Rig Veda 9.69.9: Mandala 9, Sukta 69, Mantra 9
Sukta 9.69
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
एते सोमाः पवमानास इन्द्रं रथा इव प्र ययुः सातिमच्छ । सुताः पवित्रमति यन्त्यव्यं हित्वी वव्रिं हरितो वृष्टिमच्छ ॥
etḗ somā́ḥ pávamānāsa índraṃ ráthā iva prá yayuḥ sātím áccha | sutā́ḥ pavítram áti yánty ávyaṃ hitvī́ vavríṃ haríto vṛ́ṣṭim áccha ||
यह सोम की धारें साफ हो रही हैं और इंद्र की तरफ जा रही हैं। जैसे रथ जीतने के लिए दौड़ते हैं, वैसे ही यह भी जाते हैं। रस निकाल के, यह कपड़े के फ़िल्टर से गुज़र जाते हैं। पुराना ढक्कन छोड़ के, चमकदार धारें बारिश की तरफ चली जाती हैं।
Word by Word
- एते
- thesePronoun/Determinerपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमाः
- Soma-juicesNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवमानासः
- purifying (as they flow)Adjective (participle)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पवमान (√पू/पु ‘to purify, cleanse’ → पवमान ‘purifying’)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथाः
- chariotsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (उपमान-कर्तृ)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-अव्ययम्Root इव
- प्र
- forth, forwardPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्गः (गत्यर्थ-प्रवृत्त्यर्थः)Root प्र
- ययुः
- they have gone / wentVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root √या (गत्यर्थः)
- सातिम्
- winning, gain, prizeNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot साति (प्रातिपदिक; √सा/सन् ‘to win, gain’ → ‘winning, gain’)
- अच्छ
- towardsIndeclinableगत्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (towards)Root अच्छ
- सुताः
- pressedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (सोमाः इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot सुत (√सु ‘to press’ → ‘pressed’)
- पवित्रम्
- the filter, strainerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role Karma (गमनस्य/अतिक्रमणस्य)Root पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अति
- over, acrossPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्गः/अव्ययम् (beyond, across)Root अति
- यन्ति
- they goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root √या (गत्यर्थः)
- अव्यम्
- woollen (made of sheep’s wool)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (पवित्रम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषण-सम्बन्धः)Root अवि (प्रातिपदिक) → अव्य (विशेषण ‘of sheep/woollen’)
- हित्वा
- having leftGerundक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययम् (पूर्वक्रिया)Root √हा (त्यागे) → क्त्वान्त
- वव्रिम्
- the covering/veilNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वव्रि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘covering, enclosure, veil’)
- हरितः
- the tawny ones (golden Soma streams)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (सोमाः इति विशेषण/उपनाम)Role KartāRoot हरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्टिम्
- rain, showerNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; √वृष् ‘to rain, shower’)
- अच्छ
- towardsIndeclinableगत्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (towards)Root अच्छ
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): एते सोमाः पवमानासः इन्द्रम् रथाः इव प्र ययुः सातिम् अच्छ । सुताः पवित्रम् अति यन्ति अव्यम् हित्वा वव्रिम् हरितः वृष्टिम् अच्छ ॥ 1) सोमा॒: पव॑मानासः → सोमाः पवमानासः (विसर्गः + प्)
- 2) इन्द्रं॒ रथा॑ इव → इन्द्रम् रथाः इव (म् + र्; रथाः प्रथमा बहु)
- 3) ययुः सा॒तिमच्छ॑ → ययुः सातिम् अच्छ (म् + अ-)
- 4) प॒वित्र॒मति॑ → पवित्रम् अति
- 5) य॒न्त्यव्यं॑ → यन्ति अव्यम्
- 6) हि॒त्वी व॒व्रिं → हित्वा वव्रिम् (RV-पाठे हित्वी इति छान्दस-रूपम्; क्त्वा-अर्थे)
- 7) हरितो॑ वृ॒ष्टिमच्छ॑ → हरितः वृष्टिम् अच्छ
The meaning
Outer meaning
These purifying Soma currents go forth to Indra like chariots toward the winning. Pressed, they pass beyond the woollen filter; leaving the covering behind, the tawny ones go toward the rain—toward the outpouring of abundance.
Inner meaning
The multiple Soma-streams (currents of Ananda) are dynamic vehicles (rathā iva) for the soul’s victory (sāti). They move toward Indra—the illumined mind that can receive and use the delight-force for conquering obscurity. Passing beyond the ‘wool’ filter (avyam pavitram) indicates the refinement beyond ordinary mental-vital textures; leaving behind the ‘covering’ (vavri) signifies shedding the veil of ignorance and subconscient resistance. The tawny currents then go toward ‘rain’ (vṛṣṭi): the descent of higher abundance—illumination, force, and joy pouring into the earth-nature.
Universal truth
When joy is purified and freed from the veils of ignorance, it becomes a victorious power that draws down higher abundance into life.
Themes
Indra-directed offering, Crossing the filter, Rain of plenitude, Organized divine movement
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.69.1-9
Significance
A complete inner-sacrifice sequence: extraction (suta), refinement (pavitra), removal of veil (vavri), offering to illumination (Indra), and descent of abundance (vṛṣṭi).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (going to Indra)
- Epithets
- pavamāna (purifying), harita (tawny), suta (pressed)
- Related deities
- Indra, Parjanya (rain principle)
Cosmic role
Purified Soma hastens to Indra to empower victory and to bring rain-like plenty.
