Rig Veda 9.5.8: Mandala 9, Sukta 5, Mantra 8
Sukta 9.5
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna with the triad Bhāratī–Sarasvatī–Iḷā invoked
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
भारती पवमानस्य सरस्वतीळा मही । इमं नो यज्ञमा गमन्तिस्रो देवीः सुपेशसः ॥
bhā́ratī pávamānasya sárasvatī́ḷā mahī́ | imáṃ no yajñám ā́ gaman tisró devī́ḥ su-péśasaḥ ||
तीन देवियाँ आती हैं हमारी पूजा में, भारती, सरस्वती और इला। यह तीनों बहुत अच्छी हैं, जैसे सूरत में और काम में भी। यह देवियाँ बोलने की और सही बनाने की ताकत लाती हैं।
Word by Word
- भारती
- Bhāratī (goddess Bhāratī)Noun (proper/theonym)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot भारती (प्रातिपदिक; देवीनाम)
- पवमानस्य
- of the Pavamāna (Soma), the purifying oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)Root पवमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पू/पु ‘to purify, cleanse’ → पवमान ‘purifying, flowing’)
- सरस्वती
- Sarasvatī (goddess Sarasvatī)Noun (proper/theonym)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक; नदी/देवी)
- इळा
- Iḷā/Idā (goddess of invocation/nourishment)Noun (proper/theonym)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इळा/इडा (प्रातिपदिक; देवी)
- मही
- great, mightyAdjective (epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सरस्वती/इळा/भारती-विशेषणरूपेण) अथवा स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (देवीः-विशेषणरूपेण) — पद्ये एकपदत्वात् सामान्यतः एकवचन-रूपम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-सम्बन्धेन)Root मही (प्रातिपदिक; ‘great’)
- इमम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (यज्ञम्-विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण-सम्बन्धेन)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- ourPronoun (enclitic)षष्ठी, बहुवचन (enclitic ‘our’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; from √यज् ‘to worship, sacrifice’)
- आ
- hither, to (towards)Indeclinable (preverb/particle)(गमनक्रियायाः दिशाबोधकः ‘hither, to’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- गमन्ति
- they comeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ=देवीः)Root √गम् (गच्छति) ‘to go, come’
- तिस्रः
- threeNumeral adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (देवीः-विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-सम्बन्धेन)Root त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- देवीः
- goddessesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक; from देव ‘divine’)
- सुपेशसः
- of beautiful form, well-adornedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (देवीः-विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-सम्बन्धेन)Root सु-पेशस् (समास; सु ‘well’ + पेशस् ‘form, beauty’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): भारती | पवमानस्य | सरस्वती | इळा | मही | इमम् | नः | यज्ञम् | आ | गमन्ति | तिस्रः | देवीः | सुपेशसः । मुख्यसन्धयः: (1) यज्ञम् + आ → यज्ञमा (अकार-सन्धिः; म् + आ इति पदसंयोगे ‘यज्ञमा’ लेखनम्)
- (2) गमन्ति + तिस्रः → गमन्ति तिस्रः (पदसंयोगे संधि-परिवर्तनं न; संहितायां ‘गमन्तितिस्रो’ इति लेखनम्)
- (3) तिस्रः + देवीः → तिस्रो देवीः (वेदपाठे ‘तिस्रो’ रूपं प्रचलितम्; स्त्री. प्रथमा बहु. ‘तिस्रः/तिस्रो’ वैदिक-पर्यायौ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Bhāratī, Sarasvatī, and Iḷā the Great—three beautiful goddesses—come to our sacrifice of Soma.
Inner meaning
The mantra calls the triad of formative powers of the Word and right ordering: Bhāratī (expansive inspired expression), Sarasvatī (the flowing current of illumination and intuition), and Iḷā Mahī (the power of right formation and receptive earth-consciousness). In the inner yajña, these three make the being ‘well-shaped’ for Soma: they purify speech, refine thought, and stabilize embodiment so that delight can become knowledge and effective action.
Universal truth
Transformation is accelerated when speech, intuition, and embodied receptivity work together; then inspiration becomes a living order, not mere idea.
Themes
goddess triad, speech and inspiration, inner yajña support
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 2.3 (Bhāratī–Iḷā–Sarasvatī triad, thematic parallel), RV 1.3 (Iḷā invoked with gods)
Family tradition
Invocation of Bhāratī–Sarasvatī–Iḷā is a recognized Vedic triad associated with inspired speech and right ritual formation; here internalized as yogic faculties.
Significance
Establishes the inner ‘mantra-śakti’ and right formation so Soma’s delight can become stable realization.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (with Bhāratī–Sarasvatī–Iḷā)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Supeśasas devīs (well-formed goddesses)
- Related deities
- Agni (priest-fire), Bṛhaspati (lord of the word), Uṣas
Cosmic role
Soma supplies purified delight; the triad supplies inspired word, intuitive flow, and right embodiment—together completing the sacrificial transmutation.
