Rig Veda 9.86.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 86, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.86
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्र ते मदासो मदिरास आशवोऽसृक्षत रथ्यासो यथा पृथक् । धेनुर्न वत्सं पयसाभि वज्रिणमिन्द्रमिन्दवो मधुमन्त ऊर्मयः ॥
prá te madā́so madirā́sa āśávo ’sṛkṣata rathyā́so yáthā pṛ́thak | dhenúr na vatsáṃ páyasā́bhi vajríṇam índram índavo mádhu-manta ū́rmayaḥ ||
Deine schnellen Entzückungen, o Soma — berauschende Ströme — sind losgelassen wie Wagen, die sich auf ihren Bahnen auseinanderziehen. Wie eine Kuh zum Kalb mit Milch drängen die honigvollen Wogen zu Indra, dem Träger des Vajra, um in uns seine sieghafte Kraft zu stärken.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- ते
- to youPronoundative singular (2nd person)Role SampradānaRoot त्वद् (pronominal base)
- मदासः
- intoxicating draughts / exhilarationsNounmasculine nominative pluralRole KartāRoot मद (prātipadika)
- मदिरासः
- intoxicating, gladdeningAdjectivemasculine nominative plural (agreeing with मदासः)Role KartāRoot मदिरा (prātipadika)
- आशवः
- swiftAdjectivemasculine nominative plural (agreeing with मदासः)Role KartāRoot आशु (prātipadika)
- असृक्षत
- they streamed/they were let looseVerbaorist (injunctive/augmentless aorist), 3rd person plural, parasmaipadaRoot सृज्
- रथ्यासः
- chariot-going ones / those on the chariot-trackNoun/Adjective (used substantively)masculine nominative pluralRole KartāRoot रथ्य (prātipadika)
- यथा
- as, likeIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot यथा
- पृथक्
- apart, separatelyIndeclinableadverbRoot पृथक्
- धेनुः
- a cowNounfeminine nominative singularRole KartāRoot धेनु (prātipadika)
- न
- likeIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot न
- वत्सम्
- calfNounmasculine accusative singularRole KarmaRoot वत्स (prātipadika)
- पयसा
- with milkNounneuter instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot पयस् (prātipadika)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableupasarga / prepositionRoot अभि (upasarga)
- वज्रिणम्
- the wielder of the vajraNoun/Adjectivemasculine accusative singularRole KarmaRoot वज्रिन् (prātipadika)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (proper)masculine accusative singular (apposition to वज्रिणम्)Role KarmaRoot इन्द्र (prātipadika)
- इन्दवः
- Soma-dropsNounmasculine nominative pluralRole KartāRoot इन्दु (prātipadika)
- मधुमन्तः
- honeyed, sweetAdjectivemasculine nominative plural (agreeing with इन्दवः)Role KartāRoot मधुमन्त् (prātipadika)
- ऊर्मयः
- waves, surgesNounmasculine nominative pluralRole KartāRoot ऊर्मि (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved Vedic sandhi/pada-division: आशवोऽसृक्षत → आशवः असृक्षत (o + a → o’)
- पयसा॒भि → पयसा अभि (ā + a hiatus in saṃhitā)
- Other forms are already pada-like
- Accents are retained from saṃhitā but not re-assigned per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
Your swift intoxicating currents, O Soma, have been released like chariots spreading out. Like a cow to her calf with milk, the honey-full waves press toward Indra the thunderbolt-bearer.
Inner meaning
The Soma-ecstasies (madāsaḥ) are released in many channels like chariots taking their roads—multiple movements of delight-energy spreading through the being. Yet their aim is single: they surge toward Indra, the illumined mind-power that wields the vajra of discrimination to break obstruction. The cow-to-calf image shows intimate, natural nourishment: the sweet waves of Ananda feed the illumined mind so it can act victoriously against inner darkness and resistance.
Universal truth
Joy becomes power when it nourishes illumination; when delight feeds discernment, the mind gains the strength to break limiting patterns.
Themes
Indra-Soma synergy, Inner victory, Nourishment of will, Soma waves
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.86.1 (swift currents around the vessel), RV 1.32 (Indra slays Vṛtra; thematic background for vajrin)
Significance
The seer shows the functional alliance: Soma (delight) is not an end in itself; it becomes effective when offered to Indra (illumination) to conquer inner resistance.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (with Indra as recipient/ally)
- Epithets
- Madīra (intoxicating), Madhumant (honey-rich), Ūrmi (wave-like)
- Related deities
- Indra (vajrin), Vṛtra (implicit adversary/covering), Agni (carrier of offering; implicit)
Cosmic role
Soma releases delight-currents that empower Indra, enabling the victory of light over obstruction in the cosmos and in the seeker.
