Rig Veda 9.13.1: Mandala 9, Sukta 13, Mantra 1
Sukta 9.13
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-class line length
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सोमः पुनानो अर्षति सहस्रधारो अत्यविः । वायोरिन्द्रस्य निष्कृतम् ॥
sómaḥ punānó arṣati sahásra-dhāro áty-aviḥ | vāyór índrasya niḥ-kṛtám ||
সোম, নিজেকে পবিত্র করতে করতে, সহস্র ধারায় প্রবাহিত হয়, উলের ছাঁকনি অতিক্রম করে। সে বায়ু ও ইন্দ্রের নিষ্কৃত—সজ্জিত আসন-যজ্ঞস্থান—এর দিকে যায়।
Word by Word
- सोमः
- Soma (the pressed sacred juice)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (सु- ‘to press, extract’) → सोम ‘pressed (juice)’
- पुनानः
- being purified (in the filter)Verb-derived adjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद-वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त ‘being purified / purifying himself’Role कर्तृ (सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Root √पू (पू- ‘to purify, cleanse’)
- अर्षति
- flows, streamsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: सोमः)Root √ऋष्/अर्ष् (ऋष्/अर्ष् ‘to flow, rush, stream’)
- सहस्रधारः
- having a thousand streamsAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root सहस्र + धारा (प्रातिपदिक); धारा < √धृ/√धार् ‘to hold, bear’ (धार- ‘stream’)
- अत्यविः
- passing over/through the sheep’s (wool), i.e., over the woolen filterAdjective/epithet (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root अति + अवि (प्रातिपदिक); अवि ‘sheep/ewe’ (filtering wool metaphor)
- वायोः
- of VāyuNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी: ‘of Vāyu’)Root वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी: ‘of Indra’)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- निष्कृतम्
- the prepared (draught/portion)Verbal adjective (past passive participle)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कर्मपद; ‘that which is prepared’)Role कर्मRoot निस् + √कृ (कृ- ‘to make, prepare’) → निष्कृत (ppp) ‘made ready/finished; set forth’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सोमः | पुनानः | अर्षति | सहस्रधारः | अत्यविः | वायोः | इन्द्रस्य | निष्कृतम् || 1) ‘सोम॑:’ = सोमः (विसर्ग-लोप/चिह्नभेदः पाठभेदेन)
- 2) ‘पुना॒नो’ = पुनानः (शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त रूप; ओ/अः संधि-लेखनभेदः)
- 3) ‘स॒हस्र॑धारो॒’ = सहस्रधारः (पदान्त ‘-o’ इति संहितालक्षणम्; पदपाठे ‘-ः’)
- 4) ‘वा॒योरिन्द्र॑स्य’ = वायोः + इन्द्रस्य (विसर्गः + स्वरादि → ‘ओरि’ संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, purifying himself, streams in a thousand currents, passing beyond the woolen filter; he goes to the prepared place of Vāyu and Indra.
Inner meaning
Soma’s self-purification is the refinement of delight-consciousness as it passes through the ‘wool’ (āvī)—the filtering medium of mind/nervous nature that separates clarity from mixture. Emerging in a thousand currents, it becomes manifold energies of inspiration. It then reaches the prepared inner seat of Vāyu (life-breath, prāṇa-force) and Indra (illumined mind): delight feeds breath-force and illumination, establishing a stable inner offering-space (niṣkṛtam).
Universal truth
When inner delight is purified, it naturally diversifies into many helpful movements and nourishes both life-force and intelligence—making the psyche a prepared temple for higher powers.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Purification through the filter, Offering to Vāyu and Indra, Manifold illumination
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.13 (Pavamāna hymn context)
Significance
The seer describes an inner technology: purification → manifold flow → transcendence of the filter → installation in prāṇa and illumined mind. It is a concise map of yogic transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (linked to Vāyu and Indra)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Sahasradhāra, Indu
- Related deities
- Vāyu, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Purifier and distributor of divine essence; mediator who feeds the powers of prāṇa (Vāyu) and illumination (Indra).
Inner power
A refining bliss-force that, once filtered, becomes usable energy and light in the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration (pavamāna) and offering to Vāyu-Indra in Soma yajña sequences.
सोम॑: पुना॒नो अ॑र्षति स॒हस्र॑धारो॒ अत्य॑विः । वा॒योरिन्द्र॑स्य निष्कृ॒तम् ॥
सोमः॑ । पु॒ना॒नः । अ॒र्ष॒ति॒ । स॒हस्र॑ऽधारः । अति॑ऽअविः । वा॒योः । इन्द्र॑स्य । निः॒ऽकृ॒तम् ॥
somaḥ | punānaḥ | arṣati | sahasra-dhāraḥ | ati-aviḥ | vāyoḥ | indrasya | niḥ-kṛtam
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2 pādas × 12? or 4 × 12 (Jagatī-class long line; exact pāda division depends on pada recitation; verify syllable scan).
