Rig Veda 9.78.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 78, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.78
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
गोजिन्नः सोमो रथजिद्धिरण्यजित्स्वर्जिदब्जित्पवते सहस्रजित् । यं देवासश्चक्रिरे पीतये मदं स्वादिष्ठं द्रप्समरुणं मयोभुवम् ॥
go-jín naḥ sómo ratha-jíd hiraṇyá-jít svaḥ-jíd abjít pavate sahasra-jít | yáṃ devā́saś cakriré pītáye mádaṃ svā́diṣṭhaṃ drápsam aruṇáṃ mayo-bhúvam ||
ഞങ്ങളുടെ സോമൻ ഗോജിത്—ഗോ/കിരണങ്ങളുടെ ജയകൻ—ആയി, രഥജിത്, ഹിരണ്യജിത്, സ്വർജിത്, അബ്ജിത്, സഹസ്രജിത് ആയി പവതേ—ഒഴുകുന്നു. ദേവന്മാർ അവനെ പാനത്തിനായി മദം—ആനന്ദോന്മാദം—ആയി രൂപപ്പെടുത്തി: സ്വാദിഷ്ഠ ദ്രപ്സം, അരുണ—ഉഷാബലത്തിൽ രക്തിമ—മയോഭുവം—സുഖദായകൻ।
Word by Word
- गो-जित्
- winning cows; cow-conqueringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सोमः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root गो + √जि (जये)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद्
- सोमः
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सोम-
- रथ-जित्
- winning chariotsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सोमः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root रथ + √जि
- हि
- indeed / forIndeclinableनिपातःRoot हि
- हिरण्य-जित्
- winning goldAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सोमः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root हिरण्य + √जि
- स्वः-जित्
- winning heavenAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सोमः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root स्वः (स्वर्ग) + √जि
- अप्-जित्
- winning the watersAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सोमः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root अप् (जल) + √जि
- पवते
- purifies/flowsVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रिया (Kartā = सोमः)Root √पू (पवते, शुद्धौ/प्रवाहे)
- सहस्र-जित्
- winning a thousand (richly victorious)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सोमः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root सहस्र + √जि
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (सम्बन्धः सोमेन)Role Karma (चक्रिरे इत्यस्य)Root यद्
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot देव-
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातःRoot च
- चक्रिरे
- have made / fashionedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रिया (Kartā = देवासः; Karma = यम्)Root √कृ (करणे)
- पीतये
- for drinkingNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (दातृ/उद्देश्य)Role Sampradāna (purpose: for drinking)Root पीति- (√पा ‘पाने’ से) / पीत- (पान)
- मदम्
- intoxicating exhilaration / raptureNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role Karma (पीतये—‘to drink’ implied)Root मद-
- स्वादिष्ठम्
- most sweetAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (मदम्/द्रप्सम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma-विशेषणम्Root स्वादिष्ठ- (स्वादु- का अतिशय)
- द्रप्सम्
- drop; Soma-dropNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role Karma (यम्—सोमं द्रप्सरूपेण)Root द्रप्स-
- अरुणम्
- ruddy; tawnyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (द्रप्सम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma-विशेषणम्Root अरुण-
- मयः-भुवम्
- bringing delight; welfare-bestowingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (द्रप्सम्/यम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma-विशेषणम्Root मयस् (आनन्द/सुख) + भू- (भवति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: गो॒जित्-नः सोमः रथ॒जित् हि हिरण्य॒जित् स्वः॒जित् अप्॒जित् पवते सहस्र॒जित् । यम् देवासः च चक्रिरे पीतये मदम् स्वादिष्ठम् द्रप्सम् अरुणम् मयः-भुवम् ॥ मुख्य-सन्धि/समास: (1) गो॒जिन्न॒: = गो-जित् + नः (त् + न → न्न, निग्रह/अनुस्वार-लोप सहित वैदिक संधि-लेखन)
- (2) रथ॒जिद्धि॑ = रथ-जित् + हि (त् + ह → द्धि, जश्त्व + ध्वन्यादेश)
- (3) हिरण्य॒जित्स्व॒र्जिद॒ब्जित्प॑वते = हिरण्य-जित् + स्वः-जित् + अप्-जित् + पवते (समासान्त -जित् के त् पर परवर्ण-सन्धि से ‘…जित्स्व…’, ‘…जिदब्…’ रूप)
- (4) सहस्र॒जित् (समासान्त -क्विप्)
- (5) मयो॒भुव॑म् = मयः-भुवम् (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेश: मयः + भुवम् → मयोभुवम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma flows as a winner of cows (rays), winner of the chariot, winner of gold, winner of heaven, winner of waters, winner of a thousand. The gods fashioned him for drinking as ecstasy—the sweetest drop, ruddy, bringing delight and well-being.
