Rig Veda 9.96.19: Mandala 9, Sukta 96, Mantra 19
Sukta 9.96
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
चमूषच्छ्येनः शकुनो विभृत्वा गोविन्दुर्द्रप्स आयुधानि बिभ्रत् । अपामूर्मिं सचमानः समुद्रं तुरीयं धाम महिषो विवक्ति ॥
camūṣác chyenáḥ śakunó vibhṛ́tvā govíndur drápsa ā́yudhāni bíbhrat | apā́m ū́rmiṃ sácamānaḥ samudráṃ turī́yaṃ dhā́ma mahíṣo vivakti ||
Auf den Schöpflöffeln sitzend, der Falkenvogel, seine Waffen tragend – dieser Tropfen, der die Kuh (den Strahl) findet, der Govindu –, zieht mit der Woge der Wasser zum Ozean hin; der große Stier enthüllt die vierte Wohnstatt.
Word by Word
- चमूषत्
- in the ladle / in the soma-cupNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: -षत् = -षि) ‘चमूषि’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot चमूष् (प्रातिपदिक) / चमू (स्त्री)
- श्येनः
- the falconNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
- शकुनः
- the birdNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to श्येनः)Root शकुन (प्रातिपदिक)
- विभृत्वा
- having carried/spread (it)Verbक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with preverb वि-; ‘having borne/carried’Role (पूर्वक्रिया of main verb)Root √भृ (भरणे)
- गोविन्दुः
- Go-vindu (Soma), finder of cows / cow-winningNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot गोविन्दु (प्रातिपदिक; सोम-नाम)
- द्रप्सः
- the drop (of Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to गोविन्दुः)Root द्रप्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयुधानि
- weapons / implementsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
- बिभ्रत्
- bearing, carryingVerbवर्तमाने कृदन्त (शतृ); प्रथमा एकवचन पुं; ‘bearing’Role Kartā (agreeing with गोविन्दुः/द्रप्सः)Root √भृ (भरणे)
- अपाम्
- of the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊर्मिम्
- the waveNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सचमानः
- accompanying, consorting withVerbवर्तमाने कृदन्त (शानच्/आन); प्रथमा एकवचन पुं; ‘accompanying, joining’Role Kartā (agreeing with महिषः)Root √सच् (समवाये/सेवने ‘to accompany, join’)
- समुद्रम्
- the oceanNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (object of सचमानः) / goal of motionRoot समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुरीयम्
- the fourthAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role Karma (qualifier of धाम)Root तुरीय (प्रातिपदिक)
- धाम
- abode, station, realmNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (वेदिक: धाम = धामानम्/धाम)Role KarmaRoot धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- महिषः
- the bull (Soma as mighty one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
- विवक्ति
- apportions / makes manifest / declaresVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्र.पुरुष एकवचनRole Kriyā (main finite verb)Root √वच् (वचने) with वि- (वेदिक: ‘to apportion, make known, distinguish’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): चमूषच्छ्येनः → चमूषत् + श्येनः (वेदिक सप्तमी ‘चमूषत्’ = ‘चमूषि’)
- शकुनो → शकुनः (पदपाठ-रूप)
- गोविन्दुर्द्रप्सः → गोविन्दुः + द्रप्सः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: उः + द् → उर्द्)
- बिभ्रत् (शतृ) stands with गोविन्दुः/द्रप्सः
- अपामूर्मिं → अपाम् + ऊर्मिम् (मकारादेश/संयोग)
- समु॒द्रं तु॒रीयं॒ धाम॑ → समुद्रम् + तुरीयम् + धाम
- other words largely unsandhied
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma as a falcon perched on the ladles, bearing weapons; the drop that finds the Cow moves with the waters’ wave to the ocean; the great Bull reveals the fourth abode.
Inner meaning
Soma becomes the śyena (falcon)—the swift ascendant force that carries consciousness upward and also brings down the nectar of higher experience. ‘Weapons’ are the powers of discernment and victorious energy that cut through obscurity. ‘Go-vindu’ is the finder of the Cow: the discoverer of rays of knowledge. Moving with the wave of the waters signifies joining the deep currents of consciousness (apah) toward the ocean—the vast infinite (samudra), the undivided being. The ‘fourth abode’ is the turiya-like station: beyond waking-dream-sleep patterns, a fourth poise of consciousness disclosed by the mighty Soma.
Universal truth
Spiritual delight, when made swift and discerning, finds the hidden light and carries the being into the oceanic vastness where a fourth, freer mode of awareness is unveiled.
Themes
Śyena-Soma myth, Revelation of higher abode, Waters-to-ocean ascent, Recovery of rays
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.96
Significance
This verse is a compact map of ascent: Soma as the descending/ascending falcon, discovering the rays (go) and opening the ‘fourth’ consciousness—highly consonant with an inner-yogic reading.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Soma as Śyena/falcon and revealer of higher abodes)
- Epithets
- Śyena (falcon), Govindu (finder of light), Drapsa (the drop), Mahiṣa (great bull)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of coverers; implied by weapons), Sarasvatī (knowledge-rays), Varuṇa (oceanic vastness motif)
Cosmic role
Mediator between heights and earth: carries the essence of delight, breaks resistances, and reveals higher stations of being.
