Rig Veda 9.85.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 85, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.85
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna with Indra invoked as drinker and slayer of assaults
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्मान्त्समर्ये पवमान चोदय दक्षो देवानामसि हि प्रियो मदः । जहि शत्रूँरभ्या भन्दनायतः पिबेन्द्र सोममव नो मृधो जहि ॥
asmā́n samaryé pavamāna codaya dákṣo devā́nām ási hí priyó mádaḥ | jahí śátrūn abhyā̀ bhandanāyatáḥ píbendra sómam áva no mṛ́dho jahí ||
हम्मे जंग में आगे बढ़ा, सोम रस। तू देवताओं का काम और शक्ति है, उनका प्यारा रस। हमारे दुश्मनों को मार जो हमें पकड़ना चाहते हैं। इंद्र, सोम रस पी। हमें बचा और हमारे रास्ते में आने वाली चीज़ें हटा दे।
Word by Word
- अस्मान्
- usPronounपुं/स्त्री (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अस्मद्
- समर्ये
- in battleNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot समर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवमान
- O purifying (Soma)Adjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (सोमस्य)Role सम्बोधनRoot पू (धातु) → पवमान (कृदन्त)
- चोदय
- impel, urgeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम? (वेदे देवतासम्बोधनात्—आज्ञा), परस्मैपद, 2 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot चुद्
- दक्षः
- the able one / skillNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (असि-क्रियायाः)Root दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- you areVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 2 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अस्
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि
- प्रियः
- dear, belovedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (मदः/सोमः)Role विशेषणRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- मदः
- intoxicating joy / exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (असि-सम्बन्धे)Root मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- जहि
- slayVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, 2 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot हन्
- शत्रून्
- enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभ्या
- towards, uponIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग (अत्र ‘आ’ सह—अभ्या = अभि + आ)Root अभि
- भन्दनायतः
- from (their) binding/ensnaring (i.e., from those who seek to bind)Indeclinable (ablatival adverb)तस् (अपादानार्थक-अव्यय), बहिर्भावःRole अपादान (हेतुतः/दिशातः)Root भन्दनाय (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्ययीभाव/तसिल्)
- पिब
- drinkVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, 2 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot पा
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव
- down; in aid (protectively)Indeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग/निपात (रक्षणार्थे)Root अव
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान (हितार्थ) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- मृधः
- hostility, harmNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (RV), षष्ठी, एकवचन (वा प्रथमा बहुवचन—पाठभेदेषु); अत्र ‘मृधः’ = ‘मृधः (शत्रुत्व/हानिः)’ कर्मरूपेणRole कर्म (जहि-क्रियायाः)Root मृध्/मृध (प्रातिपदिक)
- जहि
- slay, destroyVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, 2 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot हन्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अस्मान् | समर्ये | पवमान | चोदय | दक्षः | देवानाम् | असि | हि | प्रियः | मदः || जहि | शत्रून् | अभ्या | भन्दनायतः | पिब | इन्द्र | सोमम् | अव | नः | मृधः | जहि || 1) अस्मान्त्समर्ये → अस्मान् + समर्ये (त्-आगम/संहितायां न् + स् → न्त्स्)
- 2) देवानामसि → देवानाम् + असि (म् + अ → म् अ, संहितायां ‘मसि’)
- 3) प्रियो मदः → प्रियः + मदः (विसर्गसन्धिः: ः + म → ओ/रूपान्तर; संहितापाठे ‘प्रियो’)
- 4) शत्रूँरभ्या → शत्रून् + अभ्या (न् + अ → र् (रुत्व) / नासिक्य-लोपः; संहितायां ‘शत्रूँर’)
- 5) पिबेन्द्र → पिब + इन्द्र (अ + इ → ए; ‘पिबेन्द्र’)
- 6) सोममव → सोमम् + अव (म् + अ → मव)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Urge us forward in battle, O purifying Soma; you are the gods’ skill, their beloved ecstasy. Strike the enemies pressing to bind us. Drink, O Indra, the Soma; protect us and slay the assaults.
Inner meaning
In the inner warfare of growth, Soma as purified Ananda becomes dakṣa—the effective power/skill of the gods within us—because delight rightly held increases capacity and right discernment. It is their beloved madaḥ: ecstasy that energizes victorious action. The ‘enemies’ are forces of inertia, desire, fear, and falsehood that attempt to bind (bhandana) the soul to limitation. Indra, the illumined Mind, must ‘drink’ this Soma—receive delight—to strike down assaults (mṛdhaḥ) and protect the aspirant’s advance.
Universal truth
Progress requires both joy and force: when delight is purified, it becomes skill and power; illumined intelligence nourished by joy can defeat binding habits and hostile pressures.
Themes
Soma-ritual, inner battle, Indra victory, removal of bondage, divine impulsion
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer-tradition (Mandala 9); specific rishi for 9.85.2 not securely identified
- Other hymns
- RV 9.85.1–9.85.4 (battle/protection and widening path motifs)
Family tradition
These hymns are practical psychology: Soma (Ananda) is invoked as the gods’ operative force (dakṣa) in the battle of transformation.
Significance
The verse links joy to efficacy: Ananda is not escape but the very ‘skill’ by which the divine powers act in us.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (with Indra invoked)
- Epithets
- pavamāna (purifying), dakṣa devānām (skill of the gods), priya mada (beloved ecstasy)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Maruts (battle-force, thematic)
Cosmic role
Empowers the divine forces to conquer resistance; provides rapture as fuel for victory; supports Indra’s slaying function.
