Rig Veda 9.105.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 105, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.105
- Devata
- Soma
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Vira (heroism)
सं वत्स इव मातृभिरिन्दुर्हिन्वानो अज्यते । देवावीर्मदो मतिभिः परिष्कृतः ॥
saṃ vatsa iva mātṛbhir índur hinvā́no ajyate | devāvī́r mádo matíbhiḥ páriṣkṛtaḥ ||
इंदु, यह सोम की ताकत है जो आगे बढ़ती है और तैयार होती है। जैसे बच्चा अपनी माँ के पास दूध पीता है और बड़ा होता है, वैसे ही यह ताकत भी पूरी होती है। यह खुशी भगवान की शक्ति लाती है और अच्छे खयालों से साफ होती है।
Word by Word
- सम्
- together, fully (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root सम् (उपसर्ग) / saṃ
- वत्सः
- calfNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वत्स (प्रातिपदिक) / vatsa
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानवाचक अव्ययRoot इव (निपात) / iva
- मातृभिः
- by/with the mothersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) / mātṛ
- इन्दुः
- Indu (Soma-drop)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) / indu
- हिन्वानः
- being impelled/urged on, speedingVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), आत्मनेपदी, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (इन्दुः का विशेषणम्)Root हिनु (धातु) / √hinu
- अज्यते
- is anointed, is smeared (with ghee)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Karma (स्वकर्मक/मध्यस्थ— ‘is anointed/greased’)Root अञ्ज् (धातु) / √añj
- देवावीरमदः
- the exhilaration/rapture of the god-heroes (or: god-heroic exhilaration)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समास: तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः; ‘देव-वीर-’ उपपदसमास + ‘मद’)Role Kartā (इन्दुः का विशेषणम्/अप्पोज़िशन)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- मतिभिः
- by/with thoughts, hymns, devotionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक) / mati
- परिष्कृतः
- purified, thoroughly prepared/adornedVerbभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (इन्दुः का विशेषणम्)Root कृ (धातु) / √kṛ with परि- + निष् (परिष्कृ)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सम् | वत्सः | इव | मातृभिः | इन्दुः | हिन्वानः | अज्यते | देवावीरमदः | मतिभिः | परिष्कृतः । 1) ‘इन्दुर्हिन्वानः’ = ‘इन्दुः हिन्वानः’ (विसर्ग-लोपः/रेफ-सन्धिः: ः + ह → र्ह)
- 2) ‘हिन्वानो’ (संहितापाठ) = ‘हिन्वानः’ (पदपाठ; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः)
- 3) ‘देवावीरमदो’ (संहिता) = ‘देवावीरमदः’ (पदपाठ; अन्त्य ‘ः’ पदान्ते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indu, urged on, is anointed like a calf with the mothers; the ecstasy that brings the gods’ heroism is refined by thoughts and made perfect.
Inner meaning
Soma (Indu) is the growing delight-force, ‘urged on’ by aspiration and the upward breath. Like a calf (vatsa) moving among the mothers (mātṛbhiḥ), Soma is nourished by the sustaining powers—often the ‘mothers’ are the fostering streams of consciousness (inspirations, intuitions, supportive energies) that feed the emerging Ananda. ‘Anointed’ (ajyate) indicates consecration and integration: delight is made fit to circulate through all parts. This mada is devāvīḥ—delight that makes the gods heroic, i.e., strengthens the luminous powers (Indra, Agni, etc.) in us. It is pariṣkṛtaḥ—refined—by matibhiḥ, clarified thoughts: right perception and luminous intention purify delight from mere excitement into steady Ananda.
Universal truth
True joy grows by nurture and refinement: supported by higher influences and clarified by right understanding, it becomes a power that strengthens all noble capacities.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Purification, Inner consecration, Nourishment of the soul, Increase of divine powers
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.105
Family tradition
The imagery of calf and mothers is a recurrent Soma trope across families, indicating a shared contemplative symbolism of growth and nourishment in the inner sacrifice.
Significance
The seer teaches that Ananda is not raw emotion: it must be nurtured by higher supports and refined by luminous thought to become a divine strength.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma (Indu)
- Epithets
- Indu, Pavamāna (implied by context), devāvīḥ (god-strengthening), pariṣkṛta (refined)
- Related deities
- Maruts (impulsion/urging), Indra (heroic illumination), Agni (consecration/anointing)
Cosmic role
Soma is the nourishing essence that empowers the gods to act victoriously in the cosmic order.
Inner power
Nourishing, integrating Ananda; it grows, is consecrated, and becomes a force that supports heroic clarity and action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration/anointing and preparation for offering
सं व॒त्स इ॑व मा॒तृभि॒रिन्दु॑र्हिन्वा॒नो अ॑ज्यते । दे॒वा॒वीर्मदो॑ म॒तिभि॒: परि॑ष्कृतः ॥
सम् । व॒त्सःऽइ॑व । मा॒तृऽभिः॑ । इन्दुः॑ । हि॒न्वा॒नः । अ॒ज्य॒ते॒ । दे॒व॒ऽअ॒वीः । मदः॑ । म॒तिऽभिः॑ । परि॑ऽकृतः ॥
sam | vatsaḥ-iva | mātṛ-bhiḥ | induḥ | hinvānaḥ | ajyate | deva-avīḥ | madaḥ | mati-bhiḥ | pari-kṛtaḥ
44
4 × ~11; flowing simile in first half, declarative refinement in second
Undulating, nurturing, then tightening into clarity
Creates a sense of being fed and then clarified; stabilizes emotion into luminous strength.
