Rig Veda 9.60.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 60, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.60
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अति वारान्पवमानो असिष्यदत्कलशाँ अभि धावति । इन्द्रस्य हार्द्याविशन् ॥
áti vārā́n páv amāno asisyadat kalaśā́ṃ abhi dhā́vati | índrasya hā́rdyā́viśan ||
सोम साफ होके निकल गया। वो छानने वाले कपड़े को पार करके मटके की तरफ दौड़ रहा है। अब वो इंद्र के दिल में घुस गया है।
Word by Word
- अति
- over, beyondIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण)Root अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वारान्
- streams (of liquid), flowsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वार (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वार’ = जल/तरंग/प्रवाह/वृष्टि-धारा; सोम-प्रवाहे प्रयुज्यते)
- पवमानः
- the purifying one (Soma)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पवमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पू/पु ‘पवते’ = शुद्धौ/प्रवाहे; वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- असिष्यदत्
- flowed, streamedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √स्यन्द् (स्यन्दते/स्यन्दति) ‘to flow, stream’ (वेदिक्: सि-प्रत्यय/आगमयुक्त रूप)
- कलशान्
- jars, vesselsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, ontoIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- धावति
- rushes, runsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √धाव् (धावति) ‘to run, rush, stream’
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- हार्द्यानि
- heart(-places), hearts; the heart’s (recesses)Noun/Adjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot हार्द्य (प्रातिपदिक; हृद्-सम्बन्धि ‘of the heart, heartfelt’)
- विशन्
- enteringVerb (participle)वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कर्तरि; ‘पवमानः’ इत्यस्य सह)Role Kartā (participial, agreeing with subject)Root √विश् (विशति) ‘to enter’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अति | वारान् | पवमानः | असिष्यदत् | कलशान् | अभि | धावति | इन्द्रस्य | हार्द्यानि | विशन् । सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) वारा॒न्पव॑मानो = वारान् + पवमानः (न् + प् → न्प्)
- (2) असिष्यदत्क॒लशाँ॑ = असिष्यदत् + कलशान् (त् + क् → त्क्)
- (3) हार्द्या॑वि॒शन् = हार्द्यानि + विशन् (इ + व् → य्-व्; ‘इ’ का यणादेश: इ → य्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Purifying, he has sped beyond the strainers; he rushes toward the jars, entering into the heart of Indra.
Inner meaning
Soma, once clarified, moves swiftly beyond the stages of discrimination (ati vārān) and pours into the ‘jars’ (kalaśa)—inner receptacles prepared to hold the refined delight. Entering Indra’s heart signifies Soma’s union with the illumined Mind: Ananda enters and empowers the luminous intelligence, enabling it to conquer obscurity. Psychologically, delight becomes the very sap of the awakened will-to-knowledge (Indra), energizing victorious illumination.
Universal truth
After purification, the refined essence naturally seeks a prepared vessel and unites with awakened intelligence; joy and illumination are meant to interpenetrate—bliss empowering truth, truth guiding bliss.
Themes
Soma-to-Indra, inner-indwelling, completion-of-purification
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.60
Significance
The verse captures a key Aurobindonian movement: purification → descent into prepared vessels → union with Indra (illumined mind) for effective transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (in relation to Indra)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Swift-flowing (implied by dhāvati), Indra-hṛd-āviśan (entering Indra’s heart)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Gives strength and ecstasy to Indra for victory; circulates between worlds as empowering nectar.
Inner power
Ananda descending into the illumined mind, making it irresistibly effective against darkness and inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration and transfer into vessels (kalaśa) during Soma-yajña; Indra-Soma linkage central to offering
अति॒ वारा॒न्पव॑मानो असिष्यदत्क॒लशाँ॑ अ॒भि धा॑वति । इन्द्र॑स्य॒ हार्द्या॑वि॒शन् ॥
अति॑ । वारा॑न् । पव॑मानः । अ॒सि॒स्य॒द॒त् । क॒लशा॑न् । अ॒भि । धा॒व॒ति॒ । इन्द्र॑स्य । हार्दि॑ । आ॒ऽवि॒शन् ॥
ati | vārān | pavamānaḥ | asisyadat | kalaśān | abhi | dhāvati | indrasya | hārdi | ā-viśan
Likely Triṣṭubh (common for dynamic action descriptions)
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4 × ~11 (Triṣṭubh-type)
Rapid kinetic movement in first half, resolving into a deep inward cadence at 'indrasya hārdi āviśan'.
