Sukta 80
Sukta 9.80
Traditionally attributed to seers of the Soma Pavamāna corpus.
Soma Pavamāna (Soma in the act of purification), with explicit orientation 'for Indra' (इन्द्राय).
Likely Triṣṭubh (common in RV 9; requires full metrical count confirmation).
এই সোম পবমান সূক্তে সোমের স্তব করা হয়েছে—যখন তাকে পেষণ করা হয়, মুক্ত করা হয় এবং শোধিত হয়ে দীপ্তিমান, সহস্র-ধারার প্রবাহে প্রবাহিত হয়—যা বিশেষত ইন্দ্রকে উল্লসিত করতে এবং দেবীয় ঋত (ব্যবস্থা) ধারণ করতে নিবেদিত। সোমকে উন্মাদ-আনন্দের বৃষ বলা হয়েছে; তিনি জীবন-ক্ষয়কারী শক্তিকে প্রতিহত করেন, যশ ও বল দান করেন, এবং জলের মধ্যে নদী-তরঙ্গের মতো দেবতাদের দিকে অগ্রসর হন।
Mantras
Mantra 2
यं त्वा वाजिन्नघ्न्या अभ्यनूषतायोहतं योनिमा रोहसि द्युमान् । मघोनामायुः प्रतिरन्महि श्रव इन्द्राय सोम पवसे वृषा मदः ॥
হে বাজিক সোম, অঘ্ন্যা (অহিংসনীয়) দীপ্ত গাভীগণ তোমাকে অভি-অনুষ্টুত করে; তুমি আয়োহত (লোহায় দৃঢ়/আঘাতিত) যোনিতে আরোহণ কর, দ্যুমান্ (দীপ্তিমান) হয়ে। দাতাদের (মঘোনাম্) আয়ু হ্রাসকারীকে প্রতিরোধ/দূর করে তুমি ইন্দ্রের জন্য মহৎ শ্রবঃ (মহান যশ) হয়ে পবসে; হে বৃষা, তুমি মদ (উৎসাহ-আনন্দ)।
Mantra 3
एन्द्रस्य कुक्षा पवते मदिन्तम ऊर्जं वसानः श्रवसे सुमङ्गलः । प्रत्यङ्स विश्वा भुवनाभि पप्रथे क्रीळन्हरिरत्यः स्यन्दते वृषा ॥
ইন্দ্রের কুক্ষিতে এই পরম-উন্মাদক সোম প্রবাহিত হয়—শক্তি পরিধান করে, যশের জন্য সুমঙ্গল। অন্তর্মুখ হয়ে সে আমাদের সকল লোক/ভুবনে বিস্তার লাভ করে; ক্রীড়ারত হরি অশ্ব বেগে ধাবিত হয়—এই বৃষভ-ধারা উচ্ছ্বসিত হয়ে ঝরে।
Mantra 4
तं त्वा देवेभ्यो मधुमत्तमं नरः सहस्रधारं दुहते दश क्षिपः । नृभिः सोम प्रच्युतो ग्रावभिः सुतो विश्वान्देवाँ आ पवस्वा सहस्रजित् ॥
হে সোম, দেবদের জন্য অতি-মধুময়, শক্তিমান নরগণ দশ আঙুলে—সহস্র-ধারায়—তোমাকে দোহন করে। মানুষের দ্বারা গ্রাব (পেষণ-পাথর) দিয়ে পিষ্ট, প্রবাহে মুক্ত হয়ে, তুমি সকল দেবের দিকে পবিত্র হও; হে সহস্রজিত্, পবমান হয়ে প্রবাহিত হও।
Mantra 5
तं त्वा हस्तिनो मधुमन्तमद्रिभिर्दुहन्त्यप्सु वृषभं दश क्षिपः । इन्द्रं सोम मादयन्दैव्यं जनं सिन्धोरिवोर्मिः पवमानो अर्षसि ॥
হে সোম, মধুরতায় পূর্ণ তোমাকে দক্ষ হস্ত গ্রাব দিয়ে—জলের মধ্যে—দশ আঙুলে বৃষভকে দোহন করে। ইন্দ্রকে মদিত করে, আমাদের অন্তরের দিব্য জনকে আনন্দিত করে, তুমি পবমান হয়ে নদীর ঊর্মির মতো বেগে ধাবিত হও।
Inside Sukta 80
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Soma is hailed in the very act of purification—called forth by luminous powers and guided into the prepared ‘womb’ (yoni), shining with radiance.
