Rig Veda 8.95.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 95, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.95
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
आ त्वा शुक्रा अचुच्यवुः सुतास इन्द्र गिर्वणः । पिबा त्वस्यान्धस इन्द्र विश्वासु ते हितम् ॥
ā́ tvā śukrā́ acucyavuḥ sutā́sa indra girvaṇaḥ | píbā tv asyā́ndhasa índra víśvāsu te hitám ||
Những dòng ép sáng rực đã chảy về phía ngài, hỡi Indra (Indra), đấng yêu lời tụng ca. Vậy hãy uống tinh túy Soma này, hỡi Indra—điều đã được đặt dành cho ngài trong mọi vận động của chúng ta—để sức mạnh quang minh đi vào và cai quản toàn thể hữu thể.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (गत्यर्थ/आह्वानार्थ)Root आ (upasarga) अथवा आ (nipāta)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुक्राः
- bright ones (i.e., bright Soma-drops/pressings)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अचुच्यवुः
- have set in motion / have impelledVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot च्यु (धातु) < च्यवते ‘to move, set in motion’
- सुतासः
- the pressed (Soma-juices)Noun (kṛdanta used as noun)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (शुक्राः/सुतासः as co-referent subjects)Root सु (धातु) + त (कृत्) → सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गिर्वणः
- O praised-by-songs (acceptor of hymns)Noun/Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot गिर्वणस् (प्रातिपदिक) < गिर् + वनस्
- पिब
- drink!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot पा (धातु) ‘to drink’
- तु
- indeed, thenIndeclinableअवधारण/अन्वर्थक निपातRoot तु (निपात)
- अस्य
- of thisPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्धसः
- of the Soma-juice / of the draughtNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive; with पिब = ‘drink of the Soma-juice’)Root अन्धस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वासु
- in all (places/occasions)Adjective (used with implied ‘स्तुतिषु/हविषु/ऋतुषु’ etc.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (locative)Role अधिकरणRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- for you / to youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableहेतौ/निश्चयार्थ निपातRoot हि (निपात)
- हितम्
- set/placed, prepared (for you)Adjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (contextually ‘that which is set/placed for you’)Role कर्म (with implied ‘पिब’ = drink what is set for you)Root धा (धातु) + क्त → हित (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: आ | त्वा | शुक्राः | अचुच्यवुः | सुतासः | इन्द्र | गिर्वणः || पिब | तु | अस्य | अन्धसः | इन्द्र | विश्वासु | ते | हि | हितम् || Sandhi: (1) पिबा त्व१॒॑स्यान्ध॑सः → पिब | तु | अस्य | अन्धसः (उ/अ संधि: तु + अस्य = त्वस्य; अस्य + अन्धसः = स्यान्धसः)
- (2) अन्यत्र स्पष्ट संधि न्यून
The meaning
Outer meaning
The bright Soma pressings have flowed to Indra; he is urged to drink the Soma essence set out for him in all rites/movements.
Inner meaning
The luminous pressings (śukrāḥ sutāsaḥ) are clarified experiences and offerings distilled by aspiration. Indra, the illumined Mind, is invited to drink the essence (andhas) placed ‘in all our movements’ (viśvāsu)—so illumination governs every part, not only a peak experience. This is the integration of higher light into the whole nature.
Universal truth
When aspiration refines experience into a clear essence, the power of illumination can enter and organize all activities—spirituality becomes total-life transformation.
Themes
Indra-invitation, Soma-drinking, mantra-power, inner governance
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.95.1-… (same sūkta context), RV 8.94 (preceding Marut-Soma calls)
Family tradition
Book 8 Indra-Soma strain: practical yogic invocation—call illumination to partake of delight and rule the movements.
Significance
The seer frames a key integral step: not merely ‘receive light’, but have Indra drink the essence placed throughout life so that all movements become governed by illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- girvaṇaḥ (delighting in hymns)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Agni, Soma, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
King of the gods in many Rigvedic contexts; breaker of Vṛtra; releaser of the waters and light.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence and decisive force that conquers resistance and coordinates the powers of the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra
आ त्वा॑ शु॒क्रा अ॑चुच्यवुः सु॒तास॑ इन्द्र गिर्वणः । पिबा॒ त्व१॒॑स्यान्ध॑स॒ इन्द्र॒ विश्वा॑सु ते हि॒तम् ॥
आ । त्वा॒ । शु॒क्राः । अ॒चु॒च्य॒वुः॒ । सु॒तासः॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । गि॒र्व॒णः॒ । पिब॑ । तु । अ॒स्य । अन्ध॑सः । इन्द्र॑ । विश्वा॑सु । ते॒ । हि॒तम् ॥
ā | tvā | śukrāḥ | acucyavuḥ | sutāsaḥ | indra | girvaṇaḥ | piba | tu | asya | andhasaḥ | indra | viśvāsu | te | hitam
Likely Triṣṭubh (common for Indra hymns with longer padas)
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4 × 11 syllables (approx.)
