Rig Veda 9.86.46: Mandala 9, Sukta 86, Mantra 46
Sukta 9.86
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
असर्जि स्कम्भो दिव उद्यतो मदः परि त्रिधातुर्भुवनान्यर्षति । अंशुं रिहन्ति मतयः पनिप्नतं गिरा यदि निर्णिजमृग्मिणो ययुः ॥
asárji skambhó divá udyató mádaḥ pári tridʰātúr bhúvanāny arṣati | aṃśúṃ rihanti matáyaḥ panípnataṃ girā yádi nirṇíjam ṛgmíṇo yayúḥ ||
أُطلِقَ عمودُ الإسناد من ذُرى الضياء؛ والنشوةُ المرفوعةُ تفيضُ مُحيطةً بالعوالمِ القائمةِ على الأساسِ الثلاثي. قوى الفكر تَلْحَسُ الشعاعَ اللامعَ وتُنقِّيه، وتُشَكِّلُه برِقّة؛ وحين يمضي المُنشدون بالترنيمة، يُلبِسونه حُلّتَه المتلألئة.
Word by Word
- असर्जि
- was released / has been set in motionVerbAorist (sigmatic), 3rd person singular, Ātmanepada; injunctive/aorist usage in VedicRole (finite verb of clause 1)Root सृज्
- स्कम्भः
- the prop/support (pillar)NounMasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot स्कम्भ
- दिवः
- of heaven / of the skyNounFeminine, genitive singularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root दिव्
- उद्यतः
- raised up / upliftedParticiple (Adjective)Masculine, nominative singular; past passive participle used adjectivallyRole Viśeṣaṇa of स्कम्भःRoot उद्-यम्
- मदः
- intoxication / exhilaration (Soma-rapture)NounMasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to स्कम्भः, or co-subject)Root मद
- परि
- aroundIndeclinablePreverb/adverbRole (upasarga with verb)Root परि
- त्रिधातुः
- of the threefold (world/order)Noun/AdjectiveMasculine, genitive singular (Vedic ending -uḥ for -oḥ)Role Apādāna/Adhikaraṇa nuance with परि…अर्षति (around/through the threefold realm)Root त्रि-धातु
- भुवनानि
- the worlds / beingsNounNeuter, accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot भुवन
- अर्षति
- flows / rushesVerbPresent, 3rd person singular, ParasmaipadaRole (finite verb of clause 1)Root ऋष्/अर्ष्
- अंशुम्
- the Soma-stalk / ray (of Soma)NounMasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot अंशु
- रिहन्ति
- they lick / lapVerbPresent, 3rd person plural, ParasmaipadaRole (finite verb of clause 2)Root रिह्
- मतयः
- thoughts / hymnic inspirationsNounFeminine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot मति
- पनिप्नतम्
- well-pressed / thoroughly purified (of Soma)Participle (Adjective)Masculine, accusative singular; perfect/passive participial formation used adjectivally (Vedic)Role Viśeṣaṇa of अंशुम्Root पनि-√प्नत् (denom./intensive from √पन्/√प्नद्? Vedic form)
- गिरा
- with song / by hymnNounFeminine, instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot गिर्
- यदि
- when / asIndeclinableConjunctionRole (connective)Root यदि
- निर्णिजम्
- garment / shining covering (radiance)NounFeminine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot निर्णिज्
- ऋग्मिणः
- the hymn-possessing (singers/priests)Adjective (used substantively)Masculine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot ऋग्मिन्
- ययुः
- have gone / wentVerbPerfect, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada (Vedic perfect)Role (finite verb of clause 3)Root या
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: असर्जि | स्कम्भः | दिवः | उद्यतः | मदः | परि | त्रिधातुः | भुवनानि | अर्षति || अंशुम् | रिहन्ति | मतयः | पनिप्नतम् | गिरा | यदि | निर्णिजम् | ऋग्मिणः | ययुः । Notable Vedic form: त्रिधातुः = gen.sg
- (older -uḥ for classical -oḥ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Released is the supporting pillar from heaven; the uplifted ecstasy streams around the threefold worlds. The thought-powers lick and refine the bright ray; when the singers go with the hymn, they clothe it in shining vesture.
