Sukta 79
Sukta 9.79
Dieser kurze Pavamāna-Soma-Hymnus feiert die ausgepressten Soma-Tropfen, die in der Läuterung voranstürmen und den Verehrern Nahrung und inspiriertes Denken ausbreiten. Zugleich wird der reinigende Soma zu einer sittlichen und schützenden Macht: man bittet ihn, das „Zurückhaltende“ und feindliche Kräfte zu vernichten, die Wohlstand und rechtes Denken hemmen. Der Hymnus gipfelt in einem Gebet, dass Somas Stärke und seine geliebte Ekstase die Opfernden sicher „von Stufe zu Stufe“ geleiten.
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
अचोदसो नो धन्वन्त्विन्दवः प्र सुवानासो बृहद्दिवेषु हरयः । वि च नशन्न इषो अरातयोऽर्यो नशन्त सनिषन्त नो धियः ॥
Mögen für uns die Soma-Tropfen, ungetrieben, voranstürmen — ausgepresst, die Leuchtenden, in den weiten Himmeln, die Falben. Weit mögen sich unsere Antriebe und Nährungen ausbreiten; die Nicht-Gebenden sollen vergehen wie Fremde; und unsere Gedanken mögen den Gewinn erringen.
Mantra 2
प्र णो धन्वन्त्विन्दवो मदच्युतो धना वा येभिरर्वतो जुनीमसि । तिरो मर्तस्य कस्य चित्परिह्वृतिं वयं धनानि विश्वधा भरेमहि ॥
Mögen für uns die Soma-Tropfen dahinstürmen, die den Rausch ausgießen — jene Reichtümer, mit denen wir das drängende Ross anjochen. Jenseits des umgehenden Anspruchs irgendeines Sterblichen: mögen wir die Reichtümer auf jede Weise herbeitragen.
Mantra 3
उत स्वस्या अरात्या अरिर्हि ष उतान्यस्या अरात्या वृको हि षः । धन्वन्न तृष्णा समरीत ताँ अभि सोम जहि पवमान दुराध्यः ॥
Und die eigene Knausrigkeit wird zum Feind; die fremde Knausrigkeit wird zum Wolf. Wie Durst, der über dürres Land hinströmt, breiten sie sich gemeinsam aus — erschlage sie, o Soma, der du dich läuterst, diese schwer zu bezwingenden Mächte.
Mantra 5
एवा त इन्दो सुभ्वं सुपेशसं रसं तुञ्जन्ति प्रथमा अभिश्रियः । निदंनिदं पवमान नि तारिष आविस्ते शुष्मो भवतु प्रियो मदः ॥
So pressen, o Indu, die ersten Glanzkräfte deinen Saft aus — heilsam, schön gestaltet, von guter Gestalt. Von Stufe zu Stufe, o Läuternder, führe uns hinüber; offenbar werde deine Kraft, in uns sei dein lieber Rausch (mada).
Inside Sukta 79
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Soma-drops surge forward—bright, pressed, and moving in the vast heights—so that the worshippers’ impulses and nourishments may expand.
- Development
The hymn contrasts abundance and right inspiration with the threat of arāti (withholding/ill-will), asking that non-givers and hostile forces perish and that dhī (insight) wins the prize.
- Climax
Soma is invoked as an active purifier and warrior: he must strike down the hard-to-master forces that spread like thirst across dry land.
- Where it settles
The poet asks Soma to carry the sacrificers safely through successive stages, revealing his might and establishing his beloved ecstasy within them.
The deity: Soma Pavamāna
- In the VedaThe hymn depicts Soma-drops as bright movers in the “vast heaven,” bestowing iṣ (impulse/nourishment) and sharpening dhī (visionary thought).
- Cosmic functionMediator of vitality and divine delight—purifying and energizing the worlds, empowering gods and humans, and driving away forces of scarcity, obstruction, and hostility.
- Inner significanceThe clarified current of consciousness: when the mind is ‘filtered,’ inspiration, courage, and right intention arise, while inner miserliness, fear, and predatory impulses are struck down.
Famous verses
अचोदसो नो धन्वन्त्विन्दवः प्र सुवानासो बृहद्दिवेषु हरयः । वि च नशन्न इषो अरातयोऽर्यो नशन्त सनिषन्त नो धियः ॥उत स्वस्या अरात्या अरिर्हि ष उतान्यस्या अरात्या वृको हि षः । धन्वन्न तृष्णा समरीत ताँ अभि सोम जहि पवमान दुराध्यः ॥एवा त इन्दो सुभ्वं सुपेशसं रसं तुञ्जन्ति प्रथमा अभिश्रियः । निदंनिदं पवमान नि तारिष आविस्ते शुष्मो भवतु प्रियो मदः ॥Attributes of the deity
- Purifying/filtered (pavamāna)
- Swift-flowing drops (indu/indavaḥ)
- Bestower of nourishment and gain (iṣ, sani)
- Giver of inspired thought (dhī)
- Protector who destroys hostile/withholding forces
- Ecstatic, प्रिय मद (dear exhilaration)
- Radiant/bright in the heights (bṛhaddiveṣu harayaḥ)
Also by this seer
- Associated broadly with the Soma Pavamāna corpus of Mandala 9 rather than a distinct, securely identified r̥ṣi oeuvre.
- Used within the Pavamāna sequence of the Soma sacrifice (Soma-yajña) as a liturgical purification chant.
The rite, step by step
- Soma is pressed and its juice collected.
- The juice is poured through the strainer (pavitra) for purification while Pavamāna verses are recited.
- The clarified Soma is mixed/prepared according to rite (often with water/milk as prescribed in the larger ritual setting).
- Libations are offered to the gods (commonly Indra and others) as Soma’s ‘strength’ is invoked.
- The sacrificers pray for nourishment, victory over hostile forces, and successful gain (sani).
Offerings
- Filtered Soma juice (primary)
- Water used in purification
- Optional accompanying oblations typical of Soma rites (e.g., ghee in the fire as part of the broader ceremony)
Frequently Asked Questions
The deity is Soma Pavamāna—Soma as the purified, filtered, flowing draught (Indu/Indavaḥ) that brings vitality, inspiration, and protective power.
It asks Soma to spread nourishment and right impulses, help inspired thought win gains, and destroy obstructive forces like withholding, hostility, and predatory harm.
Because Soma’s physical filtering in the ritual symbolizes a clarifying power: as Soma becomes pure, the mind and community are prayed to become strong, prosperous, and protected from inner and outer negativity.
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