Rig Veda Sukta 85
Mandala 9Sukta 8511 Mantras

Sukta 85

Sukta 9.85

Dieser Pavamāna-Soma-Hymnus preist den gut gepressten Soma, wie er geläutert wird, für Indra tauglich gemacht und mit der Kraft erfüllt, Krankheit und rakṣasartige feindliche Mächte zu vertreiben. Die Strophen wechseln zwischen der konkreten Ritualszene — Filtern, Becher und priesterliches Handeln — und einer lichtvollen kosmischen Schau, in der Somās Hüterkraft (Gandharva-Motiv) durch Himmel und Erde ausstrahlt. Insgesamt rahmt die Sukta Soma sowohl als sakrales Trankopfer wie auch als schützende, exorzistische Macht, die Lebenskraft, Klarheit und Sieg sichert.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 9.85

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • SomaMantra 1for Indra, protective/exorcistic nuance against Rakṣas
  • Soma PavamanaMantras 2, 4-12Soma Pavamāna with Indra invoked as drinker and slayer of assaults

    Soma is the pressed and flowing plant-essence, purified through the filter, shining as ‘drops’ (indavaḥ), intoxicating and strengthening Indra, and driving away disease and hostile beings.

Mantras

Mantra 1

इन्द्राय सोम सुषुतः परि स्रवापामीवा भवतु रक्षसा सह । मा ते रसस्य मत्सत द्वयाविनो द्रविणस्वन्त इह सन्त्विन्दवः ॥

Für Indra, o Soma, wohlgepresst, ströme ringsum; es werde Krankheit verstoßen samt der feindlichen Finsternis. Nicht sollen die Zwiespältigen und Doppelgesinnten deinen rasa kosten; hier seien die Indu-Tropfen, leuchtend, erfüllt vom wahren Reichtum des Seins.

Mantra 2

अस्मान्त्समर्ये पवमान चोदय दक्षो देवानामसि हि प्रियो मदः । जहि शत्रूँरभ्या भन्दनायतः पिबेन्द्र सोममव नो मृधो जहि ॥

Treibe uns voran im Kampf, o sich läuternder Soma; denn du bist der Götter Geschick und Kraft, ihr geliebter Rausch (madá). Schlage die Feinde nieder, die auf uns drängen, um uns zu binden; trink, o Indra, den Soma—schirme uns und töte die Angriffe, die unserem Vorwärtsgang entgegenstehen.

Mantra 4

सहस्रणीथः शतधारो अद्भुत इन्द्रायेन्दुः पवते काम्यं मधु । जयन्क्षेत्रमभ्यर्षा जयन्नप उरुं नो गातुं कृणु सोम मीढ्वः ॥

Tausendfach führend, hundertfach strömend, wundersam—Indu läutert sich für Indra als begehrenswerter Honig der Wonne. Das Feld besiegend, ströme darüber hin; die Wasser besiegend, schaffe uns einen weiten Pfad, o Soma, Spender der fruchtbaren Gabe.

Mantra 5

कनिक्रदत्कलशे गोभिरज्यसे व्यव्ययं समया वारमर्षसि । मर्मृज्यमानो अत्यो न सानसिरिन्द्रस्य सोम जठरे समक्षरः ॥

Im Becher aufschreiend, wirst du mit den Strahlen gesalbt; du strömst zur rechten Zeit durch das unvergängliche Sieb. Geläutert, wie ein schneller Hengst zum Gewinn, o Soma, ergießest du dich zusammen in Indras Bauch.

Mantra 6

स्वादुः पवस्व दिव्याय जन्मने स्वादुरिन्द्राय सुहवीतुनाम्ने । स्वादुर्मित्राय वरुणाय वायवे बृहस्पतये मधुमाँ अदाभ्यः ॥

Ströme süß, o Soma Pavamāna, zur göttlichen Geburt; ströme süß für Indra, dessen Name der gute Anruf ist. Ströme süß für Mitra, Varuṇa und Vāyu; honigvoll, unbezwingbar, für Bṛhaspati.

