Rig Veda 9.40.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 40, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.40
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
विश्वा सोम पवमान द्युम्नानीन्दवा भर । विदाः सहस्रिणीरिषः ॥
víśvā soma pavamāna dyumnā́nīndavā bhara | vidā́ḥ sahasríṇīr íṣaḥ ||
Wahai Soma, yang memurnikan, wahai Indu, bawalah semua dyumna—kuasa-kuasa bercahaya dari pencapaian; menangkan bagi kami dorongan-dorongan seribu-lipat bagi pertambahan—tenaga yang menyuburkan jiwa dalam pendakiannya.
Word by Word
- विश्वा
- all (things)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (कर्मणि)Role KarmaRoot विश्व (सर्व)
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (proper/ritual substance)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role (Sambodhana) संबोधनRoot सोम
- पवमान
- O purifying/flowing oneAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role (Sambodhana) संबोधनRoot पवमान (पु. प्रातिपदिकम्; √पू/√पव् ‘to purify, to flow’ से वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- द्यु॒म्नानि
- splendours, brilliant powersNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया विभक्तिः बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot द्यु॒म्न (न.)
- इन्दव
- O drop (of Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (वेदिक रूप: इन्दव < इन्दो)Role (Sambodhana) संबोधनRoot इन्दु
- आ
- hither, forth (towards)Indeclinable (preverb/particle)उपसर्गः/निपातःRoot आ
- भर
- bring!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √भृ (भरणे)
- विदाः
- win/obtain!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √विद् (वेदने/लाभे) अथवा √विद् (जानने) — वेदिक प्रयोगे ‘प्राप्नुहि/लभस्व’ अर्थः
- सहस्रिणीः
- thousandfold, in thousandsAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (इषः विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot सहस्रिन् (बहुसहस्रयुक्त) → स्त्री. सहस्रिणी
- इषः
- refreshments, invigorating draughtsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (वेदिक रूप: इषः = इषाः)Role KarmaRoot इष्/इषा (स्त्री; ‘refreshment, nourishment, strength’)
Sandhi Notes
- मन्त्रपाठः: “विश्वा सोम पवमान द्युम्नानीन्दवा भर । विदाः सहस्रिणीरिषः ॥” 1) द्युम्नानि + इन्दव → द्युम्नानीन्दव (स्वर-सन्धिः/दीर्घसन्धिः: अ + इ → ए/ई; पदपाठानुसार विग्रहः ‘द्युम्नानि इन्दव’)
- 2) सहस्रिणीः + इषः → सहस्रिणीरिषः (दीर्घसन्धिः: ईः + इ → ईरि…; विग्रहः ‘सहस्रिणीः इषः’)
- 3) ‘इन्दव’ तथा ‘इषः’ वेदिक पदरूपे (सम्बोधन ‘इन्दव’ < इन्दो; तथा द्वितीया बहु. ‘इषः’ < इषाः) प्राचीन-रूपाणि।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Soma in his purifying flow: bring all dyumnas (bright powers/splendours) and win for us thousandfold iṣaḥ (impulsions of nourishment/increase).
Inner meaning
Soma Pavamāna is the purified delight-consciousness moving through the inner being. The seeker asks this clarified Ananda to bring “dyumnāni”—luminous accomplishings (effective powers of the illumined mind and will)—and to “find/win” (vidāḥ) the thousandfold iṣaḥ: abundant upliftings of force that nourish aspiration, strengthen upward movement, and multiply the soul’s capacity to grow in light.
Universal truth
When delight is purified of mixture (desire, inertia, confusion), it becomes a luminous power that multiplies inner nourishment and supports sustained spiritual progress.
Themes
illumined accomplishment, spiritual increase, purification, integral plenitude
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.40.1, Rig Veda 9.40.2, Rig Veda 9.40.3, Rig Veda 9.40.5, Rig Veda 9.40.6
Family tradition
Soma Pavamāna corpus (RV 9) is largely a specialized stream of inspired chant for the purification of Soma; psychologically, it represents repeated inner refinement and intensification of Ananda.
Significance
The ‘unknown rishi’ functions as a type of the inner sacrificer: the voice that insists on abundance of luminous accomplishment and nourishment as the fruit of purification.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- pavamāna, indu, soma
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Uṣas, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Purifier and intensifier of the Soma-current; bearer of delight and luminous vitality that supports the gods (powers of consciousness).
