Rig Veda 9.93.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 93, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.93
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Shanta (peace)
सं मातृभिर्न शिशुर्वावशानो वृषा दधन्वे पुरुवारो अद्भिः । मर्यो न योषामभि निष्कृतं यन्त्सं गच्छते कलश उस्रियाभिः ॥
sáṃ mātṛ́bhir ná śíśur vāvaśānó vṛ́ṣā dadhanve puru-vā́ro adbhiḥ | máryo ná yóṣām abhí níṣkṛtaṃ yán sáṃ gácchate kalaśá usríyābhiḥ ||
Avide comme un enfant auprès des mères, le taureau est mis en mouvement par les eaux, riche de multiples enveloppes. Comme un jeune homme vers la jeune fille, il va au lieu préparé; dans la jarre il se rejoint avec les courants lumineux.
Word by Word
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषण)Root सम् (upasarga) प्रत्यय/उपसर्ग
- मातृभिः
- with the mothersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- शिशुः
- a childNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वावशानः
- eagerly longing, yearningParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी परिप्रयोगः; तीव्र-इच्छा/उत्कण्ठा सूचक (intensive/desiderative nuance)Role Kartā (विशेषणम्) अथवा क्रियाविशेषणम्Root √वश् (वशँ कान्तौ/इच्छायाम्) → वावशान- (कृदन्त)
- वृषा
- the bull; the vigorous oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बोधन/विशेषण-भावः) अथवा कर्तृ-समनाधिकरणRoot वृषन्/वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधन्वे
- speeds/presses on; rushesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √धन्/धन्व् (धन्वँ गत्यर्थे/प्रेरणे; वैदिक) अथवा √धन् (धनँ हिंसायाम्/वेगे) — रूपम्: दधन्वे
- पुरुवारः
- rich in many boons/choicesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषणम्)Root पुरु-वार (प्रातिपदिक; पुरु ‘many’ + वार ‘choice/boon/protection’)
- अद्भिः
- with the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: अद्भिः)Role KaraṇaRoot अप्/अद् (प्रातिपदिक ‘water’) → अद्भिस्
- मर्यः
- a young man, suitorNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमान-आधार)Root मर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- योषाम्
- a maiden, young womanNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (वैदिक: -आम्)Role KarmaRoot योषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- निष्कृतम्
- prepared, set out, made readyParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) ‘made/arranged/marked out’Role Karma (विशेषणम्) अथवा कर्म-विशेषणRoot निष् + √कृ (कृञ् करणे) → निष्कृत (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त)
- यन्
- which (that)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)Role Karma (सम्बन्धित)Root यद् (सर्वनाम) → यत्
- सम्
- togetherIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot सम् (upasarga) प्रत्यय/उपसर्ग
- गच्छते
- goes, comes together, proceedsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √गम् (गमॢँ गतौ)
- कलशः
- the jar, vesselNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
- उस्रियाभिः
- with the usriyās (cows / bright rays)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot उस्रिया (प्रातिपदिक; ‘reddish/cow-like’; वैदिक: ‘cows’/‘rays’ depending on context)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: मातृभिर्न → मातृभिः + न
- शिशुर्वावशानो → शिशुः + वावशानः
- वावशानो वृषा → वावशानः + वृषा
- पुरुवारो अद्भिः → पुरुवारः + अद्भिः
- मर्यो न → मर्यः + न
- योषामभि → योषाम् + अभि
- निष्कृतं यन्त् → निष्कृतम् + यत् (यन् as sandhi form)
- यन्त्सं → यत् + सम्
- गच्छते कलश → गच्छते + कलशः
The meaning
Outer meaning
Eager like a child with the mothers, the bull is set in motion with the waters, rich in many coverings. Like a young man toward a maiden, he goes to the prepared place; he comes together in the jar with the shining streams.
Inner meaning
Soma as the Bull (potent delight-force) yearns like a child toward the mothers—supporting energies/waters that nurture purification. ‘Many coverings’ suggests layered sheaths (physical-vital-mental) through which Soma moves, enriching and cleansing them. Like a lover toward the beloved, the purified essence seeks the prepared place (niṣkṛtam)—the refined inner space ready for union. In the jar (kalaśa), Soma unites with the shining streams (usrīyāḥ = luminous currents/rays), indicating the confluence of bliss with clarified energies, producing an integrated, radiant state.
Universal truth
Transformation requires both nurture and readiness: when the inner space is prepared, the soul’s delight naturally rushes to unite with luminous energies, turning longing into fulfilled integration.
Themes
Soma-ritual, birth and nurture, mystic union, illumined receptivity
The seer
- Rishi
- Ascribed to the Soma Pavamāna anthology; specific rishi not preserved in the provided source.
- Other hymns
- RV 9.93.1 (preceding), RV 9.92.4-6 (neighboring purification cluster)
Family tradition
Pavamāna verses often use intimate human similes (child/mothers, lover/beloved) to express inner yogic dynamics of longing, preparation, and union.
Significance
A key psychological teaching: aspiration (child) + preparation (niṣkṛtam) enables the union of bliss (Soma) with illumination (usrīyāḥ).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Vṛṣā (bull), Punāna (purifying), Vāvaśāna (eager/longing)
- Related deities
- Āpas (Waters), Uṣas/Sūrya (luminousness, implied by usrīyāḥ), Agni (preparation of the inner place)
Cosmic role
Nourished by the waters, Soma ripens and unites with luminous streams to yield strength, joy, and clarity for the sacrifice.
Inner power
Longing Ananda that seeks its prepared seat and consummates union with illumination, producing integrated radiance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma straining and mixing/collecting in kalaśa with waters.
