Rig Veda 9.113.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 113, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.113
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma hymn tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
ऋतं वदन्नृतद्युम्न सत्यं वदन्त्सत्यकर्मन् । श्रद्धां वदन्त्सोम राजन्धात्रा सोम परिष्कृत इन्द्रायेन्दो परि स्रव ॥
ṛtáṃ vádann ṛta-dyumna satyáṃ vádant satya-karman | śraddhā́ṃ vádant soma rājan dhātrā́ soma páriṣkṛta indrāyéndo pári srava ||
ഋതം ഉച്ചരിക്കുന്നവനേ, ഹേ ഋതദ്യുമ്ന (ഋതപ്രഭയുള്ളവനേ); സത്യം ഉച്ചരിക്കുന്നവനേ, ഹേ സത്യകർമ്മൻ (സത്യകർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നവനേ); ശ്രദ്ധയെ ഉച്ചരിക്കുന്നവനേ, ഹേ സോമരാജാ—ഹേ സോമ, ധാത്രാ (വിധാതാവ്) ഒരുക്കി പരിഷ്കരിച്ചവനായി, ഇന്ദ്രനുവേണ്ടി ചുറ്റി ഒഴുകി, മുന്നോട്ടു ഒഴുകുക.
Word by Word
- ऋतम्
- truth/order (ṛta)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) < √ऋ (ऋ-गत्यर्थे/ऋ-क्रमणे) → ऋत ‘cosmic order, right’
- वदन्
- speaking / utteringVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (सम्बोधन-सम्बन्धी) — ‘speaking’Role KartāRoot √वद् (वदँ व्यक्तायां वाचि) → वदत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- ऋतद्युम्न
- O one whose splendour is (in) ṛtaNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot ऋत + द्युम्न (समास; प्रातिपदिक) द्युम्न < √द्युत् (द्युतँ दीप्तौ) ‘splendour’
- सत्यम्
- truth / the true (thing)Noun/Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) < सत् (√अस्) + यत् → ‘true’
- वदन्
- speakingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot √वद् → वदत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- सत्यकर्मन्
- O true-deeded oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot सत्य + कर्मन् (समास; प्रातिपदिक) कर्मन् < √कृ (कृञ् करणे) ‘deed’
- श्रद्धाम्
- faith / trustNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक) < श्रत् + √धा (धाञ् धारणे) ‘placing trust’
- वदन्
- speakingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot √वद् → वदत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- राजन्
- O kingNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √राज् (राजँ दीप्तौ/राजँ शासन) ‘king’
- धात्रा
- by the establisher / by the arranger (Dhātṛ)Nounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (धातृ-शब्द), तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot धातृ (प्रातिपदिक) < √धा (धाञ् धारणे) ‘placer, establisher’
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- परिष्कृतः
- purified / refinedVerb (past participle)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Kartā (predicate of Soma)Root परि-√कृ (कृञ् करणे) → परिष्कृत (भूतकृदन्त)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma-drop)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘drop; Soma’
- परि
- around; forth (as preverb)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रव
- flow! / stream forth!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (imperative to the addressee)Root √स्रु (स्रु गतौ/स्रवणे) ‘to flow’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (resolved): ऋतम् | वदन् | ऋतद्युम्न | सत्यम् | वदन् | सत्यकर्मन् | श्रद्धाम् | वदन् | सोम | राजन् | धात्रा | सोम | परिष्कृतः | इन्द्राय | इन्दो | परि | स्रव । प्रमुख सन्धयः: (1) वदन् + ऋतद्युम्न → वदन्नृतद्युम्न (न् + ऋ = न्नृ)
- (2) वदन् + सत्यम् → वदन्त्सत्यम् (न् + स = न्त्स)
- (3) वदन् + सत्यकर्मन् → वदन्त्सत्यकर्मन् (न् + स = न्त्स)
- (4) वदन् + सोम → वदन्त्सोम (न् + स = न्त्स)
- (5) राजन् + धात्रा → राजन्धात्रा (न् + ध = न्ध)
- (6) इन्द्राय + इन्दो → इन्द्रायेन्दो (आय + इ = आये)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Speaking the Law, O Radiant with Law; speaking the Truth, O Doer of Truth; speaking Faith, O King Soma—prepared by the Creator, flow forth for Indra.
Inner meaning
The divine Delight (Soma) is invoked to flow into the Illumined Mind (Indra). This flow is not chaotic; it is structured by the dynamic Truth (Rtam) and the static Truth of Being (Satyam). It carries the vibration of absolute Faith (Shraddha) and is refined by the inner Creator (Dhatr) to become the fuel for higher consciousness.
Universal truth
True spiritual ecstasy is not an escape from order; it is the perfect harmony of Truth in speech, Truth in action, and unwavering Faith.
Themes
Truth-speech, Soma as king, Satyam-Ritam-Bṛhat trajectory (implicit)
In ritual
Where it is used
Mantra emphasizes verbal truth conditions of the rite: Soma is ‘prepared’ by cosmic order and by correct speech; used in Soma offerings to Indra.
ऋ॒तं वद॑न्नृतद्युम्न स॒त्यं वद॑न्त्सत्यकर्मन् । श्र॒द्धां वद॑न्त्सोम राजन्धा॒त्रा सो॑म॒ परि॑ष्कृत॒ इन्द्रा॑येन्दो॒ परि॑ स्रव ॥
ऋ॒तम् । वद॑न् । ऋ॒त॒ऽद्यु॒म्न॒ । स॒त्यम् । वद॑न् । स॒त्य॒ऽक॒र्म॒न् । श्र॒द्धाम् । वद॑न् । सो॒म॒ । रा॒ज॒न् । धा॒त्रा । सो॒म॒ । परि॑ऽकृत । इन्द्रा॑य । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । परि॑ । स्र॒व॒ ॥
ṛtam | vadan | ṛta-dyumna | satyam | vadan | satya-karman | śraddhām | vadan | soma | rājan | dhātrā | soma | pari-kṛta | indrāya | indo iti | pari | srava
Mantra emphasizes verbal truth conditions of the rite: Soma is ‘prepared’ by cosmic order and by correct speech; used in Soma offerings to Indra.
from √vad ‘speak’ (PIE *weh₂d- ‘speak’ often proposed). from pari + √kṛ ‘make’ → ‘made completely fit/arranged’. (dhātṛ) from √dhā ‘place/establish’ → cosmic establisher. ṛta/satya/śraddhā/tapas form a semantic chain of Vedic truth-realization.
Ṛta, Satya, Śraddhā, Dhātṛ (cosmic establishment)
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The sovereignty of Truth as speech: Soma is king because it embodies and utters ṛta, satya, and śraddhā; it is ‘prepared’ by Dhātṛ, the establisher. Psychologically, the clarified delight becomes operative when the practitioner’s speech and action align with truth-law; then Soma can flow to empower Indra.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dhātṛ from √dhā continues PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘place’; satya from √as continues PIE *h₁es- ‘be’. The repeated participial construction vadan ‘speaking’ creates an archaic Indo-European style of epithets-by-action (formulaic predication).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not flatter Soma with genealogy but defines Soma’s nature as truth-speaking and truth-doing; this establishes the condition for reciprocity: when truth is spoken and enacted, Soma is ‘pariṣkṛta’ (made fit) and responds by flowing—so Indra’s victorious force can manifest.
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