Broad, declarative, kingly stride
Establishes authority and integration; the longer line carries the sense of ‘all movements’ being gathered under one power.
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind/illumination; lord of luminous force overcoming obscurity
- शुक्राः (śukrāḥ)
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: clarified, luminous offerings/experiences
- सुतासः (sutāsaḥ)
- Literal: pressed Soma-juices. Symbolic: distilled delight/essence produced by inner pressing (tapas, aspiration)
- अन्धसः (andhasaḥ)
- Literal: Soma essence/juice. Symbolic: concentrated bliss-substance that feeds illumination
- विश्वासु (viśvāsu)
- Literal: in all (things/places). Symbolic: in all movements of the being—thought, life, body
- गिर्वणः (girvaṇaḥ)
- Literal: lover of hymns/praise. Symbolic: that which responds to mantra—illumination awakened by inspired speech
Soma-libation invitation to Indra (common in Agniṣṭoma and related Soma rites), emphasizing hymn/chant accompaniment.
Indra’s Soma libations in Soma yajña; praise + invitation to drink
Recitation at offering; inviting Indra to the Soma and to grant victorious illumination
Before complex work or leadership decisions: invoke clear mind-force to pervade all actions; pair with mindful offering of one’s day’s activities.
acucyavuḥ: reduplicated perfect/aoristic formation from √cyu/√cyav ‘to move, flow, fall’; conveys an active streaming of offerings. girvaṇaḥ: ‘fond of gir- (hymn/word)’; gir- from √gṛ ‘to sing/praise’. andhas-: ‘Soma juice/pressing’; linked to the pressed extract (√su) as concentrated essence. hitám: past participle of √dhā ‘to place’ with hi- prefixal nuance in Vedic usage; ‘set in place’—psychologically a prepared locus in consciousness.
pervasion of divine force through all fields (viśvāsu), Soma as ananda-essence, R̥ta as right placing (hitam)
Indra’s drinking of Soma supports right action across ‘all movements’, aligning life with Ṛta.
Śukra pressings symbolize clarified truth-substance offered to the truth-mind.
Release and governance: illumination enters and organizes the multiplicity of movements.
Psychological Vedism: Soma as Ananda feeding Indra (illumined mind) to transform prakṛti.
Flowing Soma = descending current of delight; brightness = clarity of mind; ‘set in all’ = pervasion through the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s Soma-drinking: the god-force is invited to take the luminous extract so that victorious power awakens. Innerly, the illumined mind (Indra) is strengthened by delight-essence to act across ‘all’ parts of the nature.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pā ‘drink’ (piba) continues PIE *peh₃- ‘drink’ (cf. Lat. pōtus, Eng. potable via Romance). √cyu/√cyav ‘move/flow’ reflects archaic motion semantics; the reduplication (a-cucyav-) is a characteristic Indo-European intensification strategy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet offers bright Soma-pressings and the supporting hymn (gir). Indra, as ‘girvaṇaḥ’, responds to inspired speech; the reciprocity is: mantra prepares and ‘places’ (hita) the offering in the being, and Indra’s drinking activates victorious intelligence throughout the whole life-field.
Invite illumined mind to ‘drink’ the day: offer every movement to clarity and delight.
Ājñā (Indra’s light) with Sahasrāra openness; grounding in Maṇipūra for decisive action
Nadi-śodhana 6 rounds, then one slow chant; feel a bright current filling head and chest.
Luminous integration (clear mind pervading activity)
After chanting, review upcoming actions; silently place each in the ‘cup’ of awareness and offer it to Indra—asking that delight-essence govern speech, choice, and execution.
Vedic accents as per śākhā; emphasize vocatives ‘indra’ and ‘girvaṇaḥ’; keep line-flow smooth through longer pādas.
Do not clip long vowels: ā (ā tvā), ū (śukrāḥ). Keep conjuncts clear: acucyavuḥ.
ā tvā (two long ā; slight pause), śukrāḥ (śu-krāḥ; aspirate lightly), acucyavuḥ (a-cu-cya-vuḥ; ‘cya’ palatal), andhasaḥ (an-dha-saḥ; dh aspirated), viśvāsu (viś-vā-su; ś palatal)
Full, authoritative, luminous
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