Rig Veda 9.31.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 31, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.31
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
दिवस्पृथिव्या अधि भवेन्दो द्युम्नवर्धनः । भवा वाजानां पतिः ॥
divás pṛthivyā́ ádhi bhávendo dyumná-vardhanaḥ | bhávā vājā́nāṃ pátiḥ ||
हे इंदु, आसमान और धरती के ऊपर रहो। तू ताकत बढ़ाने वाला है। तू वो शक्ति का मालिक बन जा जो हमें आगे ले जाती है।
Word by Word
- दिवः
- of heaven, of the skyNounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वैदिक), षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation) / अधिकरण-सम्बन्धRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ ‘स्वर्ग/दिव्’)
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- over, upon, aboveIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकारण (locative sense: ‘over/upon/above’)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- भव
- be! become!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) — संबोधन-प्रयुक्त आज्ञा; कर्ता = त्वम् (इन्दो)Root भू
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक; सोम)
- द्युम्नवर्धनः
- increaser of brilliance/gloryAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थेऽपि प्रथमा वैदिके)Role विशेषण (इन्दोः)Root द्युम्न-वर्धन (समास: द्युम्न ‘splendour’ + वर्धन ‘increasing’)
- भव
- be! become!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) — संबोधन-प्रयुक्त आज्ञा; कर्ता = त्वम् (इन्दो)Root भू
- वाजानाम्
- of prizes/strengths (vājá-s)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- पतिः
- lord, masterNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध/प्रेडिकेट-नाम (इन्दोः)Root पति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: दिवः पृथिव्याः अधि भव इन्दो द्युम्नवर्धनः । भव वाजानाम् पतिः ॥ 1) ‘दिवस्पृथिव्याः’ = ‘दिवः + पृथिव्याः’ (षष्ठी-षष्ठी समाहार/सम्बन्ध; विसर्गः परे प् इत्यत्र लोप-प्रवृत्तिः/संहितारूपम्)
- 2) ‘भवेन्दो’ = ‘भव + इन्दो’ (अ + इ → ए; संधि)
- 3) ‘वाजानां पति:’ = ‘वाजानाम् + पतिः’ (पदान्त म् परे प् इत्यत्र संहितायां अनुस्वार/लोप-प्रवृत्तिः; पाठे ‘पति:’ विसर्ग-चिह्नः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Be over heaven and earth, O Indu, an increaser of luminous power; become the lord of the vājās.
Inner meaning
Let the concentrated Soma-drop (Indu) reign over the higher and lower ranges of our being (heaven = mind, earth = body-life), increasing dyumna—luminous force—and becoming master of vājāḥ: the plenitudes/energies of victorious progress. Bliss, when purified, should govern the whole system and direct all energies toward ascent.
Universal truth
When delight becomes luminous and sovereign, it harmonizes higher ideals with practical life and turns our energies into instruments of progress rather than conflict.
Themes
cosmic scope, luminous increase, lordship (pati), force-plenitude (vāja)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.31
Significance
A compact sovereignty-formula: bliss must not be episodic; it must preside over both heights and depths, converting all energies into luminous progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- indu, dyumnavardhana, vājānāṃ pati
- Related deities
- Indra (vājapati in another key), Sūrya (dyumna), Agni (governing will)
Cosmic role
Soma as kingly principle of delight that increases light and governs the winning energies in the worlds.
Inner power
Sovereign Ananda organizing mind and body; a luminous rulership that turns force into right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna Soma chants during filtration/collection
दि॒वस्पृ॑थि॒व्या अधि॒ भवे॑न्दो द्युम्न॒वर्ध॑नः । भवा॒ वाजा॑नां॒ पति॑: ॥
दि॒वः । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । अधि॑ । भव॑ । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । द्यु॒म्न॒ऽवर्ध॑नः । भव॑ । वाजा॑नाम् । पतिः॑ ॥
divaḥ | pṛthivyāḥ | adhi | bhava | indo iti | dyumna-vardhanaḥ | bhava | vājānām | patiḥ
24
3 pādas × 8 syllables
Bright and declarative; mantra-like sovereignty cadence
Establishes an inner ‘uprightness’—a sense of presiding calm power across the whole being.
