Rig Veda 9.77.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 77, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.77
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ते नः पूर्वास उपरास इन्दवो महे वाजाय धन्वन्तु गोमते । ईक्षेण्यासो अह्यो न चारवो ब्रह्मब्रह्म ये जुजुषुर्हविर्हविः ॥
té naḥ pū́rvāsa úparāsa índavo mahé vā́jāya dhanvantu gó-mate | īkṣeṇyā́so ahyò na cā́ravo bráhma-brahma yé jujuṣúr havír-haviḥ ||
فلتندفع لنا قطراتُ السُّوما، الأولى واللاحقة، نحو فيضٍ عظيمٍ من القوّة، غنيٍّ بالأشعّة (go). ظاهرةً وسريعةً كالأفاعي، هم الذين يقبلون كلَّ قربانٍ مع كلِّ مَنْترا؛ فليتحرّكوا فينا مَنْترا فوق مَنْترا، وقربانًا إثر قربان.
Word by Word
- ते
- they (those)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- for us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वासः
- the earlier/foremost onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपरासः
- the later/upper onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot उपर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘upper, later’)
- इन्दवः
- Soma-dropsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- महे
- for the great (one/goal)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजाय
- for strength/prizeNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- धन्वन्तु
- let them speed/streamVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root धन्व् (धातु; ‘to run/stream, speed’)
- गोमते
- for the cow-rich (one/wealth)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot गोमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईक्षण्याः
- splendid/visible onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot ईक्षण्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘to be looked at, splendid’)
- अह्यः
- a serpentNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role (उपमान/विशेष्य)Root अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like/asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातःRole (सम्बन्ध)Root न (अव्यय)
- चारवः
- beautiful, dearAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्मब्रह्म
- the sacred formulation—again and againNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्ति (यमक/अभ्यास) बलार्थम्Role KarmaRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ये
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जुजुषुः
- have delighted in / have acceptedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/अभ्यास), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root जुष् (धातु; ‘to enjoy, be pleased with, accept’)
- हविः
- the oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्ति (हविर्हविः) बलार्थम्Role KarmaRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हविः
- the oblation (again)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्तिRole KarmaRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते नः पूर्वासः उपरासः इन्दवः महे वाजाय धन्वन्तु गोमते । ईक्षण्याः अहिः न चारवः ब्रह्मब्रह्म ये जुजुषुः हविः हविः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) न॒: पूर्वा॑सः = नः + पूर्वासः (विसर्ग-लोपः/एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम्)
- (2) उप॑रास॒ इन्द॑वो = उपरासः + इन्दवः (विसर्गः पदान्ते लुप्यते संहितायाम्)
- (3) ई॒क्षे॒ण्या॑सो = ईक्षण्याः (प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; संहिता-रूपे -आसो)
- (4) अ॒ह्यो॒ न = अहिः + न (विसर्ग-लोपः)
- (5) हविर्हविः = हविः + हविः (विसर्गः ‘र्’ आदेशः स्वरादौ)
- (6) ब्रह्मब्रह्म, हविर्हविः इत्यत्र पुनरुक्तिः (यमक/अभ्यास) बलार्थम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the earlier and later Soma-drops speed for us toward great strength rich in cows. Visible and swift like serpents, accepting each offering with each mantra, may they move as mantra upon mantra.
Inner meaning
The many currents of Soma (indavaḥ)—from our former attainments and our newly awakened movements—are invoked to hasten toward a vast plenitude of force (mahe vājāya). ‘Go’ indicates rays of knowledge; thus the sought force is luminous power, not mere vigor. The Soma-currents are ‘seen’ (īkṣeṇyāsaḥ): they become perceptible as inner experiences, swift and penetrating like serpents (ahyaḥ), i.e., subtle energies moving through the inner channels. They accept offering after offering: each act of self-giving and each mantra-call is taken up and multiplied, becoming ‘brahma upon brahma’—a layering of revelatory speech in consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth draws on both past momentum and present effort; repeated sincere offering and mantra deepen the current until inner energy becomes visible, swift, and luminous.
Themes
successive Soma flows, mantric intensification, luminous enrichment
The seer
- Rishi
- Ascribed to the Soma-Pavamāna seers of the Ninth Maṇḍala (exact rishi uncertain)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.77.1, Rig Veda 9.77.2, Rig Veda 9.77.4, Rig Veda 9.77.5
Significance
The ‘collective seer’ voice emphasizes process: many Soma-streams correspond to many inner movements; the rishi-function here is to coordinate them toward luminous power.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (plural currents)
- Epithets
- indavaḥ (drops), īkṣeṇyāsaḥ (visible), cāravaḥ (swift-moving)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Indra (illumined force), Agni (sacrifice-will)
Cosmic role
Multiplying currents of delight that carry offerings upward and bring illumination-force downward.
