Rig Veda 9.105.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 105, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.105
- Devata
- Soma
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अयं दक्षाय साधनोऽयं शर्धाय वीतये । अयं देवेभ्यो मधुमत्तमः सुतः ॥
ayáṃ dákṣāya sā́dhano ’yáṃ śárdhāya vītáye | ayáṃ devébhyo mádhumattamaḥ sutáḥ ||
यह सोम ताकत काम करने की समझ देती है। यह अपने ग्रुप के लिए सही आनंद लाती है। भगवान के लिए यह सबसे मीठी चीज है, जैसे शहद। यह निकाली हुई ताकत है जो खुशी भरती है।
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दक्षाय
- for skill/ability (dakṣa)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- साधनः
- accomplisher; one who brings aboutNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot साधन (प्रातिपदिक) < √साध् (साधने ‘to accomplish’)
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शर्धाय
- for the troop/host (company)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot शर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीतये
- for enjoyment/feasting; for the (ritual) enjoymentNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot वीति (प्रातिपदिक) < √वी (वे/वय् ‘to pursue, enjoy, seek’)
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेभ्यः
- for the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- मधुमत्तमः
- most honey-sweet; sweetestAdjective (superlative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (तमप्-प्रत्ययान्तः)Role KartāRoot मधुमत् (प्रातिपदिक) < मधु + मतुप्
- सुतः
- pressed (Soma); expressedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (भूतकृत्/कृदन्तः; ‘pressed, expressed’)Role KartāRoot सुत (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (सवने ‘to press/extract (Soma)’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अयम् दक्षाय साधनः । अयम् शर्धाय वीतये । अयम् देवेभ्यः मधुमत्तमः सुतः ॥ 1) साधनः + अयम् → साधनोऽयम् (अः + अ → ओऽ, अवग्रह)
- अन्यत्र विशेष-सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न।
The meaning
Outer meaning
This Soma is the accomplisher for dakṣa (skill/power); this is for the host for their enjoyment; this pressed Soma is for the gods the most honeyed.
Inner meaning
Soma is presented as a multi-functional spiritual force. For dakṣa, it is sādhanaḥ—the accomplisher: it perfects discerning intelligence and effective capacity, turning insight into power. For the śardha (the host—bands of divine powers or the gathered energies of the seeker), it is for vīti (right enjoyment/receiving): Soma enables the gods in us to take in their proper food—light, force, harmony—without distortion. As sutaḥ, pressed out by inner effort, it becomes madhumattamaḥ—most honey-full: concentrated sweetness of Ananda, the very substance that makes illumination and will delightful and sustainable.
Universal truth
A purified delight is not merely pleasure: it increases competence, unites the inner forces, and becomes the sweetness that nourishes all higher powers.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Delight (Madhu), Empowerment of the gods, Discernment (Dakṣa), Collective divine host (Śardha)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.105
Family tradition
The verse reflects a didactic style common in Soma hymns: enumerating Soma’s functions for different inner powers (dakṣa, śardha, devas).
Significance
The seer frames Soma as the central integrative principle: it perfects intelligence, nourishes the collective divine energies, and provides concentrated sweetness for transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma (Pavamāna/Indu)
- Epithets
- suta (pressed forth), madhumattama (most honeyed), sādhana (accomplisher)
- Related deities
- Indra (illumined mind empowered by Soma), Bṛhaspati (dakṣa through word and insight), Vasus/Maruts (śardha as hosts)
Cosmic role
Soma is the essence offered to the gods, enabling their right functioning and victory in the cosmic order.
Inner power
Ananda as competence and integration: it strengthens discerning capacity (dakṣa), harmonizes the host of energies, and feeds the higher powers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to empower the gods; recited during preparation/offerings
अ॒यं दक्षा॑य॒ साध॑नो॒ऽयं शर्धा॑य वी॒तये॑ । अ॒यं दे॒वेभ्यो॒ मधु॑मत्तमः सु॒तः ॥
अ॒यम् । दक्षा॑य । साध॑नः । अ॒यम् । शर्धा॑य । वी॒तये॑ । अ॒यम् । दे॒वेभ्यः॑ । मधु॑मत्ऽतमः । सु॒तः ॥
ayam | dakṣāya | sādhanaḥ | ayam | śardhāya | vītaye | ayam | devebhyaḥ | madhumat-tamaḥ | sutaḥ
44
4 × ~11; threefold ‘ayam… ayam… ayam…’ anaphora
Declarative, enumerative, mantra-like listing with strong forward pulse
Builds conviction and clarity; the repeated ‘ayam’ anchors attention and intensifies focus.
