Rig Veda 9.63.26: Mandala 9, Sukta 63, Mantra 26
Sukta 9.63
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seer-poets
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
पवमानास आशवः शुभ्रा असृग्रमिन्दवः । घ्नन्तो विश्वा अप द्विषः ॥
pávamānāsa āśávaḥ śubhrā́ asṛgram índavaḥ | ghnánto víśvā apa dvíṣaḥ ||
പവമാനമായ, വേഗമുള്ള, ദീപ്തമായ തുള്ളികൾ ഒഴുകി പുറപ്പെട്ടു; എല്ലാ ദ്വേഷങ്ങളെയും ശത്രുബലങ്ങളെയും അവ പ്രഹരിച്ചു അകറ്റുന്നു.
Word by Word
- पवमानासः
- the purifying (Soma-drops)Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot पवमान- (√पू ‘to purify/cleanse’, present participle stem)
- आशवः
- swiftAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot आशु-
- शुभ्राः
- bright, pureAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot शुभ्र-
- असृग्रम्
- they have streamed/flowed forthVerbलुङ् (aorist), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root √सृज् (सृजति) ‘to flow/let go, discharge’
- इन्दवः
- the Soma-dropsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इन्दु-
- घ्नन्तः
- striking, slayingVerbal adjective (participle)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot √हन् (हन्ति) ‘to strike, slay’ (present participle)
- विश्वाः
- all (of them)Adjective (used with implied neuter plural ‘things/foes’)(प्रयोगतः) नपुंसकलिङ्गे कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्; द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (विश्वानि इति भावः)Role कर्मRoot विश्व-
- अप
- away, offIndeclinable (preverb/adverb)उपसर्ग/निपातःRole (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root अप
- द्विषः
- haters, enemiesNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (Vedic acc. pl. in -as = -ān)Role कर्मRoot द्विष्- (द्विष् ‘hater, enemy’)
Sandhi Notes
- Pada resolution: पव॑मानास आ॒शव॑: शु॒भ्रा अ॑सृग्र॒मिन्द॑वः → पवमानासः | आशवः | शुभ्राः | असृग्रम् | इन्दवः. Here final -as of पवमानासः is shown as -as before vowel in saṃhitā (pavāmānāsa āśavaḥ), and असृग्रम् + इन्दवः shows sandhi with loss of pause (…असृग्रमिन्दवः). Second half already padic: घ्नन्तो॒ विश्वा॒ अप॒ द्विष॑: → घ्नन्तः | विश्वाः (≈ विश्वानि, object implied) | अप | द्विषः (Vedic acc. pl.). Accents are as in the given saṃhitā text
- pada-form here is unaccented
The meaning
Outer meaning
The purifying, swift, radiant Soma-drops have streamed forth, striking away all hatreds and hostile forces.
Inner meaning
When Soma becomes pure and swift in the inner being, its luminous current actively removes ‘dviṣ’—the vibrations of hostility, division, and self-opposition—clearing the vital nature and the mental field for harmony and right action.
Universal truth
A purified joy is not passive; it is a force that dissolves enmity and inner conflict, restoring unity in consciousness.
Themes
purification, removal of hostility, Soma as cleansing force
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seer-poets (Soma Pavamanas)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.63.24-30 (adjacent verses on purification and removal of rakṣas), RV 9.60 (Soma as slayer of hostility)
Family tradition
Ninth Maṇḍala: a technical and mystical Soma tradition where the ‘enemy’ is as much inner obstruction as outer opposition.
Significance
The rishi-voice here emphasizes Soma as a warrior of harmony: delight purified becomes a power that ends division and establishes unity of the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Śubhra (radiant), Āśu (swift), Indu (drop)
- Related deities
- Indra (who uses Soma to conquer darkness), Maruts (purifying storm-forces; allies in removing obstruction), Agni (burns impurity; receives Soma)
Cosmic role
Soma as the purifying stream that empowers the gods and wards off hostile powers in the sacrifice.