Inner power
Quickening of subtle energies; mantra-activation that builds higher speech and knowledge in the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna chants during Soma filtration/pressing
ते न॒: पूर्वा॑स॒ उप॑रास॒ इन्द॑वो म॒हे वाजा॑य धन्वन्तु॒ गोम॑ते । ई॒क्षे॒ण्या॑सो अ॒ह्यो॒३॒॑ न चार॑वो॒ ब्रह्म॑ब्रह्म॒ ये जु॑जु॒षुर्ह॒विर्ह॑विः ॥
ते । नः॒ । पूर्वा॑सः । उप॑रासः । इन्द॑वः । म॒हे । वाजा॑य । ध॒न्व॒न्तु॒ । गोऽम॑ते । ई॒क्षे॒ण्या॑सः । अ॒ह्यः॑ । न । चार॑वः । ब्रह्म॑ऽब्रह्म । ये । जु॒जु॒षुः । ह॒विःऽह॑विः ॥
te | naḥ | pūrvāsaḥ | uparāsaḥ | indavaḥ | mahe | vājāya | dhanvantu | go-mate | īkṣeṇyāsaḥ | ahyaḥ | na | cāravaḥ | brahma-brahma | ye | jujuṣuḥ | haviḥ-haviḥ
48
4 × 12
Expansive, forward-driving; suited to ‘speeding’ (dhanvantu).
Builds momentum; supports the feeling of many currents accelerating toward a single vast goal.
- पूर्वासः / उपरासः (pūrvāsaḥ / uparāsaḥ)
- Literal: earlier / later. Symbolic: past realizations and new awakenings working together
- इन्दवः (indavaḥ)
- Literal: Soma drops. Symbolic: multiple streams of delight-consciousness
- वाजाय (vājāya)
- Literal: to force, plenitude, victory. Symbolic: spiritual strength that accomplishes the work
- गोमते (gomate)
- Literal: rich in cows. Symbolic: rich in rays of knowledge/illumination
- ईक्षेण्यासः (īkṣeṇyāsaḥ)
- Literal: visible, to be seen. Symbolic: becoming directly experiencable in inner perception
- अह्यः (ahyaḥ)
- Literal: serpents. Symbolic: swift, subtle, coiling energies moving through inner pathways
- ब्रह्म-ब्रह्म (brahma-brahma)
- Literal: mantra upon mantra. Symbolic: successive layers of inspired word building a higher formation
- हविः-हविः (haviḥ-haviḥ)
- Literal: each offering. Symbolic: repeated self-offering of mind, life, and body into the inner sacrifice
Accompanies successive Soma streams/pressings; also maps to iterative mantra-offering cycles (haviḥ-haviḥ; brahma-brahma).
During the flow of Soma, to impel the drops toward the offering
Chanted as Soma is made ready; reinforces acceptance of offerings and mantra-power
Use for energizing practice: invoke past and present spiritual efforts to converge into luminous strength; helpful before study, sādhanā, or demanding service.
indu (drop) is Soma in discrete currents. vāja (√vaj: strength) as force-plenitude. go-mat 'possessing cows' symbolically 'possessing rays/knowledges'. √īkṣ 'see' → īkṣeṇya 'visible/see-worthy'. ahi (serpent) as energy-form: swift, coiling life-force (not demon here). √juṣ 'enjoy/accept' → jujuṣuḥ. brahman as mantra/formula; reduplication brahma-brahma emphasizes iterative mantric building.
vāja as force-plenitude, go as rays/knowledge, mantra as formative power (brahman)
‘Speeding’ toward vāja underlines purposeful, law-governed ascent and fulfillment.
Brahma-brahma suggests truth-formations built by inspired speech.
Mantra as formative power: repeated offerings create layered consciousness-structures.
Mantra-śakti orientation within integral Vedic yoga.
Drops = discrete experiences of delight; serpents = kundalinī-like subtle motion; rays/cows = illuminations that feed the mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The many Soma-streams (earlier and later) racing like serpents toward vāja rich in rays: a mythic image of successive waves of delight-energy moving through the system, each receiving offering and mantra, building an inner ascent.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √īkṣ 'see' relates to the IE 'vision' lexicon (cf. Latin oculus via different root; but IE poetic emphasis on sight/illumination is shared). The reduplicative intensification (brahma-brahma; haviḥ-haviḥ) is an inherited Indo-European poetic device for iterative or distributive emphasis.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi coordinates mantra and offering as a repeated inner operation: Soma accepts each haviḥ and each brahman, and in exchange speeds toward a great go-mat vāja—an inner wealth of knowledge and force.
Unify multiple inner movements (past habit-energy and new aspiration) into one luminous drive toward force and knowledge.
Manipura (vāja/force) with Ajna (go/rays)
Brisk-energetic kapalabhāti-light variant only if suitable; otherwise rhythmic breathing 4-4-6 to build momentum.
Dynamic collectedness; mantra becomes ‘stacked’ in awareness.
Chant in sets of 3 or 9; after each set, pause and feel subtle currents ‘speeding’ through the spine and spreading as rays in the forehead; offer one inner obstruction as haviḥ and resume.
Three-tone Rigvedic contour; verify śākhā-specific accents for public teaching.
Keep forward stress on: pū́rvāsa uparā́sa índavo / máhe vā́jāya / gó-mate / ī́kṣeṇyāso / bráhma-bráhma / havíḥ-havíḥ.
indavo: light dental d, not retroflex., gomate: long o; keep ‘go’ clear (gō)., brahma-brahma: aspirate bh; do not turn into ‘bramma’., haviḥ: final ḥ audible, not dropped.
Bright, driving, articulated consonants; minimal drag between words.
12
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.
