Rig Veda 9.72.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 72, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.72
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अरममाणो अत्येति गा अभि सूर्यस्य प्रियं दुहितुस्तिरो रवम् । अन्वस्मै जोषमभरद्विनंगृसः सं द्वयीभिः स्वसृभिः क्षेति जामिभिः ॥
áramamāṇo átyeti gā́ abhí sū́ryasya priyáṃ duhítus tiró rávam | ánv asmai jóṣam abharad vinam-gṛ́saḥ sáṃ dvayī́bhiḥ svásṛbhiḥ kṣeti jā́mibhiḥ ||
彼は倦むことなく、牛ら――光の牝牛――を越えて、太陽の愛しき座へと進み、乳を搾る娘の叫びをも越えてゆく。彼に従い、屈して掴む者は彼に歓喜をもたらす。彼は二人の姉妹の力、同族の者たちと結ばれて住まう。
Word by Word
- अर॑ममाणः
- being eager/striving (readily)Adjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्तः, आत्मनेपदी)Role KartāRoot अरम् (अव्यय ‘सम्यक्/शीघ्रम्’) + √मन् (मनँ/मनुते) (आत्मनेपद) → अरममाण- (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- अत्येति
- passes beyond, goes overVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot अति + √इ (इण्) → एति
- गाः
- the cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/निपातRoot अभि
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रियं
- the dear (thing/one)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहितुः
- of the daughterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तिरः
- across, beyond, overIndeclinableअव्यय (उपपद)Root तिरस् (अव्यय)
- रवं
- the roar/soundNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (with तिरः) / object of crossingRoot रव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग/निपातRoot अनु
- अस्मै
- to himPronounपुंलिङ्ग (देव/सोम), चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अयम् (इदम्-प्रातिपदिक)
- जोषम्
- favor, enjoyment, pleasureNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot जोष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सन्तोष/अनुग्रह/आनन्द’)
- अभरत्
- brought, boreVerbलुङ् (अorist/इम्पर्फेक्ट-प्राय), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √भृ (भृञ्)
- विनंगृसः
- Vinaṅgṛsa (a name/epithet), the bringerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (of अभरत्)Root विनंगृस (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक नाम/विशेषण, सोम-सम्बद्ध)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot सम्
- द्वयीभिः
- with the twofold (ones)Adjective (instrumental plural)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot द्वयी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘twofold/dual (sisters)’)
- स्वसृभिः
- with (his) sistersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (in apposition to द्वयीभिः)Root स्वसृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षेति
- dwells, abidesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √क्षि (क्षि/क्षेय् ‘to dwell, abide’)
- जामिभिः
- with kinsmen/kinsfolkNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole Karaṇa/सहकारक (company)Root जामि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘kinsfolk, kindred’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धिविच्छेद): अरममाणः | अत्येति | गाः | अभि | सूर्यस्य | प्रियं | दुहितुः | तिरः | रवं | अनु | अस्मै | जोषम् | अभरत् | विनंगृसः | सम् | द्वयीभिः | स्वसृभिः | क्षेति | जामिभिः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) अरममाणो अत्येति → अरममाणः + अत्येति (ओ/अः + अ-)
- (2) गा अभि → गाः + अभि (आः + अ-)
- (3) तिरो रवम् → तिरः + रवं (अः + र-)
- (4) अन्वस्मै → अनु + अस्मै (उ + अ → व्-अनुस्वार/व्-प्रत्ययः)
- (5) जोषमभरत् → जोषम् + अभरत् (म् + अ-)
- (6) सम् द्वयीभिः → सम् + द्वयीभिः (म् + द्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, unwearied, goes to the cows (rays) toward the dear place of the Sun beyond the cry of the milking Daughter; one who bends/grips brings him delight, and he dwells united with two sister-powers.
