Rig Veda 9.78.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 78, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.78
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्राय सोम परि षिच्यसे नृभिर्नृचक्षा ऊर्मिः कविरज्यसे वने । पूर्वीर्हि ते स्रुतयः सन्ति यातवे सहस्रमश्वा हरयश्चमूषदः ॥
índrāya soma pári ṣicyase nṛ́bhir nṛ-cákṣā ūŕmiḥ kavír ajyase vánē | pūrvī́r hí te srutáyaḥ sánti yā́tave sahásram áśvā háryaś camū-sádaḥ ||
सोम, लोग तुम्हे इंद्र के लिए ढालते हैं। तुम पानी की लहर हो जो सब देख सकता है। तुम रिशि हो, जंगल में ढालते हो। तुम्हारी बहुत पुरानी धारें हैं आगे जाने के लिए। तुम्हारे हज़ार घोड़े हैं जो चमक रहे हैं और बड़े कटोरों में बैठे हैं।
Word by Word
- इन्द्राय
- to/for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vedic vocative)Role सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि
- षिच्यसे
- you are poured/strainedVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्म (कर्मणि-भावः/मध्यस्थ-प्रयोगः: ‘thou art poured’)Root सिच् (धातु)
- नृभिः
- by menNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचनRole करणRoot नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- नृचक्षाः
- man-seeing, watched by menAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण कर्तृपदस्य)Root नृ-चक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास)
- ऊर्मिः
- the wave/surgeNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
- कविः
- the seer, poetNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (ऊर्मेः/सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Root कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अज्यसे
- you are anointed/smearedVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्म (कर्मणि-भावः/मध्यस्थ-प्रयोगः: ‘thou art anointed’)Root अञ्ज् (धातु) / अञ्ज (to smear, anoint)
- वने
- in the wood/forest (i.e., in the wooden vat/pressing-place)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वन (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वीः
- many former/earlierAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (स्रुतयः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी-एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्रुतयः
- streams, runningsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot स्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्ति
- areVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचनRole (सत्तार्थक-क्रिया)Root अस् (धातु)
- यातवे
- to go, for goingVerbतुमर्थे दातिव-प्रत्ययः: -तवे (infinitive); एकवचनRole प्रयोजन/उद्देश्यRoot या (धातु) → यातु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) / यातव् (infinitive in -तवे)
- सहस्रम्
- a thousandNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (संख्यावाचक)Role कर्म (गम्य/प्राप्य-परिमाणम्)Root सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (हरयः इत्यस्य सह-समुच्चयः)Root अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरयः
- the tawny ones (bays; Indra’s horses)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चमूषदः
- sitting in the ladle/bowl; stationed at the soma-bowlAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (अश्वा/हरयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root चमू-षद् (प्रातिपदिक; समास: ‘in the ladle/bowl’ + ‘sitting’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): इन्द्राय | सोम | परि | षिच्यसे | नृभिः | नृचक्षाः | ऊर्मिः | कविः | अज्यसे | वने || पूर्वीः | हि | ते | स्रुतयः | सन्ति | यातवे | सहस्रम् | अश्वाः | हरयः | चमूषदः || विशेषम्: (1) ‘सोम॒ परि॑’ = ‘सोम | परि’ (विसर्गादि नास्ति; पदान्त-स्वरभेदः)
- (2) ‘नृभि॑र्नृ॒चक्षा॑’ = ‘नृभिः | नृचक्षाः’ (ः + न् → र्न्)
- (3) ‘स्रु॒तय॒: सन्ति॒’ = ‘स्रुतयः | सन्ति’ (ः + स् → :स्, लेखने ‘:’)
- (4) ‘हर॑यश्चमू॒षद॑:’ = ‘हरयः | चमूषदः’ (ः + च् → श्च्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma is poured around for Indra by the human priests; as a wave endowed with human-seeing, a seer, it is anointed in the pressing-wood. Its ancient streams are many for the journey; its thousand tawny steeds sit in the bowl, carrying the force onward.
