Rig Veda 9.78.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 78, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.78
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
एतानि सोम पवमानो अस्मयुः सत्यानि कृण्वन्द्रविणान्यर्षसि । जहि शत्रुमन्तिके दूरके च य उर्वीं गव्यूतिमभयं च नस्कृधि ॥
etā́ni soma pávamāno asma-yúḥ satyā́ni kṛṇván dráviṇāny arṣasi | jahí śátrum antiké dūráke ca yá urvī́ṃ gavyū́tim ábhayaṃ ca naḥ kṛdhi ||
ഹേ സോമ, പവമാന! ഞങ്ങളെ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച് നീ ഇവയെല്ലാം സത്യങ്ങളാക്കുകയും ധനസമ്പത്തുകൾ ഒഴുകിപ്പോകുമാറാക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. സമീപത്തും ദൂരത്തും ഉള്ള ശത്രുവിനെ സംഹരിക്ക; ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് കിരണങ്ങളുടെ വിശാലമായ ഗവ്യൂതി (മേയ്പ്പുറ)യും നിർഭയാവസ്ഥയും നൽകുക.
Word by Word
- एतानि
- thesePronoun (demonstrative)नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (of कृण्वन्)Root एतद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot सोम (prātipadika)
- पवमानः
- purifying, being purifiedParticiple (present middle; used as adjective/noun)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (of अर्षसि / कृण्वन्)Root पू (धातु) → पवमान (वर्तमानकृदन्त, शतृ/शानच्)
- अस्मयुः
- well-disposed to usAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (पवमानः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (qualifier)Root अस्मयु (prātipadika; ‘friendly to us’)
- सत्यानि
- true (things), truthsAdjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (of कृण्वन्)Root सत्य (prātipadika)
- कृण्वन्
- making, effectingParticiple (present active)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (पवमानः इत्यस्य सह)Role कर्तृRoot कृ (धातु) → कृण्वन्त् (वर्तमानकृदन्त, शतृ)
- द्रविणानि
- wealthes, richesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (of अर्षसि)Root द्रविण (prātipadika)
- अर्षसि
- you flow, you streamVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot ऋष्/अर्ष् (धातु ‘to flow, move swiftly’)
- जहि
- slayVerb (imperative)लोट्, परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot हन् (धातु)
- शत्रुम्
- the enemyNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (of जहि)Root शत्रु (prātipadika)
- अन्तिके
- nearbyAdjective used adverbially / locative nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (अव्ययीभावार्थे)Role अधिकरण (location: ‘near’)Root अन्तिक (prātipadika)
- दूरके
- far awayAdjective used adverbially / locative nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (अव्ययीभावार्थे)Role अधिकरण (location: ‘far’)Root दूरक (prātipadika)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकःRoot च (avyaya)
- यः
- whoRelative pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (of implied ‘is/acts’ in relative clause; coreferential with शत्रुम्)Root यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- उर्वीम्
- wide, broadAdjective (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (of नस्कृधि)Root उर्वी (prātipadika)
- गव्यूतिम्
- cattle-path / pasture-rangeNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (of नस्कृधि)Root गव्यूति (prātipadika; ‘cattle-track, pasture-way, grazing-ground’)
- अभयम्
- fearlessness, securityNoun/Adjective (neut.)नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (of नस्कृधि)Root अभय (prātipadika)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकःRoot च (avyaya)
- नस्कृधि
- procure for us / grant usVerb (imperative; Vedic compound-verb)लोट्, परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot नस् + कृ (धातु) → नस्कृधि (Vedic: ‘make/bring to us’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: एतानि | सोम | पवमानः | अस्मयुः | सत्यानि | कृण्वन् | द्रविणानि | अर्षसि || जहि | शत्रुम् | अन्तिके | दूरके | च | यः | उर्वीम् | गव्यूतिम् | अभयम् | च | नस्कृधि || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) पवमानो अस्मयुः → पवमानः अस्मयुः (ओ/अः पदान्त-रूपभेदः; संहितायां ‘पवमानो’)
- (2) कृण्वन् द्रविणानि → कृण्वन्-द्रविणानि (नकारान्त-शतृ + द- आरम्भ; संहितायां अवग्रह/विराम-रहितम्)
- (3) शत्रुम् अन्तिके → शत्रुमन्तिके (म् + अ → मन्ति-)
- (4) दूरके च → दूरकेच (ए + च संहिता)
- (5) गव्यूतिम् अभयम् → गव्यूतिमभयम् (म् + अ → मभ-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Soma, purifying yourself and desiring us, you make these things true and make the riches flow. Smite the enemy near and far, and make for us a wide pasture of cows (rays) and fearlessness.
