Rig Veda 9.74.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 74, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.74
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna as ruler of rain/waters and leader of luminous herds
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
महि प्सरः सुकृतं सोम्यं मधूर्वी गव्यूतिरदितेॠतं यते । ईशे यो वृष्टेरित उस्रियो वृषापां नेता य इतऊतिॠग्मियः ॥
máhi psáraḥ súkṛtaṃ somyáṃ mádhurvī́ gavyū́tir áditer ṛtáṃ yaté | ī́śe yó vṛ́ṣṭer itá usríyo vṛ́ṣā́pāṃ netā́ yá itá-ūtír ṛgmyáḥ ||
बहुत बड़ी गति है, अच्छी तरह बना हुआ, सोम से निकला मीठा पानी। अदिति का रास्ता छोटा है, जो सही दिशा में जाता है। वो बारिश और चमकते हुए जानवरों पर राज करता है। वो बैल है, पानी का लीडर, उसकी मदद गानों के लायक है।
Word by Word
- महि
- greatly; greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत् ‘महद्’ = ‘बहु/अत्यर्थम्’)Role Karma (गुण/परिमाण-निर्देशः)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक) / मह् (वृद्धौ) (निरुक्त-समर्थन)
- प्सरः
- the flowing juice (Soma-stream)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot प्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रस/धार’ अर्थे, सोम-रसस्य)
- सुकृतम्
- well-made; well-preparedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (प्सरः/मधुर्वी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root सु-कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृ ‘करणे’)
- सोम्यम्
- Soma-like; belonging to SomaAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root सोम्य (प्रातिपदिक; सोम-सम्बन्धि)
- मधूर्वी
- the sweet (honeyed) streamNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot मधुर्वी (प्रातिपदिक; मधु ‘sweet’ + -र्वी)
- गव्यूतिः
- the cow-path; track of the cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सम्बन्ध/उपमा-भावे)Root गव्यूति (प्रातिपदिक; गो + व्युति ‘मार्ग/पथ’)
- अदितेः
- of AditiNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतम्
- ṛta; cosmic order/truthNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role Karma (प्राप्य/गम्य-रूपेण)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- यते
- strives; makes effortVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot यत् (यत्ने/प्रयत्ने) धातु
- ईशे
- rules; has masteryVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot ईश् (ऐश्वर्ये/ईश्वरे) धातु
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्टेः
- of the rainNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; वृष् ‘वर्षणे’)
- इत्
- indeed; justIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root इत् (निपात; वैदिक-प्रयोगे ‘एव/हि/खलु’)
- उस्रियः
- the ruddy ones; (dawn-)cowsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (सह-कर्तृ/अनुचर-भावे)Root उस्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘उषस्/गो’ सम्बन्धि; ‘dawns/cows’)
- वृषा
- the bull; the mighty oneNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वृषन्/वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपाम्
- of the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जल’)
- नेता
- leader; guideNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot नीतृ (प्रातिपदिक; नी ‘नयने’)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इत
- indeedIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root इत् (निपात)
- ऊतिः
- help; aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (अभिधेय-रूपेण)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक; अव्/ऊ ‘रक्षणे/सहाय्ये’)
- ऋग्मियः
- praiseworthy with hymns; hymn-worthyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (यः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root ऋग्मिय (प्रातिपदिक; ऋच् ‘ऋक्’ + -मिय ‘स्तुत्य’)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे दृश्यते: ‘मधूर्वी’ (मधुर्वी) + ‘गव्यूतिः’ इत्यत्र संधिः न विशेषः। ‘अदितेॠ॒तं’ = ‘अदितेः ऋतम्’ (विसर्गस्य रकारादेशः/रेफ-सन्धिः; वैदिक-लेखनं ‘ॠ’ द्वारा)। ‘वृष्टेरि॒त’ = ‘वृष्टेः इत्’ (विसर्ग-लोपः/रेफ-सन्धिः; पदे निपात ‘इत्’)। ‘इतऊ॑ति’ = ‘इत् ऊतिः’ (त् + ऊ → त् ऊ; संहितायां संयोगः, दीर्घ-स्वरः यथावत्)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Great is the flowing movement and the well-made Soma sweetness; wide is Aditi’s pasture-path, the ṛta moving forward. He rules from here the rain and the shining herds; a bull, leader of the waters, his help is worthy of hymns.
