Rig Veda 9.81.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 81, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.81
- Rishi
- Not securely inferable from the excerpt alone
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
आ नः सोम पवमानः किरा वस्विन्दो भव मघवा राधसो महः । शिक्षा वयोधो वसवे सु चेतुना मा नो गयमारे अस्मत्परा सिचः ॥
ā́ naḥ soma pavamānaḥ kirā́ vásv índo bháva maghávā rā́dhaso maháḥ | śíkṣā vayodhó vásave sú cetúnā mā́ no gáyam ā́re asmát pará̄ sicaḥ ||
Komm zu uns, o Soma, Pavāmāna, und streue Reichtum aus; o Indu, werde uns ein freigebiger Spender großer Fülle. Lehre uns das Wachstum von Leben und Kraft mit klarem Erkennen; gieße unseren Gewinn nicht fern von uns aus.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither; towards (us)Indeclinableupasarga/particle; direction ‘towards, hither’Root आ (upasarga) / ā (avyaya)
- नः
- for us; ourPronoungenitive plural (enclitic) ‘of us/our’Role Sampradāna (recipient/beneficiary marker in sense) / PossessorRoot अस्मद्
- सोम
- O SomaNounvocative singular masculineRole SambodhanaRoot सोम- (prātipadika)
- पवमानः
- purifying; self-purifying (as it flows)Adjective/Participlenominative singular masculine (agreeing with implied ‘Soma’)Role Kartā (agent, as epithet of Soma)Root √पू (pū ‘to purify’) → पवमान- (present participle Ātmanepada)
- किर
- pour forth; scatterVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (verbal action); Soma as KartāRoot √कॄ/किर् (kir ‘to scatter, pour, strew’)
- वसु
- wealth; good thingsNounaccusative plural neuter (collective ‘goods/wealths’)Role KarmaRoot वसु-
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma-drop)Nounvocative singular masculineRole SambodhanaRoot इन्दु-
- भव
- become; beVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (injunction)Root √भू (bhū ‘to be, become’)
- मघवा
- bountiful; generousNoun/Adjectivenominative singular masculine (predicative epithet)Role Kartā (as predicate of Soma) / SambandhaRoot मघवन्-
- राधसः
- of bounty; of gift/wealthNoungenitive singular neuterRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root राधस्-
- महः
- of greatness; of great mightNoungenitive singular neuter (Vedic form; ‘of the great’)Role SambandhaRoot महत् / मह- (as neuter ‘greatness, might’)
- शिक्ष
- grant; make (us) able; instructVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (injunction)Root √शिक्ष् (śikṣ ‘to train, instruct; to make able; to bestow skillfully’)
- वयोधः
- vital strength; life-sustaining powerNounaccusative singular neuter (object of ‘शिक्ष’)Role KarmaRoot वयो-धस्- (compound: वयस् ‘vital strength/age’ + धस् ‘placing/putting; bestowal’)
- वसवे
- for wealth; for the beneficent (end)Noundative singular masculine (‘to/for the good one’ or ‘for wealth’)Role SampradānaRoot वसु-
- सु
- well; excellentlyIndeclinablepreverb/particle ‘well, good’Root सु (prefix/particle)
- चेतुना
- with insight; with wise intentNouninstrumental singular masculine/neuterRole KaraṇaRoot चेतु- (from √चित् ‘to perceive, notice, intend’)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableprohibitive ‘do not’ (used with injunctive/imperative sense)Root मा (prohibitive particle)
- नः
- usPronounaccusative plural (enclitic) ‘us’Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- गयमारे
- in ruin; in loss/destructionNounlocative singular masculine/neuter (Vedic loc. in -e)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गय-मार- (compound; ‘loss/destruction of life/wealth’, lit. ‘going-to-loss/death’)
- अस्मत्
- from usPronounablative singular ‘from us’Role ApādānaRoot अस्मद्
