Rig Veda 9.86.37: Mandala 9, Sukta 86, Mantra 37
Sukta 9.86
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
ईशान इमा भुवनानि वीयसे युजान इन्दो हरितः सुपर्ण्यः । तास्ते क्षरन्तु मधुमद्घृतं पयस्तव व्रते सोम तिष्ठन्तु कृष्टयः ॥
īśāná imā́ bhúvanāni vī́yase yujāná indo harítaḥ suparṇyàḥ | tā́ste kṣarantu mádhumad ghṛtáṃ páyas táva vraté soma tiṣṭhantu kṛ́ṣṭayaḥ ||
तुम इन दुनिया का मालिक हो, अपनी शक्ति से आगे बढ़ते हो। चमकते पंख वाली शक्ति को साथ ले कर चलते हो। तुम्हारे लिए मीठा घी और दूध बहाए। तुम्हारे नियम में, सोम, लोग पक्के रहें।
Word by Word
- ईशानः
- ruling, sovereignAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot ईशान (प्रातिपदिक; √ईश् ‘to rule, possess power’)
- इमाः
- thesePronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनानि
- worlds, beings/realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; √भू ‘to be’)
- वीयसे
- for (your) strength/powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot वीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘strength, vigor’)
- युजानः
- yoking (yourself), being yokedParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √युज् (युजँ ‘to yoke, join’)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरितः
- golden/tawny (ones)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सहकर्तृ/विशेषण-सम्बन्ध)Root हरित्/हरित (प्रातिपदिक ‘golden, tawny’; also ‘bay (horses)’)
- सुपर्ण्यः
- well-wingedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सहकर्तृ/विशेषण-सम्बन्ध)Root सुपर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having good wings’, ‘eagle-like’)
- ताः
- they (those)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’ = ‘thy/your’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षरन्तु
- let (them) flowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, तृतीया पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √क्षर् (क्षरँ ‘to flow, drip’)
- मधुमत्
- honey-sweetAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्) अथवा विशेष्य-सम्बन्धेनRole कर्म (गुणविशेषण)Root मधुमत् (प्रातिपदिक ‘honeyed, sweet’)
- घृतम्
- gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- पयः
- milkNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तव
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- व्रते
- in (your) ordinance/vowNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot व्रत (प्रातिपदिक ‘vow, ordinance, sacred rule’)
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- तिष्ठन्तु
- let (them) stand/abideVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, तृतीया पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √स्था (ष्ठा ‘to stand’)
- कृष्टयः
- the peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot कृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक ‘people, races, communities’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विच्छेद): ईशानः | इमाः | भुवनानि | वीयसे | युजानः | इन्दो | हरितः | सुपर्ण्यः || ताः | ते | क्षरन्तु | मधुमत् | घृतम् | पयः | तव | व्रते | सोम | तिष्ठन्तु | कृष्टयः || 1) ‘तास्ते’ = ताः + ते (विसर्ग/सन्धि-लोपः; उच्चारणे ताः ते)
- 2) ‘मधुमद्घृतं’ = मधुमत् + घृतम् (त् + घ् → द्घ्; परसवर्ण-सन्धि/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि)
- 4) ‘तव व्रते’ इत्यत्र सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न।
The meaning
Outer meaning
As lord of these worlds, Soma moves forth in his plenitude, yoking the bright, strong-winged energies. Let them pour honeyed ghee and milk for you; and in your law, O Soma, may the peoples stand firm.
Inner meaning
Soma as īśāna (sovereign) pervades and moves through all planes of becoming. He ‘yokes’ haritaḥ suparṇyaḥ—bright, strong-winged forces: the swift energies of life and mind uplifted and harnessed to the divine movement. When these energies are rightly yoked, they yield madhumat ghṛta and payas—honeyed clarity and nourishing fullness: sweetness of experience, luminous understanding (ghṛta), and sustaining soul-force (payas). To ‘stand firm in your vrata’ means the collective parts of the being (kṛṣṭayaḥ, ‘peoples’) align with Soma’s law of harmony, remaining steady in truth and delight.
