Rig Veda 9.33.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 33, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.33
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
तिस्रो वाच उदीरते गावो मिमन्ति धेनवः । हरिरेति कनिक्रदत् ॥
tisró vā́ca úd īrate gā́vo mimanti dhenávaḥ | hárir eti kánikradat ||
ສາມຄຳເວົ້າໄດ້ຟັນຂຶ້ນ; ລັດສະຫວ່າງຕ່າງໆ ຮ້ອງດັ່ງດັ່ງງົວນົມ; ແລະ ຜູ້ສີຄຳເດີນຕໍ່ໄປ, ຮ້ອງອອກມາ - ພາລະແຫ່ງຄວາມສຸກຂອງໂສມະ ປະກາດການເດີນທາງອັນຊະນະ.
Word by Word
- तिस्रः
- threeNoun/Adjective (numeral)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (समूह-कर्तृ; ‘वाचः’ का विशेषण)Root त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) → तिसृ
- वाचः
- voices / utterancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उदीरते
- rise up / are utteredVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √ईर्/√इर् (गतौ/प्रेरणे) + उद्
- गावः
- cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- मिमन्ति
- low / bellowVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √मा (माने/मिमाते; ‘to bellow/low’ in Vedic usage)
- धेनवः
- milch-cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (गावः का विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन)Root धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरिः
- the tawny one (Soma)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- एति
- goes / comesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √इ (गतौ)
- कनिक्रदत्
- crying repeatedly / resoundingVerb (intensive/iterative nuance)लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Vedic form with -त् ending)Role क्रिया (हरिः का क्रियाविशेषणात्मक/सहक्रिया)Root √क्रन्द् (शब्दे) with intensive/reduplicated stem कनि-क्रद्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद: तिस्रः | वाचः | उदीरते | गावः | मिमन्ति | धेनवः | हरिः | एति | कनिक्रदत् । बाह्य-सन्धि न्यून: ‘वाच उदीरते’ → ‘वाचः उदीरते’ (विसर्ग-रूप), ‘हरिः एति’ में विसर्ग बना रहता है (ऋग्वैदिक पाठ-परम्परा)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Three utterances rise; the cows low like milch-cows; the tawny one goes, crying out.
Inner meaning
The ‘three voices’ (tisro vācaḥ) are the triple word/utterance—levels of speech or inspiration (often linked with parā-paśyantī-madhyamā/vaikharī in later thought, or with threefold mantra-vision). As Soma moves, the ‘cows’—rays of knowledge—low and yield like milch-cows (dhenavaḥ), meaning illumination becomes nourishing and abundant. The tawny Soma (hariḥ) advances with a triumphant cry (kanikradat): the Ananda-force proclaims its victorious passage through the being.
Universal truth
When the inner delight-force is released, higher speech awakens, knowledge-rays begin to nourish, and the soul hears a victorious call of progress in consciousness.
Themes
Mantric speech, Soma as herald, Illumination sounds, Creative vibration
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer tradition (specific ṛṣi not identified from excerpt)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.33 (Vāc/Go motifs), RV 10.71 (Vāc hymn; thematic kinship)
Family tradition
Pavamāna hymns frequently connect Soma’s flow with Vāc (mantric speech) and Go (rays), indicating a tradition of inner revelation through chant.
Significance
The seer highlights the mantra-yoga principle: purified delight awakens higher speech, which releases knowledge-rays that nourish the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Hari) with Vāc and Go imagery
- Epithets
- Hari (tawny, shining), Pavamāna (purifying, contextual)
- Related deities
- Vāc, Sarasvatī (later association of flowing speech), Indra (victory cry motif)
Cosmic role
Soma as the moving delight that awakens the Word and releases the rays of knowledge, sustaining the worlds.
Inner power
Power to activate inspired speech and convert illumination into nourishment; creates a victorious resonance that carries the seeker forward.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna chanting during Soma purification; also stotra-like recitation emphasizing sound and proclamation
ति॒स्रो वाच॒ उदी॑रते॒ गावो॑ मिमन्ति धे॒नव॑: । हरि॑रेति॒ कनि॑क्रदत् ॥
ति॒स्रः । वाचः॑ । उत् । ई॒र॒ते॒ । गावः॑ । मि॒म॒न्ति॒ । धे॒नवः॑ । हरिः॑ । ए॒ति॒ । कनि॑क्रदत् ॥
tisraḥ | vācaḥ | ut | īrate | gāvaḥ | mimanti | dhenavaḥ | hariḥ | eti | kanikradat
44
4 × ~11
Upward-lifting opening (three voices) followed by vivid, quick images; ends with a sharp exclamatory cadence (kanikradat).