Inner power
Ananda-force that neutralizes reactive vital energies and mental antagonisms; it makes the system luminous and non-hostile.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-pavamāna recitation during filtration/pressing
पव॑मानास आ॒शव॑: शु॒भ्रा अ॑सृग्र॒मिन्द॑वः । घ्नन्तो॒ विश्वा॒ अप॒ द्विष॑: ॥
पव॑मानासः । आ॒शवः॑ । शु॒भ्राः । अ॒सृ॒ग्र॒म् । इन्द॑वः । घ्नन्तः॑ । विश्वाः॑ । अप॑ । द्विषः॑ ॥
pavamānāsaḥ | āśavaḥ | śubhrāḥ | asṛgram | indavaḥ | ghnantaḥ | viśvāḥ | apa | dviṣaḥ
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4×12 (approx.); the second hemistich has a striking cadence suitable to ‘ghnantaḥ’.
Quickened Jagatī—feels like a rushing stream with decisive blows at phrase ends.
Energizes courage and clarity; supports a cleansing ‘cutting away’ of negativity.
- pavamānāsaḥ
- Literal: purifying ones. Symbolic: self-clarifying currents of higher consciousness
- āśavaḥ
- Literal: swift, impetuous. Symbolic: rapid descent/working of the higher force once channels open
- śubhrāḥ
- Literal: radiant, bright, pure. Symbolic: clarity without mixture; sattwic luminosity
- asṛgram
- Literal: they streamed/flowed forth. Symbolic: unobstructed movement through nāḍīs and mind-streams
- ghnantaḥ
- Literal: striking, slaying. Symbolic: active removal of adverse formations
- dviṣaḥ
- Literal: hatreds, enemies. Symbolic: forces of division: resentment, hostility, self-contradiction, anti-growth impulses
- apa
- Literal: away, off. Symbolic: separation of impurity from the being
Protective purification: Soma’s clarified flow as remover of hostility during the rite
Chanted as Soma flows through the filter, especially in sequences aimed at protection and purification.
Accompanying the streaming Soma; intention of driving away hostile influences from yajña-space.
Use in conflict, anxiety, or resentment: chant to dissolve inner hostility and restore goodwill and clarity.
āśava: from āśu ‘swift’; asṛgram: aorist of √sṛ ‘flow, run’; ghnantaḥ: present participle of √han ‘strike’; dviṣ: from √dviṣ ‘hate’ (PIE *dweis- ‘hate’ also seen in cognate semantic fields).
removal of dviṣ (inner hatred) as a prerequisite for Ṛta, purity as luminous speed (āśu + śubhra)
Hatred is a deviation from ṛta; Soma restores the law of harmony by purifying the vital-mind.
Truth-consciousness is naturally non-hostile; Soma clears distortions that create ‘dviṣ’.
Purification as a prerequisite for right-worlding: the luminous stream prepares the field for higher creation.
Integral-yogic psychology: adverse forces as formations in vital/subconscient, removable by higher Ananda.
A fast, radiant flow in the subtle body that washes out reactive patterns and antagonistic impulses.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as a swift radiant power that ‘slays haters’—the nectar is simultaneously illumination and defense. Innerly, clarified delight-energy dissolves hatred and the hostile formations that block truth-consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dviṣ ‘hate’ corresponds to PIE *dweis- ‘hate’ (clear IE inheritance); √han ‘strike’ to PIE *gʷhen-; √sṛ ‘flow’ matches widespread IE ‘flow/run’ verbal semantics, supporting the archaic poetic formula of ‘flowing light that strikes darkness/hostility’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi invokes Soma not as passive drink but as an active purifier that clears the emotional-energetic field (dviṣ). This is a yogic reciprocity: the aspirant offers purification; Soma returns as speed and radiance that removes inner antagonisms.
Let a cool, bright stream descend through head and chest; on exhale, release resentment and inner arguments.
anāhata (heart)
4-6 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 6) while mentally emphasizing ‘apa dviṣaḥ’.
Cleared, fearless goodwill; vital pacified by luminous delight.
Chant 11 times when agitation rises; then sit 2 minutes in quiet, observing the softened heart and unified mind.
Follow Rigvedic accent marks; keep pitch contrast crisp on āśávaḥ / śúbhrā / ásṛgram / ghnántaḥ.
Lean slightly on the action-word ‘ghnantaḥ’; keep ‘apa dviṣaḥ’ clipped and decisive without harshness.
āśavaḥ: long ā; ś as palatal., asṛgram: vocalic ṛ (short), not ‘ri’., dviṣaḥ: ‘dv’ conjunct; ṣ retroflex with a clear hiss.
Clear, firm, forward-placing tone; end phrases cleanly to convey ‘striking away’.
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