Rig Veda 9.93.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 93, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.93
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उत प्र पिप्य ऊधरघ्न्याया इन्दुर्धाराभिः सचते सुमेधाः । मूर्धानं गावः पयसा चमूष्वभि श्रीणन्ति वसुभिर्न निक्तैः ॥
utá prá pipyá ū́dhar aghnyā́yā índur dhā́rābhiḥ sacate su-medhā́ḥ | mūrdhā́naṃ gā́vaḥ páyasā camū́ṣv abhí śrīṇanti vásubhir ná niktáiḥ ||
यह सोम रस गाय का दूध बढ़ा देता है, वो गाय जो कभी खराब नहीं हुई। यह बूंद बहुत समझदार है, पानी के साथ साथ चलती है। गायें कटोरों में दूध से इसका सिर मलते हैं, जैसे कोई खज़ाना धो के साफ किया हो, इसमें चमक और ताकत भर देती हैं।
Word by Word
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत (avyaya)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinablepreverbRoot प्र (upasarga)
- पिप्यः
- thou hast swollen / grow strong (i.e., be full)VerbPerfect (reduplicated), 2nd person singular, Parasmaipada (Vedic injunctive/imperative-like use)Role (addressed agent) KartāRoot प्या (प्याय्) धातु
- ऊधर्
- udderNounneuter, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot ऊधर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अघ्न्यायाः
- of the un-slaughterable cowNoun/Adjectivefeminine, genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot अघ्न्या (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दुः
- the drop (Soma)Nounmasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- धाराभिः
- with streamsNounfeminine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
- सचते
- goes along with, accompaniesVerbPresent, 3rd person singular, ĀtmanepadaRole (with instr.)Root सच् धातु
- सुमेधाः
- the wise / of good wisdomAdjective (used substantively)masculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to इन्दुः)Root सुमेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मूर्धानम्
- head, topNounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- गावः
- cowsNounfeminine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- पयसा
- with milkNounneuter, instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चमूषु
- in the bowls (cups)Nounfeminine, locative pluralRole AdhikaraṇaRoot चमू (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRoot अभि (upasarga/avyaya)
- श्रीणन्ति
- they mix, they strain/prepareVerbPresent, 3rd person plural, ParasmaipadaRole (agent) KartāRoot श्री (श्रीणाति) धातु
- वसुभिः
- with good things/treasuresNounneuter (or masc.) instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableparticle of comparison/negation; here comparativeRoot न (avyaya)
- निक्तैः
- with wetted/anointed (things), with moist (additions)Adjective/Participleinstrumental plural (agreeing with वसुभिः)Role KaraṇaRoot निक्त (PPP from निज्/निञ्ज् ‘to smear, anoint, wet’)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padapāṭha-style segmentation: पिप्यः + ऊधर् (no further internal sandhi)
- अघ्न्यायाः + इन्दुः (visarga sandhi not applied in padapāṭha)
- इन्दुः + धाराभिः
- गावः + पयसा
- चमूषु + अभि
- वसुभिः + न + निक्तैः. Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada forms here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Soma-drop swells the udder of the “inviolate” cow; he moves with the flowing streams. The cows anoint his head with milk in the bowls, as with freshly washed treasures.
Inner meaning
Indu (purified Soma, the delight-principle) increases the inexhaustible source of spiritual nourishment (ūdhar) in the “aghnyā” Cow—symbol of the luminous Knowledge that cannot be violated or diminished. The “streams” are the purifying currents of consciousness; Soma moves with them as right-discriminating intelligence (sumedhāḥ). The “cows” (rays/knowledges) pour their milk (clarity, sweetness, luminous essence) upon the “head” (mūrdhan—summit of being, mind’s crown), filling the inner vessel (camū) with bright substance (vasu) — purified values and powers.
Universal truth
When delight is purified by truth-movements, it becomes intelligent and formative: it enlarges the inner source of sustenance, draws in streams of purification, and crowns the mind with luminous knowledge that feels like an anointing—clean, substantive, and quietly radiant.
Themes
Soma-milk mixture, rays as cows, nourishment of consciousness, crowning of Soma
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.93, Rig Veda 9.94
Family tradition
Ninth Maṇḍala is a liturgical anthology of Soma-pavamāna hymns transmitted by multiple seer-families; this verse continues the classic Soma-as-inner-Delight symbolism favored by the Pavitra poets.
Significance
The anonymity fits the ‘collective yoga’ of the Soma book: the seer is the voice of the inner sacrifice itself, where delight is clarified into intelligence and crowned illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- pavamāna (purifying), indu (bright drop), sumaedhāḥ (right-intelligent)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Uṣas, Sūrya, Āpas (Waters)
Cosmic role
Purifier and intensifier of life-force and mind; bearer of immortality-rasa; mediator between waters (flows) and light (cows/rays).
Inner power
Ananda that becomes discerning (medhā) and builds luminous substance in the inner being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (pavamāna-stotra)
उ॒त प्र पि॑प्य॒ ऊध॒रघ्न्या॑या॒ इन्दु॒र्धारा॑भिः सचते सुमे॒धाः । मू॒र्धानं॒ गाव॒: पय॑सा च॒मूष्व॒भि श्री॑णन्ति॒ वसु॑भि॒र्न नि॒क्तैः ॥
उ॒त । प्र । पि॒प्ये॒ । ऊधः॑ । अघ्न्या॑याः । इन्दुः॑ । धारा॑भिः । स॒च॒ते॒ । सु॒ऽमे॒धाः । मू॒र्धानम् । गावः॑ । पय॑सा । च॒मूषु॑ । अ॒भि । श्री॒ण॒न्ति॒ । वसु॑ऽभिः॑ । न । नि॒क्तैः ॥
uta | pra | pipye | ūdhaḥ | aghnyāyāḥ | induḥ | dhārābhiḥ | sacate | su-medhāḥ | mūdhārnam | gāvaḥ | payasā | camūṣu | abhi | śrīṇanti | vasu-bhiḥ | na | niktaiḥ
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4 pādas of ~12 syllables
Long-breathed, rolling cadence suited to ‘streams’ imagery and sustained inner pouring.