Inner meaning
Soma as the purifying delight turns our inner possibilities into effective truths (satyāni kṛṇvan): intentions become realizations when joy is clarified and aligned with the divine. It releases draviṇāni—true riches: energies, capacities, and luminous gains. It also destroys the enemy (śatru)—the forces of obstruction and falsehood, whether immediate (antike) or remote (dūrake) in the subconscient past. Finally it creates an expansive ‘pasture of rays’ (urvī gavyūti): a wide field for the light-energies of knowledge to move freely, establishing abhaya—fearless peace and security in the being.
Universal truth
Purified joy makes truth effective, attracts real abundance, removes inner resistance at all levels, and opens a wide luminous field where fear dissolves.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Truth-making, Obstacle-slaying, Light-field (gavyūti), Inner security
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.79.1, Rig Veda 9.78.4
Family tradition
Practical, result-oriented strain of Soma hymns: Soma is invoked for truth-effectiveness, prosperity, and victory over hostile forces—read inwardly as yogic transformation.
Significance
The seer emphasizes Soma as the power that converts aspiration into realized truth and clears both surface and deep resistances, establishing fearless luminous wideness.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Satyakṛt (maker of truth, implied), Draviṇodā (giver of riches, implied), Abhayakṛt (maker of fearlessness, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra—parallel to smiting enemy), Agni (inner priest who carries offering), Varuṇa (order and fearlessness through r̥ta)
Cosmic role
Purifier and bestower: makes truth operative, releases plenitude, and protects the path by destroying opposition.
Inner power
Ananda as a cleansing force that dislodges fear and hostility and widens the field for illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and protective invocation within Soma-yajña
ए॒तानि॑ सोम॒ पव॑मानो अस्म॒युः स॒त्यानि॑ कृ॒ण्वन्द्रवि॑णान्यर्षसि । ज॒हि शत्रु॑मन्ति॒के दू॑र॒के च॒ य उ॒र्वीं गव्यू॑ति॒मभ॑यं च नस्कृधि ॥
ए॒तानि॑ । सो॒म॒ । पव॑मानः । अ॒स्म॒ऽयुः । स॒त्यानि॑ । कृ॒ण्वन् । द्रवि॑णानि । अ॒र्ष॒सि॒ । ज॒हि । शत्रु॑म् । अ॒न्ति॒के । दू॒र॒के । च॒ । यः । उ॒र्वीम् । गव्यू॑तिम् । अभ॑यम् । च॒ नः॒ । कृ॒धि॒ ॥
etāni | soma | pavamānaḥ | asma-yuḥ | satyāni | kṛṇvan | draviṇāni | arṣasi | jahi | śatrum | antike | dūrake | ca | yaḥ | urvīm | gavyūtim | abhayam | ca | naḥ | kṛdhi
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4 x ~12 syllables
Commanding and directive; clear imperative beats (jahi, kṛdhi).
Strengthens will and protection; gives a sense of clearing obstacles and opening space.