- वत्सः (vatsaḥ)
- Literal: calf. Symbolic: new-born delight or growing soul-joy needing nurture
- मातृभिः (mātṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with the mothers. Symbolic: nourishing powers/streams—supportive higher energies and faculties
- अज्यते (ajyate)
- Literal: is anointed/smeared. Symbolic: consecrated and integrated into the being; made fit for offering
- मदः (madaḥ)
- Literal: ecstasy. Symbolic: uplifted intensity that energizes divine faculties
- देवावीः (deva-avīḥ)
- Literal: bringing gods’ heroism; god-strengthening. Symbolic: power that increases the luminous forces and their victorious action
- मतिभिः (matibhiḥ)
- Literal: by thoughts/intentions. Symbolic: clarified, luminous mental formations; right discernment shaping experience
- परिष्कृतः (pariṣkṛtaḥ)
- Literal: refined, perfected. Symbolic: purified from mixture; made subtle, stable, and effective
Soma Pavamāna context: purification/pressing and straining of Soma; recited in Soma sacrifices (e.g., Agniṣṭoma sequences of Pavamāna stotras/śastras).
During the middle phases of Soma preparation when the juice is processed and readied
Praise accompanying purification and mixing/refining actions
For emotional regulation: cultivate joy, then refine it through clear intention (mati) so it supports courageous, sattvic action.
Key terms: índu- ‘bright drop’ (Soma as luminous essence); hinvā́na- pres. ptc. of √hi/√hinv ‘to impel, set in motion’; ajyate passive of √añj ‘to anoint, smear’ (ritual anointing → inner consecration); máda- from √mad ‘to be glad/exhilarated’ indicating divine rapture; matí- ‘thought, insight’ (mental power that can clarify/refine); páriṣkṛta-/pari-kṛta ‘made complete, polished’ from √kṛ with pari- ‘around’.
Ṛta (right ordering) as ‘saṃ’ integration and ‘pari-kṛta’ perfection, inner sacrifice: refinement of consciousness by matī (insight), divine exhilaration (mada) as a means of strengthening the devas within
Refinement (pariṣkāra) is alignment of energies to Ṛta—each part receives the right measure.
Mati purifies delight by truth-seeing, preventing deformation into desire.
Growth by nourishment: emergent divine force strengthened by supportive powers and right shaping.
Integral psychology of the Veda: transformation of vital joy into spiritual Ananda through illumination.
Calf = nascent delight; mothers = sustaining higher energies; anointing = consecration; refining = mental clarity shaping feeling.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘purified Soma’ as a living power that is urged, anointed, and perfected—nourished ‘like a calf with the mothers’. Mythically, Soma’s preparation is an animation/ensouling; psychologically, the ascending delight (mada) is refined by matī into a force that strengthens the devas (divine faculties) against obscurity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mad ‘rejoice, be exhilarated’ has clear Indo-European parallels (cf. English ‘mad’ in older sense of ‘excited’, though semantic drift is complex; also Germanic *ga-maid- not direct). The anointing verb √añj ‘smear/anoint’ aligns with a widespread ritual lexicon of consecration across IE traditions (oil/unction). The calf/mothers simile encodes a common IE poetic pattern: nourishment imagery for inspiration/strength (milk/flowing liquids as carriers of vitality).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker positions Soma not as an external drink but as an inner agency: Soma is ‘urged on’ and ‘anointed’ through human participation (pressing/straining → disciplined cultivation). In reciprocity, Soma becomes devāvīḥ—one who ‘aids the gods’—i.e., it increases the divine powers in the human field, while the poet’s matī provides the refining instrument that makes the rapture fit for right action (Ṛta).
Feel delight as a growing ‘calf’ in the heart; invite nourishing currents from above; refine the feeling with clear, quiet thought.
Anāhata (nourishment/sweetness) and Sahasrāra (descent of higher support)
Inhale as ‘nourishment from the mothers’, exhale as ‘refinement by mati’; keep breath smooth and unforced
Nurtured Ananda becoming luminous and steady
If joy becomes restless, do not suppress: ‘refine’ it—quiet the mind, clarify intention, and let the delight become wide, cool, and strong.
Rigvedic accenting with steady flow; allow the simile ‘saṃ vatsa iva’ to glide, then articulate ‘matibhiḥ pariṣkṛtaḥ’ distinctly.
Slight lift on ‘índuḥ’; keep compound ‘devāvīr-mado’ joined; pause lightly before ‘matibhiḥ’.
: hin-vā-naḥ (long ā), : a-jya-te (cluster ‘jy’ clean), : de-va-ā-vīḥ (separate a-a, long ī), : pa-riṣ-kṛ-taḥ (retroflex ṣ; kṛ with vocalic ṛ)
smooth, nourishing, then crisp on refinement phrase
27
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
