Rig Veda 9.98.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 98, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.98
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
परि ष्य सुवानो अव्ययं रथे न वर्माव्यत । इन्दुरभि द्रुणा हितो हियानो धाराभिरक्षाः ॥
pári ṣyá suvāná avyáyaṃ ráthe ná vármāvyata | índur abhí drū́ṇā hitó hiyānó dhā́rābhir akṣāḥ ||
जब सोम को दबाया जाता है तो वो ऊलन कपड़े में लिपट जाता है जैसे कोई रथ पर आर्मर पहन लेता है। फिर उसे लकड़ी के बर्तन में रख देते हैं और वो तेज़ी से बहने लगता है।
Word by Word
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्य
- indeed, just, now (enclitic particle)Indeclinableनिपात (एन्क्लिटिक, बलवर्धक/सम्बन्धक)Root स्य (एन्क्लिटिक/निपात; RV-पदपाठे ‘ष्य’)
- सुवानः
- being pressed/flowing forth (as Soma)Verbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot √सु (सु- ‘to press/express Soma’)
- अव्ययम्
- imperishable, undecayingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथे
- on/in a chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न (अव्यय)
- वर्म
- armor, protective coveringNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (अत्र उपमेय-रूपे)Role KarmaRoot वर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आव्यत
- wrapped/covered (itself), clothedVerbलुङ् (अorist), 3rd person singular, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot √वे/√वी (वे ‘to weave, cover, wrap’; RV: आव्यत)
- इन्दुः
- the drop (Soma), SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- द्रुणा
- with/into the wooden (vessel), into the troughNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot द्रु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wood, wooden vessel/trough’)
- हितः
- placed, setVerbभूतकृदन्त (क्त), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Kartā (as predicate of इन्दुः) / Kriyā-viśeṣaṇaRoot √धा (धि/धा ‘to place’) → हित (कृदन्त)
- हियानः
- hastening, speedingVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त, प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (आत्मनेपद-भाव)Role KartāRoot √हि/√ह्यै (Vedic ‘to impel, hasten, go swiftly’) → हियान (कृदन्त)
- धाराभिः
- with streamsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अक्षाः
- axles (of the chariot)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot √अश्/√अक्ष् (अक्ष् ‘to reach/attain’; here noun ‘axle/axis’ from अक्ष) / or अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक ‘axle’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): परि | ष्य(=स्य) | सुवानः | अव्ययम् | रथे | न | वर्म | आव्यत । इन्दुः | अभि | द्रुणा | हितः | हियानः | धाराभिः | अक्षाः । 1) ‘ष्य’ Rigvedic enclitic particle, often written in saṃhitā as ष्य
- treated here as निपात ‘स्य’. 2) ‘वर्मा॑व्यत’ = वर्म + आव्यत (आ- उपसर्ग + √वे/वी), sandhi: अ + आ → आ. 3) ‘इन्दुर॒भि’ = इन्दुः + अभि, visarga before vowel → र् (उदाहरण: उः + अ → उर्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Pressed, he wraps himself in the imperishable woolen covering like armor on a chariot; Indu, set upon the wooden vats, hastens and streams out in his currents.
Inner meaning
When the delight is pressed out by aspiration and discipline, it takes on a protective ‘wool’ (avya) like armor—meaning it is filtered through a sattwic, purifying medium so it does not get lost in desire. Set upon the wooden supports (druṇa)—the stable structures of the embodied nature—it hastens to manifest as multiple streams (dhārāḥ): workable currents of joy-force in mind, life, and body.
Universal truth
Higher joy must be purified and protected as it enters embodied life; then it can stream safely into multiple channels of action without being wasted or distorted.
Themes
Soma filtration, Armor/vehicle symbolism, Ritual technology as inner discipline
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seer-tradition; specific rishi not identified in the provided source.
- Other hymns
- RV 9.98.3 (paired filtration/upward stream imagery)
Family tradition
Soma-purification hymns mapping ritual filtration to psycho-spiritual containment and distribution of Ananda.
Significance
This verse teaches a key yogic safeguard: purification is not suppression but a protective filtering that allows force to enter life without loss.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Indu, Avyaya (imperishable, as attribute)
- Related deities
- Agni (receiver and distributor of offerings), Waters (as medium of flow)
Cosmic role
Purifier that becomes fit for divine enjoyment and for distribution into the worlds as sustaining streams.
Inner power
Contained Ananda: delight that is protected, stabilized, and then released as usable currents.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration through wool (avya) into vats (druṇa) during Soma sacrifice.
