Rig Veda 9.86.25: Mandala 9, Sukta 86, Mantra 25
Sukta 9.86
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अव्ये पुनानं परि वार ऊर्मिणा हरिं नवन्ते अभि सप्त धेनवः । अपामुपस्थे अध्यायवः कविमृतस्य योना महिषा अहेषत ॥
ávyé punānáṃ pári vā́ra ū́rmiṇā hárim navante abhí saptá dhénavaḥ | apā́m upásthe ádhy ā́yavaḥ kavím ṛtásya yónā mahiṣā́ aheṣata ||
羊毛の中にて浄められ、波のうねりに囲まれ、包む篩（ふるい）の内にて、七つの乳牛は黄褐の者に身を屈める。水の懐において、進みゆく諸力は詩聖カヴィ（kavi）を据え置き、偉大なる者たちはリタ（ṛta）—真理の胎（yoni）へと叫び響かせた。
Word by Word
- अव्ये
- in/at the sheep’s wool (filter)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुनानम्
- purifying, being purifiedParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (हरिम् इति विशेषणम्) अथवा पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (सन्दर्भानुसार)Role कर्म (हरिम्-सम्बद्धम्)Root पू (धातु) → पुनान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय, आत्मनेपदी)
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableअव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वारः
- water (wave/stream)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वार (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊर्मिणा
- with a waveNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरिम्
- the tawny one (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- नवन्ते
- they praise/celebrateVerbलट्, प्रथमा पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot नु/नव् (धातु; ‘to praise/celebrate’—वैदिक प्रयोग)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सप्त
- sevenNumeral (Adjective)अव्ययवत् (संख्या), बहुवचनार्थेRoot सप्तन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- धेनवः
- milch-cows (streams/fingers as ‘cows’)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपाम्
- of the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपस्थे
- in the lap/bosomNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot उपस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्यायवः
- those who come/approach (attendants)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अधि + √इ (धातु) → अध्यायु (कृदन्त/नाम; ‘approaching/coming to’)
- कविम्
- the seer/poet (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- योनौ
- in the womb/sourceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- महिषाः
- the mighty ones / bullsNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहेषत
- they cried aloud / neighedVerbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमा पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot हिष् (धातु; ‘to neigh/whinny/cry aloud’—वैदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): अव्ये | पुना॒नम् | परि | वारः | ऊ॒र्मिणा | हरिम् | नवन्ते | अभि | सप्त | धेनवः । अपाम् | उपस्थे | अध्यायवः | कविम् | ऋतस्य | योनौ | महिषाः | अहेषत ॥ मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) परि + वारः → परि वारः (विसर्गः पदान्ते) (2) अपाम् + उपस्थे → अपामुपस्थे (म् + उ) (3) ऋतस्य + योनौ → ऋतस्य योनौ (पदान्त-सन्धि न)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma purifies in sheep’s wool within the sieve; seven milch-cows bow to the tawny one. In the lap of the waters, advancing powers set the seer; the great ones cry toward the womb of ṛta.
Inner meaning
In the ‘wool’ (avya) of the filter—symbol of soft discriminating substance—Soma is refined. The ‘seven cows’ are the seven streams/rays of knowledge (or seven powers of consciousness) that turn toward the tawny Soma (hari) as their source of luminous delight. In the ‘lap of the waters’ (apām upasthe), the foundational consciousness (waters = being, life-substance) holds and supports the arising seer-power (kavi) placed there by advancing inner energies (āyavaḥ). The ‘womb of ṛta’ (ṛtasya yonā) is the truth-plane where right order is generated; the ‘great ones’ (mahiṣāḥ) are the strong powers in us that call toward that origin until Truth is born in experience.
Universal truth
Purification is a process of refinement through discrimination; when delight is clarified, the multiple powers of knowledge align, and the seer-consciousness is established in the depths of being, calling truth into manifestation.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Filtration symbolism, Seven cows/rays, Truth-womb (ṛta-yoni)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.86.1-48
Significance
This verse centers the classic triad: purification (pavamāna), establishment of the kavi (seer) in the waters (depths), and birth-call toward ṛta’s womb—an inner yoga of refining, grounding, and truth-becoming.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Hari (tawny/golden), Kavi-support (establisher of the seer)
- Related deities
- Āpas (Waters), Sapta-dhenu motifs (seven rays)
Cosmic role
Purifies and harmonizes the seven powers; establishes seerhood in the cosmic waters; draws beings toward ṛta.
Inner power
Refining Ananda that organizes multiple faculties into a single truth-seeking movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration through wool (pavitra) in Soma-yajña
अव्ये॑ पुना॒नं परि॒ वार॑ ऊ॒र्मिणा॒ हरिं॑ नवन्ते अ॒भि स॒प्त धे॒नव॑: । अ॒पामु॒पस्थे॒ अध्या॒यव॑: क॒विमृ॒तस्य॒ योना॑ महि॒षा अ॑हेषत ॥
अव्ये॑ । पु॒ना॒नम् । परि॑ । वारे॑ । ऊ॒र्मिणा॑ । हरि॑म् । न॒व॒न्ते॒ । अ॒भि । स॒प्त । धे॒नवः॑ । अ॒पाम् । उ॒पऽस्थे॑ । अधि॑ । आ॒यवः॑ । क॒विम् । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । योना॑ । म॒हि॒षाः । अ॒हे॒ष॒त॒ ॥
avye | punānam | pari | vāre | ūrmiṇā | harim | navante | abhi | sapta | dhenavaḥ | apām | upa-sthe | adhi | āyavaḥ | kavim | ṛtasya | yonā | mahiṣāḥ | aheṣata
48
4 × ~12 syllables
Undulating like waves (ūrmi), with a solemn concluding pull toward ‘ṛtasya yonā’.
