Rig Veda 9.35.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 35, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.35
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्वया वीरेण वीरवोऽभि ष्याम पृतन्यतः । क्षरा णो अभि वार्यम् ॥
tváyā vīréṇa vīrá-vaḥ abhí syāma pṛtanyatáḥ | kṣárā no abhí vā́ryam ||
तुम्हारी शक्ति के साथ हम भी बहादुर बन जाते हैं। हम लड़ने वालों पर जीत जाते हैं। तुम हमारे ऊपर सबसे अच्छा खज़ाना बहा दो।
Word by Word
- त्वया
- by/with youPronounत्रिलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करणRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरेण
- with the hero/strong oneNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करणRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरवः
- we, the heroic/hero-possessing (ones)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वीरव (प्रातिपदिक; वीर+व, ‘having heroes/heroic’)
- अभि
- towards, against, uponPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि
- ष्याम
- may we be / may we becomeVerbविधिलिङ् (optative); उत्तम पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ-क्रियाRoot अस् (धातु; Vedic optative stem स्या-)
- पृतन्यतः
- of the fighting (foe)/of the one who fightsParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root पृतन्य (धातु ‘to fight/contend’)
- क्षराः
- flow! stream forth!Verbलोट् (imperative); मध्यम पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot क्षर् (धातु ‘to flow, stream’)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounत्रिलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (दत्त-प्राप्त्यर्थे)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, uponPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि
- वार्यम्
- the desirable (wealth/boon), the choice goodNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वृ/वर् ‘to choose’ > ‘choice, excellent, desirable’; also ‘water/wealth’ in Vedic usage)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वया | वीरेण | वीरवः | अभि | ष्याम | पृतन्यतः | क्षराः | नः | अभि | वार्यम् । 1) ‘वीरवो॒ऽभि’ = ‘वीरवः + अभि’ : विसर्गस्य ओकारादेशः (विसर्ग-सन्धि) तथा अवग्रहः। 2) ‘ष्याम’ is Vedic optative of √अस् with स्या- stem (classical: स्याम)
- 3) ‘क्षरा’ in saṃhitā corresponds to padapāṭha ‘क्षराः’ (लोट् 2sg), final ḥ not shown in continuous recitation before pause/intonation
The meaning
Outer meaning
With you, O hero, may we be heroic against the fighters; pour upon us the choicest treasure.
Inner meaning
Soma is invoked as vīra (hero-force): the courageous Ananda that makes our faculties heroic (vīravaḥ) against inner adversaries (pṛtanyataḥ—those who fight: doubts, impulses, darkness). The prayer asks Soma to ‘pour’ (kṣara) the vāryam—the desirable, to-be-won treasure: spiritual gain, luminous power, and right joy that the soul must conquer from resistance.
Universal truth
True victory over inner conflict comes by aligning with a higher force of delight and courage; then the soul receives the choicest inner riches that can’t be taken by struggle alone.
Themes
victory, inner battle, Soma-ritual, boon
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.35
Significance
Frames Soma as a warrior-ally in inner yoga: Ananda is not passive sweetness but a force that enables conquest of resistance and the winning of vārya.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Vīra (hero-force), Indu, Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra; victory), Agni (leader of the sacrifice), Maruts (battle-forces)
Cosmic role
Giver of victorious energy and choicest riches; empowers the gods in their battle against the coverers.
Inner power
Courageous delight that turns struggle into conquest and releases the ‘won treasure’ of higher consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma Pavamāna chanting; victory/strength emphasis within Soma rite
त्वया॑ वी॒रेण॑ वीरवो॒ऽभि ष्या॑म पृतन्य॒तः । क्षरा॑ णो अ॒भि वार्य॑म् ॥
त्वया॑ । वी॒रेण॑ । वी॒र॒ऽवः॒ । अ॒भि । स्या॒म॒ । पृ॒त॒न्य॒तः । क्षर॑ । नः॒ । अ॒भि । वार्य॑म् ॥
tvayā | vīreṇa | vīra-vaḥ | abhi | syāma | pṛtanyataḥ | kṣara | naḥ | abhi | vāryam
24
3 × 8 (approx.)
