Dashati 4
Soma Pavamāna’s purification through the pavitra (filter) and his enthronement as the life-giving, wealth-bestowing draught in the sacrifice
Soma Pavamāna
Bright forward-driving and exultant—suited to the ‘flow’ of purified Soma and the promise of gifts
Within the Pavamāna corpus the seer attribution is often treated as traditional/collective; the excerpted mantras do not allow a secure rishi-family identification.
Pavamāna pressing and filtration: Soma-juice expressed (suta) and run through the woollen strainer (pavitra) before presentation to the gods
Mantras
Mantra 1
प्र तु द्रव परि कोशं नि षीद नृभिः पुनानो अभि वाजमर्ष अश्वं न त्वा वाजिनं मर्जयन्तो ऽच्छा बर्ही रशनाभिर्नयन्ति
Flow forth, then; settle round the vessel: purified by the priests, flow unto strength. As (men) groom a vigorous horse, so do they lead thee, the prize-bestower, with reins, unto the sacred grass.
Mantra 2
प्र काव्यमुशनेव ब्रुवाणो देवो देवानां जनिमा विवक्ति महिव्रतः शुचिबन्धुः पावकः पदा वराहो अभ्येति रेभन्
Proclaiming poetic wisdom, like Uśanā, the god declares the birth of the gods; of mighty ordinance, allied with purity, the purifier, boar-like in his course, advances towards the singer of praise.
Mantra 3
तिस्रो वाच ईरयति प्र वह्निरृतस्य धीतिं ब्रह्मणो मनीषाम् गावो यन्ति गोपतिं पृच्छमानाः सोमं यन्ति मतयो वावशानाः
He sends forth the threefold speech; the bearer (of the rite) advances the thought of ṛta, the wisdom of brahman. The cows go, inquiring, to the lord of cattle; the eager thoughts go unto Soma.
Mantra 4
अस्य प्रेषा हेमना पूयमानो देवो देवेभिः समपृक्त रसम् सुतः पवित्रं पर्येति रेभन्मितेव सद्म पशुमन्ति होता
Obedient to his injunctions, and by the golden (rite), the god, purified, the expressed Soma-juice, associated with the gods, passes through the strainer; like a singer he approaches the sacred seat; the Hotṛ, bestowing cattle (as the fruit of sacrifice).
Mantra 5
सोमः पवते जनिता मतीनां जनिता दिवो जनिता पृथिव्याः जनिताग्नेर्जनिता सूर्यस्य जनितेन्द्रस्य जनितोत विष्णोः
Soma flows, the generator of holy thoughts; the generator of heaven, the generator of earth; the generator of Agni, the generator of Sūrya; the generator of Indra, and also of Viṣṇu.
Mantra 6
अभि त्रिपृष्ठं वृषणं वयोधामाङ्गोषिणमवावशन्त वाणीः वना वसानो वरुणो न सिन्धूर्वि रत्नधा दयते वार्याणि
Towards the three-supported, vigorous (Soma), the seat of vital power, the voices have sounded; invested amid the wooden (implements), like Varuṇa, like a river-stream, the treasure-bestower dispenses excellent boons.
Mantra 7
अक्रान्त्समुद्रः प्रथमे विधर्मं जनयन्प्रजा भुवनस्य गोपाः वृषा पवित्रे अधि सानो अव्ये बृहत्सोमो वावृधे स्वानो अद्रिः
The ocean-like (Soma) has advanced, at the first (pressing), establishing the ordinance, generating progeny, the guardian of the world; the potent one, laid upon the woollen filter, the great Soma has increased; the sounding pressing-stone (attends him).
Mantra 8
कनिक्रन्ति हरिरा सृज्यमानः सीदन्वनस्य जठरे पुनानः नृभिर्यतः कृणुते निर्णिजं गामतो मतिं जनयत स्वधाभिः
The tawny (Soma), being poured forth, moves with a murmuring sound; settling in the belly of the wooden (vat), purifying himself; urged by the priests, he makes bright purification; thence he produces cattle (wealth) and generates holy thought by his own inherent powers.
Mantra 9
एष स्य ते मधुमां इन्द्र सोमो वृषा वृष्णः परि पवित्रे अक्षाः सहस्रदाः शतदा भूरिदावा शश्वत्तमं बर्हिरा वाज्यस्थात्
This, Indra, is for thee the honeyed Soma, the bull of the potent; he has passed through the filter; the giver of thousands, the giver of hundreds, the bestower of abundance: may he take his station upon the perpetual Barhis, at the seat of strength.
Mantra 10
पवस्व सोम मधुमां ऋतावापो वसानो अधि सानो अव्ये अव द्रोणानि घृतवन्ति रोह मदिन्तमो मत्सर इन्द्रपानः
Flow, Soma, honeyed and conformable to sacred order; clothing thyself with the waters, laid upon the woollen (filter); descend into the troughs that are rich in ghee; most exhilarating, the gladdening draught, the beverage of Indra.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depicts Soma being pressed and purified through the pavitra (filter), then approaching the ritual seat and becoming the powerful, sweet offering that brings strength and prosperity.
Indra is the chief drinker of Soma in the ritual imagination; the verses present the honeyed Soma as ‘for Indra,’ so Indra’s empowerment and the sacrificer’s rewards are linked.
In this context it is the woollen strainer used in Soma-clarification; passing through it signifies Soma’s ritual purification and readiness to be offered to the gods.