Sukta 28
Sukta 9.28
Soma Pavamāna
This short Pavamāna hymn praises Soma as he is set in motion by human hands and powers, rushing through the woolen filter to become a clarified, chosen stream for the gods. Soma is celebrated as all-knowing and as the lord of mind, a bull-like force driven by “ten kindred powers,” filling the vessels prepared for offering. The hymn culminates in Soma’s invincible purifying flow that brings divine heroism and destroys harmful, false speech (aghaśaṃsa).
Mantras
Mantra 1
एष वाजी हितो नृभिर्विश्वविन्मनसस्पतिः । अव्यो वारं वि धावति ॥
यह सोम है, ताकत का ढेर। इंसान इस्को सही जगह पे लगाते हैं। यह सब जानता है, मन का मालिक है। यह ऊन के कपड़े से हो के दौड़ता है और पानी को साफ कर के बहाता है।
Mantra 2
एष पवित्रे अक्षरत्सोमो देवेभ्यः सुतः । विश्वा धामान्याविशन् ॥
यह सोम देवियों के लिए निचोड़ा गया है। यह छन्नी से हो के गुज़र गया है। अब यह हर जगह फैल गया है और सब कुछ अपने में ले लिया है।
Mantra 3
एष देवः शुभायतेऽधि योनावमर्त्यः । वृत्रहा देववीतमः ॥
यह देवता चमक रहा है जहाँ से पैदा होता है। यह कभी नहीं मरता। यह बुराई को मारता है और भगवान की ताकत को ले आता है।
Mantra 4
एष वृषा कनिक्रदद्दशभिर्जामिभिर्यतः । अभि द्रोणानि धावति ॥
यह बैल की ताकत है, गूँर रहा है। दस ताकतें इस्को आगे बढ़ा रही हैं। यह बर्तन की तरफ दौड़ रहा है और उन्को भर रहा है।
Mantra 5
एष सूर्यमरोचयत्पवमानो विचर्षणिः । विश्वा धामानि विश्ववित् ॥
यह सोम साफ हो रहा है और सूरज को चमका दिया है। यह लोगों में घूमता है और सब जानता है। यह हर जगह अपनी रोशनी फैला रहा है।
Mantra 6
एष शुष्म्यदाभ्यः सोमः पुनानो अर्षति । देवावीरघशंसहा ॥
यह सोम बहुत ताकतवाला है, कोई उस्से हरा नहीं सकता। वो बह रहा है और साफ भी कर रहा है। भगवान की शक्ति लेकर आता है। बुरी बातें और पाप को खत्म कर देता है।
Inside Sukta 28
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Soma is established by human powers and immediately portrayed as the all-knowing lord of mind rushing through the woolen filter.
- Development
The hymn intensifies Soma’s dynamism and potency: he is driven onward by coordinated powers, bellows like a bull, and hastens toward the prepared vessels.
- Climax
Soma’s purifying flow is declared mighty and invincible, bringing divine heroism and power.
- Where it settles
The hymn ends with a protective note: Soma destroys hostile, sinful, or false speech (aghaśaṃsa), leaving the sacrificer strengthened and safeguarded.
The deity: Soma Pavamāna
- In the VedaSoma “while purifying” (pavamāna) is the pressed and flowing sacred drink, imagined as a luminous, living power that runs through the woolen strainer, becomes clarified, and hastens to the offering vessels. He is called vājī (forceful, victorious), viśvavit (all-knowing), manasas patiḥ (lord of mind), and vṛṣā (bull-force).
- Cosmic functionHe mediates between humans and gods: purified Soma energizes the deities, sustains ṛta (right order), and empowers victory, vitality, and inspired speech.
- Inner significancePsychologically, Pavamāna symbolizes the purification of awareness—raw impulse and desire pressed, filtered, and clarified into luminous clarity, truthful speech, and divinely aligned will; the slaying of aghaśaṃsa points to overcoming inner negativity and self-deceiving talk.
The seer
- Anukramaṇī-attributed: an unknown/unnamed seerThis hymn is part of the Soma Pavamāna corpus where many verses are transmitted without a clearly preserved individual r̥ṣi-name; the emphasis is on the liturgical voice of the Soma-pressing rite rather than a personal authorial signature.
Famous verses
manasas patiḥ
daśabhir jāmibhiḥ
aghaśaṃsa-hā
Attributes of the deity
- Purifier (pavamāna)
- All-knowing (viśvavit)
- Lord of mind (manasas patiḥ)
- Bull-like strength (vṛṣā)
- Invincible (adābhya)
- Mighty energy (śuṣmī)
- Swift, streaming motion through the filter (avyā vāra)
- Destroyer of harmful/false speech (aghaśaṃsa-hā)
Also by this seer
- General association with Mandala 9 (Pavamāna Soma hymns) used in Soma purification and offering sequences
- Themes shared across adjacent Pavamāna sūktas: Soma as purifier, inspirer, and slayer of hostile forces
The rite, step by step
- Press Soma stalks and mix with water according to the rite
- Filter the expressed juice through the woolen strainer (vāra/avi) while chanting Pavamāna verses
- Guide the clarified streams into the collecting vessels (droṇa)
- Make libations/offerings to the gods (especially Indra and associated deities)
- Conclude with prayers for strength, inspired mind, and the removal of hostile speech/forces
Offerings
- Purified Soma juice (pavamāna soma)
- Libations into the fire/onto the offering place as prescribed
- Accompanying oblations customary to the Soma rite (e.g., ghee in connected offerings)
Frequently Asked Questions
It praises Soma as he is pressed and purified, flowing through the woolen strainer into vessels for offering, while granting strength, clarity of mind, and protection.
These are key parts of the Soma ritual: the juice is filtered through wool to become clear (pavamāna) and then collected in vessels (droṇa) before being offered to the gods.
It asks Soma to remove harmful, deceitful, or sinful talk—both outward negativity and inner false narratives—so the sacrificer’s speech and mind become truthful and strong.
Ask anything about Sukta 28 of the Rig Veda
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