Martial compactness; energizing cadence suitable for resolve.
Builds courage and forward drive; helpful for overcoming hesitation and inner opposition.
- vīreṇa
- Literal: with the hero. Symbolic: with Soma as courageous force of Ananda supporting the seeker
- vīravaḥ
- Literal: hero-possessing/heroic. Symbolic: faculties strengthened into spiritual courage and endurance
- pṛtanyataḥ
- Literal: those who fight/battle. Symbolic: inner hostile movements: inertia, desire, fear, falsehood, depression
- kṣara
- Literal: pour, flow out. Symbolic: a continuous bestowal/effusion of spiritual substance
- vāryam
- Literal: the desirable/choice treasure. Symbolic: soul’s true gain: light, strength, delight, wideness, mastery
Prayer for victory and boon during Soma rite; ‘battle’ is both outer contest and inner struggle for light.
When seeking strength for the sacrificer; in sequences that invoke Soma’s empowering aspect.
Chant with firm rhythm; mentally direct the flow toward areas of inner conflict.
Use as a ‘spiritual resilience’ mantra before difficult conversations, disciplined practice, or when facing addictive patterns.
vīra: ‘hero’ (strength/valor). pṛtanyati: from pṛtanā ‘battle’ (root √pṛt/related to strife), denotes opposition. kṣara: √kṣar ‘flow, melt, stream’. vārya: from √vṛ ‘choose’ → ‘choice-worthy, desirable’; hence inner treasure selected by discernment.
inner battle (light vs obstruction), vīrya (heroic energy) as spiritual capacity, discerned treasure (vārya as chosen good)
Victory is achieved by moving under ṛta rather than under the fighters (pṛtanyataḥ) of disorder.
The choicest treasure (vārya) is truth-power, not mere success.
Evolution through struggle: higher substance pours in after conquest of resistance.
Integral-Vedic: transformation is a battle aided by Ananda-force.
Pouring = influx of force; fighters = conflicting impulses; treasure = realized capacities of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Victory through Soma’s heroic power: Soma is invoked as vīra, enabling the seeker to overcome adversarial forces and to receive the ‘choice treasure’—the luminous gain of the soul rather than mere spoils.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṣar ‘flow’ continues the pervasive IE mapping of giving/abundance as liquid outpouring. vārya from √vṛ ‘choose’ reflects an IE valuation of ‘the chosen good’ (discernment as selection), a semantic pattern found widely in archaic moral vocabularies.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer asks Soma to become an ally in transformation: Soma supplies vīrya so the practitioner becomes ‘heroic’, then Soma pours the rightly-chosen boon—establishing reciprocity between aspiration and divine force.
Invoke Soma as courageous delight; face one inner ‘fighter’ directly while staying in sweetness and strength.
Manipura (vīrya/resolve) supported by Anahata (delight without aggression)
Box-breath 4-4-4-4 for steadiness; then natural breath while repeating kṣara no abhi vāryam as a ‘downpour’ of strength.
Steady heroic calm; courageous lucidity.
Name the resistance (fear, craving, doubt). Chant 11 times; then act immediately on one small decisive step, asking Soma to ‘pour’ the needed vārya.
Traditional Vedic accents; keep the cadence punchy on vīreṇa / vīravo and smooth on kṣara.
Slight emphasis on tvayā vīreṇa; pause after pṛtanyataḥ; let kṣara flow as a continuous outpouring.
tvayā: ‘tv’ cluster clean, vīreṇa: long ī, pṛtanyataḥ: vocalic ṛ; dental t; avoid retroflex here, vāryam: long ā; ‘ry’ conjunct clear
Firm, confident, not harsh; end with a flowing softness on vāryam.
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