Creates a felt ‘washing/cleansing’ in the listener; good for settling into depth and invoking truth.
- अव्ये (avye)
- Literal: in sheep’s wool. Symbolic: soft filter of discrimination; sattvic refining medium
- वार (vāra)
- Literal: covering/enclosing sieve. Symbolic: protective boundary of practice; container of transformation
- ऊर्मि (ūrmi)
- Literal: wave. Symbolic: vibration of consciousness; rhythmic movement of life-force
- सप्त धेनवः (sapta dhenavaḥ)
- Literal: seven milch-cows. Symbolic: seven rays/streams of knowledge and power yielding ‘milk’ of illumination
- हरि (hari)
- Literal: tawny/golden. Symbolic: luminous delight-force in dynamic action
- अपामुपस्थे (apām upasthe)
- Literal: in the lap of the waters. Symbolic: in the deep vital-mental substance; foundational consciousness
- कवि (kavi)
- Literal: seer/poet. Symbolic: inner intuitive gnosis-forming faculty
- ऋतस्य योना (ṛtasya yonā)
- Literal: womb of ṛta. Symbolic: source-plane where Truth and right order are generated
Direct reference to wool filter (avya) and enclosing sieve (vāra): concrete Pavamāna filtration; inner corollary is discernment filtering consciousness into ṛta
During the actual straining/clarifying stage; sung as Soma runs through wool.
Filtering, collecting, offering; praising Soma’s purification and truth-bearing.
Chant for mental-emotional cleansing; visualize seven faculties aligning (senses, thoughts, energies) around a single clarified delight.
avya ‘sheep’s wool’ signals the fleece filter used in Soma purification; symbolically a subtle, soft but effective discriminative medium that separates essence from dross. ūrmi ‘wave’ marks rhythmic movement of the flow. yonā ‘womb’ (yoni) is the source-field; ṛtasya yoni is the origin in truth-order—Soma is set into that matrix. √heṣ ‘to neigh/cry’ (aheṣata) conveys strong vital acclaim of the mighty energies (mahiṣāḥ).
ṛta as womb/source (ṛtasya yoni), sevenfold energies (sapta), purification through subtle discrimination
Explicit: ṛtasya yonā—truth as generative matrix; purification is entry into ṛta.
The kavi established in the waters becomes capable of satya-vision.
Truth is ‘born’ from its womb when powers cry/call toward it—creation as manifestation from hidden source.
Vedic psychological cosmology: sevenfold powers and waters as planes of being; truth as generative order.
Refining medium (wool) + rhythmic life-waves + deep waters = layered purification; cows as rays of knowledge yielding illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma purified through the fleece, honored by seven cows, established in the waters’ lap and oriented to the womb of ṛta. Mythically, the ritual filtration is elevated into a cosmological act: Soma returns to the truth-source. Innerly, the seeker filters experience through a subtle discriminative medium; the sevenfold rays/energies converge on the radiant Soma-force, which is then seated in the supporting waters of consciousness and aligned with the origin of right order (ṛta-yoni).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ṛta (order/truth) is Indo-Iranian (cf. Av. aša). yoni ‘womb’ continues a widespread IE body/source metaphor (though specific cognates vary). sapta ‘seven’ is IE (septem). The verse shows an inherited Indo-Iranian fusion of ritual technology (filtering) with cosmic order semantics (ṛta/aša).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents purification as collaboration: the ‘advancing ones’ (āyavaḥ)—human and cosmic energies—establish the seer-force (kavi, Soma) in the waters and acclaim its alignment with ṛta’s womb. The devotee’s role is to provide the filtering medium and steady rhythm; Soma’s role is to become the luminous knower seated in truth-order.
Feel a gentle ‘filtering’ at the level of mind: let thoughts pass like water through wool, leaving clarity and sweetness.
Viśuddha (purification) supporting Ājñā (seer-vision)
Slow exhale-focused breathing; on exhale mentally repeat ‘pavamāna’; on inhale ‘ṛtasya yonā’.
Purified quietude with depth-awareness (waters).
After chanting, sit and sense the ‘lap of the waters’—a stable inner base. Invite the kavi (intuitive knowing) to arise from that depth, not from surface thinking.
Tri-tone Vedic accenting (udatta/anudatta/svarita) as per recension; exact notes require svara-pāṭha.
Let pāda breaks be clear; keep ‘ṛtasya yonā’ as a gently emphasized closing pull without added stress.
avye: short ‘e’ ending; not ‘avya’ in English sense., ūrmiṇā: long ū; retroflex ṇ., ṛtasya: initial vocalic ṛ—brief, rolled, not ‘ri’.
Cool, even, ‘washed’ tone; avoid harsh consonant attack.
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