Rig Veda 9.46.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 46, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.46
एते सोमास इन्दवः प्रयस्वन्तश्चमू सुताः । इन्द्रं वर्धन्ति कर्मभिः ॥
eté sómāsa índavaḥ práyasvantaś camū́ sutā́ḥ | índraṁ vardhanti kármabhiḥ ||
هؤلاء قطراتُ السُّوما، الإندو، الغنيّةُ بمادّةِ القُربان؛ عُصِرَتْ في الـcamū (الإناء)؛ وهي تُنمّي إندرا بالأعمال (أعمالِ اليَجْنَا والانضباطِ الباطني).
Indra is the chief Soma-drinker; Soma ‘increases’ Indra’s strength for victory. Liturgically tied to Soma offerings and stotras that empower Indra.
works (karman) as conscious operations aligning with Ṛta, Indra as victorious intelligence-force strengthened by Soma, offering-substance (prayas) as inner nourishment
Karmabhiḥ implies action aligned to Ṛta; right works allow Soma to truly ‘increase Indra’.
Truth manifests as increased luminous discernment (Indra strengthened).
Purification and extraction: essence drawn out of the mixed nature to feed higher powers.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral Yoga reading: Ananda as a power that supports illumination and transformation.
Soma as a flowing delight-current; the vessel as the collected, steady awareness that can hold and offer experience upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma strengthens Indra. Mythically the god of victory is empowered to overcome obstruction; psychologically the luminous-ecstatic essence (Soma) increases the indriya/Indra principle—forceful, discerning mind—so it can perform decisive works against inertia and ignorance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘increase’ reflects PIE *werdh-. The ritual term karman ‘work’ (from √kṛ ‘do’) is an Indo-European poetic staple (cf. Greek τέχνη/ἔργον as functional parallels in ‘work’ lexemes), here specialized into both outer rite and inner discipline.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer presents a reciprocal economy: through ‘works’ (karmabhiḥ) the community prepares Soma, and Soma in turn increases Indra—the inner and cosmic power that secures victory and right ordering for the sacrificer.
Offer the day’s actions into a felt current of quiet joy; sense that joy strengthens inner clarity (Indra).
Anāhata to Ājñā (joy rising into illumination)
Gentle sama-vṛtti; on exhale feel ‘offering’, on inhale feel ‘increase of light’.
Collected, uplifted, quietly powerful.
Before work or study, chant 9–27 times; then sit 3 minutes sensing a bright joy in the heart lifting to the brow as clear decision-force.
Notated svara unavailable; chant in a steady Vedic recitation style with clear udātta lifts on principal words (e.g., sómāsaḥ, índavaḥ, índram).
Maintain crisp accent on Vedic udātta syllables; avoid flattening into monotone—let ‘vardhanti’ carry a slight rising emphasis.
Keep retroflex ḍ in (indavaḥ) as dental ‘d’ here (not retroflex); ‘da’., (camū): long ū; do not shorten., (karmabhiḥ): aspirate ‘bh’ clearly; light visarga at end.
Clear, steady, energized but not forceful; ‘offering’ tone.
9
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
