Rig Veda 9.65.24: Mandala 9, Sukta 65, Mantra 24
Sukta 9.65
- Rishi
- Ascribed to Soma Pavamāna seers
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ते नो वृष्टिं दिवस्परि पवन्तामा सुवीर्यम् । सुवाना देवास इन्दवः ॥
té no vṛṣṭíṃ divás pári pávantāmā́ su-vī́ryam | suvānā́ devā́sa índavaḥ ||
Mögen jene Tropfen, göttlich im Pressen, für uns den Regen reinigen, der von jenseits des Himmels kommt; mögen sie das Kommen wahrer Heldenkraft bringen, die sieghafte Energie der Seele.
Word by Word
- ते
- they (those)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्टिम्
- rain, showerNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; √वृष् ‘to rain’)
- दिवः
- from heaven (of the sky)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- from around; forth/from (as preverb)Indeclinable (Preverb/Adverb)उपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot परि
- पवन्ताम्
- let them purify/flowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) ३ पुरुषः बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KartāRoot √पू (पवते) ‘to purify, to flow’
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinable (Preverb)उपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot आ
- सुवीर्यम्
- good heroism/strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सु-वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक; वीर्य ‘manly power’)
- सुवाना
- being pressed; pressing forthParticipleवर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ/शानच्-प्रकारः), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot √सू (सुवति) ‘to press/impel’ → सुवान (कृदन्त)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दवः
- Soma-dropsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक; Soma-drop)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते नः वृष्टिम् दिवः परि पवन्ताम् आ सुवीर्यम् । सुवाना देवासः इन्दवः ॥ 1) दिवस् + परि → दिवः परि (विसर्गः ‘ः’ परि-पूर्वे यथावत्)
- 2) पवन्ताम् + आ → पवन्ताम् आ (सन्धिः न कृतः; पदान्त-‘म्’ परे स्वरादौ)
- 3) सुवाना + देवासः → सुवाना देवासः (सन्धिः न कृतः; पदविभागे पृथक्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May those drops purify for us the rain from beyond heaven; may the pressed divine Indu-drops bring us good hero-power.
Inner meaning
The Soma-drops, purified through the inner filter, bring a ‘rain’ of higher consciousness from beyond the ordinary mind (‘beyond heaven’). That descent becomes su-vīrya: true soul-heroism—courage, endurance, and victorious force aligned with truth. The mantra asks for an above-mind influx that renews and empowers the seeker.
Universal truth
Lasting strength is not mere vital aggression; it is power received from a higher clarity—an influx that both purifies and empowers.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Rain as descent, Heroic power, Purification
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.65.25, Rig Veda 9.65.26
Significance
The seer formulates the classic Aurobindonian movement: purification → descent (rain) → empowered action (vīrya).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indavaḥ)
- Epithets
- Indu, Deva (divine), Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Parjanya (rain), Indra (vīrya), Agni
Cosmic role
Mediator of the ‘descent’—he draws down higher waters (vṛṣṭi) and turns them into strength for the sacrificer.
Inner power
Ananda that becomes śakti: it cleanses obscurity and converts aspiration into victorious force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and offering; prayer for vigor and prosperity in Soma-yajña
ते नो॑ वृ॒ष्टिं दि॒वस्परि॒ पव॑न्ता॒मा सु॒वीर्य॑म् । सु॒वा॒ना दे॒वास॒ इन्द॑वः ॥
ते । नः॒ । वृ॒ष्टिम् । दि॒वः । परि॑ । पव॑न्ताम् । आ । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् । सु॒वा॒नाः । दे॒वासः॑ । इन्द॑वः ॥
te | naḥ | vṛṣṭim | divaḥ | pari | pavantām | ā | su-vīryam | suvānāḥ | devāsaḥ | indavaḥ
48
4 × 12 (probable)
Wave-like, descending cadence matching ‘rain’ imagery and flowing purification.