Induces a sense of continuous flow and widening; supports meditation on steady purification and crowning illumination.
- इन्दुः (indu)
- Literal: bright drop; Soma. Symbolic: purified delight-consciousness that clarifies and intensifies the inner sacrifice
- अघ्न्या (aghnyā)
- Literal: not to be slain; inviolate cow. Symbolic: indestructible Light/Knowledge-principle; the luminous Mother-source of rays
- ऊधः (ūdhar)
- Literal: udder. Symbolic: fount of nourishment—inner abundance of insight, rasa, and sustaining force
- धाराः (dhārāḥ)
- Literal: streams. Symbolic: purifying currents—disciplined flows of thought, breath, and awareness
- सुमेधाः (sumedhāḥ)
- Literal: of good intelligence. Symbolic: right discernment (medhā) born from purified delight
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of illumination; knowledges that yield ‘milk’ (clarity)
- पयस् (payas)
- Literal: milk. Symbolic: luminous essence—clarity, sweetness, strengthening truth
- मूर्धानम् (mūrdhānam)
- Literal: head, summit. Symbolic: crown of mind; higher seat where illumination is received
- चमूषु (camūṣu)
- Literal: in bowls/vessels. Symbolic: inner receptacles—mind/heart subtle vessels prepared for Soma
- वसुभिः (vasubhiḥ)
- Literal: with treasures, riches. Symbolic: stable luminous powers/values (vasu) that ‘substantialize’ consciousness
Mixing Soma with milk; filling bowls (camū). Inner sense: Soma increases the source of luminous nourishment and is crowned/anointed by rays (cows) with clarified essence.
During Soma-yajña, at the purification/straining stage; chanted as Soma flows into vessels.
Praising and ‘inviting’ Soma to purify and fill the camū; aligning the rite with ṛta.
Use as a mantra for inner cleansing: before meditation, visualize streams of clarity filling the head-space and heart-vessel with luminous sweetness.
pipyé < √pyā ‘swell’: increase of the nourishing source. aghnyā ‘inviolable’ marks the cow as sacred symbol of light/knowledge that must not be ‘killed’ (i.e., diminished into ignorance). √sac ‘accompany’ indicates Soma’s union with streams—inseparable movement. vasu ‘treasure/substance’ suggests stable formations of being; ‘washed’ (niktá) aligns with the Soma theme of clarified substance.
inviolability of light (aghnyā), increase (√pyā) as inner growth, substance/treasure (vasu) as stable being
Implicit: the ‘right intelligence’ and ordered streams indicate Soma moving in harmony with ṛta.
Truth as ‘freshly washed treasure’—purified values that can be received without distortion.
Formation of luminous substance in the mind: delight becomes a creator-power by filling vessels and crowning the summit.
Proto-Vedāntic / Aurobindonian psychological Veda: Soma as Ananda shaping mind and life.
Milk/cow/streams become symbols of illumination and its nourishing essence; the bowl is the prepared psyche; the head is the higher mind receptive to descent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The swelling of the udder of the sacred Cow and the anointing of Soma by cows with milk: the mythologem of recovering/increasing the luminous source and feeding the divine draught with clarified nourishment—knowledge-radiance (go) strengthening delight (Soma).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pyā ‘swell’ relates to PIE growth/expansion semantics (cf. *peh₂- ‘protect/feed’ is different, but IE languages share sacral metaphors of swelling/abundance). go ‘cow’ as a key IE poetic symbol often doubles as ‘light/wealth’ across Indo-Iranian; the semantic layering is a hallmark of inherited diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents a process: Soma increases the source (udder) and is then enriched by the cows (rays) with milk (essence). Human consciousness participates by providing the bowls (camū) and the act of mixing; Soma reciprocates by amplifying nourishment and turning it into stable treasures (vasu) within the being.
Receive purified delight as a ‘stream’ that anoints the crown and fills the heart-vessel with luminous substance.
sahasrara (mūrdhan/crown) and anahata (heart-vessel as camū)
slow nasal breathing; exhale as ‘dhārā’ (stream) descending; brief pause at crown awareness
quietly luminous (shanta), with clear discrimination (sumedhā).
Begin with 9 slow repetitions: visualize a white-golden Soma stream; feel the ‘udder’ as an inner inexhaustible source; let insights (gāvaḥ) ‘pour milk’—clarity—into mind and heart without strain.
Use Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; if not available, chant in a steady level tone with gentle lift on udātta-marked syllables.
Sustain vowels on udātta; let svarita ‘fall-rise’ lightly; avoid over-musicality—keep a flowing ‘dhārā’ cadence.
Keep retroflex ḍh in ūdhár distinct from dental, Aghnyāyāḥ: clear gh-n-y cluster without inserting extra vowel, Camūṣu: long ū and ṣ as retroflex sibilant, Śrīṇanti: ṣ/ś distinction—here śr begins with palatal ś
liquid, continuous, lightly resonant; avoid harsh attack—imagine pouring.
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