Inner meaning
Purified Soma moves beyond fatigue (aramamāṇaḥ): delight, once clarified, does not exhaust but renews. He goes to the gāḥ—rays of knowledge—toward Sūrya’s प्रियं, the beloved seat of the Sun: the supramental/light-domain of truth. ‘Beyond the cry of the Daughter who milks’ suggests passing beyond the outward or merely sensory-vital extraction (the noisy surface movement) into the quiet source of light. The ‘bending-grasper’ (vinaṃgṛsaḥ) can be taken as the disciplined seeker-force that can ‘bend’ the stubborn movements of nature and seize the essence—bringing joṣa (delight/acceptance). The ‘two sisters’ are twin powers that accompany Soma in his settled state—often read psychologically as Illumination and Delight, or Truth and Right-Action (Satya–Ṛta), or the paired currents (iḍā–piṅgalā) harmonized so Soma can ‘dwell’ (kṣeti) in the kindred field.
Universal truth
True delight leads to knowledge and the sunlit seat of truth; it outgrows noisy surface cravings and settles only when complementary powers in us are reconciled and unified.
Themes
ascent to light, recovery of rays (cows), Soma as bringer of delight, harmonization of inner dualities
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna seer (specific attribution uncertain for RV 9.72.3 in provided data)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.63 (Soma toward light; thematic), RV 9.97 (Soma and Sūrya motifs; thematic), RV 1.50 (Sūrya hymn; conceptual companion)
Family tradition
Book 9 visionary tradition: Soma’s journey from purification to the Sun-seat (knowledge) is a recurrent yogic theme.
Significance
The seer maps an inner ascent: delight, once purified, naturally seeks the rays and the Sun-seat, and becomes stable only when twin supporting powers are unified.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Unwearied (aramamāṇa), Go-seeker (toward gāḥ), Sūrya-priya-gāmin (moving to the Sun’s dear seat)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas (implied by ‘daughter’ imagery), Indra (as receiver/strengthened by Soma)
Cosmic role
Carrier of delight that opens the rays and leads consciousness toward the solar truth.
Inner power
Ananda as an ascending current that crosses surface agitation and stabilizes in harmonized channels.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna chant during filtration/flow of Soma
अर॑ममाणो॒ अत्ये॑ति॒ गा अ॒भि सूर्य॑स्य प्रि॒यं दु॑हि॒तुस्ति॒रो रव॑म् । अन्व॑स्मै॒ जोष॑मभरद्विनंगृ॒सः सं द्व॒यीभि॒: स्वसृ॑भिः क्षेति जा॒मिभि॑: ॥
अर॑ममाणः । अति॑ । ए॒ति॒ । गाः । अ॒भि । सूर्य॑स्य । प्रि॒यम् । दु॒हि॒तुः । ति॒रः । रव॑म् । अनु॑ । अ॒स्मै॒ । जोष॑म् । अ॒भ॒र॒त् । वि॒न॒म्ऽगृ॒सः । सम् । द्व॒यीभिः॑ । स्वसृ॑ऽभिः । क्षे॒ति॒ । जा॒मिऽभिः॑ ॥
aramamāṇaḥ | ati | eti | gāḥ | abhi | sūryasya | priyam | duhituḥ | tiraḥ | ravam | anu | asmai | joṣam | abharat | vinam-gṛsaḥ | sam | dvayībhiḥ | svasṛ-bhiḥ | kṣeti | jāmi-bhiḥ
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4 × 12 (norm)
A measured ascent: each pāda feels like a step beyond the previous, matching ‘passes beyond’ (aty eti).
Supports an upward inner movement; encourages the sense of crossing beyond mental noise into a brighter stillness.
- अरममाणः (aramamāṇaḥ)
- Literal: not wearying, unwearied. Symbolic: delight that renews energy; persistence of the inner nectar
- गा: (gāḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge recovered for consciousness
- सूर्यस्य प्रियम् (sūryasya priyam)
- Literal: the dear place of the Sun. Symbolic: luminous truth-domain; seat of clear seeing
- दुहितुः (duhituḥ)
- Literal: of the daughter. Symbolic: a producing/milking power—often the dawn-force or formative nature extracting essence
- रवम् (ravam)
- Literal: cry, noise. Symbolic: surface agitation of the senses/vital; outward clamour
- जोषम् (joṣam)
- Literal: delight, glad acceptance. Symbolic: the consenting sweetness that accompanies right movement
- विनंगृसः (vinaṃgṛsaḥ)
- Literal: bending-grasper. Symbolic: discipline that can bend resistance and seize the subtle essence
- द्वयीभिः स्वसृभिः (dvayībhiḥ svasṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with the two sister-powers. Symbolic: paired harmonized forces (e.g., Satya–Ṛta; illumination–power; iḍā–piṅgalā) enabling stable realization
- क्षेति (kṣeti)
- Literal: dwells. Symbolic: abides steadily—realization becomes settled
Pavamāna sequence during Soma purification; imagery of rays/cows and Sun aligns with the ascent/clarification of Soma in the rite.
