Rig Veda 9.82.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 82, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.82
- Rishi
- Ascribed in the Soma Pavamāna corpus to seers of the Pavāmāna tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavāmāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
कविर्वेधस्या पर्येषि माहिनमत्यो न मृष्टो अभि वाजमर्षसि । अपसेधन्दुरिता सोम मृळय घृतं वसानः परि यासि निर्णिजम् ॥
kavír védhasyā páry eṣi mā́hinam átyo ná mṛṣṭó abhí vā́jam arṣasi | apasédhan duritā́ soma mṛḷaya ghṛtáṃ vásānaḥ pári yāsi nírṇijam ||
હે સોમ, કવિ અને વેદસ્ય (જ્ઞાતા), તું તારી મહિમાની વિશાળતામાં સર્વત્ર પરિભ્રમણ કરે છે; સુશોભિત અશ્વની જેમ તું વાજ—બળની પૂર્ણતા અને વિજયી સમૃદ્ધિ—તરફ ધસી જાય છે. દુઃખના વક્ર માર્ગોને દૂર હંકારી, હે સોમ, અમારે પર કૃપા કર. ઘૃત (તેજસ્વી શુદ્ધતા) ધારણ કરીને તું પરિભ્રમણ કરે છે અને નિર્ણિજ (શુદ્ધ આવરણ/પ્રકાશ)ને ગ્રહણ કરે છે.
Word by Word
- कविः
- the seer/poetNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *kʷeh₁-? (poet/seer; Vedic ‘kavi’)
- वेधस्य
- of the wise/ordainerNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘one who knows/ordains’) < √विद्/√वेध् (to know/penetrate) (Vedic)
- परि
- around, aboutIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- एषि
- you seek / you go in questVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यम? → actually 2nd sg?; here: 2nd एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √इष्/√एष् (Vedic: to seek, go after)
- माहिनम्
- the mighty one / greatnessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot माहिन्/माहिन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘mighty, great’)
- अत्यः
- a steedNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान in simile)Root अत्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘steed, horse’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न (अव्यय)
- मृष्टः
- purified, polishedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √मृज् (to wipe, cleanse, polish) → मृष्ट (कृदन्त, past passive participle)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वाजम्
- the prize/strength (vājá)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘prize, strength, victory, food’)
- अर्षसि
- you rush/streamVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √ऋष्/√अर्ष् (Vedic: to rush, flow, move swiftly)
- अप
- awayIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सेधन्
- warding off, repellingVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-समकक्ष Vedic), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (to implied ‘त्वम्/सोमः’)Root √सिध्/√सेध् (to ward off, repel, prevent) → सेधत्/सेधन् (Vedic present participle)
- दुरितानि
- evils, misfortunesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot दुरित (प्रातिपदिक; ‘evil, sin, misfortune’)
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- मृळय
- be gracious / show mercyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √मृळ्/√मृड् (to be gracious, show mercy)
- घृतम्
- gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (with ‘वसानः’)Root घृत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ghee, clarified butter’)
- वसानः
- wearing, clothed inVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), आत्मनेपद-भाव, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √वस् (to clothe, wear) → वसान (कृदन्त, present middle participle)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यासि
- you goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √या (to go)
- निर्णिजम्
- the shining garment/raimentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Vedic usage often f.), द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (with ‘परि यासि’)Root निर्णिज्/निर्णिज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘garment, shining covering/raiment’; Vedic)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: कविर्वेधस्या पर्येषि माहिनमत्यो न मृष्टो अभि वाजमर्षसि । अपसेधन्दुरिता सोम मृळय घृतं वसान: परि यासि निर्णिजम् ॥ पद-विच्छेद (मुख्य): कविः | वेधस्य | परि | एषि | माहिनम् | अत्यः | न | मृष्टः | अभि | वाजम् | अर्षसि | अप | सेधन् | दुरितानि | सोम | मृळय | घृतम् | वसानः | परि | यासि | निर्णिजम् | मुख्य सन्धि: (1) कविः + वेधस्य = कविर्वेधस्य (विसर्ग-रेफ) (2) परि + एषि = पर्येषि (इ/ए संधि: इ + ए → ये) (3) माहिनम् + अत्यः = माहिनमत्यः (अ + अ → अ) (4) वाजम् + अर्षसि = वाजमर्षसि (अ + अ → अ) (5) अप + सेधन् = अपसेधन् (उपसर्ग-संयोग) (6) सेधन् + दुरितानि = सेधन्दुरितानि (न् + द् संयोग) (7) वसानः + परि = वसानः परि (विसर्गः पदान्ते; संहिता में ‘वसान: परि’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, a seer and knower, moves all around in vast greatness; like a well-groomed steed he rushes toward vāja. Pushing away misfortunes, be gracious. Clothed in ghee, he circles and takes on the radiant robe of purity.