सं मा॒तृभि॒र्न शिशु॑र्वावशा॒नो वृषा॑ दधन्वे पुरु॒वारो॑ अ॒द्भिः । मर्यो॒ न योषा॑म॒भि नि॑ष्कृ॒तं यन्त्सं ग॑च्छते क॒लश॑ उ॒स्रिया॑भिः ॥
सम् । मा॒तृऽभिः॑ । न । शिशुः॑ । वा॒व॒शा॒नः । वृषा॑ । द॒ध॒न्वे॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽवारः॑ । अ॒त्ऽभिः । मर्यः॑ । न । योषा॑म् । अ॒भि । निः॒ऽकृ॒तम् । यन् । सम् । ग॒च्छ॒ते॒ । क॒लशे॑ । उ॒स्रिया॑भिः ॥
sam | mātṛ-bhiḥ | na | śiśuḥ | vāvaśānaḥ | vṛṣā | dadhanve | puru-vāraḥ | at-bhiḥ | maryaḥ | na | yoṣām | abhi | niḥ-kṛtam | yan | sam | gacchate | kalaśe | usriyābhiḥ
48
4 pādas of ~12 syllables
Warm, relational flow with a culminating ‘union’ cadence.
Elicits tenderness and aspiration, ending in a sense of completion and collectedness.
- मा॒तृभिः (mātṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with the mothers. Symbolic: Nurturing powers—supporting energies, waters, goddesses of the currents
- शिशुः (śiśuḥ)
- Literal: child. Symbolic: Pure aspiration and spontaneous longing for the divine
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: Potent Soma-force; fertile delight-energy
- अद्भिः (adbhiḥ)
- Literal: with the waters. Symbolic: Purifying currents of life and mind; flowing energies
- पुरुवारः (puruvāraḥ)
- Literal: many coverings. Symbolic: Multiple sheaths/levels of being to be pervaded and refined
- मर्यः (maryaḥ)
- Literal: young man. Symbolic: Dynamic soul-force seeking union with its fulfillment
- योषाम् (yoṣām)
- Literal: maiden/woman. Symbolic: Receptive consciousness; the prepared inner field
- निष्कृतम् (niṣkṛtam)
- Literal: prepared, made ready. Symbolic: Purified inner space/vessel ready for descent and union
- क॒लशे (kalaśe)
- Literal: in the jar. Symbolic: Concentrated mind-vessel; collected awareness
- उ॒स्रिया॑भिः (usrīyābhiḥ)
- Literal: with shining (streams/cows). Symbolic: Rays/streams of illumination and knowledge joining the bliss
Soma carried/flowing with waters into the kalaśa; imagery of union with mothers and luminous streams. Inner sense: delight-force, newly born, seeks its prepared seat and unites with rays of illumination.
As Soma is moved with water, filtered, and gathered in jars prior to offerings.
Combining Soma with waters; guiding it to the prepared vessel; affirming auspicious union.
Use for heart-opening purification: nurture the practice gently, prepare the mind, then allow bliss to gather with clarity in a steady center.
vāvaśānáḥ intensive desire from √vaś: Soma’s eager seeking of union with the nurturing powers. niṣkṛta ‘prepared’ from nis- + √kṛ ‘make out’: the ritual/inner place made ready by discipline. usríyā often linked with ‘dawn/radiance’ and ‘cow’ imagery: here best read as luminous currents that accompany Soma into the vessel.
preparation/discipline (niṣkṛta), union (sam-gam) of force and illumination, sheaths (puru-vāra) as multiple coverings
Right preparation and right union: energies gather in ordered fashion into the vessel—Ṛta as harmonious consummation.
Union of waters (energies) and luminous streams with Soma—birth of a radiant integrated state.
Integral Yoga: preparation of the instrument + descent/union of Ananda with light.
Waters = flowing energies; prepared place = purified heart-mind; shining streams = rays of knowledge; union in jar = collected samadhi-like integration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as child with mothers and as bridegroom-like youth seeking union: the mythologem of the divine essence entering its prepared seat and uniting with luminous streams. It encodes the inward movement of delight toward a consciously prepared receptacle.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam ‘go/come’ (gácchate) reflects PIE *gʷem- (cf. Latin venīre ‘come’ is not cognate; but Greek baínō is different—still, *gʷem- is well represented in Indo-Iranian). The erotic/nuptial metaphor for divine union is a shared IE poetic strategy for expressing integration of powers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi emphasizes preparedness (niṣkṛta): human discipline prepares the place; Soma responds by eager self-movement into that readiness, bringing with him usríyā—illumined currents. The reciprocity is: preparation invites descent; descent completes by luminous union.
Cultivate childlike sincerity and lover-like intensity toward the Divine; prepare the inner ‘place’ with calm and purity; then let joy gather with luminous clarity in the heart-mind vessel.
Anahata (devotional longing and union) with support from Svadhisthana (waters/flow) and Ajna (luminous streams).
Soft ujjāyī or gentle lengthened exhale; imagine ‘mothers/waters’ soothing the system; on inhale draw ‘shining streams’ upward into the jar (heart/forehead).
Devotional collectedness; sweet, luminous integration.
Do not force bliss; nurture it. First make the place ready (niṣkṛtam): simplify, quieten, purify. Then allow the natural convergence of joy and light.
Chant with gentle rises on longing-words (vāvaśānaḥ) and a settling cadence on ‘saṃ gacchate kalaśe’. Exact svara requires accented text.
Keep similes (‘na’) light; articulate ‘niṣkṛtam’ distinctly; let the final phrase resolve calmly into the jar-union image.
vāvaśānaḥ: long ā, keep ‘śā’ clear, puruvāro: roll ‘r’, long ā, niṣkṛtam: retroflex ṣ + kṛ (vocalic ṛ), usrīyābhiḥ: long ī, do not reduce ‘sr’ cluster
Warm, smooth, devotional; avoid sharpness.
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