Stimulates inspiration and vocal resonance; often felt as a ‘rising’ in the chest/throat and a brightening in the head.
- तिस्रः वाचः (tisraḥ vācaḥ)
- Literal: three voices/utterances. Symbolic: Triple word of inspiration; ascending levels of inner speech and revelation
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: Rays of light/knowledge; illuminations
- धेनवः (dhenavaḥ)
- Literal: milch-cows. Symbolic: Nourishing knowledge that yields ‘milk’—sustaining insight and joy
- हरिः (hariḥ)
- Literal: tawny one. Symbolic: Soma as golden delight-energy in motion; also the shining force that leads forward
- कनिकradat (kanikradat)
- Literal: crying out, neighing/roaring. Symbolic: Mantric proclamation; victorious resonance of awakened force
Accompanies the audible/sonic dimension of Soma pressing and chanting; inwardly, awakening of multi-level speech and the sounding of illuminations.
During moments when Soma’s flow is celebrated as triumphant and clarifying.
Chanting to ‘raise the voices’ and invoke the release of rays (go) through Soma.
A mantra for awakening inner speech and insight: useful before japa, study, or creative work; also as a ‘voice-opening’ contemplative chant.
vāc: from √vac ‘speak’ (PIE *wekʷ- ‘voice, speak’; cf. Latin vox). tisraḥ vācaḥ evokes Vedic doctrine of layered speech (parā/paśyantī/madhyamā/vaikharī traditions later systematize). √īr ‘raise’ signals awakening. kanikradat: reduplicated/intensive of √krand ‘cry’, expressive of Soma’s dynamic proclamation.
Vāc as creative power, Triple formation (three voices), Go as knowledge-rays
Right speech arises when Soma is purified; revelation aligns with ṛta.
Truth becomes audible/expressible as higher utterance; knowledge turns nourishing (milk).
Creation by the Word supported by delight; rays emerge through awakened speech.
Mantra-śakti orientation within Integral-Vedic reading: sound as carrier of consciousness and transformation.
Cows/milk = nourishing illuminations; three voices = layered revelation; tawny movement = advancing bliss-force; cry = resonance of victory and awakening.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The awakening of triple speech and the sounding of the ‘cows’ as Soma advances crying out. Mythically, illumination is not silent: it manifests as layered mantra-utterance and resonant knowledge that accompanies Soma’s victorious movement.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāc (√vac) reflects PIE *wekʷ- (voice/speak). The animal-sound verbs and reduplication (kanikradat) show archaic IE poetic techniques (expressive reduplication for intensity).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer registers the inner sonic signs of Soma’s work: when Soma is active, speech rises in tiers and illuminations ‘low’—the aspirant’s mantra becomes an instrument through which Soma announces and stabilizes the advance toward Ṛta.
Listen inwardly for the ‘three voices’: (1) spoken thought, (2) subtler intuitive speech, (3) silent revelatory knowing; let Soma-delight make them clear and harmonious.
vishuddha (voice)
soft bhrāmarī (humming) after chanting to internalize ‘kanikradat’ as inner resonance.
Inspired, luminous, joyfully energized.
Chant 3, 9, or 12 times; then sit with attention at the throat and brow; allow insights (go) to ‘milk’ themselves as calm, nourishing understanding.
Observe Vedic accents; keep a clear rise on ‘vā́caḥ’ if marked; ‘haríḥ’ typically carries accent in many contexts—follow your padapāṭha/recension.
Give slight lift to ‘tisro vāca’ (upward), soften on ‘gāvo mimanti dhenavaḥ’ (nourishing), and sharpen the ending ‘kanikradat’ (proclamation).
‘tisraḥ’: clear visarga ḥ at end in careful recitation., ‘dhenavaḥ’: aspirate dh; keep e long quality; end -vaḥ with visarga., ‘kanikradat’: crisp k-r cluster; do not blur into ‘kanikadat’.
bright, ringing, slightly more resonant at the throat; end with a clear, confident cadence.
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