Inner meaning
The purified Ananda is a conqueror on every plane: it wins the rays of knowledge (gojit), the vehicle of progress (rathajit), the golden plenitudes (hiraṇyajit), the luminous world (svarjit), the waters of consciousness (abjit/apjit), and a thousand capacities (sahasrajit). The gods—our awakened powers—shape this delight into a drinkable ecstasy (mada) that can be assimilated by the being. It is the sweetest concentrated essence (svādiṣṭha drapsa), ‘ruddy’ (aruṇa) with dawn-force—illumination entering life—bringing mayas (delight) and wellbeing (bhūti).
Universal truth
True joy, when purified, becomes a many-sided victory: it opens knowledge, empowers progress, attracts abundance, reveals higher worlds, masters the subconscious waters, and multiplies capacities; it is meant to be consciously absorbed as spiritual ecstasy that heals and uplifts.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Victory epithets (-jit), Light and plenitude, Divine ecstasy
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.78.5, Rig Veda 9.79.1
Family tradition
A composite Soma liturgy where seers speak as witnesses of the transforming delight; the ‘victory-epithets’ reflect a tradition of enumerating Soma’s conquering powers.
Significance
The seer catalogs inner victories: Ananda is not passive sweetness but a conquering power that opens knowledge, abundance, higher worlds, and mastery of the waters.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Gojit, Rathajit, Hiraṇyajit, Svarjit, Apjit, Sahasrajit, Svādiṣṭha Drapsa, Aruṇa
- Related deities
- Indra, Uṣas (aruṇa/dawn-force), Aśvins (well-being motifs), Maruts (dynamic powers)
Cosmic role
Victorious purifier-essence fashioned by the gods for conscious enjoyment and empowerment.
Inner power
Ananda as a conquering, organizing force: it wins illumination, progress, plenitude, higher consciousness, and subconscious mastery.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and offering for divine ‘drinking’ (pītaye)
गो॒जिन्न॒: सोमो॑ रथ॒जिद्धि॑रण्य॒जित्स्व॒र्जिद॒ब्जित्प॑वते सहस्र॒जित् । यं दे॒वास॑श्चक्रि॒रे पी॒तये॒ मदं॒ स्वादि॑ष्ठं द्र॒प्सम॑रु॒णं म॑यो॒भुव॑म् ॥
गो॒ऽजित् । नः॒ । सोमः॑ । र॒थ॒ऽजित् । हि॒र॒ण्य॒ऽजित् । स्वः॒ऽजित् । अ॒प्ऽजित् । प॒व॒ते॒ । स॒ह॒स्र॒ऽजित् । यम् । दे॒वासः॑ । च॒क्रि॒रे । पी॒तये॑ । मद॑म् । स्वादि॑ष्ठम् । द्र॒प्सम् । अ॒रु॒णम् । म॒यः॒ऽभुव॑म् ॥
go-jit | naḥ | somaḥ | ratha-jit | hiraṇya-jit | svaḥ-jit | ap-jit | pavate | sahasra-jit | yam | devāsaḥ | cakrire | pītaye | madam | svādiṣṭham | drapsam | aruṇam | mayaḥ-bhuvam
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4 x ~12 syllables
Triumphal, enumerative rhythm—like a litany of victories.
Energizes confidence and aspiration; evokes a sense of expansive capability and luminous conquest.