- परा
- awayIndeclinablepreverb/particle ‘away, forth’Root परा (upasarga/avyaya)
- सिचः
- pour; sprinkleVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (injunction)Root √सिच् (sic ‘to pour, sprinkle’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): आ नः सोम पवमानः किर वसु । इन्दो भव मघवा राधसः महः । शिक्षा वयोधः वसवे सु चेतुना । मा नः गयमारे अस्मत् परा सिचः ॥ Notes: (1) न॑: = नः enclitic ‘of us/for us’ after आ. (2) वस्विन्दो = वसु + इन्दो (u + i → v + i; written as -वि-). (3) सु चे॒तुना = सु + चेतुना (no further change). (4) मा नो = मा + नः (acc. pl. enclitic). (5) अस्मत्परा = अस्मत् + परा (t + p retained). Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the segmented padas above
- forms are given in unaccented Devanagari
The meaning
Outer meaning
Come to us, Soma in purification; scatter wealth. O Indu, become a great giver of riches. Teach us increase of life and strength with clear insight; do not pour our gain far away from us.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls Soma-as-purifier to enter the being and ‘scatter wealth’—not mere possessions but vástu: substance of consciousness, stable force, and inner resources. Indu (the bright drop) is asked to become maghavā—giver of plenitude—so the sadhaka receives rādhas (graceful abundance). The prayer ‘teach us the increase of life and strength’ asks for Soma to educate the vital being (vāyodhaḥ: growth of vitality) under ‘su-cetunā’ (clear seeing), i.e., guided by luminous discernment rather than desire. The final plea is psychological: do not let our gains leak away into dispersion, forgetfulness, or externalization; keep the attained force near, integrated, retained.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires not only moments of sweetness but the capacity to retain and organize gains; purified delight must educate life-force with clear discernment so growth becomes stable and near.
Themes
Petition, Wealth as spiritual substance, Training of perception, Non-wasting of gains
The seer
- Rishi
- Sūkta-level seer for RV 9.81 per Anukramaṇī.
- Other hymns
- RV 9.81 (same hymn)
Significance
A practical yoga-prayer: not only attainment (Soma’s sweetness) but retention, right vital education, and integrated prosperity of being.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- pavamāna (purifying), indu (luminous drop), maghavā (bountiful)
- Related deities
- Agni (inner sacrifice leader), Indra (illumined mind strengthened by Soma)
Cosmic role
Bestower of inner wealth and organizer of life-force through purified delight; sustainer of growth under clarity.
Inner power
Stabilizes gains, distributes force through the system, trains the vital under illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Soma-Pavamāna recitation; also fits prosperity/strength petitions within Soma rites.
आ न॑: सोम॒ पव॑मानः किरा॒ वस्विन्दो॒ भव॑ म॒घवा॒ राध॑सो म॒हः । शिक्षा॑ वयोधो॒ वस॑वे॒ सु चे॒तुना॒ मा नो॒ गय॑मा॒रे अ॒स्मत्परा॑ सिचः ॥
आ । नः॒ । सो॒म॒ । पव॑मानः । कि॒र॒ । वसु॑ । इन्दो॒ इति॑ । भव॑ । म॒घऽवा॑ । राध॑सः । म॒हः । शिक्ष॑ । व॒यः॒ऽधः॒ । वस॑वे । सु । चे॒तुना॑ । मा । नः॒ । गय॑म् । आ॒रे । अ॒स्मत् । परा॑ । सि॒चः॒ ॥
ā | naḥ | soma | pavamānaḥ | kira | vasu | indo iti | bhava | magha-vā | rādhasaḥ | mahaḥ | śikṣa | vayaḥ-dhaḥ | vasave | su | cetunā | mā | naḥ | gayam | āre | asmat | parā | sicaḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables
Invocatory and instructive; balanced cadence suited to prayer and guidance.
Grounding and consolidating; helps ‘retain gains’ and spread calm strength.
