Rig Veda 9.65.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 65, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.65
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वृषा ह्यसि भानुना द्युमन्तं त्वा हवामहे । पवमान स्वाध्यः ॥
vṛ́ṣā hy ási bhānúnā dyumántaṃ tvā havāmahe | pavámāna svādhyàḥ ||
तू रोशनी में बड़ा बलवान है। हम तुझे बुला रहे हैं, तू चमकता है। हे सोमा, तू खुद की शक्ति से मज़बूत है।
Word by Word
- वृषा
- bull; the strong oneNoun (used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (of ‘असि’)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष् (वर्षणे/सेचने)
- हि
- indeed; forIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/causal particle)Root हि (निपात)
- असि
- thou artVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (copula)Root √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)
- भानुना
- with (thy) radiance/lightNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्यु॒मन्तम्
- the brilliant, radiant (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (of ‘हवामहे’)Root द्यु॒मत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्युमत्’ = possessing brilliance) < द्युत्/द्युम्न
- त्वा
- theePronounद्वितीया एकवचन (enclitic form)Role Karma (of ‘हवामहे’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हवामहे
- we invoke/callVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √ह्वे (आह्वाने) / √हू (आह्वाने)
- पवमान
- O Pavamāna (self-purifying Soma)Participle (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचनRole Sambodhana (address)Root पवमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < √पू (पवने/शोधने) + शानच् (मध्यम/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- स्वाध्यः
- mighty; of good power; well-disposedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (predicate epithet of the addressed deity)Role Kartā/Predicate (in sense: ‘thou art …’)Root स्वाध्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्वाध्य’ = of good/own power, well-disposed)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: वृषा | हि | असि | भानुना | द्युमन्तम् | त्वा | हवामहे | पवमान | स्वाध्यः । 1) ह्यसि = हि + असि (यण्/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: इ + अ → य + अ). 2) द्युमन्तं त्वा: ‘द्युमन्तम्’ (अन्त्य-म्) + ‘त्वा’ (त्) — परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रयोगः
- लेख्ये ‘म्’ एव। 3) पवमान स्वाध्यः: विसर्गः पदान्ते (स्वाध्यः) वाक्यसमाप्तौ स्थिरः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
You are the Bull by your beam of light; we call you, the radiant one—O Pavamāna, svādhyaḥ.
Inner meaning
Soma is the strong begetter-force (vṛṣā) because his light (bhānu) makes consciousness fruitful; we invoke that radiant delight which is self-sustained in its right power (svādhyaḥ), capable of inner realization without dependence on outer supports.
Universal truth
Spiritual strength is born of illumination; when joy is grounded in the self, it becomes a stable power that generates right action and growth.
Themes
Soma as Bull, illumination, invocation, inner power
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9 hymns calling Soma ‘vṛṣan’ and ‘dyumant’ (common epithets across Mandala 9)
Family tradition
Pavamāna tradition highlighting Soma as both light and strength—illumination that is also generative power.
Significance
The seer points to a key yogic criterion: true ananda is svādhya—self-founded—therefore it can act as a stable creative force.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Vṛṣā (Bull), Dyumant (radiant), Svādhyaḥ (self-powered)
- Related deities
- Indra (vṛṣan, strength), Agni (light/will), Sūrya (bhānu)
Cosmic role
Fertility of light: Soma’s illumination makes the worlds fruitful and the gods strong; he is the luminous sap of existence.
Inner power
Self-sustained ananda that generates strength and clarity; a stable bliss that empowers right will.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and praise during Soma rites
वृषा॒ ह्यसि॑ भा॒नुना॑ द्यु॒मन्तं॑ त्वा हवामहे । पव॑मान स्वा॒ध्य॑: ॥
वृषा॑ । हि । असि॑ । भा॒नुना॑ । द्यु॒ऽमन्त॑म् । त्वा॒ । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ । पव॑मान । सु॒ऽआ॒ध्यः॑ ॥
vṛṣā | hi | asi | bhānunā | dyu-mantam | tvā | havāmahe | pavamāna | su-ādhyaḥ
24
3 × ~8
Strong, declarative opening (‘vṛṣā hy asi’) followed by clear invocation.
