Rig Veda 9.74.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 74, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.74
दिवो यः स्कम्भो धरुणः स्वातत आपूर्णो अंशुः पर्येति विश्वतः । सेमे मही रोदसी यक्षदावृता समीचीने दाधार समिषः कविः ॥
divó yáḥ skambhó dharuṇáḥ svā́tata āpū́rṇo aṃśúḥ páry eti viśvátāḥ | séme mahī́ ródasī yakṣad āvṛ́tā samīcīné dādhāra sám iṣáḥ kavíḥ ||
He who is the prop and support of heaven, stretched out in his own wideness—this full ray moves all around. He has embraced these two great worlds, and has upheld them facing each other; the seer gathers the powers of delight into harmony.
Soma as sustaining pillar in the rite; supports contemplative identification of Soma with world-supporting order
skambha as axis/support of consciousness, harmonization of the two worlds (rodasī), plenitude (āpūrṇa), integration of impulses (iṣ)
Holding the two worlds ‘samīcīne’ is ṛta as right alignment.
Truth as wholeness: the ‘full ray’ that leaves nothing in shadow.
Sustaining creation by a pervading support; maintenance of cosmic polarity in harmony.
Integral Vedic psychology: Soma as the unifier of planes of consciousness.
A central inner axis arises; awareness becomes full and panoramic; higher and lower parts of the being face each other in reconciliation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the cosmic pillar (skambha) upholding heaven and harmonizing the two worlds. The ‘ray’ (aṃśu) that encompasses all sides is the mythic action of pervading support—turning cosmology into an inner axis that stabilizes and reconciles polarities.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘world-pair’ (heaven/earth) is an inherited IE cosmological binary. The support lexicon √dhṛ and skambha-type ‘pillar’ imagery corresponds to widespread IE axis motifs (world-tree/pillar) expressed in different branches.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi perceives Soma not merely as offering but as the sustaining intelligence (kavi) that holds the worlds in right correspondence. The devotee’s relation is contemplative participation—aligning inner opposites so that iṣ (energies/impulses) become harmonized.
Establish Soma as the inner pillar: feel a vertical support (skambha) and an all-around luminous awareness (viśvataḥ).
Suṣumṇā axis; emphasis on Anāhata (embrace) and Ājñā (full ray of clarity)
Sama-vṛtti (equal inhalation/exhalation) 4-4 or 6-6, sensing balance of ‘two worlds’ with each cycle.
Stable, panoramic, integrated awareness; reduced inner conflict.
Chant while feeling the spine as a luminous column; then widen attention 360°; finally hold inner aspiration and outer circumstance ‘facing’ each other without tension, letting harmony arise.
Rigvedic udatta/anudatta/svarita per pada; exact svara requires śākhā notation.
Give ‘skambho dharuṇaḥ’ a steady, grounded emphasis; keep ‘paryeti viśvataḥ’ flowing and encircling in tone.
skambhaḥ: clear cluster sk-; nasal m before bha, dharuṇaḥ: dental dh; short u, svātata: long ā; crisp t, rodasī: long ī at end
Steady, centered, slightly resonant in the chest; widen on phrases indicating pervasion.
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