Inner meaning
Soma is ‘kavi’ and ‘vedhas’—not merely a drink but a conscious power of insight and right formation. His circling movement is the pervasive working of Ananda through all parts of the being. ‘Like a polished steed’ indicates disciplined vital energy (aśva) harnessed to the spiritual aim. He rushes toward vāja: plenitude of force, victorious fullness, the effective power to accomplish. By this Ananda-force, duritā (crooked distress-movements) are repelled. ‘Clothed in ghṛta’ shows delight taking on luminous clarity; ‘nirṇij’ is the radiant robe—purity as a conscious vesture, not mere abstinence.
Universal truth
When joy becomes conscious and disciplined, it turns into effective power (vāja) and naturally expels suffering’s crooked patterns; purity is then a luminous condition, not a suppression.
Themes
Soma-ritual, inner purification, victory-force (vāja), healing/grace (mṛḷ)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.82 (hymn context)
Significance
The seer emphasizes Soma as conscious intelligence (kavi/vedhas) and as disciplined force (steed), aligning delight with power and compassion to remove inner distress.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- kavi (seer), vedhas (knower/ordainer), punāna/pavamāna (purifying)
- Related deities
- Vāyu (carrier of Soma), Indra (receiver of Soma’s force), Agni (sacrificial will that hosts the process)
Cosmic role
Purifier and energizer: Soma clarifies, empowers, and makes the sacrifice victorious (vāja).
Inner power
Ananda as intelligent force: it both illumines and organizes; it disciplines the vital and removes duritā.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration/purification recitation.
क॒विर्वे॑ध॒स्या पर्ये॑षि॒ माहि॑न॒मत्यो॒ न मृ॒ष्टो अ॒भि वाज॑मर्षसि । अ॒प॒सेध॑न्दुरि॒ता सो॑म मृळय घृ॒तं वसा॑न॒: परि॑ यासि नि॒र्णिज॑म् ॥
क॒विः । वे॒ध॒स्या । परि॑ । ए॒षि॒ । माहि॑नम् । अत्यः॑ । न । मृ॒ष्टः । अ॒भि । वाज॑म् । अ॒र्ष॒सि॒ । अ॒प॒ऽसेध॑न् । दुः॒ऽइ॒ता । सो॒म॒ । मृ॒ळ॒य॒ । घृ॒तम् । वसा॑नः । परि॑ । या॒सि॒ । निः॒ऽनिज॑म् ॥
kaviḥ | vedhasyā | pari | eṣi | māhinam | atyaḥ | na | mṛṣṭaḥ | abhi | vājam | arṣasi | apa-sedhan | duḥ-itā | soma | mṛḷaya | ghṛtam | vasānaḥ | pari | yāsi | niḥ-nijam
44
4 pādas × 11 syllables.
Energetic yet controlled; mirrors the ‘well-groomed steed’ image.
Builds disciplined momentum; supports a feeling of purified power and protective grace.
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: intuitive consciousness within delight
- वेधस् (vedhas)
- Literal: wise/ordainer. Symbolic: faculty that forms and sets right measures
- माहिनम् (māhinam)
- Literal: vast greatness. Symbolic: expansive amplitude of Ananda-consciousness
- अत्यः (atyaḥ)
- Literal: steed. Symbolic: vital energy as carrier of the godward movement
- मृष्टः (mṛṣṭaḥ)
- Literal: polished, well-groomed. Symbolic: purified vital disciplined for the path
- वाजम् (vājam)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: victorious fullness; effective spiritual power
- दुरिता (duritā)
- Literal: difficulties, misfortunes. Symbolic: crooked movements of inertia, error, and suffering
- मृळय (mṛḻaya)
- Literal: be gracious/compassionate. Symbolic: the saving softness of Ananda that heals while it purifies
- घृतं वसानः (ghṛtaṃ vasānaḥ)
- Literal: wearing ghee. Symbolic: invested with luminous clarity/truth-substance
- निर्णिज (nirṇij)
- Literal: bright garment/robe. Symbolic: radiant purity as a conscious sheath
Soma pressing and purification (pavamāna) in the Soma-yajña sequence (e.g., Agniṣṭoma): sung while Soma flows through the filter (pavitra) toward the vessels.
