Rig Veda Sukta 9
Mandala 9Sukta 99 Mantras

Sukta 9

Sukta 9.9

Devata

Soma (Pavamāna)

يمدح هذا النشيد السومي البافامانا سوما المعصور الجاري بوصفه قوةَ رائيٍ مضيئة تتحرك عبر العالمين وتغدو صالحةً للآلهة بالتطهير. ويربط تيار سوما المصفّى بالكلام الموحى، وبالنظام الحقّ (ṛta)، وبشريعة إندرا الظافرة، ويختتم بطلب مجدٍ دائم، وقوة، وذكاء، و«سفَه» (العالم المضيء).

Recitation with translationRig Veda 9.9

Mantras

Mantra 1

परि प्रिया दिवः कविर्वयांसि नप्त्योर्हितः । सुवानो याति कविक्रतुः ॥

حولَ الأَشْكالِ الحَبيبَةِ في السَّماءِ يَسيرُ الكَفِيّ—مُثَبَّتًا في العالَمَيْنِ القَريبَيْنِ ذَوَي القُرْبى؛ وإِذْ يُعْصَرُ ويَنْبَثِقُ، يَمْضي، وإِرادَتُهُ قُوَّةُ إِلْهامِ الشَّاعِرِ.

Mantra 2

प्रप्र क्षयाय पन्यसे जनाय जुष्टो अद्रुहे । वीत्यर्ष चनिष्ठया ॥

تقدَّم، تقدَّم؛ اجرِ نحو المسكن المقيم، نحو القوم المستحقّين للعجب—مُرحَّبًا بك لدى غيرِ المخادِع. واسْعَ إلى مأدبةِ القُربان بأشدِّ تيّاراتك ظفرًا.

Mantra 3

स सूनुर्मातरा शुचिर्जातो जाते अरोचयत् । महान्मही ऋतावृधा ॥

هو، الابنُ الطاهرُ للأمَّين، لمّا وُلِدَ أضاءَ المولِدَين. عظيمٌ هو، وبناموسِ الحقّ (ṛta) يُنمّي العظمة.

Mantra 4

स सप्त धीतिभिर्हितो नद्यो अजिन्वदद्रुहः । या एकमक्षि वावृधुः ॥

هو، مُحرَّكٌ بسبعِ إلهامات، يدفعُ الأنهارَ التي لا تخونُ الحقّ—تلك التي تُنمّي العينَ الواحدةَ للرؤية.

Mantra 5

ता अभि सन्तमस्तृतं महे युवानमा दधुः । इन्दुमिन्द्र तव व्रते ॥

يُقيمون خمرَ السُّوما في المسيرِ القويم—نحوَ الحاضرِ حقًّا الذي لا يَسقُط، نحوَ القوّةِ الفتيّةِ العُظمى؛ يا إندرا، يُثبِتون الإندو في شريعةِ عملِكَ الإلهيّ.

Mantra 6

अभि वह्निरमर्त्यः सप्त पश्यति वावहिः । क्रिविर्देवीरतर्पयत् ॥

نارُ الحاملِ الخالدةُ تندفعُ قُدُمًا وتُبصِرُ السَّبعة؛ والقوّةُ الدافعةُ تُرضي الإلهات—فتملأ الطاقاتِ الإلهيّةَ بلذّةِ السُّوما المُنقّى.

Mantra 7

अवा कल्पेषु नः पुमस्तमांसि सोम योध्या । तानि पुनान जङ्घनः ॥

في جميعِ تَشكّلاتِ حياتِنا، أَسقِطْ عنّا الظلماتِ، يا سوما؛ وحارِبْها. أنتَ المُطهِّرُ، اضربْها واطردْها مرّةً بعدَ مرّة.

Mantra 8

नू नव्यसे नवीयसे सूक्ताय साधया पथः । प्रत्नवद्रोचया रुचः ॥

الآن، للذي هو دائمُ الجِدّةِ والأجدّ، هيِّئ السُّبُلَ للسُّوكتا (القولِ المسبوكِ في التسبيح)؛ وأشِعْ أنوارَكَ على النهجِ العتيق—مُجدِّداً الإشراقَ الأوّل.

