Rig Veda 9.112.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 112, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.112
- Devata
- Soma for Indra
- Chandas
- Anushtubh-like
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
जरतीभिरोषधीभिः पर्णेभिः शकुनानाम् । कार्मारो अश्मभिर्द्युभिर्हिरण्यवन्तमिच्छतीन्द्रायेन्दो परि स्रव ॥
járatībhir óṣadhībhiḥ párṇebhiḥ śakunā́nām | kārmāró áśmabhir dyúbhir híraṇyavantam icchatī́ndrāyéndo párī srava ||
पक्षी पकड़ने वाले सूखे पौधे और पत्ते इस्तेमाल करते हैं अपना काम करने के लिए। लोहार पत्थर और आग इस्तेमाल करता है सोना ढूंढने के लिए। हे इंदु, इंद्र के लिए बहाओ।
Word by Word
- जरतीभिः
- with/through the aging (ones)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot जरती- (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; √जॄ/जर् ‘to grow old, decay’ से) अथवा ‘जरत्’ (aging) से व्युत्पन्न
- ओषधीभिः
- with herbs/plantsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot ओषधि- (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- पर्णेभिः
- with leavesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot पर्ण- (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- शकुनानाम्
- of birdsNounपुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive)Root शकुन- (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- कार्मारः
- the smith/metal-workerNounपुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कार्मार- (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्मभिः
- with stonesNounपुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot अश्मन्- (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- द्युभिः
- with lights/raysNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot द्युभ्/द्युभि- (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्युत्/द्यौ’ से ‘प्रकाश/किरण’ अर्थ)
- हिरण्यवन्तम्
- the gold-possessing (one)Adjectiveपुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हिरण्यवत्- (विशेषण प्रातिपदिक: हिरण्य + वत्)
- इच्छति
- seeks/desiresVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथम पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √इष् (इच्छ्) ‘to desire, seek’
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुल्लिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र- (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Nounपुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्दु- (पुं. प्रातिपदिक; सोम)
- परि
- around, forth, all aboutIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रव
- flow!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यम पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √स्रु ‘to flow’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (संधि-विग्रह): जरतीभिः + ओषधीभिः + पर्णेभिः + शकुनानाम् । कार्मारः + अश्मभिः + द्युभिः + हिरण्यवन्तम् + इच्छति । इन्द्राय + इन्दो + परि + स्रव । मुख्य संधि: ‘इच्छतीन्द्राय’ = ‘इच्छति + इन्द्राय’ (इ + इ → ई)
- ‘इन्द्रायेन्दो’ = ‘इन्द्राय + इन्दो’ (आ + इ → ऐ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With withered herbs and leaves, bird-catchers pursue their work; the smith with stones and glowing fires seeks one rich in gold. O Indu, flow around for Indra.
Inner meaning
The verse continues the psychology of diverse pursuits. Jaratī oṣadhis (withered herbs) and parṇas (leaves) are the materials of lower nature—dry residues of past growth—used by the bird-catchers (śakunānām) who try to seize the ‘winged’ movements of life (restless thoughts/desires). The smith (kārmāra) uses hard stones (aśmabhiḥ) and dyu-bhiḥ (glowing fires/lights) to forge value (hiraṇyavantam): the true gold is purified force and luminous substance. The refrain asks Soma to circulate for Indra so that the higher mind receives delight and can transmute lower materials into true wealth of consciousness.
Universal truth
People chase fleeting gains with dry means; but when delight feeds illumination, even hard conditions and old residues can be forged into inner gold.
Themes
gnomic/social typology, inner alchemy and value, Soma as satisfying current, offering to Indra
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.112.1, 9.112.3, 9.112.4
Significance
The seer maps everyday crafts into inner alchemy: capture, forging, and enrichment become symbols of yogic transformation under Soma’s flow.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma (Indu) for Indra
- Epithets
- Indu, Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni (implicit in dyu/fires and forging imagery)
Cosmic role
Soma is the essence enabling transmutation—turning the raw and withered into luminous value by feeding Indra.
Inner power
Alchemical delight that supports discipline (stone) and illumination (fire) to create inner ‘gold’.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-pavamāna recitation during pressing/filtration
जर॑तीभि॒रोष॑धीभिः प॒र्णेभि॑: शकु॒नाना॑म् । का॒र्मा॒रो अश्म॑भि॒र्द्युभि॒र्हिर॑ण्यवन्तमिच्छ॒तीन्द्रा॑येन्दो॒ परि॑ स्रव ॥
जर॑तीभिः । ओष॑धीभिः । प॒र्णेभिः॑ । श॒कु॒नाना॑म् । का॒र्मा॒रः । अश्म॑ऽभिः । द्युऽभिः॑ । हिर॑ण्यऽवन्तम् । इ॒च्छ॒ति॒ । इन्द्रा॑य । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । परि॑ । स्र॒व॒ ॥
jaratībhiḥ | oṣadhībhiḥ | parṇebhiḥ | śakunānām | kārmāraḥ | aśma-bhiḥ | dyu-bhiḥ | hiraṇya-vantam | icchati | indrāya | indo iti | pari | srava
32
4×8 (approx.)
