Rig Veda 9.80.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 80, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.80
- Rishi
- Traditionally attributed to seers of the Soma Pavamāna corpus
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna, with explicit orientation 'for Indra'
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यं त्वा वाजिन्नघ्न्या अभ्यनूषतायोहतं योनिमा रोहसि द्युमान् । मघोनामायुः प्रतिरन्महि श्रव इन्द्राय सोम पवसे वृषा मदः ॥
yáṃ tvā vājinn aghnyā́ abhyánūṣatáyo-hataṃ yónim ā́ rohasi dyumā́n | maghónām ā́yuḥ pratirán máhi śráva índrāya soma pavase vṛ́ṣā mádaḥ ||
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。
Word by Word
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? द्वितीया-एकवचन (relative pronoun ‘whom/which’)Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजिन्
- O Vājin (winner/strong one)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाज’ से)
- अघ्न्याः
- the ‘not-to-be-slain’ cows (holy cows)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अघ्न्या (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)Root अभि
- अनूषत
- they sought/wooed (him), they praisedVerbलुङ्/इम्पर्फेक्ट् (Vedic injunctive-like), 3rd person plural, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot वश् (वशँ/उष्-वर्ग; Vedic: ‘to desire/seek, to woo, to praise’)
- आ
- hither, toIndeclinable (preverb)Root आ
- योहतम्
- being led/yoked onAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (agreeing with त्वा)Role Karma (qualifier)Root युह्/युज्? (Vedic form; here as a kṛdanta/epithet meaning ‘yoked/led on’)
- योनिम्
- the womb, seat, resting-placeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (goal/place) / Karma (object of motion)Root योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- into, up toIndeclinable (preverb)Root आ
- रोहसि
- you ascend, you mountVerbलट् (present), 2nd person singular, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot रुह् (रुहँ)
- द्युमान्
- shining, radiantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (as predicative/epithet of ‘you’)Role Kartā (qualifier)Root द्युमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघोनाम्
- of the bountiful (patrons)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचनRole SambandhaRoot मघवन्/मघोन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bountiful ones’)
- आयुः
- life, lifetimeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā/Viśeṣya (subject-noun in apposition)Root आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रतिरन्
- reaching, attaining, respondingParticiple/Verbal formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (agreeing with आयुः or implied Soma)Role Kartā (qualifier)Root प्रति-ऋ (ऋ गतौ) / प्रति-रम्? (Vedic: ‘to reach/attain/answer back’; form used as a verbal adjective/participle)
- महि
- greatAdjective (indeclinable use)Root महि (प्रातिपदिक/avyaya-like adjective ‘great’)
- श्रवः
- fame, gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (here as ‘fame’ sought/produced)Role Karma/PhalaRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवसे
- you purify yourself, you flow purifiedVerbलट् (present), 2nd person singular, आत्मनेपदRole KriyāRoot पू (पूञ् शुद्धौ) → पव् (Vedic present-stem)
- वृषा
- the bull; the vigorous oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (epithet)Root वृषन्/वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
- मदः
- intoxication, exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā/Viśeṣya (apposition to Soma) / PhalaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): यम् | त्वा | वाजिन् | अघ्न्याः | अभि | अनूषत | आ | योहतम् | योनिम् | आ | रोहसि | द्युमान् || मघोनाम् | आयुः | प्रतिरन् | महि | श्रवः | इन्द्राय | सोम | पवसे | वृषा | मदः || प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) अघ्न्याः + अभि → अघ्न्या अभि (visarga-less junction in saṃhitā writing)
- (2) अभि + अनूषत → अभ्यनूषत (इ/अ संधि: इ + अ → य)
- (3) अनूषत + आ → अनूषताय (अ + आ → आ; saṃhitā shows -ताय-)
- (4) आ + योहतम् → आयोहतम् (आ + य- coalescence)
- (5) योनिम् + आ → योनिमा (म् + आ with nasal loss in saṃhitā orthography)
- (6) इन्द्राय + सोम → इन्द्राय सोम (no further change)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O victorious Soma, the unharmable cows have sung to you; you ascend the iron-struck womb, shining. Repelling what diminishes the life of the givers, you become great fame for Indra; you flow as the bull of ecstasy.
Inner meaning
The ‘aghnyāḥ’ are the inviolate Cows of Light—rays of knowledge that call Soma into manifestation. Soma rises into the ‘iron-struck womb’ (ayo-hata yoni): a firm, resistant formation of embodied nature that must be shaped by tapas. As Soma purifies, it repels forces that sap the life-force of the ‘maghonām’ (the givers—those parts of us that can offer, aspire, and increase). Then Soma becomes ‘mahi śravaḥ’—vast inner renown or luminous affirmation—for Indra, the divine Mind, enabling illumination to rule. Soma flows as vṛṣā madaḥ, the bull-current of ecstasy: powerful ananda energizing the ascent.
