Rig Veda 9.72.6: Mandala 9, Sukta 72, Mantra 6
Sukta 9.72
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अंशुं दुहन्ति स्तनयन्तमक्षितं कविं कवयोऽपसो मनीषिणः । समी गावो मतयो यन्ति संयत ऋतस्य योना सदने पुनर्भुवः ॥
aṃśúṃ duhanti stanáyantam ákṣitaṃ kavíṃ kaváyo ’páso manīṣíṇaḥ | samī́ gā́vo matáyo yanti saṃyátā ṛtásya yónā sádane punárbhuvaḥ ||
रिशि लोग उस चमकते हुए रोशनी को दूध की तरह निचोड़ते हैं। यह कभी खत्म नहीं होता, गूँजता रहता है। यह लोग बहुत समझदार हैं, अच्छा काम करते हैं। रोशनी और सोच साथ-साथ चलती है, सही ढंग से। सचाई के पास जाते हैं, उस जगह जहाँ नई शुरुआत होती है।
Word by Word
- अंशुम्
- the Soma-stalk / Soma (as ‘ray, stalk’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अंशु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहन्ति
- they milk / draw outVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root दुह् (धातु)
- स्तनयन्तम्
- thundering, roaringAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root स्तनय् (धातु) → स्तनयन्त् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- अक्षितम्
- unperishing, undecayingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root अ-क्षि (√क्षि ‘क्षय’/‘क्षीण’)
- कविम्
- the seer-poet (Soma as inspired one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot कवि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- कवयः
- the seersNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot कवि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपसः
- the works, ritual laborsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (वैदिक); प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (कवयः इति सह)Root अपस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनीषिणः
- the wise, the thoughtfulNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (कवयः इति सह)Root मनीषिन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- समी
- together, in unisonIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root समी (अव्यय)
- गावः
- the cows (often: rays/streams)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot गो- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मतयः
- the thoughts, inspirationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (गावः इति सह)Root मति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यन्ति
- they go, they proceedVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root या (धातु)
- संयतः
- restrained, held together, well-yokedAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (गावः/मतयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सम्-यम् (धातु) → संयत (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order / truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root ऋत- (प्रातिपदिक)
- योनौ
- in the womb/seat/sourceNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot योनि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदने
- in the dwelling, in the abodeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सदन- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुनर्भुवः
- becoming again, returning anew (renewers)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (गावः/मतयः इत्यस्य विशेषण/सम्बोधन-स्वरूप)Root पुनर् (अव्यय) + भू (धातु) → पुनर्भू (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अंशुम् | दुहन्ति | स्तनयन्तम् | अक्षितम् | कविम् | कवयः | अपसः | मनीषिणः || समी | गावः | मतयः | यन्ति | संयतः | ऋतस्य | योनौ | सदने | पुनर्भुवः || 1) कवयोऽपसः = कवयः + अपसः (विसर्गस्य ‘ओ’ आदेशः, अवग्रहः)
- 2) पुनर्भुवः = पुनर् + भुवः (रेफ-सन्धिः; ‘पुनर्’ + व्यञ्जन-आरम्भ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seers milk the bright beam, thundering and inexhaustible—poets skilled in works and insightful. Together the cows (rays) and the thought-movements go, held in harmony, to the womb of ṛta, to the seat where becoming is renewed.
Inner meaning
The aṃśu (Soma-beam/essence) is ‘milked’—drawn out—by the kavi-seers through right works (apas) and deep insight (manīṣā). It is thundering (stanayantam): a powerful descent that shakes the lower nature, yet inexhaustible (akṣitam): the Ananda-source does not diminish. Then the rays of knowledge (gāvaḥ) and the movements of thought/formation (matayaḥ) proceed together, disciplined (saṃyata), into the yoni of ṛta—the matrix of right order—where consciousness is renewed (punar-bhuvaḥ). This is the Vedic image of integral transformation: knowledge-rays and thought-forces unified and led back to the Truth-womb for continual rebirth.
