Rig Veda 9.17.7: Mandala 9, Sukta 17, Mantra 7
Sukta 9.17
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
तमु त्वा वाजिनं नरो धीभिर्विप्रा अवस्यवः । मृजन्ति देवतातये ॥
tám u tvā vā́jinaṃ náro dhībhír viprā́ avasyávaḥ | mṛjánti devátātaye ||
ಆ ಶಕ್ತಿಮಾನ್ ವಾಜಿನ ಸೋಮವನ್ನು ನರರು—ವಿಪ್ರರು, ಸಹಾಯವನ್ನು ಬಯಸುವವರು—ತಮ್ಮ ಧೀಗಳಿಂದ ಶುದ್ಧಿಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಅವರೊಳಗೆ ದೇವತಾತಿ (ದೈವಿಕ ಕಾರ್ಯ) ಜನಿಸಲೆಂದು.
Word by Word
- तम्
- him/that (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- indeed, andIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root उ (निपात)
- त्वा
- you (acc. sg.)Pronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजिनम्
- the prize-winning/strong oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (त्वा-विशेषणम्)Root वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक) < वाज (strength, prize)
- नरः
- menNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- धीभिः
- with thoughts/prayersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्राः
- inspired sages/priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (नरः का अप्पोज़िशन)Root विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवस्यवः
- seeking aid/favorAdjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विप्राः-विशेषणम्)Root अवस्यु (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative sense ‘seeking help/favor’) < अवस्
- मृजन्ति
- they cleanse/purifyVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथम पुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root मृज् (धातु) ‘to wipe/clean/purify’
- देवतायतये
- for (the sake of) divinity / for becoming divineNoun (abstract) / purpose-dativeस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचन (प्रयोजन-दत्तिवः)Role सम्प्रदान (प्रयोजनार्थे)Root देवतायति (प्रातिपदिक/भाव-शब्द) ‘divinity, becoming divine’ < देवता
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तम् उ त्वा वाजिनम् नरः धीभिः विप्राः अवस्यवः । मृजन्ति देवतायतये ॥ 1) तमु॑ → तम् + उ (निपात-सन्धि; म् + उ). 2) धी॒भिर्विप्रा॑ → धीभिः + विप्राः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + व् → र्व्).
- देवतायतये इति चतुर्थी-एकवचनं प्रयोजनार्थे।
The meaning
Outer meaning
That vigorous Soma the men—illumined seers seeking help—cleanse with their thoughts for the coming of divine action.
Inner meaning
Soma is called vājinam: bearer of plenitude-force. The human energies (naraḥ), aided by viprāḥ (illumined discernment), purify this delight-force with dhī (thought, understanding, intention). This ‘cleansing’ is inner discernment separating truth from mixture, so that devatātaye—‘for godhead/divine functioning’—the divine working can manifest in the nature. The verse describes psychological purification as the condition for a higher power to take up the instruments.
Universal truth
When we refine our intention and understanding, the native joy-force of life becomes a fit vehicle for higher consciousness; then divine action can be born through our human faculties.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Purification, Inner clarification, Divinization
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.17 (same hymn continuum)
Significance
Emphasizes the collaborative inner yajña: human faculties purify delight with dhī so that a higher, ‘godlike’ mode of action can descend and operate.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Vājin (force-bearing), Indu
- Related deities
- Indra (illumined force), Agni (will-priest), Maruts (dynamic energies)
Cosmic role
Transforms raw vitality into a god-supporting nectar; empowers divine agencies to act in the worlds.
Inner power
Converts pleasure-seeking vitality into luminous Ananda-force capable of right action (karman) under truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration and offering
तमु॑ त्वा वा॒जिनं॒ नरो॑ धी॒भिर्विप्रा॑ अव॒स्यव॑: । मृ॒जन्ति॑ दे॒वता॑तये ॥
तम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वा॒ । वा॒जिन॑म् । नरः॑ । धी॒भिः । विप्राः॑ । अ॒व॒स्यवः॑ । मृ॒जन्ति॑ । दे॒वऽता॑तये ॥
tam | oṃ iti | tvā | vājinam | naraḥ | dhībhiḥ | viprāḥ | avasyavaḥ | mṛjanti | deva-tātaye
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4 pādas of ~12 syllables (longer, rolling movement).
