Rig Veda 9.107.21: Mandala 9, Sukta 107, Mantra 21
Sukta 9.107
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
मृज्यमानः सुहस्त्य समुद्रे वाचमिन्वसि । रयिं पिशङ्गं बहुलं पुरुस्पृहं पवमानाभ्यर्षसि ॥
mṛjyámānaḥ su-hástya samudré vā́cam invasi | rayíṃ piśáṅgaṃ bahuláṃ puru-spṛ́haṃ pávamānā́bhy arṣasi ||
जब तुम साफ किए जाते हो, तुम समुंदर में शक्ति डालते हो। तुम पवमान हो, जो बहकर आता है। तुम वो सोना जैसी चमक लाते हो, बहुत सारी, जो सब को पसंद आती है।
Word by Word
- मृज्यमानः
- being purified / being cleansedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/आत्मनेपदे शानच्-प्रत्ययः (present passive/middle participle)Role Kartā (स्तुत्यः सोमः) / विशेषणम्Root मृज् (धातु) → मृज्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुहस्त्य
- O good-handed (one)Noun (vocative epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role Sambodhana (सम्बोधनः)Root सु- + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) → सुहस्ति (स्त्री) ; सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्
- समुद्रे
- in the oceanNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role Adhikaraṇa (स्थान/आश्रयः)Root समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाचम्
- speech, voiceNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्वसि
- you impel / set in motionVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root इन्/इन्व् (धातु; ‘to set in motion, impel, drive’)
- रयिम्
- wealthNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिशङ्गम्
- tawny, golden-brownAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (रयिम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Karma (विशेषणम्)Root पिशङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- बहुलम्
- abundantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (रयिम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Karma (विशेषणम्)Root बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुस्पृहम्
- much-desired, greatly covetedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (रयिम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Karma (विशेषणम्)Root पुरु- + स्पृह (प्रातिपदिक; ‘desire, longing’) → पुरुस्पृह
- पवमान
- O Pavamāna (purifying Soma)Noun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम् (सोमस्य)Role Sambodhana (सम्बोधनः)Root पू (धातु ‘to purify’) → पवमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- अभ्यर्षसि
- you flow toward / rush uponVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root ऋष्/अर्ष् (धातु; ‘to flow, rush’) + अभि- (उपसर्ग)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: मृज्यमानः | सुहस्त्य | समुद्रे | वाचम् | इन्वसि | रयिम् | पिशङ्गम् | बहुलम् | पुरुस्पृहम् | पवमान | अभ्यर्षसि || 1) सुहस्त्य = सुहस्ति (सम्बोधन-एकवचन) इति वैदिकरूपेण -y अन्तः (इ/ई-प्रातिपदिकस्य सम्बोधन-एकवचनस्य वैदिकविकल्पः). 2) पवमाना॒भ्य॑र्षसि = पवमान + अभ्यर्षसि (अ + भ्य् संयोगः; उपसर्गाभि-युक्तं क्रियापदम्).
- पदानि प्रायः पदपाठानुसारं पृथक्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
As Soma is cleansed, skilful-handed, he sets the Word in motion in the ocean. He flows forth as Pavamāna bringing tawny, abundant, much-desired wealth.
Inner meaning
In purification, Soma (Ananda) becomes an intelligent power (‘skilful-handed’) that releases and energizes Vāc—the inspired Word—within the vast sea of consciousness (samudra). When delight is clarified, it carries a radiant ‘tawny’ wealth: luminous force and richness of inner faculties, abundant and manifold, eagerly sought by the soul.
Universal truth
When consciousness is purified, speech/thought becomes inspired rather than mechanical; inner joy sets the creative Word in motion and brings a many-sided wealth of light and power.
Themes
Activation of the Word, Soma as giver of plenitude, Purification leading to inspired speech, Oceanic consciousness
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.107.21-23 (same movement), RV 9.62 (Vāc and Soma purification motifs), RV 10.125 (Vāc Sūkta—conceptual resonance)
Family tradition
Pavamāna anthology; voice of the Soma-priest-poet (hotṛ/udgātṛ functionally) without preserved personal attribution.
Significance
The seer presents a key Aurobindonian insight: Soma’s purification is psychological—Ananda clarified becomes the mover of Vāc in the infinite, generating inspired manifestation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (self-purifying Soma)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Suhastya (skilful)
- Related deities
- Vāc (inspired Word), Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration), Agni (priest of the inner sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Purifies and distributes delight that empowers the gods and awakens inspired speech in the cosmic ocean.
Inner power
Ananda as a creative dynamis: it releases mantric Vāc and brings radiant inner wealth (rayi).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma straining (pavamāna) with emphasis on purification and offering-ready Soma
मृ॒ज्यमा॑नः सुहस्त्य समु॒द्रे वाच॑मिन्वसि । र॒यिं पि॒शङ्गं॑ बहु॒लं पु॑रु॒स्पृहं॒ पव॑माना॒भ्य॑र्षसि ॥
मृ॒ज्यमा॑नः । सु॒ऽह॒स्त्य॒ । स॒मु॒द्रे । वाच॑म् । इ॒न्व॒सि॒ । र॒यिम् । पि॒शङ्ग॑म् । ब॒हु॒लम् । पु॒रु॒ऽस्पृह॑म् । पव॑मान । अ॒भि । अ॒र्ष॒सि॒ ॥
mṛjyamānaḥ | su-hastya | samudre | vācam | invasi | rayim | piśaṅgam | bahulam | puru-spṛham | pavamāna | abhi | arṣasi
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4 × ~12 syllables
Broad, wave-like cadence fitting ‘ocean’ and ‘flow forth’; strong medial lift on vācam invasi.
