Rig Veda 9.40.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 40, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.40
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आ योनिमरुणो रुहद्गमदिन्द्रं वृषा सुतः । ध्रुवे सदसि सीदति ॥
ā yónim aruṇó rúhad gámad índraṃ vṛ́ṣā sutáḥ | dhrúve sádasi sīdati ||
彼は胎（よに）へとよじ登る――赤き者。搾り出された強き牡牛はインドラへ赴き、堅固なる座に坐す。
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, intoIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- योनिम्
- womb; source; seatNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot योनि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरुणः
- the ruddy one (Soma)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अरुण- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुहत्
- rising; mountingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त)Role Kartā (अरुणः का विशेषणम्)Root रुह् (धातु) → रुहत् (वर्तमाने कृदन्त, शतृ)
- गमत्
- let (him) go/comeVerbलोट् (विधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थ-प्रयोगः वैदिके), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot गम् (धातु)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषा
- the bull; the vigorous oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Kartā (अरुणः/सुतः का विशेषणम्)Root वृषन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतः
- pressed (Soma)Participle (past passive; used as adjective/noun)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययRole KartāRoot सु (धातु) → सुत- (कृदन्त, क्त)
- ध्रुवे
- in the fixed/firm (place)Adjective (locative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot ध्रुव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदसि
- in the seat; in the assembly (ritual session)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सदस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सीदति
- sits down; settlesVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot सद् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: योनि॑म् + अरु॒णो → योनिम् अरुणः (final -म् before vowel; visarga restored in citation form)
- रु॑ह॒द्गम॒त् → रुहत् + गमत् (t/d assimilation in saṃhitā; underlying present participle रुहत् + verb गमत्)
- Other padas are already separable without further internal sandhi
- Accent marks are from saṃhitā text and not repeated in the normalized pada forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
The ruddy Soma climbs to the womb; pressed, the strong bull goes to Indra and sits in the firm seat.
Inner meaning
The ‘ruddy’ Soma (aruṇaḥ: dawn-tinted illumination within delight) ascends to its source-seat (yoni). When expressed (sutaḥ), the strong creative power (vṛṣā) moves toward Indra—the illumined mind—and becomes established in the stable foundation (dhruve sadasi): a firm inner poise where illumination can govern life.
Universal truth
When awakened energy ascends to its true source and is offered to higher intelligence, it stabilizes into a firm inner foundation from which right perception and action can proceed.
Themes
ascent into stability, Indra empowerment, purified establishment, truth-seat
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.39.6 (yoni… ṛtasya… sīdata), RV 9.40.1–3
Significance
A compact map of yogic ascent: awakening light (aruṇa) rises, becomes potent (vṛṣā), offers itself to Indra, and stabilizes in a firm inner seat.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (moving toward Indra)
- Epithets
- Aruṇa (ruddy), Vṛṣā (bull-strong), Pavamāna
- Related deities
- Indra, Uṣas (aruṇa imagery), Varuṇa (dhruva/ṛta stability)
Cosmic role
Carries the awakened essence upward and seats it in the stable order of the rite; empowers Indra.
Inner power
Ascending Ananda-illumination that stabilizes the mind in a firm, luminous poise.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and offering to Indra
आ योनि॑मरु॒णो रु॑ह॒द्गम॒दिन्द्रं॒ वृषा॑ सु॒तः । ध्रु॒वे सद॑सि सीदति ॥
आ । योनि॑म् । अ॒रु॒णः । रु॒ह॒त् । गम॑त् । इन्द्र॑म् । वृषा॑ । सु॒तः । ध्रु॒वे । सद॑सि । सी॒द॒ति॒ ॥
ā | yonim | aruṇaḥ | ruhat | gamat | indram | vṛṣā | sutaḥ | dhruve | sadasi | sīdati
44
4 padas x ~11 syllables (probable)
Upward-moving first half (ruhat gamat), settling second half (dhruve… sīdati).
Guides a felt ascent and then grounding; excellent for centering after energization.