Creates a felt rush of energy followed by inward plunge into the heart—useful for directing force into the inner center.
- ati vārān
- Literal: beyond the strainers. Symbolic: Beyond preliminary discriminations into direct flow of clarified consciousness
- kalaśān
- Literal: jars, vessels. Symbolic: Prepared inner containers: mind/heart centers capable of holding higher force
- dhāvati
- Literal: runs, rushes. Symbolic: Spontaneous movement of the higher force once channels are opened
- indrasya hārdi
- Literal: in the heart of Indra. Symbolic: In the core of illumined mind; union of Ananda with the power of revelation
- ā-viśan
- Literal: entering. Symbolic: Descent/infusion: the higher essence takes possession of the inner center
Filtering completed; Soma runs into kalaśa-vessels and is offered to Indra. In inner terms, purified delight enters the heart-force that empowers victorious illumination.
As filtered Soma is collected into jars and offered, particularly in chants celebrating Soma’s approach to Indra.
Accompanies the movement of Soma into vessels; invokes Soma’s entry into Indra to empower victory rites.
For practitioners: use when seeking to ‘seat’ joy in the illumined intelligence—helpful before study, decision-making, or confronting inner negativity.
√viś ‘enter’ (ā-viśan) is a key Vedic verb for divine indwelling. hārdí from hṛd ‘heart’ marks the seat of effective consciousness. kalaśa is the receiving vessel; inwardly, the prepared containment of the experience. asisyadat is a marked motion-verb indicating intensified speed, fitting the imagery of Soma’s irresistible entry.
indwelling (ā-viś), heart as center of effective consciousness, Indra as illumined power of victory
Soma’s right movement into the vessel and into Indra reflects ordered descent of higher force into mind.
Indra’s heart as truth-illumination center receiving Soma.
Descent into vessels mirrors manifestation: higher essence taking form in prepared receptacles.
Integral yoga psychology: descent of Ananda into illumined mind for transformation of nature.
Strainers = stages of purification; jars = stabilized capacities (adhāra) in the being; heart of Indra = central illumined mind/inner leader.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘entry of Soma into Indra’: once purified beyond the filters, Soma rushes into the vessels and then into Indra’s heart—i.e., delight becomes the fuel of the victorious luminous power. Psychologically, clarified ananda enters and strengthens the will-to-light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √viś ‘enter’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan vīs-/viš- in related senses), and the heart-word hṛd reflects PIE *ḱerd- (Latin cor, English heart). The verse fuses inherited body-centered metaphors (heart as seat) with ritual motion (flow into vessels).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi witnesses a transference: Soma’s purified force moves from the communal rite (filters, jars) into the divine power Indra, and thereby into the sacrificer’s inner Indra (the awakened force of victory). The relationship is empowering: Soma feeds Indra; Indra acts for the human ascent.
Feel a purified cool force rushing through inner channels into a ‘vessel’ at the heart/upper mind; then let it enter the core of illumined intelligence (Indra) to act rightly.
Anahata (vessel/heart) and Ajna (Indra as illumined mind).
On 'dhāvati' use a slightly stronger exhale to feel the rush; then a quiet inner retention after 'hārdi' to feel entry and settling.
Dynamic descent followed by centered luminous power.
Before action: chant once slowly to purify; second time with more force on the first half; then sit 1–2 minutes feeling Soma ‘enter Indra’s heart’—let decisions arise from that illumined center.
Follow saṃhitā accent marks; keep momentum through the first pāda, then deepen tone on 'indrasya hārdi āviśan'.
Highlight the motion words: 'ati', 'asiṣyadat', 'dhāvati'; then soften and deepen on 'hārdi'.
asiṣyadat: articulate the repeated sibilants clearly; keep 'ṣy' conjunct tight., kalaśān: retroflex 'ṣ' not needed here; it's 'ś' palatal—keep it soft., āviśan: long ā; 'vi' short; 'ś' clear., indrasya: dental 'd', not retroflex.
Energetic and flowing first half; inward, resonant second half.
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