Rig Veda 9.19.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 19, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.19
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seer tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वृषा पुनान आयुषु स्तनयन्नधि बर्हिषि । हरिः सन्योनिमासदत् ॥
vṛ́ṣā punāná āyúṣu stanáyan ádhi barhíṣi | hárīḥ sán yónim ā́sadat ||
牡牛は生命の流れの中で自らを浄め、雷鳴して、聖草（バルヒス）の上に座を占めた。金褐の者は成就しつつ、祭儀の胎内へと入った。
Word by Word
- वृषा
- the bull; the potent one (Soma)Noun (used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्/वृष् (वर्षणे/सेचने; ‘to rain, to be potent’)
- पुनानः
- purifying himself; being purifiedParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद-भावRole कर्तृ (वृषा-विशेषणम्)Root √पू (पवने/शोधने ‘to purify’) → पुनान (शतृ-प्रत्यय, आत्मनेपद) from present stem पुनान-
- आयुषु
- in the lives; in vital powers (lifetimes)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तनयन्
- thundering; roaringParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (पुनानः-समनाधिकरण)Root √स्तनय् (स्तनयित्नु-शब्दे ‘to thunder, roar’) → स्तनयत्/स्तनयन् (शतृ) from present stem स्तनय-
- अधि
- upon; overIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)अव्ययRole अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध (सप्तमी-सह)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacrificial grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरिः
- the tawny one (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्योनिम्
- the ancient seat/abode (the former resting-place)Noun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्राय (योनि), द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सन्-योनि (समास: सन् ‘old/ancient’ + योनि ‘seat, womb, abode’)
- आसदत्
- sat down; alighted; took his seatVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot आ-√सद् (उपसर्ग आ + √सद् ‘to sit, settle, alight’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: वृषा | पुनानः | आयुषु | स्तनयन् | अधि | बर्हिषि | हरिः | सन्-योनिम् | आसदत् । Sandhi: (1) ‘हरिः’ + ‘सन्…’ → visarga before sibilant retained in saṃhitā as ‘हरि॒: सन्…’
- (2) ‘सन्योनिम्’ is a tatpuruṣa compound (सन् + योनि) written as one pada in saṃhitā
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Bull, purifying himself in the life-currents, thundering, has sat upon the sacred grass; the tawny one has entered the womb (seat) of the rite.
Inner meaning
Soma as vṛṣā (bull) is the potent generative delight-force. Purifying in āyuṣu (life-movements), it ‘thunders’—a powerful vibration that shakes inertia. Taking seat on barhis (sacred grass) signifies establishing itself on the prepared foundation of the inner sacrifice (consecrated receptivity). Hari (tawny/golden) indicates luminous vitality; entering the yoni (womb) is the descent into the secret seat where transformation is gestated—delight becoming a formative power in the being.
Universal truth
When vital life is purified, a strong joy-power arises, vibrates through the system, and settles into a prepared inner foundation, becoming a womb of transformation that can bring forth new consciousness.
Themes
Descent and establishment, Soma as generative force, Inner altar symbolism
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.74 (Soma seated, flowing, inspiring), RV 9.86 (Soma’s roar/force and purification), RV 9.97 (Soma entering seats/vessels)
Family tradition
Pavamāna poets frequently use fertility/seat imagery (vṛṣā, retaḥ, yoni) to describe inner generation of light and bliss through the yajña.
Significance
The seer maps an inner alchemy: delight becomes a stable ‘seat’ and a generative womb, not a fleeting surge—key for integral transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Vṛṣā (Bull), Hari (Tawny/Golden), Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Agni (priest of the sacrifice), Indra (receiver of Soma), Aditi (wideness/mothers by implication)
Cosmic role
Generative essence that fertilizes creation and empowers the gods; establishes the sacrificial field where higher forces can act.
Inner power
Transforms prāṇa and emotion into luminous vitality; provides a stable inner altar and a womb for new birth of the soul’s powers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration and offering; seating Soma on barhis in the ritual space
वृषा॑ पुना॒न आ॒युषु॑ स्त॒नय॒न्नधि॑ ब॒र्हिषि॑ । हरि॒: सन्योनि॒मास॑दत् ॥
वृषा॑ । पु॒ना॒नः । आ॒युषु॑ । स्त॒नय॑न् । अधि॑ । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । हरिः॑ । सन् । योनि॑म् । आ । अ॒स॒द॒त् ॥
vṛṣā | punānaḥ | āyuṣu | stanayan | adhi | barhiṣi | hariḥ | san | yonim | ā | asadat
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3 pādas × 8 syllables
Driving and compact; the middle pada ‘stanayan’ gives a percussive surge.
