Rig Veda 9.52.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 52, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.52
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
शतं न इन्द ऊतिभिः सहस्रं वा शुचीनाम् । पवस्व मंहयद्रयिः ॥
śatáṃ na indó ūtíbhiḥ sahásraṃ vā śucī́nām | páv asva maṃhayád-rayíḥ ||
O Indu, sei uns hundertfach in deinen Hilfen — oder tausendfach — du aus den Reinen; läutere dich, indem du in uns den Reichtum der Fülle (rayi) mehrst.
Word by Word
- शतम्
- a hundredNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शत (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (gen.); बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole (Sambodhana)Root इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊतिभिः
- with helps / with aidsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्रम्
- a thousandNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- शुचीनाम्
- of the pure (ones)Adjective (used substantively)(पुं/नपुं) षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवस्व
- purify yourself / flow pureVerbलोट् (imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (Kartā implied: त्वम्)Root पू (धातु; ‘to purify’) → पवते
- मंहयद्रयिः
- wealth that bestows/enriches (bounteous wealth)Compound (Kṛdanta + Noun)रयिः: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (मंहयत् = वर्तमान-कृदन्त/विशेषण, प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग)Role Kartā (of an implied ‘be/come’ with pavasva: ‘(thou) … (as) wealth’)Root मंहयत् (कृदन्त, from धातु मंह्/महि ‘to gladden, to bestow, to enrich’) + रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: शतम् नः इन्दो ऊतिभिः | सहस्रम् वा शुचीनाम् | पवस्व मंहयद्रयिः || 1) इन्द + ओ → इन्दो (सम्बोधन-एकवचन)
- 2) मंहयत् + रयिः → मंहयद्रयिः (त् + र → द्र्; संधि-परिवर्तन)
- 3) शुचीनाम् is gen.pl
- of शुचि used substantively ‘of the pure (ones)’
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Indu, be to us a hundredfold in thy helps—or a thousandfold—of the pure ones; purify thyself, increasing the wealth (rayi) for fullness in us.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks Soma to multiply his aids (ūtī) abundantly—‘hundred’ and ‘thousand’ signify plenitude and completeness of supportive forces. ‘Of the pure ones’ (śucīnām) points to the luminous powers in us (or gods) that respond to purified delight. As Soma purifies (pavasva), he increases rayi—not mere outer riches but inner wealth: fullness of consciousness, capacity, joy, and right energy that can sustain the sacrifice and life.
Universal truth
Purification is not loss but gain: when delight is clarified, it becomes a multiplying help and a true wealth of fullness that supports all aspects of life.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Purification, Help/Protection, Spiritual wealth (Rayi)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.52.2, Rig Veda 9.52.3, Rig Veda 9.52.4
Significance
A classic Soma petition reinterpreted inwardly: ask not for external prosperity alone but for the inner wealth that comes from purified delight and supports the whole yoga.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- Indu, Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Indra (receives Soma to act as illumination), Agni (carries the offering; purification through tapas), Maruts (increase forces; echo in multiplication)
Cosmic role
Bestower of abundance through purification; mediator that turns raw life-essence into immortal nourishment for the gods and the soul.
Inner power
Multiplying Ananda that becomes protection, clarity, and plenitude (rayi) within the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing/filtration; prayer for abundance and protection from Soma
श॒तं न॑ इन्द ऊ॒तिभि॑: स॒हस्रं॑ वा॒ शुची॑नाम् । पव॑स्व मंह॒यद्र॑यिः ॥
श॒तम् । नः॒ । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । ऊ॒तिऽभिः॑ । स॒हस्र॑म् । वा॒ । शुची॑णाम् । पव॑स्व । मं॒ह॒यत् ऽर॑यिः ॥
śatam | naḥ | indo iti | ūti-bhiḥ | sahasram | vā | śucīṇām | pavasva | maṃhayat-rayiḥ
Likely Gāyatrī (common 3×8) is less likely here due to length; more likely Triṣṭubh or Jagatī in Pavamāna sequences—pending exact pada division. Provisionally: Triṣṭubh-type.
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4×11 (provisional)
Expansive, enumerative rhythm (hundred/thousand) that naturally builds a sense of increase.
Elicits confidence in abundance and protection; supports a felt widening and enrichment of prāṇa with calm joy.
