Rig Veda 9.39.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 39, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.39
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
परिष्कृण्वन्ननिष्कृतं जनाय यातयन्निषः । वृष्टिं दिवः परि स्रव ॥
parí-kṛṇvann ániḥkṛtaṃ jánāya yātáyann íṣaḥ | vṛṣṭíṃ diváḥ pári srava ||
जो काम पूरा नहीं हुआ है, उसको ठीक कर रहा है इंसान के लिए। हमें आगे बढ़ा रहा है। आसमान से बारिश की तरह हमारे ऊपर बह, ऊपर से रोशनी आ रही है।
Word by Word
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- इष्कृण्वन्
- making, preparing, fashioningVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot कृ (करोति) + उपसर्ग इष्-/इष्क्- (वेदिक)
- अनिष्कृतम्
- unprepared, unrefinedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (कर्मणि विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot निष्कृत (ppp of नि-√कृ/√कॄ ‘to make/prepare’) with privative अ-
- जनाय
- for the people, for the manNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक) / जन (people) अथवा जन (man)
- यातयन्
- driving on, impellingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot यातय (णिजन्त/कारण) < √यात/√या (वेदिक causative sense ‘to set in motion, to drive on’)
- निषः
- the outflows, streams (of Soma)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वेदिक), प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot निष् (प्रातिपदिक; वेदिक ‘outflow/stream/juice’), nom. pl.
- वृष्टिम्
- rain, rainfallNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष् ‘to rain’
- दिवः
- of heaven, from the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (वेदिक: दिवः = ‘of heaven’)Role ApādānaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक) ‘sky, heaven’
- परि
- around, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रव
- flow! stream forth!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √स्रु (स्रवति) ‘to flow’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): परि | इष्कृण्वन् | अनिष्कृतम् | जनाय | यातयन् | निषः | वृष्टिम् | दिवः | परि | स्रव । 1) परिष्कृण्वन् → परि + इष्कृण्वन् (उपसर्ग ‘परि’ + कृदन्त). 2) अनिष्कृतं जनाय → अनिष्कृतम् + जनाय (म् + ज → म् ज; लिखित ‘ं’ अनुस्वार). 3) यातयन्निषः → यातयन् + निषः (न् + न → न्न). 4) दिवः परि → visarga sandhi not applied in saṃhitā here
- remains दिवः परि
The meaning
Outer meaning
Perfecting what is unperfected for humanity, driving forward the impulses (iṣaḥ), flow around as the rain from heaven.
Inner meaning
Soma as purifying Ananda works as a divine artisan: it completes in us what is still ‘aniṣkṛta’ (unwrought/unfinished). It propels ‘iṣaḥ’—our impulsions, seekings, and energizing movements—so they turn upward and forward rather than scatter. Then it descends as ‘vṛṣṭiṃ divaḥ’, the rain of heaven: a shower of higher light-force and delight that surrounds (pari) and permeates the being, fertilizing inner growth.
Universal truth
Transformation is both completion and propulsion: the higher delight perfects the incomplete nature and redirects desire-energy into a sustaining descent of luminous force.
Themes
purification, inner alchemy, descent of grace, Soma as refiner
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.39.1 (to the plane where devas affirm), RV 9.39.3 (brilliance at the purifier)
Significance
The rishi-voice highlights Soma’s evolutionary function: completing the human instrument and energizing aspiration—classic Aurobindonian theme of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- pariṣkṛt-kṛt (perfecter), divaḥ-vṛṣṭi (heavenly rain), iṣaḥ-yātayitṛ (impeller of impulses)
- Related deities
- Parjanya (rain principle), Indra (releaser of rains/lights), Agni (inner worker of sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Fertilizing rain from the luminous worlds; purifier that makes the human fit for divine presence.
Inner power
Transformative Ananda that refines, integrates, and uplifts desire-energy into aspiration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification/pressing chants to invoke Soma’s beneficence for the sacrificer and community
प॒रि॒ष्कृ॒ण्वन्ननि॑ष्कृतं॒ जना॑य या॒तय॒न्निष॑: । वृ॒ष्टिं दि॒वः परि॑ स्रव ॥
प॒रि॒ऽकृ॒ण्वन् । अनिः॑ऽकृतम् । जना॑य । या॒तय॑न् । इषः॑ । वृ॒ष्टिम् । दि॒वः । परि॑ । स्र॒व॒ ॥
pari-kṛṇvan | aniḥ-kṛtam | janāya | yātayan | iṣaḥ | vṛṣṭim | divaḥ | pari | srava
Likely Triṣṭubh (common for dynamic ‘driving/impelling’ statements)
44
4 padas × ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh-type cadence)
Strong, progressive, ‘marching’ rhythm matching yātayan (driving onward).