- पवमानः (pavamānaḥ)
- Literal: purifying. Symbolic: delight clarifying itself of mixture, becoming a force of transformation
- अस्मयुः (asmayuḥ)
- Literal: desiring us. Symbolic: the divine delight turns toward the seeker, meeting aspiration
- सत्यानि कृण्वन् (satyāni kṛṇvan)
- Literal: making truths. Symbolic: making inner intentions and perceptions effective realizations
- द्रविणानि अर्षसि (draviṇāni arṣasi)
- Literal: you make riches flow. Symbolic: you release energies, capacities, and luminous attainments
- जहि शत्रुम् (jahi śatrum)
- Literal: smite the enemy. Symbolic: break the coverer-forces: inertia, doubt, falsehood, hostile impulses
- अन्तिके दूरके च (antike dūrake ca)
- Literal: near and far. Symbolic: surface resistances and deep-seated subconscient formations
- उर्वीम् (urvīm)
- Literal: wide. Symbolic: expansive consciousness, unobstructed inner space
- गव्यूतिम् (gavyūtim)
- Literal: cow-pasture/track of cows. Symbolic: field/track of rays of knowledge; pathways of illumination
- अभयम् (abhayam)
- Literal: fearlessness. Symbolic: state of secure peace when the inner nature is harmonized
Petition within Soma hymns: Soma’s purification is invoked to secure victory over obstacles and establish wide luminous prosperity and fearlessness
As Soma is made ready and invoked for boons—prosperity and victory over foes.
Chant during filtration/collection; accompanied by offerings requesting protection and abundance.
Protective and confidence practice: chant before challenging situations to ‘smite’ inner fear and open a wide luminous field for right action.
satya from sat ‘being’ (√as ‘to be’): ‘truth’ as alignment with real being, not mere factuality. draviṇa (wealth) is read as fullness of force/means rather than material goods. gavyūti (go + vyūti) is traditionally ‘cow-pasture/track’; symbolically, a ‘field of rays/illumination’ recovered for the soul. Enemy (śatru) is the obstructive formation; near/far indicates both gross and subtle resistances.
Satya (truth-being), Wideness (urvī), Fearlessness (abhaya), Battle of light vs obstruction (śatru)
Enemy-smashing is restoration of r̥ta against disordering forces.
‘Making truths’ indicates Satya as dynamic realization, not mere correctness.
Transformation of the field (kṣetra) of consciousness into a wide pasture for rays—evolution toward light.
Aurobindonian integral psychology: hostile forces as inner resistances; Soma as Ananda-power enabling transformation.
Pasture = widened consciousness; cows = rays of knowledge; near/far = surface vs deep subconscious; smiting = breaking coverings.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma as slayer of the enemy’ mythologem: the purified delight-force destroys obstructive powers (near and far) and opens the wide gavyūti—pasture of rays/knowledge—establishing fearlessness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han (jahi) is an inherited Indo-European ‘strike/kill’ root (cf. wider IE strike verbs), central to heroic diction. sat (being) from √as is a core Indo-European existential root (PIE *h₁es-), grounding ‘satya’ as truth of being.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks not for outer cattle but for the wide field of illumination (gavyūti) and abhaya. Soma reciprocates by ‘making truths true’ (satyāni kṛṇvan)—stabilizing the seeker in real being—and by destroying obstructions that prevent that wideness.
Let purified joy make your intention true; use it to clear fear and opposition and widen the inner field of light.
Anāhata (fearlessness and wideness) with Maṇipūra (victory over obstacles).
Exhale-lengthening (e.g., 4 in / 8 out) while mentally repeating ‘jahi śatrum’; then rest in open awareness for ‘urvī gavyūti’.
Protected, widened, fearless clarity.
Name one ‘enemy’ (fear, doubt, inertia). Chant with firm but calm will; visualize a dark knot dissolving; then imagine a wide sunlit pasture of rays opening in the chest and forehead.
Vedic accents with strong imperative emphasis on (jahi) and (kṛdhi); keep accent lifts on,,,,.
Deliver ‘jahi śatrum’ with clear, steady force (not harsh); broaden tone on ‘urvīm gavyūtim’.
pavamāno: long ā, kṛṇvan: vocalic ṛ; keep ‘ṇv’ conjunct clean, gavyūtim: ‘vyū’ with long ū; avoid inserting extra vowel, abhayam: bha aspirated; final -m audible
Firm, protective, centered in the chest; soften into spaciousness at the end.
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