Rig Veda Sukta 80
Mandala 9Sukta 804 Mantras

Sukta 80

Sukta 9.80

Rishi

Traditionally attributed to seers of the Soma Pavamāna corpus.

Devata

Soma Pavamāna (Soma in the act of purification), with explicit orientation 'for Indra' (इन्द्राय).

Chandas

Likely Triṣṭubh (common in RV 9; requires full metrical count confirmation).

このソーマ・パヴァマーナ讃歌は、搾られ、解き放たれ、浄められるソーマを讃える。ソーマは光り輝く千の流れとなって奔り、とりわけインドラを歓喜させ、神聖な秩序を支えるために注がれる。彼は恍惚の牡牛として、生命を衰えさせる力を退け、名声と力をもたらし、水の中を川の波のように進んで神々へ向かう。

Recitation with translationRig Veda 9.80

Mantras

Mantra 2

यं त्वा वाजिन्नघ्न्या अभ्यनूषतायोहतं योनिमा रोहसि द्युमान् । मघोनामायुः प्रतिरन्महि श्रव इन्द्राय सोम पवसे वृषा मदः ॥

ソーマよ、力強く勝利する者よ、害されえぬ光の牝牛たちは汝に向かって歌いかけた。汝は鉄に打たれた胎(堅固な器)へと昇り、光輝をもって照り映える。施与者たちの命を減ずるものを退けつつ、汝はインドラのために広大な名声と力となる――雄々しき陶酔として。

Mantra 3

एन्द्रस्य कुक्षा पवते मदिन्तम ऊर्जं वसानः श्रवसे सुमङ्गलः । प्रत्यङ्स विश्वा भुवनाभि पप्रथे क्रीळन्हरिरत्यः स्यन्दते वृषा ॥

最も陶酔させるソーマはインドラの腹へと流れ入り、力(ウールジャ)をまとい、名声と威勢のために吉祥となる。内へと向き直り、あらゆる世界・あらゆる存在にひろがる。戯れつつ、黄褐の駿馬は突進し——雄牛の流れはほとばしり出る。

Mantra 4

तं त्वा देवेभ्यो मधुमत्तमं नरः सहस्रधारं दुहते दश क्षिपः । नृभिः सोम प्रच्युतो ग्रावभिः सुतो विश्वान्देवाँ आ पवस्वा सहस्रजित् ॥

神々のために最も蜜なる汝を、強き者たちは十の指から搾り出す——千の流れとして。ソーマよ、人々がグラーヴァ(搾石)で圧して放たれた汝よ、すべての神々へと自らを清めよ、千を征する者よ。

Mantra 5

तं त्वा हस्तिनो मधुमन्तमद्रिभिर्दुहन्त्यप्सु वृषभं दश क्षिपः । इन्द्रं सोम मादयन्दैव्यं जनं सिन्धोरिवोर्मिः पवमानो अर्षसि ॥

甘美に満ちた汝を、巧みな手は搾石(アドリ)によって、十の指から——水の中で——雄牛として搾り出す。ソーマよ、インドラを歓ばせ、われらの内なる神なる民をも歓ばせつつ、汝は清められて、河の波のように奔りゆく。

Inside Sukta 80

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Soma is hailed in the very act of purification—called forth by luminous powers and guided into the prepared ‘womb’ (yoni), shining with radiance.

  2. Development

    The hymn amplifies Soma’s ritual mechanics (pressed by stones, drawn by fingers) and his qualities (sweetness, thousand-streamed flow), linking the physical process to divine empowerment.

  3. Climax

    Soma’s purified rushing becomes the decisive force: he repels what diminishes the patrons’ life and becomes great fame and strength for Indra—bull of ecstasy in full surge.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn broadens the offering: Soma is urged to purify himself toward all the gods, completing the circuit from human pressing to universal divine nourishment and victory.

