Rig Veda 9.42.6: Mandala 9, Sukta 42, Mantra 6
Sukta 9.42
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
गोमन्नः सोम वीरवदश्वावद्वाजवत्सुतः । पवस्व बृहतीरिषः ॥
góman naḥ soma vī́ra-vad áśvā-vad vā́ja-vat sutáḥ | páv asva bṛhatī́r íṣaḥ ||
ソーマよ、搾り出された者よ。われらのために自らを浄めよ、光り輝く富の満ち満ちたものとして——知の光線に富み、勇士の力に富み、迅速なる力に富み、力の充溢に富め。さらに、広大なる養いの衝動を注ぎ出せ。
Word by Word
- गोमन्
- possessing cows, rich in cattleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्)Role विशेषणम् (कर्तृ/सम्बोधनस्य विशेषणम्)Root गोमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; गो- + -मन्त्)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (अधिकार/सम्बन्धः: ‘our’)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन (आह्वानम्)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरवत्
- having heroes, rich in men/warriorsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्)Role विशेषणम् (कर्तृ/सम्बोधनस्य विशेषणम्)Root वीरवत् (प्रातिपदिक; वीर + -वत्)
- अश्वावत्
- having horsesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्)Role विशेषणम् (कर्तृ/सम्बोधनस्य विशेषणम्)Root अश्वावत् (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व + -वत्)
- वाजवत्
- having strength/prize (vāja), rich in winning powerAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्)Role विशेषणम् (कर्तृ/सम्बोधनस्य विशेषणम्)Root वाजवत् (प्रातिपदिक; वाज + -वत्)
- सुतः
- pressed, expressed (Soma-juice)Participle (past passive) used adjectivallyपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (स्तुत्य/आहूतः सोमः ‘pressed’ as subject)Root सु (धातु) → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्यय)
- पवस्व
- purify yourself; flow in purificationVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रिया (आह्वान-आज्ञा)Root पू (धातु; ‘to purify’) / पव्-वर्गीयः (RV प्रयोगः)
- बृहतीः
- great, loftyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (याः ‘इषः’—ताः विशेषयति)Root बृहती (प्रातिपदिक; बृह् ‘great’)
- इषः
- refreshments, nourishment, invigorating draughtsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (RV रूप: इषः = इषाः)Role कर्म (प्राप्य/प्रवह्य-वस्तु)Root इष् / इषा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘refreshment, nourishment’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: गोमन् नः सोम वीरवत् अश्वावत् वाजवत् सुतः । पवस्व बृहतीः इषः ॥ 1) ‘वीरवदश्वावद्वाजवत्सुतः’ इति संहितायां: वीरवत् + अश्वावत् → वीरवदश्वावत् (त् + अ → द्-अ, जश्त्व)
- अश्वावत् + वाजवत् → अश्वावद्वाजवत् (त् + व → द्-व)
- वाजवत् + सुतः → वाजवत्सुतः (त् + स → त्स). 2) ‘बृहतीरिषः’ = बृहतीः + इषः (विसर्ग/दीर्घ-सन्धिः: ईः + इ → ईरि). 3) ‘गोम॑न्’ सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-एकवचन-रूपेण RV-प्रयोगः
- ‘नः’ एन्क्लिटिक षष्ठी बहुवचनम् (‘our’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Soma, pressed out, purify yourself for us—rich in cows, heroes, horses, and vāja; pour out the vast impulsions of nourishment.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks Soma (purified delight) to become for us a fullness of inner riches: go-mat (rays of knowledge), vīra-vat (heroic soul-force and courageous capacities), aśva-vat (vital energies for right action), vāja-vat (plenitude of force and effective accomplishment). From that purified delight, may ‘bṛhatīḥ iṣaḥ’—vast impulsions of divine nourishment—descend and drive the life toward integral growth.
Universal truth
Spiritual joy is not escapism; when purified, it yields knowledge, courage, energy, and effective power, and it pours a large sustaining nourishment into life.
Themes
boons as inner powers, illumination and strength, Soma purification, integral prosperity
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.42.1-6, RV 9.60 (Soma gives cows/horses—inner riches), RV 9.99 (Soma as giver of iṣaḥ and vāja)
Significance
A classic inner-boon formula: knowledge (go), force (vāja), vital energy (aśva), heroism (vīra) are requested as fruits of purified ananda.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- suta, pavamāna, dātṛ (giver, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra (vāja/victory), Agni (will and offering), Maruts (aśva-like swift forces)
Cosmic role
Bestower of plenitude and nourishment; empowers both illumination and action.
Inner power
Ananda as the universal giver: it turns into light (go), courage (vīra), energy (aśva), and victorious force (vāja).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering for prosperity/strength; concluding or petitionary moment in Soma purification sequence
गोम॑न्नः सोम वी॒रव॒दश्वा॑व॒द्वाज॑वत्सु॒तः । पव॑स्व बृह॒तीरिष॑: ॥
गोऽम॑त् । नः॒ । सो॒म॒ । वी॒रऽव॑त् । अश्व॑वत् । वाज॑ऽवत् । सु॒तः । पव॑स्व । बृह॒तीः । इषः॑ ॥
go-mat | naḥ | soma | vīra-vat | aśva-vat | vāja-vat | sutaḥ | pavasva | bṛhatīḥ | iṣaḥ
Likely Triṣṭubh (prayerful imperative with strong cadence)
44
11+11+11+11 (approx.)
