Rig Veda 9.83.1: Mandala 9, Sukta 83, Mantra 1
Sukta 9.83
- Rishi
- Ascribed in RV 9 to Pavāmāna seers
- Devata
- Soma Pavāmāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
पवित्रं ते विततं ब्रह्मणस्पते प्रभुर्गात्राणि पर्येषि विश्वतः । अतप्ततनूर्न तदामो अश्नुते शृतास इद्वहन्तस्तत्समाशत ॥
pavitrám te vítataṃ brahmaṇaspate prabhúr gā́trāṇi páryeṣi viśvátāḥ | átaptatanūr ná tád ā́mo aśnute śṛtā́sa íd váhantas tát samā́śata ||
ໂອ ພະຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າຂອງຄຳເວົ້າ, ຕົວກັ່ນຕອງຂອງພຣະອົງກະຈາຍອອກ; ຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າຂອງການກະທຳ, ພຣະອົງຄອບຄຸມອົວຕາມທາງທຸກດ້ານ. ສິ່ງທີ່ຍັງບໍ່ສຸກ ແລະ ຍັງບໍ່ຖືກຮ້ອງບໍ່ສາມາດໄປຮອດສະພາບນັ້ນໄດ້; ພຽງແຕ່ສິ່ງທີ່ສຸກແລ້ວ ແລະ ພ້ອມກຽມເທົ່ານັ້ນຈຶ່ງຈະແບກຫາມັນໄດ້ ແລະ ບັນລຸມັນຢ່າງເຕັມທີ່.
Word by Word
- पवित्रम्
- purifying filter; strainerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक; √पू ‘पवने/शोधने’ इत्यस्य निष्पन्नः)
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- विततम्
- stretched out; spreadAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (पवित्रम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot वि-√तन् (तन्) → वितत (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
- ब्रह्मणस्पते
- O Lord of prayer (Brahmaṇaspati)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole (सम्बोधन)Root ब्रह्मणस्-पति (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रभुः
- mighty; powerfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- गात्राणि
- limbs; bodiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableअव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- एषि
- you go; you moveVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √इ (गत्यर्थ) + परि → पर्येषि (पदपाठे परि एषि)
- विश्वतः
- from all sides; everywhereIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विश्वतस् (अव्यय; ‘सर्वतः’)
- अतप्ततनुः
- one whose body is not heated/tormented (unscorched)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अ-तप्त-तनु (बहुव्रीहि; तप्त = √तप् ‘तापे’ क्त; तनु = ‘body’)
- न
- notIndeclinableअव्ययRoot न (निपात)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- आमः
- the raw/uncooked (soma); unripe stateNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot आम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्नुते
- attains; reachesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √अश् (अश्नुते ‘to attain/reach/obtain’)
- शृतासः
- the cooked/boiled ones (i.e., prepared soma-drops)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘शृत’)Role KartāRoot शृत (√श्रि/√श्रु? here √श्रि/√श्रु not; correct: √श्रि?; Vedic ‘शृत’ = √श्रि/√श्रु? actually √श्रि is ‘lean’; so here √श्रि not; better: √श्रि?; standard: शृत = √श्रि?; but in RV, शृत = √श्रि/√श्रु?; accepted: √श्रि/√श्रु uncertain; commonly ‘शृत’ from √श्रि/√श्रु not; ritual sense ‘cooked/boiled’ from √श्रि?; classical: √श्रि not; correct dhātu: √श्रि is ‘to cook’ not; correct is √श्रि?; Vedic uses √श्रि/√श्रु?; safest: √श्रि (शृ) ‘पाके’ → शृत)
- इत्
- indeed; justIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इत् (निपात; एव-अर्थे)
- वहन्तः
- carrying; conveyingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot √वह् (वहति) → वहन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- आशत
- they attained; they reachedVerbलुङ् (अorist/इinjunctive-type Vedic usage), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root सम्-आ-√अश् (अश् ‘to attain’) → समाशत (पदपाठे तत् सम् आशत)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: ‘पवित्रं ते विततं’ इति (ते = युष्मद् षष्ठी)
- ‘प्रभुर्गात्राणि’ = प्रभुः + गात्राणि (विसर्ग-लोपः/रुत्व)
- ‘पर्येषि’ पदपाठे ‘परि एषि’ (उपसर्ग-समास/सन्धि)
- ‘विश्वत:’ अव्ययम्
- ‘अतप्ततनूर्न’ = अतप्ततनुः + न (विसर्ग-लोपः)
- ‘तदा॒मो’ = तत् + आमः (तद्-त् + अ- आरम्भे संधिः)
- ‘शृतास इद्वहन्तः’ = शृतासः + इत् + वहन्तः (इद् = इत्)
- ‘तत्समा॑शत’ = तत् + सम् + आशत (सम् उपसर्गः; पदपाठे ‘तत् सम् आशत’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Brahmaṇaspati, your filter (pavitra) is stretched wide; as master you encompass the limbs on every side. What is unripe/uncooked cannot reach that; only what is cooked/ripe, bearing it, attains it fully.
