Rig Veda 9.40.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 40, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.40
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आ योनिमरुणो रुहद्गमदिन्द्रं वृषा सुतः । ध्रुवे सदसि सीदति ॥
ā yónim aruṇó rúhad gámad índraṃ vṛ́ṣā sutáḥ | dhrúve sádasi sīdati ||
Lal rang wala Som upar chadhta hai aur apni jagah pahunchta hai. Isko nichod ke Indra ke paas bheja ja raha hai. Yeh wahan pakki jagah par baithta hai.
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, intoIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- योनिम्
- womb; source; seatNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot योनि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरुणः
- the ruddy one (Soma)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अरुण- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुहत्
- rising; mountingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त)Role Kartā (अरुणः का विशेषणम्)Root रुह् (धातु) → रुहत् (वर्तमाने कृदन्त, शतृ)
- गमत्
- let (him) go/comeVerbलोट् (विधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थ-प्रयोगः वैदिके), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot गम् (धातु)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषा
- the bull; the vigorous oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Kartā (अरुणः/सुतः का विशेषणम्)Root वृषन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतः
- pressed (Soma)Participle (past passive; used as adjective/noun)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययRole KartāRoot सु (धातु) → सुत- (कृदन्त, क्त)
- ध्रुवे
- in the fixed/firm (place)Adjective (locative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot ध्रुव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदसि
- in the seat; in the assembly (ritual session)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सदस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सीदति
- sits down; settlesVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot सद् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: योनि॑म् + अरु॒णो → योनिम् अरुणः (final -म् before vowel; visarga restored in citation form)
- रु॑ह॒द्गम॒त् → रुहत् + गमत् (t/d assimilation in saṃhitā; underlying present participle रुहत् + verb गमत्)
- Other padas are already separable without further internal sandhi
- Accent marks are from saṃhitā text and not repeated in the normalized pada forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
The ruddy Soma climbs to the womb; pressed, the strong bull goes to Indra and sits in the firm seat.
Inner meaning
The ‘ruddy’ Soma (aruṇaḥ: dawn-tinted illumination within delight) ascends to its source-seat (yoni). When expressed (sutaḥ), the strong creative power (vṛṣā) moves toward Indra—the illumined mind—and becomes established in the stable foundation (dhruve sadasi): a firm inner poise where illumination can govern life.
Universal truth
When awakened energy ascends to its true source and is offered to higher intelligence, it stabilizes into a firm inner foundation from which right perception and action can proceed.
Themes
ascent into stability, Indra empowerment, purified establishment, truth-seat
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.39.6 (yoni… ṛtasya… sīdata), RV 9.40.1–3
Significance
A compact map of yogic ascent: awakening light (aruṇa) rises, becomes potent (vṛṣā), offers itself to Indra, and stabilizes in a firm inner seat.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (moving toward Indra)
- Epithets
- Aruṇa (ruddy), Vṛṣā (bull-strong), Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Indra, Uṣas (aruṇa imagery), Varuṇa (dhruva/ṛta stability)
Cosmic role
Carries the awakened essence upward and seats it in the stable order of the rite; empowers Indra.
Inner power
Ascending Ananda-illumination that stabilizes the mind in a firm, luminous poise.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and offering to Indra
आ योनि॑मरु॒णो रु॑ह॒द्गम॒दिन्द्रं॒ वृषा॑ सु॒तः । ध्रु॒वे सद॑सि सीदति ॥
आ । योनि॑म् । अ॒रु॒णः । रु॒ह॒त् । गम॑त् । इन्द्र॑म् । वृषा॑ । सु॒तः । ध्रु॒वे । सद॑सि । सी॒द॒ति॒ ॥
ā | yonim | aruṇaḥ | ruhat | gamat | indram | vṛṣā | sutaḥ | dhruve | sadasi | sīdati
44
4 padas x ~11 syllables (probable)
Upward-moving first half (ruhat gamat), settling second half (dhruve… sīdati).
Guides a felt ascent and then grounding; excellent for centering after energization.
