
Sukta 9.41
Soma Pavamāna (streams/forces of Soma)
This short Pavamāna hymn praises Soma in his flowing, purified form as he rushes through the filter, casting off the “black skin” of obscurity and revealing bright, tireless power. It petitions Soma to stream toward the sacrificers with abundant nourishment—cattle, gold-like radiance, horses, and victorious strength—and to encircle them with peace-giving protection. The hymn’s purpose is both ritual (empowering the soma-pressing) and spiritual (clarifying consciousness through the rasa of Soma).
Mantra 1
प्र ये गावो न भूर्णयस्त्वेषा अयासो अक्रमुः । घ्नन्तः कृष्णामप त्वचम् ॥
Forth they surge like cattle in a whirling rush—bright, tireless energies that stride on, striking away the black skin: the covering of obscurity.
Mantra 2
सुवितस्य मनामहेऽति सेतुं दुराव्यम् । साह्वांसो दस्युमव्रतम् ॥
We take our thought toward the good passage and cross beyond the hard-to-pass bridge; as conquerors we overcome the lawless dasyu within—the power that refuses the true working.
Mantra 3
शृण्वे वृष्टेरिव स्वनः पवमानस्य शुष्मिणः । चरन्ति विद्युतो दिवि ॥
One hears, as of rain, the sound of the purifying and forceful Soma; his lightnings move in the heaven—signs of the awakened energy in the heights of consciousness.
Mantra 4
आ पवस्व महीमिषं गोमदिन्दो हिरण्यवत् । अश्वावद्वाजवत्सुतः ॥
Flow toward us, O Indu, bringing a vast nourishment—rich in rays (cows), rich in luminous splendour (gold), rich in life-force (horses), rich in plenitude of power (vāja)—you who are pressed out for the work.
Mantra 5
स पवस्व विचर्षण आ मही रोदसी पृण । उषाः सूर्यो न रश्मिभिः ॥
Flow, O universal discerner, and fill the vast two worlds; as the Dawn and the Sun with their rays, so do you flood our whole being with luminous currents.
Mantra 6
परि णः शर्मयन्त्या धारया सोम विश्वतः । सरा रसेव विष्टपम् ॥
Encircle us, O Soma, from every side with your stream that brings peace and shelter; flow through our world of settled being like rasa itself—pure essence moving everywhere.
Soma’s streams surge forward with force and brilliance, like a rushing herd, striking off the “black skin” of concealment.
The hymn turns from vivid imagery of purification to direct petitions: Soma is asked to flow toward the sacrificers with vast nourishment and manifold wealth-powers (cows, gold, horses, vāja).
The prayer peaks in the vision of Soma as universal protector—encircling the worshippers on every side with a peace-bringing stream.
It settles into the sense of Soma pervading the ordered world like pure essence (rasa), sustaining stable well-being and shelter.
ghnantaḥ kṛṣṇām apa tvacam
ā pavasva mahīm iṣam
pari ṇaḥ śarmayantyā dhārayā
It praises Soma as he flows in purified streams, drives away darkness, and brings nourishment, wealth, strength, and protective peace to the worshippers.
It is a metaphor for purification: as Soma is strained, he casts off impurity; spiritually, it points to removing inner ignorance and obscurity.
It is suited to recitation during soma pressing and straining, when the juice is purified and offered, while praying for prosperity and shelter for the community.
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
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