Builds a sense of purposeful onward movement, then releases into a showering cadence on vṛṣṭim divaḥ.
- परिष्कृण्वन् (pariṣkṛṇvan)
- Literal: perfecting, finishing all around. Symbolic: integral refinement of nature; rounding off roughness
- अनिष्कृतम् (aniṣkṛtam)
- Literal: unmade, unperfected. Symbolic: unfinished parts of the being (habits, obscurities)
- जनाय (janāya)
- Literal: for the human being/people. Symbolic: for embodied consciousness in evolution
- यातयन् (yātayan)
- Literal: driving, impelling onward. Symbolic: redirecting energies toward the path
- इषः (iṣaḥ)
- Literal: impulsions, refreshment, seeking. Symbolic: desire-force transformed into upward aspiration
- वृष्टिम् दिवः (vṛṣṭim divaḥ)
- Literal: rain of heaven. Symbolic: descent of higher light, force, and joy
Soma straining/flowing: invocation for Soma’s purifying flow to bring divine ‘rain’ (strength/illumination) in Soma-yajña
During filtering and offering, especially when invoking Soma’s strengthening and nourishing action.
Chant while Soma flows through the pavitra; symbolic ‘rain’ of blessings for the yajamāna.
A mantra for self-improvement and integration: chant when working to change habits; visualize higher force ‘finishing’ the rough edges and redirecting impulses.
pari-kṛṇvan: pres. act. ptc. from √kṛ ‘to do, make’ with pari ‘around’ → ‘to complete/finish thoroughly’. aniḥ-kṛta: privative a- + niṣ- (out, fully) + √kṛ → ‘not fully made/finished’. yātayan: causative/iterative from √yā ‘to go’ → ‘cause to go/impel’. iṣ- (iṣaḥ): from √iṣ ‘to seek, desire, impel; refresh’. vṛṣṭi- ‘rain’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, to pour’. sru/srava: √sru ‘flow’ (PIE *srew- ‘to flow’).
transformation/perfection of nature, descent from Dyauḥ (heaven) as higher mind, R̥ta as right movement of energies (iṣaḥ) when ‘driven forward’
yātayan iṣaḥ: impulses brought into right direction/order.
pariṣkṛṇvan: truth shapes the being into a truer form.
Heavenly descent fertilizing earthly growth; completion of the human instrument.
Yoga of transformation (integral refinement), proto-Sāṃkhya-like notion of evolving instrument under higher influence (interpretive).
rainy/monsoon symbolism (suggestive, not explicit)
A shower of higher light-force surrounding the being, completing what is unfinished and redirecting the life-energies toward truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The heavenly rain as Soma’s gift: the god’s flow is simultaneously purification and a descent of divine increase. Inwardly, the ‘rain of heaven’ is the influx of higher consciousness that completes what is incomplete in the human formation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sru ‘flow’ is strongly PIE (*srew-). √vṛṣ ‘rain/pour’ participates in Indo-European storm/rain lexicon (Skt vṛṣṭi; compare related Indo-Iranian forms). The privative construction a- + (complex) participle in aniḥkṛta shows inherited negation strategies.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer requests an active divine workmanship: Soma is asked to perfect the unfinished human material and to set the soul’s energies (iṣaḥ) moving rightly. The boon is not external wealth but a transforming descent (vṛṣṭi) that reorganizes the being.
Offer unfinished parts of nature to the purifying delight; invite completion and right impulsion.
Manipura (impulses/desire-energy) being redirected; Anahata receiving the ‘rain’ as sweetness.
Breath with visualization: inhale ‘heavenly rain gathers above’; exhale ‘rain descends through the body’ (6–8 cycles).
Refreshed, integrated, uplifted.
Name one ‘aniṣkṛta’ pattern (unfinished habit) silently; chant; then feel a descending shower that reforms the pattern without strain.
Accents not specified; chant evenly with a slight lift on key verbs (pariṣkṛṇvan, yātayan, srava).
Keep consonant clusters crisp: pariṣ-kṛṇ-van; end with a flowing descent on pari srava.
pariṣkṛṇvan: ṣk cluster clear; vocalic ṛ in kṛ, aniṣkṛtam: keep short a; ṣk again, yātayan: long ā; dental t, iṣaḥ: ṣ palatal; visarga soft, vṛṣṭim: vocalic ṛ; ṣṭ conjunct clean, divaḥ: short i; visarga audible
Nourishing and steady; slightly more force on yātayan (impelling).
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