Rig Veda 9.21.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 21, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.21
- Devata
- Soma
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आस्मिन्पिशङ्गमिन्दवो दधाता वेनमादिशे । यो अस्मभ्यमरावा ॥
ā́smín piśáṅgam indavo dádhāta venám ā́diśe | yó asmábhyam arā́vā ||
सोम के बूंद, तुम इस जगह पे सुनहरा चमक लाओ। मन में इच्छा जगा दो जो सच दिखाए। जो हम पर मेहरबान है, वो हम में वो चाह पैदा करे जो सच दिखने तक ले जाए।
Word by Word
- आस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्मिन्
- पिशङ्गम्
- tawny, reddish-brownAdjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पिशङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दवः
- the Soma-dropsNounपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधात
- place, put (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root धा (धातु)
- वेनम्
- the beloved/desired one (Vena)Nounपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वेन (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषण)Role (क्रिया-विशेषण)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- दिशे
- for (the) direction/quarterNounस्त्री, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दिश् (धातु) → दिशा/दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to usPronounचतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्मद्
- अरावाः
- bountiful, generousAdjectiveपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (यः … अरावाः)Root अरावन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: आस्मि॑न्पि॒शङ्ग॑म् → आस्मिन् + पिशङ्गम् (final -n + initial p, no change in writing beyond padapāṭha separation). इन्दवो॒ दधा॑ता → इन्दवः + दधात (visarga before voiced dental d becomes o in saṃhitā: -वः द- → -वो द-). वे॒नमा॒दिशे॑ → वेनम् + आ + दिशे (final -m before vowel ā shows anusvāra/assimilation in saṃhitā: -म् आ- → -मा-). Accent marks are retained as in saṃhitā
- pada-forms given without accent marking
The meaning
Outer meaning
In this place set the tawny splendor, O Soma drops; set the yearning (vena) for revelation/pointing out; he who is bountiful to us (arāvā).
Inner meaning
The seeker asks the Soma-currents to establish in the field of the being (asmin) a piśaṅga radiance—tawny-golden light of clarified delight. With it, they should place vena: the inspired longing and intuitive ‘desire to see’ that turns consciousness toward revelation (ādiśe, the indicating/showing). The bountiful power (arāvā) is Soma as giver of inner wealth: it awakens aspiration that is itself a faculty of vision.
Universal truth
Illumination is sustained by a purified joy and a true longing to know: aspiration, when clarified, becomes a seeing-power rather than a restless wanting.
Themes
awakening aspiration, radiant Soma, revelatory guidance
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9 (requests for light, wealth, and inspired seeing through Soma), RV 10.123 (Vena as a seer-impulse; thematic resonance)
Family tradition
Soma seers of inner illumination: establishing radiance (piśaṅga) and inspired longing (vena) as prerequisites for revelation.
Significance
The verse is a direct yogic petition: not for outer cattle/wealth, but for inner radiance and the awakened urge toward truth-revelation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma (Indavaḥ as bestowers of radiance and inspired longing)
- Epithets
- pavamāna (implied), piśaṅga (golden radiance bearer), arāvā (bountiful)
- Related deities
- Sūrya (light/revelation), Uṣas (awakening), Bṛhaspati (revelatory word)
Cosmic role
Soma as giver of splendour and inspirer of the seer-will that leads to revelation; enriches both gods and men with luminous substance.
Inner power
Awakens aspiration (vena) and establishes a warm, steady illumination that supports intuitive disclosure.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña: invocation during purification/flow to establish Soma’s splendour and beneficence for the sacrificer
आस्मि॑न्पि॒शङ्ग॑मिन्दवो॒ दधा॑ता वे॒नमा॒दिशे॑ । यो अ॒स्मभ्य॒मरा॑वा ॥
आ । अ॒स्मि॒न् । पि॒शङ्ग॑म् । इ॒न्द॒वः॒ । दधा॑त । वे॒नम् । आ॒ऽदिशे॑ । यः । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । अरा॑वा ॥
ā | asmin | piśaṅgam | indavaḥ | dadhāta | venam | ādiśe | yaḥ | asmabhyam | arāvā
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3×8 (probable)
Supplicatory yet bright; the sound supports ‘placing’ and ‘establishing’ rather than rushing.