Universal truth
Sovereignty of consciousness is achieved by harnessing our energies to a higher order. Then life yields sweetness, clarity, and nourishment, and the many ‘peoples’ within and without can stand together in a shared law of harmony.
Themes
Soma-ritual, cosmic sovereignty, ethical-spiritual order (vrata), nourishment and delight
The seer
- Rishi
- Composite/anonymous Soma-Pavamāna tradition (RV Book 9 anthology)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.86 (context), RV 1.84 (yoking energies; Indra/Soma strength), RV 9.108 (Soma as lordly purifier and giver of ghee-like light)
Family tradition
This verse uses classic Soma-royal and yoking imagery that appears across multiple seer-families; the anthology preserves it for liturgical and contemplative use rather than individual authorship in the provided data.
Significance
Affirms Soma as the sovereign harmonizer: when inner energies are yoked to him, sweetness, clarity, and nourishment flow, and the ‘peoples’ of the being become stable in a single law.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- īśāna (sovereign), indo (bright drop), harit-yoker (yoker of bright energies), giver of madhumat ghṛta payas, vrata-holder (law of being)
- Related deities
- Indra (often empowered by Soma), Aśvins (helpers of right yoking and movement), Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration; ghṛta as clarified understanding)
Cosmic role
Soma governs and unifies the worlds; he harnesses energies and distributes clarified essences that sustain gods and beings; he establishes stability in the cosmic law.
Inner power
Ananda as sovereign integrator: it yokes life-force to higher aim, producing sweetness (madhumat), clarity (ghṛta), and nourishment (payas).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma liturgy emphasizing Soma’s lordship and the yielding of ghṛta/payas offerings; blessings for social/cosmic stability
ई॒शा॒न इ॒मा भुव॑नानि॒ वीय॑से युजा॒न इ॑न्दो ह॒रित॑: सुप॒र्ण्य॑: । तास्ते॑ क्षरन्तु॒ मधु॑मद्घृ॒तं पय॒स्तव॑ व्र॒ते सो॑म तिष्ठन्तु कृ॒ष्टय॑: ॥
ई॒शा॒नः । इ॒मा । भुव॑नानि । वि । ई॒य॒से॒ । यु॒जा॒नः । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । ह॒रितः॑ । सु॒ऽप॒र्ण्यः॑ । ताः । ते॒ । क्ष॒र॒न्तु॒ । मधु॑ऽमत् । घृ॒तम् । पयः॑ । तव॑ । व्र॒ते । सो॒म॒ । ति॒ष्ठ॒न्तु॒ । कृ॒ष्टयः॑ ॥
īśānaḥ | imā | bhuvanāni | vi | īyase | yujānaḥ | indo iti | haritaḥ | su-parṇyaḥ | tāḥ | te | kṣarantu | madhu-mat | ghṛtam | payaḥ | tava | vrate | soma | tiṣṭhantu | kṛṣṭayaḥ
48
4 x ~12 syllables
Majestic and directive; a ‘sovereign’ cadence with clear imperatives/blessings.
Instills steadiness and integration; the rhythm supports ‘yoking’ scattered energies into a unified movement.
- ईशानः (īśānaḥ)
- Literal: lord, sovereign. Symbolic: mastery of consciousness governing all parts of being
- भुवनानि (bhuvanāni)
- Literal: worlds, planes. Symbolic: levels of consciousness—physical, vital, mental, higher
- वीयसे (vīyase)
- Literal: in plenitude/power. Symbolic: abundant spiritual potency; expansive force
- युजानः (yujānaḥ)
- Literal: yoking, harnessing. Symbolic: discipline that aligns energies to the divine aim
- हरितः (haritaḥ)
- Literal: bright/tawny steeds. Symbolic: vital energies/impulses made luminous and obedient
- सुपर्ण्यः (suparṇyaḥ)
- Literal: strong-winged. Symbolic: uplifted forces capable of ascent (life-force given wings)
- मधुमत् (madhumat)
- Literal: honeyed, sweet. Symbolic: sweetness of ananda in experience
- घृतम् (ghṛtam)
- Literal: ghee. Symbolic: clarified light-substance; luminous understanding
- पयः (payaḥ)
- Literal: milk. Symbolic: nourishing essence; sustaining spiritual vitality
- व्रते (vrate)
- Literal: in the vow/law. Symbolic: Soma’s inherent law of being—rhythm of truth and delight
- कृष्टयः (kṛṣṭayaḥ)
- Literal: peoples. Symbolic: the many faculties/parts of the being; also collective humanity
Pavamāna sequence during Soma purification; supports stability of the sacrificer/community in ‘vrata’
In Soma rites where the clarified Soma is praised as ruler and stabilizer; suitable as a concluding benediction tone within a sequence.