Builds confidence and inner firmness; suitable for energizing yet controlled practice.
- vṛṣā
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: generative power; victorious, fecund force in consciousness
- bhānunā
- Literal: by the beam/light. Symbolic: by illumination that reveals and empowers
- dyumantam
- Literal: radiant, full of light. Symbolic: mind/being charged with truth-light
- havāmahe
- Literal: we call/invoke. Symbolic: aspiration inviting descent and establishment
- svādhyaḥ (su-ādhyaḥ)
- Literal: of good foundation/own power; self-sustaining. Symbolic: inner autonomy of realization; delight founded in the Self
Invocation during Soma flow: Soma is hailed as potent and luminous; the rite calls this power to become active as inner effective force (svādhā) in the sacrificer.
While Soma is flowing; to affirm Soma’s strength and radiance for effective offering.
Recitation accompanying straining/collection; supports ‘calling’ Soma into the rite.
Chant when needing steady inner power (svādhya) rather than mood-dependent motivation.
vṛ́ṣā: epithet ‘Bull’ from √vṛṣ, joining rain/potency imagery. bhānúnā: instr. of bhānu ‘beam’, from √bhā ‘shine’. dyumántam: accus. of dyumant ‘luminous’, from dyu ‘sky, brightness’. havāmahe: 1pl middle of √hū ‘call’. svādhyàḥ: Vedic adjective related to svādhā (svā + √dhā ‘to place’), indicating an inherent, rightly-placed power of effectuation—inner autonomy of the divine force.
svādhā (self-law, inherent power of realization), illumined potency (light as force)
Self-founded delight stabilizes right order in action; it prevents dispersion of force.
Bhānu is truth-light that makes strength luminous, not violent.
Light as the generative seed of power—illumination begets effective force.
Integral Vedic psychology: bliss and light are not separate; ananda is a power of realization.
Dawn-to-daylight transition (implied by increasing radiance)
A surge of luminous strength in the vital and mind, grounded in self-sustaining joy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the Bull of light: potency and illumination are fused, suggesting the life-force that both pours abundance and reveals. Innerly, the clarified delight becomes an autonomous power (svādhā) that can effect realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyu (brightness/sky) continues PIE *dyeu- ‘sky, daylight’ (cf. Greek Zeus, Latin Iuppiter via *dyeu-pəter). deva’s luminous semantics resonate with the same light-root network; the verse’s diction is built on archaic Indo-European ‘light = divinity’ poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer invokes not merely an external drink but a luminous potency to awaken within; the address ‘svādhyàḥ’ frames Soma as possessing inherent executive power, which the rishi seeks to draw into active presence through the call (havāmahe).
Invoke a ‘beam’ of truth-light and feel it turning into calm strength throughout the body.
Ajna (beam of light) and Manipura (strength)
Brisk-energetic but controlled: 6–8 rounds of nāḍī-śodhana, then chant.
Bright, courageous steadiness.
On ‘vṛṣā’ feel strength; on ‘bhānunā’ feel illumination; rest after chanting in a stable joy that does not seek stimulus.
Not specified in input; apply Vedic accents per śākhā.
Deliver ‘vṛṣā hy asi’ firmly; soften into invocation on ‘tvā havāmahe’; keep ‘pavamāna svādhyaḥ’ as a dignified close.
(vṛṣā): vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṣ; long ā, (bhānunā): aspirated bh; long ā, (dyumantam): ‘dyu’ as one cluster; clear ‘m’, (havāmahe): smooth ‘vā’ long ā, (svādhyaḥ): ‘svā’ long ā; ‘dhya’ cluster clear
Firm, resonant, slightly elevated pitch on the first pāda; steady finish.
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