Mantra 9

पवमान महि श्रवो गामश्वं रासि वीरवत् । सना मेधां सना स्वः ॥

يا سوما المُطهِّر (بَفَمانا)، هَبْ لنا شَرَفَساً عظيماً—سماعاً مُلهَماً؛ وامنحْ أشعّةَ النور والطاقاتِ السريعةَ بقوّةٍ بطولية؛ وامنحْ ذكاءً دائماً، وامنحْ سْفَهْ دائماً—العالَمَ المضيءَ في الداخل.

Inside Sukta 9

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Soma is introduced as a seerly power moving around the beloved forms of heaven, set in the two kindred realms, pressing himself forth in inspired will (kavi-kratu).

  2. Development

    The hymn follows Soma’s purification and right movement, presenting the stream as established within ṛta and aligned with Indra’s vrata (divine law/working).

  3. Climax

    Soma is affirmed as the great youthful, unfailing presence placed into Indra’s ordinance—purity becoming power for victory and right action.

  4. Where it settles

    The close turns to boons: great śravas, cattle and horses (prosperity and energy), heroic force, enduring medhā, and enduring svah (luminous world).

The deity: Soma

  • In the VedaSoma is the divine plant-essence and its pressed juice, praised as a shining, purifying stream that becomes ‘pavamāna’ as it runs through the woolen filter, awakening inspiration and delighting the gods.
  • Cosmic functionMediator of vitality and illumination: Soma quickens Indra and the gods, sustains ṛta (right order), and circulates as a life-giving, heaven-reaching current of light and power.
  • Inner significanceThe clarified mind and inspired consciousness: as Soma is filtered of dross, so awareness is refined into clarity, poetic intuition (kavi-kratu), and enduring medhā (intelligence) leading toward svah (inner luminous heaven).

The seer

  • Anukta (attribution uncertain)This hymn belongs to the Soma Pavamāna corpus (Mandala 9) where many verses are traditionally transmitted without a single clearly preserved seer-name; the focus is on the ritual-poetic vision of Soma’s purification.

Famous verses

kavikratuḥ
Verse 9.9.1Sets the keynote image of Soma as ‘kavi-kratu’—a seerly, inspired will moving through heaven and the paired realms, framing purification as a cosmic journey.Read verse 9.9.1 →
indra tava vrate
Verse 9.9.5Explicitly links the purified Indu with ṛta/right movement and Indra’s vrata, showing Soma as the empowered offering that supports divine action and victory.Read verse 9.9.5 →
sanā medhāṃ sanā svaḥ
Verse 9.9.9A clear concluding prayer listing the hymn’s core desired fruits—śravas, strength, medhā, and svah—bridging ritual Soma with inner illumination.Read verse 9.9.9 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Purifier (pavamāna)
  • Luminous and heaven-oriented
  • Kavi (seer-like) and inspirer of speech
  • Strength-giving to Indra
  • Upholder of ṛta
  • Bestower of śravas (inspired renown/hearing), medhā, and svah

Also by this seer

  • General association with the Pavamāna (Soma) hymns of Mandala 9 transmitted in the Pavitra (filtering) context
  • No secure, hymn-specific additional attributions for RV 9.9 in the received tradition

The rite, step by step

  • Press the Soma plant to express the juice (savana).
  • Mix and prepare the juice according to rite (often with water; sometimes with milk/curds depending on pressing).
  • Filter through the woolen strainer (pavitra) while chanting Pavamāna stotras/ṛks.
  • Collect the clarified Soma in vessels; consecrate by further recitation and rhythmic chanting.
  • Offer libations to the gods (notably Indra) and distribute the remainder per ritual rule.

Offerings

  • Clarified Soma juice (Indu)
  • Libations to Indra and other deities
  • Associated oblations as required by the Soma rite (supporting offerings to Agni, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions

It praises Soma while it is being purified (pavamāna), describing it as a luminous, inspired power that supports ṛta (right order) and strengthens the gods, especially Indra.

In Soma rituals, Indra is a chief recipient of Soma. The hymn says the purified Indu is established in Indra’s ‘vrata’—his divine law and victorious working.

It asks Pavamāna Soma for great śravas (inspired renown/hearing), prosperity and swift energies (cows and horses), heroic force, lasting medhā (intelligence), and svah (the luminous world).

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