Rig Veda 9.55.1: Mandala 9, Sukta 55, Mantra 1
Sukta 9.55
यवंयवं नो अन्धसा पुष्टम्पुष्टं परि स्रव । सोम विश्वा च सौभगा ॥
yávam-yavam no ándhasā puṣṭám-puṣṭaṃ pári srava | sóma víśvā ca saúbhagā ||
ഞങ്ങളെയൊട്ടാകെ നിന്റെ അന്ധസ് (രസം/സാരം) കൊണ്ട് വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ഒഴുകുക; പുഷ്ടിക്ക് മേൽ പുഷ്ടി വർധിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ഒഴുകുക. ഹേ സോമ, സർവ്വ സൗഭാഗ്യങ്ങൾ—എല്ലാ പൂർണ്ണതയും ശുഭസമന്വയവും—ഞങ്ങളിലേക്കു കൊണ്ടുവരിക.
A direct imperative to Soma to flow abundantly; used to invoke continuous, strengthening Soma for the rite and for the sacrificer’s increase.
increase (puṣṭi) as inner growth, felicity (saubhaga) as harmony of being
Saubhagya is prosperity in right order—fortune as alignment with ṛta.
True increase is increase of being (sat) and harmony, not mere accumulation.
Worlds are sustained by rasa/essence; repeated flows maintain and evolve creation.
Vedic psychology of nourishment: rasa → growth → harmony.
spring (symbolic of increase)
Repeated inflow of delight nourishes the whole system, producing steady growth and auspicious harmony.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ever-renewed Soma-flow granting nourishment and felicity. Innerly, the repeated descent/flow of delight-essence builds progressive growth (puṣṭi) and establishes a total wellbeing (saubhaga) in the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sru ‘flow’ is a strong Indo-European inheritance (PIE *srew-), showing continuity of core hydrodynamic metaphor. The intensive repetition (yavam-yavam, puṣṭam-puṣṭam) reflects an archaic poetic device for iterative action and abundance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi commands (srava) with ritual authority: Soma is asked to surround and permeate the practitioner’s field. Soma reciprocates by converting the offered aspiration into sustained inner nourishment and integral felicity.
Receive repeated waves of quiet joy; let them build stable fullness rather than peak experiences.
svadhisthana (rasa) flowing to anahata (harmonious fullness)
Soft, even breathing; on each inhale mentally repeat ‘yavam-yavam’; on exhale ‘puṣṭam-puṣṭam’, sensing accumulation without strain.
Replenished calm; gentle sweetness and wholeness.
Practice in short daily repetitions (e.g., 27 or 54) to cultivate cumulative growth; afterward sit silently and feel ‘increase’ as wideness and harmony, not excitement.
Repetition phrases often carry clear udatta lifts; keep the cadence consistent across both compounds (yavam-yavam, puṣṭam-puṣṭam). Exact svara requires śākhā marking.
Sustain the long vowels in ‘andhasā’ and ‘somā’; keep ‘pari srava’ as one flowing unit.
- (yavam-yavam): articulate both m’s lightly; avoid swallowing the second word, (andhasā): ‘ndh’ cluster; long ā, - (puṣṭam-puṣṭam): retroflex ‘ṣṭ’; keep ‘u’ short, (saubhagā): ‘au’ diphthong; long ā at end
Warm, soothing, continuous flow; minimal percussive stops.
54
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