Rig Veda 9.97.7: Mandala 9, Sukta 97, Mantra 7
Sukta 9.97
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
प्र काव्यमुशनेव ब्रुवाणो देवो देवानां जनिमा विवक्ति । महिव्रतः शुचिबन्धुः पावकः पदा वराहो अभ्येति रेभन् ॥
prá kā́vyam uśánā-iva bruvāṇó devó devā́nāṃ jánimā vivakti | mahí-vrataḥ śúci-bandhuḥ pāvakáḥ padā́ varā́ho abhí eti rébhan ||
ઉશના સમે પ્રેરિત કાવ્યવાણી ઉચ્ચારતો, દેવ દેવોના જન્મ-રહસ્યને પ્રગટ કરે છે. મહાવ્રતધારી, શુચિ-બંધુ, પાવક—રેભન્ (સ્તુતિગાયક) રૂપે—પગલાંએ વરાહ સમો આગળ વધે છે, લક્ષ્ય તરફ ભેદી પ્રવેશે છે.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- काव्यम्
- poetic utterance, hymnNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनRole KarmaRoot काव्य (prātipadika; from कवि)
- उशना
- Uśanā (Uśanas/Kavi Uśanas)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Vedic nom. form उशना < उशनस्)Role Kartā (of implied comparison)Root उशनस् (proper name prātipadika)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableupamā-particleRoot इव
- ब्रुवाणः
- speaking, utteringVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot ब्रू (धातु)
- देवः
- the god (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव (prātipadika)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root देव (prātipadika)
- जनिमा
- birth, originNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Vedic form)Role KarmaRoot जनिमन्/जनिमा (prātipadika; from √जन्)
- विवक्ति
- proclaims, makes knownVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथम पुरुष; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot विवच्/विवक्ति (वि + √वच्)
- महिव्रतः
- of great vow/observanceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to देवः)Root महिव्रत (prātipadika; महि + व्रत)
- शुचिबन्धुः
- having pure kinship/connection; allied with purityNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root शुचिबन्धु (prātipadika; शुचि + बन्धु)
- पावकः
- purifying, pureAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root पावक (prātipadika; from √पू ‘to purify’)
- पदा
- with (his) step/footprint; by a trackNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पद (prātipadika)
- वराहः
- boarNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (metaphor for Soma)Root वराह (prātipadika)
- अभ्येति
- goes toward, approachesVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथम पुरुष; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot अभि + √इ (धातु)
- रेभन्
- O singer/poet!Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन (Vedic vocative in -न्)Role SambodhanaRoot रेभ (prātipadika; ‘singer/poet’; also used as voc.)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: उशनेव → उशना इव (Vedic nom. sg. of उशनस् + इव)
- अभ्येति is from अभि + एति (अभि + √इ), with y-insertion before vowel
- Other padas are already in padapāṭha-like form
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma speaks inspired poetry like Uśanā; the God reveals the births/origins of the Gods. Great in vow, kin to the pure, the purifier—chanting—advances like a boar with his step, breaking through toward the goal.
Inner meaning
Purified Soma becomes not only sweetness but revelation: it utters kāvya (inspired word) with the mastery of Uśanā Kāvya—symbol of luminous discernment and occult knowledge. It ‘reveals the births of the gods’: in inner terms, it discloses how higher faculties arise in us—how illumination, will, truth, and harmony are generated from the depths. As mahivrata (great-willed) and śucibandhu (allied to purity), Soma is the force of consecrated transformation. The ‘boar’ (varāha) image signifies the plunging power that breaks through dense resistance (the subconscient cover) and brings up the hidden light/goal—an anticipatory symbol of the later Varāha archetype as lifter of the earth-consciousness.
Universal truth
When delight is purified into truth-bearing inspiration, it becomes a revelatory force that can penetrate resistance and uncover the origins of our higher nature.
Themes
seer-speech, cosmogonic disclosure (origins of gods), breaking obstruction
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.97 (same), RV 1.24.9 (Uśanā as seer reference in RV corpus; thematic), RV 10.28–10.31 (kāvya/inspired speech themes; general)
Significance
This mantra explicitly links Soma to revelation (kāvya) and to a breakthrough symbol (varāha), making it especially valuable for inner practice aimed at penetrating subconscious resistance.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- devaḥ (the God), mahivrataḥ (great-willed), śucibandhuḥ (kin to the pure), pāvakaḥ (purifier), rebhan (resounding/chanting)
- Related deities
- Uśanā Kāvya (seer archetype), Indra (often empowered by Soma’s revelation), Agni (pāvaka resonance; purifier principle)
Cosmic role
Revealer of the gods’ origins—Soma as the luminous essence that both nourishes and discloses the divine powers’ manifestation.
Inner power
Inspirational revelation (kāvya) plus penetrative transformative force (varāha) that breaks coverings.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna Soma chanting during filtration; also suitable as a verse highlighting Soma’s ‘kāvya’ aspect within the rite
प्र काव्य॑मु॒शने॑व ब्रुवा॒णो दे॒वो दे॒वानां॒ जनि॑मा विवक्ति । महि॑व्रत॒: शुचि॑बन्धुः पाव॒कः प॒दा व॑रा॒हो अ॒भ्ये॑ति॒ रेभ॑न् ॥
प्र । काव्य॑म् । उ॒शना॑ऽइव । ब्रु॒वा॒णः । दे॒वः । दे॒वाना॑म् । जनि॑म । वि॒व॒क्ति॒ । महि॑ऽव्रतः । शुचि॑ऽबन्धुः । पा॒व॒कः । प॒दा । व॒रा॒हः । अ॒भि । ए॒ति॒ । रेभ॑न् ॥
pra | kāvyam | uśanā-iva | bruvāṇaḥ | devaḥ | devānām | janima | vivakti | mahi-vrataḥ | śuci-bandhuḥ | pāvakaḥ | padā | varāhaḥ | abhi | eti | rebhan
48
4 x 12 (approx.)