Inner power
Ananda as a victorious dynamis: it refines, unveils, aligns with illumination, and draws down higher influx.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration and offering to Indra; transition from filtering to offering
ए॒ते सोमा॒: पव॑मानास॒ इन्द्रं॒ रथा॑ इव॒ प्र य॑युः सा॒तिमच्छ॑ । सु॒ताः प॒वित्र॒मति॑ य॒न्त्यव्यं॑ हि॒त्वी व॒व्रिं ह॒रितो॑ वृ॒ष्टिमच्छ॑ ॥
ए॒ते । सोमाः॑ । पव॑मानासः । इन्द्र॑म् । रथाः॑ऽइव । प्र । य॒युः॒ । सा॒तिम् । अच्छ॑ । सु॒ताः । प॒वित्र॑म् । अति॑ । य॒न्ति॒ । अव्य॑म् । हि॒त्वी । व॒व्रिम् । ह॒रितः॑ । वृ॒ष्टिम् । अच्छ॑ ॥
ete | somāḥ | pavamānāsaḥ | indram | rathāḥ-iva | pra | yayuḥ | sātim | accha | sutāḥ | pavitram | ati | yanti | avyam | hitvī | vavrim | haritaḥ | vṛṣṭim | accha
Forward-driving and triumphant, with clear motion verbs (pra yayuḥ, ati yanti) and release (hitvī).
Builds momentum and confidence; evokes breakthrough and descent of force.
- सोमाः पवमानासः (somāḥ pavamānāsaḥ)
- Literal: Somas, purifying. Symbolic: multiple currents of clarified Ananda
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind; victorious illumination
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: vehicle of force carrying consciousness toward attainment
- साति (sāti)
- Literal: winning, victory, attainment. Symbolic: inner conquest; successful realization
- सुत (suta)
- Literal: pressed out. Symbolic: distilled essence extracted by aspiration and discipline
- पवित्र (pavitra)
- Literal: filter, purifier. Symbolic: discriminating process of refinement in consciousness
- अव्य (avya)
- Literal: woollen. Symbolic: texture of lower nature/mental-vital fabric through which refinement occurs
- वव्रि (vavri)
- Literal: covering, veil. Symbolic: Vṛtra-like cover; ignorance, subconscient concealment
- हरित (harita)
- Literal: tawny, golden. Symbolic: radiant life-force of Soma
- वृष्टि (vṛṣṭi)
- Literal: rain. Symbolic: descent of higher abundance/grace into the lower nature
Describes Soma’s movement after pressing/filtration toward Indra; in ritual, Soma offered to Indra for victory and rain/boon.
As Soma is pressed, strained through wool, and directed to Indra’s share
Chant during/after straining as Soma is carried to offering vessels; associated with winning boons
Use for ‘breakthrough’ practice: when stuck in dullness, chant to invoke unveiling (hitvī vavrim) and call down higher influx (vṛṣṭi).
sāti ‘winning’ (from √san/√sā ‘to gain’) is read as attainment of inner victory. vavri ‘covering’ (√vṛ ‘cover’) is obstacle/sheath. vṛṣṭi ‘rain’ becomes the descent of abundance from above—psychologically, a shower of illumination and force after purification.
Victory (sāti) as attainment, Removal of coverings (vavri), Descent of abundance (vṛṣṭi)
The ordered sequence—press, filter, unveil, offer—embodies Rita as method of transformation.
Leaving the covering behind is the movement from concealment to truth-disclosure.
Rain as descent from above mirrors the cosmic exchange: heaven’s powers fertilize earth-nature.
Vedic yoga of ascent-and-descent (offering to Indra → rain of abundance)
rainy season imagery (vṛṣṭi)
Chariot = directed force; wool filter = refining medium; veil = ignorance; rain = descent of higher consciousness/force into life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Soma host rides like chariots to Indra for victory, then becomes rain: purified delight, united with illumined force, transforms into a descending abundance that nourishes the worlds (inner and outer).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Chariot imagery for divine advance is strongly Indo-European. The ‘rain as boon’ motif is also widespread; in Vedic, it is tightly linked to Indra and victory, preserving an archaic storm/sovereignty nexus while internalizing it.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns the offering’s trajectory: Soma must reach Indra (illumined power) to become effective victory and then a shower of increase. The human role is to press and purify; the divine role is to convert into victorious descent.
Offer purified joy to the illumined mind; consciously drop the ‘covering’ (habitual dullness, fear, compulsions) and invite a rain of higher force.
ajna (Indra) with sahasrara (descent of rain-like influx)
kapālabhāti-light or energizing exhales to ‘press out’ dullness, followed by slow receptive breathing to receive ‘rain’
victorious clarity with receptive descent
Begin with aspiration (pressing). Notice the ‘wool’ of mental habits; let awareness refine through it without getting caught. Then perform a deliberate inner act of renunciation: ‘I leave the veil behind.’ Rest and allow a quiet descent—cool, nourishing, rain-like.
Use Vedic accents as marked (e.g., ए॒ते सोमा॒:, इन्द्रं॒).
Give forward drive on ‘pra yayuḥ’ and ‘ati yanti’; mark a decisive release on ‘hitvī vavrim’; soften slightly on ‘vṛṣṭim accha’ to feel descent.
pavamānāsa: long ā; keep ‘mā’ open, indraṃ: clear nasal ending ‘ṃ’, rathā iva: light ‘iva’ not ‘eeva’, pavitram ati: crisp dental t; ‘ati’ short a, avyam: ‘vya’ cluster clean; avoid inserting extra vowel, hitvī: long ī; do not shorten, vavrim: ‘vav’ repeated; keep ‘vri’ with vocalic feel, harito: dental t; open o
strong, forward, triumphant yet controlled
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