Chanting alongside offerings of ghee/milk and Soma; invoking stability of the community under the rite’s order.
A mantra for integration: before group practice, leadership, or community decisions—invoke ‘standing firm in the law’ and the yoking of energies to a higher order.
īśāná- from √īś ‘to own, rule’ (sovereignty). yujāná- from √yuj ‘yoke, join’ (integration of forces). kṣar- from √kṣar ‘flow, melt away’ (Soma’s streaming). vrata from √vṛ ‘choose, will, restrain’ → ‘chosen law/observance’; inwardly, the soul’s alignment with R̥ta.
Vrata as lived R̥ta, integration (yoking) of energies, sovereignty of consciousness (īśāna)
Vrata here functions as the operative law of ṛta in the being—alignment produces harmony and stability.
Stability of kṛṣṭayaḥ in Soma’s law implies collective adherence to truth-order rather than fragmentation.
Yoking energies produces the ‘outpour’ of clarified essences that sustain worlds—creation maintained by right integration.
Integral/Vedāntic-Yogic: sovereignty of consciousness integrates energies; clarified understanding (ghṛta) and nourishment (payas) arise from ananda.
Winged energies = uplifted life-force; honey = sweetness of ananda; ghee = clarified light of understanding; milk = nourishing essence; peoples = faculties harmonized.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the world-lord who ‘yokes’ his shining carriers and causes the triple essence—honey/ghee/milk—to flow. Mythically it is the divine draught poured for gods; inwardly it is the coordinated descent of sweetness (madhu), luminous clarity (ghṛta), and nourishment (payas) that stabilizes the human powers in the right law (vrata).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj ‘yoke’ reflects PIE *yeug- (Latin iugum, English yoke). √madhu ‘honey’ is PIE *médʰu (Greek méthy ‘wine’, Old English medu ‘mead’). √kṣar ‘flow’ aligns with PIE *ḱer-/*ḱs(er)- ‘to flow’ (Indo-Iranian has strong internal continuity though exact PIE mapping is debated).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer asks not for external goods but for an inner condition: that the ‘peoples’ (kṛṣṭayaḥ = energies/parts of the being) remain steady in Soma’s vrata. The offering is praise and preparation; the return is the ordered outflow of delight and clarity that holds the being together.
Unify scattered impulses by ‘yoking’ them to a central delight in the heart; let sweetness, clarity, and nourishment descend through the system; end with a resolve to stand firm in the inner law.
Anāhata (sweetness/ananda) and Viśuddha (ghṛta as clarified expression)
Moderate coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min). On inhale: ‘yoking’ energies upward; on exhale: ‘pouring’ honeyed clarity downward.
Integrated sattva—calm sovereignty with gentle strength.
After chanting, silently repeat ‘tava vrate’ while observing one concrete alignment in the day (speech, food, attention) that keeps the ‘peoples’ steady.
Three-tone Vedic accents; keep a dignified rise on īśānaḥ and a clear, even descent through the blessing clauses (kṣarantu… tiṣṭhantu).
Mark the two optative/imperative wishes distinctly: kṣarantu (let them pour) and tiṣṭhantu (let them stand firm).
īśānaḥ: long ī; ś not s, suparṇyaḥ: retroflex ṇ; keep ‘rṇy’ cluster clear, ghṛtam: vocalic ṛ; do not say ‘ghritam’ with i, tiṣṭhantu: retroflex ṣṭh; nasal n+t cluster maintained
Calm, sovereign, steady; slightly fuller resonance on madhumat/ghṛtam/payaḥ.
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