Rig Veda 9.70.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 70, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.70
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ते अस्य सन्तु केतवोऽमृत्यवोऽदाभ्यासो जनुषी उभे अनु । येभिर्नृम्णा च देव्या च पुनत आदिद्राजानं मनना अगृभ्णत ॥
té asya santu ketávo 'mṛ́tyavo 'dā́bhyāso januṣī́ ubhé ánu | yébhir nṛmnā́ ca devyā́ ca punatá ād íd rājā́naṃ manánā agṛbhṇata ||
Que sus luces sean inmortales, inconquistables, siguiendo ambos nacimientos. Por ellas —por la fuerza humana y por el poder divino— mientras él se purifica, los pensamientos apresan en verdad al Rey, Soma.
Word by Word
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him/this (Soma)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot इदम्/अयम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्तु
- let (them) beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (विधेय-क्रिया)Root अस् (धातु)
- केतवः
- signals, banners, raysNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृत्यवः
- deathlessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (केतवः इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot अमृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; न + मृत्य/मृत्यु)
- अदाभ्यासः
- unassailable, not to be deceivedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (केतवः इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot अदाभ्य (प्रातिपदिक; न + दाभ्य < दभ्)
- जनुषी
- the two births/originsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया द्विवचनम्Role KarmaRoot जनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उभे
- bothPronoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा द्विवचनम् (जनुषी इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- along, afterIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root अनु (अव्यय)
- येभिः
- by which/with whichPronounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नृम्णा
- with manly strength, vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot नृम्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्Role (समुच्चय)Root च (अव्यय)
- देव्या
- with divine (power)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (नृम्णा इत्यस्य समुच्चित-विशेषण/सहचरः)Role KaraṇaRoot देव्य (प्रातिपदिक; देव + य)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्Role (समुच्चय)Root च (अव्यय)
- पुनतः
- purifyingParticipleशतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः, पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी/प्रथमा?—अत्र प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (ते/केतवः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्), ‘purifying’Role KartāRoot पू (धातु) → पुनत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शतृ)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गःRole (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दिद्राजानम्
- the brightly shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (राजानम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot दिद्राजन् (प्रातिपदिक; तीव्र/दृढ-दीप्तिमान् ‘shining’)
- राजानम्
- king (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मननाः
- thoughts, meditationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot मनना (प्रातिपदिक; √मन् ‘to think’)
- अगृभ्णत
- they seized, graspedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (विधेय-क्रिया)Root ग्रह्/गृभ् (धातु; ‘to seize, take’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): ते | अस्य | सन्तु | केतवः | अमृत्यवः | अदाभ्यासः | जनुषी | उभे | अनु | येभिः | नृम्णा | च | देव्या | च | पुनतः | आ | दिद्राजानम् | राजानम् | मननाः | अगृभ्णत । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: केतवोऽमृत्यवोऽदाभ्यासः = केतवः + अमृत्यवः + अदाभ्यासः (विसर्ग-लोपः ‘ओ’ आदेशः, अवग्रहः)
- येभिर्नृम्णा = येभिः + नृम्णा (विसर्गस्य रुत्व/रेफः)
- पुन॒त आदिद्राजा॑नम् = पुनतः + आ + दिद्राजानम् (अः + आ → आ; पदसीमा-समास/उपसर्गयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Soma’s lights be deathless and unconquerable, following both births. By those lights—through human strength and divine power—while he purifies, the thoughts seize the King (Soma).
Inner meaning
Soma’s ketavaḥ are luminous perceptions/intentional lights in consciousness. They are prayed to be amṛtyavaḥ (deathless: not subject to decline) and adābhyāsaḥ (unassailable by obscurity), moving through both births (januṣī ubhe): the higher birth in the light and the lower birth in embodied nature. When Soma purifies, these lights act through nṛmṇā (humanly active strength: disciplined effort, tapas of the seeker) and devyā (divine power: grace/descending force). Then mananāḥ (thoughts, meditative cognitions) seize the rājānam—Soma as kingly Ananda—meaning the mind successfully holds and possesses delight as a stable ruler rather than a passing sensation.
Universal truth
Lasting illumination requires both effort and grace; when inner joy is purified, thought becomes capable of holding the highest delight steadily across spiritual experience and daily life.
Themes
victory over death, integration of human and divine powers, Soma as kingly truth
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.70.1–2, RV 9.70.4
Significance
The rishi highlights the integral requirement of sadhana: the marriage of nṛmṇa (personal tapas) and devī śakti (divine power), enabling mind (mananā) to possess stable Ananda (rājā Soma).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- rājā (king), punāna/punata (purifying), ketumat (luminous-bannered, implied), amṛta (deathless, by quality)
- Related deities
- Indra (often paired with Soma as illumination-force), Agni (purifier-leader, by functional resonance)
Cosmic role
Soma as sovereign delight whose purified lights guide beings across both planes of birth.
