Rig Veda 9.112.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 112, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.112
- Rishi
- As with 9.112 within Pavamāna collections
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shringara (love)
अश्वो वोळ्हा सुखं रथं हसनामुपमन्त्रिणः । शेपो रोमण्वन्तौ भेदौ वारिन्मण्डूक इच्छतीन्द्रायेन्दो परि स्रव ॥
aśvó vóḷhā sukhaṃ ráthaṃ hasanā́m upa-mantríṇaḥ | śépo rómaṇvantau bhedáu vā́rin maṇḍū́ka icchatī́ndrāyéndo pári srava ||
घोड़ा आराम से रथ को खींचता है और उसके साथ आवाज़ें आती हैं। ताकत अंदर से हिलती है और रास्ता बनाती है। पानी में मेंढक भी बारिश का इंतज़ार करता है। हे इंदु, इंद्र के लिए बहाओ।
Word by Word
- अश्वः
- the horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- वोळ्हा
- the carrier/drawer (one who bears)Noun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वह् (धातु) → वोळ्हृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुखम्
- comfortably, with easeAdjective (used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role कर्मRoot सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथम्
- the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- हसनाम्
- a laughing woman / the laughing (female)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हसन (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपमन्त्रिणः
- the whisperers/counsellors (those who speak aside)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot उप-मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शेपः
- the penis (phallus)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot शेप (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोमण्वन्तौ
- the two hairy onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot रोमण्वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भेदौ
- the two splitters / the two cleaversNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
- वारिन्
- in the waterNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वेदिक-रूप: वारिन्)Role अधिकरणRoot वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मण्डूकः
- the frogNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मण्डूक (प्रातिपदिक)
- इच्छति
- desiresVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (अव्यय)
- स्रव
- flow!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यम, एकवचनRoot स्रु (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अश्वः | वोळ्हा | सुखम् | रथम् | हसनाम् | उपमन्त्रिणः । शेपः | रोमण्वन्तौ | भेदौ | वारिन् | मण्डूकः | इच्छति | इन्द्राय | इन्दो | परि | स्रव । प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) हसनाम्+उपमन्त्रिणः → हसनामुपमन्त्रिणः (स्वर-सन्धि/उकारागम)
- (2) इच्छति+इन्द्राय → इच्छतीन्द्राय (इ + इ → ई)
- (3) इन्द्राय+इन्दो → इन्द्रायेन्दो (आय + इ → ए)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The horse carries the easy chariot; the companions call and respond in laughter. The generative power with its stirring movements breaks through; even the frog in the waters longs. O Indu, flow around for Indra.
Inner meaning
Aśva is vital energy—the dynamic force that bears the ratha, the organized movement of life, making it sukham (smooth, happy-going) when aligned. Upamantriṇaḥ are the responsive inner voices—call and answer between aspiration and higher prompting—creating hasanām, a joy-sound of harmonious life-force. The bold, earthy imagery (śepa, romaṇvantau, bhedau) points to the creative impulsion and its vibrant stirrings that ‘break open’ obstructions: life-force, when purified, becomes a liberating power. The maṇḍūka (frog) longing in waters evokes the hidden consciousness in the subconscient waiting for the rain of awakening. Soma is invoked to flow for Indra so that delight uplifts vital energy, breaks resistances, and awakens the submerged parts.
Universal truth
When joy and illumination enter the life-force, movement becomes easy, obstacles break, and even the most submerged parts of us begin to yearn for awakening.
Themes
Soma-ritual, awakening, obstacle-breaking, vital force imagery
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 7.103 (Frog hymn; thematic resonance with maṇḍūka imagery), RV 9.112.1–3
Significance
The seer dares to include vital/creative imagery in the Soma yoga: awakening is not only mental; it must penetrate life-force and the submerged subconscient.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu), for Indra
- Epithets
- Indu, Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Indra, Parjanya (rain/awakening motif suggested by frog longing), Agni (transforming energy implicit)
Cosmic role
Soma animates and purifies the vital energies, making them vehicles for Indra’s illumined governance and victorious action.
Inner power
Joy-force that harmonizes inner voices, energizes movement, breaks obstructions, and awakens submerged consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-pavamāna chant; refrain to Indra
अश्वो॒ वोळ्हा॑ सु॒खं रथं॑ हस॒नामु॑पम॒न्त्रिण॑: । शेपो॒ रोम॑ण्वन्तौ भे॒दौ वारिन्म॒ण्डूक॑ इच्छ॒तीन्द्रा॑येन्दो॒ परि॑ स्रव ॥
अश्वः॑ । वोळ्हा॑ । सु॒खम् । रथ॑म् । ह॒स॒नाम् । उ॒प॒ऽम॒न्त्रिणः॑ । शेपः॑ । रोम॑ण्ऽवन्तौ । भे॒दौ । वाः । इत् । म॒ण्डूकः॑ । इ॒च्छ॒ति॒ । इन्द्रा॑य । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । परि॑ । स्र॒व॒ ॥
aśvaḥ | voḷhā | sukham | ratham | hasanām | upa-mantriṇaḥ | śepaḥ | romaṇ-vantau | bhedau | vāḥ | it | maṇḍūkaḥ | icchati | indrāya | indo iti | pari | srava
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4×8 (approx.)