Inner meaning
The ‘flow’ (psaraḥ) is the dynamic current of purified delight moving through the being—well-formed (sukṛtam), not chaotic emotion but refined Soma-sweetness (madhu). The path of the cows (gavyūtiḥ) becomes vast: the rays of knowledge open wide in Aditi’s infinitude, and ṛta ‘goes forward’—the right law becomes progressive movement in consciousness. From this awakened station (itaḥ), Soma governs the ‘rain’—the descent of higher energies—and releases the shining herds (usriyaḥ): luminous perceptions. As vṛṣā (bull), he leads the waters (apām netā): directs life-currents toward purification and illumination; therefore his aid is ṛgmiya—fit to be hymned, i.e., to be consciously affirmed.
Universal truth
Spiritual sweetness is not mere comfort; when refined, it becomes a forward-moving law (ṛta) that opens knowledge and directs life-energies to receive higher descent.
Themes
Aditi and Ṛta, Sweetness of Soma, Rain/waters governance, Recovery of rays (cows)
The seer
- Rishi
- As per Anukramaṇī: Soma Pavamāna seer tradition (Maṇḍala 9); specific ṛṣi assignment for 9.74.3 varies by recension
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.74.2, Rig Veda 9.74.4, Rig Veda 9.83 (Soma and waters/rain motifs—theme link)
Family tradition
Ninth Maṇḍala transmissions emphasize experiential purification; the ‘seer’ voice often speaks from within the movement of Soma itself.
Significance
The seer perceives Soma as the law of progressive right movement (ṛtam yate) opening the knowledge-rays (go/usriyaḥ) and governing the descents (vṛṣṭi).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- madhu (sweet), sukṛta (well-formed), vṛṣā (bull), apām netā (leader of waters), ṛgmiya (worthy of hymns)
- Related deities
- Aditi (infinite wideness), Parjanya (rain—outer correspondent), Indra (receiver and wielder of Soma’s force), Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration/knowledge)
Cosmic role
Regulator of the rain-waters and opener of luminous herds; establishes ṛta’s forward motion within the worlds.
Inner power
Directs emotional-vital currents (waters) and brings descending inspiration (rain), converting them into illumination (shining cows).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and offering sequences
महि॒ प्सर॒: सुकृ॑तं सो॒म्यं मधू॒र्वी गव्यू॑ति॒रदि॑तेॠ॒तं य॒ते । ईशे॒ यो वृ॒ष्टेरि॒त उ॒स्रियो॒ वृषा॒पां ने॒ता य इ॒तऊ॑तिॠ॒ग्मिय॑: ॥
महि॑ । प्सरः॑ । सुऽकृ॑तम् । सो॒म्यम् । मधु॑ । उ॒र्वी । गव्यू॑तिः । अदि॑तेः । ऋ॒तम् । य॒ते । ईशे॑ । यः । वृ॒ष्टेः । इ॒तः । उ॒स्रियः॑ । वृषा॑ । अ॒पाम् । ने॒ता । यः । इ॒तःऽऊ॑तिः । ऋ॒ग्मियः॑ ॥
mahi | psaraḥ | su-kṛtam | somyam | madhu | urvī | gavyūtiḥ | aditeḥ | ṛtam | yate | īśe | yaḥ | vṛṣṭeḥ | itaḥ | usriyaḥ | vṛṣā | apām | netā | yaḥ | itaḥ-ūtiḥ | ṛgmiyaḥ
48
4 × ~12
Surging and expansive, suited to ‘flow’ (psaraḥ) and wideness (urvī).
Invokes a felt current of sweetness and forward movement; energizes aspiration while keeping harmony.
