Rig Veda 9.84.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 84, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.84
- Rishi
- Ascribed in RV 9 to Pavāmāna seers
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī or Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अभि त्यं गावः पयसा पयोवृधं सोमं श्रीणन्ति मतिभिः स्वर्विदम् । धनंजयः पवते कृत्व्यो रसो विप्रः कविः काव्येना स्वर्चनाः ॥
abhí tyáṃ gā́vaḥ páyasā payovṛ́dhaṃ sómaṃ śrīṇanti matíbhiḥ svàrvidam | dhanáṃjayaḥ pavate kṛ́tvyo rásो vípraḥ kavíḥ kā́vyenā svàrcanāḥ ||
किरणें उस सोम रस में दूध मिला रही हैं। यह रस दूध को बढ़ाता है और सूरज की दुनिया तक ले जाता है। यह धन जीतने वाला रस साफ हो रहा है, जो काम करता है। रिशि कवि अपनी सोच से खुद से चमकता है।
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (दिशा/अभिमुखता)Root अभि (उपसर्ग) / अभि (अव्यय)
- त्यम्
- that (him/it)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग?; द्वितीया एकवचन (Vedic: ‘त्यम्’ = ‘तम्’)Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गावः
- cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- पयसा
- with milkNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पयोवृधम्
- milk-increasing, nourished by milkAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण)Root पयस् + वृध (वृध् ‘वर्धने’) (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रीणन्ति
- they mix/prepareVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot श्री (धातु: श्री/श्रीण् ‘मिश्रणे/संस्कारे’, Vedic ‘to mix/prepare’)
- मतिभिः
- with thoughts/prayersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वर्विदम्
- heaven-finding, finder of lightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण)Root स्वर् + विद् (विद् ‘ज्ञाने’) (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- धनंजयः
- the wealth-winner (Soma)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot धन + जि (जि ‘जय’/‘विजये’) (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- पवते
- purifies/flowsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole KriyāRoot पू (धातु: पू ‘पवने/शोधने’)
- कृत्व्यः
- to be accomplished; effectiveAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण)Root कृत्व्य (कृ ‘करणे’ से निष्पन्न विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ‘to be done/fit to be made’)
- रसः
- juice, essenceNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (समानााधिकरण)Root रस (प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्रः
- inspired sageNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (समानााधिकरण)Root विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कविः
- seer, poetNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (समानााधिकरण)Root कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- काव्येन
- with poetic art/poetryNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot काव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वर्चनाः
- well-praising / shining with good hymnAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Vedic ending -आः for -आन्/-आः; epithet of Soma)Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root सु- + अर्चना (अर्च् ‘पूजायाम्/स्तुतौ’ से) (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: अभि | त्यम् | गावः | पयसा | पयोवृधम् | सोमम् | श्रीणन्ति | मतिभिः | स्वर्विदम् || धनंजयः | पवते | कृत्व्यः | रसः | विप्रः | कविः | काव्येन | स्वर्चनाः । Notable: ‘त्यम्’ is Vedic pronominal form for ‘तम्’
- Compounds: पयो-वृधम्, स्वर्-विदम्, धनं-जयः, सु-अर्चनाः
- Accent marks in the input are preserved as Vedic svara indicators but do not change segmentation here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Cows (rays) with their milk mix and strengthen Soma, the increaser of milk, the finder of the sun-world, by their thoughts. The wealth-conqueror is purified—effective rasa; the inspired seer-poet shines by his poetic vision with his own light.
Inner meaning
The rays of knowledge (gāvaḥ) pour their ‘milk’—nourishing luminous substance—into Soma, increasing the soul’s capacity for spiritual sustenance (payovṛdham). Through luminous thoughts (matibhiḥ) Soma becomes the finder of the higher world of light (svar-vidam). Purified Soma is dhanaṃjayaḥ: it conquers true wealth (inner riches of being), becoming kṛtvyaḥ rasaḥ—the effective essence that accomplishes works. The vipra-kavi (inspired seer-poet) is consciousness itself, shining self-luminous (svarcanāḥ) by the power of vision (kāvya).