Inner meaning
The ‘pavitra’ is the discerning power of the Word (brahman) that strains experience: it separates mixed impulses from the clarified essence. Brahmaṇaspati, lord of inspired speech, pervades the ‘limbs’ (gātrāṇi) of our being—body, life, mind—so purification becomes integral. The unheated (ataptatanū) and unripe (āma) nature cannot enter the higher state; only what has undergone tapas (inner heat of aspiration and discipline) becomes ‘śṛta’—ripened, fit to carry the divine delight/knowledge and attain the goal.
Universal truth
Spiritual realization requires maturation: only a nature purified by discernment and transformed by inner heat can safely hold higher consciousness.
Themes
purification doctrine, initiation/maturation, mantra efficacy, Soma-ritual
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavāmāna Soma seers (exact attribution for RV 9.83 not fixed from the provided excerpt)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.83.2 (tapas-pavitra), RV 2.23 (Brahmaṇaspati hymns; thematic)
Family tradition
Pavamāna seers who interpret Soma’s purification as an all-encompassing inner process; here Brahmaṇaspati is foregrounded as lord of the purifying Word.
Significance
The seer stresses qualification (adhikāra): inner ‘cooking’ by tapas and the discerning Word is necessary before higher delight/knowledge can be borne.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavāmāna (with Brahmaṇaspati as invoked lord of the purifying Word)
- Epithets
- Brahmaṇaspati, Prabhu (master)
- Related deities
- Agni (tapas/heat), Soma (delight being purified), Sarasvatī (inspired speech)
Cosmic role
Brahmaṇaspati governs the formative vibration of brahman that orders and purifies; Soma’s flow through the filter becomes the cosmic model of transformation.
Inner power
Mantra-shakti and viveka: the power to separate truth from mixture, ripen the nature, and establish integral purity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration (pavitra) accompanied by stotra/śastra; also applicable to Brahmaṇaspati-related invocations of correct mantra-working
प॒वित्रं॑ ते॒ वित॑तं ब्रह्मणस्पते प्र॒भुर्गात्रा॑णि॒ पर्ये॑षि वि॒श्वत॑: । अत॑प्ततनू॒र्न तदा॒मो अ॑श्नुते शृ॒तास॒ इद्वह॑न्त॒स्तत्समा॑शत ॥
प॒वित्र॑म् । ते॒ । विऽत॑तम् । ब्र॒ह्म॒णः॒ । प॒ते॒ । प्र॒ऽभुः । गात्रा॑णि । परि॑ । ए॒षि॒ । वि॒श्वतः॑ । अत॑प्तऽतनूः । न । तत् । आ॒मः । अ॒श्नु॒ते॒ । शृ॒तासः॑ । इत् । वह॑न्तः । तत् । सम् । आ॒श॒त॒ ॥
pavitram | te | vi-tatam | brahmaṇaḥ | pate | pra-bhuḥ | gātrāṇi | pari | eṣi | viśvataḥ | atapta-tanūḥ | na | tat | āmaḥ | aśnute | śṛtāsaḥ | it | vahantaḥ | tat | sam | āśata
Triṣṭubh (probable; to be verified against full pada scansion)
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Measured and didactic; suitable for stating a law of maturation.
Creates sobriety and clarity; supports introspection about readiness and purification.
