Rig Veda 10.85.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 85, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.85
- Devata
- Soma
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
सोमं मन्यते पपिवान्यत्सम्पिंषन्त्योषधिम् । सोमं यं ब्रह्माणो विदुर्न तस्याश्नाति कश्चन ॥
sómaṁ manyate papivā́n yát sampiṁṣántyoṣádhim | sómaṁ yáṁ brahmā́ṇo vidúr ná tásyāśnāti káś caná ||
Cree haber bebido Soma cuando trituran la planta. Pero el Soma que conocen los bráhmanas, videntes de la Palabra — de ese nadie come.
Word by Word
- सोमम्
- Soma (the drink)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्यते
- thinks/considersVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root √मन् (मन्यते) / √मन् (to think, consider)
- पपिवान्
- having drunk; the drinkerParticiple (Adjective-like)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (कर्तरि क्तवत्)Role कर्तृRoot √पा (पिबति) → पपिवस्-/पपिवान् (कृत्: क्तवत्)
- यत्
- which/thatPronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा; एकवचन (यहाँ कर्मरूपेण)Role कर्मRoot यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinable (prefix/preverb)उपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root सम्- (उपसर्ग)
- पिंषन्ति
- they crush/poundVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √पिष् (पिंषति)
- ओषधिम्
- the herb/plantNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ओषधि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यम्
- whom/whichPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्माणः
- the Brahmins; sacred formulatorsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ब्रह्मन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- विदुः
- knowVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √विद् (वेद) → विदुः
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRole (निषेध)Root न (निषेध-अव्यय)
- तस्य
- of that (Soma)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root तद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्नाति
- eats/partakesVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √अश् (अश्नाति)
- कश्चन
- anyone; someone (at all)Pronoun (indefinite)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot क- (किम्) + चन (अनिश्चितता-निपात)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): सोमं | मन्यते | पपिवान् | यत् | सम् | पिंषन्ति | ओषधिम् || सोमं | यम् | ब्रह्माणः | विदुः | न | तस्य | अश्नाति | कश्चन || 1) सम्पिंषन्ति = सम् + पिंषन्ति (उपसर्ग-सन्धि; अनुस्वार/मकारः परे पकारे ‘म्’ रूपेण)
- 2) पपिवान्यत् (संहितापाठ) = पपिवान् + यत् (न् + य् संयोग; पदपाठे स्पष्टं ‘पपिवान् | यत्’)
- 3) तस्याश्नाति (संहितापाठ) = तस्य + अश्नाति (अ + अ → आ; पदपाठे ‘तस्य | अश्नाति’)
- 4) कश्चन = कः + चन (निपात-योगे अनिश्चितार्थः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
One thinks he has drunk Soma when they crush the plant; but the Soma known to the brahmans/seers—of that no one partakes.
Inner meaning
A sharp distinction is drawn between outer ritual extraction and the true Soma. The pressed juice is only a symbol; the real Soma is an inner experience of divine delight known by the brahmāṇas (mantra-knowers, seers of the Word). It cannot be ‘eaten’ or possessed by the physical being; it is accessed by inner knowledge and transformation of consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual realities are not captured by external performance alone; symbols point to an inner attainment. What is most nourishing to the soul is seized by consciousness, not by grasping action.
Themes
inner Soma, critique of mere ritualism, knowledge and realization, mystic symbolism
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.85.4 (Soma hidden/guarded), Rig Veda 9.113 (Soma and immortality—parallel inner reading)
Significance
This is a programmatic hermeneutic verse: it authorizes the esoteric reading—outer rite as sign, inner Soma as the real attainment known to the seer.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma (esoteric/inner Soma)
- Epithets
- guhya (hidden), amṛta (immortal), brahma-vidita (known to the seers of the Word)
- Related deities
- Agni (inner sacrifice leader), Indra (illumined mind that releases Soma/Light), Bṛhaspati (lord of mantra, opener of the hidden)
Cosmic role
Food of the gods as inner nectar; the delight that sustains higher worlds and grants immortality.
Inner power
Ananda that cannot be grasped by senses; it reveals itself to purified mind and mantra-consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (abhiṣava) as a symbolic reference; used as teaching within Soma liturgy
सोमं॑ मन्यते पपि॒वान्यत्स॑म्पिं॒षन्त्योष॑धिम् । सोमं॒ यं ब्र॒ह्माणो॑ वि॒दुर्न तस्या॑श्नाति॒ कश्च॒न ॥
सोम॑म् । म॒न्य॒ते॒ । प॒पि॒ऽवान् । यत् । स॒म्ऽपिं॒षन्ति॑ । ओष॑धिम् । सोम॑म् । यम् । ब्र॒ह्माणः॑ । वि॒दुः । न । तस्य॑ । अ॒श्ना॒ति॒ । कः । च॒न ॥
somam | manyate | papi-vān | yat | sam-piṃṣanti | oṣadhim | somam | yam | brahmāṇaḥ | viduḥ | na | tasya | aśnāti | kaḥ | cana
44
4 × ~11 syllables; didactic, antithetical structure (outer vs inner) fits triṣṭubh’s declarative force.
