Rig Veda 9.41.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 41, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.41
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ पवस्व महीमिषं गोमदिन्दो हिरण्यवत् । अश्वावद्वाजवत्सुतः ॥
ā́ pavasva mahī́m íṣaṃ gómad indo híraṇyavat | áśvāvad vā́javat sutáḥ ||
Ströme zu uns, o Indu, mit großer Nahrung — reich an Kühen der Strahlen, reich an goldenem Glanz, reich an Rossen, reich an Vāja (Kraft und Fülle), du, der für das Werk ausgepresst ist.
Word by Word
- आ
- forth, towards (preverb intensifying the verb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (गत्यर्थकः), अव्ययम्Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- पवस्व
- purify yourself; flow (as Soma)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्; धातोः ‘पव’ (विकरण-आदेशः) + स्व (आत्मनेपद-प्रत्ययः)Root √पू (पूञ् पवने) / √pū ‘to purify, cleanse’
- महीम्
- great, mightyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मही (प्रातिपदिकम्) / mahī ‘great, mighty’
- इषम्
- nourishment, vigorNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot इष् (प्रातिपदिकम्) / iṣ ‘refreshment, vigor, nourishment’
- गोमत्
- cattle-richAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे अव्ययवत् (मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्तम्), द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘इषम्’ इति विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot गोमत् (प्रातिपदिकम्) / gomát ‘having cows; rich in cattle’
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधनम्, एकवचनम्Root इन्दु (प्रातिपदिकम्) / índu ‘drop; Soma’
- हिरण्यवत्
- gold-richAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे अव्ययवत् (मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्तम्), द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘इषम्’ इति विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot हिरण्यवत् (प्रातिपदिकम्) / hiraṇyá-vat ‘gold-possessing’
- अश्वावत्
- horse-richAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे अव्ययवत् (मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्तम्), द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘इषम्’ इति विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot अश्वावत् (प्रातिपदिकम्) / aśvá-vat ‘having horses’
- वाजवत्
- rich in strength/prizeAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे अव्ययवत् (मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्तम्), द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘इषम्’ इति विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot वाजवत् (प्रातिपदिकम्) / vā́ja-vat ‘having prize/strength; rich in booty’
- सुतः
- pressed (Soma), having been pressedParticiple (verbal adjective)भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययार्थः/PPP), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगः—‘(त्वं) सुतः’Role KartāRoot √सु (सुञ् अभिषवे) / √su ‘to press (Soma)’ → सुत (PPP)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (Vedic pada): आ | पवस्व | महीम् | इषम् | गोमत् | इन्दो | हिरण्यवत् | अश्वावत् | वाजवत् | सुतः । सन्धि/संहिता-विशेषाः: (1) म॒हीमिषं॒ = महीम् + इषम् (म् + इ → मि; संहितायां ‘महीमिषम्’). (2) गोमदिन्दो = गोमत् + इन्दो (त् + इ → दि; जश्त्व/परसवर्ण-प्रभावः: ‘गोमदिन्दो’). (3) अश्वा॑व॒द्वाज॑वत्सु॒तः = अश्वावत् + वाजवत् + सुतः (त् + व → द्व; ‘अश्वावद्वाजवत्सुतः’). स्वर-टिप्पणी: पाठे उदात्त/स्वरितचिह्नाः (॑, ॒) संहितापाठानुसारं
- पदच्छेदे मूल-स्वरः यथासम्भवः संरक्षितः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Flow to us, O Indu, with great nourishment—rich in cows, gold, horses, and strength—pressed out for use.
Inner meaning
Soma as Indu (the luminous drop) is invoked to flow into the seeker with a vast ‘iṣ’—a many-sided nourishment. ‘Cows’ are rays of knowledge, ‘gold’ is luminous splendour of purified mind, ‘horses’ are vital energies disciplined for action, and ‘vāja’ is victorious force/plenitude. Pressed out (sutaḥ) indicates the conscious offering and extraction of essence from experience for inner growth.
Universal truth
True nourishment is integral: knowledge-light, clarity, life-force, and effective power must descend together when consciousness is sincerely ‘pressed’ and offered toward the divine aim.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Boons as inner powers, Plenitude and nourishment, Purifying flow
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.41.1-6
Significance
The anonymous rishi-voice here represents a stable yogic formula: invoke Soma not for outer wealth but for inner riches—light (go), splendour (hiraṇya), energy (aśva), and conquering power (vāja).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- Indu (bright drop), Pavamāna (purifying flow), Suta (pressed essence)
- Related deities
- Indra (receiver of Soma for victory over Vṛtra), Agni (prepares the offering), Maruts (energies that accompany the force)
Cosmic role
Distributor of nourishment and power across the worlds; the delight that becomes strength and illumination when refined.