Compact, enumerative; images strike like hammer-blows then resolve into refrain
Invokes practical strength and the will to transform; ends in devotional circulation (pari srava).
- jaratībhir oṣadhībhiḥ
- Literal: with withered herbs. Symbolic: spent vitalities, old habits, dry residues of nature
- parṇebhiḥ
- Literal: with leaves. Symbolic: outer forms without sap; mere appearances or techniques
- śakunānām
- Literal: of birds. Symbolic: winged restlessness—thoughts/desires that flit and escape
- kārmāraḥ
- Literal: smith. Symbolic: transformative will that forges the being
- aśmabhiḥ
- Literal: with stones. Symbolic: hard discipline, firm basis, resistance used as tool
- dyubhiḥ
- Literal: with lights/glows/fires. Symbolic: purifying inner heat and illumination
- hiraṇyavantam
- Literal: rich in gold. Symbolic: possession of true luminous substance (inner wealth)
- Indu…pari srava
- Literal: O Soma, flow around. Symbolic: let Ananda circulate to support transformation
- Indrāya
- Literal: for Indra. Symbolic: for the illumined mind to govern the forging
Continuation of the gnomic refrain ‘indrāyendo pari srava’ in Soma ritual recitation.
As Soma is prepared and invited to flow to Indra
Recitation with pressing stones and filtration symbolism resonant with the text
Use when working with ‘old habits’ or austerity: chant to convert dryness into luminous strength; supportive during detox/discipline phases.
oṣadhi ‘plant’ (often ‘that which burns/drives away’ from √uṣ/√oṣ ‘burn’ in folk etymology; traditional derivations vary). dyu ‘shine’ (PIE *dyeu- ‘sky/daylight’) here extended to glowing brightness. hiraṇya ‘gold’ symbolizes condensed light/solar substance; psychologically ‘fixed luminous value’ rather than material wealth.
desire as directed seeking, transmutation (smith imagery) as inner alchemy, hiraṇya as luminous essence/value
Right order is not mere capture; it is transformation through lawful processes (stone + fire + Soma).
Hiraṇya as truth-substance: luminous reality forged from experience.
Inner creation as metallurgy: resistance becomes tool, heat becomes purifier, essence becomes gold.
Integral-yogic symbolism: tapas + ananda → illumination and perfected substance.
late summer/waning vitality (implied by withering)
Withering = loss of sap (joy); birds = restless mind; stones = hard facts/discipline; fire = tapas/illumination; gold = perfected consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A ‘craft-and-seeking’ motif rather than a combat myth: each being pursues its chosen object; the smith seeks hiraṇya. Psychologically, the verse points to inner transmutation—through heat and pressure one seeks the ‘gold’ of fixed light; Soma is invoked as the flowing essence offered to Indra to accomplish this.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyu- ‘shine/sky’ belongs to PIE *dyeu- (Zeus, deus). The extension from ‘sky/light’ to ‘glow/brightness’ illustrates inherited semantic flexibility in IE poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames ordinary desire as a map of inner seeking, then redirects it: let Soma flow wholly ‘for Indra’—so that the seeker’s pursuits are lifted from scattered wants into a single movement toward illumined mastery and true value (hiraṇya as light).
Transform ‘dry’ states into fuel for tapas; invite Soma to return sap/joy and make discipline luminous.
Maṇipūra (tapas/forge) with Sahasrāra/Ājñā support via Indra’s light
Kapalabhati (gentle, if appropriate) followed by cooling breath awareness; end with slow chanting to ‘circulate Soma’
From dryness to energized purification; from scattered pursuit to forged value.
Identify one ‘withered’ habit (jaratī). Apply steady discipline (aśman) and insight-heat (dyu). Then chant the refrain imagining a cool-bright Soma stream stabilizing and sweetening the process.
Svara not supplied; keep even tone; slight emphasis on image-words (kārmāraḥ, hiraṇyavantam) then soften into refrain.
Keep consonant clusters: śakunānām (śa-ku-nā-nām), kārmāraḥ (kār-mā-raḥ), hiraṇyavantam (hi-raṇ-ya-van-tam).
jaratībhir: roll r lightly; long ī, oṣadhībhiḥ: retroflex ṣ; bh sound voiced, dyubhiḥ: pronounce dyu as ‘dyu’ (not ‘ju’), Indrāyendo: sandhi feel—Indrāya + indo
Firm and warm, like a forge—then cooling and smooth on ‘pari srava’.
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.