Universal truth
Knowledge nourishes delight, and delight empowers effective action; when thought becomes luminous and selfless, consciousness turns self-radiant and discovers its higher sunlit plane.
Themes
Soma-ritual, rays and illumination, inspiration (vipra/kavi), plenitude (dhana), self-luminosity
The seer
- Rishi
- Ascribed to the Soma-Pavamāna seer-tradition of Mandala 9; specific rishi for 9.84.5 not securely fixed in many catalogues
- Other hymns
- RV 9.84 (Soma Pavamāna series)
Family tradition
Pavamāna hymns preserve a technical contemplative science: purification of delight by the rays (gāvaḥ) and luminous thought (mati).
Significance
The seer-voice emphasizes the collaboration of illumined faculties (‘rays’) with Ananda to discover svar—an experiential map of ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- svarvid (finder of the sun-world), dhanaṃjaya (conqueror of wealth), kṛtvya rasa (effective essence), vipra-kavi (inspired seer), svarcan (self-shining)
- Related deities
- Sūrya/Svar, Indra, Sarasvatī (vāc/mati)
Cosmic role
Brings the sun-world (svar) into manifestation in the human field by purifying delight and making it effective for works.
Inner power
Transforms mental ideation into luminous knowledge and converts delight into executive force for right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification with celebratory naming of Soma’s powers (svar-finding, wealth-winning)
अ॒भि त्यं गाव॒: पय॑सा पयो॒वृधं॒ सोमं॑ श्रीणन्ति म॒तिभि॑: स्व॒र्विद॑म् । ध॒नं॒ज॒यः प॑वते॒ कृत्व्यो॒ रसो॒ विप्र॑: क॒विः काव्ये॑ना॒ स्व॑र्चनाः ॥
अ॒भि । त्यम् । गावः॑ । पय॑सा । प॒यः॒ऽवृध॑म् । सोम॑म् । श्री॒ण॒न्ति॒ । म॒तिऽभिः॑ । स्वः॒ऽविद॑म् । ध॒न॒म्ऽज॒यः । प॒व॒ते॒ । कृत्व्यः॑ । रसः॑ । विप्रः॑ । क॒विः । काव्ये॑न । स्वः॑ऽचनाः ॥
abhi | tyam | gāvaḥ | payasā | payaḥ-vṛdham | somam | śrīṇanti | mati-bhiḥ | svaḥ-vidam | dhanam-jayaḥ | pavate | kṛtvyaḥ | rasaḥ | vipraḥ | kaviḥ | kāvyena | svaḥ-canāḥ
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4 × ~11
Expansive and declarative; suitable for ‘revelation’ statements (svarvidam, svarcanāḥ)
Clarifies the mind; gives a bright, confident tone as if ‘sunlight’ enters the listener.
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge; illumined faculties
- पयसा (payasā)
- Literal: with milk. Symbolic: nourishing luminous essence; clarified life-substance
- पयोवृधम् (payovṛdham)
- Literal: increaser of milk. Symbolic: that which increases the soul’s sustaining light and joy
- मतिभिः (matibhiḥ)
- Literal: by thoughts. Symbolic: luminous ideation; inspired mental formations
- स्वर्विदम् (svarvidam)
- Literal: finder of svar (sun-world). Symbolic: discoverer of higher luminous consciousness
- धनंजयः (dhanaṃjayaḥ)
- Literal: wealth-conqueror. Symbolic: winner of inner riches; mastery of energies and realizations
- कृत्व्यः (kṛtvyaḥ)
- Literal: to be done/effective. Symbolic: force that accomplishes; executive potency
- रसः (rasaḥ)
- Literal: sap/juice/essence. Symbolic: taste of Ananda; effective delight-energy
- विप्रः (vipraḥ)
- Literal: inspired sage. Symbolic: illumined mind in its inspired vibration
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: visionary consciousness
- काव्येन (kāvyena)
- Literal: by poetry/vision. Symbolic: by creative revelation; mantra-seeing power
- स्वर्चनाः (svarcanāḥ)
- Literal: self-shining. Symbolic: self-luminous awareness
Soma mixed with milk (payas) in ritual; hymn emphasizes purification producing rasa and svàr (solar) attainment—used in Soma offerings to heighten clarity, inspiration, and ‘wealth’ (plenitude).
