Rig Veda Sukta 14
Mandala 9Sukta 148 Mantras

Sukta 14

Sukta 9.14

Devata

Soma Pavamāna

このソーマ・パヴァマーナ讃歌は、浄められたソーマを、宇宙の水の上を進む予見者のごとき力として讃える。ソーマは霊感の言葉を携え、天界と地界の双方を目覚めさせる。繰り返しの濾過と浄化によっていよいよ輝きを増し、「牝牛」(光線/照明する力)を獲得し、祭主のもとへ来てvasu――光と力と安寧の富――をもたらすよう招かれる。

Recitation with translationRig Veda 9.14

Mantras

Mantra 1

परि प्रासिष्यदत्कविः सिन्धोरूर्मावधि श्रितः । कारं बिभ्रत्पुरुस्पृहम् ॥

その〈見る者の力〉は周りを巡り、押し進む。大河の海流の波に据えられて、それは創造の言(ことば)を担い、多くを希求する豊饒さ――成就した探求の諸力を帯びる。

Mantra 2

गिरा यदी सबन्धवः पञ्च व्राता अपस्यवः । परिष्कृण्वन्ति धर्णसिम् ॥

光ある言(girá)によって、五つの結び合う群れ――行為の働き手たち――が、支える力(dhárṇasim)をめぐり整え、磨き上げるとき、彼らはソーマ(Soma)の力を正しく担われるために備える。

Mantra 3

आदस्य शुष्मिणो रसे विश्वे देवा अमत्सत । यदी गोभिर्वसायते ॥

そのとき、この力ある者の樹液(rasa)において、すべての神々は歓喜する。彼が光の牛群――光線――をまとい、輝く衣を身に受けるとき。

Mantra 4

निरिणानो वि धावति जहच्छर्याणि तान्वा । अत्रा सं जिघ्नते युजा ॥

不浄を払い捨てて、彼は多くの道へと奔り出る。身の古びた覆いを後に残して。ここに、軛につながれた力々はともに打ち(障りを)、通り道を勝ち取る。

Mantra 5

नप्तीभिर्यो विवस्वतः शुभ्रो न मामृजे युवा । गाः कृण्वानो न निर्णिजम् ॥

ヴィヴァスヴァト(Vivasvat)の親縁の力とともにある、輝ける若者は、幾度も幾度も清められる。彼は「光の牛群」(光線・啓明の群れ)をわがものとし、燦然たる衣としてまとう。

Mantra 6

अति श्रिती तिरश्चता गव्या जिगात्यण्व्या । वग्नुमियर्ति यं विदे ॥

彼は二つの支えを越え、横ざまに進む。光の牛群の微妙な道によりて行き、知る者のために秘められた火—内なる点火—を動かし起こす。

Mantra 7

अभि क्षिपः समग्मत मर्जयन्तीरिषस्पतिम् । पृष्ठा गृभ्णत वाजिनः ॥

迅き力は彼に向かって集い、豊饒の主(Iṣaspati)を清める。剛なる者らはその背をつかみ—支え、担い、前へと運ぶ。

Mantra 8

परि दिव्यानि मर्मृशद्विश्वानि सोम पार्थिवा । वसूनि याह्यस्मयुः ॥

天なる秘奥をめぐり触れ、また地なる万有をも遍く触れて呼び覚ます、ソーマよ。われらを慕いて来たり、富を携えよ――光と力の充満を。

Inside Sukta 14

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Soma as a kavi surges and circles forward on the wave of the cosmic stream, carrying potent, desire-fulfilling creative utterance.

  2. Development

    The hymn emphasizes repeated cleansing and increasing brilliance, linking Soma with solar kinship (Vivasvat) and the acquisition of ‘cows’—rays, powers, and wealth—as a radiant garment.

  3. Climax

    Soma is portrayed as touching and awakening all things, divine and earthly, extending his enlivening reach across the whole world-order.

