Rig Veda 9.84.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 84, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.84
- Rishi
- Ascribed in RV 9 to Pavāmāna seers
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī or Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ यो गोभिः सृज्यत ओषधीष्वा देवानां सुम्न इषयन्नुपावसुः । आ विद्युता पवते धारया सुत इन्द्रं सोमो मादयन्दैव्यं जनम् ॥
ā́ yó góbhīḥ sṛ́jyata óṣadhīṣv ā́ devā́nāṃ sumná iṣáyann upā́vasuḥ | ā́ vidyútā pavate dhā́rayā sutá índraṃ sómo mā́dayan daívyam jánam ||
जिसे किरणों के साथ छोड़ा जाता है, वो पौधों में जाता है। देवताओं की खुशी आगे बढ़ाता है, पास वली दौलत बन के। सोम बिजली की तरह तेज़ बहता है जब उस्से निचोड़ा जाता है। इंद्र को और देवताओं की जनता को खुश कर देता है।
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गोभिः
- with cows (with cattle)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- सृज्यते
- is released/let loose, streams forthVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot सृज्
- ओषधीषु
- among the plantsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुम्नः
- favour, graceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (in apposition/descriptor)Root सुम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- इषयन्
- impelling, setting in motionVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (qualifying ‘यः’)Root इष्
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- आवसुः
- has come to dwell/has approached to abideVerbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप)Root आ-वस् (धातु: वस् ‘to dwell/abide’, with उपसर्ग आ-)
- आ
- forth, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- विद्युता
- with lightning, by lightningNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवते
- purifies itself, flows (as the purifying Soma)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot पू (पवते)
- धारया
- with a streamNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतः
- pressed (Soma)Adjective (PPP)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (qualifying Soma)Root सु (धातु ‘to press’ → सुत ‘pressed’)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमः
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- मादयन्
- gladdening, intoxicatingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (qualifying Soma)Root मद् (णिच्: मादय-)
- दैव्यम्
- divineAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (qualifying जनम्)Root दैव्य (प्रातिपदिक; देव- से)
- जनम्
- people, race, folkNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- ‘गोभिः’ करण, ‘सृज्यते’ आत्मनेपद। 2) ओषधीष्वा: संहिता-पाठ में ‘ओषधीष्वा’ = ‘ओषधीषु + आ’ (उ-आ संधि; ‘षु आ’ → ‘ष्वा’)
- 3) इषयन्नुप: ‘इषयन् + उप’ में न् + उ → ‘न्नु’ (अनुनासिक/व्यंजन-संधि)
- 4) मादयन्दैव्यम्: ‘मादयन् + दैव्यम्’ में न् + द → ‘न्द’ (व्यंजन-संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, released with the cows into the plants, urges on the gods’ favor as a near wealth. Pressed, he flows with lightning in a stream; he intoxicates Indra and the divine people.
Inner meaning
The ‘cows’ (go) are rays of knowledge released with Soma into the growing powers (oṣadhīṣu)—the developing faculties of our nature. Soma presses forward the gods’ felicity (sumna) as an inward, near treasure (upāvasu): the help is not distant but intimate. When ‘pressed’ (suta), Soma moves with lightning-speed—swift illumination in a steady current (dhārā). This purified delight exhilarates Indra—the illumined mind—so it can break coverings, and it uplifts the whole daivya jana, the inner community of luminous powers.
Universal truth
When knowledge-rays enter and nurture our developing capacities, delight becomes a swift, steady force that energizes illumination and strengthens all higher faculties—turning inner growth into decisive progress.
Themes
Soma-ritual, illumination-force, Indra-empowerment, growth and nourishment, divine grace
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.84 (Pavamāna Soma hymn context)
Significance
The seer’s psychology links knowledge (go), growth (oṣadhi), and delight (Soma) into a single transformative process culminating in Indra’s empowered illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavāmāna (energizing Indra)
- Epithets
- suta (pressed), pavate (flows/purifies), vidyutā (lightning-like), upāvasuḥ (near-wealth)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Soma as the purifying, energizing current that carries light into growth and empowers Indra’s victory.
Inner power
Swift illumination in a steady stream; intimate delight that nourishes growth and strengthens the illumined mind.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (savana) and purification chants
आ यो गोभि॑: सृ॒ज्यत॒ ओष॑धी॒ष्वा दे॒वानां॑ सु॒म्न इ॒षय॒न्नुपा॑वसुः । आ वि॒द्युता॑ पवते॒ धार॑या सु॒त इन्द्रं॒ सोमो॑ मा॒दय॒न्दैव्यं॒ जन॑म् ॥
आ । यः । गोभिः॑ । सृ॒ज्यते॑ । ओष॑धीषु । आ । दे॒वाना॑म् । सु॒म्ने । इ॒षय॑न् । उप॑ऽवसुः । आ । वि॒ऽद्युता॑ । प॒व॒ते॒ । धार॑या । सु॒तः । इन्द्र॑म् । सोमः॑ । मा॒दय॑न् । दैव्य॑म् । जन॑म् ॥
ā | yaḥ | gobhiḥ | sṛjyate | oṣadhīṣu | ā | devānām | sumne | iṣayan | upa-vasuḥ | ā | vi-dyutā | pavate | dhārayā | sutaḥ | indram | somaḥ | mādayan | daivyam | janam
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables
Long, streaming lines with a quick flash at ‘vidyutā’—flow plus sudden brilliance.
