Rig Veda 9.110.8: Mandala 9, Sukta 110, Mantra 8
Sukta 9.110
- Rishi
- Pavam01na Soma hymn tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
दिवः पीयूषं पूर्व्यं यदुक्थ्यं महो गाहाद्दिव आ निरधुक्षत । इन्द्रमभि जायमानं समस्वरन् ॥
diváḥ pīyū́ṣaṃ pūrvyáṃ yád ukthyàṃ mahó gāhā́d divá ā́ nír adhukṣata | índram abhí jā́yamānaṃ sám asvaran ||
Del cielo han ordeñado el néctar antiguo, digno del himno, desde la vasta hondura del cielo; y cuando Indra nace en nosotros, las potencias se congregan y resuenan juntas en afirmación.
Word by Word
- दिवः
- of heavenNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ ‘स्वर्ग’)
- पीयूषम्
- nectar, sweet juiceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root पीयूष (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्व्यम्
- ancient, primevalAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (पीयूषम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (object-qualifier)Root पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पूर्व’ से)
- यत्
- whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (पीयूषम् प्रति)Role कर्म (relative object)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्थ्यम्
- praiseworthy, fit for hymnsAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (यत्/पीयूषम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (object-qualifier)Root उक्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक; उक्थ ‘स्तुति’ से)
- महो
- great, mightyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (अव्यक्त-सम्बन्ध: ‘महः’ > ‘महो’ पदान्त)Role विशेषण (intensifier/qualifier)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- गाहात्
- from the depth, from the plunge (deep place)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचनRole अपादान (source/ablative)Root गाह (प्रातिपदिक; ‘गाह’ = गह्वर/अवगाह/गह्वर-स्थान, ‘depth’)
- दिवः
- of heavenNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ)
- आ
- towards, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे)Role क्रियाविशेषण (directional)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- निर्
- out, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे)Role क्रियाविशेषण (separative/out)Root निर् (उपसर्ग)
- अधुक्षत
- they milked out / drew forthVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष बहुवचनRole क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया)Root दुह् (धातु; ‘दुग्धि’), उपसर्ग: आ-निर्
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object of अभि/सम्-स्वरन्)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियायोगे)Role क्रियाविशेषण (towards)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जायमानम्
- being born, coming into beingParticiple (Adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (इन्द्रम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (object-qualifier)Root जन् (धातु) → जायमान (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शानच्)
- सम्
- together, in unisonIndeclinableउपसर्ग (स्वरन् इति क्रियायोगे)Role क्रियाविशेषण (together/fully)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अस्वरन्
- they sounded, sang, raised a chantVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष बहुवचनRole क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया)Root स्वर्/स्वृ (धातु; ‘स्वरति’ = ध्वनति/गायति), उपसर्ग: सम्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: दिवः पीयूषम् पूर्व्यम् यत् उक्थ्यम् महो गाहात् दिवः आ निर् अधुक्षत । इन्द्रम् अभि जायमानम् सम् अस्वरन् ॥ मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) गाहाद्दिवः = गाहात् + दिवः (त् + द् → द्द्)
- (2) निरधुक्षत = निर् + अधुक्षत (रेफः परे स्वरादौ लोप/संयोगः; लिखितरूपे ‘निर’)
- (3) समस्वरन् = सम् + अस्वरन् (म् + अ → मअ, लेखने ‘सम’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
From heaven they have milked the ancient nectar worthy of the hymn, from the vast depth of heaven; and as Indra is born, they sounded together toward him.
Inner meaning
The ‘heaven’ (divaḥ) is the luminous mind-plane. From its vast depth the powers draw out (milk) the primordial nectar—Soma as ancient Ananda, worthy of mantra (ukthya). This descent of delight nourishes and gives birth to Indra within: the illumined Mind-force that conquers darkness. As Indra arises, the inner powers harmonize (sam asvaran): the faculties align, resonate, and affirm the new birth of illumination.
Universal truth
When higher joy descends from a clearer plane of mind, a new strength of understanding is born. Inner harmony is a sign of true illumination: the parts of the being begin to resonate together.
Themes
Soma-ritual, inner birth of Indra (illumined force), nectar of heaven (delight/immortality), mantric affirmation (collective resonance)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.110 (contextual)
Significance
The seer-vision here is archetypal: descent of Soma from the luminous plane and consequent birth of Indra—classic Vedic psychology of illumination empowered by Ananda.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (with Indra as emergent inner power)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Pīyūṣa (nectar), Pūrvya (ancient)
- Related deities
- Indra, Bṛhaspati, Agni
Cosmic role
Soma as heavenly nectar sustaining gods; Indra as victorious illumination born from that nourishment.
Inner power
Ananda that generates and supports the illumined mind (Indra) and brings coherence among inner powers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma yajña (pavamāna phase) with Indra-oriented empowerment
दि॒वः पी॒यूषं॑ पू॒र्व्यं यदु॒क्थ्यं॑ म॒हो गा॒हाद्दि॒व आ निर॑धुक्षत । इन्द्र॑म॒भि जाय॑मानं॒ सम॑स्वरन् ॥
दि॒वः । पी॒यूष॑म् । पू॒र्व्यम् । यत् । उ॒क्थ्य॑म् । म॒हः । गा॒हात् । दि॒वः । आ । निः । अ॒धु॒क्ष॒त॒ । इन्द्र॑म् । अ॒भि । जाय॑मानम् । सम् । अ॒स्व॒र॒न् ॥
divaḥ | pīyūṣam | pūrvyam | yat | ukthyam | mahaḥ | gāhāt | divaḥ | ā | niḥ | adhukṣata | indram | abhi | jāyamānam | sam | asvaran
Triṣṭubh (likely, as noted; confirmation requires syllable count by pāda)
44
Likely 4 × 11 syllables (Triṣṭubh norm); excerpt formatting may compress pādas.
