Rig Veda 9.102.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 102, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.102
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna corpus
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh/Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्रीणि त्रितस्य धारया पृष्ठेष्वेरया रयिम् । मिमीते अस्य योजना वि सुक्रतुः ॥
trī́ṇi tritásya dhā́rayā pṛṣṭhéṣv ér̥ayā rayím | mimī́te asya yójanā ví sukrátuḥ ||
Mit seinem Strom setzt er den Reichtum auf den Höhen Tṛtas in Bewegung – dreifach; der von leuchtendem Willen erfüllt ist, misst seine Verknüpfungen und Ausdehnungen aus und ordnet sie recht.
Word by Word
- त्रीणि
- threeAdjective (numeral)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (संख्या-विशेषणम्)Root त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रितस्य
- of TritaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root त्रित (प्रातिपदिक; देव/ऋषि-नाम)
- धारया
- with a stream; by a flowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृष्ठेषु
- on/among the backs (surfaces)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईरया
- impel! set in motion!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root ईरय् (धातु; प्रेरणे/चोदने)
- रयिम्
- wealth; treasureNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मिमीते
- measures out; apportionsVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; (वेदिक) पुनरुक्त-परस्मै/आत्मने रूपम्: मिमीतेRole (क्रिया) —Root मा (धातु; माने/मितौ ‘to measure’)
- अस्य
- of him/this (one)Pronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- योजना
- courses; measures; yoking-stretchesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (मिमीते इति क्रियायाः)Root योजन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘yoking/measure, course’)
- वि
- apart; forth; distinctlyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Role (क्रिया-विशेषक) —Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सुक्रतुः
- the wise one; of good resolveAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot सु-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good-intent/wise’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): त्रीणि | त्रितस्य | धारया | पृष्ठेषु | ईरया | रयिम् | मिमीते | अस्य | योजना | वि | सुक्रतुः । 1) पृष्ठेष्वेरया = पृष्ठेषु + ईरया (उकारान्त ‘-षु’ परे स्वरादौ ‘ई-’ इत्यत्र वकारादेशः: -षु + ई- → -ष्वे-). 2) सुक्रतु: इति पदान्त-विसर्गः
- संहितायां ‘सुक्रतु:’ (RV orthography) = ‘सुक्रतुः’
The meaning
Outer meaning
With his stream he sets in motion the wealth on the heights of Trita—threefold; the one of good/luminous will measures out his linkings and extensions.
Inner meaning
Soma’s flow (dhārā) activates ‘wealth’ (rayi) on the heights (pṛṣṭheṣu) of Trita: in the elevated ranges of the third, mediating consciousness where hidden gifts become manifest. The wealth is threefold (trīṇi): commonly read inwardly as triple treasure—light (knowledge), force (power), and joy (ananda), or mind-life-body harmonized. Soma as sukratuḥ (luminous will) ‘measures’ (mimīte) the yojanā: the right joinings, linkages, and extensions by which the parts of the being are connected to the higher planes and to each other. It is the architecture of integration: the purified delight not only gives bliss but organizes the whole system.
Universal truth
True abundance is not random gain but a measured integration: when the inner current is purified, it releases a triple wealth and arranges right connections in life.
Themes
Soma as ordering intelligence, Triadic ascent, Distribution of inner wealth
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna seer-line
- Other hymns
- RV 9.97 (Soma measuring out wide spaces; thematic), RV 1.160 (measuring/ordering imagery; thematic), RV 10.53 (yojana/yoking motifs; thematic)
Family tradition
This tradition often interprets Soma as an organizing intelligence (vedhā/sukratu) that not only purifies but also ‘measures’ and ‘yokes’ the being into a workable unity.
Significance
The seer emphasizes integration: the goal is a rightly yoked life. Soma’s delight becomes a sukratu—an intelligent will that distributes the triple wealth and establishes correct linkages for stable realization.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- sukratuḥ (luminous-willed), dhārā-vān (streaming; implied)
- Related deities
- Trita, Indra (for heights and victories), Viśvakarman (measuring/ordering; thematic)
Cosmic role
Activator of treasures on the heights; measurer and yoker of the cosmic and psychological order.
Inner power
A current of Ananda that becomes intelligent organization—right measure, right connection, right extension of consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pavamāna recitation; praise of Soma as giver of rayi and organizer of rite.
त्रीणि॑ त्रि॒तस्य॒ धार॑या पृ॒ष्ठेष्वेर॑या र॒यिम् । मिमी॑ते अस्य॒ योज॑ना॒ वि सु॒क्रतु॑: ॥
त्रीणि॑ । त्रि॒तस्य॑ । धार॑या । पृ॒ष्ठेषु॑ । आ । ई॒र॒य॒ । र॒यिम् । मिमी॑ते । अ॒स्य॒ । योज॑ना । वि । सु॒ऽक्रतुः॑ ॥
trīṇi | tritasya | dhārayā | pṛṣṭheṣu | ā | īraya | rayim | mimīte | asya | yojanā | vi | su-kratuḥ
44
Probable 4 × 11 (Triṣṭubh-like) with strong caesuras; confirm by exact pada scan.