Invokes warmth and aspiration; tends to kindle a steady inner glow and a gentle longing to know.
- अस्मिन् (asmin)
- Literal: in this (place). Symbolic: in this field of our nature—mind, life, body as the altar
- पिशङ्गम् (piśaṅgam)
- Literal: tawny/golden. Symbolic: warm radiance of illumination born of purified delight
- दधात (dadhāta)
- Literal: place, set, establish. Symbolic: make it stable and operative in consciousness
- वेनम् (venam)
- Literal: desire/longing; also a name linked with inspired seer-impulse. Symbolic: yearning that becomes intuition; aspiration that calls revelation
- आदिशे (ādiśe)
- Literal: for indicating/showing/revelation. Symbolic: toward inner disclosure—direct pointing-out of truth in experience
- अरा॑वा (arāvā)
- Literal: bountiful, generous. Symbolic: the giving power of Soma: inner richness, abundance of light and joy
Invocation to establish Soma’s radiant force and the inspired yearning that leads to revelation; ritually tied to Soma’s bestowal of ‘vena’ (seeking impulse) upon the chanter.
In the pavamāna sequence as Soma is clarified and offered; suitable as a personal petition for inner illumination.
Chant as an intentional ‘installation’ (dadhāta) of Soma’s radiance and inspired longing in the inner altar.
A mantra for seekers facing dullness or lack of inspiration: to kindle warm light and true aspiration before study/meditation.
‘tawny, ruddy-golden’. (2pl impv) from √dhā ‘place’ (PIE *dʰeh₁-). (vená) ‘desire/longing; charm’ possibly from √van ‘to desire, win, love’ (PIE *wenh₁- ‘desire, love’). - from √diś ‘point out, show’ (PIE *deyḱ- ‘show’ is often compared for ‘point/show’ semantics, though exact mapping varies). ‘bountiful’ from rā́ ‘gift’/√rā ‘give’.
vena (inspired longing) as动力 for knowledge, revelation/indication (ādiś) as guidance from higher truth
Establishing the right inner light and longing aligns the being with r̥ta: knowledge comes by ordered revelation, not by mental strain.
Ādiśa implies direct showing: satya as self-evident truth when the inner light is set.
Illumination installed in the field of nature; aspiration as the creative impulse that calls forth revelation.
Vedic psychology of revelation: desire transformed into intuition and seeing.
Sunrise-gold implied by piśaṅga (tawny radiance).
Golden light = awakened illumination in mind/heart; drops = infusions of delight; vena = aspirational intuition; revelation = direct inner seeing.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The implantation of ‘vena’—the inspired longing that leads to revelation—by Soma’s radiant presence. Mythically, Soma gives the seeker the golden light and the urge-to-see; psychologically, aspiration is itself a divine gift placed in the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vená aligns well with the IE desire-root *wenh₁- (cf. Latin Venus, venia; Germanic *wun- ‘joy, desire’). √dhā ‘place’ is PIE *dʰeh₁-. These support an old formula: the god ‘places’ desire/impulse in the human.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests not merely gifts but the inner condition for revelation: Soma must establish both radiance (piśaṅga) and seeking (vena). The reciprocity is transformative—Soma’s bounty becomes aspiration and guidance within the chanter.
Install a warm golden light in the inner field; awaken quiet aspiration that naturally turns toward revelation.
Anāhata (warmth/vena) rising to Ājñā (revelatory seeing).
Slow meditative breathing (6–6), visualizing golden Soma drops descending on inhale and spreading as radiance on exhale.
Quietly luminous, receptive, aspiration-filled.
Chant softly; then sit with attention in the heart: feel a golden glow; let a simple question arise—‘Show me what is true now’—and remain receptive rather than mentally searching.
Rigvedic three-tone; exact udatta/anudatta/svarita requires a marked recension text.
Chant as a gentle ‘installation’: slightly lengthen long vowels (ā, ī) without speeding; keep final ḥ/visarga audible where present.
: long ā at start; keep ‘smin’ cluster clear., : nasal ṅ before g; keep ‘pi’ short, ‘śaṅ’ clear., : clean dental n; avoid turning into ‘vem’., : long ā; articulate di-śe with palatal ś., : roll light r; long ā sustained.
Warm, intimate, steady; emphasize resonance over volume.
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