Rig Veda 9.38.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 38, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.38
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Adbhuta (wonder)
एष स्य मानुषीष्वा श्येनो न विक्षु सीदति । गच्छञ्जारो न योषितम् ॥
eṣa sya mānuṣīṣv ā śyeno na vikṣu sīdati | gacchan jāro na yoṣitam ||
यह सोम लोगों के बीच आके बैठता है। जैसे बाज़ उड़ता है और सबको देखता है। वो प्यार करने वाले की तरह अपनी पसंद की तरफ जा रहा है।
Word by Word
- एषः
- this (one), hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्यः
- this very one / he indeedPronoun (enclitic/deictic)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (एषः इत्यस्य सह) / बलवर्धक-निदर्शनम्Root स्य (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एष/सः-सम्बद्धः)
- मानुषीषु
- among/within human (women/folk)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot मानुषी (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; ‘मानुषी’ = मनुष्य-सम्बन्धिनी)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinable (preverb/particle)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- श्येनः
- a falcon, hawkNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (उपमान-रूपेण) / उपमाRoot श्येन (पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableRoot न (निपात)
- विक्षु
- among the clans/settlementsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वि॒क्ष्/विश् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; ‘विक्ष्’ = जनाः/प्रजाः, settlements)
- सीदति
- sits down, settlesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √सद् (सीदति)
- गच्छन्
- going, movingVerbal adjective (participle)वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सीदति इत्यस्य कर्तुः विशेषणम्)Root √गम् (गच्छत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
- जारः
- lover, paramourNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (उपमान-रूपेण) / उपमाRoot जार (पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableRoot न (निपात)
- योषितम्
- a womanNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot योषित् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: एषः स्यः मानुषीषु आ श्येनः न विक्षु सीदति । गच्छन् जारः न योषितम् ॥ 1) एष स्य → एषः स्यः (विसर्ग-लोपः संहितायाम्; ‘स्यः’ देइक्तिक-सर्वनाम)
- 2) मानुषीष्वा → मानुषीषु आ (उकारान्त-सप्तमीबहुवचन ‘-षु’ + अव्यय ‘आ’; संहितायां ‘ष्वा’)
- 3) गच्छञ्जारः → गच्छन् जारः (अनुस्वार/ञ्ज्-समास-सन्धिः: न् + ज → ञ्ज)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma settles among humans like a falcon among clans; he goes forward like a lover toward a woman.
Inner meaning
The purified Soma-force descends into the human field (mānuṣīṣu) and takes its seat in the many ‘clans’ (vikṣu)—the diverse parts of our nature. Like a falcon (śyena), it is swift, keen, and sure in its descent/ascent between heights and earth: it brings the supramental/intuitive touch into ordinary life. Like a lover (jāra) moving to the beloved, Soma moves with intimate inevitability toward the soul’s consent—union of delight with the receptive heart. This is the psychology of grace: bliss seeks embodiment and relationship, not withdrawal.
Universal truth
Spiritual delight is meant to inhabit human life. When it arrives, it is swift and discerning like a falcon, and intimate like love: it unites the higher with the ordinary parts of us.
Themes
Śyena Soma myth, Descent and establishment, Eros as spiritual union, Human receptivity
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.68 (Soma as bird/flight motifs), Rig Veda 1.80 (śyena imagery in Vedic symbolism; thematic), Rig Veda 10.85 (bridal/union symbolism; thematic)
Family tradition
Soma-Pavamāna seers; this verse especially reflects the experiential mysticism of descent and intimate union.
Significance
Shows two key movements of sadhana: (1) swift descent of higher force into the many human parts, (2) love-impulse toward union with the soul’s receptivity.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Śyena-like (swift), Indu (bright), Beloved-seeker (implicit through jāra imagery)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (awakening), Agni (inner priest), Indra (illumined mind)
Cosmic role
Brings divine delight into human habitation; mediates between heavenly planes and earthly instruments.
Inner power
Grace of Ananda that both penetrates and stabilizes; creates intimate devotion and swift intuitive discernment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna recitation during Soma’s approach/settling in vessels and preparation for offering.