- ऊ॒तिभिः (ūtibhiḥ)
- Literal: with helps, aids, protections. Symbolic: supportive interventions of higher consciousness; inner assistances and safeguards
- शतम्/सहस्रम् (śatam/sahasram)
- Literal: hundred/thousand. Symbolic: plenitude; completeness; many-sided assistance across planes of being
- शुचीणाम् (śucīnām)
- Literal: of the pure/luminous ones. Symbolic: sattvic powers, clarities, and godheads that act when the being is purified
- पवस्व (pavasva)
- Literal: purify thyself, flow purified. Symbolic: self-clarification of Ananda; refinement of consciousness by discernment
- रयिः (rayiḥ)
- Literal: wealth, possession. Symbolic: inner riches—capacity, force, joy, wideness; abundance of being
- मंहयत् (maṃhayat)
- Literal: increasing, making abundant. Symbolic: the growth of inner plenitude; expansion of consciousness’ resources
Concluding request for abundant aids (ūtis) and increasing rayi during Soma purification
During Pavitra chants and offerings when the sacrificer seeks increase of strength/wealth
Recitation while Soma is purified and apportioned; invoking multiplied helps
Daily japa for inner prosperity: ask for ‘hundredfold helps’ as clarity, resilience, and joyful capacity rather than material gain alone.
(ūti) ‘help’ as above. (śuci) ‘bright, pure’ from √śuc ‘shine, be pure’ → luminous purity. (pavasva) middle imperative from √pū ‘purify’ → self-purification. from √maṃh ‘to increase, gladden, strengthen’ → augmenting. (rayi) ‘wealth’ → inner plenitude/fullness of being, not material gold.
Multiplication of divine helps (ūti) as inner supports, Purity as condition for abundance, Rayi as fullness of being aligned with ṛta
Abundance comes by ṛta: the right movement (pavamāna) yields right increase (rayi).
Rayi becomes ‘fullness’ when aligned with truth, not desire.
Multiplication (100/1000) mirrors emanation: one essence becomes many supports in manifestation.
Vedantic-Ananda emphasis (Aurobindo/Kashyap): bliss as a substantive power that increases inner riches.
A cool, luminous current that increases the ‘nutrients’ of consciousness—clarity, joy, and strength—like a river feeding many fields.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The multiplication of Soma’s aids and the increase of rayi through purification. Inner sense: as delight becomes pure (pavasva), it generates many forms of protective help and expands the seeker’s fullness of being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śuci ‘bright/pure’ relates to an Indo-European ‘shine’ semantic complex (cf. Latin candēre is different root, but the ‘brightness=purity’ equation is pan-IE poetic). Numeral intensifiers śatam/sahasram reflect inherited IE numeral system.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma not only for external aid but for an inner multiplication of supports and fullness; the reciprocity is developmental: Soma’s self-purification in the offering corresponds to the aspirant’s growth in rayi.
Invoke purified delight to multiply supports—clarity, protection, strength—and to increase inner fullness (rayi).
Svadhisthana (refined delight) to Anahata (fullness/expansion)
Inhale imagining Soma rising as cool nectar; exhale spreading it through the body; add a brief pause after inhale to ‘receive’ the helps
Widened, grateful, resource-rich calm.
After settling, repeat the mantra while feeling a ‘hundredfold’ support around you; then turn inward and sense rayi as capacity: patience, clarity, quiet joy; end by resting in fullness rather than seeking immediate outer results.
Use the Rigvedic accent marks; keep the numeric phrases (śataṃ…sahasraṃ) evenly measured to avoid rushing.
Give clear articulation to ‘pavasva’ as the pivot; let ‘maṃhayad rayiḥ’ broaden in tone to convey increase.
śataṃ: palatal ś; final nasalization light, inda: keep ‘nd’ clean; short a, ūtibhiḥ: long ū; aspirated ‘bh’, sahasraṃ: ‘sr’ cluster clean, śucīnām: long ī; long ā in nām, pavasva: ‘v’ soft; avoid ‘b’, maṃhayat: anusvāra before h; keep ‘hay’ clear, rayiḥ: ‘y’ glide; visarga light
Warm, nourishing resonance; slightly expanding volume on the final phrase.
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