Oracular and forceful; combines declarative revelation with a final thrusting image.
Elicits a sense of inspired clarity, then a decisive ‘breakthrough’ momentum—useful for overcoming inertia.
- काव्यम्
- Literal: inspired poetry, seer-word. Symbolic: Mantric revelation; intuitive speech of truth
- उशनाइव
- Literal: like Uśanā (Kāvya). Symbolic: Model of luminous discernment/occult wisdom; the seer of effective mantra
- देवो देवानाम्
- Literal: the god of the gods. Symbolic: Soma as a central power nourishing and unveiling all higher faculties
- जनिमा विवक्ति
- Literal: reveals the births/origins. Symbolic: Discloses genesis of divine qualities in consciousness
- महिव्रतः
- Literal: great in vow/will. Symbolic: Strong consecration; unwavering tapas
- शुचिबन्धुः
- Literal: kin/ally of the pure. Symbolic: Affinity with clarity, sincerity, sattwic purity
- पावकः
- Literal: purifier. Symbolic: Cleansing fire-like power within Soma (Ananda that purifies)
- रेभन्
- Literal: chanting/praising, sounding. Symbolic: Vibratory force of mantra; resonant aspiration
- वराहः पदा
- Literal: boar with his step. Symbolic: Penetrative breakthrough-power into dense layers; lifting hidden light/earth-consciousness
Recitation during active purification/pressing to emphasize Soma as kavi and revealer; the varāha image supports the rite’s intention of breaking inner obstructions so the gods’ powers can manifest.
During the flow/purification phase when Soma is ‘speaking’ through the chant; thematically emphasizes revelation
Chant as Soma is strained; invoke insight into the ‘births’ of divine powers
A mantra for insight and shadow-work: chant to invite revelatory understanding and the strength to pierce subconscious blocks.
uśanā refers to Kavi Uśanas (often linked with Śukra); kāvya from kavi. janima from √jan ‘be born’ (PIE *ǵenh₁-). vivakti from vi-√vac ‘to distinguish, make clear’ (semantic development from ‘speak apart’). vrata from √vṛ ‘choose/will’ (also ‘vow’): indicates governing will. varāha ‘boar’ functions as a force-symbol; padā instrumental of pada ‘step’ (√pad ‘to go, foot’ PIE *ped-).
revelation of origins (janima) as knowledge of powers, vrata as governing will, purity alliance (śuci-bandhu)
‘Janima’ (births) implies ordered manifestation of cosmic powers—ṛta as the law of emergence.
Kāvya is speech of satya; Soma becomes truth-bearing inspiration.
Theogenesis in consciousness: how divine powers are born/manifest within the seeker.
Proto-tantric/Integral reading: mantra-revelation + subconscious breakthrough; also anticipates later Purāṇic Varāha symbolism as inner mythic continuity.
Sound = mantra-force; purifier = refined delight; boar = plunging transformative power; step = progressive conquest of inner terrain.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as revelatory kavi who ‘discloses the births of the gods’—a knowledge-myth where purification yields cosmogonic insight. The boar image (varāha) adds the mythologem of the force that breaks into hidden places, uprooting obstruction so the origins/structures of divine powers become manifest.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- janima from √jan aligns with PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’ (Greek gígnomai, Latin gignō). pada from √pad reflects PIE *ped- ‘foot’. The vi- preverb in vivakti shows inherited segmentation/distribution semantics (‘make distinct’), common across early Indo-European poetic registers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes Soma as the true speaker of kāvya: inspired knowledge is not fabricated but revealed by the purified power. The devotee’s role is to host purification; Soma’s role is to break through inner resistance (varāha) and disclose the differentiated powers (devānām janima) within consciousness.
Invoke Soma as revelatory delight: let sweetness become insight; then use the ‘varāha-step’ to pierce a chosen inner blockage.
Vishuddha (kāvya/revelatory speech) + Muladhara (subconscient/earth to be lifted)
Ujjayi (gentle) while chanting to emphasize ‘rebhan’ resonance; after chanting, hold attention low in the body and feel a steady upward lift.
Inspired clarity with breakthrough force.
1) Chant slowly 3x focusing at the throat (truth-speech). 2) Ask inwardly: ‘What divine power is trying to be born now?’ 3) On the last pāda, visualize a strong boar-step breaking a dark crust below the navel/base and releasing light upward.
Respect Saṃhitā accents (e.g., काव्य॑म्, उ॒शने॑व, दे॒वो, दे॒वानां॒, महि॑व्रत॒:, शुचि॑बन्धुः, पाव॒कः, अ॒भ्ये॑ति॒).
Make the first half more ‘oracular’ (clear, slightly elevated accents) to convey revelation; give the final image (‘varāhaḥ…’) a grounded, emphatic cadence.
uśanā-iva: keep ‘iva’ separate, do not merge into ‘uśaneva’ too heavily in slow chant, vivakti: articulate vi-vak-ti with clear ‘kt’, śucibandhuḥ: palatal ś; ‘dh’ voiced aspirate; final ḥ light, varāhaḥ: long ā; aspirate ḥ at end; keep retroflex ḷ not involved—simple ‘ra’
Clear and slightly solemn at start; firm and grounded in the last pāda to embody breakthrough.
3
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