Universal truth
True renewal comes when insight and action draw from an inexhaustible inner source, and when knowledge and thought are harmonized and returned to the matrix of truth. Then becoming is not repetition but progressive rebirth into a higher order.
Themes
seer-work, extraction of Soma, light and thought convergence, truth-source
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.72.4, Rig Veda 9.72.5
Significance
This mantra is a compact statement of Vedic inner alchemy: the seerhood ‘milks’ the Soma-beam; then rays (knowledge) and thought-formations reunite in ṛta’s womb for renewal—an image of repeated spiritual rebirth through truth-order.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Aṃśu (beam), Akṣita (inexhaustible), Kavi (seer-power), Stanayant (thundering)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (truth-word), Indra (illumination), Agni (will that works)
Cosmic role
Soma as luminous essence that renews worlds; he is drawn forth by the seers and returns beings to ṛta’s generative matrix.
Inner power
Inexhaustible Ananda-light that both awakens (thunders) and restores (renews becoming) by re-rooting mind in truth-order.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna Soma purification chants during straining/collection; also a contemplative praise of the seers’ action in extracting Soma.
अं॒शुं दु॑हन्ति स्त॒नय॑न्त॒मक्षि॑तं क॒विं क॒वयो॒ऽपसो॑ मनी॒षिण॑: । समी॒ गावो॑ म॒तयो॑ यन्ति सं॒यत॑ ऋ॒तस्य॒ योना॒ सद॑ने पुन॒र्भुव॑: ॥
अं॒शुम् । दु॒ह॒न्ति॒ । स्त॒नय॑न्तम् । अक्षि॑तम् । क॒विम् । क॒वयः॑ । अ॒पसः॑ । म॒नी॒षिणः॑ । सम् । ई॒म् इति॑ । गावः॑ । म॒तयः॑ । य॒न्ति॒ । स॒म्ऽयतः॑ । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । योना॑ । सद॑ने । पु॒नः॒ऽभुवः॑ ॥
aṃśum | duhanti | stanayantam | akṣitam | kavim | kavayaḥ | apasaḥ | manīṣiṇaḥ | sam | īm iti | gāvaḥ | matayaḥ | yanti | sam-yataḥ | ṛtasya | yonā | sadane | punaḥ-bhuvaḥ
Likely Jagatī (frequent in RV 9 descriptive verses)
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables
Longer, rolling lines suitable for ‘inexhaustible’ flow and collective movement (sam ī).
Creates a continuous wave of sound that supports deepening concentration and the sense of entering a ‘womb’ of silence/truth.
- अंशु (aṃśu)
- Literal: ray/beam; Soma stalk/beam. Symbolic: luminous essence-current; concentrated Ananda-light
- दुहन्ति (duhanti)
- Literal: they milk. Symbolic: draw out the subtle essence by yogic extraction
- स्तनयन्तम् (stanayantam)
- Literal: thundering. Symbolic: powerful descent that awakens and breaks inertia
- अक्षितम् (akṣitam)
- Literal: undiminishing/inexhaustible. Symbolic: limitless source of Ananda-consciousness
- कविम् / कवयः (kavim/kavayaḥ)
- Literal: seer/poets. Symbolic: illumined consciousness that perceives and forms truth
- अपसः (apasaḥ)
- Literal: skilled in works. Symbolic: right inner workings; effective practices
- मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ)
- Literal: wise, thoughtful. Symbolic: those with deep intuitive discernment
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge
- मतयः (matayaḥ)
- Literal: thought-movements. Symbolic: formations of mind, intentions, ideative currents
- संयतः (saṃyataḥ)
- Literal: restrained, held together. Symbolic: collected harmonization; integration
- ऋतस्य योनिः (ṛtasya yoniḥ)
- Literal: womb of ṛta. Symbolic: matrix of right order; truth-ground where forces are re-born
- पुनर्भुवः (punar-bhuvaḥ)
- Literal: becoming again/renewal. Symbolic: continual rebirth of consciousness into higher formation
Pavamāna chant accompanying Soma’s extraction/‘milking’ and its ascent toward ṛta; used in Soma purification sequences.
