’ function parallels IE artisan/craftsman myth-types (e.g., Greek Hephaistos as a later analogue, though not a direct cognate). √mad has Indo-Iranian sacrificial usage for ecstatic strengthening (cf. Avestan mad- ‘to be exhilarated’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invites an intimate descent (‘as at home’), asking not only for presence but for formative action: the devatā’s gift is right shaping of the inner nature, enabled by the offered Soma.
Integration: invite the shaping power to organize the gains of practice into a stable character and right action.
Slow, even breathing; recite with a soft pause after each pāda, feeling ‘welcome → seat → delight → shaping’.
Receptive stillness with a gentle formative pressure—clarity settling into structure.
After any inner opening, offer the essence (Soma) inwardly and ask Tvaṣṭṛ to ‘craft’ your responses: speech, habits, and impulses. Watch for scattered thoughts; gather them into a sumad-gaṇa (a harmonious collective) before acting.
Follow Saṃhitā accent marks for udatta/anudatta/svarita; keep the invitational vocatives and imperatives clear and rhythmically anchored to triṣṭubh pādas.
Slightly lengthen at ‘ni barhiṣi sadatanā’ to embody ‘sitting’; brighten on ‘mandasva’ (rejoice); articulate ‘tvaṣṭar’ distinctly.
suhavāḥ: keep vā long; visarga as appropriate in recitation style, gantana: dental n; avoid retroflexing, sadatanā: clear d+t; avoid merging into ‘sathana’, jujuṣāṇo: pronounce both ju syllables; retroflex ṣ, andhasaḥ: aspirated dh; final ḥ clear, tvaṣṭar: tv cluster; retroflex ṣṭ
Inviting, steady, and warm; slightly more resonant on ‘tvaṣṭar’ to convey shaping authority.
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