Inner power
Unassailable illumination that makes thought a vessel capable of holding enduring Ananda.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification chants in Soma sacrifice
ते अ॑स्य सन्तु के॒तवोऽमृ॑त्य॒वोऽदा॑भ्यासो ज॒नुषी॑ उ॒भे अनु॑ । येभि॑र्नृ॒म्णा च॑ दे॒व्या॑ च पुन॒त आदिद्राजा॑नं म॒नना॑ अगृभ्णत ॥
ते । अ॒स्य॒ । स॒न्तु॒ । के॒तवः॑ । अमृ॑त्यवः । अदा॑भ्यासः । ज॒नुषी॒ इति॑ । उ॒भे इति॑ । अनु॑ । येभिः॑ । नृ॒म्णा । च॒ । दे॒व्या॑ । च॒ । पु॒न॒ते । आत् । इत् । राजा॑नम् । म॒ननाः॑ । अ॒गृ॒भ्ण॒त॒ ॥
te | asya | santu | ketavaḥ | amṛtyavaḥ | adābhyāsaḥ | januṣī iti | ubhe iti | anu | yebhiḥ | nṛmṇā | ca | devyā | ca | punate | āt | it | rājānam | mananāḥ | agṛbhṇata
48
4×12 (approx.)
Firm and declarative; suited to a vow-like prayer for invincible lights.
Strengthens resolve and confidence; helps the listener feel protected against inner relapse.
- केतवः (ketavaḥ)
- Literal: lights, banners, rays. Symbolic: luminous perceptions and guiding inner signals
- अमृत्यवः (amṛtyavaḥ)
- Literal: deathless. Symbolic: enduring realizations not lost to relapse
- अदाभ्यासः (adābhyāsaḥ)
- Literal: not to be overpowered. Symbolic: invulnerable to doubt, depression, inertia
- जनुषी उभे (januṣī ubhe)
- Literal: both births. Symbolic: spiritual birth in light and physical birth in nature; higher and lower planes
- नृम्णा (nṛmṇā)
- Literal: manly strength. Symbolic: disciplined human effort, courageous will
- देव्या (devyā)
- Literal: divine (power). Symbolic: grace, descending Shakti
- पुनते (punate)
- Literal: while purifying. Symbolic: ongoing refinement of consciousness
- मननाः (mananāḥ)
- Literal: thoughts, reflections. Symbolic: meditative cognitions that can ‘hold’ truth
- राजानम् (rājānam)
- Literal: the King. Symbolic: sovereign Ananda/Soma ruling the inner kingdom
Purification phase; emphasis on ketu (lights) and mananā (thoughts) aligns with internalisation of the rite as mental grasp of Soma.
During the flowing/clarifying Soma and accompanying praises
Invocation for Soma’s invincible lights and for the mind to ‘seize’ Soma
Use when seeking steadiness after spiritual experiences; supports integration of higher states into daily life.
(ketu) possibly from √cit/√ci ‘to perceive’ in Vedic semantic field ‘mark, sign, light’; functions as cognition-ray. (adābhya) from a- + √dabh ‘to deceive/overpower’ → invincible. (manana) from √man ‘to think’ (PIE *men-), central to Indo-European cognition vocabulary.
immortality (amṛta), dual birth (januṣī ubhe), mind (manas/manana)
Unassailable lights imply truth that cannot be contradicted by lower movements.
Dual manifestation (higher/lower birth) held together by enduring illumination.
Integral yoga reading: realization must persist across transcendence and embodiment.
Rays are inner certitudes; purification is refining the mixed nature; two births are the two-level life of spirit and body.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘seizing of the King’—the capture/holding of Soma by the mananāḥ (thought-powers). Mythically Soma is the sovereign essence; psychologically the clarified mind grasps and stabilises the truth-delight in both domains (the two births).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √man ‘think’ is PIE *men- (cf. Greek ménos ‘spirit’, Latin mens ‘mind’), showing inherited cognitive lexicon. √dabh ‘deceive/overpower’ has Indo-Iranian correspondences, supporting adābhya as a traditional epithet of invincibility.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames purification as a joint operation: nṛmṇā (human effective force) and devyā (divine force) together enable the mind to hold Soma. The exchange is transformational: the god becomes graspable as kingly consciousness when the human instrument is strengthened and clarified.
Invoke ‘deathless lights’—settle into clear inner signals that do not fade; let thought hold joy without grasping.
Ājñā (ketu/lights) and Maṇipūra (nṛmṇa/steadfast will)
Breath with silent mantra: inhale ‘ketavaḥ’, exhale ‘amṛtyavaḥ’; feel invincibility on exhale; then rest in stillness.
Steady, courageous clarity; joyful sovereignty.
Chant 11 or 21 times; then write/reflect (mananā) on one truth you will live today (nṛmṇa) and offer it upward for divine reinforcement (devyā).
Keep udatta prominent on ketávaḥ and rājānam where marked; maintain clean svarita transitions at pāda ends.
Mark the shift: ‘yebhir…’ clause should be slightly emphasized to convey the dual means (nṛmṇā/devyā).
ketavo: dental t, clear e, amṛtyavo: vocalic ṛ; avoid ‘amrit’ flattening, adābhyāsaḥ: bhy cluster; long ā in dā, mananā: retroflex ṇ? (here n is dental); keep vowels even
Firm, confident, slightly brighter on ‘rājānam’.
11
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