Broad and rolling, like a river; less ‘mantric punch’ than Gāyatrī, more expansive flow.
Induces a sense of wide streaming movement and purification; supports longer-breath chanting and deeper absorption.
- पुनान (punāna)
- Literal: purifying, cleansing. Symbolic: self-refinement of consciousness through inner discipline
- सहस्रधार (sahasradhāra)
- Literal: thousand-streamed. Symbolic: many channels of inspiration/energy arising from one essence
- अति-अवि (ati-aviḥ)
- Literal: passing beyond the sheep’s wool (filter). Symbolic: going beyond mental mixture; exceeding ordinary mind’s limitations
- निष्कृत (niṣkṛta)
- Literal: prepared, made ready, set apart. Symbolic: consecrated inner space for divine reception
- वायु (vāyu)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: prāṇa, the carrier-force that moves experience
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: lord of power. Symbolic: illumined mind that breaks obstruction and brings light
Central Pavamāna sequence: Soma strained through woolen filter and offered; associated with offerings to Vāyu and Indra in Soma sacrifice. Inner application: delight-current purified and offered to life-force and illumined mind.
When Soma is filtered and directed toward recipients; Vāyu and Indra have prominent Soma-drinking roles.
Recitation during the flow through the filter and when preparing offerings for the deities.
Use to purify emotional-vital turbulence and clarify mind: chant with attention to breath (Vāyu) and light (Indra).
punāna < √pū ‘to purify, cleanse’ (reflexive middle participle: self-purifying). avi ‘sheep’ indicates the woolen strainer (pavitra) in Soma ritual; ati-aviḥ ‘beyond/through the wool’ signals the passage through purification. niḥ-kṛtam < nis + √kṛ ‘made out/cleared/prepared’—a ritually and psychologically ‘cleared space’ for reception. Vāyu (wind/life-breath) and Indra (lord of luminous mind) are Soma’s chief drinkers.
Ṛta (ordered preparation: niḥ-kṛtam), Purification (pū), Integration of prāṇa (Vāyu) and illumination (Indra)
Passing the filter symbolizes aligning mixed nature to Ṛta—separating truth-movements from confusion.
Beyond the wool is a clearer satya-flow that can seat itself in illumined mind (Indra).
Refinement of essence: from raw to purified to manifold powers.
Yoga of transformation (Aurobindonian): purification of vital-mental instruments to host higher forces.
Filter = discriminating instrument; wind = breath/prāṇa; thousand streams = many nāḍī-like currents of experience purified into usable force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- ‘The thousand-streamed Soma through the filter to the gods’: Soma, self-purifying, passes the woolen strainer and reaches the prepared place for Vāyu and Indra. Inner mythic action: the delight-current is clarified into many channels and offered to prāṇa (Vāyu) and illumined mind-force (Indra), enabling a harmonized ascent.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The sky/wind complex (Vāyu as moving air) and the light/sovereignty complex (Indra) reflect archaic IE poetic pairings of atmospheric motion and luminous power. The verb √pū ‘purify’ is part of an old ritual lexicon; the compound sahasra-dhāra ‘thousand-stream’ exemplifies IE-style hyperbolic numerals for intensity/multiplicity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s act is preparation and offering: creating niḥ-kṛtam (cleared inner space) and facilitating purification (punānaḥ). Soma responds by entering in manifold streams, feeding Vāyu and Indra within—so the human instrument becomes a fit vessel where life-force and luminous mind are strengthened by delight.
Purify delight into clarity; offer the refined current to breath and illumined mind—let breathing and seeing become one movement.
Anāhata (purification of feeling) → Viśuddha (flow) → Ājñā (Indra-illumination).
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min). On inhale feel ‘Vāyu’; on exhale feel Soma’s purified flow settling in the brow (Indra).
Clear, wide, lightly energized; a sense of ‘clean channels’.
Chant on longer breath; after chanting, sit and observe the ‘thousand streams’ as subtle movements in the body becoming quiet and luminous.
Follow Saṃhitā accents; in longer meter keep svara integrity across compounds (sahasradhāro, niṣkṛtam).
Maintain phrase flow without chopping; let the cadence ‘stream’. Emphasize udātta peaks without over-stressing.
punāno: long ā, sahasradhāraḥ: clear aspiration on h, crisp dh, atyaviḥ: pronounce ‘ati-aviḥ’ with clear vowel boundary, vāyor: long ā, glide yo, niṣkṛtam: retroflex ṣ, clear kṛ
Cool, even, flowing; avoid sharp percussiveness.
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