Inner power
Bhāratī: expansive mantra-force; Sarasvatī: illumined intuition; Iḷā: receptive formation and right placement in the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma rite invocations; also general yajña invocations of speech-powers
भार॑ती॒ पव॑मानस्य॒ सर॑स्व॒तीळा॑ म॒ही । इ॒मं नो॑ य॒ज्ञमा ग॑मन्ति॒स्रो दे॒वीः सु॒पेश॑सः ॥
भार॑ती । पव॑मानस्य । सर॑स्वती । इळा॑ । म॒ही । इ॒मम् । नः॒ । य॒ज्ञम् । आ । ग॒म॒न् । ति॒स्रः । दे॒वीः । सु॒ऽपेश॑सः ॥
bhāratī | pavamānasya | sarasvatī | iḷā | mahī | imam | naḥ | yajñam | ā | gaman | tisraḥ | devīḥ | su-peśasaḥ
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4 × 12 syllables (approx.)
Processional and invitatory; suited to calling multiple powers.
Creates an inclusive field; the mind feels ‘gathered’ and harmonized.
- bhāratī
- Literal: Bhāratī (goddess-name). Symbolic: power of expansive inspired speech; formative utterance
- sarasvatī
- Literal: Sarasvatī (river/goddess). Symbolic: stream of intuition, inspired knowledge, luminous word
- iḷā (ilā)
- Literal: Iḷā (goddess). Symbolic: receptive intelligence; right arrangement; embodied discernment
- mahī
- Literal: great. Symbolic: vast stabilizing capacity in nature to hold higher force
- yajñam
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: inner offering of thoughts, emotions, energies to the Divine
- tisraḥ devīḥ
- Literal: three goddesses. Symbolic: triple śakti of speech-knowledge-formation
- supeśasaḥ
- Literal: well-formed, beautiful in form. Symbolic: harmonious powers that shape the adhāra (vessel)
Standard ritual triad invited to yajña; supports correct speech, inspiration, and formation in Soma rite.
At points of inviting devatās to the offering; in Soma contexts, during purification/offerings.
Āvāhana (invitation) of the goddesses to the seat of sacrifice.
Before study, teaching, mantra-japa, or creative work: chant to align speech, intuition, and grounded clarity.
Sarasvatī from saras ‘flow, lake’ (√sṛ ‘to flow’)—inwardly, the stream of inspiration and discerning speech. Iḷā is linked to the vocabulary of invocation/refreshment and offering; as mahī, she is the broad power of right formation in the earthly nature. Bhāratī relates to √bhṛ ‘bear, carry’ and bhāra ‘burden/fullness’; she ‘bears’ the plenitude of mantra. su-peśas: peśas ‘form, shape’—the goddesses are not vague; they are formative powers giving right configuration to consciousness. √gam ‘come’ marks invocation of descent/arrival.
mantra and inspired speech as creative powers, right formation (peśas) as establishment of ṛta in the being, descent of goddesses as awakening of faculties
The triad establishes Ṛta in expression and action—right speech leading to right order.
Sarasvatī as truth-flow; Bhāratī as truth-utterance; Iḷā as truth-embodiment.
Creation through Word (Vāc) and formation: the universe as shaped by inspired vibration.
Vedic Vāc-doctrine leading toward Upaniṣadic emphasis on speech/knowledge as creative power.
Flow (intuition), ground (stability), and utterance (mantric articulation) cooperate to host Soma’s delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The descent of the three goddesses of right speech and formation to the sacrifice: the mythic action is ‘arrival’ (ā gaman) of inspirers who shape the rite. Inwardly, these are faculties that make the consciousness fit—flowing inspiration (Sarasvatī), bearing expressive fullness (Bhāratī), and right formative offering (Iḷā).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The river/inspiration mapping (Sarasvatī) reflects an old IE poetic equation of flowing waters with flowing speech. √gam ‘come’ is a basic IE motion verb used ritually to encode ‘descent’ of powers—an inherited sacral syntax of invitation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests not external favors but operative faculties: he invites the goddesses to ‘our yajña’, meaning into the human work of transformation. The reciprocity is functional—if the human offers attention and order, these powers arrive to perfect speech, inspiration, and formation.
Invite the triple śakti: speak inwardly from truth (Bhāratī), listen to intuitive flow (Sarasvatī), and embody the insight steadily (Iḷā).
Viśuddha (speech) and Anāhata (harmonizing receptivity)
Gentle ujjāyī-like whisper (very mild) to refine speech-energy; pause after exhale to ‘listen’ for Sarasvatī’s flow.
Quiet inspiration; ordered mind; receptive body-awareness.
Chant 3 times, then sit 2–3 minutes in silence; note one intuitive guidance and one concrete step to embody it (Iḷā).
Respect udātta marks on devī-names; keep names clear and slightly separated in chanting.
Give gentle emphasis to each name (Bhāratī—Sarasvatī—Iḷā) as a threefold invocation; soften on ‘ā gaman’.
bhāratī: long ā; dental t, sarasvatī: clear ‘sv’ cluster, iḷā: retroflex ḷ; do not replace with plain ‘la’
Warm, inviting, devotional; avoid harshness.
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