Firm, architectonic; suited to ‘measuring’ and ‘yoking’ imagery.
Creates a sense of ordered power; supports concentration on structure, discipline, and integration.
- धारा (dhārā)
- Literal: stream, flow. Symbolic: continuous current of purified consciousness (Soma-flow)
- रयि (rayi)
- Literal: wealth, treasure. Symbolic: spiritual riches: light, power, joy; also capacities in life aligned to truth
- पृष्ठ (pṛṣṭha)
- Literal: back, height, summit. Symbolic: higher levels/peaks of consciousness
- त्रीणि (trīṇi)
- Literal: three. Symbolic: triple wealth or triple plane integration (mind-life-body / knowledge-force-delight)
- सुक्रतु (sukratu)
- Literal: of good/luminous will. Symbolic: truth-will that acts with clarity and right measure
- योजना (yojanā)
- Literal: yokings, joinings, harnessings. Symbolic: right connections—linking lower to higher; harmonizing faculties
Soma purification: describing Soma’s flow and its effect of raising rayi in the higher stations during pressing.
During sequences emphasizing Soma’s gifts and the right ordering of the sacrificial process.
Chanted as Soma flows; mentally align the rite’s ‘joinings’ (implements, offerings, chants) with inner joinings (faculties, intentions).
Use for ‘integration practice’: chant when life feels scattered; intend right linkages among values, emotions, thoughts, and actions.
√īr ‘to set in motion, raise’ (causative nuance in īraya). rayi- ‘wealth’ from √rā/rai ‘to give, bestow; richness’ → inner fullness. √mā ‘measure’ (PIE *meh₁- ‘measure’). yojanā from √yuj (PIE *yeug- ‘yoke, join’; cf. Lat. iugum, Eng. yoke). kratu- ‘will-power/intelligence’ (effective cognition that accomplishes).
threefold order (trīṇi), measuring/ordering (mā), yoking as integration (yuj), kratu as effective gnosis-will
‘Measuring’ and ‘yoking’ are functions of ṛta: right proportion and right connection.
Satya manifests as correct ‘yojanā’—truth in relations, not only in ideas.
Creation as measurement and linkage: the cosmos and the psyche are built by right joinings distributing triple wealth.
Integral reading: Ananda (Soma) becomes executive truth-will (sukratu) that organizes the planes.
Stream = continuous practice/current; heights = higher consciousness; triple wealth = threefold realization; measuring/yoking = disciplined integration of faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ascent of the Soma-current to the ‘heights’ where the triadic Trita stands, and the consequent release/impulsion of rayi. Mythically, it echoes the raising of hidden riches to the higher world; psychologically, the purified force lifts abundance into the higher consciousness and organizes the being by ‘measuring’ its yokes (integrations).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yojanā (√yuj) reflects PIE *yeug- ‘yoke/join’, a central Indo-European metaphor for integration and order. mimīte (√mā) reflects PIE *meh₁- ‘measure’, a key archaic concept for cosmic ordering. The collocation of ‘measure’ + ‘yoke’ encodes a shared IE poetics of order as calibrated joining.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi portrays Soma as su-kratuḥ, an intelligent will that actively organizes the practitioner’s inner field. The human offering enables the Soma-flow; Soma reciprocates by impelling rayi and establishing right linkages (yojanā) among the faculties—an inner dakṣiṇā of ordered power and plenitude.
Invoke a steady inner stream that activates triple wealth; then contemplate right ‘yojanā’—harmonizing connections among body, life-force, and mind under a luminous will.
Ājñā (measure/clarity) coordinating with Maṇipūra (force) and Anāhata (delight)
Sama-vṛtti (equal inhale/exhale) to embody ‘measure’; brief pause at the turn to sense ‘mimīte’.
Ordered strength; integrated clarity.
1) Feel a vertical stream rising to the crown/upper mind. 2) Name inwardly the triple wealth you seek (light–power–joy). 3) Observe where life is ‘unyoked’; offer that area to Soma’s sukratu. 4) End by choosing one concrete ‘right linkage’ to practice today (speech-action, intention-act, etc.).
Chant with clear accentuation per saṃhitā marks; emphasize the articulations around ‘trīṇi tritasya’ and ‘mimīte… yojanā’.
Keep a firm, measured beat—reflect ‘mimīte’ by avoiding rushing; slight stress on ‘trīṇi’ and ‘sukratuḥ’.
‘trīṇi’ long ī; retroflex ṇ., ‘pṛṣṭheṣu’ retroflex ṣṭh cluster: pṛṣ-ṭhe-ṣu (clean separation)., ‘īraya’ lengthen ī; do not drop the initial vowel., ‘sukratuḥ’ articulate ‘kr’ clearly; final ḥ light.
Focused, firm, well-measured; resonant but not forceful.
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