Rig Veda 9.86.16: Mandala 9, Sukta 86, Mantra 16
Sukta 9.86
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna, with an explicit orientation toward Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Vira (heroism)
प्रो अयासीदिन्दुरिन्द्रस्य निष्कृतं सखा सख्युर्न प्र मिनाति संगिरम् । मर्य इव युवतिभिः समर्षति सोमः कलशे शतयाम्ना पथा ॥
pró ayāsīd índur índrasya niṣkṛtáṃ sakhā sakhyúr ná prá mināti saṃgíram | márya iva yuvatíbhiḥ sám arṣati sómaḥ kalaśé śatáyāmnā pathā ||
ಮುಂದೆ ಸಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ ಇಂದು—ಇಂದ್ರನಿಗಾಗಿ ಸಿದ್ಧಪಡಿಸಿದ ಸ್ಥಾನಕ್ಕೆ; ಸ್ನೇಹಿತನಾಗಿ ಸ್ನೇಹದ ಸಂಧಿಯನ್ನು ಅವನು ಮುರಿಯುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಯುವ ಪ್ರೇಮಿ ಯುವತಿಯರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಧಾವಿಸುವಂತೆ, ಸೋಮನು—ಪೋಷಕ ಆಪಃಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ—ನೂರು ಮಾರ್ಗಗಳ ಪಥದಿಂದ ಕಲಶಕ್ಕೆ ಹರಿಯುತ್ತಾನೆ.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र
- अयासीत्
- went forth, advancedVerbaorist (sigmatic/āorist), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot या (याति)
- इन्दुः
- the drop (Soma), SomaNounmasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot इन्दु (prātipadika)
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNounmasculine, genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot इन्द्र (prātipadika)
- निष्कृतम्
- the prepared/appointed (place), the outlet/settingAdjectiveneuter, accusative singular (used adverbially/with motion: ‘to/into the prepared place’)Role Karma (gati/goal)Root निष्कृत (prātipadika; kṛdanta from √कृ with nis-)
- सखा
- friendNounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to इन्दुः)Root सखि (prātipadika)
- सख्युः
- of (his) friendNounmasculine, genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot सखि (prātipadika)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableparticle of comparison/negation (here: comparative ‘like/as’ with following phrase)Root न
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb) with √मिRoot प्र
- मिनाति
- damages, diminishesVerbpresent, 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot मि (मिनाति)
- संगिरम्
- (their) joint song/chant, chorusNounfeminine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot संगिर्/संगिर (prātipadika)
- मर्यः
- young man, suitorNounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (of the simile-clause)Root मर्य (prātipadika)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot इव
- युवतिभिः
- with young womenNounfeminine, instrumental pluralRole Karaṇa/SahakārīRoot युवति (prātipadika)
- समर्षति
- rushes together, surges, hastensVerbpresent, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada; with preverb सम्Root ऋष्/अर्ष् (अर्षति)
- सोमः
- SomaNounmasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot सोम (prātipadika)
- कलशे
- in the vessel, in the jarNounmasculine, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot कलश (prātipadika)
- शतयाम्ना
- by the hundred-tracked/with a hundred coursesAdjective(agreeing with पथा) neuter instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot शत-यामन् (prātipadika; bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa compound)
- पथा
- by the path, along the wayNounneuter, instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot पथ (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): प्रो अयासीद् → प्र + अयासीत् (o from a+ a; final -d before vowel)
- इन्दुरिन्द्रस्य → इन्दुः + इन्द्रस्य (visarga before vowel)
- निष्कृतं सखा → निष्कृतम् + सखा (final -m before s)
- सखा सख्युर्न → सखा + सख्युः + न (visarga before n)
- प्र मि॑नाति → प्र + मिनाति (upasarga)
- मर्य इव → मर्यः + इव (visarga before vowel)
- युवतिभिः समर्षति → युवतिभिः + समर्षति
- सोमः कलशे → सोमः + कलशे
- शतयाम्ना पथा → शतयाम्ना + पथा (both instrumental singular; adjective agrees with noun)
- Accent marks are retained from saṃhitā but not separately encoded per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The drop has gone forward to the place prepared for Indra; as a friend he does not break the pact of friendship. Like a young man he rushes with the maidens; Soma streams into the bowl by a path of a hundred channels.