Inner power
Ananda feeding illumined intelligence; bliss transmuted into force of victory.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing/purification; offering Soma to Indra in Soma-yajña
प्र ते॒ मदा॑सो मदि॒रास॑ आ॒शवोऽसृ॑क्षत॒ रथ्या॑सो॒ यथा॒ पृथ॑क् । धे॒नुर्न व॒त्सं पय॑सा॒भि व॒ज्रिण॒मिन्द्र॒मिन्द॑वो॒ मधु॑मन्त ऊ॒र्मय॑: ॥
प्र । ते॒ । मदा॑सः । म॒दि॒रासः॑ । आ॒शवः । असृ॑क्षत । रथ्या॑सः । यथा॑ । पृथ॑क् । धे॒नुः । न । व॒त्सम् । पय॑सा । अ॒भि । व॒ज्रिण॑म् । इन्द्र॑म् । इन्द॑वः । मधु॑ऽमन्तः । ऊ॒र्मयः॑ ॥
pra | te | madāsaḥ | madirāsaḥ | āśavaḥ | asṛkṣata | rathyāsaḥ | yathā | pṛthak | dhenuḥ | na | vatsam | payasā | abhi | vajriṇam | indram | indavaḥ | madhu-mantaḥ | ūrmayaḥ
48
4 × 12 syllables
Fast expansion (chariots spreading) followed by a strong converging thrust toward Indra.
Energizes and focuses: dispersive energies are gathered into a single victorious intention.
- मदासः मदीरासः (madāsaḥ madīrāsaḥ)
- Literal: ecstasies, intoxicating. Symbolic: uplifting waves of Ananda-force
- आशवः (āśavaḥ)
- Literal: swift. Symbolic: quick, penetrating currents in the subtle nature
- असृक्षत (asṛkṣata)
- Literal: have been released. Symbolic: liberation of blocked energies; opening of channels
- रथ्यासः (rathyāsaḥ)
- Literal: like chariots. Symbolic: organized forces of movement/action in different tracks
- धेनुः…वत्सम् (dhenuḥ…vatsam)
- Literal: cow…calf. Symbolic: nature’s nourishing power flowing to the growing soul/mind
- पयसा (payasā)
- Literal: with milk. Symbolic: substance of delight/knowledge that sustains growth
- वज्रिणम् इन्द्रम् (vajriṇam indram)
- Literal: Indra the thunderbolt-bearer. Symbolic: illumined mind with decisive force to shatter obstruction
- ऊर्मयः (ūrmayaḥ)
- Literal: waves. Symbolic: rhythmic surges of life-force carrying sweetness
Soma offering to Indra in Soma sacrifice; Soma pressed and offered to empower Indra
When Soma is prepared and mentally ‘directed’ to Indra’s cup in the rite
Recitation accompanying offering/collection; intention of strengthening Indra
For moments needing decisive clarity: chant to convert emotional energy into discriminative power and action.
asṛkṣata from √sṛj ‘release, send forth’; rathya ‘chariot-going’; dhenú ‘cow’ (giver of milk/light); payas ‘milk’ (also sap/essence); vajrin ‘thunderbolt-bearer’ (Indra as breaker of obstruction); ūrmí ‘wave’. Inner mapping: Soma-waves nourishing Indra indicates Soma’s delight/clarity feeding the will-to-victory that smashes inner obstruction.
Empowerment of Indra (victory-force) by Soma (delight/clarity), Nourishment as transmission of essence, Expansion and distribution of forces (pṛthak)
Forces (chariots) must run on right tracks; then they converge to empower the light.
Indra as satya-dhī: true intelligence strengthened by Soma.
Many currents of becoming are gathered into the central power of illumination to overcome the Coverer.
Aurobindonian psychology: Ananda (Soma) supports Vijñāna/Mental illumination (Indra) for transformation of nature.
Energies released in life must be guided; nourishment of the illumined mind turns waves into victory-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The empowering of Indra by Soma: Soma’s released waves rush to Indra as nourishing milk to a calf. Mythically, Soma feeds the thunderbolt-force that breaks obstruction; psychologically, delight and clarity strengthen the victorious will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The chariot simile and the cow/milk nourishment motif are deeply IE. The verb √sṛj ‘send forth’ and the wave noun ūrmí show typical archaic imagery of dynamic release and surge, used to express divine agency entering human action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi channels Soma toward Indra within the sacrifice/being: Soma’s ecstasies become offerings that awaken and feed Indra’s power. The reciprocity is functional—human aspiration offers Soma; Soma empowers Indra; Indra returns as victorious action against inner resistance.
Offer the sweetness of experience to the inner Indra: let joy empower clear seeing and decisive breaking of habits.
Manipura (Indra/vajra decisiveness) nourished by Anahata (sweetness)
Inhale feeling ‘waves’ rise; exhale sending them to the brow/solar plexus as a firm, clear force; brief kumbhaka to feel vajra-like steadiness.
Dynamic clarity; empowered discrimination.
When overwhelmed by many impulses, imagine them as chariots—assign each its right track, then gather all toward a single luminous intention (Indra) to break the ‘covering’ pattern.
Vedic accenting as per recension; keep energetic lift on ‘pra te’ and ‘vajriṇam indram’.
Let the first half be expansive (like chariots spreading), then tighten focus and intensity as the waves press ‘abhi… indram’.
rathyāso: aspirate th; avoid ‘ratyā’., vajriṇam: clear jra cluster; retroflex ṇ., ūrmayaḥ: long ū; roll r lightly.
Strong, steady, slightly percussive on consonant clusters to evoke vajra-force.
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