Inner meaning
The purified delight (Soma) is consciously circulated through the instruments of the human being (nṛbhiḥ) for the awakening of the illumined Mind (Indra). It rises as a living surge (ūrmiḥ) of inspired consciousness (kaviḥ), expressed and clarified in the ‘wood’—the firm support of tapas and the embodied nature where the pressure of practice occurs. Its ‘ancient currents’ are the deep habitual channels of aspiration in the being, now turned to the soul’s journey. The ‘thousand horses’ are abundant vital energies and dynamic powers, gathered in the offering-bowl (inner receptacle), made to bear the force of realization forward.
Universal truth
When bliss is purified and offered to the higher intelligence, it becomes a many-streamed power that mobilizes vast energies for inner progress; the human faculties become collaborators in a conscious evolution toward light.
Themes
Soma for Indra, Ascent and victory, Flow and anointing, Luminous energies (harayaḥ)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.78.1, Rig Veda 9.78.3, Rig Veda 9.79.1
Family tradition
Book 9 is a liturgical-mystical collection to Soma Pavamāna transmitted through multiple families; individual verse attribution is often secondary to the Soma-sacrifice tradition.
Significance
The seer-voice here is that of the inner sacrificer describing how Ananda is made a conscious force for Indra—illumined intelligence—so that life-energies become carriers of the ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (for Indra)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (the purifying), Indu (bright drop), Kavi (seer), Ūrmi (wave/surge)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Uṣas, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Purifier and intensifier of consciousness; the delight that becomes a dynamic current sustaining the gods and the ascent.
Inner power
Ananda that clarifies the mind, mobilizes prāṇa, and feeds Indra’s illuminations; it turns scattered energies into a single forward-bearing movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (Pavamāna sequence)
इन्द्रा॑य सोम॒ परि॑ षिच्यसे॒ नृभि॑र्नृ॒चक्षा॑ ऊ॒र्मिः क॒विर॑ज्यसे॒ वने॑ । पू॒र्वीर्हि ते॑ स्रु॒तय॒: सन्ति॒ यात॑वे स॒हस्र॒मश्वा॒ हर॑यश्चमू॒षद॑: ॥
इन्द्रा॑य । सो॒म॒ । परि॑ । सि॒च्य॒से॒ । नृऽभिः॑ । नृ॒ऽचक्षाः॑ । ऊ॒र्मिः । क॒विः । अ॒ज्य॒से॒ । वने॑ । पू॒र्वीः । हि । ते॒ । स्रु॒तयः॑ । सन्ति॑ । यात॑वे । स॒हस्र॑म् । अश्वाः॑ । हर॑यः । च॒मू॒ऽसदः॑ ॥
indrāya | soma | pari | sicyase | nṛ-bhiḥ | nṛ-cakṣāḥ | ūrmiḥ | kaviḥ | ajyase | vane | pūrvīḥ | hi | te | srutayaḥ | santi | yātave | sahasram | aśvāḥ | harayaḥ | camū-sadaḥ
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4 pādas of ~12 syllables each
Long, forward-driving cadence suited to describing streams, waves, and movement.
Builds a sense of surging ascent; supports visualization of currents of bliss rising and being offered to the illumined mind.