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: Of heaven. Symbolic: Mind, higher consciousness-range
- पृथिव्याः (pṛthivyāḥ)
- Literal: Of earth. Symbolic: Embodied nature—life and body
- अधि भव (adhi bhava)
- Literal: Be over, preside over. Symbolic: Become the governing principle; establish sovereignty
- इन्दु (indu)
- Literal: Bright drop. Symbolic: Concentrated luminous Ananda
- द्यु्म्नवर्धन (dyumnavardhana)
- Literal: Increaser of luminous power. Symbolic: That which grows inner light, clarity, victorious radiance
- वाजानां पतिः (vājānāṃ patiḥ)
- Literal: Lord of the vājās (prizes/strengths). Symbolic: Master of effective energies and plenitudes that win the soul’s advance
Invocation during Soma’s purification/raising to cosmic sovereignty; consecration of Soma as world-supporting power
Invocations for Soma’s increase of dyumna and strength; during flowing/raising moments
Chanting while Soma is led and offered; praying for radiance and winning force
Use as an affirmation-mantra to integrate meditation with daily life: ‘Let luminous delight govern mind and body; let energies obey the higher aim.’
/div: ‘sky, shine’ from PIE *di̯ew- ‘bright sky/day’. from pṛthu ‘broad’ (PIE *pl̥th₂u-). dyumná from √ ‘to shine’ (same PIE *di̯ew-). √ ‘increase’ in vardhana. : Vedic ‘strength, prize, food’—psychologically ‘plenitude of force’ (semantic range supports a dynamic power rather than object). from PIE *pótis ‘lord’.
cosmic sovereignty of the truth-essence, dyumna (luminous efficacy), integration of heaven/earth (higher and embodied consciousness)
To be ‘adhi’ heaven and earth is to impose rita—harmonious law—on all planes of nature.
Dyumna is light of truth in action; Soma increases it by purifying joy from falsehood.
The ruler principle (pati) organizes the many forces (vājāḥ), reflecting cosmic kingship of consciousness.
Integral Vedāntic resonance: Ananda as sovereign support of mind-body integration.
Heaven/earth = higher/lower nature; Moon-drop = cool luminous delight that rules tides of inner life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma’s enthronement as a cosmic sovereign ‘over heaven and earth’: the purified essence becomes the ruler of the powers (vājāḥ) and the increaser of dyumna, enabling the triumph of light in both higher and embodied planes.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- div- and dyu- share PIE *di̯ew- ‘shine/sky’, showing the deep linkage between ‘heaven’ and ‘luminous power’. pati continues PIE *pótis ‘master’, a stable Indo-European social-religious title repurposed for divine sovereignty.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer petitions Soma to assume lordship within the total field (heaven/earth), implying an inner yogic demand: let the delight-essence govern both thought and bodily life, increasing dyumna and mastering the forces needed for progress.
Establish the ‘Indu’—a cool luminous delight—as the presiding consciousness over thoughts (heaven) and sensations/actions (earth).
Sahasrāra (as presiding) with grounding in Mūlādhāra (earth integration)
Inhale: feel expansion upward (divaḥ). Exhale: feel settling downward (pṛthivyāḥ). Maintain a cool luminous center throughout.
Integrated wideness—calm rulership, luminous steadiness.
1) Sense two fields: above (mind-space) and below (body-space). 2) Introduce a cool bright ‘drop’ of joy at the heart/brow. 3) Let it spread to govern both fields. 4) End by offering all energies (vājāḥ) to the higher aim.
Rigvedic accenting; keep clear udatta rise on vocative ‘indo’ and on ‘dyumnavardhanaḥ’ where the sense lifts.
Make ‘adhi bhava’ sound like a firm (establishing); broaden on ‘dyumnavardhanaḥ’; conclude with dignified weight on ‘vājānāṃ patiḥ’.
‘pṛthivyāḥ’: articulate ṛ and aspirated ‘th’ (pṛ-thi-vyāḥ)., ‘dyumnavardhanaḥ’: keep ‘dyu’ as ‘dyu’ (not ‘ju’), and aspirate ‘dh’ in -dhanaḥ., ‘vājānām’: long ā (vā-jā-nām).
Deep, even, sovereign—like a calm proclamation.
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