Rig Veda 9.103.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 103, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.103
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna corpus
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Gāyatrī/Anuṣṭubh/Triṣṭubh depending on hymn
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
परि दैवीरनु स्वधा इन्द्रेण याहि सरथम् । पुनानो वाघद्वाघद्भिरमर्त्यः ॥
pári daivī́r ánu svadhā́ índreṇa yāhi sa-rátham | punā́nō vā́ghad-vā́ghadbhir ámartyaḥ ||
भगवान के नियम के साथ चलो। इंद्र के साथ एक ही रथ में आओ। सोम अपने आप को साफ कर के अमर हो रहा है। गाने वाले और मंत्र बोलने वाले उसके साथ चल रहे हैं।
Word by Word
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (परितः/पर्यन्त-भावे; क्रियाविशेषण)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दैवीः
- the divine (ones) [fem. pl.], divine powersAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (कर्मपद)Role KarmaRoot दैवी (देव-प्रातिपदिक; दैव-)
- अनु
- after, along, followingIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (अनुगमन-भावे; क्रियाविशेषण)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्वधा
- svadhā; own power/impulse; ritual ‘svadhā’-offeringNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (कर्मपद) [वैकल्पिकं: अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः ‘स्वधया’ इत्यर्थे]Role KarmaRoot स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रेण
- with IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole Karaṇa (सह/साकं-अर्थे) अथवा सहकर्ताRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- याहि
- go! come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root या (धातु)
- सरथम्
- together on the same chariot; in chariot-companyAdjective/Adverbial accusativeनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण) अथवा अव्ययीभाव-प्रायःRole Adhikaraṇa/क्रियाविशेषण (सह-रथेन/एकरथेन गमनम्)Root सरथ (sa-ratha) (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुनानः
- purifying oneself; being purifiedParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण कर्तरि)Root पू (धातु) → पुनान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय; आत्मनेपद)
- वाघत्
- the singer/offerer (worshipper)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (समास-पूर्वपद) अथवा प्रातिपदिक-रूपेणRole (समासे) सम्बन्ध/विशेषण-भावःRoot वाघत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाघत्’ = स्तोतृ/यजमान)
- वाघद्भिः
- with the singers/offerersNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa/सह (सहचर्ये)Root वाघत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमर्त्यः
- immortal (one)Adjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (पुनानः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; कर्तृपद)Root अमर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक; a-mṛtya)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: परि | दैवीः | अनु | स्वधा | इन्द्रेण | याहि | सरथम् || पुनानः | वाघत्-वाघद्भिः | अमर्त्यः || 1) ‘दैवीरनु’ = दैवीः + अनु (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः). 2) ‘वाघद्वाघद्भिः’ = वाघत् + वाघद्भिः
- अन्त्य-त् परे घोष-व्यञ्जने (व्) ‘द्’ भवति (त्→द्), तथा समास/पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (युग्म-निर्देशः). 3) ‘सरथम्’ क्रियाविशेषणवत् द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (‘सह रथेन’ इत्यर्थे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Move around following the divine self-laws; come with Indra in the same chariot. Self-purifying, immortal Soma, go with the singers and the chanters.
Inner meaning
Soma is asked to follow the ‘divine svadhās’—the inherent right workings of the higher nature—rather than human impulse. He is to journey ‘with Indra in one chariot’: bliss (Soma) and illumined mind (Indra) must act together; joy without light can become vital pleasure, and light without joy can become dry force. With the vāghats (singers/chanters—evokers of the gods), Soma moves: the powers of aspiration and mantra-calling accompany and increase the Ananda-current, making purification a collective harmony of forces.
Universal truth
Lasting transformation comes when joy aligns with higher law and partners with clear intelligence; then aspiration and disciplined expression can carry the process steadily forward.
Themes
Soma-Indra alliance, Mantra as force, Purification, Victory of Light
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.103 (same sūkta), RV 1.80, RV 1.81 (Indra-Soma companionship themes; general parallels)
Significance
The rishi emphasizes a central psychological law: Ananda must yoke itself with Indra (illumined mind) and move by divine svadhā—then the chant-force (vāghat) becomes an effective vehicle of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (in companionship with Indra)
- Epithets
- punāna, amartya
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Soma as immortal essence moving according to divine law, joining Indra to empower victorious illumination and right action.
Inner power
Joy yoked to light: a force that both purifies and energizes the mind to break resistances (vṛtra-forces).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra (Indra’s Soma draught) within Soma-yajña
परि॒ दैवी॒रनु॑ स्व॒धा इन्द्रे॑ण याहि स॒रथ॑म् । पु॒ना॒नो वा॒घद्वा॒घद्भि॒रम॑र्त्यः ॥
परि॑ । दैवीः॑ । अनु॑ । स्व॒धाः । इन्द्रे॑ण । या॒हि॒ । स॒ऽरथ॑म् । पु॒ना॒नः । वा॒घत् । वा॒घत्ऽभिः । अम॑र्त्यः ॥
pari | daivīḥ | anu | svadhāḥ | indreṇa | yāhi | sa-ratham | punānaḥ | vāghat | vāghat-bhiḥ | amartyaḥ
44
4 pādas (approx. 11 syllables)
Mobile, chariot-like momentum; strong conjunction points (‘indreṇa’, ‘saratham’).
