Rig Veda 9.71.6: Mandala 9, Sukta 71, Mantra 6
Sukta 9.71
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
श्येनो न योनिं सदनं धिया कृतं हिरण्ययमासदं देव एषति । ए रिणन्ति बर्हिषि प्रियं गिराश्वो न देवाँ अप्येति यज्ञियः ॥
śyénो ná yóniṁ sádanam dhiyā́ kṛtáṁ hiraṇyáyam āsádaṁ devá éṣati | ā īm riṇanti bárhiṣi priyáṁ girā́ aśvó ná devā́n apyéti yajñíyaḥ ||
ດັ່ງເຫຼົ່ານົກຍຸງ, ພຣະອົງຊອກຫາຮັງຂອງພຣະອົງ, ບ່ອນນັ່ງທີ່ສ້າງຂຶ້ນດ້ວຍວິໄສທັດ - ບ່ອນພັກຜ່ອນສີຄຳທີ່ພຣະເຈົ້າປາຖະໜາ. ພວກເຂົາຕັ້ງພຣະອົງໃຫ້ເຄື່ອນໄຫວເທິງຫຍ້າສັກສິດດ້ວຍຄຳເວທີ່ເປັນທີ່ຮັກ; ດັ່ງມ້າທີ່ໄວ, ພຣະອົງໄປສູ່ພະເຈົ້າ, ສົມຄວນແກ່ການຖວາຍ.
Word by Word
- श्येनः
- the falcon (swift bird)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/सादृश्यार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- योनिम्
- womb; source; resting-placeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदनम्
- seat; abodeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सदन (प्रातिपदिक; √सद् ‘to sit’ से)
- धिया
- by thought; with insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृतम्
- made; fashionedParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (यहाँ ‘सदनम्’ विशेषण)Root √कृ (कृ-धातु), कृत (कृदन्त)
- हिरण्ययम्
- goldenAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (आसदम् विशेषण)Root हिरण्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
- आसदम्
- a seat; a sitting-place; restingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आसद (प्रातिपदिक; आ-√सद् ‘to sit/settle upon’ से)
- देवः
- the god (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- एषति
- seeks; moves towardVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √इष् (इष्-धातु ‘to seek/strive/go’)
- ए
- indeed; here/now (particle)Indeclinableसम्बोधन/प्रत्याहारार्थक निपात (वेदिक)Root ए (निपात)
- ऋणन्ति
- they set in motion; they impel/driveVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √ऋ (ऋ-धातु ‘to go/impel’; वेदिक प्रयोग)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacrificial grassNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रियम्
- dear; pleasingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (गिरः विशेषण)Root प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- गिरः
- songs; hymns; praisesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वः
- the horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्येति
- goes toward; reaches; approachesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अपि-√इ (√इ ‘to go’)
- यज्ञियः
- worthy of sacrifice; fit for worshipAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अश्वः विशेषण)Root यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विच्छेद): श्येनः न योनिम् सदनम् धिया कृतम् हिरण्ययम् आसदम् देवः एषति । ए ऋणन्ति बर्हिषि प्रियम् गिरः अश्वः न देवान् अपि एति यज्ञियः ॥ 1) हिरण्ययम्+आसदम् → हिरण्ययमासदम् (अकार-सन्धि)
- 2) अपि+एति → अप्येति (इ/ए सन्धि, यणादेश)
- 3) ए रिणन्ति: ‘ए’ निपात + ऋणन्ति (पाठभेद/उच्चारणानुसार ‘ऋणन्ति’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, like a falcon, seeks his nest—the seat made by vision, a golden resting place. They set him moving on the barhis with a beloved hymn; like a swift horse he goes to the gods, fit for offering.
Inner meaning
Soma as purified delight has an instinct of ascent: like the śyena (swift seeker) it flies to its true ‘yoni/sadana’—the inner seat built by dhī (visionary intelligence). That seat is ‘golden’ because it belongs to the supramental/illumined order where truth and delight are one. The priests/powers set Soma in motion on the barhis: inwardly, the barhis is the prepared field of consciousness (a spread, purified receptivity). The ‘beloved word’ (priyam girā) is mantra-vibration that releases and directs Ananda. Then Soma rushes like an aśva (vital force) toward the gods—toward the higher powers in us—becoming yajñiya, fit to be offered, i.e., fit to be integrated into the divine working.
Universal truth
Delight finds its rightful home when the mind builds a true seat through vision and when speech becomes mantra—then life-force turns upward, carrying our offering toward higher consciousness.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Ascent imagery, Vision-built seat, Mantra as beloved force
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna tradition (Book 9)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.61, Rig Veda 9.62, Rig Veda 9.86, Rig Veda 9.109
Family tradition
Pavamāna seer-voices describing Soma’s flight to the gods through purification and mantra.
Significance
The rishi-vision presents dhī (inspired intelligence) and gir (mantric speech) as active builders of an inner seat where delight can rest and from which it can ascend to the divine powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Śyena-like (swift), Hiraṇyaya-āsada (golden-seated), Yajñiya (offerable)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (word power), Agni (sacrifice leader), Indra (illumined mind)
Cosmic role
Mediator between human aspiration and divine powers; purified delight that travels upward and nourishes the gods.