Expansive and sonorous; a descending-then-rising movement matching ‘milking down’ and ‘Indra’s birth’.
Creates a sense of descent of sweetness followed by energizing uplift and collective resonance.
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: from heaven. Symbolic: from the luminous mind-plane; higher consciousness
- पीयूषम् (pīyūṣam)
- Literal: nectar, milk. Symbolic: immortal Ananda-substance that nourishes transformation
- पूर्व्यम् (pūrvyaṃ)
- Literal: ancient, primeval. Symbolic: original delight inherent in being (not newly manufactured)
- उक्थ्यम् (ukthyam)
- Literal: worthy of hymn. Symbolic: fit to be shaped by mantra; delight that can be consciously articulated
- महो गाहात् (maho gāhāt)
- Literal: from the great depth. Symbolic: from the deep causal abundance of the higher mind
- अधुक्षत (adhukṣata)
- Literal: they milked out. Symbolic: drawing down essence by disciplined aspiration
- इन्द्रम्… जायमानम् (indram… jāyamānam)
- Literal: Indra being born. Symbolic: birth of illumined mind-force in the seeker
- सम् अस्वरन् (sam asvaran)
- Literal: they sounded together. Symbolic: harmonization of faculties; unified affirmation
Soma-pavamāna sequence in the Soma sacrifice (e.g., Agniṣṭoma): verse suited to the pressing/clarifying where Soma is ‘milked’ through the filter, invoking Indra’s strengthening.
During Soma flow/offerings when invoking strength for Indra (victory/illumination).
Chant to draw down Soma and strengthen Indra for the ‘slaying of Vṛtra’ (removal of obstruction).
Meditation for clarity: invoke ‘nectar from above’ then rest attention at brow; observe the mind becoming decisive and bright (Indra-born).
Key roots: √duh ‘to milk/draw out’ (adhukṣata, injunctive/aorist-like narrative of extraction); √jan ‘to be born’ (jāyamānam, present middle participle); √svar ‘to sound/shine’ (asvaran, aorist plural—also hints at ‘radiance’ behind ‘sound’). gāhāt from √gāh ‘to plunge/dive into, reach depth’, supporting an inner sense of drawing the essence from the profound. ukthya from uktha (hymn) + -ya ‘fit for’, i.e., ‘callable by hymn’, psychologically ‘that which responds to the soul’s aspiration.
Ṛta (right order implied by ‘ukthya’ and heaven-sourced essence), Bṛhat/Mahas (vastness as plane of consciousness), birth of the divine power in the human instrument
The descent from ‘divaḥ’ indicates alignment with the higher order; harmony (sam) is a mark of ṛta established in the being.
The ‘ukthya’ nectar becomes truth when expressed as mantra and lived as coherent action.
Descent of essence from heaven; birth of a god (Indra) within—microcosmic creation mirroring cosmic manifestation.
Integral Vedantic psychology: Ananda (Soma) as causal support for Vijñāna-like illumination (Indra as luminous mind-force).
Milking = drawing down subtle essence; heaven = higher mind; resonance = integration of parts into a single vibration of truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘milking of heaven’s nectar’—a recurrent mythic action where the luminous realms yield amṛta-like essence. Psychologically, the purified Soma (clarified consciousness-delight) is drawn from the deep of the higher mind, and this extraction occasions the ‘birth of Indra’: the awakening of victorious illumined force in the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √duh ‘milk’ continues PIE *dʰeugʰ- ‘to produce milk’ (cf. English ‘dug’ in dialectal sense, and wider IE dairy lexemes). √jan from PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’ (cf. Latin gignere, Greek gígnomai). √svar ‘sound/shine’ aligns with IE associations of brightness and voiced resonance (Vedic svar ‘sun/light; tone’), reflecting the archaic unity of light and utterance in Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer’s act is not bargaining but collaboration: by hymn (uktha) and inner consent, the aspirant-participating powers ‘milk out’ the heavenly essence. In response, Indra is ‘born’—the devatā becomes operative within the human vessel. The reciprocity is mantric: aspiration and right utterance evoke descent of force; the descent then amplifies the collective ‘sounding together’ (sam asvaran), stabilizing victory in consciousness.
Receive the ‘pīyūṣa’ from above the head; let it descend into mind and heart; watch Indra (clear decisive intelligence) awaken.
Sahasrara → Ajna descent
Inhale imagining nectar descending from crown; exhale with a soft hum (ṃ) to encourage ‘sam asvaran’ inner resonance.
Luminous, integrated, quietly powerful.
After chanting, sit and listen for a unified inner ‘yes’ (sam). If the being feels scattered, return to the image of nectar descending until coherence returns.
Use proper Vedic accents if available; emphasize the descent words (divaḥ… adhukṣata) with a smooth downward contour and lift slightly on ‘indram… jāyamānam’.
Mark a clear caesura before the Indra clause; make ‘sam asvaran’ sound like a unison convergence.
pīyūṣam: long ī and ū, keep ṣ retroflex, pūrvyaṃ: v-y conjunct clean, ukthyam: aspirated th, clear y, gāhāt: long ā, aspirate h, adhukṣata: kṣ conjunct crisp, jāyamānam: long āy, nasal m
Full, resonant, slightly ‘descending’ warmth then brightening.
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