Energizes and coordinates—useful when practice feels inert; evokes forward movement with disciplined joy.
- दैवीः स्वधाः (daivīḥ svadhāḥ)
- Literal: divine self-laws, inherent powers. Symbolic: intrinsic right movements of the higher consciousness; spontaneous truth-functioning
- इन्द्रेण (indreṇa)
- Literal: with Indra. Symbolic: with illumined mind, the force that breaks limitation and releases light
- सरथम् (sa-ratham)
- Literal: in the same chariot. Symbolic: unified action of bliss and illumination; integrated yoga-force
- पुना॒नः (punānaḥ)
- Literal: purifying. Symbolic: self-refining Ananda working through the nature
- अमर्त्यः (amartyaḥ)
- Literal: immortal. Symbolic: deathless delight-principle beyond decay and depression
- वा॒घत् / वा॒घद्भिः (vāghat / vāghad-bhiḥ)
- Literal: singer/chanter; with singers. Symbolic: invoking powers of aspiration and mantra-energy that call down the divine
Pavamāna chants accompanying Soma purification; emphasizes Soma-Indra synergy typical of Soma offerings for Indra’s strength.
When Soma is prepared for Indra or invoked alongside Indra during pressing/chant sequences.
Chant to invite Soma to accompany Indra; supports the offering that strengthens Indra’s power.
For moments requiring clear, joyful action: chant to align enthusiasm (Soma) with discernment and courage (Indra).
svadhā́: sva- ‘self’ + √dhā ‘to place, establish’ → ‘self-established law/power’; psychologically the innate right action of the divine in us. índra: often from √ind ‘to kindle/strengthen’ (traditional), functioning as lord of illumined force. sa-ratha: ‘same chariot’ (ratha), image of coordinated powers. vāghat: from √vāgh/√vac complex ‘utter, praise’; denotes the effective utterance-force. amartya: a- + martya ‘mortal’ (from √mṛ ‘die’).
svadhā as inner law of right action, cooperation of powers (Soma with Indra), immortality (amartya) as deathless consciousness
Following divine svadhā is moving in ṛta—right order rather than egoic drive.
Indra symbolizes truth-illumination that ensures Soma’s joy remains aligned with satya.
Synergy of powers: creation advances when Ananda and Light move together as one vehicle.
Yoga of integrated powers (Aurobindonian): illumination (Indra) + delight (Soma) as twin engines of transformation.
Chariot = coordinated psycho-physical system; journey = progressive sādhanā; singers = active aspirational energies sustaining the process.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The paired powers mythologem: Soma (delight/clarity) rides ‘one chariot’ with Indra (victorious illumination). This encodes an inner yoga: delight purified becomes fuel and companion for the force that breaks obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yā ‘go’ reflects PIE *h₁ey- ‘to go’ (cf. Greek eîmi ‘I go’). √man/mṛ in martya connects to PIE *mer- ‘die’ (English mortal). ratha ‘chariot’ is a classic Indo-Iranian/PIE poetic item (cf. Avestan raθa-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi calls Soma to align with ‘divine svadhās’—i.e., to operate by its own truth-law within the practitioner—and to join Indra’s work. The human contribution is vāghat (effective chant), which becomes the channel for Soma’s movement and Indra’s action.
Unite joy with clarity: on inhale feel Soma (sweetness) rise; on exhale feel Indra (light) widen the mind—then act from that union.
anahata (joy) with ajna (clarity) linkage
Coherent breathing ~5–6 breaths/min; mentally pair ‘Soma’ (inhale) and ‘Indra’ (exhale) after chanting.
Dynamic equanimity—energized but governed by inner law.
Before difficult action, chant once; pause; ask: ‘Is this movement in divine svadhā?’ Proceed only when the body feels aligned and the mind clear.
Preserve Vedic accents; keep ‘indreṇa’ and ‘saratham’ clearly articulated; avoid rushing consonant clusters.
Give a forward push on ‘yāhi’; slightly emphasize ‘saratham’ to feel the yoking; end with a firm but sweet ‘amartyaḥ’.
‘daivīr’: roll into long ‘ī’; final ‘r’ light., ‘svadhāḥ’: pronounce ‘sv’ cleanly; long ‘ā’; visarga audible at pause., ‘indreṇa’: dental ‘n’, retroflex not needed; keep ‘dr’ cluster crisp., ‘vāghadbhir’: articulate ‘dbh’ cluster carefully; do not drop the ‘d’., ‘amartyaḥ’: keep ‘ty’ palatal; visarga light.
Bright, energized, yet controlled; avoid shouting—let vigor come from clear articulation.
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