Inner power
Ecstatic force of ascent with sharp discernment; power to open turiya-like poise and unite surface mind with oceanic depth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering: movement of Soma through implements (camū) and toward collection/offer
च॒मू॒षच्छ्ये॒नः श॑कु॒नो वि॒भृत्वा॑ गोवि॒न्दुर्द्र॒प्स आयु॑धानि॒ बिभ्र॑त् । अ॒पामू॒र्मिं सच॑मानः समु॒द्रं तु॒रीयं॒ धाम॑ महि॒षो वि॑वक्ति ॥
च॒मू॒ऽसत् । श्ये॒नः । श॒कु॒नः । वि॒ऽभृत्वा॑ । गो॒ऽवि॒न्दुः । द्र॒प्सः । आयु॑धानि । बिभ्र॑त् । अ॒पाम् । ऊ॒र्मिम् । सच॑मानः । स॒मु॒द्रम् । तु॒रीय॑म् । धाम॑ । म॒हि॒षः । वि॒व॒क्ति॒ ॥
camū-sat | śyenaḥ | śakunaḥ | vi-bhṛtvā | go-vinduḥ | drapsaḥ | āyudhāni | bibhrat | apām | ūrmim | sacamānaḥ | samudram | turīyam | dhāma | mahiṣaḥ | vivakti
Triṣṭubh (probable; strong 11-syllable movement suits the dynamic imagery)
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Energetic, wing-beat cadence; alternating lift and landing.
Produces a sense of upward flight and decisive breakthrough, culminating in a vast release (samudra / turīya).
- camūṣat
- Literal: seated on the ladles/bowls. Symbolic: established in the offering-vessels—stable receptacles of consciousness
- śyenaḥ śakunaḥ
- Literal: falcon-bird. Symbolic: swift ascension; force that brings down divine experience
- āyudhāni
- Literal: weapons. Symbolic: powers of discrimination, courage, and effective will
- govinduḥ
- Literal: cow-finder. Symbolic: finder of rays of knowledge/illumination
- drapsaḥ
- Literal: drop. Symbolic: concentrated essence of Ananda
- apām ūrmiṃ
- Literal: wave of the waters. Symbolic: rhythms of the subconscient/inner ocean of consciousness
- samudram
- Literal: ocean. Symbolic: infinite being; vast unity-consciousness
- turīyaṃ dhāma
- Literal: fourth abode. Symbolic: turiya-like fourth state/plane beyond ordinary triad
- mahiṣaḥ
- Literal: great bull. Symbolic: mighty generative spiritual force
- vivakti
- Literal: discloses, makes manifest. Symbolic: revelation by experience, not mere thought
Mythic-ritual integration: Soma handled by ladles (camu), flowing to vessels; recitation aligns the physical movement with disclosure of higher consciousness-stations.
During pressing/straining when Soma is transferred among vessels and prepared for libation
Chant to empower Soma as victorious, knowledge-finding, and fit to reveal higher ‘dhāmas’ to the sacrificer.
Use for breakthrough meditation: when stuck in repetitive mental loops, chant to invoke the ‘falcon’ force that finds light and opens a fourth poise.
śyena: falcon motif tied to Soma’s heavenly origin; in inner reading: swift supramental force descending/ascending. go-vindu: go ‘cow/ray’ + vindu ‘finder’ (√vind ‘find, obtain’). drapsa: ‘drop’ also ‘sparkle’ in RV diction. √sac ‘accompany’ gives sacamāna. samudra ‘gathering of waters’ becomes symbol for Vast. turīya dhāma: ‘fourth station’—a graded ascent beyond ordinary triads; vivakti from vi-√vac ‘to utter distinctly’ → ‘reveal’.
cows as rays of knowledge (go-vindu), samudra as Vast consciousness, turīya (fourth state/abode) as transcendence of ordinary levels
The wave-to-ocean progression suggests the right course from divided movements to unity.
Vivakti (discloses) indicates truth revealed as lived station.
From concentrated drop to oceanic infinity—microcosm returning to source; unveiling higher planes.
Yogic/Upanishadic anticipation (turīya-like fourth state) within Vedic symbolism
Falcon = ascending will/illumined force; waters = subconscious and causal currents; ocean = infinite consciousness; cow = rays of knowledge.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the falcon (śyena) who ‘finds the cows’ (go-vindu) and moves from the wave of waters to the ocean, disclosing a ‘fourth abode’. This compresses two mythic strands: (1) Soma’s falcon-flight origin and (2) the recovery/unveiling of luminous herds (rays/knowledges), culminating in entry into the Vast (samudra) and a trans-triadic station (turīya).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘bear’ (bibhrat) continues PIE *bʰer- (English ‘bear’). √vac ‘speak’ (vivakti) continues PIE *wekʷ- (Latin vox, English ‘voice’). These inherited verbal roots support the archaic poetic equation: revelation as ‘speaking out’ and power as ‘bearing weapons’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi tracks Soma’s ritual motion (ladles → waters → ocean) as an inner itinerary (limited movement → vastness). Soma reciprocates by ‘revealing’ (vivakti) a higher station (turīya dhāma), i.e., granting access to a deeper consciousness beyond ordinary functioning.
Visualize a bright drop as a falcon rising from the heart to the space above the head, then dissolving into an infinite ocean of awareness.
Sahasrara (opening to vastness)
Ujjayi (soft) with a gentle upward attention on inhale; release into vastness on exhale.
Transition from active ascent to oceanic unity; glimpses of ‘fourth’ witnessing poise.
Chant 3–9 times, then sit in silence: allow thoughts to become ‘waves’ that naturally merge into the ‘ocean’ without suppression.
Rigvedic three-tone; keep the flight-like rise on śyenaḥ and the widening cadence into samudram / turīyam dhāma.
Maintain clear retroflexes: śakuno, govinduḥ; do not blur consonant clusters in vibhṛtvā.
camūṣat: long ū; ṣ retroflex, vibhṛtvā: vocalic ṛ, then tvā cleanly, ūrmiṃ: long ū; nasal ṁ at end, turīyam: long ī
Focused and bright at start, then broaden and soften on ‘samudram’ to evoke vastness.
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