Rig Veda 10.97.18: Mandala 10, Sukta 97, Mantra 18
Sukta 10.97
- Rishi
- Bhiṣaj / Oṣadhi hymn tradition
- Devata
- A supreme Oṣadhi within the collective
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
या ओषधीः सोमराज्ञीर्बह्वीः शतविचक्षणाः । तासां त्वमस्युत्तमारं कामाय शं हृदे ॥
yā́ oṣádhīḥ sóma-rājñīr bahvī́ḥ śatá-vicakṣaṇāḥ | tāsā́ṃ tvám asy uttamā́rám kā́māya śáṃ hṛdé ||
Wahai tumbuh-tumbuhan ubat, ratu-ratu di bawah Soma, yang banyak, yang bermata seratus; antara kamu engkaulah yang paling utama—mencukupi bagi kehendak jiwa, membawa sejahtera dan kegembiraan bagi hati.
Word by Word
- याः
- which (those)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → या-
- ओषधीः
- herbs, healing plantsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ओषधि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमराज्ञीः
- Soma-queens (ruled by Soma / having Soma as king)Noun (epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सोम-राज्ञी- (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- बह्वीः
- manyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot बहु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- शतविचक्षणाः
- hundredfold-discerning / very discerningAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शत-विचक्षण- (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- तासाम्
- of those (herbs)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → ता-
- त्वम्
- thou, youPronounउत्तमपुरुषार्थे सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रियापद)Root अस् (धातु)
- उत्तमारम्
- the best / most excellentAdjective (predicative)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेदिक-प्रयोग; ‘श्रेष्ठतमम्’ अर्थे)Role KarmaRoot उत्तम- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘most excellent’) + -रम् (वेदिक-प्रत्यय/विस्तार; विशेषणरूप)
- कामाय
- for desire / for the wished-for (end)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot काम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- शम्
- well, auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root शम् (अव्यय; ‘well, auspiciously’)
- हृदे
- for the heartNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot हृद्/हृदय- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: याः ओषधीः सोमराज्ञीः बह्वीः शतविचक्षणाः । तासाम् त्वम् असि उत्तमारम् कामाय शम् हृदे ॥ 1) ओष॑धी॒: = ओषधीः (विसर्ग/दीर्घचिह्न-लेखनभेद)
- 2) सोम॑राज्ञीर्ब॒ह्वीः = सोमराज्ञीः + बह्वीः (ः + ब् → र् (वेदिक/पाणिनीय ‘रुँ’/रेफ-सन्धि), लिखितरूपे -र्)
- 3) त्वम॑स्युत्त॒मारं॒ = त्वम् + असि + उत्तमारम् (इ + उ → यु; ‘अस्युत्’ इति संहितारूपः)
- 4) कामा॑य॒ शं = कामाय + शम् (सन्धि नहीं; पदसीमा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Among the many herbs, queens under Soma, with a hundred ways of seeing, you are the most excellent—sufficient for desire, bringing well-being to the heart.
Inner meaning
In the ecology of healing forces governed by Soma (divine Ananda), one ‘supreme remedy’ is addressed: the power that sees in many ways (śata-vicakṣaṇa) and therefore can adapt to the complex knots of nature. It fulfills kāma not as craving but as the soul’s true need, and it brings śam—peaceful harmony—to the heart-center, where life and emotion are healed at the root.
Universal truth
The deepest medicine is intelligent joy: a discerning, many-sided light guided by bliss that restores the heart’s harmony and fulfills the soul’s rightful aspiration.
Themes
Soma sovereignty, Supreme remedy, Peace of heart, Inner fulfilment (kāma)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bhiṣaj (healer-seer), Oṣadhi hymn tradition
- Other hymns
- RV 10.97
Family tradition
Vision of medicines as conscious powers under Soma’s sovereignty.
Significance
The seer recognizes hierarchy among forces: many remedies exist, but a highest integrative power—guided by Ananda—brings true heart-peace.
The deity
- Devata
- A supreme Oṣadhi within the collective (with Soma as overlord)
- Epithets
- uttamā (most excellent), śata-vicakṣaṇā (hundred-seeing), soma-rājñī (Soma-ruled queen)
- Related deities
- Soma, Aśvins, Bṛhaspati (illumined guidance), Uṣas (awakening light)
Cosmic role
Channels Soma’s delight into discriminating healing intelligence that restores harmony at the heart of life.
Inner power
Ananda-guided discernment: the capacity to perceive the right movement and dissolve suffering at its psychic-vital root.
