Rig Veda 9.47.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 47, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.47
- Devata
- Soma as kavi and bestower of ratna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स्वयं कविर्विधर्तरि विप्राय रत्नमिच्छति । यदी मर्मृज्यते धियः ॥
svayáṃ kavír vidhartári víprāya rátnam icchati | yadī́ marmṛ́jyate dhíyaḥ ||
तो स्वभावतःच कवी; धारण करणाऱ्या आधारात, विप्रासाठी रत्न (धन) इच्छितो—जेव्हा धियः (विचार) घासून-पालिश करून शुद्ध केल्या जातात.
Word by Word
- स्वयम्
- by oneself, of oneselfIndeclinableअव्यय (निपात), अव्ययत्वात् विभक्ति/वचन-रहितम्Role Karaṇa (रीत्या/स्वतः ‘by oneself’)Root स्वयम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय) < *sva- (स्व ‘self’)
- कविः
- the seer/poet (sage)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विधर्तरि
- in/at the supporter, the sustainer (i.e., in the upholder)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot वि-धर्तृ (धर्तृ-प्रातिपदिक; √धृ ‘to hold, support’ + तृ)
- विप्राय
- for the inspired priest/poetNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रत्नम्
- a treasure, precious giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- इच्छति
- desires, seeksVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √इष्/इच्छ् (इच्छति; desiderative/secondary present stem in Vedic usage)
- यदी
- if/whenIndeclinableअव्यय (सम्बन्ध/शर्त-निपात)Role (सम्बन्धसूचक)Root यदि (अव्यय) + इति/ई (वेदिक-प्रयोगे ‘यदी’ = ‘यदि/यदा’ अर्थे)
- मर्मृज्यते
- is thoroughly cleansed/purifiedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √मृज् (मार्जने ‘to wipe/clean/purify’), intensive/reduplicated present + ātmanepada
- धियः
- insights/thoughts (hymns, prayers)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वेदिके रूपम्: धियः = nom.pl.)Role Kartā (मर्मृज्यते इत्यस्य) / (कर्म-भावे ‘are cleansed’)Root धि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘thought, insight, prayer’)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: स्व॒यं क॒विर्वि॑ध॒र्तरि॒ विप्रा॑य॒ रत्न॑मिच्छति । यदी॑ मर्मृ॒ज्यते॒ धिय॑: ॥ पद-विच्छेदः: स्वयम् | कविः | विधर्तरि | विप्राय | रत्नम् | इच्छति | यदी | मर्मृज्यते | धियः | मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) कविः + विधर्तरि → कविर्विधर्तरि (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः)। (2) रत्नम् + इच्छति → रत्नमिच्छति (म् + इ → मि; अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धि)। स्वर-टिप्पणी: उदात्त/अनुदात्त/स्वरित चिह्न संहिता-पाठानुसार
- पद-विच्छेदे सामान्यतः स्वर-चिह्न न लिख्यन्ते।
The meaning
Outer meaning
He, a seer by his own nature, in the sustaining foundation, seeks the treasure for the inspired one, when the thoughts are polished.
Inner meaning
Soma is svayaṃ kavi—an inherent seer-power: delight that knows. In the vidhartari, the upholding basis of the being (stable ground of consciousness), he seeks ratna, the inner treasure (light, joy, right power) for the vipra, the inspired mind. But the condition is purification: dhiyaḥ marmṛjyate—our thoughts must be rubbed bright, clarified of mixture and dullness. Then Soma’s delight reveals its secret wealth as insight and spiritual prosperity.
Universal truth
Revelation is not forced; it is attracted by purity. When thought is refined and made transparent, the deeper delight of existence discloses its treasures to the awakened intelligence.
Themes
inner purification, inspiration, treasure-bestowal, Soma as seer
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.47.2, Rig Veda 9.47.3, Rig Veda 9.47.5
Family tradition
Soma-Pavamāna contemplative strain emphasizing purification (pavitra) and the unveiling of inner riches (ratna).
Significance
The seer frames a yogic law: Soma’s self-luminous intuition gives treasure to the inspired mind when thought is purified—an early psychology of inner refinement.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (as Kavi and Ratna-dātṛ)
- Epithets
- Svayaṃ-kavi (self-seer), Ratna-icchati (seeking/offering the treasure)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī/Vāc (inspired speech), Bṛhaspati (truth-finding), Agni (purifying will)
Cosmic role
The clarifying delight that supports worlds and reveals hidden riches to the awakened.