Universal truth
Knowledge calls delight into form; delight, when purified, can inhabit even dense embodiment and protect the generous impulse in us. This alliance of bliss (Soma) and illumination (Indra) yields strength, fame (effective power), and victorious movement.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Purification (Pavamāna), Indra empowerment, Cows-of-light (recovering rays/knowledges), Victory of life-force over diminishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Not securely inferable from excerpt (RV 9.80 within Soma Pavamāna corpus)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.80.3 (Soma into Indra’s belly; spreading through worlds), RV 9.79.5 (carry us through level to level; thematic kinship)
Family tradition
Pavamāna seers (multiple lineages) articulate Soma’s ascent into form and its support to Indra; this verse strongly reflects the Soma–Indra yoga of illumination and bliss.
Significance
The seer presents a threefold movement: Light invokes Soma; Soma enters resistant embodiment; Soma empowers Indra’s illumination by protecting the life-force of the giver-nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (for Indra)
- Epithets
- Vājin (victorious), Dyumān (luminous), Vṛṣā Madaḥ (bull of ecstasy)
- Related deities
- Indra, Aghnyāḥ (cows of light, as associated powers), Agni
Cosmic role
Purified delight that feeds Indra (illumined mind) and sustains victorious growth in the worlds.
Inner power
Ananda that can inhabit dense formations, repel life-diminishing forces, and amplify illumined intelligence.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification; offering ‘for Indra’
यं त्वा॑ वाजिन्न॒घ्न्या अ॒भ्यनू॑ष॒तायो॑हतं॒ योनि॒मा रो॑हसि द्यु॒मान् । म॒घोना॒मायु॑: प्रति॒रन्महि॒ श्रव॒ इन्द्रा॑य सोम पवसे॒ वृषा॒ मद॑: ॥
यम् । त्वा॒ । वा॒जि॒न् । अ॒घ्न्याः । अ॒भि । अनू॑षत । अयः॒ऽहतम् । योनि॑म् । आ । रो॒ह॒सि॒ । द्यु॒ऽमान् । म॒घोना॑म् । आयुः॑ । प्र॒ऽति॒रत् । महि॑ । श्रव॑ । इन्द्रा॑य । सो॒म॒ । प॒व॒से॒ । वृषा॑ । मदः॑ ॥
yam | tvā | vājin | aghnyāḥ | abhi | anūṣatā | ayaḥ-hatam | yonim | ā | rohasi | dyu-mān | maghonām | āyuḥ | pra-tirat | mahi | śrava | indrāya | soma | pavase | vṛṣā | madaḥ
Likely Triṣṭubh (probable; common for RV 9.80; confirm with metrical count)
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Strong, heroic gait; suitable for ascent and repulsion imagery.
Invokes victorious uplift; energizes the listener with confident radiance and protective strength.
- वाजिन् (vājin)
- Literal: victorious, full of force/prize. Symbolic: Soma as conquering energy in transformation
- अघ्न्याः (aghnyāḥ)
- Literal: not to be slain (cows). Symbolic: inviolable rays of light/knowledge
- अनूषत (anūṣata)
- Literal: they have sung/praised. Symbolic: vibrations of illumination invoking higher experience
- अयोहतम् (ayo-hatam)
- Literal: iron-struck. Symbolic: hard, resistant structure of physical/vital formation shaped by discipline
- योनि (yoni)
- Literal: womb, seat, source. Symbolic: plane or vessel where consciousness takes form
- द्युमान् (dyumān)
- Literal: luminous. Symbolic: radiant consciousness entering formation
- मघोनाम् (maghonām)
- Literal: of the generous/givers. Symbolic: the offering parts of nature; powers that increase by giving
- आयुः (āyuḥ)
- Literal: life, vitality. Symbolic: life-force supporting the yoga and sacrifice
- प्रतीरन् (pratīran)
- Literal: repelling, resisting. Symbolic: protective rejection of diminishing forces
- महि श्रवः (mahi śravaḥ)
- Literal: great fame/renown. Symbolic: vast effective power/affirmed luminosity in mind
- इन्द्राय (indrāya)
- Literal: for Indra. Symbolic: for the divine Mind’s rule of illumination
- वृषा मदः (vṛṣā madaḥ)
- Literal: bull of ecstasy. Symbolic: strong ananda-current that fertilizes and empowers the being
Soma purification sequence (Pavamāna) in Soma-yajña (e.g., Agniṣṭoma): recited during pressing/straining (pavitra) as Soma flows into vessels for Indra’s draught.
