Rig Veda 9.97.18: Mandala 9, Sukta 97, Mantra 18
Sukta 9.97
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna seers
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ग्रन्थिं न वि ष्य ग्रथितं पुनान ऋजुं च गातुं वृजिनं च सोम । अत्यो न क्रदो हरिरा सृजानो मर्यो देव धन्व पस्त्यावान् ॥
granthíṃ na ví ṣya grathitáṃ punāná ṛjúṃ ca gātúṃ vṛjináṃ ca soma | atyó na kradó hárir ā́ sṛjānáḥ máryo deva dhanva pastyā́-vān ||
जैसे किसी गाँठ को खोलते हैं, वैसे ही सोम उलझ हटा और साफ़ हो। सीधा रास्ता भी दिख और टेढ़ा रास्ता भी ठीक कर। जैसे घोड़ा हिनहिनाता है और दौड़ता है, वैसे ही पीला रंग वाली ताकत निकलती है। भगवान जैसे नौजवान, घर में खुश रह।
Word by Word
- ग्रन्थिम्
- knotNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ग्रन्थि- (प्रातिपदिक) < √ग्रन्थ्/ग्रथ् ‘to tie, knot’
- न
- like, asIndeclinableनिपात (उपमा/तुलना)Root न
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot वि
- ष्य
- untie! loosen!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √ष्यै/√स्यै (वेद. ‘to loosen, untie’; here with वि)
- ग्रथितम्
- tied, knottedParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (ग्रन्थिम् इति कर्मविशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root √ग्रथ् ‘to tie, bind’
- पुनानः
- purifying (himself), being purifiedParticipleवर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √पू ‘to purify’
- ऋजुम्
- straightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (गातुं इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root ऋजु- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘straight’
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- गातुम्
- path, wayNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गातु- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘path, course’
- वृजिनम्
- crooked, hard (path)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (गातुम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root वृजिन- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘crooked, evil; difficult’
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्यः
- a steedNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अत्य- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘steed, horse’
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/तुलनाRoot न
- क्रदः
- neighing, cryNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमानपद) / क्रियाविशेषणभावRoot क्रद- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘neighing; cry’ (from √क्रन्द् ‘to cry, neigh’)
- हरिः
- the tawny one (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरि- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘tawny; (Soma’s) bay’
- आ
- towards, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ
- सृजानः
- releasing, sending forthParticipleवर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √सृज् ‘to let go, send forth, release’
- मर्यः
- a young heroNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मर्य- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘young man, hero’
- देव
- O godNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- धन्व
- O archer / O bow-bearing oneNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot धन्वन्/धन्व- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘bow; (also) desert/steppe’; here voc. ‘archer’ sense
- पस्त्यावान्
- having a dwelling, house-possessingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (मर्यः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root पस्त्या- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘dwelling, homestead’ + वत् (मतुप्) प्रत्यय
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): ग्रन्थिम् | न | वि | ष्य | ग्रथितम् | पुनानः | ऋजुम् | च | गातुम् | वृजिनम् | च | सोम | अत्यः | न | क्रदः | हरिः | आ | सृजानः | मर्यः | देव | धन्व | पस्त्यावान् । मुख्य सन्धि: (1) ग्रन्थिं न → ग्रन्थिम् न (अनुस्वारस्य परसवर्ण/पदान्त-म्) । (2) वि ष्य: ‘वि’ उपसर्ग + लोट् रूप ‘ष्य’ (वेदिक् रूप; classical अपेक्षित ‘वि स्य’/‘वि श्य’ इत्यादि) । (3) हरिरा → हरिः आ (विसर्ग + स्वर: RV संहितायां ‘र्’ आदेशः) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
As one loosens a knot, loosen what is tied while purifying, O Soma; make clear both the straight path and the crooked. Like a neighing stallion, the tawny one is released—run forth, O divine youth, rich in the home.