During Soma purification and offering sequences; especially apt where Soma is praised as going to the gods/light.
Filtering and collecting Soma; offering toward the deities associated with light (Sūrya/Indra).
Use as an ‘ascent’ mantra: when ذهن/heart is noisy, chant to move beyond agitation toward clear seeing.
√ram ‘to rest, delight’ with privative/negative nuance in aramamāṇa- ‘not resting from effort’. √i ‘to go’ with ati ‘beyond’. go- ‘cow’ in RV frequently ‘ray/light’ (root √gā/√gam ‘to go’ supports ‘that which moves’ → rays). joṣa from √juṣ ‘enjoy, be pleased’. √bhṛ ‘bear/bring’. kṣeti from √kṣi ‘dwell’. vinam-gṛsa is a bahuvrīhi-like epithet: vinam- ‘bending/leaning’ (√nam) + gṛsa ‘grasping/seizing’ (likely related to √gras/√grabh ‘to seize’), depicting Soma’s taking hold of the desired essence.
transcendence beyond surface vibration, union of dual powers (two sisters), delight (joṣa) as attainment
The ‘two sisters’ can signify Satya (truth) and Ṛta (right movement) as the stable basis where Soma dwells.
Sūrya’s dear seat is the domain of clear truth-perception.
Recovery of rays (knowledge) and establishment in a higher luminous home.
Aurobindonian symbolism: Soma (Ananda) opens the cows (rays) and leads to Sūrya (supramental light).
dawn-to-sunrise transition (suggested by daughter/milking → sun-seat)
From dawn’s first stirring (incipient illumination) beyond surface commotion into stable solar clarity; harmonized channels support abiding delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The journey of Soma (or the purified stream) toward the ‘cows’ and the Sun’s dear home: the classic mythic pattern of reaching the luminous herd (rays/knowledges) and the solar plane. The ‘cry’ of the Daughter marks the outward, audible ritual layer; Soma goes beyond it toward the inner light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu is not present here, but the semantic network of ‘cows’ as rays is a shared Indo-European poetic device (animate herd = lights/boons). joṣa (√juṣ) expresses a pleasure/favor relation comparable to reciprocal ‘delight’ themes in Indo-Iranian hymnody; √bhṛ ‘bring’ is a basic PIE inheritance (*bher-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer tracks the deity’s movement as an inner itinerary: Soma leads beyond surface noise into the Sun’s beloved domain; the worshipper’s consciousness follows (anu), receiving joṣa (delight/favor). The ‘two sisters’ indicate that the experience stabilizes only when paired inner currents (e.g., thought and feeling, or two luminous streams) are reconciled and made kindred (jāmi).
Move beyond ‘ravá’ (inner noise) into the sun-seat: visualize rays gathering above the brow as Soma rises.
Ājñā (sun-seat/clarity) supported by Suṣumṇā balance (two sisters as iḍā–piṅgalā harmony)
Nāḍī-śodhana (gentle alternate-nostril) before chanting; then chant on smooth exhale to feel ascent.
Upward-flowing, clear, steady.
When agitated, first balance breath (5 rounds). Chant 12 times, each time feeling you ‘pass beyond’ the noise; rest in silent seeing at the brow, inviting rays (gāḥ) to appear as insights.
Vedic accents per śākhā; confirm with svara-marked Saṃhitā for exact udātta placements.
Emphasize the forward motion on aty eti; keep the voice steady through long compounds; let the final pāda ‘settle’ in tone to match kṣeti.
Pronounce sūryasya with clear long ū., Keep retroflex ṭ absent here; but maintain clear dental t in tiriḥ (tiró) if reciting with Vedic sandhi., vinaṃgṛsaḥ: articulate ṅgṛ cluster softly but distinctly.
Bright, ascending resonance; finish with a calmer, grounded tone.
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