Rig Veda 9.113.6: Mandala 9, Sukta 113, Mantra 6
Sukta 9.113
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma hymn tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
यत्र ब्रह्मा पवमान छन्दस्यां वाचं वदन् । ग्राव्णा सोमे महीयते सोमेनानन्दं जनयन्निन्द्रायेन्दो परि स्रव ॥
yátra brahmā́ pavamāna chandasyā́ṃ vā́caṃ vádān | grā́vṇā sóme mahī́yate sómenānandáṃ janáyann indrāyéndo pári srava ||
ບ່ອນທີ່ພຣະພຣາຫມາກເຈົ້າ, ໂອ ຜູ້ຊໍາລະຕົນເອງ, ກໍາລັງກ່າວພຣະທໍາທີ່ມີມາດຕາ, ບ່ອນນັ້ນ ສົມາ ຖືກຍົກຍ່ອງດ້ວຍຫີນບີບ; ໂດຍສົມາ ພຣະອົງນໍາມາເຊິ່ງຄວາມສຸກ. ໂອ ອິນທູ, ໄຫຼວຽນຮອບ ແລະ ໄຫຼອອກ ເພື່ອພຣະອິນທຣະ.
Word by Word
- यत्र
- whereIndeclinableस्थानवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) < य- (सर्वनाम-आधार)
- ब्रह्मा
- the priest (Brahmā); sacred uttererNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवमान
- O Pavamāna (purifying Soma)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शानच्), संबोधनार्थक प्रयोग (हे पवमान)Role Sambodhana (no kāraka) / Brahmā-विशेषणRoot पू (धातु) → पवमान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- छन्दस्याम्
- in the metre (in metrical form)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाचम्
- speech, utteranceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वदन्
- speaking, utteringVerbपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ) — 'speaking'Role Kartā (ब्रह्मा) का क्रियाविशेषण/सहक्रियाRoot वद् (धातु) → वदत् (शतृ-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- ग्राव्णा
- with the pressing-stoneNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ग्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमे
- in/at Soma (the Soma-rite; Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- महीयते
- is magnified / is honouredVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (अकर्मक) — कर्तृवाच्य; कर्ता: ब्रह्माRoot मह्/महि (धातु: 'to be great, to be honoured')
- सोमेन
- by/with SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- आनन्दम्
- joy, blissNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनयन्
- producing, generatingVerbपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), णिच्-प्रयोग — 'causing to be born/producing'Role Kartā (इन्दुः) का क्रियाविशेषण/सहक्रियाRoot जन् (धातु) → जनयत् (णिच् causative + शतृ)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma-drop)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन/प्रथमा, एकवचन (Vedic: voc. = nom. form common)Role Sambodhana (no kāraka)Root इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around; forth, fullyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रव
- flow! stream forth!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (अकर्मक) — कर्ता: इन्दुः (संबोधित)Root स्रु (धातु: 'to flow')
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): यत्र | ब्रह्मा | पवमान | छन्दस्याम् | वाचम् | वदन् | ग्राव्णा | सोमे | महीयते | सोमेन | आनन्दम् | जनयन् | इन्द्राय | इन्दो | परि | स्रव । Notable: (1) छन्दस्यां वाचम् → छन्दस्याम् + वाचम् (anusvāra before v-)
- (2) सोमेनानन्दम् → सोमेन + आनन्दम् (e + ā → eā, written as -enā-)
- (3) इन्द्रायेन्दो → इन्द्राय + इन्दो (ā + i → āy i-, orthographically -āye-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Where the brahman-priest utters the metrical Word, there Soma is exalted by the pressing stone; by Soma he generates joy. O Indu, flow forth all around for Indra.
Inner meaning
The awakened soul (brahmā) utters the rightly-rhythmed mantra (chandasī vāc) in the inner sacrifice. The “pressing stone” is the concentrated force of tapas that expresses the hidden Delight (Soma) from the depths of consciousness. When Soma is thus purified (pavamāna), it produces ānanda as a living energy that empowers Indra—the illumined Mind—to conquer obscurity and establish luminous order.
Universal truth
When speech becomes true rhythm (aligned thought, feeling, and will), inner discipline extracts a subtler joy from experience; that joy feeds the higher intelligence, enabling clarity, courage, and spiritual progress.
Themes
mantra efficacy, Soma pressing, generation of bliss
The seer
- Rishi
- Traditionally in the Pavamāna Soma cycle (RV 9)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.113.1-11 (same sūkta context), RV 9.96 (Pavamāna themes of purification and light), RV 9.108 (Soma as finder of light/cows)
Family tradition
Soma-Pavamāna hymn tradition of the Ninth Maṇḍala; verses used in the soma-liturgical stream and inwardly read as a yoga of purification and delight.
Significance
The rishi-voice here is the archetypal mantra-maker: by chandas (right rhythm) he turns speech into a vessel for Soma (delight), making joy a power that serves Indra (illumination).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu) with Indra as the receiving/supporting power
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (self-purifying), Indu (luminous drop), Soma (nectar of delight)
- Related deities
- Agni (inner fire of aspiration), Indra (illumined mind), Bṛhaspati/Brahmaṇaspati (lord of the Word), Sūrya/Bradhna (luminous principle)
Cosmic role
Soma is the circulating essence that links earth and heaven: pressed/extracted, purified, and offered, it becomes the fuel of divine action and illumination.