- गोजित् (gojit)
- Literal: winner of cows. Symbolic: winner of rays of light/knowledge
- रथजित् (rathajit)
- Literal: winner of the chariot. Symbolic: mastery of the forward-moving life-journey; progress-force
- हिरण्यजित् (hiraṇyajit)
- Literal: winner of gold. Symbolic: attainment of luminous plenitudes and higher value-substance
- स्वर्जित् (svarjit)
- Literal: winner of heaven/light-world. Symbolic: opening of higher mind and luminous planes
- अप्जित्/अब्जित् (apjit/abjit)
- Literal: winner of waters. Symbolic: mastery of the subconscious and the fluid vital-mental energies
- सहस्रजित् (sahasrajit)
- Literal: winner of a thousand. Symbolic: multiplying powers/capacities in the being
- मद (mada)
- Literal: intoxication/ecstasy. Symbolic: spiritual rapture that energizes and clarifies
- द्रप्स (drapsa)
- Literal: drop. Symbolic: concentrated essence of Ananda
- अरुण (aruṇa)
- Literal: ruddy. Symbolic: dawn-illumination tinting life with awakened force
- मयोभुवम् (mayobhuvam)
- Literal: bringing delight/welfare. Symbolic: force of harmony, healing, and gladness
Praise of Soma as the drink of the gods; used in Soma pressing and offering, emphasizing boons as inner victories
During Pavamāna chants as Soma is prepared and offered; emphasizes Soma’s excellence as ‘drink’ for the gods.
Filtration, collection of Soma drops, offering into fire and cups.
Affirmation-mantra for inner progress: chant before work/creative effort to align joy with victorious action and clarity.
The chain of -jit compounds (go-jit, ratha-jit, hiraṇya-jit, svaḥ-jit, ap-jit, sahasra-jit) is a deliberate poetic morphology encoding Soma as the conquering power across planes: light (go), movement (ratha), radiance (hiraṇya), heaven (svar), life-waters (ap), plenitude (sahasra). mada is not mere intoxication but ‘exaltation’ (√mad ‘to rejoice/be glad’), psychologically the uplift that enables victory.
Victory of Light (go as rays), Svar (luminous world), Mada as ecstasy of consciousness
The ‘wins’ indicate restoration of right order across planes—knowledge, life, abundance, and the waters.
Plenitudes (hiraṇya) and heaven (svar) are ‘true’ acquisitions when founded on purified delight.
Gods ‘fashion’ Soma: higher powers shape essence into assimilable ecstasy, sustaining cosmic evolution.
Integral yoga psychology: Ananda as a power of transformation, not mere enjoyment.
dawn (aruṇa association)
Gold = luminous substance of higher values; waters = subconscious/vital; dawn-red = awakening illumination; drop = concentrated essence of realization.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma as universal victor’ mythologem: Soma wins the rays (cows), the chariot (progress), the gold (radiance), the heaven (svar), the waters (life-currents), and plenitude (thousandfold). The gods ‘make’ him as their drink—divine ecstasy that enables these conquests within the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The productive compound morphology (X-jit) is a hallmark of early Indo-Iranian poetic diction. √mad (mada) has Indo-European parallels of joy/exaltation; ap ‘waters’ is an inherited Indo-Iranian plural (cf. Avestan āpō), reflecting archaic cosmological ‘waters’ as primal substance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns with the gods’ intention: to drink Soma as the sweetest concentrated drop of ecstasy. Soma reciprocates by becoming go-jit etc.—granting not outer spoil but inner victories: illumination, right movement, radiance, and well-being (mayo-bhu).
Contemplate Ananda as a conquering power: let joy open knowledge, propel progress, and master lower movements.
Maṇipūra (victory/power) supported by Ājñā (light) and Anāhata (joy).
Kapālabhāti-light (if suitable) followed by calm breathing; then chant to stabilize ecstasy as clarity.
Expansive, victorious, luminous delight.
Recall one inner ‘win’ (clarity over confusion, courage over inertia); chant while feeling a warm dawn-like glow in the chest rising to the forehead; end by offering the sweetness to the highest within.
Vedic accenting with emphatic lifts on the compound epithets (,,,,, ) and on,,.
Chant the victory-epithets as a steady litany; keep each ‘-jit’ crisp; do not swallow final -m in drapsam/aruṇam.
hiraṇya: retroflex ṇ, svarjit: pronounce svar-jit (not ‘swargit’), svādiṣṭham: long ā; retroflex ṣṭh cluster, mayobhuvam: keep ‘bh’ aspirated
Bright, confident, ringing; slight emphasis on each epithet.
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