Inner meaning
Soma as purifier unties the inner granthi—entanglements of habit, desire, fear, and false identification. He clarifies both the straight path (ṛju gātu) and the crooked (vṛjina): he illumines right movement and exposes the deviating turns so they can be corrected. Then the released ‘tawny horse’ (hariḥ atyaḥ)—vital force purified and made luminous—neighs and rushes forward. Soma is addressed as marya (divine youth): ever-renewing delight-power that establishes itself in the ‘home’ (pastyā): the settled foundation of the being, not a transient exaltation.
Universal truth
Liberation is not only ascent; it is the untying of inner knots and the purification of vital energy so it can run in the true direction and become a stable base for life.
Themes
inner purification, discernment of paths, release of bound force, Rita versus deviation
The seer
- Rishi
- Anonymous/collective Soma-Pavamāna seers (Anukramaṇī varies within 9.97)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.97.16 (breaking difficulties), RV 9.97.17 (divine rain; gathering lower winds)
Significance
This verse is a classic psychological key: granthi (knot) and path imagery anticipates later yogic language (granthi-bheda), yet remains Vedic in its Soma-process symbolism—purification that releases luminous energy for right action.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Soma, Hari (tawny, luminous), Marya (divine youth), Pastyāvān (established in the home)
- Related deities
- Indra (for right victory after knot-loosening), Vāyu (released prāṇa), Agni (will that leads the sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Purifier who releases bound energies and restores right movement in the worlds; the ‘youth’ renewing creation.
Inner power
Knot-loosening Ananda: dissolves inner bindings and converts vital force into luminous, obedient power.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification/filtration; prayer for removing bonds and faults
ग्र॒न्थिं न वि ष्य॑ ग्रथि॒तं पु॑ना॒न ऋ॒जुं च॑ गा॒तुं वृ॑जि॒नं च॑ सोम । अत्यो॒ न क्र॑दो॒ हरि॒रा सृ॑जा॒नो मर्यो॑ देव धन्व प॒स्त्या॑वान् ॥
ग्र॒न्थिम् । न । वि । स्य॒ । ग्र॒थि॒तम् । पु॒ना॒नः । ऋ॒जुम् । च॒ । गा॒तुम् । वृ॒जि॒नम् । च॒ । सो॒म॒ । अत्यः॑ । न । क्र॒दः॒ । हरिः॑ । आ । सृ॒जा॒नः । मर्यः॑ । दे॒व॒ । ध॒न्व॒ । प॒स्त्य॑ऽवान् ॥
granthim | na | vi | sya | grathitam | punānaḥ | ṛjum | ca | gātum | vṛjinam | ca | soma | atyaḥ | na | kradaḥ | hariḥ | ā | sṛjānaḥ | maryaḥ | deva | dhanva | pastya-vān
48
4 × ~12; strong imagery-driven caesuras (granthiṃ na… / ṛjuṃ ca… / atyo na… / maryo deva…)
Alternates careful ‘untying’ articulation with a sudden galloping release in the second half.
First part supports introspective release; second part energizes forward movement—useful for shifting from inner clearing to decisive action.