As Soma is made to flow and is conceptually ‘drawn out’ for offering; paired with verses describing purification and ascent to ṛta.
Straining/collecting Soma; recitation to support clarity and right ordering of the rite.
Use for meditation on ‘renewal in truth’: gather scattered thoughts and return them to a deeper truth-sense, letting insight and knowledge-rays unify.
aṃśu ‘ray/beam’ (luminous semantics); √duh ‘milk’ (PIE *dʰewgʰ- ‘produce milk’); stanay- from √stan ‘thunder’ (onomatopoetic); akṣita ‘undecaying’ (a- + √kṣi ‘perish/dwell’); kavi (seer) possibly linked to √ku/√kav ‘to see/poetize’ (Indo-Iranian kavi/kaoi); ṛta from √ar ‘fit, set in motion’ (truth-order); yoni ‘womb/source’; punar-bhuvaḥ from √bhū ‘become’ (PIE *bʰuH-). Symbolic justification: go ‘cows’ as rays because ‘gāvaḥ’ regularly denotes light/illumination in Vedic imagery, recovered and guided to ṛta’s source.
Ṛta (Truth-Order), Yoni of ṛta (source of truth-consciousness), Punarbhū (renewed becoming/transformation)
Explicit: forces move to ṛtasya yoni—truth-order as generative matrix.
The ‘seat’ (sadana) of ṛta implies a stable truth-consciousness where mind is re-formed.
Re-creation through returning to the womb of order; becoming is renewed by recontacting the truth-matrix.
Upaniṣadic-leaning Vedic psychology: truth as womb/matrix; renewal as repeated rebirth into higher consciousness.
Milking = extraction of essence; thunder = awakening shock breaking tamas; cows = rays of knowledge; womb of ṛta = deep truth-ordering consciousness where mind is regenerated.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘milking of the beam’ by seers and the gathering of cows (rays) to ṛta’s womb: it reworks the cattle/light myth into an inner epistemology—illumining rays and inspired thoughts converge into the source of Truth where the being is re-born.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √duh ‘milk’ is a robust PIE inheritance and supports the archaic pastoral-sacral metaphor used for extracting sacred potency. √bhū in punar-bhuvaḥ reflects PIE *bʰuH- (‘become’), tying the mantra’s ‘renewed becoming’ to an ancient Indo-European verbal core.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishis are not passive singers: they ‘milk’ the aṃśu and guide lights and thoughts into ṛta’s yoni. Soma responds as an inexhaustible, thundering kavi—divine knowledge-power that cooperates with human insight to renew existence.
Draw the ‘Soma-beam’—a cool luminous essence—through insight and steady practice; then unite knowledge-rays and thought-movements and rest them in the truth-womb (ṛta).
Ājñā and Sahasrāra (truth-seat and renewal from above)
Slow meditative breathing with subtle ujjāyī-like whisper to evoke ‘stanayantam’ (gentle inner thunder), followed by silent retention to ‘rest in the womb’.
Luminous, collected, regenerative stillness; sense of being re-formed from a deeper truth.
On inhale, feel a bright beam descending; on exhale, ‘milk’ its essence into the heart-mind. Gather thoughts and light-rays together; place them in a silent inner seat of rightness. Allow a sense of renewal—fresh becoming without strain.
Preserve udātta prominence on key words (áṃśum, stánayantam, ṛtásya); allow the longer jagatī line to ‘roll’ without losing accent peaks.
Let ‘sam ī gāvo matayo yanti’ be chanted as a unified gathering phrase; slightly lengthen at ‘ṛtasya yonā’ to evoke entering the womb.
aṃśum: anusvāra before ś; keep ś palatal, stanayantam: clear ny cluster; avoid over-nasalizing, akṣitam: kṣ as tight cluster, manīṣiṇaḥ: long ī; retroflex ṣ, saṃyata: anusvāra before y; keep y clear, yonā: long ā; open o
Deep, even, resonant; a gentle ‘rumble’ undertone to suggest thunder turning into calm.
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