Mantra 7

अत्यं मृजन्ति कलशे दश क्षिपः प्र विप्राणां मतयो वाच ईरते । पवमाना अभ्यर्षन्ति सुष्टुतिमेन्द्रं विशन्ति मदिरास इन्दवः ॥

Zehn schnelle Hände reinigen das Ross im Becher; vorwärts drängen die Gedanken und Worte der inspirierten Seher. Sich läuternd strömen sie zur wohlgefügten Lobpreisung; die berauschenden, lichten Tropfen gehen in Indra in uns ein.

Mantra 8

पवमानो अभ्यर्षा सुवीर्यमुर्वीं गव्यूतिं महि शर्म सप्रथः । माकिर्नो अस्य परिषूतिरीशतेन्दो जयेम त्वया धनंधनम् ॥

O Soma, ströme, während du geläutert wirst, zu uns heran und bringe heldische Kraft, die weite Weide der leuchtenden Strahlen und den großen, weithin sich ausbreitenden Schutz des Friedens. Keine umringende Bedrängnis dieser Finsternis soll über uns Macht gewinnen. Mit dir, o Indu, mögen wir Reichtum um Reichtum erringen — stets sich erneuernde Fülle.

Mantra 9

अधि द्यामस्थाद्वृषभो विचक्षणोऽरूरुचद्वि दिवो रोचना कविः । राजा पवित्रमत्येति रोरुवद्दिवः पीयूषं दुहते नृचक्षसः ॥

Über dem Himmel nahm der Stier, der weitblickende Kavi, seinen Stand; er ließ die lichten Räume des Himmels aufleuchten. Der König schreitet unter dröhnendem Ruf durch das Pavitra; die Rishis mit Menschenblick melken den himmlischen Piyush, den Nektar.

Mantra 10

दिवो नाके मधुजिह्वा असश्चतो वेना दुहन्त्युक्षणं गिरिष्ठाम् । अप्सु द्रप्सं वावृधानं समुद्र आ सिन्धोरूर्मा मधुमन्तं पवित्र आ ॥

Auf des Himmels Gipfel melken die begehrenden, honigzüngigen, unermüdlichen Venas den Stier, der auf den Höhen steht. In den Wassern wird der wachsende Tropfen genährt; aus dem Ozean, aus der Woge des Flusses kommt die honigreiche Essenz zum Pavitra.

Mantra 11

नाके सुपर्णमुपपप्तिवांसं गिरो वेनानामकृपन्त पूर्वीः । शिशुं रिहन्ति मतयः पनिप्नतं हिरण्ययं शकुनं क्षामणि स्थाम् ॥

Auf des Himmels Gipfel formten die uralten Lieder der Venas den schönbeflügelten, der herabgekommen und gelandet ist. Die Gedanken lecken und hegen das Kind, unablässig in Bewegung — den goldenen Vogel, gegründet in der Wohnstatt der Erde.

Mantra 12

ऊर्ध्वो गन्धर्वो अधि नाके अस्थाद्विश्वा रूपा प्रतिचक्षाणो अस्य । भानुः शुक्रेण शोचिषा व्यद्यौत्प्रारूरुचद्रोदसी मातरा शुचिः ॥

Aufrecht hat der Gandharva auf der Himmelszinne seinen Stand genommen, alle Gestalten dieser Erscheinung überschaut er. Mit hellem, reinem Flammenlicht hat sein Glanz weithin aufgeleuchtet; in Lauterkeit ließ er die beiden Mütter, Himmel und Erde, erstrahlen.

Inside Sukta 85

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Soma is invoked to flow for Indra, simultaneously expelling sickness and Rakṣas-like darkness, and guarding the sacred rasa from the ‘double-minded.’

  2. Development

    The hymn dwells on the mechanics and poetry of purification—hands, cup, and inspired speech—showing Soma’s bright drops becoming fit to enter Indra and empower praise and victory.

  3. Climax

    A visionary elevation: the Gandharva-guardian stands aloft, beholding all forms, while Soma’s radiance flashes out and makes Heaven and Earth shine—purification becomes cosmic illumination.