Inner meaning
The luminous essence (Indu) advances to the prepared inner seat where illumination (Indra) receives it. It is faithful to the soul’s covenant: delight must serve truth, not desire. The ‘maidens’ are the fostering waters—purifying currents, energies, and inspirations that accompany Soma. The ‘hundred channels’ are the many nāḍī-like pathways and faculties through which clarified delight pours into the receptive vessel (kalaśa) of consciousness.
Universal truth
When delight is consecrated to illumination, it keeps its inner promise and arrives with the supportive forces of purification; then the whole system’s channels become pathways for a unified, life-giving flow.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Purification (Pavamāna), Indra-Soma alliance, Inner alchemy of delight, Rita-path
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.86.13-15 (same sūkta sequence), Rig Veda 9.109 (Soma to Indra; friendship motif)
Family tradition
Within the Soma Pavamāna corpus; likely a line of ritual-poetic seers specialized in Soma filtration and Indra-offering imagery.
Significance
Emphasizes ethical-spiritual fidelity (saṃgiram): the purified delight must not betray the inner covenant, but serve illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (oriented to Indra)
- Epithets
- indu (luminous drop), sakhā (friend), pavamāna (purifying)
- Related deities
- Indra, Āpas (waters), Maruts (energetic helpers), Agni
Cosmic role
Carrier of energizing bliss into the prepared vessel for Indra; sustainer of divine friendship (bandhu) between powers.
Inner power
Consecrated delight that moves through many channels without dispersion, arriving as a unified offering to illumined mind.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration into kalaśa and offering preparation specifically ‘for Indra’.
प्रो अ॑यासी॒दिन्दु॒रिन्द्र॑स्य निष्कृ॒तं सखा॒ सख्यु॒र्न प्र मि॑नाति सं॒गिर॑म् । मर्य॑ इव युव॒तिभि॒: सम॑र्षति॒ सोम॑: क॒लशे॑ श॒तया॑म्ना प॒था ॥
प्रो इति॑ । अ॒या॒सी॒त् । इन्दुः॑ । इन्द्र॑स्य । निः॒ऽकृ॒तम् । सखा॑ । सख्युः॑ । न । प्र । मि॒ना॒ति॒ । स॒म्ऽगिर॑म् । मर्यः॑ऽइव । यु॒व॒तिऽभिः॑ । सम् । अ॒र्ष॒ति॒ । सोमः॑ । क॒लशे॑ । श॒तऽया॑म्ना । प॒था ॥
pro iti | ayāsīt | induḥ | indrasya | niḥ-kṛtam | sakhā | sakhyuḥ | na | pra | mināti | sam-giram | maryaḥ-iva | yuvati-bhiḥ | sam | arṣati | somaḥ | kalaśe | śata-yāmnā | pathā
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4 x ~12 syllables
Forward-driving with playful surge (youth/lover imagery) yet structured by long Jagatī lines.
Energizes and quickens aspiration while keeping it ordered—good for overcoming inertia.
- इन्दु (indu)
- Literal: drop, Soma-drop. Symbolic: concentrated essence of delight-consciousness
- निष्कृत (niṣkṛta)
- Literal: made ready, prepared place. Symbolic: purified inner seat prepared by discipline for higher reception
- सखा…सख्युः (sakhā…sakhyuḥ)
- Literal: friend…of a friend. Symbolic: faithful alliance between soul and divine powers; integrity of aspiration
- सं गिरम् (saṃgiram)
- Literal: compact/word of agreement. Symbolic: inner vow: delight must align with truth and offering
- युवतिभिः (yuvatibhiḥ)
- Literal: with maidens/young women. Symbolic: purifying waters/energies; supportive movements of the nature
- कलश (kalaśa)
- Literal: bowl, vessel. Symbolic: receptive mind-heart vessel where essence is held and offered
- शतयाम्ना पथा (śatayāmnā pathā)
- Literal: by the path of a hundred tracks. Symbolic: many channels of breath/energy/thought made one by consecration
Soma Pavamāna sequence in the Soma sacrifice (notably the Pavitra/filtration phase; chanted during pressing and purification in Agniṣṭoma-type rites)
As Soma runs into vessels after straining; during Indra-related libation sequences.
Chant to affirm readiness (niṣkṛta), fidelity (saṃgiram), and the many-channel flow into the bowl.