Crisp and contrastive; each pāda lands like a corrective statement.
Cuts through literalism; induces inward turning and discrimination (viveka-like clarity).
- स॒म्पिं॒षन्ति (sampiṃṣanti)
- Literal: they crush/press. Symbolic: outer technique/ritual mechanism; mechanical effort without inner opening
- ओषधिम् (oṣadhim)
- Literal: the plant/herb. Symbolic: outer support-symbol for an inner essence
- सोमं मन्यते पपिवान् (somam manyate papivān)
- Literal: he thinks he has drunk Soma. Symbolic: mistaking symbol for realization; spiritual materialism
- ब्रह्माणः (brahmāṇaḥ)
- Literal: brahmans/men of sacred word. Symbolic: seer-souls who know by mantra-vision (śruti) and inner experience
- विदुः (viduḥ)
- Literal: they know. Symbolic: gnosis/inner seeing, not inference
- न तस्य अश्नाति कश्चन (na tasyāśnāti kaś cana)
- Literal: no one eats of that. Symbolic: the true Soma is not an object of sensory consumption; it is consciousness-substance
Hermeneutic correction within Soma liturgy: distinguishes outer pressing from inner realization; used as a doctrinal key for initiatory understanding of Soma.
During Soma-related recitations; also apt for instruction on meaning of Soma to initiates
Reorients the sacrificer from mere pressing to inner realization; sanctifies esoteric knowledge
Use before meditation to set intention: ‘seek the inner Soma, not the outer substitute’—a mantra against mechanical spirituality.
manyate: √man ‘think’. papivān: perfect participle of √pā ‘drink’ (PIE *peh₃-). piṃṣanti: √piṣ ‘crush, pound’. oṣadhi: ‘plant/herb’, often ‘that which burns/impels vitality’ in Vedic; traditional derivations vary. viduḥ: √vid (PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’). aśnāti: √aś ‘eat, enjoy’ (PIE *h₁ed- ‘eat’).
esoteric vs exoteric (inner Soma beyond physical), brahman (Word/vision) as access to true delight, knowledge (vid) as the means of participation
Right order is upheld when symbol and inner truth correspond; mere action without consciousness is ‘a-ṛta’ tendency.
Satya is what the brahmāṇas ‘know’; it is not identical with the physical extract.
Hidden essence within forms; the real power is occulted and must be unveiled by knowledge.
Mantra-gnosis orientation; anticipates Upaniṣadic distinction between ritual act and knowledge (karma vs vidyā).
Plant/juice = outer support; pressing = effort/discipline; true Soma = inner delight revealed by mantra-knowledge.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The hidden Soma: the real nectar is not identical with the crushed herb; it is a concealed divine substance accessible only to the knowers of brahman. The mythic action is concealment/revelation—true Soma is veiled from the unknowing.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid (PIE *weyd-) and √aś (PIE *h₁ed-) are clear inheritances; the contrast of ritual action (piṣ ‘crush’) with cognition (vid ‘know’) is a typical Indo-European poetic opposition of deed vs. vision.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer positions himself with the brahmāṇaḥ (knowers) rather than with the merely ritual drinker. The Devatā Soma reciprocates not by physical ingestion but by inner unveiling to knowledge—Soma is ‘eaten’ only as realized delight.
Discriminate symbol from experience; seek the felt ananda behind mantra rather than sensory imagination.
Ājñā (discernment)
Pause-breath (kumbhaka light): inhale ‘Soma’; brief stillness to ‘know’; exhale releasing grasping.
Witness clarity; turning from externalization to inner tasting.
Chant once, then sit: notice any tendency to ‘produce’ experience. Let it drop. Attend to subtle sweetness/peace that arises without forcing—this is the doorway to Soma.
Vedic accents assumed; exact svara requires accent marks beyond the provided continuous text.
Keep the contrast sharp: slightly stress semantic pivots ‘manyate’ (thinks) vs ‘viduḥ’ (know). Make a clear pause after each pāda to let the teaching land.
Cluster: sampiṃṣanti (ṃ + ṣ) — keep nasalization before ṣ., oṣadhim: pronounce ṣ as retroflex ‘sh’ (ṣa), not dental ś., brahmāṇo/ brahmāṇaḥ: keep ‘br’ cluster clean; long ā sustained.
Didactic, steady, not dramatic; clarity over volume.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