Inner power
Ananda that concretely supports sadhana: it brings knowledge-rays, luminous clarity, energized will, and victorious efficacy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and offering; Pavamāna praise during filtration
आ प॑वस्व म॒हीमिषं॒ गोम॑दिन्दो॒ हिर॑ण्यवत् । अश्वा॑व॒द्वाज॑वत्सु॒तः ॥
आ । प॒व॒स्व॒ । म॒हीम् । इष॑म् । गोऽम॑त् । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । हिर॑ण्यऽवत् । अश्व॑ऽवत् । वाज॑ऽवत् । सु॒तः ॥
ā | pavasva | mahīm | iṣam | go-mat | indo iti | hiraṇya-vat | aśva-vat | vāja-vat | sutaḥ
48
4 pādas × 12 syllables (approx.)
Expansive and accumulative; supports the piling of epithets (gomad/hiraṇyavat/aśvavat/vājavat).
Builds a sense of abundance and forward movement; the listener feels ‘fed’ and strengthened.
- आ पवस्व (ā pavasva)
- Literal: flow toward (us), purify-flow. Symbolic: let the clarified current enter the being; descent of purified ananda
- महीम् इषम् (mahīm iṣam)
- Literal: vast nourishment/impulse. Symbolic: large spiritual sustenance; impulsion toward growth (iṣ = seeking force)
- गोमत् (gomat)
- Literal: possessing cows. Symbolic: rich in rays of knowledge/illumination
- हिरण्यवत् (hiraṇyavat)
- Literal: golden, possessing gold. Symbolic: luminous purity, splendour of refined mind and will
- अश्ववत् (aśvavat)
- Literal: possessing horses. Symbolic: abundant disciplined vital energy for the journey
- वाजवत् (vājavat)
- Literal: possessing vāja (prize/strength). Symbolic: plenitude of effective force; victorious capacity
- सुतः (sutaḥ)
- Literal: pressed. Symbolic: essence extracted by aspiration, tapas, and offering
Direct address during Soma flow; requests the fourfold completeness of Soma’s boons as the offering is pressed and purified.
During the Soma savanas; especially while Soma is made ready to be offered to the gods.
Chant while Soma flows through the filter into the collecting vessel; mental offering of inner riches to the divine work.
As an affirmation-mantra for integral development: invoke clarity (gold), knowledge (cows), energy (horses), and effective power (vāja) before work/meditation.
íṣ from √iṣ is both ‘nourishment’ and ‘impulsion’: it feeds and drives the yoga of ascent. gómat/híraṇyavat/aśvavat/vājavat are accumulative epithets: not material catalogues but symbolic totality—illumination (go), splendour (hiraṇya), vital speed/energy (aśva), and victorious plenitude (vāja, often from √vaj ‘be strong/drive’). suta (√su ‘press out’) ties ritual extraction to inner ‘distillation’ of delight.
plenitude (vāja as fullness of force), nourishing impulse (iṣ), integration of light-vital-force-splendour
The ‘vast nourishment’ is ṛta-supported growth—right increase, not chaotic expansion.
Hiraṇya indicates truth-brightness stabilizing the mind.
Creation as enrichment of the worlds through descending essence and organized powers.
Integral-psychological Veda: transformation by descent of Ananda into mind-life-body.
Flow = descending current of bliss; cows = rays of knowledge; gold = luminous purity; horses = vital dynamism; vāja = empowered accomplishment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘gift-bearing Soma flow’: Soma is invoked to stream in with a comprehensive set of powers—illumination, splendour, vital energy, victorious force—forming a mythic catalogue that functions as an inner map of integral completeness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- hiraṇya (gold) belongs to an Indo-Iranian lexicon of brilliance/precious shine; aśva reflects PIE *h₁éḱwos ‘horse’ (Latin equus, English ‘equine’). vāja is Vedic-specific but sits in an IE semantic domain of strength/prize/drive.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma to enter the human economy of forces with a ‘vast iṣ’: the divine supplies the substantive energies, while the human provides the pressing (suta) and the call that directs the flow toward transformation.
Receive Soma as ‘integral nourishment’: silently name the four inner gifts—light (go), clarity (hiraṇya), energy (aśva), power (vāja)—and feel them descending as one stream.
Maṇipūra (vāja/force) supported by Ājñā (go/illumination)
Inhale imagining the Soma-stream rising; exhale offering it to the inner fire (Agni) for right action.
Energized steadiness; luminous readiness.
Chant 3–9 times before purposeful work; pause after each recitation to feel which ‘richness’ is most needed, then consciously invite balance.
Standard Vedic accents apply; exact udātta/svarita positions require a svara-marked text for this verse.
Keep ‘ā pavasva’ as a clear opening call; articulate the -vat endings evenly (gomad/hiraṇyavat/aśvavat/vājavat).
pavasva: avoid inserting extra vowel between s-v, mahīm: long ī; do not shorten, iṣam: retroflex ṣ; short a at end, hiraṇyavat: clear ṇy cluster, aśvavat: śv cluster clean, no epenthetic vowel, vājavat: long ā in vā
Bright and confident; slightly forward tone to convey invocation and strength.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