For practitioners: align joy with integrity—chant before action to ‘not break the pact’ with your highest intention.
Key terms: (1) ayāsīt: aorist of √yā ‘to go’, marking a decisive forward movement of Soma into the prepared field (niṣkṛtam). (2) mināti: from √mī/√min ‘to diminish, injure’; negated to stress Soma’s fidelity to sakhya (friend-bond). (3) saṃgiram: saṃ- + gir ‘utterance’; can denote a harmonized chant/accord—psychologically the inner alignment of speech/thought. (4) arṣati: from √ṛṣ ‘to flow, stream’; standard Soma-verb for the streaming of delight/illumination. (5) śata-yāmnā: yāman ‘course, track, rein’; suggests many channels—outerly the strainers/streams, innerly multiple nadīs/lines of force through which Soma-consciousness descends.
Ṛta (ordered path and right functioning of forces), sakhya (reciprocity/bond between human aspiration and divine power), integration (saṃ- as inner unification)
The ‘hundred paths’ become ṛta when they converge into a single consecrated stream rather than scattering.
Fidelity to the compact signifies alignment with truth rather than impulsive pleasure.
Convergence: many channels unify into one offering—microcosmic creation of order from multiplicity.
Integral yoga psychology: energies (waters) and channels are organized by consecrated delight to serve illumination.
Drop = concentrated essence; waters = supporting purifications; bowl = receptive consciousness; hundred channels = nāḍīs/faculties for distributing clarified energy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Soma as a faithful friend entering Indra’s prepared seat: the mythic action is the descent/arrival of the purified Soma into the vessel for Indra’s strengthening. The ‘friendship-compact’ (sakhyúḥ … saṃgíram) frames Soma–Indra reciprocity: Soma does not ‘diminish’ the pact but fulfills it by streaming into the kalaśa through many channels (śata-yāmnā). Innerly, this is the delight-essence entering the prepared consciousness to empower the Indra-force (illumined will) for the soul’s victories.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yā ‘go’ (ayāsīt) continues PIE *h₁ey- ‘to go’ (cf. Gk. εἶμι eîmi ‘I go’). gir ‘voice/song’ in saṃ-gir relates to PIE *gʷerh₃- ‘to call, speak’ (broadly comparable to voiced utterance roots across IE). The streaming verb √ṛṣ (arṣati) aligns with Indo-Iranian imagery of flow and rush, comparable in function to PIE water/flow lexemes (though direct one-to-one cognacy is debated); here it preserves an inherited poetic formula: the sacred drink “flows” into a prepared receptacle.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse encodes a reciprocal yogic contract: the human side ‘prepares’ (niṣkṛtam) the inner vessel and maintains the harmonized utterance/accord (saṃgir), while the Devatā (Soma) responds by faithfully entering and streaming with plenitude through many channels. The rishi’s stance is not petition alone but cooperative formation: right preparation + right accord enables Soma’s descent, which in turn empowers Indra within—an exchange of offering (clarification/purification) for force and victory in consciousness.
Consecrated joy in action: feel a single current of delight moving forward to the ‘prepared seat’ of higher discernment; let supportive energies join without scattering.
Maṇipūra–Anāhata (power harnessed into heart-offering)
Kapalabhati (mild) or brisk exhale emphasis before chanting to ‘go forward’; then settle into even breathing as the ‘pouring into the bowl’.
Joyful vigor with ethical alignment; unified flow rather than impulsive dispersion.
Make a clear inner pact (saṃgiram): ‘My energy serves truth.’ Chant, then act immediately on one aligned step to train the channels to converge.
Vedic accents per Śākala; verify with svara-pāṭha for exact contour (especially compounds like śatayāmnā).
Stress pro ayāsīt, indur, indrasya niṣkṛtam, sakhā, saṃgiram, yuvatibhiḥ, kalaśe, śatayāmnā—these carry movement and vow.
(niṣkṛtam): retroflex ‘ṣkṛ’, keep ‘ṛ’ vowel clear, (saṃgiram): nasal ‘ṃ’ then hard ‘g’, (marya iva): avoid inserting extra vowel between words, (yuvatibhiḥ): dental ‘t’, aspirate ‘bh’, (śatayāmnā): long ‘ā’, conjunct ‘mn’ cleanly
Bright, forward, slightly faster articulation; keep tone pure, not shouted.
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