- इन्द्राय (indrāya)
- Literal: for Indra. Symbolic: for the illumined divine Mind that receives and uses the purified delight
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: divine Ananda/bliss distilled from experience and offered upward
- परि षिच्यसे (pari ṣicyase)
- Literal: you are poured around. Symbolic: the delight is circulated through the whole being, saturating mind-life-body
- नृभिः (nṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: by men / human powers. Symbolic: by the soul’s active faculties—will, thought, speech, and disciplined energies
- नृचक्षाः (nṛcakṣāḥ)
- Literal: having the sight of men. Symbolic: made perceptible to the waking consciousness; illumined in human awareness
- ऊर्मिः (ūrmiḥ)
- Literal: wave. Symbolic: surge of consciousness, rising movement of Ananda
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: inspired knowing within the flow of delight
- अज्यसे (ajyase)
- Literal: you are anointed. Symbolic: consecrated and made fit for the higher work
- वने (vane)
- Literal: in the wood / forest / pressing-place. Symbolic: in the embodied support and tapas-field where the inner pressing happens
- स्रुतयः (srutayaḥ)
- Literal: streams/currents. Symbolic: channels of inner movement—habitual energies redirected to the yoga
- यातवे (yātave)
- Literal: for going/journeying. Symbolic: for the soul’s progression toward the luminous goal
- अश्वाः (aśvāḥ)
- Literal: horses. Symbolic: vital forces/energies of action yoked to the divine movement
- हरयः (harayaḥ)
- Literal: tawny/bright ones. Symbolic: luminous dynamic powers, energetic rays in action
- चमूषदः (camūṣadaḥ)
- Literal: seated in the bowl. Symbolic: gathered in the inner vessel of offering—heart/mind made receptive
Libation to Indra in Soma rites; Soma poured/anointed at pressing place, then set in camū
During Soma-yajña, while Soma is filtered/clarified and offered, especially in chants preparing Soma for Indra.
Pressing, filtering, pouring into vessels; offering with accompanying stotra/śastra.
Use as a meditation-chanted ‘inner offering’: circulate felt joy through the body, then lift it to the crown/forehead as food for clarity and insight.
√sic ‘pour’ and √sru ‘flow’ structure Soma as fluid dynamis. nṛ-cakṣāḥ is a karmadhāraya: ‘having the seeing/vision (cakṣas) of men’, i.e., adapted to human consciousness yet leading beyond. kavi (seer) is the inspired intelligence within the wave (ūrmi). aśva ‘horse’ (PIE *h₁éḱwos) retains archaic Indo-European poetic symbolism: the steed as carrier of force and swift movement.
Indra as conquering intelligence, Journey (yātu) as inner ascent, Plenitude (sahasra) as fullness of force
Soma’s ‘streams’ enact R̥ta as a lawful flow from depth to height—purification into power.
Consecration (ajyase) implies making the experience true in substance, not merely idea.
Transformation of raw life-juice into luminous power that sustains the gods (higher faculties).
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindonian): ascent of consciousness through Ananda feeding illumination.
Waves/streams = movements of consciousness; wood/pressing-place = embodied tapas-field; horses = vital energies; bowl = receptive heart-mind vessel.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the ‘wave-seer’ prepared for Indra: the mythic partnership where Soma’s delight empowers Indra’s victory. The ‘thousand horses’ is the standard mythic image of multiplied forces of movement released by the libation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva ‘horse’ directly continues PIE *h₁éḱwos with widespread cognates (Latin equus, etc.). √yā (yātave) and √sru (srutayaḥ) are inherited motion/flow roots, typical of PIE poetics of rivers/streams as metaphors for power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Human faculties (nṛbhiḥ) pour and anoint Soma—symbolically concentrating aspiration—so that Indra can act within. Soma reciprocates by becoming ‘kavi’ (inner illumination) and releasing abundant ‘steeds’ of force for the journey of the soul.
Circulate a felt sense of sweetness/joy through the whole being, then offer it upward to the illumined mind for clarity.
Ājñā (Indra/illumination) with support from Anāhata (offering-bowl/inner vessel).
Gentle ujjāyī or slow nasal breathing; on inhale ‘gather the streams’, on exhale ‘offer upward’.
Collected, uplifted, dynamically luminous (Ananda feeding Buddhi).
Begin with quieting; evoke a subtle sweetness in the heart; imagine it as a wave rising to the forehead; repeat the mantra 9 or 27 times, ending in silent receptivity.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per Vedic accent; notable marked accents:,,,,,,, :.
Keep udatta as a clear lift; svarita as a controlled fall-rise; avoid flattening compounds like नृचक्षाः and चमूषदः.
ṣ in is retroflex; keep it distinct from s, ṛ in, is vocalic r (short, tapped resonance), vane: pronounce va-ne (not ‘wa’), with dental n, camūṣadaḥ: long ū in camū; retroflex ṣ
Bright, flowing, slightly rising on udatta—like a continuous stream.
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