- yoni
- Literal: womb, seat. Symbolic: source-plane of consciousness, matrix of truth
- aruṇaḥ
- Literal: ruddy, dawn-colored. Symbolic: incipient illumination, the reddening of awakening in the vital-mind
- ruhat
- Literal: climbing, mounting. Symbolic: ascent of consciousness/energy
- vṛṣā
- Literal: bull (strong, virile). Symbolic: creative force, potent energy of realization
- sutaḥ
- Literal: pressed. Symbolic: essence brought out by inner discipline
- indram
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: illumined mind, lord of victorious clarity
- dhruve
- Literal: firm, fixed. Symbolic: stable poise, unshakable foundation
- sadasi
- Literal: seat, session-hall. Symbolic: inner assembly/altar where the higher faculties convene
- sīdati
- Literal: sits, settles. Symbolic: becomes established as a state
Soma’s approach to yoni (filter/vessel) and offering to Indra; establishment in the dhruva sadas (firm seat) of the rite
As Soma is prepared and ‘invited’ to the ritual seat; often in sequences describing Soma’s movement to the gods
Recitation during straining/flow into vessels and offering intention toward Indra
Chant to shift from restless energy to stable clarity—‘ascend and seat the force’.
aruṇa- ‘ruddy’ (dawn color). ruhat: from √ruh ‘to rise, grow, climb’. vṛṣan/vṛṣā from √vṛṣ ‘to be strong, to rain/impregnate’ (power/fertility). dhruva- ‘fixed’ (from √dhru ‘be firm’). sadas- ‘seat, session’ from √sad ‘sit’.
yoni as matrix of manifestation, dhruva as stable truth-base, Indra as executive power supported by Soma
The firm seat (dhruve sadasi) implies establishment in right order rather than fluctuation.
The yoni is the matrix where truth becomes form; seated Soma supports truthful perception.
Ascent from mixed nature to source; stabilization of creative force into ordered consciousness.
Integral/Vedantic: ascent and establishment as stages of inner realization.
dawn (aruṇa resonance)
Awakening illumination rises and becomes a stable inner throne of clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma ascends to the womb/seat and is enthroned in the firm session while going to Indra. Inwardly, the awakened (aruṇa) force rises into a stable foundation (dhruva) and then empowers decisive mastery (Indra).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ruh ‘rise’ is Indo-Iranian with parallels in growth/ascent vocabulary; √sad ‘sit’ is PIE *sed-. dhruva ‘fixed’ reflects an inherited semantic of firmness/stability (cf. related Indo-European ‘true/firm’ notions, though exact cognates vary).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer tracks the inner rite: Soma must first be seated in stability before it can fully serve Indra. The relationship is pedagogic—showing the practitioner that force (Indra) is safely empowered only when delight-illumination (Soma) is firmly established (dhruva).
Visualize a ruddy-golden current rising to a lotus-womb at the crown/forehead, then settling into a firm inner seat of clarity.
Ājñā/Sahasrāra (yoni as source-seat), with grounding into the central channel
Inhale: ‘ruhat’ (rise). Exhale: ‘sīdati’ (settle). Pause briefly after exhale to feel dhruva (firmness).
Bright ascent followed by stable, quiet lucidity.
If energy is scattered, chant once, then sit silently for 12 breaths feeling a ‘firm seat’ in the head-heart axis; let decisions arise only from that dhruva poise.
Svara not provided; chant with rising intonation through ruhat gamat, then settle low on dhruve sadasi sīdati.
ā́ yónim | aruṇó | rúhat | gámad | índram | vṛ́ṣā | sutáḥ | dhrúve | sádasi | sī́dati.
aruṇaḥ: retroflex ṇ; final ḥ, ruhat: clear ‘ru’ and aspirated h, vṛṣā: vocalic ṛ; ṣ retroflex; long ā, dhruve: aspirated dh; consonant cluster ‘dhr’, sadasi: dental d; short vowels
Begin bright and ascending; end deep and steady.
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