Playful-energetic opening (hasanām) shifting to forceful breaking imagery, then soft longing (frog)
Invokes joyful vitality and release; helps break inertia and awaken dull/submerged layers.
- aśva
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy, force of action
- voḻhā
- Literal: carrier, bearer. Symbolic: the supporting drive that upholds practice and life-movement
- sukhaṃ ratham
- Literal: easy chariot. Symbolic: smooth, harmonious life-vehicle when energies are aligned
- hasanām
- Literal: laughter, delight. Symbolic: joy-vibration indicating harmony between parts
- upamantriṇaḥ
- Literal: conversing, responsive companions. Symbolic: inner dialogue of aspiration and guidance; harmonized faculties
- śepa
- Literal: generative organ/power. Symbolic: creative impulsion (not merely physical), the power to manifest and renew
- romaṇvantau
- Literal: hairy/stirring, bristling. Symbolic: vibrant movements of life-force awakening and intensifying
- bhedau
- Literal: splitters, breakers. Symbolic: forces that break open blockages/knots
- vāḥ (vār)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: subconscient/vital depths; the field of hidden movements
- maṇḍūka
- Literal: frog. Symbolic: submerged consciousness that awakens when the rain of grace comes
- pari srava
- Literal: flow around. Symbolic: pervade the whole life-force with delight-consciousness
- Indrāya
- Literal: for Indra. Symbolic: for illumined mind to govern and direct the vital
Soma purification chants accompanying pressing/flow; imagery supports energizing Indra for victory and opening of obstructions.
During Soma flow/offerings; possibly in sequences emphasizing vitality and victory
Recitation with Soma libation; symbolic energizing of the rite’s ‘movement’
For lethargy, creative blockage, or emotional stagnation: chant to awaken life-force and invite joy that breaks obstructions.
(aśva) from PIE *h₁éḱwos ‘horse’ (Lat. equus). (rátha) from PIE *rot(h)o- ‘wheel/vehicle’ complex (cf. Latin rota ‘wheel’). (voḷhā) from √vah ‘to carry’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘convey’; cf. English ‘way’ is not direct, but Germanic *wegan ‘carry’ is cognate). (maṇḍūka) onomatopoetic/lexical; in Vedic poetics often tied to rain-awakening motifs. (bheda) from √bhid ‘split’ (PIE *bheid- ‘split’; cf. English ‘bite’).
aspiration within the submerged nature, breaking of obstacles (bheda) as inner opening
Sukha ratha indicates Ṛta as ease born of right alignment, not strain.
Responsive inner voices (upamantriṇaḥ) point to truthful attunement between parts.
Creative power breaks obstruction and calls up submerged life (frog awaiting rain).
Integral yoga reading: transformation must include vital and subconscient; Soma-Ananda is the key agent.
monsoon motif (frog longing implies rain season)
Horse = prāṇic/vital drive; chariot = embodied path; waters = subconscient; frog = latent awakening; breaking = liberation of blocked energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The awakening of life and release of movement: the horse-chariot complex signifies the dynamic carriage of the sacrifice/inner journey; the ‘breakers’ (bheda) cleave resistance; the frog in waters evokes the latent being awaiting the descending impulse (rain/Soma-force) to stir it into voice and motion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva- (PIE *h₁éḱwos) and ratha- (vehicle/wheel complex) preserve archaic Indo-European chariot/horse lexicon central to early poetic traditions. √bhid ‘split’ (bheda) continues PIE *bheid-, showing inherited metaphor of ‘cleaving’ for overcoming.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The hymn’s speaker channels a theatre of powers—motion (aśva/ratha), joy (hasanā), mantra-support (upa-mantriṇaḥ), and creative force (śepa)—and asks Soma to flow so that Indra in the practitioner can pierce resistances and awaken what is submerged (the ‘frog in the waters’).
Bring Soma-joy into the vital; listen for responsive inner guidance; allow creative force to break knots; include the subconscient in the aspiration.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (creative/vital waters) and Maṇipūra (dynamic force) under Ājñā (Indra’s governance)
Bhastrikā-light (if suitable) for 1–2 rounds, then slow exhale with ‘pari srava’ to spread calm joy through the belly and pelvis
Joyful, energized openness; awakening in submerged layers.
Chant first with a sense of ‘easy movement’ (sukha ratha). Then on the breaking imagery, feel a knot releasing in the belly/solar plexus. Finally, on ‘frog in waters’, offer the subconscient to the higher rain of grace, letting Soma circulate gently through the depths.
Svara not supplied; for meditative chant: lively lift on aśvo voḻhā… then soften on maṇḍūka… and flow smoothly through the refrain.
Keep consonants crisp: voḻhā (ḻh cluster as voiced lateral/aspirate approximation), upamantriṇaḥ (clear ṇ), maṇḍūka (retroflex ḍ).
aśvo: ś is palatal; not s, sukham: kh aspirated, upamantriṇaḥ: retroflex ṇi; avoid ‘na’, romaṇvantau: keep ṇv cluster; long au, maṇḍūka: pronounce ṇḍ as a conjunct
Bright, rhythmic, slightly playful at first; then forceful; end cool and flowing.
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