Inner power
A descending and ascending current of bliss that clarifies mind, softens vital turbulence, and releases luminous perception (Indra).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (Pavamāna) within Soma-yajña
यत्र॑ ब्र॒ह्मा प॑वमान छन्द॒स्यां॒३॒॑ वाचं॒ वद॑न् । ग्राव्णा॒ सोमे॑ मही॒यते॒ सोमे॑नान॒न्दं ज॒नय॒न्निन्द्रा॑येन्दो॒ परि॑ स्रव ॥
यत्र॑ । ब्र॒ह्मा । प॒व॒मा॒न॒ । छ॒न्द॒स्या॑म् । वाच॑म् । वद॑न् । ग्राव्णा॑ । सोमे॑ । म॒ही॒यते॑ । सोमे॑न । आ॒ऽन॒न्दम् । ज॒नय॑न् । इन्द्रा॑य । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । परि॑ । स्र॒व॒ ॥
yatra | brahmā | pavamāna | chandasyām | vācam | vadan | grāvṇā | some | mahīyate | somena | ānandam | janayan | indrāya | indo iti | pari | srava
Jagatī (likely; common for RV 9.113 with refrain)
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4 pādas of ~12 syllables; cadence emphasized in the refrain “indrāyendo pari srava”
Expansive, forward-driving; suited to a flowing, wave-like recitation matching “srava/flow”.
Creates a sense of circulation and uplift; the refrain imprints a steady current of offering-to-illumination.
- ब्राह्मा (brahmā)
- Literal: brahman-priest/reciter. Symbolic: the inner seer-will that knows and articulates truth-conscious speech
- पवमान (pavamāna)
- Literal: self-purifying (Soma). Symbolic: delight purifying itself as consciousness becomes clear and sattvic
- छन्दस्या वाच् (chandasyāṃ vācam)
- Literal: metrical speech. Symbolic: mantric speech whose rhythm embodies truth-force (ṛta) and right formation
- ग्रावन् (grāvan)
- Literal: pressing stone. Symbolic: tapas/concentrated pressure that extracts essence from life-substance
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: soma-juice. Symbolic: divine delight, rasa/ānanda distilled from consciousness
- आनन्द (ānanda)
- Literal: joy. Symbolic: the bliss-energy that sustains transformation
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: illumined mind/power of clear perception that breaks coverings
- परि स्रव (pari srava)
- Literal: flow around/forth. Symbolic: pervasive descent and circulation of delight through the being
Soma pressing: brahman-priest utters metrical mantras; pressing stones magnify Soma; intended to generate ānanda and empower Indra.
During soma extraction/filtration and offering sequences; chanted as Soma is made ready for the gods.
Pressing (grāvan), filtering, libation; mantra accompanies the exaltation and offering of Soma.
Use as a japa-refrain for ‘purify-and-offer’: breathe in ‘pavamāna’, breathe out ‘pari srava’, cultivating joy offered to clear intelligence (Indra).
(chandas) from √chad ‘cover/please’ is debated; functionally ‘meter’ as ordering of speech. (vāc) from PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’ (cf. Latin vox ‘voice’). /grāvan ‘pressing stone’ from √grā/√gṛ ‘grind’ semantic field (instrumental). (ānanda) ā + √nand ‘rejoice’ → bliss.
Brahman (mantric power), Chandas (rhythmic law), Ānanda (bliss)
Chandas is ṛta in audible form: right measure that makes the Word effective.
Truth-speaking (vāc) is not description but formation—speech that makes consciousness what it names.
Extraction of essence: from the unformed to the refined; delight becomes a creator-force for higher mind.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): Soma as Ananda, Indra as illumined Mind, Vāc as mantra-śakti.
The ‘pressing’ is inner concentration; the ‘flow’ is bliss circulating through mind-life-body, feeding luminous discernment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The making of divine joy through ordered speech and pressure: the metrical Word (chandas-vāc) and the pressing stone together magnify Soma, and Soma generates ānanda. Psychologically, disciplined rhythm of speech and firm concentration extract and intensify delight, which then empowers the inner Indra.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāc (voice/word) aligns with PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’ (Latin vox). √nand ‘rejoice’ is Indo-Iranian; the formation ānanda shows the productive preverb ā- + verbal root nominalization typical of early Indo-Aryan.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi highlights the human-divine collaboration: the brahmā’s chandas-bound utterance and the stone’s pressure are human/ritual acts; Soma responds by becoming ‘great’ and producing ānanda. That joy is not private pleasure but a force offered ‘for Indra’—to strengthen victorious consciousness.
Purify delight: feel a cool, luminous sweetness rising; offer it to the inner Indra (clear intelligence).
Anāhata to Ājñā (joy refined into luminous understanding)
Slow inhalation imagining ‘pressing’ at the heart; exhalation as ‘flowing around’ through the head and aura.
From quiet concentration into a bright, joyful clarity (sattvic uplift).
Begin with 3 minutes of stillness; chant once slowly, then 9 repetitions of the refrain; end by observing a calm, happy lucidity without chasing sensation.
Vedic accenting with udatta/anudatta/svarita; preserve marked accents (e.g.,,,,, ).
Let udatta syllables be slightly raised and clearer; svarita as a gentle fall; keep the refrain steady and even each time.
pavamāna: keep ‘vā’ long (pava-mā-na), chandasyāṃ: nasalize ‘āṃ’ lightly, grāvṇā: cluster ‘vṇ’ cleanly (graav-nā), ānandam: long ‘ā’, dental ‘n’, indrāyendo: split as indrāya + indo (don’t swallow the vowel)
Clear, flowing, slightly resonant; emphasize liquidity on ‘srava’.
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