The deity: Soma Pavamāna

  • In the VedaSoma is addressed as the sweet, honeyed draught drawn out by men from the ‘ten fingers,’ pressed by stones, flowing through waters and filters, radiant and victorious; he is the ‘bull’ whose purified rush brings exhilaration and wide fame.
  • Cosmic functionHe mediates between human rite and divine power: the purified essence that strengthens Indra for heroic action, nourishes the gods, and renews vitality and auspicious order through flowing, cleansing potency.
  • Inner significanceThe clarified, uplifted mind-energy: purified delight (ānanda/mada) that repels diminution, restores courage and clarity, and turns inner ‘streams’ toward the divine faculties (devas) with focused intensity (especially Indra as awakened force).

The seer

  • Pavamāna Soma seers (Anukramaṇī: Soma Pavamāna corpus; specific r̥ṣi not securely identifiable for this excerpt)Custodians of the ninth maṇḍala’s specialized liturgy: hymns that accompany Soma’s pressing and purification, blending ritual precision with luminous, visionary imagery (cows of light, streams, waves, radiance).

Famous verses

इन्द्राय सोम पवसे वृषा मदः
Verse 9.80.2Central image of Soma’s ascent into the ‘yoni’ while radiating; explicitly states his function of repelling life-diminishing forces and empowering Indra as the bull of ecstatic strength.Read verse 9.80.2 →
सहस्रधारं दुहते दश क्षिपः
Verse 9.80.4Classic Pavamāna ritual signature: ‘most honeyed,’ ‘thousand-streamed,’ drawn from the ‘ten fingers,’ and the concluding injunction to purify toward all the gods—linking Indra-focus to universal offering.Read verse 9.80.4 →
सिन्धोरिवोर्मिः पवमानो अर्षसि
Verse 9.80.5Vivid kinetic metaphor: Soma rushes like a river-wave; he gladdens Indra and the ‘divine people’ (daivyaṃ janam), joining inner exhilaration to outer rite.Read verse 9.80.5 →

Attributes of the deity

  • pavamāna (self-purifying flow)
  • madhu/madhumat (sweet, honeyed)
  • vṛṣan/vṛṣabha (bull-like potency)
  • sahasradhāra (thousand-streamed)
  • pressed by adri (stones) and guided by daśa kṣipaḥ (ten fingers)
  • radiant (dyumān)
  • Indra-gladdening (indrāya, mādayan indram)
  • life-protecting and obstacle-repelling

Also by this seer

  • Soma Pavamāna hymns across Rig Veda Maṇḍala 9 (collective priestly/seerly transmission)
  • Development of core Soma-pressing diction: adri (pressing stones), daśa kṣipaḥ (ten fingers), sahasradhāra (thousand-streamed), pavasva (purify thyself)

The rite, step by step

  • Soma stalks are brought and prepared; pressing stones (grāvan/adri) are readied.
  • Soma is pressed by officiants; the expressed juice is ‘milked’ out by the ten fingers (daśa kṣipaḥ).
  • The juice is mixed with water and guided through purification (pavana), traditionally via filter/strainer (pavitra).
  • Purified Soma is collected, made ‘honeyed’ by admixtures as per rite, and offered in libations (āhuti) to Indra and the gods.
  • Recitation/chant accompanies the flow, inviting Soma to purify himself and to exhilarate Indra and the divine powers.

Offerings

  • Purified Soma juice (pavamāna soma)
  • Waters used in purification (āpaḥ)
  • Optional ritual admixtures per Soma rite (e.g., milk/curds per tradition)

Frequently Asked Questions

The hymn praises Soma in his purified, flowing form (Soma Pavamāna), with a clear intention that his clarified power especially exhilarates Indra while also reaching all the gods.

It describes the Soma juice as it pours in many rivulets during pressing and purification—an image of abundant, unstoppable flow and overflowing potency in the ritual.

They point to the concrete Soma-pressing: stones press out the juice, and the officiants’ hands (ten fingers) draw and guide it into purification, showing how the rite produces the divine drink.

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