Rig Veda 9.63.15: Mandala 9, Sukta 63, Mantra 15
Sukta 9.63
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Not derivable with certainty from provided excerpt alone
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सुता इन्द्राय वज्रिणे सोमासो दध्याशिरः । पवित्रमत्यक्षरन् ॥
sutā́ indrā́ya vajríṇe somā́so dádhyāśiraḥ | pavítram áty akṣaran ||
सोम रस को निचोड़ के तैयार किया गया है। उसमें दही मिलाया है और वो पानी के फ़िल्टर से गुज़र के बाहर आया है। यह सब इंद्र के लिए है जो वज्र लेकर दुश्मनों पे मारता है। इससे हमारे अंदर जीतने की ताकत आती है।
Word by Word
- सुताः
- pressed (soma-drops)Noun/Adjective (PPP used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सोमाः—‘pressed/expressed’)Root सु (धातु) → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राय
- for/to IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान (to Indra)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वज्रिणे
- to the wielder of the thunderboltAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान (agreeing with इन्द्राय)Root वज्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having a vajra’)
- सोमासः
- Soma (drops)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (with सुताः; subject)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- दध्याशिरः
- (as) curd-mixed (soma), ‘with dadhyāśir’Noun (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (सोमासः इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्/अप्पोजिशन)Role कर्तृ (appositional to सोमासः)Root दधि + आशिर्/आशिस् (प्रातिपदिक; compound)
- पवित्रम्
- the filter/strainerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (object of अ-क्षरन् ‘flowed through’)Root पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अति
- over, throughIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गः (अति-क्षरन्)Role (verbal modifier)Root अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अक्षरन्
- they flowed (ran)Verbलुङ् (अorist/इम्पर्फेक्ट-प्रायः), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (of सोमासः/सुताः)Root क्षर् (धातु) + अ (अग्म/लुङ् augment)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सुताः | इन्द्राय | वज्रिणे | सोमासः | दध्याशिरः | पवित्रम् | अति | अक्षरन् । Sandhi: (1) इन्द्राय वज्रिणे—द्वयोः चतुर्थ्यन्तयोः समुच्चयः, विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः (वज्रिणे इन्द्राय). (2) दध्याशिरः—समासः: दधि + आशिर्/आशिस् ‘mixture/seasoning’
- RV usage denotes soma mixed with curds. (3) पवित्रम् अति अक्षरन् → पवित्रमत्यक्षरन्: म् + अ → म + अ (अनुस्वार/मकार-लोपप्रायः), तथा अति + अक्षरन् = अत्यक्षरन् (यणादेशः/संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The pressed Soma juices, mixed with curd, have streamed past/through the strainer (pavitra) as an offering for Indra the thunderbolt-bearer.
Inner meaning
The delight-force (Soma) drawn out by inner tapas (sutāḥ, “pressed”) and stabilized by a harmonizing clarity (dadhi-āśiraḥ, “curd-mixture” as a symbol of firm, luminous cohesion) flows through the purifier (pavitra = discerning purification) and becomes fit to energize Indra—the illumined Mind with the vajra of decisive insight—so that victorious power grows within the seeker.
Universal truth
When joy is purified and made steady, it becomes spiritual force: it feeds the awakened intelligence that breaks inner resistance and establishes effective, victorious action.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Indra-Soma alliance, victory-force, purification
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.63 (Pavamāna Soma sequence), Rig Veda 9.62 (adjacent Pavāmāna hymns), Rig Veda 9.64 (adjacent Pavāmāna hymns)
Significance
The anonymity mirrors the impersonal nature of the Soma-stream: the vision is less biographical and more a repeatable yogic process—purified delight empowering illumined mind.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Soma in the act of purification), with offering directed to Indra Vajrin
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (self-purifying), Indu (bright drop), Madhu-mat (honeyed), for Indra Vajrin (vajra-bearer)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Soma is the circulating delight in creation that, when purified, becomes the food of the gods—especially Indra’s power of luminous victory.
Inner power
Ananda refined into a clear current that intensifies discernment, courage, and effective will; it “feeds” the inner Indra to strike down obscurity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (Pavamāna recitation during straining)
सु॒ता इन्द्रा॑य व॒ज्रिणे॒ सोमा॑सो॒ दध्या॑शिरः । प॒वित्र॒मत्य॑क्षरन् ॥
सु॒ताः । इन्द्रा॑य । व॒ज्रिणे॑ । सोमा॑सः । दधि॑ऽआशिरः । प॒वित्र॑म् । अति॑ । अ॒क्ष॒र॒न् ॥
sutāḥ | indrāya | vajriṇe | somāsaḥ | dadhi-āśiraḥ | pavitram | ati | akṣaran
Likely Trishtubh (common in Soma Pavāmāna verses), but not fully certain from excerpt alone
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approx.)