  4. Where it settles

    The purified Soma is established as a beneficent, wealth-bringing, order-protecting power: fit for Indra, hostile forces repelled, and the rite secured in clarity and light.

The deity: Soma Pavamāna, for Indra

  • In the VedaHe is praised as bright, swift, and truth-bearing, entering the god and the hymn, while guarded/overseen in cosmic imagery (e.g., Gandharva motif).
  • Cosmic functionMediator of vitality and power: Soma renews life-force, fuels Indra’s victorious might, purifies the atmosphere of harmful forces, and sustains ṛta (right order) through luminous clarity.
  • Inner significanceThe refining of Soma mirrors inner purification: clarifying mixed motives (‘double-minded’), expelling inner darkness, and distilling a concentrated ‘rasa’ of courage, discernment, and inspired speech that can ‘enter Indra’—the awakened power of decisive action.

The seer

  • An unknown seer (Anādeśya/Anonymous) of the Soma Pavamāna corpusThis hymn belongs to the 9th Maṇḍala’s specialized ‘Soma Pavamāna’ collection, where authorship is sometimes not clearly preserved in later indices; the focus is the technical and mystical language of Soma’s purification and empowerment for Indra.

Famous verses

apāmīvā bhavatu rakṣasā saha
Verse 9.85.1Sets the hymn’s protective tone: Soma flows for Indra while sickness and rakṣas-hostility are cast out; it also stresses safeguarding the rasa from ‘double-minded’ participation.Read verse 9.85.1 →
daśa kṣipaḥ
Verse 9.85.7A vivid ritual snapshot—‘ten swift hands’ cleanse Soma in the cup—linking priestly action, inspired speech, and Soma’s entry into Indra as intoxicating power.Read verse 9.85.7 →
ūrdhvo gandharvo adhi nāke asthāt
Verse 9.85.12Cosmic culmination using the Gandharva image: Soma’s guardian-radiance stands on high, sees all forms, and illumines Heaven and Earth—purification as universal shining.Read verse 9.85.12 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Purifying (pavamāna)
  • Luminous/bright (śukra, bhānu)
  • Intoxicating-strengthening (madira)
  • Protective/exorcistic (driving off amīvā and rakṣas)
  • Rasa-bearing (essence/juice)
  • Ritually exact (pressed, filtered, set in vessels)

Also by this seer

  • Participation (as an anonymous or uncertain attribution) in the wider RV 9 Pavamāna hymn tradition centered on Soma’s pressing, filtering, and ascent into the gods
  • Associated with the ritual-poetic idiom that links Soma’s rasa (essence) to protection, healing, and inspired speech (vāc)

The rite, step by step

  • Press Soma (suṣuta) and set it to flow (pari srava)
  • Filter/purify through the strainer (pavitra), collecting in cups/vessels (kalaśa)
  • Priests ‘cleanse the steed’—repeated washing/clarifying actions as the Soma runs bright
  • Recite hymns of praise (suṣṭuti) to invite Soma’s entry into Indra and the rite
  • Consecrate as a protective draught: prayer to cast out amīvā (sickness) and repel rakṣas/hostility
  • Offer the clarified Soma to Indra (and associated deities) and distribute according to the rite

Offerings

  • Clarified Soma juice (Soma rasa)
  • Libations into the fire/offerings to Indra as per Soma-sacrifice procedure
  • Accompanying oblations customary to Soma rites (e.g., ghee and ritual portions, depending on śrauta setting)

Frequently Asked Questions

It praises Soma as it is purified for offering to Indra, asking that the clarified Soma drive away sickness and hostile forces (Rakṣas) and bring strength, clarity, and true wealth.

The verse warns that Soma’s sacred essence should not be approached with divided intention or deceit; purity of motive is part of the rite’s power and protection.

Here the Gandharva functions as a lofty guardian/witness of Soma, expressing Soma’s radiant, overseeing aspect—an image that turns the ritual purification into a cosmic illumination of Heaven and Earth.

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