When Soma is flowing and being clarified; also suitable as a protective formula within Soma sequences.
Accompanying purification; praying for removal of duritā and for vāja (victorious fullness).
Chant when seeking to convert emotional joy into steady power: before study, creative work, or sādhanā sessions; use as a ‘clear the crookedness’ invocation.
kaví- (√kū/√kav ‘to see/poetically perceive’) denotes inspired sight, not mere ‘poet’. védhas- (√vid ‘to know’, also ‘to dispose/ordain’) suggests formative knowledge-power. mṛṣṭá- from √mṛj ‘to wipe/polish, cleanse’ → purified force. arṣasi from √ṛṣ ‘to flow, to rush’ (cognate tendency with ‘run/stream’ notions). vājá- traditionally ‘prize/food’, but from a strength-fullness semantic field (victory-force, effective energy). apasédhan: apa- + √sidh/√sedh ‘to ward off, repel’. duritá- (dus- ‘bad’ + √i ‘to go’) ‘bad-going’, difficult passage. mṛḷaya from √mṛḍ ‘to be gracious, to soften’. ghṛtá- from √ghṛ ‘to shine/sprinkle; clarified’ used as symbol of luminous mind. nirṇíj- (nis- + √nij/√nīy ‘to wash/cleanse; bright covering’) ‘cleansing radiance/robe’.
purification as inner clarification, removal of duritā (inner misdirection/suffering), vāja as victorious fullness of being
Vedhas implies ordering by measure; the nirṇij is purity as alignment with ṛta.
Ghṛta symbolizes luminous truth that ‘clothes’ the movement.
Transformation of vital energy into a purified carrier of spiritual power.
Integral-Vedic psychology: Soma as conscious Ananda shaping the being.
The vital (horse) becomes polished; delight (Soma) becomes luminous clarity (ghṛta) and a radiant sheath (nirṇij), driving toward fullness (vāja).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is Soma as the swift, purified steed rushing to vāja (victory-plenitude) while driving away duritā (the ‘bad paths’). The outer image of pressed Soma becomes the inner action of a clarified consciousness-force that removes obstruction and establishes victorious fullness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key items align with inherited Indo-European verbal semantics: √vid (vedhas-) ‘know’ is PIE *weyd- ‘to see/know’ (cf. Latin vidēre). √i in duritá ‘bad-going’ reflects motion semantics common across IE. The flowing verb √ṛṣ ‘rush/stream’ matches widespread IE imagery of inspired liquids as power. These inherited roots support the hymn’s fusion of cognition (seeing/knowing) with dynamic motion (flow/rush).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker approaches Soma not as a distant god but as an operative power within the sacrifice and the practitioner: Soma is invoked to act—‘ward off duritā’ and ‘be gracious’. The reciprocity is functional: the human offers the pressed/filtered Soma; Soma returns as purified force, protection, and the vāja needed for the soul’s victorious progress.
Let bliss become intelligent power: feel a joyful current pervade the body, then ‘polish the steed’—steady the vital—aim it toward a single wholesome goal (vāja).
Maṇipūra (force/vāja) with Ājñā (kavi/vedhas clarity).
Ujjāyī light or slow victorious breathing; exhale with the intention ‘apasedhan duritā’ (pushing away crookedness).
Purified vigor; compassionate strength.
When agitation or discouragement arises, invoke Soma as kavi: watch the pattern clearly, then let a quiet joy displace it. Commit the vital energy to one chosen offering (study, service, meditation) until it becomes ‘mṛṣṭa’—smooth and obedient.
Exact Vedic accents require RV pada/svara source; not reliably reconstructible from this excerpt alone.
Give clear separation to compounds: kavir-vedhasyā; maintain a forward surge on ‘abhi vājam arṣasi’; soften on ‘mṛḻaya’.
kavir: keep short i; do not lengthen., vedhasyā: dh is aspirated; yā long ā., apasedhan: keep ‘dh’ voiced aspirate., nirṇijam: retroflex ṇ; ‘nij’ with short i.
Controlled force with a compassionate tone on petitions.
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