Forward-driving, wave-like cadence suited to ‘flow’ imagery
Builds a sense of streaming force and victorious uplift; supports energizing concentration rather than quietude alone.
- sutāḥ
- Literal: pressed out (Soma). Symbolic: delight extracted by aspiration and discipline; the essence won from experience
- somāsaḥ
- Literal: Soma juices. Symbolic: ananda-current; bliss-substance of consciousness
- dadhyāśiraḥ (dadhi-āśiraḥ)
- Literal: mixed with curd. Symbolic: stabilized delight; luminous cohesion, calm firmness supporting ecstasy
- pavitram
- Literal: filter/strainer. Symbolic: inner purifier: discrimination, refinement of consciousness
- ati akṣaran
- Literal: flowed beyond/through. Symbolic: surpassed lower mixture; moved into a clearer, subtler channel
- indrāya vajriṇe
- Literal: for Indra the vajra-bearer. Symbolic: for the illumined mind that wields decisive truth-force to break obstruction
Indra’s Soma offering; pavamāna passing through pavitra; dadhi-mixture usage in Soma rites
During Soma-yāga, especially at the moment of filtering/straining through wool
Chant while Soma is poured/strained and collected; offering intention toward Indra’s strength
Use as a mantra of ‘purified joy’: before demanding work or sadhana, invoke clarified delight to empower clear decisions and inner breakthroughs.
vajra- from √vaj/√vajr ‘to be strong’ (and as ‘thunderbolt’), hence vajrín ‘wielder of decisive force’. dadhi ‘curd’ from √dhā/√dheh₁? (set/put) historically; in Vedic ritual it is a thickening/stabilizing admixture—psychologically, a support that makes delight hold in the system. pavitra from √pū ‘purify’ → instrument of clarification. ati ‘across/beyond’ indicates surpassing the filtering threshold.
purification as threshold (pavitra), Indra as victorious power, stabilization of delight (dadhi)
Purification aligns the delight-current with ṛta so it can sustain divine functioning (Indra).
Indra’s vajra embodies truth’s decisive stroke; Soma becomes fit fuel for that truth-action.
Essence emerges by pressure and refinement; the subtle is born from the gross through ordered transformation.
Proto-Vedantic/Integral (Aurobindo): ascent by purification of vital-mental energies into luminous Ananda.
A current of delight moving through inner discernment; the ‘curd’ suggests coagulated steadiness—joy that can hold and nourish illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Indra–Soma partnership: Soma, once clarified, empowers Indra’s vajra-force. Mythically this underlies Vṛtra-slaying; psychologically it is the infusion of purified delight into the will of victory that breaks inner obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Indra’s vajra aligns with the Indo-European storm/weapon complex (thunderbolt motifs across IE). The verb √kṣar ‘flow’ and the crossing marker áti preserve the archaic ritual-poetic depiction of ‘passing beyond’ a boundary to reach the god.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer positions the human action (pressing, mixing, filtering) as cooperation with cosmic powers: by preparing Soma rightly, the sacrificer enables Indra’s victorious force to act. The reciprocity is technical and spiritual: correct purification yields effective divine intervention.
Let delight rise, then refine it through discrimination until it becomes steady power for clear insight and decisive action.
Manipura (will/force) supported by Ajna (illumined decision)
Moderate ujjayi or smooth nasal breathing; exhale as ‘flow through the filter’ visualization
Energized clarity—joy becoming forceful illumination
Recall a pure joy, ‘press’ it by aspiration, then pass it through inner honesty; offer the refined delight to the higher mind before acting.
Notated svaras not provided; chant with standard Rigvedic accent awareness: preserve udatta peaks on accented syllables, avoid flattening cadences.
Keep clear rise on vocatives/targets (indrā́ya, vajríṇe); maintain flow across sandhi without swallowing consonants.
sutāḥ: clear dental ‘t’, long ā, vajriṇe: ‘jri’ cluster crisp; retroflex ṇ, dadhyāśiraḥ: articulate ‘dhyā’ (dh+yā), keep ś as palatal, pavitram: short i, crisp tr, akṣaran: kṣ as single cluster (k+ṣ)
Bright, flowing, slightly forceful; sustain vowels to evoke ‘streaming’
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