Inner power
Intuitive Ananda that both purifies thought and rewards it with luminous insight and spiritual wealth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification chants during Pavitra sequence
स्व॒यं क॒विर्वि॑ध॒र्तरि॒ विप्रा॑य॒ रत्न॑मिच्छति । यदी॑ मर्मृ॒ज्यते॒ धिय॑: ॥
स्व॒यम् । क॒विः । वि॒ऽध॒र्तरि॑ । विप्रा॑य । रत्न॑म् । इ॒च्छ॒ति॒ । यदि॑ । म॒र्मृ॒ज्यते॑ । धियः॑ ॥
svayam | kaviḥ | vi-dhartari | viprāya | ratnam | icchati | yadi | marmṛjyate | dhiyaḥ
44
4 pādas (approx. 11 syllables each)
Even, contemplative, with a ‘polishing’ smoothness in cadence.
Encourages mental quiet and refinement; supports meditative purification rather than battle-force.
- स्वयम् (svayam)
- Literal: by himself, of his own nature. Symbolic: self-existent divine principle; spontaneous inner guidance
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer, poet. Symbolic: illuminated consciousness; truth-seeing delight
- विधर्तरि (vi-dhartari)
- Literal: in the holder/support. Symbolic: the stable foundation of being; dharma/ṛta-base in consciousness
- विप्राय (viprāya)
- Literal: to the inspired sage. Symbolic: the illumined mind open to intuition
- रत्नम् (ratnam)
- Literal: treasure, jewel. Symbolic: inner riches—light, joy, power, truth-knowledge
- मर्मृज्यते (marmṛjyate)
- Literal: is polished, rubbed clean. Symbolic: purification of thought; removing dull coverings
- धियः (dhiyaḥ)
- Literal: thoughts, understandings. Symbolic: mental formations that must become clear mirrors of truth
Soma purification: the ‘polishing’ (mṛj) directly resonates with filtering/clarifying Soma; inner correlate is cleansing of dhiyaḥ
While Soma is filtered and prepared; also in stotra recitation contexts
Chanting to invoke Soma’s clarifying and wealth-bestowing aspect
As a pre-meditation mantra: chant before study, contemplation, or creative work to ‘polish’ the mind and invite intuitive insight.
kavi- from √kav/√ku ‘to see, to be wise/poetic’ (Vedic ‘seer’). dhartari from √dhṛ ‘to hold, support’ with vi- suggesting ‘distribution/order’; supports reading as ‘ordering foundation’ (ṛta-bearing). ratna- ‘treasure’ (possibly from √rā ‘to give’ in Vedic semantic field of gifts), here ‘condensed excellence’. marmṛjyate is intensive/passive from √mṛj ‘to wipe, cleanse, polish’ → repeated purification; dhi- from √dhī ‘to think, perceive’ → inspired understanding.
ṛta as sustaining order (vi-dhartari), purification of thought as prerequisite for revelation
The ‘upholding foundation’ signifies ṛta as the stable law in which purification reveals treasures.
Kavi-nature indicates truth-consciousness inherent in Soma’s delight.
Unveiling: the treasure is pre-existent, disclosed by purification rather than manufactured.
Integral Vedism: purification of mind enables supramental/intuitive disclosure (proto-idea).
As Soma is strained and clarified, so thought is strained of mixture; the jewel is the sudden clear perception and stable joy that emerges.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘purified Soma yields treasure’ motif: as Soma is clarified, he becomes kavi and grants ratna. Inner mythic action: purification of the mind (dhiyaḥ) allows the divine seer-power to establish ordered insight and release spiritual riches.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhṛ ‘hold’ reflects PIE *dher- ‘hold, support’ (cf. Greek thronos?; broadly ‘support’ roots across IE). √jan is not here; √mṛj is Indo-Iranian ‘wipe/cleanse’ with Iranian parallels in cleansing semantics. vipra- relates to trembling/quickened inspiration (often linked with √vip ‘to tremble’), a common IE poetic trope: inspired agitation preceding song.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi (vipra) does not coerce; he prepares. When dhiyaḥ are purified, Soma ‘of himself’ seeks to give ratna. The exchange is ethical-psychological: discipline and clarity invite spontaneous descent of inspired treasure.
Polish the mind: observe thoughts, remove agitation and dullness, then rest in the quiet delight that knows.
Ajna (clarity) with Sahasrara (intuitive descent)
Slow-meditative breathing (4–4–6); on exhale imagine ‘polishing’ the mind’s surface; on inhale receive a cool, luminous rasa.
From mixed thought to clear intuitive quiet; receptivity to inner treasure.
After chanting, sit with one question. Do not chase answers; keep the mind ‘clean and bright’. Notice the first simple, luminous perception that arises without strain.
Not fully determinable from provided text; keep a gentle rise on ‘svayaṃ kaviḥ’ and a soft resolving fall on ‘dhiyaḥ’.
Maintain continuity through ‘vidhartari viprāya’; pause lightly after ‘ratnam icchati’.
svayam: clear sv cluster, kaviḥ: short a, light visarga, viprāya: long ā, rolled/light r, marmṛjyate: double m, retroflex ṛj, keep jy cluster clear
Soft, clear, inward; aim for a ‘polishing’ smoothness without force.
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