Rig Veda 9.55.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 55, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.55
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यो जिनाति न जीयते हन्ति शत्रुमभीत्य । स पवस्व सहस्रजित् ॥
yó jinā́ti ná jī́yate hánti śátrum abhī́tya | sá pavasva sahasra-jít ||
वो जीतता है और कोई उसे नहीं जीत सकता। वो दुश्मन पे चढ़ता है और डर नहीं लगता। ऐसे ही साफ हो जा, हज़ारों बार जीतने वाले। तू हमारे अंदर ऐसी ताकत बन जा कभी हारे नहीं।
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सम्बन्ध-कर्तृ, यः = ‘he who’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जिनाति
- conquers, overcomesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया; कर्ता = यः)Root जि (धातु) ‘जयति/अभिभवति’
- न
- notIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (निषेधक) क्रियाविशेषणम्Root न (निषेध-अव्यय)
- जीयते
- is conquered / is defeatedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (कर्मणि/भावे: ‘is conquered’)Role Kriyā (न-निषिद्धा; ‘is not conquered’)Root जि (धातु) ‘जयति’ → कर्मणि/आत्मनेपद-प्रयोगः
- हन्ति
- strikes, slaysVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (कर्तृ = सः/यः)Root हन् (धातु) ‘हिंसागत्योः/वध’
- शत्रुम्
- the enemyNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभीति
- approaches, attacksVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (वैदिक-रूप)Role Kriyā (उपक्रिया; ‘approaches/attacks’—शत्रुं प्रति)Root अभि + इ (धातु) → ‘अभ्येति/अभिगच्छति’ (पुरातन-रूप ‘अभीति’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (आदेश/विधेय-वाक्ये)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पवस्व
- purify yourself, flow pureVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (सम्बोधन-विधि; सोमं प्रति)Root पू (धातु) ‘पवते/शुध्यति’
- सहस्रजित्
- thousand-winning, winner of thousandsAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (सम्बोधनार्थेऽपि प्रयुज्यते; ‘O thousand-winner’)Role Viśeṣaṇa (सः/पवस्व इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सहस्र + जित् (कृदन्त: √जि + क्विप्/क्विन्-प्रत्ययः; ‘जित्’ = ‘conqueror/winner’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): यः | जिनाति | न | जीयते | हन्ति | शत्रुम् | अभीति | सः | पवस्व | सहस्रजित् । विशेषम्: ‘अभीत्य’ इति संहितापाठे ‘अभीति’ (अभि+इ, वैदिक-लट् 3sg) + अवग्रह/पादान्त-प्रयोगः
- अर्थतः ‘अभ्येति/अभिगच्छति’ (आक्रमति) इति।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A praise of Soma as an unconquerable victor who advances to strike the enemy; the poet asks Soma to purify and become a “thousand-winner.”
Inner meaning
Soma, the purified Ananda-consciousness, becomes in the seeker a victorious, irresistible force. The “enemy” is the inner resistance—habit, inertia, doubt, fear, and obscuring impulses—that is overcome not by retreat but by abhi-itya, a forward spiritual advance. The mantra affirms a state in which the soul’s delight conquers yet cannot be conquered, stabilizing an unshakable victory in the being.
Universal truth
True victory is a consciousness that cannot be overthrown: when inner delight is purified and made active, it naturally defeats obstruction and establishes resilient strength.
Themes
Invictory, Soma-ritual, Enemy-slaying (inner obstacles), Sahasra-jit abundance
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.55 (Pavamāna section), Rig Veda 9.56 (adjacent Pavāmāna verses)
Significance
In the Pavāmāna corpus the seer-voice is often collective: the inspired consciousness speaks from the sacrificial yoga where Soma (Ananda) is refined into a victorious inner power.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (the Purifying), Sahasrajit (thousand-winner), Jit (victorious)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Viṣṇu
Cosmic role
Soma is the divine delight that, when filtered, becomes fit for the gods—supporting illumination (Indra) and widening (Viṣṇu) and sustaining ṛta.