Inner power
Purified Ananda that clarifies mind, strengthens will, and multiplies inner nourishment (iṣ) into abundant spiritual energy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (Pavamāna-stotra)
विश्वा॑ सोम पवमान द्यु॒म्नानी॑न्द॒वा भ॑र । वि॒दाः स॑ह॒स्रिणी॒रिष॑: ॥
विश्वा॑ । सो॒म॒ । प॒व॒मा॒न॒ । द्यु॒म्नानि॑ । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । आ । भ॒र॒ । वि॒दाः । स॒ह॒स्रिणीः॑ । इषः॑ ॥
viśvā | soma | pavamāna | dyumnāni | indo iti | ā | bhara | vidāḥ | sahasriṇīḥ | iṣaḥ
Jagatī (probable, common in Soma Pavamāna verses; 4 padas of ~12 syllables)
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4×12 (approx.)
Expansive, forward-driving cadence suited to ‘bringing’ and ‘winning’ abundant powers.
Creates a sense of widening and increase—appropriate for invoking sahasra (multiplication) and dyumna (splendour).
- pavamāna
- Literal: purifying, flowing clear. Symbolic: the movement of consciousness that clarifies and refines the inner nature
- indu
- Literal: drop; bright Soma. Symbolic: a concentrated point of bliss/illumined delight
- dyumnāni
- Literal: splendours, luminous powers. Symbolic: effective illuminations and capacities of accomplishment in the mind-soul
- vidāḥ
- Literal: find, win, obtain. Symbolic: secure by inner discovery and right receptivity
- sahasriṇīḥ
- Literal: thousandfold. Symbolic: abundant, inexhaustible multiplication of spiritual energies
- iṣaḥ
- Literal: impulsions; refreshment; nourishment. Symbolic: uplifting forces that feed aspiration and the soul’s ascent
Concluding-type request within Pavamāna set: Soma to bring dyumna (splendours) and iṣaḥ (nourishing energies)
During Soma-yajña at the stage of filtering/clarifying Soma; also as contemplative recitation in Soma-themed sequences.
Chanted while Soma is purified through the strainer; invocation for increase of strength and nourishment.
Use as a mantra of ‘inner purification before action’: chant prior to meditation or creative work to invoke clear delight and effective luminous accomplishment.
dyumna- from dyu ‘sky, light’ (PIE *dyeu- ‘shine, sky’). √bhṛ ‘bear’ is PIE *bʰer-. √vid ‘know’ is PIE *weyd-. iṣ- from √iṣ ‘impel, seek’. pavamāna from √pū/pav ‘purify’.
dyumna as effective illumination, iṣaḥ as forces of increase aligned to R̥ta, knowledge (√vid) as attainment
Purification aligns the life-force and mind with Ṛta, making dyumna (luminous effectiveness) possible.
True increase (iṣ) is won when delight is clarified and truthful in its movement.
From purified essence arises multiplying force—abundance as a law of consciousness when aligned with Ṛta.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Sri Aurobindo): Soma as Ananda supporting ascent and transformation.
The ‘filtered Soma’ is clarified delight flowing through the inner channels, turning raw emotion/vitality into luminous nourishment and power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as bearer of dyumna and winner of iṣaḥ: the god brings luminous efficacies and secures abundant energies of growth. Inwardly, purification yields not mere calm but effective splendour (dyumna) and sustained impulses of progress (iṣaḥ).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyu-/dyumna ties to PIE *dyeu- (sky/brightness), a core Indo-European sacral lexeme. √bhṛ (bring/bear) is PIE *bʰer-, and √vid (know) is PIE *weyd-, showing the inherited nexus: knowledge as a mode of finding/winning.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma not only to ‘bring’ but to ‘win’—suggesting a divine action that both descends (bhara) and conquers/attains (vidāḥ) on behalf of the seeker. The exchange is aspiration for total light, answered by Soma’s plenary increase.
Invite a purified delight to descend and circulate; feel it converting agitation into luminous capacity (dyumna) and steady nourishment (iṣ).
Anāhata to Ājñā (uplift of feeling into illumined mind)
Nadi-śodhana (alternate nostril) or slow equal breathing; on exhale, imagine ‘filtering’ and clarifying; on inhale, receiving dyumna.
Quietly elated clarity—bright calm with a sense of widening power.
Chant 9–27 times; then sit 5–10 minutes sensing a cool-bright nectar rising through the spine and spreading as capable light in thoughts and actions.
Notated svara depends on śākhā; generally maintain clear udatta peaks on vocatives (soma, pavamāna, indo) and a lifting contour on dyumnāni/vidāḥ; avoid flattening the cadence.
Stress the vocatives and imperatives: SOMA pavamāna… INDO ā BHARA | viDĀḤ sahasriṇīr Íṣaḥ.
Keep ‘viśvā’ with clear ś (palatal) and long ā, pavamāna: ‘va’ soft, māna with long ā, dyumnāni: cluster ‘dyu’ as one unit; keep ‘mn’ crisp, indu: short i, dental n, iṣaḥ: retroflex ṣ, final ḥ lightly aspirated
Bright, flowing, slightly nasal resonance to evoke ‘streaming’ purification; steady breath support.
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