Inner meaning
The ‘pillar’ (skambha) is the inner axis of consciousness—support of ascent—released from above (diva udyataḥ), meaning a higher poise opens and descends as support. The ecstasy (mada) rises and flows through the three planes (tridhātu: mind, life, body) harmonizing them. The matayaḥ (thought-powers, inspired intuitions) ‘lick’ (rihanti) the aṃśu (ray) to refine it—like polishing light—while mantra (girā) gives it a luminous form (nirṇij: shining garment) so it can act in the manifested nature.
Universal truth
Spiritual realization needs both descent of support and ascent of joy. Inspiration must be shaped—by thought and by word—into a form that can clothe life and transform it.
Themes
Soma-ritual (inner purification), ascent of ecstasy, cosmic support/axis (skambha), mantric formation of light (gir → niḥ-nij)
The seer
- Rishi
- Composite/Anonymous (Pavamāna Soma; hymn-level Anukramaṇī needed)
- Other hymns
- RV 10.121 (Skambha/Hiraṇyagarbha themes nearby conceptually), RV 9.62 (Soma and inspired thought)
Family tradition
Soma-poets who also function as inner artisans: refining rays into mantra-forms.
Significance
The seer highlights a key yogic mechanics: higher support (skambha) releases ecstasy, but the human instrument must refine and ‘clothe’ illumination through disciplined inspiration and mantra.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Aṃśu (Ray), Mada (Ecstasy), Pavamāna (Purifying)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of inspired word), Agni (formative fire shaping offerings), Sarasvatī (stream of inspired speech)
Cosmic role
Circulates delight and illumination through the three worlds, establishing a supporting axis and a luminous vesture of manifestation.
Inner power
Descended support plus flowing rapture that refines thought into mantric form.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification; also thematically fits moments of ‘release’ and ‘flow’ during filtering
अस॑र्जि स्क॒म्भो दि॒व उद्य॑तो॒ मद॒: परि॑ त्रि॒धातु॒र्भुव॑नान्यर्षति । अं॒शुं रि॑हन्ति म॒तय॒: पनि॑प्नतं गि॒रा यदि॑ नि॒र्णिज॑मृ॒ग्मिणो॑ य॒युः ॥
अस॑र्जि । स्क॒म्भः । दि॒वः । उत्ऽय॑तः । मदः॑ । परि॑ । त्रि॒ऽधातुः । भुव॑नानि । अ॒र्ष॒ति॒ । अं॒शुम् । रि॒ह॒न्ति॒ । म॒तयः॑ । पनि॑प्नतम् । गि॒रा । यदि॑ । निः॒ऽनिज॑म् । ऋ॒ग्मिणः॑ । य॒युः ॥
asarji | skambhaḥ | divaḥ | ut-yataḥ | madaḥ | pari | tri-dhātuḥ | bhuvanāni | arṣati | aṃśum | rihanti | matayaḥ | panipnatam | girā | yadi | niḥ-nijam | ṛgmiṇaḥ | yayuḥ
48
4 × ~12
Architectonic and expansive; strong supports (skambha) balanced by flowing verbs (arṣati, rihanti).
Creates a sense of vertical alignment (pillar) and then a circulating flow; supports both steadiness and inspired movement.
- स्कम्भ (skambha)
- Literal: pillar, prop, support. Symbolic: axis of consciousness; stable support from the higher being
- दिवः उद्यतः (diva udyataḥ)
- Literal: uplifted from heaven. Symbolic: released from higher consciousness; descent of a supporting power
- मद (mada)
- Literal: ecstasy, rapture. Symbolic: uplifted ananda-force that circulates through the planes
- त्रिधातु (tridhātu)
- Literal: threefold-founded. Symbolic: three worlds/planes in the being (mind-life-body) needing harmonization
- अंशु (aṃśu)
- Literal: ray, stalk. Symbolic: a beam of illumination; the Soma-ray of truth
- मतयः (matayaḥ)
- Literal: thoughts, inspirations. Symbolic: intuitive thought-powers that refine and shape light
- गिरा (girā)
- Literal: by speech/hymn. Symbolic: mantric word that gives body to the light
- निर्णिज् (nirṇij)
- Literal: shining garment, bright vesture. Symbolic: formed expression/vehicle of light in mind and life
Soma-pavamāna stotra/śastra context in Soma sacrifice (e.g., Agniṣṭoma sequence: Soma purification over the pavitra into vessels).