Supplicatory yet powerful; enumerative rhythm in gomat/vīravad/aśvāvad/vājavat builds force.
Invokes strength and fullness; the list-like cadence imprints the desired inner qualities.
- गोमत् (go-mat)
- Literal: cow-possessing. Symbolic: rich in rays of light/knowledge; illuminations
- वीरवत् (vīra-vat)
- Literal: hero-possessing. Symbolic: courage, mastery, soul-force for the inner battle
- अश्ववत् (aśva-vat)
- Literal: horse-possessing. Symbolic: abundant vital energy and swift executive force
- वाजवत् (vāja-vat)
- Literal: vāja-possessing. Symbolic: plenitude, victorious strength, effective capacity
- पवस्व (pavasva)
- Literal: purify yourself!. Symbolic: clarify delight into a sattvic, divine current
- बृहतीः इषः (bṛhatīḥ iṣaḥ)
- Literal: vast refreshments/impulsions of nourishment. Symbolic: large descending inspirations and sustaining energies from higher consciousness
- सुतः (sutaḥ)
- Literal: pressed. Symbolic: released by inner pressure/tapas
Prayer for Soma’s purified outpouring to grant integrated powers (illumination, heroism, swiftness, plenitude) within the sacrificer
When seeking boons from the purified Soma—often during or after the flow through the filter, before offering.
Recitation with intention of receiving ‘iṣaḥ’ (nourishing energies) and ‘vāja’ (plenitude).
A mantra for integral development: chant to call knowledge, courage, energy, and effective power—useful before study, service, or demanding sādhanā.
go-mat/vīra-vat/aśva-vat/vāja-vat: possessive -vat adjectives, stacking boons as inner endowments. sutaḥ: Soma ‘pressed’ (√su in Soma-pressing idiom). pavasva: imperative middle ‘purify thyself’. bṛhatīḥ: fem. pl. ‘vast’ from bṛh- ‘to grow, expand’ (PIE *bʰerǵʰ- ‘rise/high’ debated); iṣaḥ from √iṣ ‘impel, refresh, strengthen’—hence ‘impulsions/refreshments’.
go (light/knowledge) as recovered illumination, iṣ (impulsion) as energizing will-force, bṛhat (wideness) as expanded consciousness
The requested riches are to be held in right order—illumination guiding energy and force.
Go (light) implies satya-knowledge as the governing principle of the other boons.
Descent of ‘bṛhatī iṣaḥ’ suggests higher-plane nourishment entering the embodied life.
Integral transformation: spiritual delight concretizes as capacities in mind-life-body.
A descending, cooling yet strengthening nectar that fills the system with light (mind), courage (heart), energy (vital), and power (action).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘fourfold wealth’ (go/vīra/aśva/vāja) bestowed by purified Soma. Mythically, Soma grants cattle, heroes, horses, and victory; psychologically, Soma grants illumination (go), courageous capacity (vīra), swift dynamic energies (aśva), and plenitude of force (vāja), culminating in ‘vast impulsions’ (bṛhatī iṣaḥ) that enlarge life into truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The possessive -vat chain is a hallmark of old Indo-European poetic cataloguing. vīra reflects PIE *wiHro- ‘man’ (cf. Latin vir). aśva reflects PIE *h₁éḱwos ‘horse’ (cf. Latin equus). These inherited lexemes are repurposed into a spiritual-psychological register while retaining archaic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi petitions Soma as an inner alchemical agent: ‘purify yourself for us’ so that the seeker’s being becomes endowed with light, force, speed, and plenitude—i.e., a complete equipment for the journey toward ṛta and bṛhat (wideness).
Invoke purified joy to become fourfold power: illumination (go), courage (vīra), energy (aśva), effective force (vāja); then receive a ‘vast nourishment’ descending.
Ajñā (go/light), Anāhata (vīra), Maṇipūra (vāja), Svādhiṣṭhāna/Prāṇic field (aśva vitality).
Inhale: feel Soma rising as cool joy; exhale: let it spread as light/courage/energy/power. End with a longer exhale imagining ‘bṛhatī iṣaḥ’ descending from above the head into the whole body.
Empowered sattva—calm strength and luminous vitality.
Chant slowly enough to feel each quality. After chanting, sit silently and notice which of the four powers is most needed; offer that area to Soma’s purification and wait for the ‘vast impulse’ to arise naturally.
Observe Saṃhitā accents; the enumerations (gomannāḥ… vīravad… aśvāvad… vājavat) should each receive clear accent articulation without monotony.
Keep the vocative ‘soma’ clear; do not blur ‘aśvāvad vājavat’; land firmly on the imperative ‘pavasva’.
goman naḥ: nasal ‘n’ in naḥ; do not insert extra vowel between words, vīravad: long ī; final d crisp, aśvāvad: ‘śv’ cluster; long ā, bṛhatīḥ: vocalic ṛ; long īḥ with visarga, iṣaḥ: retroflex ṣ; visarga audible
Full, steady, and uplifting; slightly stronger on imperatives and boon-words.
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.