Induces receptive openness; supports visualization of a cool luminous descent filling the body.
- वृ॒ष्टिम् (vṛṣṭim)
- Literal: rain. Symbolic: descent/influx of higher light, inspiration, and grace into the being
- दि॒वः परि (divaḥ pari)
- Literal: from/around beyond heaven. Symbolic: from beyond the mental ‘sky’—a higher plane of consciousness
- पव॑न्ताम् (pavantām)
- Literal: may they purify/flow purifying. Symbolic: may the currents cleanse the nature and make it transparent
- सु॒वीर्य॑म् (suvīryam)
- Literal: good hero-power. Symbolic: soul-force: courageous, luminous, victorious energy for the spiritual journey
- इन्दवः (indavaḥ)
- Literal: Soma drops. Symbolic: units of delight that carry light and power
Invocatory line for Soma purification: requests the Soma-streams to bring heavenly ‘rain’ (descent of power) and su-vīrya; suited to pavamāna recitations during filtration and offering.
During pavamāna flow and prior to offering portions
Recitation as Soma runs through the filter; intention for rain/strength as boons
Use when depleted or scattered: chant to invite ‘higher rain’ (clarity) and ‘suvīrya’ (steady courage).
- from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, shower’; in Vedic symbolism the ‘rain’ is descent of power/knowledge. from √pū/√pav (pavate ‘purifies/flows’): purification as clarification of consciousness. -: su- ‘good, true’ + vīrya (from vīra ‘hero’, and √vīr/√vī ‘to be strong’), hence not physical prowess but victorious soul-force. /: indu ‘bright drop’, linked to shining/juice imagery of Soma.
descent of higher consciousness (divaḥ pari), purification as clarification of mind-stuff, vīrya as spiritual efficacy aligned with Ṛta
The ‘rain from beyond’ is R̥ta’s nourishment—right order descending to restore harmony.
True power (vīrya) is born of truth; purification makes the being a vessel for Satya’s descent.
Descent of higher waters animating and renewing life—heaven fertilizing earth.
Integral Vedism: descent of higher consciousness as a necessary complement to ascent.
rainy season imagery (monsoon archetype)
Rain = grace/inspiration; sky = mental firmament; beyond-sky = supramental/higher mind source.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The descent-myth: Soma as the mediator who draws down the heavenly waters (‘rain from beyond heaven’) into the human field, converting them into su-vīrya—victorious force. The cosmic rain becomes an inner influx of illumination and strength.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vṛṣṭi- aligns with Indo-European storm/rain lexemes (cf. the widespread *wers-/*wrs- ‘to rain/sprinkle’ proposals; Indic √vṛṣ is a clear continuation). ‘Five’ is absent here, but the core IE pattern of imperative blessing (3pl. imperative) and the heaven-source (div- ‘sky, shine’; PIE *dyew-) is explicit in divaḥ.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma not merely for outer rain but for an inner ‘descent’ that empowers the aspirant with su-vīrya. Soma is treated as a conscious agency whose purification is simultaneously a cosmic act and a transformation within the sacrificer.
Receive a descending current of cool luminous bliss that purifies and consolidates courage.
Sahasrara to Anahata (descent into heart-strength)
Inhale imagining ‘rain from above’; exhale distributing it through the chest and limbs as steady force.
Receptive, cleansed, quietly powerful.
After 9–27 repetitions, sit in silence and feel a vertical stream above the head pouring into the spine; affirm ‘my strength is truth-born’.
Vedic svaras per tradition; keep ‘pavantām’ flowing with a gentle svarita glide if marked.
Sustain long vowels in vṛṣṭiṃ, suvīryam; pause cleanly at ‘|’ to preserve the descent-then-boon structure.
vṛṣṭim: retroflex ṛ + ṣṭ cluster; keep crisp, divas pari: do not elide final -s too strongly, indavaḥ: final visarga audible but light
Cool, even, slightly ‘descending’ melodic contour.
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