परि॒ ष्य सु॑वा॒नो अ॒व्ययं॒ रथे॒ न वर्मा॑व्यत । इन्दु॑र॒भि द्रुणा॑ हि॒तो हि॑या॒नो धारा॑भिरक्षाः ॥
परि॑ । स्यः । सु॒वा॒नः । अ॒व्यय॑म् । रथे॑ । न । वर्म॑ । अ॒व्य॒त॒ । इन्दुः॑ । अ॒भि । द्रूणा॑ । हि॒तः । हि॒या॒नः । धारा॑भिः । अ॒क्षा॒रिति॑ ॥
pari | syaḥ | suvānaḥ | avyayam | rathe | na | varma | avyata | induḥ | abhi | drūṇā | hitaḥ | hiyānaḥ | dhārābhiḥ | akṣāriti
48
4 × 12
Strong forward movement with a ‘wrapping then releasing’ feel across the quarters.
Gives a sense of containment followed by outflow; supports controlled breath and steady energy.
- सु॒वा॒नः (suvānaḥ)
- Literal: being pressed. Symbolic: brought out by inner pressure of aspiration and tapas
- अ॒व्ययम् (avyayam)
- Literal: imperishable. Symbolic: stable, non-wasting delight-consciousness
- अ॒व्य (avya)
- Literal: wool (of sheep). Symbolic: purifying filter; sattwic covering that protects the flow
- वर्म (varman)
- Literal: armor. Symbolic: psychic protection; containment of force
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: the moving instrument of action (body-life-mind)
- द्रूणा (druṇā)
- Literal: wooden vats/troughs. Symbolic: formed supports in the physical-vital nature where force is held and distributed
- धाराभिः (dhārābhiḥ)
- Literal: with streams/currents. Symbolic: multiple channels of conscious energy in the being
Describes Soma’s passage through woolen filter and into wooden vats (drōṇa-kalaśa).
During pressing/straining phases when Soma is filtered and collected.
Covering/straining Soma; collecting in troughs; letting it run in streams.
A mantra for ‘energetic hygiene’: before channeling strong meditation energy into work/relationships, invoke purification and containment.
√su ‘press out’ is central to Soma vocabulary. vārmán ‘armor’ indicates protection and readiness for battle; psychologically, the clarified force takes on a protective sheath of discipline (filter). avya ‘wool’ doubles as ritual filter and symbolic ‘covering’. dhārā ‘stream’ from √dhṛ ‘hold’ → a ‘held line’ of flow, i.e., controlled current.
discipline as armor (varman), contained flow (dhārā) as controlled force, purification as protective integration
The wool-filter symbolizes Ṛta’s lawful mediation—force must pass through right order.
Avyaya indicates a truth-stability that does not leak into lower desire.
Force entering form: the stream is held in structures (vats) to become effective in manifestation.
Integral yoga psychology: containment (varman) before distribution (dhārāḥ).
Wool = sattwic filter; wood/vats = bodily foundation; streams = differentiated energies of joy in the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma ‘armors’ himself: the woolen filter becomes a protective sheath enabling the force to move safely and effectively into manifestation (vats/streams). Innerly, purification is not loss but a strengthening containment that turns raw ecstasy into usable power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- várman ‘armor’ relates to the IE semantic field of covering/protection (cf. Latin vernum?—not direct; but the notion of ‘covering’ aligns with widespread IE ritual metaphors). √dhṛ in dhārā reflects PIE *dʰer- ‘hold, support’ (cf. English firm), emphasizing ‘held’ streams—disciplined flow.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi witnesses the rite as a paradigm for inner practice: Soma accepts the ‘armor’ of purification and then hastens in streams. The implied exchange is: the human provides the ordered means (filter/vats), Soma provides the empowered flow (dhārā) that can be received without distortion.
Visualize a luminous nectar being ‘filtered’ through a white, soft layer before entering the body—only the pure essence passes.
Ajna (filter/discrimination) and Anahata (safe infusion of sweetness).
Inhale imagining drawing Soma through a ‘white filter’ at the brow; exhale letting it stream gently through the nadis.
Protected openness; steady energetic clarity.
If energy feels chaotic, chant slowly while imagining a woolen veil refining the force; then let it descend in measured currents into the body.
Maintain Rigvedic pitch accents; keep the simile ‘rathe na varmā’ clearly articulated with a slight pause at pāda boundaries.
Stress udātta syllables; avoid rushing consonant clusters around ‘varmāvyata’.
varmāvyata: articulate as var-mā-vya-ta (avoid swallowing ‘vya’)., druṇā: keep retroflex ṇ and long ā., hiyānaḥ: keep hi-yā-naḥ, with clear yā.
Contained, rounded tone; let the ‘streaming’ words lengthen slightly.
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