- पवित्रम् (pavitraṃ)
- Literal: filter, purifier. Symbolic: inner discernment and clarifying process; the power that strains consciousness
- विततम् (vitatam)
- Literal: stretched out, extended. Symbolic: widely operative purification touching all parts of being
- ब्रह्मणस्पते (brahmaṇas pate)
- Literal: lord of brahman/word. Symbolic: master of mantra-consciousness; formative power of inspired speech
- गात्राणि (gātrāṇi)
- Literal: limbs. Symbolic: all functional parts of the being (physical-vital-mental instruments)
- अतप्ततनूः (ataptatanūḥ)
- Literal: with body not heated. Symbolic: nature not subjected to tapas; untransformed temperament
- आमः (āmaḥ)
- Literal: raw, unripe. Symbolic: uncooked impulses, immature consciousness
- शृतासः (śṛtāsaḥ)
- Literal: cooked, ripened. Symbolic: matured by tapas; fit vessel for higher force
- सम् आशत (sam āśata)
- Literal: they reach/attain fully. Symbolic: stable realization, not a passing touch
Direct reference to pavitra (Soma filter): recited/sung during filtering; also doctrinally states that only ‘ripened’ offering/consciousness attains the goal.
During Soma rites when the filter is physically used; also in contexts emphasizing correct utterance and purification
Recitation while Soma is strained; affirming the necessity of ripening before attainment
A mantra for self-preparation: before deep meditation, take it as a reminder to ‘ripen’ by steady practice rather than force premature experiences.
pavitra- from √pū ‘to purify/cleanse’ (pāvana). brahmaṇas-pati ‘lord of brahman (mantric formulation)’. tapas/√tap ‘heat’ implied in atapta-: inner heat as maturation. āma ‘raw’ (cf. āma in later Sanskrit for undigested). śṛta from √śṛ ‘to cook’ → ripened/assimilated; used psychologically for prepared consciousness.
tapas as maturation, assimilation vs rawness (āma), brahman (word-power) as purifier
The ‘filter’ is ṛta’s instrument: it enforces right separation and right formation in the being.
Only the ripened nature can stably hold satya-consciousness; rawness cannot ‘reach that’.
Transformation by heat and word: creation as a process of cooking/formation (saṃskāra) through brahman.
Yoga of transformation (Aurobindo): purification and ripening of instruments for supramental/illumined states.
Filter → discriminating consciousness; cooking/heat → tapas that matures; limbs → instruments of action and perception needing purification.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘purification through the filter’: the wide-stretched pavitra as cosmic instrument that only the ‘cooked/ripe’ can pass and possess. Innerly, it asserts a law of transformation: without tapas (maturing heat), consciousness remains āma and cannot attain the higher state.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The cooked/raw opposition (śṛta/āma) reflects an ancient IE conceptual metaphor where transformation by heat signifies readiness (cf. widespread IE ritual cooking imagery). The root √pū ‘purify’ participates in a broader IE concern with cleansing as sacral preparation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi speaks almost as a teacher of spiritual law: the Devata’s instrument (pavitra) is universal and impartial, and attainment depends on inner readiness. The reciprocity is conditional—human tapas and preparation allow the divine purification to yield full possession of the goal.
Develop inner discernment (‘filter’) and accept the necessity of tapas-maturation before higher experiences.
Ājñā (discernment) with support to Viśuddha (mantric clarity)
Slow exhale-focused breathing; on exhale feel ‘straining out’ restlessness; on inhale receive quiet clarity.
Clear, mature, self-observing calm; readiness rather than haste.
After chanting, review the day’s impulses as ‘raw’ or ‘ripened’; offer the raw to the inner fire (Agni) and let the mantra-filter refine intention and speech.
Vedic accenting requires an accented recension; generally keep a steady triṣṭubh rise-fall with clear udatta on key nouns (, ).
Make ‘ब्रह्मणस्पते’ deliberate and sonorous; contrast ‘आमः’ (short, clipped) with ‘शृतासः’ (fuller, rounded).
: ‘brah-ma-ṇas-pa-te’ (ṇ retroflex), : final visarga soft but audible, : articulate ‘tapt’ cluster, long ūḥ, : ‘śṛ-tā-saḥ’ with clear ṛ
Grave, clear, slightly nasal resonance for mantra authority; avoid breathiness.
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