Combines steadiness and spark; supports sustained practice with moments of insight.
- गोभिः (gobhiḥ)
- Literal: with cows. Symbolic: with rays of light/knowledge
- ओषधीषु (oṣadhīṣu)
- Literal: in the plants/herbs. Symbolic: in the growing powers and faculties of nature (developing capacities)
- देवानां सुम्न (devānāṃ sumna)
- Literal: gods’ favor/felicity. Symbolic: help of higher powers; harmonious divine influence
- उपावसु (upāvasu)
- Literal: near-wealth. Symbolic: inward, intimate treasure; accessible support within
- विद्युता (vidyutā)
- Literal: with lightning. Symbolic: swift illumination; sudden revealing energy
- धारया (dhārayā)
- Literal: by a stream/current. Symbolic: continuous flow of purified consciousness
- सुत (suta)
- Literal: pressed. Symbolic: essence extracted by discipline and aspiration
- मादयन् (mādayan)
- Literal: intoxicating, gladdening. Symbolic: exhilarating force that heightens consciousness
- इन्द्रम् (indram)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine mind/illumination
- दैव्यं जनम् (daivyaṃ janam)
- Literal: divine people. Symbolic: luminous inner powers/faculties
Recitation during Soma pressing and purification: Soma is urged to flow in dhārā, to energize Indra (for victory) and to secure devānām sumna (divine grace) for the sacrificer.
During/after pressing when Soma flows and is prepared for Indra’s portion
Accompanies the flowing Soma; invokes its energizing effect on Indra and the divine powers.
For study/creative work: chant to ‘release rays into growing powers’—clarity into learning and skill-building.
go- ‘cow’ is polyvalent: ‘ray/light’ is justified by Vedic usage where go is ‘illumination’ recovered/loosed; gobhiḥ thus indicates Soma’s release with luminous forces. oṣadhī- from √uṣ/√vas? traditionally ‘herbs’; in hymnal psychology, the ‘growth-forces’ that receive Soma’s infusion. iṣayan < √iṣ ‘impel’ (cf. iṣ ‘impulse, energy’). vidyut ‘lightning’ marks instantaneous force/illumination; mad- ‘exhilarate’ describes Soma’s effect on Indra (power of victorious mind).
grace/felicity (sumna), impulsion (iṣ) as divine dynamis, inner divine collectivity (daivya jana)
The orderly stream (dhārā) indicates Ṛta: right movement of force through the being.
Go (rays) implies truth-light feeding growth; Indra’s exhilaration supports truth-conquest.
Evolutionary growth (oṣadhi) nourished by light and delight; swift illumination accelerating formation.
Integral yoga resonance: descent of light into life-nature, energizing mind for transformation.
monsoon imagery suggested by lightning (symbolic)
Plants = growing faculties; lightning = sudden insight; stream = continuous sādhana-current; cows = knowledge-rays.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the luminous essence released ‘with the rays’ into the growth-powers, then flowing lightning-like to intoxicate Indra and the divine host. Mythically: the pressed Soma becomes a force that awakens and strengthens the gods; psychologically: delight-clarity enters the life-forces and raises the inner Indra to victorious action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mad- ‘rejoice/intoxicate’ reflects PIE *med- ‘to be glad/excited’ (cf. English ‘mad’ via Germanic semantic shift; also Indic madati). jan- ‘beget/people’ from PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’ (cf. Lat. gignere, Eng. kin). The poetic collocation of lightning + streaming drink is part of a wider Indo-European register linking brightness, speed, and divine potency.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer positions Soma as the mediator of divine favour (devānām sumna) and as the activator of Indra: by calling Soma ‘upāvasu’ (near-wealth), the hymn internalizes the boon—Soma is asked to become an intimate, indwelling resource that makes the divine powers effective in the human field.
Let ‘rays’ of understanding enter the ‘growing powers’ of habit and character; feel a steady stream of delight with occasional lightning-insight.
Maṇipūra (energizing transformation) and Ājñā (lightning insight)
Kapalabhāti (mild) or bhastrikā (gentle) followed by quiet breathing—mirrors ‘vidyutā’ then ‘dhārā’.
Energized clarity: steady flow with luminous flashes; uplift of the inner faculties.
Begin with steady practice (dhārā). When insight flashes (vidyut), do not disperse—channel it into growth (oṣadhi): one concrete refinement of habit or understanding. Offer the uplift to Indra: choose the clearer, braver thought-action over the habitual.
Three-tone Vedic contour; exact udatta/svarita positions require a svara-annotated RV 9.84.3 text.
Let ‘vidyutā’ be slightly brighter and quicker; keep ‘dhārayā suta’ smooth and continuous; cadence warmly on ‘daivyaṃ janam’.
: ‘go-bhiḥ’ with clear bh aspiration., : treat cluster as ‘o-ṣa-dhī-ṣvā’ (śākhā-dependent sandhi); keep long ī., : ‘vid-yu-tā’ with clear dy cluster., : ‘mā-da-yan’ with long ā.
Bright, energized, slightly rising intensity at the lightning phrase, then steady resonance.
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