- आ नः (ā naḥ)
- Literal: come to us. Symbolic: descent/entry of the higher force into the personal nature
- पवमानः (pavamānaḥ)
- Literal: purifying. Symbolic: clarifying action that removes mixture and stabilizes delight
- किरे वसु (kirā vasu)
- Literal: scatter wealth. Symbolic: diffuse inner substance—peace, force, joy, capacity—through all parts
- इन्दो (indo)
- Literal: bright drop. Symbolic: luminous essence of ananda in concentrated form
- मघवा (maghavā)
- Literal: bountiful giver. Symbolic: power that grants plenitude of consciousness
- राधसः महः (rādhasaḥ mahaḥ)
- Literal: great riches/grace. Symbolic: large spiritual abundance: strength, wideness, joy
- वयोधः (vayodhaḥ)
- Literal: increase of life/strength. Symbolic: growth and right formation of the vital being
- सु चेतुना (su cetunā)
- Literal: with good/clear intelligence. Symbolic: luminous discernment guiding vital growth
- गयम् (gayam)
- Literal: gain/possession. Symbolic: attained inner progress, gathered force
- परा सिचः (parā sicaḥ)
- Literal: pour away far. Symbolic: loss through dispersion, relapse, or outward leakage
General petition within Soma purification liturgy for prosperity and right distribution of the sacrificial fruits to the sacrificer.
During purification sequences; as a request for boons and stability of offering-fruit.
Chanted while Soma flows/clarifies; intention of invoking abundance and protection of gains.
Use after meditation to ‘seal’ the practice: ask that the gained clarity and joy remain near and permeate daily life.
kirā: √kṛ/√kir 'scatter, strew'—abundant distribution. vasu: 'good/wealth' (inner substance). maghavā: 'bountiful' from maghá 'gift/power of giving'. cetunā: instrumental of cetu 'perception, intelligence' from √cit. sic: √sic 'pour'—here used for the directionality of gains (do not pour away).
Rayi/vasu as fullness of being, Cetu (clarity of perception) as guidance in inner growth, Right distribution/retention of gains (non-dissipation)
Right ‘scattering’ is not chaos but ṛta: orderly diffusion of force into all parts.
Clear seeing prevents leakage into false movements; keeps gains aligned with truth.
Consolidation after emergence: the created force must be retained and organized.
Yoga of integration: attainment + stabilization (a key Aurobindonian emphasis).
Rain/scattering = permeation of consciousness-energy; drop = concentrated ananda; pouring away = dissipation of tapas/attainment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'right bestowal of wealth' mythologem: Soma is asked to scatter vasu and become maghavā, while ensuring the gains are not wasted or poured away. Inner action: the delight-force must distribute plenitude through the being without leakage into dispersal and inertia.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √cit (cetu) and √sic (pour) are archaic verbal roots with broad IE parallels in cognition and liquid-transfer semantics. The imperatives (kirā, bhava, śikṣā, mā… sicaḥ) show the direct performative style typical of early IE hymnic address.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi requests not only gifts but guidance (śikṣā… cetunā): Soma is teacher and distributor. The reciprocity is ethical-psychological—divine plenitude is granted in proportion to right consciousness and non-dissipation.
Integration and retention: let purified joy permeate the body-mind; ask for clear discernment to guide vital growth and prevent leakage of force.
Anāhata (wealth of being/rasā) with grounding into Mūlādhāra (retention)
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min). On inhale: ‘ā naḥ’; on exhale: ‘kirā vasu’; end with a few quiet holds to ‘seal’ the gain.
Quiet, consolidated abundance; stable pranic fullness.
After chanting, sit 2–3 minutes in stillness; feel sweetness spread evenly; notice any habitual ‘leak points’ (restlessness, doubt, craving); gently bring them back under su-cetu (clear seeing); resolve one practical action to keep the gain near (sleep, silence, mindful speech).
Follow saṃhitā accents (e.g., सोम॒, पव॑मानः, इन्दो॒, मघवा॒). Keep the prayerful rises gentle, not aggressive.
Slightly emphasize the imperatives ‘ā… kirā… bhava… śikṣā… mā…’; soften at the end to convey retention and calm.
‘pavamānaḥ’ keep vā long; anusvāra in māna nasalized lightly., ‘rādhaso’ keep dh voiced aspirate., ‘su cetunā’ articulate c clearly; keep vowels distinct., ‘asmat parā’ keep t in asmat crisp; do not drop final t entirely.
Warm, steady, inward; end with a soft diminuendo.
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