Expansive and driving; suitable for describing energetic purification and ‘coming to birth’ of divine action.
Sustains a strong current; helps the practitioner feel the work of refinement as a powerful, continuous process.
- वाजिनम् (vājinam)
- Literal: possessing vāja (strength/prize), vigorous. Symbolic: plenitude-force; energetic capacity of consciousness to accomplish
- नरः (naraḥ)
- Literal: men. Symbolic: human powers and faculties engaged in the inner work
- धीभिः (dhībhiḥ)
- Literal: with thoughts/understandings. Symbolic: purifying discernment; luminous intention shaping the flow
- विप्राः (viprāḥ)
- Literal: seers. Symbolic: intuitive mind that guides purification
- अवस्यवः (avasyavaḥ)
- Literal: seeking aid/favor. Symbolic: aspirants turning to the Divine for support
- मृजन्ति (mṛjanti)
- Literal: they cleanse, wipe, purify. Symbolic: inner clarification—removing obscurity and mixture
- देवतायतये (devatātaye)
- Literal: for divinity/for the state of the gods. Symbolic: for the manifestation of divine functioning in the being
Purification/straining of Soma with mental and ritual instruments; recited in Soma pressing sequences to accompany clarification and offering.
During Pavamāna recitations accompanying cleansing/straining of Soma.
Chant while Soma is purified; invoke its force for divine workings.
Use in practice when transforming restless vitality into steady force for service, right action, and disciplined sadhana.
√mṛj (to wipe/clean) frames purification as removal of mixture/obscurity; vājin from vāja (strength, prize, vital plenitude) highlights Soma as concentrated force; avas ‘help’ → avasyu ‘one who seeks aid’ indicates reciprocity: aspiration invites descent of support; devatā-tāti suggests ‘making/expansion into divinity’—a transition from human to divine functioning.
Transformation of human into divine functioning (devatā-tāti), Dhī as inspired intelligence, Avas (divine help) and aspiration
Purification ‘for devatātā’ implies aligning action with Ṛta rather than impulsive desire.
Dhī as truth-discerning intelligence prepares the vessel for satya-guided action.
Birth of divine action in the human instrument through purification of delight-force.
Integral Vedic psychology: transformation of vital energy by illumined mind to host higher powers.
Refining the ‘vital sap’ of life through the sieve of discernment until it becomes a clear energy for higher work.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic act is the ritual-psychic purification of Soma so that he becomes fit for the gods; inwardly, the human faculties cleanse the delight-force until it can manifest as devatā-tāti—divine operation within the mortal.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mṛj has Indo-Iranian parallels in purification semantics (Avestan marəz- ‘to cleanse/prepare’ in related ritual registers). √dhī belongs to an Indo-Iranian cognitive lexicon of inspired thought, while vāja preserves an old IE poetic theme of ‘prize/strength’ as the energizing reward of right action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Humans (naras), as vipras, actively prepare Soma through dhī (insight) and mṛj (purification). Soma in return becomes the vājin—an effective carrier of force—enabling devatā-tāti, i.e., the rishi’s aspiration for a higher mode of being to take form.
Bring attention to the ‘Soma-force’ in the heart/vital; pass it through dhī—clear intention and truth-sense—until it feels clean, steady, and ready for right action.
manipura (force) refined toward anahata (purified delight)
kapalabhati-light (very gentle) followed by calm breathing; then chant to stabilize force; avoid strain.
Energetic steadiness; disciplined uplift; readiness for inspired work.
Chant 12 or 24 times before action; after chanting, state one clear intention aligned with truth; act without haste, maintaining the ‘clean stream’ feeling.
Rigvedic accents as per śākhā; in longer Jagatī, keep tonal contours clear but unforced.
Sustain the line through each long pāda; emphasize vā́jinam and mṛjánti as action-words; let devatātáye open into a slightly wider, concluding cadence.
tam u tvā: keep sandhi clear; ‘u’ short, vājinam : long ā; ‘ji’ soft palatal, dhībhir : long ī; final ḥ light, avasyavaḥ : ‘vya’ conjunct smooth, mṛjanti : vocalic ṛ; ‘j’ voiced, devatātaye : articulate ‘tā’ long ā; avoid swallowing middle syllables
firm, steady, slightly martial but controlled.
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