During Pavamāna chant sequences as Soma is mixed/strengthened and prepared for offering
Recitation while Soma is filtered and blended; affirming its potency and luminous outcome
Chant before study/creative work to invoke luminous thought and effective joyful action.
go ‘cow’ as ray is reinforced by svàr-vid ‘finder of svar (sunlight world)’: the rays ‘milk’ Soma with payas (nourishing essence), i.e., illumination feeds delight. śrīṇanti (RV) ‘to mix/add’ describes the strengthening of Soma with milk—outer ritual mixing; inner: thoughts (mati) enrich the rasa. dhana is read as ‘plenitude of being’ (not mere material wealth) because √dhan relates to ‘possession/substance’; dhanam-jaya thus is conquest of fullness. sva-arc indicates autonomous luminosity arising when Soma becomes vipra-kavi (inspired seeing).
svar as truth-light plane, rasa as essence of delight, mati as luminous intelligence
Kṛtvya rasa indicates delight aligned with right order becomes effective power.
Svarcanāḥ suggests truth is self-luminous when coverings are removed.
Discovery of svar is a recurring Vedic ‘new birth’ of light; creation as unveiling.
Integral-Vedic psychology: rays (knowledge) + Soma (delight) = supramental discovery (svar).
dawn-to-sunrise (implied by svar-finding)
Milk = luminous nourishment; cows = rays; sun-world = higher plane of illumination; Soma = bliss-essence made active.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘milking’ of Soma by the cows (rays) and the finding of svar: the light-powers nourish the delight-essence until it becomes self-luminous seer-force. Mythically: cows give milk to Soma; psychologically: illuminations feed the inner rasa, yielding solar consciousness and inspired speech-vision.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vṛdh (payovṛ́dha) reflects PIE *werdh- ‘grow’ (cf. English ‘worth’ via semantic developments; more directly Germanic *werþ- ‘become’ is related; also Lat. virēre ‘be green’ is often connected in PIE discussions). svar (solar light) is part of the inherited ‘sun/sky’ lexicon; kavi/vipra encode the Indo-European poet-seer institution where inspired speech is a vehicle of power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer describes a cooperative yoga: rays (go) and thoughts (mati) actively ‘prepare’ Soma, and Soma in return becomes svàrvid and svàrcanāḥ—granting solar finding and self-luminosity. The rishi’s craft (kāvya) is not ornament but a means of making Soma effective as accomplishing rasa (kṛtvyaḥ).
Invite the ‘rays’ of insight to feed and clarify inner joy; rest in self-luminous awareness.
Ājñā (illumined thought) and Anāhata (joy).
4-4 gentle sama-vṛtti; on inhale feel ‘rays’ entering brow; on exhale feel Soma-rasa spreading through chest.
Luminous, creative, self-sustaining clarity.
Before chanting, recall one aspiration for truth; chant 6–12 times; then sit 3 minutes noticing a ‘sunlit’ mind and sweetened heart.
Follow Vedic accenting from a svara-marked Śākala text; emphasize udatta on key nouns (gāvaḥ, sómam, svàrvidam) with smooth svarita descent.
Keep the line buoyant; do not over-pause at caesura—let imagery ‘pour’ like milk into Soma.
abhi tyaṃ: nasalized ‘tyaṃ’ (ṃ), gāvaḥ: long ā; visarga softly before consonant, śrīṇanti: retroflex ṇ; ‘śrī-ṇan-ti’, svarvidam: pronounce ‘svar’ as one unit, dhanaṃjayaḥ: anusvāra before j (ṃj), svarcanāḥ: ‘svar-ca-nāḥ’ with clear long āḥ
Bright and steady, with a slight uplift on ‘svar’ words; end with a luminous, contained finish.
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