ए॒ष स्य मानु॑षी॒ष्वा श्ये॒नो न वि॒क्षु सी॑दति । गच्छ॑ञ्जा॒रो न यो॒षित॑म् ॥
ए॒षः । स्यः । मानु॑षीषु । आ । श्ये॒नः । न । वि॒क्षु । सी॒द॒ति॒ । गच्छ॑न् । जा॒रः । न । यो॒षित॑म् ॥
eṣaḥ | syaḥ | mānuṣīṣu | ā | śyenaḥ | na | vikṣu | sīdati | gacchan | jāraḥ | na | yoṣitam
24
3 × 8 (approx.)
Swift first movement (falcon), then a tender forward pull (lover).
Invokes both alertness and intimacy—sharpens attention while softening the heart.
- मानुषीषु (mānuṣīṣu)
- Literal: among human beings. Symbolic: in the embodied human nature; the field of mixed mind-life-body
- विक्षु (vikṣu)
- Literal: clans, settlements. Symbolic: multiple parts/subpersonalities; domains of life and mind
- श्येन (śyena)
- Literal: falcon. Symbolic: swift intuitive force that descends from heights and strikes true
- सीदति (sīdati)
- Literal: sits, settles, takes seat. Symbolic: stabilization of Soma in the instruments; abiding presence
- जार (jāra)
- Literal: lover. Symbolic: the seeking power of bliss toward union; intimate attraction of the divine
- योषितम् (yoṣitam)
- Literal: woman, beloved. Symbolic: the receptive soul-nature (prakṛti) consenting to union
Soma’s arrival into the human sphere (offerers/priests) and its settling in the rite; imagery supports invitational liturgy (āvāhana-like sense)
As Soma is brought and set among the ritual community; also in sequences emphasizing Soma’s coming/arrival.
Chant to invite Soma to ‘sit’—to become established and fit for offering.
Use when seeking to bring spiritual presence into daily life: chant before entering work/home to ‘seat’ calm joy in the human field.
śyena ‘falcon’ is central to the Soma-bringing myth (swift bird). sīdati from √sad ‘sit, settle’ (PIE *sed-). manuṣya from Manu (mythic progenitor) relates to PIE *manu- ‘man’ (cf. Germanic *mann-). jāra ‘lover’ from √jṛ/√jar ‘seek, desire, be eager’ (semantic: intimate pursuit).
descent of divine power into human vessel, establishment (āsana) of a force in consciousness, union motif (lover-beloved) as yoga of delight
Ṛta is the lawful descent of higher force into the many domains without distortion.
Falcon symbolizes truth-seeing intuition settling in the clans of the mind.
Incarnation principle: higher delight takes seat in the human; union drives evolution.
Bhakti-tinged integral yoga reading: divine delight as lover seeking union with the soul in life.
Falcon = intuitive descent; clans = parts of nature; lover = divine attraction; beloved = receptive psychic being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Two linked mythic images: Soma as śyena (falcon) descending into the human clans, and Soma as jāra (lover) seeking the beloved. Both express swift acquisition and intimate union—Soma comes as a power that both seizes light and unites with receptivity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sīdati from √sad matches PIE *sed- ‘sit’ (Latin sedeō, English sit). manuṣya relates to PIE *manu- ‘man’ (cf. Old English mann). The falcon term śyena is Indo-Iranian poetic vocabulary; while direct PIE cognates are uncertain, the bird-of-prey motif is pan-Indo-European in mythic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi portrays Soma as willingly entering and establishing in the human domain, implying that the divine does not remain remote: by right invocation and receptivity, the practitioner becomes the ‘clan’ where Soma sits, and also the ‘beloved’ toward whom Soma moves for union.
Invite Soma to ‘sit’ in the heart and pervade the many parts: feel a swift descent of clear joy, then a tender pull toward inner union.
Anāhata (heart-seating)
Inhale imagining a falcon-like descent of light to the heart; exhale as a warm embrace spreading through the ‘clans’ (body parts, emotions, thoughts). 12 breaths.
Alert tenderness—keen clarity with devotional intimacy.
If the mind is scattered, first call the ‘falcon’ (focused attention). Then allow the lover-movement: soften resistance, consent to being filled by quiet delight.
Keep ‘śyeno na’ crisp and swift; let ‘gacchañ jāro na’ be smoother and more intimate in tone.
mānuṣīṣu: long ī; retroflex ṣ, śyenaḥ: palatal ś; e long-ish diphthong sound, vikṣu: retroflex kṣ cluster, gacchañ: nasalization before jāraḥ, yoṣitam: retroflex ṣ; short i
Clear and swift in first half; warmer, more rounded in second half.
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