Induces a feeling of inner spaciousness and resonance; supports emergence of inspired speech and calm power.
- मृज्यमानः (mṛjyamānaḥ)
- Literal: being cleansed/purified. Symbolic: inner clarification—refining desire, emotion, thought
- सुहस्त्य (suhastya)
- Literal: skilful-handed. Symbolic: conscious, precise working of the divine force in the being
- समुद्रे (samudre)
- Literal: in the ocean. Symbolic: vast consciousness; the infinite field of awareness
- वाचम् (vācam)
- Literal: speech, word. Symbolic: mantric inspiration; revelatory vibration of truth
- रयिम् (rayim)
- Literal: wealth, abundance. Symbolic: inner riches—light, force, capacity, harmony
- पिशङ्गम् (piśaṅgam)
- Literal: tawny, golden-brown. Symbolic: luminous radiance of dawn-like knowledge and power
- पवमान (pavamāna)
- Literal: self-purifying (Soma). Symbolic: the delight-force that purifies as it flows
Highlights the moment when purified Soma ‘impels the Word’—ritually linked to chant/recitation accompanying Soma flow; psychologically, Soma activates inspired speech (vā́c) in the vast consciousness and brings rayi (plenitude).
During the filtration phase; also as praise while Soma streams into the vessels
Chant to sacralize the flow and affirm Soma’s readiness to energize the gods
Useful before speaking/teaching/creative work: chant to ‘set Vāc in motion’ from a deeper oceanic silence rather than surface mind.
mṛjyámāna: √mṛj ‘cleanse/polish’ → clarification of consciousness. su-hástya: su- ‘good’ + hástya ‘handed/hand-skill’ → effective agency. invasi: √in ‘to set in motion, impel’ → activation of vā́c. vā́c: PIE *wekʷ- ‘voice/speak’ (cf. Latin vox, English voice). rayí: ‘wealth’ as plenitude (not merely material), often linked to √rā ‘to give’/√ri ‘to flow’ in semantic field of abundance. piśáṅga: tawny/golden → radiance. arṣasi: √ṛṣ ‘flow’ → pouring forth.
Vāc (creative Word), Rayi as plenitude, purification (mṛj), vastness (samudra)
Vāc moved in the ocean becomes an instrument of R̥ta—speech aligned with the truth-order.
Inspired Word is Satya in sound-form; Soma purification makes it possible.
Manifestation through vibration: from oceanic consciousness, the Word arises and brings wealth of forms/powers.
Mantric cosmology (Vāc as creative principle) aligned with integral yoga psychology (speech from higher planes).
Ocean = vast awareness; cleansing = refinement of nature; tawny wealth = luminous knowledge-force; flow = continuous descent/ascent of Ananda.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma awakens Vāc’ mythologem: as Soma is purified, he impels the Word in the oceanic vast. Innerly, clarified delight activates the creative vibration (vā́c) in the deep being and pours forth rayi—abundant plenitude of force and felicity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vā́c is a strong reflex of PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak/voice’ (Latin vox, Avestan vac-). This inherited root is placed in a distinctly Vedic metaphysics where ‘speech’ is not only linguistic but creative power—an archaic IE poetic idea intensified into a spiritual principle.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on Soma’s purification to make inspired speech possible: the deity’s clarified flow becomes the engine of the Word and the bringer of plenitude (rayi). The reciprocity is practical—purification and offering invite Soma’s descent as creative speech and abundance in the seeker.
Rest in a felt ‘inner ocean’; invite Soma as a cool, luminous flow that cleanses; then let a single true sentence/seed-mantra rise from silence.
Vishuddha (speech) supported by Anahata (delight) and Ajna (clarity)
Slow breathing with subtle humming on exhale (nāda-anusandhāna) to sense Vāc emerging from depth.
Oceanic calm with inspired vibration
Chant, then sit 2 minutes in silence. Notice if speech-energy becomes calmer, truer, less reactive. Speak only after the ‘ocean’ is felt.
Rigvedic tri-svara; exact svara requires RV pada-svara notation for 9.107.21.
Give clear lift to mṛ́jyamānaḥ and vā́cam; let ‘samudre’ be broad and sustained; brighten on ‘rayim piśaṅgam’.
mṛj- (ṛ syllabic) clean; avoid ‘miraj’, vācam: long ā; keep c as ‘ch’ unaspirated palatal stop, pavamānābhy arṣasi: link -ābhy- smoothly; arṣasi with ṛ
Resonant, rounded, ‘oceanic’ tone; allow gentle nasal resonance without strain.
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