- psaraḥ
- Literal: flowing, streaming motion. Symbolic: current of consciousness; dynamic movement of delight
- sukṛtam
- Literal: well-made. Symbolic: refined, harmonized inner substance (not mixed desire)
- somyam madhu
- Literal: Soma sweetness/honey. Symbolic: ānanda as conscious nectar
- urvī
- Literal: wide. Symbolic: vastness of consciousness (bṛhat)
- gavyūtiḥ
- Literal: cow-path/pasture-track. Symbolic: path of rays of knowledge; luminous field for perception
- aditeḥ
- Literal: of Aditi (the Infinite). Symbolic: infinite consciousness, freedom from division
- ṛtam yate
- Literal: ṛta that goes forward. Symbolic: progressive right law; evolutionary movement of truth
- vṛṣṭi
- Literal: rain. Symbolic: descent of higher force/inspiration
- usriyaḥ
- Literal: shining cows/herds. Symbolic: rays of illumination, revealed knowledges
- apām netā
- Literal: leader of the waters. Symbolic: guide of life-energies and emotional currents toward purity
Soma as sweet essence that opens the wide path of Aditi (infinite); invoked for governing descending powers (rain/waters) in the sacrifice and inner ascent
During Pavamāna chants accompanying Soma’s flow and consecration.
Recitation to strengthen Soma’s ‘flow’ and invoke rains/abundance; innerly, to invite descent and illumination.
Chant when seeking emotional purification and clarity: to guide ‘waters’ (feelings) and open ‘cows’ (insights).
psar- from √psar/√sṛ ‘to flow, glide’ (streaming movement). su-kṛta ‘well-done’ (dus-kṛta antonym) from √kṛ ‘make’. Aditi (a-diti ‘unbound/undivided’) from √dā/√di ‘bind/divide’ with privative a- → infinity. gavyūti (go + vyūti) ‘cow-path’ → path of rays/illumined herds. vṛṣṭi ‘rain’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, shower’ (also ‘bull’ vṛṣā as pouring strength). ap- ‘waters’ (PIE *h₂ep-). netṛ from √nī ‘lead’.
Aditi (infinity, undividedness), Ṛta in movement (yate), madhu as delight-essence, waters as life-mind currents guided by truth
Explicit: ṛtam yate—ṛta is dynamic, advancing.
Truth as luminous herds (usriyaḥ) released by right movement.
Order emerges through flow: sweetness organizes waters and opens the field of knowledge.
Vedic integralism: evolution by ṛta’s progressive unfolding supported by Soma-Ananda.
Rainy season imagery (vṛṣṭi)
A sweet current moves; the infinite field opens; right law advances; higher force descends like rain; life-energies are led and transformed into illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘opening of the wide path of Aditi’ where ṛta moves forward as a living current: Soma’s sweetness becomes the forward-going truth-order, governing the descent of rains (energies) and leading the waters, while releasing the shining herds (rays/knowledges).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ap- ‘waters’ is a strong IE inheritance (PIE *h₂ep-). madhu continues PIE *médʰu. The bull/rain semantic overlap (vṛṣā/vṛṣṭi) reflects an archaic metaphor: ‘pouring’ strength is both virility and rainfall across Indo-Iranian poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi praises Soma as immediate helper (ita-ūti) whose governance of rains/waters means governance of descending powers in the seeker. The devotee seeks alignment with Aditi’s wide path—expansion into undivided consciousness—so that ṛta can ‘go forward’ in life and speech.
Enter the ‘flow’ of refined sweetness; let it widen into Aditi and set ṛta moving forward in thought and action.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/emotions) purified upward toward Anāhata (sweetness) and Ājñā (illumination)
Wave-breath: inhale gently 4–6 counts, exhale 6–8 counts, imagining Soma-current cleansing the ‘waters’ and releasing light-rays.
Sweet, flowing, expansive; emotions clarified; intuition more luminous.
On each repetition, feel a honeyed current rise; offer turbulent feelings into it; invite a ‘rain’ of quiet inspiration; then rest in widened awareness where insights appear as ‘shining cows’.
Rigvedic accenting per pada; exact svara depends on śākhā recitation tradition.
Let ‘mahi psaraḥ’ surge slightly; widen tone on ‘urvī gavyūtiḥ’; give firm strength to ‘vṛṣā apām netā’.
psaraḥ: initial ps- cluster clear, short a, gavyūtiḥ: long ū; dental t, aditeḥ: soft d; final ḥ audible, vṛṣṭeḥ: retroflex ṣṭ cluster; long eḥ, usriyaḥ: clear s; short i; visarga soft
Flowing, slightly more energetic; maintain sweetness rather than force.
21
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