Inner power
Ananda guided by dhī and mantra to become stable (seat) and dynamic (horse-like ascent).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration/chanting while Soma is placed and offered
श्ये॒नो न योनिं॒ सद॑नं धि॒या कृ॒तं हि॑र॒ण्यय॑मा॒सदं॑ दे॒व एष॑ति । ए रि॑णन्ति ब॒र्हिषि॑ प्रि॒यं गि॒राश्वो॒ न दे॒वाँ अप्ये॑ति य॒ज्ञिय॑: ॥
श्ये॒नः । न । योनि॑म् । सद॑नम् । धि॒या । कृ॒तम् । हि॒र॒ण्यय॑म् । आ॒ऽसद॑म् । दे॒वः । एष॑ति । आ । ई॒म् इति॑ । रि॒ण॒न्ति॒ । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । प्रि॒यम् । गि॒रा । अश्वः॑ । न । दे॒वान् । अपि॑ । ए॒ति॒ । य॒ज्ञियः॑ ॥
śyenaḥ | na | yonim | sadanam | dhiyā | kṛtam | hiraṇyayam | āsadam | devaḥ | ā | īṣati | ā | īm iti | riṇanti | barhiṣi | priyam | girā | aśvaḥ | na | devān | api | eti | yajñiyaḥ
48
4 × 12 syllables
Expansive yet swift; supports imagery of flight and rushing movement.
Creates uplift and eagerness; helps the practitioner feel ‘carried’ toward a higher seat.
- श्येनः (śyenaḥ)
- Literal: falcon. Symbolic: swift ascending will; seeker-force that finds the higher nest
- योनि / सदन (yoni/sadana)
- Literal: womb/nest; seat. Symbolic: true station of consciousness where Ananda can abide
- धिया कृतम् (dhiyā kṛtam)
- Literal: made by vision/thought. Symbolic: constructed by inspired intelligence (dhī), not by habit
- हिरण्ययम् (hiraṇyayam)
- Literal: golden. Symbolic: supramental/illumined quality; truth-radiance
- बर्हिषि (barhiṣi)
- Literal: sacrificial grass. Symbolic: prepared receptive field of awareness
- गिरा (girā)
- Literal: by the word/hymn. Symbolic: mantric vibration guiding inner energies
- अश्वः (aśvaḥ)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy harnessed for ascent
- यज्ञियः (yajñiyaḥ)
- Literal: worthy of offering. Symbolic: fit for integration into the divine work
Placement of Soma on barhis and invocation by mantra; movement of Soma toward the gods in the rite.
During Pavamāna chants accompanying movement/placement of Soma on barhis and toward offering vessels
Recitation/singing to consecrate Soma, seat it, and direct it to the gods
Chant before meditation to ‘prepare the seat’ (posture + inner receptivity) and to turn speech into a beloved guiding vibration.
dhī (from √dhī/√dhyai ‘to think, contemplate’) is ‘vision-intelligence’ rather than intellect. śyena and aśva are classic RV dynamic symbols: soaring and racing energies of consciousness. hiraṇya ‘gold’ marks the solar/supramental luminosity. barhis is both ritual grass and symbolic ‘field’ prepared for descent of powers.
dhī as creative vision, ascent toward the gods, prepared seat (āsada) as stable realization
Soma’s ‘seeking the seat’ is the right movement from instability to a lawful station in higher order.
The golden seat signifies truth-consciousness where delight rests without distortion.
Consciousness ‘builds’ its own dwelling by vision; speech sets the powers in motion.
Vedantic-leaning symbolism (light=truth; seat=plane of consciousness) aligned with Aurobindo/Kashyap inner reading.
Falcon=ascending will; nest=stable inner poise; barhis=prepared receptivity; horse=vital energy redirected upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘falcon to the nest’ myth: the swift divine power seeks the prepared luminous seat made by vision (dhī). It aligns with the broader RV theme of the soaring force that finds its origin-station and then moves toward the gods—an inner ascent and establishment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva ‘horse’ is a classic IE inheritance (PIE *h₁éḱwos; cf. Latin equus). The use of horse/falcon as speed metaphors parallels Indo-European poetic diction where animal-velocity encodes divine agency and inspired movement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi’s dhī ‘builds’ the seat, and the mantra (girā) urges Soma upon the barhis; Soma then responds by seeking the golden station and approaching the gods. The reciprocity is creative: human vision constructs the receptacle, the deity fills it and ascends.
Build the ‘seat’ by dhī: settle in luminous attention; then let Ananda rise to the higher powers via mantra.
Ajna (dhī/vision) supported by Anahata (delight)
Inhale upward imagining the śyena; exhale softly with the mantra phrase (no strain).
Uplifted, poised, aspirational; stable seat with dynamic ascent.
First establish an inner ‘golden seat’ (quiet, bright attention behind the forehead). Chant once or thrice; then sit silently, letting speech subside while the ‘horse-force’ of life turns upward without agitation.
Rigvedic three-tone (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per recension; consult accent-marked pada text for exact mapping.
Let ‘śyeno na yoniṃ’ rise lightly (udātta) to evoke flight; broaden on ‘hiraṇyayam’; keep the second half brisk like a horse-run.
(śyenaḥ): palatal ‘ś’, clear ‘ye’ diphthong, (dhiyā): soft ‘dh’, glide ‘iyā’, (hiraṇyayam): retroflex ‘ṇy’ cluster carefully, (barhiṣi): ‘rh’ cluster, short ‘i’ endings, (devām̐): nasalization before pause
Uplifted, clear, slightly bright; avoid heaviness.
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