Inner power
Turns delight into disciplined force; strengthens will and illumined discernment to break bindings.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering with victory/protection intention; Indra urged to drink and slay assaults
अ॒स्मान्त्स॑म॒र्ये प॑वमान चोदय॒ दक्षो॑ दे॒वाना॒मसि॒ हि प्रि॒यो मद॑: । ज॒हि शत्रूँ॑र॒भ्या भ॑न्दनाय॒तः पिबे॑न्द्र॒ सोम॒मव॑ नो॒ मृधो॑ जहि ॥
अस्मान् । स॒ऽम॒र्ये । प॒व॒मा॒न॒ । चो॒द॒य॒ । दक्षः॑ । दे॒वाना॑म् । असि॑ । हि । प्रि॒यः । मदः॑ । ज॒हि । शत्रू॑न् । अ॒भि । आ । भ॒न्द॒ना॒ऽय॒तः । पिब॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । सोम॑म् । अव॑ । नः॒ । मृधः॑ । ज॒हि॒ ॥
asmān | sa-marye | pavamāna | codaya | dakṣaḥ | devānām | asi | hi | priyaḥ | madaḥ | jahi | śatrūn | abhi | ā | bhandanāyataḥ | piba | indra | somam | ava | naḥ | mṛdhaḥ | jahi
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4 × ~11
Martial forward thrust; imperative verbs create urgency
Energizes courage and resolve; helpful when lethargy or fear blocks practice.
- समर्ये (samarye)
- Literal: in battle. Symbolic: inner struggle for growth; tapas-driven advance
- चोदय (codaya)
- Literal: impel/urge. Symbolic: set forward the evolutionary will; kindle momentum
- दक्षः (dakṣaḥ)
- Literal: skill, power. Symbolic: effective capacity of consciousness to act rightly
- प्रियः मदः (priyaḥ madaḥ)
- Literal: beloved intoxication/ecstasy. Symbolic: divine rapture that strengthens and widens being
- शत्रून् (śatrūn)
- Literal: enemies. Symbolic: obscuring and binding forces in nature
- भन्दनायतः (bhandanāyataḥ)
- Literal: coming to bind. Symbolic: tendencies that impose limitation, compulsion, addiction
- मृधः (mṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: assaults/attacks. Symbolic: recurring waves of resistance from the subconscient/vital
Martial/protective application within Soma sacrifice: Soma is pressed and offered to Indra to empower victory; mantra used to urge forward and repel binding/hostile forces.
During Indra-Soma libations within Soma-yajña; also in contexts seeking victory over obstacles
Recitation accompanying offering; psychically, a call to inner powers to act
Chant before difficult tasks or during periods of resistance in sadhana to reawaken joy-powered courage.
dakṣa is central: not mere ‘dexterity’ but an organizing competence that makes divine action effective; Soma is called dakṣa of the gods because delight-clarity enables their functions. bhandanāyat- from √bandh ‘bind’ indicates forces that seek to tie down the movement (psychologically: inertia, compulsion, confusion). han- ‘slay’ is the standard Vedic verb for removal of obstruction. samara (battle) is read as inner striving where Soma urges forward (√cud).
dakṣa (effective divine capacity), overcoming bondage (bandha) and hostility (mṛdh), ecstasy (mada) as power for victory
The ‘battle’ is for establishing ṛta against forces of binding disorder.
Victory implies alignment with truth-intent rather than egoic aggression.
Transformation as conquest of the field of nature; liberation from bonds.
Integral Yoga reading: resistance is part of evolution; Ananda + Light (Indra) overcome it.
Drinking = inward assimilation; binding = compulsive patterning; battle = tapas in action; assaults = waves from lower nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s victory is powered by Soma: Soma urges the fighters forward; Indra drinks and smites the binding enemies. Inner sense: delight-clarity (Soma) awakens the luminous will (Indra) to break compulsions and hostile resistances.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘strike/kill’ (jahi) continues PIE *gʷhen- ‘to strike, slay’ (cf. Avestan jan-, Slavic goniti?; classic cognate: Greek phénō ‘slay’ is sometimes compared). √pā ‘drink’ reflects PIE *peh₃- ‘drink’ (cf. Lat. pōtus ‘drunk’, Eng. potable). band(h) ‘bind’ aligns with PIE *bʰendʰ- ‘bind’ (cf. Eng. bind).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma to act directly on the human collectivity (‘impel us’) while also mediating Indra’s protective violence (‘drink… slay’). The exchange is tripartite: the human presses Soma; Soma becomes dakṣa/mada for the gods; Indra returns protection and victory to the human field.
Invoke joy as power; offer the delight to the illumined mind to break bindings.
Maṇipūra (will/fire of effort) with support from Ājñā (Indra’s light).
Brisk kapālabhāti (if suitable) or 3 rounds of bhastrikā-light to awaken battle-energy, then chant steadily.
Dynamic, courageous, forward-moving.
When resistance arises, chant 11 times; on ‘jahi’ feel a decisive cut through the knot; then sit and let the will become quiet but firm.
Maintain strong udatta on imperative verbs (codaya, jahi, piba) and on indra; keep anudatta grounded for steadiness; let svarita fall cleanly to avoid agitation.
Give ‘jahi’ crisp articulation without harshness; keep the line continuous to preserve momentum.
asmān: long ā; clear ‘sm’ cluster, pavamāna: ‘pa-va-mā-na’ with long ā, codaya: ‘co-da-ya’ (o long), bhandanāyataḥ: keep ‘bh’ aspirated; long ā; retroflex ṇ, mṛdho: retroflex ṛ; ‘mṛ-dho’
Firm, energized, slightly resonant in chest; end with protective assurance.
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