  4. Where it settles

    The poet invites Soma to come to ‘us,’ desiring our being, and to bring vasūni—riches understood as fullness of light, force, and prosperity.

The deity: Soma Pavamāna

  • In the VedaSoma in the act of purification—flowing, clarified, and made brilliant—likened to a kavi (seer) moving on the wave of the sindhu (cosmic stream), carrying kāra (creative utterance) and spreading radiance.
  • Cosmic functionMediator of vitality and illumination: Soma links waters, sky, and earth; he invigorates gods and humans, stimulates inspired speech, and distributes riches (vasu) as light, strength, and prosperity.
  • Inner significanceThe refining of consciousness: as Soma is filtered and clarified, so the inner being is cleansed of obscurity, enabling inspired word, luminous perception (the ‘cows’/rays), and awakened contact with all planes of experience.

The seer

  • Anukramaṇī: Ascribed to a Soma-pavamāna seer (exact rishi uncertain)This hymn is part of the Ninth Maṇḍala’s Soma Pavamāna corpus, where authorship is often transmitted as a liturgical collection focused more on ritual function than a single clearly preserved personal rishi identity for each short hymn.

Famous verses

परि प्रासिष्यदत्कविः सिन्धोरूर्मावधि श्रितः । कारं बिभ्रत्पुरुस्पृहम् ॥
Verse 9.14.1Sets the core image: Soma as kavi moving on the cosmic waters and bearing kāra (inspired/creative utterance), establishing Soma’s role as purifier and revealer.Read verse 9.14.1 →
नप्तीभिर्यो विवस्वतः शुभ्रो न मामृजे युवा । गाः कृण्वानो न निर्णिजम् ॥
Verse 9.14.5Highlights the recurring purification and the solar affiliation (Vivasvat), culminating in Soma ‘making the cows’ (rays/illumining herds) his own—an important Vedic metaphor for illumination and abundance.Read verse 9.14.5 →
परि दिव्यानि मर्मृशद्विश्वानि सोम पार्थिवा । वसूनि याह्यस्मयुः ॥
Verse 9.14.8Concludes with a universal scope—awakening all heavenly and earthly things—and a direct invitation to bring vasu (riches), summarizing the hymn’s ritual and spiritual aim.Read verse 9.14.8 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Purifying/clarifying (pavamāna)
  • Seer-force (kavi) and bearer of inspired speech (kāra)
  • Associated with waters and cosmic streams (sindhu, ūrmī)
  • Radiant, youthful, repeatedly cleansed
  • Bestower of vasu (riches: light, force, prosperity)
  • Awakener of heavenly and earthly domains

Also by this seer

  • Soma Pavamāna hymns in Rig Veda Maṇḍala 9 (as a liturgical stream of compositions used in Soma pressing and purification rites).

The rite, step by step

  • Press Soma stalks and mix with water to release the juice.
  • Filter/strain the Soma through a woolen strainer (pavitra), allowing it to ‘run’ and clarify.
  • Recite Pavamāna verses as Soma flows, inviting brilliance, inspired speech, and the winning of ‘cows’ (rays/wealth).
  • Collect the clarified Soma; prepare libations for deities (commonly Indra and others) according to the rite.
  • Offer Soma into the fire and/or to the appropriate vessels, concluding with requests for vasu (riches) and well-being.

Offerings

  • Clarified Soma (Soma-rasa)
  • Ghee/ājya (as ancillary offering in the larger Soma rite)
  • Oblations into Agni within the Soma-yajña framework

Frequently Asked Questions

The hymn praises Soma Pavamāna—Soma while being purified and made radiant as it flows through the filter in the Soma sacrifice.

It presents Soma as a power of inspired vision and speech: as Soma is clarified, it ‘carries’ creative utterance and awakens illumination in the world and in the worshipper.

In Vedic symbolism, “cows” often point to rays or illumining powers (and also tangible wealth), while “vasu” means riches—especially the fullness of light, strength, and well-being that Soma is asked to bring.

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