In Soma-yajña sequences where Soma is prepared and offered to Indra; Pavamāna chanting.
Straining/flowing Soma accompanied by praise; intention to strengthen Indra’s share and repel obstacles.
Meditation for integrating joy into the body and for protecting one’s aspiration and generosity from draining influences.
Key terms: (1) vājin: from vā́ja- (strength, plenitude, victorious energy), linked to √vaj/√vāj (to be strong, to impel). Hence psychological sense: 'carrier of plenitude-force'. (2) aghnyāḥ: 'not to be slain/harmed', traditionally cows; from a- (negation) + √han (to strike/kill). In RV symbolism, 'cows' frequently denote rays of light/knowledges; 'unharmable' suggests inviolable luminous powers. (3) yonim: from √yu (to join, yoke) > yoni as 'seat/source/matrix'; in Soma hymns the yoni is the vessel/filter/settling-place, inwardly the prepared matrix of consciousness. (4) rohasi: √ruh 'rise, grow, mount'—Soma 'rises' into the seat, i.e., establishes itself in the higher receptacle. (5) pavas(e): √pū 'purify' in middle—self-purification/clarification of consciousness. (6) mada: from √mad 'to be glad, intoxicated'—ecstatic uplift; a technical Soma effect, inwardly ananda/vega of inspired force.
Ṛta (right order) as purification/clarification that supports divine action, Satyam-Ritam: luminous truth-force supporting Indra, Ananda (mada) as spiritual ecstasy powering victorious consciousness
Soma’s victorious flow restores right circulation of force; it becomes fit food for Indra who upholds ṛta as illumination.
Dyumān and mahi śravaḥ indicate truth becoming luminous power in mind.
Light-calls → essence rises into womb of form → power established for illumined governance.
Integral Vedic psychology: gods as functional powers; Soma–Indra synergy as ānanda–vijñāna axis (proto).
Cows = rays of knowledge; iron = hard resistance of embodied habits; womb = formative plane; bull = potent ananda-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'Cows of Light' mythologem: aghnyāḥ (cows) are invoked as luminous powers that praise Soma. The action is Soma’s ascent into the yoni (the prepared matrix/vessel), producing madá (ecstatic force) that strengthens Indra. Mythically this is the generation/release of luminous energies that enable Indra’s victories; psychologically it is the clarification of delight-consciousness that empowers the illumined will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes align with broad Indo-European patterns: √mad ('be glad/intoxicated') has cognate semantic fields of exhilaration/rapture across IE; √ruh ('rise/grow') reflects the common IE notion of rising/growing (cf. growth verbs across branches). The compound ayaḥ-hata ('iron-struck') shows productive compounding typical of early Indo-Aryan poetic diction, encoding material image → symbolic vessel. While exact one-to-one cognates vary, the verse exemplifies inherited IE poetics: formulaic epithets (vṛṣā, dyumā́n), and the mythic-ritual equation (flow/purify → empower the warrior-god).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi’s speech is a functional offering: by naming Soma as vājin (plenitude-force) and vṛṣā madaḥ (bull of ecstasy), the poet-priest establishes a reciprocity—praise and correct formulation invite Soma’s effective purification and ascent, which in turn protects the life (āyuḥ) of the maghavans (givers) and yields mahí śrávaḥ (vast manifest power/renown) for Indra. The exchange is inner as well: disciplined utterance aligns consciousness with ṛta, and Soma’s clarified delight returns as increased life-force and victorious clarity.
Let rays of clarity (cows of light) ‘sing’—invite a sweet luminous current to rise into the body’s firm structures; offer it to the illumined mind (Indra) to govern the life-force.
Maṇipūra (vital strength protected) rising to Ājñā (Indra’s illumined mind)
Inhale imagining Soma rising up the spine; brief pause (firm ‘iron’ stability); exhale offering into the brow as clear joy.
Victorious, embodied luminosity; joyful strength without restlessness.
When you feel drained, recall ‘pratīran maghonām āyuḥ’: reject influences that diminish your giving-power; then ‘offer to Indra’—return to clear discernment guided by joy.
Standard three-tone Vedic chant; exact udātta/anudātta/svarita requires a svara-notated recension for RV 9.80.2.
Keep ‘aghnyā’ and ‘ayo-hatam yoniṃ’ carefully articulated; give a slight lift on ‘dyumān’ and ‘vṛṣā madaḥ’.
: ghny cluster (a-ghn-yāḥ), : ayo-hatam, clear h, : yoniṃ with anusvāra assimilation as per tradition, : dyu-mān (dy cluster), : retroflex ṭ not present; keep dental t; long ī, : vocalic ṛ; ṣ retroflex
Full, resonant, heroic; maintain clarity on consonant clusters.
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