- Development
The hymn amplifies Soma’s ritual mechanics (pressed by stones, drawn by fingers) and his qualities (sweetness, thousand-streamed flow), linking the physical process to divine empowerment.
- Climax
Soma’s purified rushing becomes the decisive force: he repels what diminishes the patrons’ life and becomes great fame and strength for Indra—bull of ecstasy in full surge.
- Where it settles
The hymn broadens the offering: Soma is urged to purify himself toward all the gods, completing the circuit from human pressing to universal divine nourishment and victory.
The deity: Soma Pavamāna
- In the VedaSoma is addressed as the sweet, honeyed draught drawn out by men from the ‘ten fingers,’ pressed by stones, flowing through waters and filters, radiant and victorious; he is the ‘bull’ whose purified rush brings exhilaration and wide fame.
- Cosmic functionHe mediates between human rite and divine power: the purified essence that strengthens Indra for heroic action, nourishes the gods, and renews vitality and auspicious order through flowing, cleansing potency.
- Inner significanceThe clarified, uplifted mind-energy: purified delight (ānanda/mada) that repels diminution, restores courage and clarity, and turns inner ‘streams’ toward the divine faculties (devas) with focused intensity (especially Indra as awakened force).
The seer
- Pavamāna Soma seers (Anukramaṇī: Soma Pavamāna corpus; specific r̥ṣi not securely identifiable for this excerpt)Custodians of the ninth maṇḍala’s specialized liturgy: hymns that accompany Soma’s pressing and purification, blending ritual precision with luminous, visionary imagery (cows of light, streams, waves, radiance).
Famous verses
इन्द्राय सोम पवसे वृषा मदःसहस्रधारं दुहते दश क्षिपःसिन्धोरिवोर्मिः पवमानो अर्षसिAttributes of the deity
- pavamāna (self-purifying flow)
- madhu/madhumat (sweet, honeyed)
- vṛṣan/vṛṣabha (bull-like potency)
- sahasradhāra (thousand-streamed)
- pressed by adri (stones) and guided by daśa kṣipaḥ (ten fingers)
- radiant (dyumān)
- Indra-gladdening (indrāya, mādayan indram)
- life-protecting and obstacle-repelling
Also by this seer
- Soma Pavamāna hymns across Rig Veda Maṇḍala 9 (collective priestly/seerly transmission)
- Development of core Soma-pressing diction: adri (pressing stones), daśa kṣipaḥ (ten fingers), sahasradhāra (thousand-streamed), pavasva (purify thyself)
The rite, step by step
- Soma stalks are brought and prepared; pressing stones (grāvan/adri) are readied.
- Soma is pressed by officiants; the expressed juice is ‘milked’ out by the ten fingers (daśa kṣipaḥ).
- The juice is mixed with water and guided through purification (pavana), traditionally via filter/strainer (pavitra).
- Purified Soma is collected, made ‘honeyed’ by admixtures as per rite, and offered in libations (āhuti) to Indra and the gods.
- Recitation/chant accompanies the flow, inviting Soma to purify himself and to exhilarate Indra and the divine powers.
Offerings
- Purified Soma juice (pavamāna soma)
- Waters used in purification (āpaḥ)
- Optional ritual admixtures per Soma rite (e.g., milk/curds per tradition)
Frequently Asked Questions
The hymn praises Soma in his purified, flowing form (Soma Pavamāna), with a clear intention that his clarified power especially exhilarates Indra while also reaching all the gods.
It describes the Soma juice as it pours in many rivulets during pressing and purification—an image of abundant, unstoppable flow and overflowing potency in the ritual.
They point to the concrete Soma-pressing: stones press out the juice, and the officiants’ hands (ten fingers) draw and guide it into purification, showing how the rite produces the divine drink.
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