Awakens energy (stanayan) while keeping it contained in a disciplined triadic rhythm—good for dynamic purification.
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: potent generative force; strong ananda that can ‘beget’ higher states
- आयुषु (āyuṣu)
- Literal: in the lives/life-currents. Symbolic: streams of prāṇa and lived experience where purification must occur
- स्तनयन् (stanayan)
- Literal: thundering. Symbolic: powerful inner vibration that breaks tamas and awakens energy
- बर्हिषि (barhiṣi)
- Literal: on the sacred grass. Symbolic: prepared inner altar—receptive, purified base for offering
- हरिः (hariḥ)
- Literal: tawny/golden one. Symbolic: luminous vital energy; shining force of action transmuted by delight
- योनि (yoni)
- Literal: womb, seat, source. Symbolic: secret matrix of the yoga where new birth of consciousness is formed
Soma filtration and offering: Soma ‘takes seat’ on barhis (altar-field), indicating readiness for oblation and for establishing the god-power in the rite and in the practitioner.
During the phase when Soma is brought to the altar and prepared for offering to the gods.
Chanted as Soma is placed/received and offerings are arranged on barhis.
Use when beginning meditation: establish the ‘barhis’ (inner seat) by calming the body; then invoke a strong but pure joy-force to settle into the practice.
vṛṣā from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, to be virile/strong’ → Soma as raining power and generative force. āyus from √i ‘to go’ (life as moving current) and semantic field ‘vital duration/force’. stanayan related to stanayitnu ‘thunder’ (onomatopoetic/force-sound) signaling energetic descent. yoni ‘womb’ from √yu ‘to join, yoke’ (place of joining/formation) → matrix where forces combine into form.
embodiment of the divine force into the prepared field (barhis as inner receptacle), yoni as matrix of manifestation, purification as prerequisite for stable descent of power
Soma ‘seated on barhis’ symbolizes right placement—energies aligned to ṛta rather than scattered.
The true seat (yoni) is the inmost being where experiences become formative truth, not surface excitement.
Gestation of new consciousness: yoni as matrix; Soma as fertilizing potency.
Psychological Veda: creation is inner rebirth; sacrifice is disciplined transformation of life-energy.
Vital energy is purified and becomes a luminous, stable force; the practice-space within becomes fertile and creative.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the Bull who, once purified, is installed in the ‘womb/seat’ of the sacrifice. Mythically this is the enthronement of Soma on the ritual ground; psychologically it is the settling of clarified delight-force into the prepared consciousness (barhis/yonim) so it can generate new becoming.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Bull/virility imagery is pan-Indo-European for storm/strength deities and potent beverages. The ‘seat/womb’ (yoni) as a matrix parallels inherited poetic motifs of ‘placing’ the divine in a receptacle (cup, altar, womb) to effect transformation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi prepares the barhis (outer rite/inner field) and calls Soma to become established there. The reciprocity is: human preparation and invocation; divine response as a stable indwelling force that can act within life-currents (āyuṣu).
Awaken purified power and seat it: let energy rise, then establish it as steady delight in the core.
Maṇipūra (power/stanayan) stabilizing into Anāhata (seat of harmonious delight)
3-part breath: energizing inhale to navel, gentle hold, long exhale to settle into heart; keep relaxed jaw/throat to feel ‘thunder’ as vibration not strain.
Dynamic stillness—powerful energy held in calm order.
Prepare ‘barhis’ by relaxing the body and aligning posture. Chant 9–18 times; feel a warm golden current (hari) descend into the pelvis/heart as a ‘womb’ of quiet power; sit silently, allowing new intention to form.
Maintain brisk Gāyatrī pulse; give a slightly stronger stress (udātta lift) to vṛṣā, punānaḥ, stanayan, barhiṣi, hariḥ, yonim.
Pause after each pāda; keep ‘stanayann adhi’ tightly connected to preserve the thunder-like impact.
vṛṣā: retroflex ṣ; long ā, punānaḥ: long ā; final ḥ, āyuṣu: long ā; ṣ in ṣu, stanayan: clear dental n; avoid ‘st’ blur, barhiṣi: rhotic r; ṣ, āsadat: long ā at start; d+t crisp
Resonant, chest-supported, but not shouted; let ‘thunder’ be in vibration and clarity.
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