Sukta 25
Sukta 9.25
This short Pavamāna Soma hymn invokes Soma to purify himself through the filter (pavitra) and become the exhilarating drink for the Gods, especially the Maruts and Vāyu. As he is strained, Soma is praised as the accomplisher of inspired discernment (dakṣa) who pervades “all forms” and moves toward the realm where the deathless ones abide. The hymn’s purpose is both ritual—consecrating the pressed Soma for offering—and mystical—describing Soma’s ascent into the luminous womb of sacred song (arka).
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
पवस्व दक्षसाधनो देवेभ्यः पीतये हरे । मरुद्भ्यो वायवे मदः ॥
सोम, अपने आप को साफ कर। भगवानों के पीने के लिए तैयार हो जा। मरुत और वायु के लिए खुशी बन जा। यह हवा और ताकत वाले भगवान हैं।
Mantra 2
पवमान धिया हितोऽभि योनिं कनिक्रदत् । धर्मणा वायुमा विश ॥
साफ करने वाले सोम, सोच के साथ जुड़ के आवाज़ करता है। अपने धरम के हिसाब से वायु में प्रवेश कर। यह हवा और साँस का सही ढंग है।
Mantra 3
सं देवैः शोभते वृषा कविर्योनावधि प्रियः । वृत्रहा देववीतमः ॥
वो देवियों के साथ चमकता है, एक ताकत वाला। वो रिशी है, सबको प्यारा है, और उसकी शुरुआत गर्भ से हुई है। वो अंधेरा मिटाने वाला है, देवियों को सबसे ज़्यादा पसंद आता है। यह रोशनी की जीत को पक्का करता है।
Mantra 4
विश्वा रूपाण्याविशन्पुनानो याति हर्यतः । यत्रामृतास आसते ॥
वो खुद को साफ करता है और हर रूप में घुस जाता है। वो प्यारी जगह पर चलता है, जहाँ अमर लोग बैठे हैं।
Mantra 5
अरुषो जनयन्गिरः सोमः पवत आयुषक् । इन्द्रं गच्छन्कविक्रतुः ॥
लाल-सोना जैसा चमकता हुआ सोम चलता है। वो अच्छी बातें पैदा करता है और जान देता है। वो इंद्र के पास जाता है, जो रिशी की तरह सोचता है।
Mantra 6
आ पवस्व मदिन्तम पवित्रं धारया कवे । अर्कस्य योनिमासदम् ॥
इधर आ के बह, सबसे ज़्यादा नशा देने वाला। रिशी, तू वो धारा पकड़ जो साफ करती है। और उस रोशनी की जगह पर बैठ जा।
Inside Sukta 25
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
A direct imperative to Soma: “purify yourself” for the gods’ drinking, becoming the blissful force for Maruts and Vāyu.
- Development
Soma’s purification is portrayed as empowered intelligence (dakṣa) and as a dynamic movement—his stream becomes delight and potency for the divine hosts.
- Climax
The vision of Soma entering “all forms” and moving to the seat of the deathless ones, indicating a cosmic ascent beyond the mere ritual act.
- Where it settles
Soma is invited to flow hither as the most intoxicating seer, uphold the purifying stream, and take his seat in the luminous womb of arka (inspired flame/song).
The deity: Soma Pavamāna
- Cosmic functionHe mediates between earth and heaven by turning the earthly pressing into an immortalizing draught, energizing the gods (especially storm-powers and wind) and sustaining ṛta through luminous vitality.
- Inner significanceSoma symbolizes clarified consciousness: the mind’s raw impulses are ‘pressed’ and ‘strained’ into a pure, intoxicating joy that supports insight (dakṣa) and carries awareness toward the deathless (amṛta) state.
The seer
- AnuktaThis hymn is part of the Ninth Maṇḍala’s Soma-Pavamāna corpus, where many verses are transmitted without a single clearly fixed seer-name; the focus is on the ritual-vision of Soma’s purification rather than on a personal rishi signature.
Famous verses
pavasva dakṣasādhano
viśvā rūpāṇy āviśan
arkasya yonim āsadam
Attributes of the deity
- Purifying flow (pavamāna)
- Filter/strainer sanctity (pavitra)
- Intoxicating ecstasy (mada)
- Tawny radiance (hari)
- Seer-like inspiration (kavi)
- All-form pervasion (viśvā rūpāṇi āviśan)
- Affinity with Vāyu and the Maruts
Also by this seer
- General attribution to the Soma-Pavamāna tradition of Maṇḍala 9 (multiple seers across the collection)
- Associated with the Pavamāna hymn-stream used in Soma sacrifices (Soma-yajña)
The rite, step by step
- Press Soma and mix with water according to rite
- Strain the juice through the pavitra (wool/grass filter) so it ‘purifies itself’ (pavasva)
- Collect the clarified stream in vessels for offering
- Offer libations to the Devās, with special invitations to Vāyu and the Maruts as recipients of Soma’s exhilaration
- Recite/chant Pavamāna verses during the flowing and offering to sacralize the stream and its ascent to the “deathless” realm
Offerings
- Purified Soma juice (libations)
- Water used in mixing/clarifying
- Associated oblations customary in Soma rites (as per śrauta procedure)
Frequently Asked Questions
It praises Soma as he is purified through the ritual filter and offered as the divine drink, especially energizing Vāyu and the Maruts.
“Pavamāna” means “the purifying/flowing one,” referring to Soma running clean through the strainer (pavitra) during the Soma sacrifice.
It suggests that the purified Soma pervades every level of existence and then moves toward the immortal realm where the deathless powers (amṛtas) dwell, symbolizing an ascent of purified consciousness.
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