- yoni
- Literal: womb, seat. Symbolic: source-plane of consciousness, matrix of truth
- aruṇaḥ
- Literal: ruddy, dawn-colored. Symbolic: incipient illumination, the reddening of awakening in the vital-mind
- ruhat
- Literal: climbing, mounting. Symbolic: ascent of consciousness/energy
- vṛṣā
- Literal: bull (strong, virile). Symbolic: creative force, potent energy of realization
- sutaḥ
- Literal: pressed. Symbolic: essence brought out by inner discipline
- indram
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: illumined mind, lord of victorious clarity
- dhruve
- Literal: firm, fixed. Symbolic: stable poise, unshakable foundation
- sadasi
- Literal: seat, session-hall. Symbolic: inner assembly/altar where the higher faculties convene
- sīdati
- Literal: sits, settles. Symbolic: becomes established as a state
Soma’s approach to yoni (filter/vessel) and offering to Indra; establishment in the dhruva sadas (firm seat) of the rite
As Soma is prepared and ‘invited’ to the ritual seat; often in sequences describing Soma’s movement to the gods
Recitation during straining/flow into vessels and offering intention toward Indra
Chant to shift from restless energy to stable clarity—‘ascend and seat the force’.
aruṇa- ‘ruddy’ (dawn color). ruhat: from √ruh ‘to rise, grow, climb’. vṛṣan/vṛṣā from √vṛṣ ‘to be strong, to rain/impregnate’ (power/fertility). dhruva- ‘fixed’ (from √dhru ‘be firm’). sadas- ‘seat, session’ from √sad ‘sit’.
yoni as matrix of manifestation, dhruva as stable truth-base, Indra as executive power supported by Soma
The firm seat (dhruve sadasi) implies establishment in right order rather than fluctuation.
The yoni is the matrix where truth becomes form; seated Soma supports truthful perception.
Ascent from mixed nature to source; stabilization of creative force into ordered consciousness.
Integral/Vedantic: ascent and establishment as stages of inner realization.
dawn (aruṇa resonance)
Awakening illumination rises and becomes a stable inner throne of clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma ascends to the womb/seat and is enthroned in the firm session while going to Indra. Inwardly, the awakened (aruṇa) force rises into a stable foundation (dhruva) and then empowers decisive mastery (Indra).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ruh ‘rise’ is Indo-Iranian with parallels in growth/ascent vocabulary; √sad ‘sit’ is PIE *sed-. dhruva ‘fixed’ reflects an inherited semantic of firmness/stability (cf. related Indo-European ‘true/firm’ notions, though exact cognates vary).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer tracks the inner rite: Soma must first be seated in stability before it can fully serve Indra. The relationship is pedagogic—showing the practitioner that force (Indra) is safely empowered only when delight-illumination (Soma) is firmly established (dhruva).
Visualize a ruddy-golden current rising to a lotus-womb at the crown/forehead, then settling into a firm inner seat of clarity.
Ājñā/Sahasrāra (yoni as source-seat), with grounding into the central channel
Inhale: ‘ruhat’ (rise). Exhale: ‘sīdati’ (settle). Pause briefly after exhale to feel dhruva (firmness).
Bright ascent followed by stable, quiet lucidity.
If energy is scattered, chant once, then sit silently for 12 breaths feeling a ‘firm seat’ in the head-heart axis; let decisions arise only from that dhruva poise.
Svara not provided; chant with rising intonation through ruhat gamat, then settle low on dhruve sadasi sīdati.
ā́ yónim | aruṇó | rúhat | gámad | índram | vṛ́ṣā | sutáḥ | dhrúve | sádasi | sī́dati.
aruṇaḥ: retroflex ṇ; final ḥ, ruhat: clear ‘ru’ and aspirated h, vṛṣā: vocalic ṛ; ṣ retroflex; long ā, dhruve: aspirated dh; consonant cluster ‘dhr’, sadasi: dental d; short vowels
Begin bright and ascending; end deep and steady.
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