Inner power
Purified Ananda that turns into invincible courage and steady triumph over obscuration; a force that makes the consciousness unconquerable.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma Pavamāna chanting during Soma sacrifice (filtering/clarification sequences)
यो जि॒नाति॒ न जीय॑ते॒ हन्ति॒ शत्रु॑म॒भीत्य॑ । स प॑वस्व सहस्रजित् ॥
यः । जि॒नाति॑ । न । जीय॑ते । हन्ति॑ । शत्रु॑म् । अ॒भि॒ऽइत्य॑ । सः । प॒व॒स्व॒ । स॒ह॒स्र॒ऽजि॒त् ॥
yaḥ | jināti | na | jīyate | hanti | śatrum | abhi-itya | saḥ | pavasva | sahasra-jit
Likely Jagatī (common in Soma Pavāmāna; 12-syllable cadence)
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4 pādas × ~12 syllables (Jagatī-type movement)
Forward-driving and martial, suited to ‘advance and smite’ imagery
Builds determination and uplift; the rhythm supports a sense of unbroken momentum and victory.
- jināti / jīyate
- Literal: conquers / is conquered. Symbolic: the soul-force that overcomes resistance without falling back into ignorance
- śatru
- Literal: enemy. Symbolic: inner adversaries: tamas, doubt, fear, compulsions, hostile formations
- abhītya (abhi-itya)
- Literal: advancing upon, going toward. Symbolic: forward movement of aspiration; decisive inner attack on obstruction
- pavasva
- Literal: purify yourself; flow clear. Symbolic: clarify and intensify Ananda so it can act as a power in the system
- sahasra-jit
- Literal: thousand-winner. Symbolic: abundant conquest: many-sided mastery over countless resistances and limitations
A victory-formula within Soma praise: Soma as invincible helper against foes; ritually supports overcoming obstacles/enemies to the sacrifice and securing abundant gains.
During the Pavāmāna-stotra phase as Soma is purified through the filter
Chanting to accompany the flowing/straining Soma; invocation of victorious purification
Use as a mantra of inner resilience: repeat during moments of temptation, discouragement, or when initiating decisive change.
√ji ‘conquer’ (PIE *gʷʰeyh₂- debated; but Indo-Iranian √ji is stable) with passive jīyate ‘be conquered’; √han ‘strike/kill’ is old Indo-European (*gʷhen-). abhi-itya (abhi + gerund/absolutive from √i ‘go’) indicates aggressive advance, not defensive resistance—psychologically an active movement against darkness. sahasra-jit: sahasra ‘thousand’ + jit ‘winning’—hyperbolic total victory.
victory of light over hostility, active advance (abhi-itya) as tapas-like effort
Victory is the triumph of ṛta over the coverer—order over disorder in the inner world.
The ‘not conquered’ state suggests firm establishment in truth-consciousness.
Purification releases the concealed power; the victory is a re-creation of the being toward a higher law.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): Soma as Ananda supporting ascent and transformation.
The filtered stream is the clarified current of delight moving through the mind-vital, becoming a conquering spiritual energy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The invincible champion who advances and slays the enemy: Soma as unconquered conqueror. Innerly, the purified delight-consciousness does not merely endure resistance; it advances into the obscurity and breaks hostile formations, winning ‘a thousand’ gains—integral abundance of being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘smite’ corresponds to a robust Indo-European root (*gʷhen-) with many cognates, typical in heroic diction. The conquest lexicon √ji and the hyperbolic compound sahasra-jit exemplify archaic Indo-European praise style: victory + abundance fused as one semantic field.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi identifies Soma with the archetype of invincible victory and asks Soma to ‘pavasva’—to become that clarified conquering power in the human vessel. Reciprocity: the human offers aspiration and rite; Soma gives the capacity to advance, overcome inner enemies, and secure plenitude.
Invoke purified delight as an invincible inner force; feel a clear current rising and pushing forward through resistance.
Manipura (will/courage) with uplift toward Anahata (joy)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (aspiration), hold (gather force), long exhale (release obstruction) while repeating pavasva
Vigorous, clear, forward-moving concentration (ekāgratā with tapas)
On ‘abhītya,’ visualize advancing light; on ‘pavasva,’ feel cleansing through the whole system; end by resting in the sense of ‘na jīyate’—unshakable poise.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita as marked; keep ‘páv-asva’ with clear rise on the accented syllable per śākhā tradition.
Accentuate the action-words: jināti, hanti, abhītya; give a firm cadence to sahasrajit.
Keep retroflex ṭ in śatrum? (actually śatrum has dental t; pronounce ‘śa-trum’), ‘jīyate’ with long ī; avoid shortening, ‘abhītya’ as abhi-itya: articulate the sandhi cleanly (abhi-itya), ‘pavasva’ with clear ‘va’ and ‘sva’ cluster
Steady, resonant, courageous (chest-supported)
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