When Soma begins to run freely after pressing, and as hymns accompany the flow.
Chanting to accompany the streaming Soma; singers ‘clothe’ the rite with mantra.
Use when seeking stability in practice: chant to invoke a ‘pillar’ of support, then write/utter a short sankalpa (mantric clothing) for the day.
Key terms: (1) skambhá- ‘support, prop’ from √skambh; in RV often cosmic axis—psychologically the stable inner support of ascent. (2) máda- from √mad ‘rejoice, be intoxicated’ → Soma-ecstasy, here an uplifted force (ud-√yam). (3) dhātu- ‘foundation, placing’ from √dhā ‘to set, establish’; tri-dhātu indicates a triple ordering (often earth–midspace–heaven, or body–life–mind). (4) aṃśú- ‘ray/beam’ (also Soma-stalk) carries the double sense: physical Soma and the luminous strand of consciousness. (5) niḥ-níj- from niḥ+√nij ‘wash, cleanse’ → purified brilliance/raiment; the hymn ‘clothes’ the ray in clarified expression.
Ṛta as ordered triple-world harmony (tri-dhātu), Satyam–Ritam–Bṛhat implied by luminous ascent and stabilizing support, inner purification as clarification of consciousness (niḥ-nij)
Skambha symbolizes the cosmic order that holds the worlds; flow around tridhātu is ṛta in action.
Aṃśu as truth-ray that must be refined to act.
Worlds are sustained by a vertical support and energized by circulating delight; speech gives luminous form to force.
Mantra-śakti orientation: word as body of light; integral transformation across mind-life-body.
Pillar = spinal/axis alignment; heaven = higher mind/supramental poise; flow = circulating ananda; garment = formed expression in mind-life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Soma-as-cosmic-stream mythologem: Soma’s ecstasy is ‘released’ from the heavenly support and flows through/around the triple worlds. The secondary mythic action is the ‘fashioning of light’: inspired thoughts and hymns refine the aṃśu (ray/stalk), turning raw potency into clarified radiance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sṛj ‘release, let flow’ aligns with PIE *ser-/*sreu- domain of flowing/streaming semantics (cf. English ‘stream’ via different lineage; Sanskrit √sru is closer, but √sṛj participates in ‘emission’). √mad ‘rejoice/intoxicate’ reflects a widespread IE semantic field of exhilaration/mental elevation. √dhā ‘set, place’ (dhātu) is a clear IE inheritance (cf. Greek τίθημι, Latin faciō is different but ‘do/make’ overlaps functionally; closer are Germanic ‘do’ not cognate—Greek/Indo-Iranian show the placement root strongly).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity is enacted through formation: Soma provides the uplifted mada (ecstatic force), while the seer’s matayaḥ and gir (insight and utterance) refine and ‘clothe’ that force into a transmissible luminous form. The human vessel does not merely receive; it collaborates in purification—turning raw divine energy into ordered, world-supporting clarity (tri-dhātu).
Align to the inner pillar; invite ananda to circulate through mind-life-body; refine insight into a clear mantra/affirmation.
Suṣumṇā axis focus; Ājñā (ray) expressed through Viśuddha (mantric clothing).
Spinal breathing (up/down the central channel) followed by a few minutes of mantra-japa on a chosen truth-ray.
Supported uplift with inspired clarity.
After chanting, speak one sentence of truth you can live today—this is ‘clothing the ray’ so it can act in life.
Observe udatta peaks on key nouns (skambhaḥ, madaḥ, tridhātuḥ, aṃśum); let the cadence ‘stand’ then ‘flow’.
Clear articulation of skámbhaḥ, dívaḥ, úd-yataḥ, mádaḥ, trí-dhātuḥ, áṃśum, matáyaḥ, gí rā, nirṇíjam.
skambhaḥ: keep cluster sk-; final ḥ audible but light, udyataḥ: separate ud-ya-; avoid ‘ujjata’, tridhātuḥ: aspirate dh, nirṇijam: retroflex ṇ; keep nij as ‘nij’ not ‘nijj’
Upright, centered, slightly more resonant on ‘skambha’ words; then fluid on ‘arṣati’.
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