- दक्ष (dakṣa)
- Literal: skill, capacity, discerning power. Symbolic: luminous intelligence that can organize and execute truth
- साधनः (sādhanaḥ)
- Literal: accomplisher, means of attainment. Symbolic: effective inner instrument that turns aspiration into realization
- शर्धा (śardha)
- Literal: host, troop, company. Symbolic: collective powers in the being (or the gods’ host) requiring right nourishment
- वीतये (vītaye)
- Literal: for enjoyment/receiving. Symbolic: right assimilation—taking in light and force without egoistic distortion
- सुतः (sutaḥ)
- Literal: pressed. Symbolic: brought out by inner pressing—concentration, aspiration, tapas
- मधुमत्तमः (madhumattamaḥ)
- Literal: most honeyed/sweetest. Symbolic: densest Ananda—delight that is luminous, steady, and transformative
- देवेभ्यः (devebhyaḥ)
- Literal: for the gods. Symbolic: for the higher faculties/powers of consciousness
Soma pressing/straining hymns used to energize the offering for divine ‘acceptance’ (vīti) during Soma yajña sequences.
During Soma-yajña when Soma is presented as nourishment for the devas
Praise identifying Soma’s functions and fitness for offering
Use as an affirmation in practice: ‘this delight strengthens my discernment, harmonizes my energies, and feeds the higher powers’—helpful for integrating meditation with action.
dakṣa- ‘skill, capacity’ (semantic field: efficiency + insight); sā́dhana- from √sādh ‘to accomplish, make succeed’; śárdha- ‘host, troop’ often of Maruts/divine collectives; vītí- ‘enjoyment, reception’ linked to √vī ‘to pursue/seek’ and ritual ‘acceptance’; mádhu ‘honey, sweetness’ → delight; sutá- PPP of √su ‘press out (Soma)’.
dakṣa as effective truth-guided capacity (right skill under Ṛta), collective divine action (śardha) supported by Soma, ānanda/delight principle as power for transformation (madhu/mada)
Soma supports Ṛta by enabling each power (deva) to receive its proper share and act in harmony.
Dakṣa is fulfilled when delight is aligned with truth, not desire.
Pressing out essence: the hidden sweetness of existence revealed by concentration and offering.
Vedic integralism: transformation through Ananda that perfects mind and harmonizes the collective being.
Honey = concentrated Ananda; pressing = tapas/concentration extracting essence; host = multiple faculties unified by delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the ‘most honeyed’ essence offered to the gods, enabling their collective action and enjoyment. The mythic action is the provisioning of divine potency through Soma; psychologically, the pressed delight becomes the means (sādhana) by which discerning intelligence (dakṣa) and the coordinated inner powers (śardha) can act in harmony with Ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu ‘honey’ has strong IE correspondences (e.g., Greek méthu ‘wine’, English ‘mead’), supporting the semantic bridge honey/intoxicant/delight. The ritual verb √su ‘press’ belongs to the specialized Indo-Iranian Soma/Haoma lexicon, reflecting a shared inherited cultic register.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet presents Soma as an immediately available agency (‘ayam…ayam…ayam’) whose functions support both human and divine operations: it forms dakṣa in the practitioner and simultaneously becomes the gods’ sweetest portion. Reciprocity: human pressing/refining yields a divine delight that returns as increased capacity and coordinated force in the sacrificer.
Contemplate Soma as ‘honeyed essence’ that perfects dakṣa (discernment) and harmonizes inner hosts; rest in concentrated sweetness.
Ājñā (dakṣa/discernment) and Sahasrāra (nectar-like Ananda)
Kumbhaka-light: brief comfortable pauses after inhale to ‘press out’ essence; then exhale with ‘madhumattamaḥ’ feeling sweetness spread
Clear, capable, sweetly luminous
When practice feels dry, invoke Soma as ‘madhumattama’: not excitement, but concentrated sweetness that makes right action and right seeing effortless.
Rigvedic accenting with clear, repeated ‘ayam’ anchors; keep each ‘ayam’ slightly lifted and distinct; maintain even cadence across pādas.
Mark the three ‘ayam’ as rhythmic pillars; articulate ‘madhumattamaḥ’ with a gentle crescendo of sweetness.
: dak-ṣā-ya (retroflex ṣ; long ā), : śar-dhā-ya (aspirate dh), : vī-ta-ye (long ī), : ma-dhu-mat-ta-maḥ (dentals t; no retroflex), : su-taḥ (short u; final ḥ)
bright, declarative, ending sweet and resonant
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.