In ritual
Where it is used
Choice/identification of the chief herb or chief healing formulation; blessing for heart-welfare
या ओष॑धी॒: सोम॑राज्ञीर्ब॒ह्वीः श॒तवि॑चक्षणाः । तासां॒ त्वम॑स्युत्त॒मारं॒ कामा॑य॒ शं हृ॒दे ॥
याः । ओष॑धीः । सोम॑ऽराज्ञीः । ब॒ह्वीः । श॒तऽवि॑चक्षणाः । तासा॑म् । त्वम् । अ॒सि॒ । उ॒त्ऽत॒मा । अर॑म् । कामा॑य । शम् । हृ॒दे ॥
yāḥ | oṣadhīḥ | soma-rājñīḥ | bahvīḥ | śata-vicakṣaṇāḥ | tāsām | tvam | asi | ut-tamā | aram | kāmāya | śam | hṛde
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4×11
Elevated and laudatory; a clear ‘selection’ rhythm (among many… you are highest).
Elicits confidence and devotion toward the inner remedy; settles the heart through measured cadence.
- सोम॑राज्ञीः (soma-rājñīḥ)
- Literal: queens under Soma. Symbolic: powers of healing governed by divine bliss/immortal delight
- श॒तवि॑चक्षणाः (śata-vicakṣaṇāḥ)
- Literal: hundred-seeing, very discerning. Symbolic: multi-dimensional perception that finds the right remedy for each inner knot
- उत्तमा (uttamā)
- Literal: the best, highest. Symbolic: the most inward, most integrative healing force
- अरम् (aram)
- Literal: sufficient, adequate. Symbolic: complete in capacity; no lack when the true remedy acts
- कामा॑य (kāmāya)
- Literal: for desire. Symbolic: for the soul’s need/aspiration (right will), not mere craving
- शम् (śam)
- Literal: peace, welfare. Symbolic: harmonizing calm that settles the vital and opens the psychic
- हृ॒दे (hṛde)
- Literal: to/for the heart. Symbolic: heart-center where emotional-vital pain is transmuted
Focused invocation of the ‘best’ herb or the archetypal healing power; used to consecrate the principal remedy and to invoke heart-peace (śam hṛde).
When selecting the main medicine; also in convalescence to restore emotional equilibrium.
Offer the herb with Soma-water/infusion; touch heart while reciting śaṃ hṛde.
Use as ‘heart-soothing’ chant in stress/anxiety: combine with a calming herb tea ritual as a symbolic support.
Soma-rājñī ‘queen under Soma’ indicates Soma as lord of delight/immortal sap; herbs partake of that lunar-sap principle. vicakṣaṇa from vi-√cakṣ ‘to see distinctly’ signals discriminating intelligence in the healing forces. arám ‘sufficient’ emphasizes integral fulfilment, not partial remedy. hṛd ‘heart’ is the psychic center; śám is peace/benediction as settled harmony.
Soma as delight and immortalizing essence, Discernment (vicakṣaṇa) as healing intelligence, Heart-peace (śam) as psychic restoration
Right healing is right arrangement of forces; the ‘hundred-seeing’ power restores ṛta in the heart-life.
True desire (kāma aligned with truth) is fulfilled; false desire is quieted by śam.
Soma as delight that sustains and renews life; its queens distribute harmony through forms.
Aurobindonian: Ananda as a fundamental principle; healing as harmonization of nature by delight and light.
Herb = concentrated healing vibration; Soma = bliss-substance; hundred-seeing = intuitive intelligence; heart = psychic center of affect and cohesion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘Soma as king and the herbs as queens’—a sacral polity of powers where delight (Soma) governs healing intelligences. The singled-out ‘best’ herb becomes an archetype of the supreme restorative force that grants peace to the heart.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √cakṣ ‘see’ relates to PIE *kwekw- / *kwel-? (Vedic √cakṣ is often tied to an IE ‘see/show’ complex; clearer is the shared IE emphasis on ‘vision’ as knowledge). Soma’s kingship parallels IE sacral kingship motifs (sovereignty tied to life-giving drink). śám as ‘peace’ participates in the ancient formulaic benediction register across Indo-Iranian ritual speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi moves from plurality to a singular address: he seeks a concentrated embodiment of the collective healing. The devatā is approached not only for bodily cure but for psychic fulfilment (kāma) and heart-peace (śam).
Rest attention in the heart; invoke a ‘queenly’ healing intelligence governed by bliss; allow it to diagnose and soothe.
Anāhata
Bhrāmarī (gentle humming) after chanting to amplify śam in the chest; or simple coherent breathing 5–5.
From restlessness to heart-peace with a subtle joy.
Ask inwardly: ‘What is the true need (kāma) of the soul now?’ Wait for a quiet answer; act only from that settled place.
Maintain clear udatta on key qualifiers (uttamā, śata-vicakṣaṇāḥ); let śaṃ hṛde resolve downward for calm.
Phrase as two offerings: praise (yā oṣadhīḥ… śata-vicakṣaṇāḥ) then assurance (tāsāṃ tvam… śaṃ hṛde).
: ‘jñ’ nasal-gnya cluster (rājñīḥ), : ‘kṣ’ crisp; avoid ‘chh’, : double ‘tt’ held slightly, : ‘hṛ’ with vocalic ṛ (like ‘hri’ but retroflexed)
Soft, devotional, heart-centered; allow a gentle resonance on śam.
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