- ग्रन्थिम् (granthiṃ)
- Literal: knot. Symbolic: psychic/vital knot: entrenched patterns, samskāra entanglements
- वि ष्य (vi ṣya)
- Literal: loosen, untie. Symbolic: release of bound consciousness; disentangling of mixed motives
- पुनानः (punānaḥ)
- Literal: purifying. Symbolic: self-clarifying movement of Ananda through the nature
- ऋजुं गातुम् (ṛjuṃ gātum)
- Literal: straight path. Symbolic: direct right movement aligned to truth
- वृजिनं (vṛjinam)
- Literal: crooked, wrong. Symbolic: deviating movement; falsehood/obscurity in action and thought
- अत्यः (atyaḥ)
- Literal: steed. Symbolic: vital energy as force of action
- हरिः (hariḥ)
- Literal: tawny, golden. Symbolic: luminous vital force (purified prāṇa/energy)
- मर्यः (maryaḥ)
- Literal: youth. Symbolic: ever-fresh divine impulse; renewing Ananda
- पस्त्यावान् (pastyāvān)
- Literal: having a home/dwelling. Symbolic: established consciousness; stable inner foundation
Pavamāna recitation during Soma filtering; supports the ‘unbinding’ and ‘clarifying’ function of the rite
During Pavamāna recitation as Soma is strained; also apt when seeking removal of obstacles in the rite
Chanted to accompany the ‘clearing’ of Soma and symbolically the clearing of the sacrificer’s path
Use as a mantra for habit-change and ‘knot release’ (addiction loops, anxiety knots, indecision), followed by aligned action.
√grath ‘to tie’ (granthí, grathitá) frames bondage as a structural knot in the being; vi-√sy (vi ṣya) expresses analytical loosening. ṛjú ‘straight’ is a key ṛta-aligned adjective; vṛjiná (from √vṛj/semantic ‘crooked/evil’) denotes deviation. ā-√sṛj ‘to let flow’ recurs in Soma diction: release of luminous energy once purified.
untying inner knots (granthi), ṛju vs vṛjina (right vs distorted path), purification (pavamāna)
Soma restores ṛta by making the right path evident and dissolving the causes of deviation.
Truth is practical: it shows the straight and exposes the crooked, enabling correction.
Renewal: the divine youth releases energy for continued becoming; creation advances by unbinding and right direction.
Yoga-anticipatory Vedic psychology; compatible with Integral Yoga’s emphasis on transforming the vital rather than suppressing it.
Knot = samskāric binding; paths = channels of movement in consciousness; horse = vital dynamism; golden = purified luminous energy; home = stable inner seat.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘untying of the knot’ mythologem: Soma as purifier dissolves inner bindings (granthi) and distinguishes the straight path from the crooked—an initiation motif where luminous essence frees the journey of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The binding lexeme √grath ‘tie’ belongs to an old IE semantic complex of binding/cording; the path-word gātu (go-course) reflects the pervasive IE metaphor ‘life/ritual as a path’ built on *gʷem/*gʰeh₁ ‘go’. The preverb system (vi-, ā-) encodes directional cognition typical of early Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer commands/request-impels Soma to perform an inner yoga: unbind entanglement and reveal right passage. The offering of attention/praise is exchanged for liberation of force and establishment (pastyā-vān) within the human home—Soma becomes the indwelling guide of the way.
Granthi-bheda: identify one entanglement; invoke Soma to loosen it; then choose the straight next step (ṛju gātu).
Anāhata (heart-knot) and Maṇipūra (released force for action)
On inhale, feel purification rising; on exhale, imagine a knot loosening in the chest/solar plexus. After 6 breaths, sit and sense the ‘horse’ energy ready to move.
Unbound, clarified, dynamically calm.
Chant 11 times slowly. After chanting, write (or mentally note) ‘straight path’ vs ‘crooked path’ choice for one current issue; then act immediately on the straight step.
Vedic accenting preferred; keep the first pāda deliberate (untying), then allow a natural acceleration in the ‘horse’ imagery without losing clarity.
Articulate the contrasts: ṛjuṃ ca gātuṃ / vṛjinaṃ ca; then energize: atyo na krado harir ā sṛjāno.
granthiṃ: clear ‘nth’ cluster; nasalization on ṃ, vi ṣya: keep ‘ṣy’ conjunct crisp, ṛjuṃ: vocalic ṛ; do not insert ‘ri’, vṛjinam: retroflex ṛ and soft ‘ji’, ā sṛjāno: long ā; retroflex ṛ in sṛ, pastyāvān: palatal ‘sty’ cluster; long ā
First half soft and precise; second half brighter and more forceful, like a controlled release.
11
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
