Rig Veda Sukta 85
Mandala 9Sukta 8511 Mantras

Sukta 85

Sukta 9.85

Devata

Soma (for Indra; protective/exorcistic nuance against Rakṣas)

Himne Soma Pavamāna ini memuji Soma yang diperah dengan baik ketika ia dimurnikan, dijadikan layak bagi Indra, dan diberi daya untuk menghalau penyakit serta kuasa-kuasa bermusuhan yang menyerupai Rakṣas. Bait-baitnya bergerak antara gambaran ritual yang nyata—penapisan, cawan-cawan, dan tindakan para imam—dan visi kosmik yang bercahaya, di mana kuasa-penjaga Soma (motif Gandharva) memancar merentasi Langit dan Bumi. Secara keseluruhan, sukta ini menampilkan Soma sebagai minuman sakramen sekaligus daya pelindung dan pengusir (eksorsistik) yang meneguhkan daya hidup, kejernihan, dan kemenangan.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 9.85

Mantras

Mantra 1

इन्द्राय सोम सुषुतः परि स्रवापामीवा भवतु रक्षसा सह । मा ते रसस्य मत्सत द्वयाविनो द्रविणस्वन्त इह सन्त्विन्दवः ॥

Untuk Indra, wahai Soma, yang diperah dengan baik, mengalirlah mengelilingi; semoga penyakit dihalau bersama kegelapan yang memusuhi. Janganlah yang terbelah dan bermuka dua mengecap rasamu; semoga titisan yang bercahaya hadir di sini, penuh dengan kekayaan sejati kewujudan.

Mantra 2

अस्मान्त्समर्ये पवमान चोदय दक्षो देवानामसि हि प्रियो मदः । जहि शत्रूँरभ्या भन्दनायतः पिबेन्द्र सोममव नो मृधो जहि ॥

Doronglah kami mara dalam pertempuran, wahai Soma yang menyucikan; kerana engkaulah kemahiran dan kekuatan para dewa, ekstasi kesayangan mereka. Tumpaskanlah musuh-musuh yang menekan kami untuk membelenggu; minumlah, wahai Indra, Soma ini—peliharalah kami, dan bunuhlah serangan-serangan yang menghalang kemaraan kami.

Mantra 4

सहस्रणीथः शतधारो अद्भुत इन्द्रायेन्दुः पवते काम्यं मधु । जयन्क्षेत्रमभ्यर्षा जयन्नप उरुं नो गातुं कृणु सोम मीढ्वः ॥

Berpimpinan seribu, beraliran seratus, menakjubkan—Indu disucikan bagi Indra sebagai madu kenikmatan yang didambakan jiwa. Menakluki ladang, mengalirlah ke atasnya; menakluki perairan, jadikan bagi kami laluan yang luas, wahai Soma, pemberi kurnia yang berbuah.

Mantra 5

कनिक्रदत्कलशे गोभिरज्यसे व्यव्ययं समया वारमर्षसि । मर्मृज्यमानो अत्यो न सानसिरिन्द्रस्य सोम जठरे समक्षरः ॥

Berseru dalam piala, engkau disapukan dengan Sinar-sinar; engkau mengalir keluar melalui penapis yang tidak binasa pada saat yang tepat. Sedang dimurnikan, seperti kuda pantas demi kemenangan, wahai Soma, engkau tercurah menyatu ke dalam perut Indra.

Mantra 6

स्वादुः पवस्व दिव्याय जन्मने स्वादुरिन्द्राय सुहवीतुनाम्ने । स्वादुर्मित्राय वरुणाय वायवे बृहस्पतये मधुमाँ अदाभ्यः ॥

Mengalirlah manis, wahai Soma, bagi kelahiran ilahi dalam diri kami; mengalirlah manis bagi Indra, yang namanya ialah seruan yang baik. Mengalirlah manis bagi Mitra, Varuṇa, dan Vāyu; mengalirlah—penuh madu dan tidak dapat ditundukkan—bagi Bṛhaspati.

Mantra 7

अत्यं मृजन्ति कलशे दश क्षिपः प्र विप्राणां मतयो वाच ईरते । पवमाना अभ्यर्षन्ति सुष्टुतिमेन्द्रं विशन्ति मदिरास इन्दवः ॥

Sepuluh tangan yang pantas membersihkan sang kuda di dalam piala; fikiran dan kata-kata para ṛṣi yang terilham meluru ke hadapan. Dalam pemurnian, mereka mengalir menuju pujian yang tersusun indah; titisan-titisan Indu yang memabukkan dan bercahaya memasuki Indra dalam diri kami.

Mantra 8

पवमानो अभ्यर्षा सुवीर्यमुर्वीं गव्यूतिं महि शर्म सप्रथः । माकिर्नो अस्य परिषूतिरीशतेन्दो जयेम त्वया धनंधनम् ॥

Wahai Soma, ketika engkau dimurnikan, mengalirlah kepada kami membawa daya kepahlawanan, hamparan luas sinar-sinar bercahaya, dan lindungan damai yang agung, terbentang jauh. Jangan biarkan tekanan yang mengepung dari kegelapan ini menguasai kami. Bersamamu, wahai Indu, semoga kami menakluk kekayaan demi kekayaan—kelimpahan yang sentiasa diperbarui.

Mantra 9

अधि द्यामस्थाद्वृषभो विचक्षणोऽरूरुचद्वि दिवो रोचना कविः । राजा पवित्रमत्येति रोरुवद्दिवः पीयूषं दुहते नृचक्षसः ॥

Sang Lembu jantan perkasa, Sang Kawi yang luas penglihatannya, bersemayam di atas Dyau (langit) lalu menyalakan cahaya-cahaya langit. Sang Raja melampaui pavitra (penapis) dengan laungan yang bergema; para rsi yang bermata-insan memerah amerta—nektar Dyau.

Mantra 10

दिवो नाके मधुजिह्वा असश्चतो वेना दुहन्त्युक्षणं गिरिष्ठाम् । अप्सु द्रप्सं वावृधानं समुद्र आ सिन्धोरूर्मा मधुमन्तं पवित्र आ ॥

Di puncak Dyau (langit), kuasa-kuasa yang merindu, bermadu-lidah dan tidak mengenal lelah, memerah Sang Lembu jantan yang berdiri di puncak-puncak. Dalam apas (air), Titisan yang membesar dipelihara; dari samudra, dari ombak sungai, sari yang kaya-madu datang ke pavitra (penapis).

Mantra 11

नाके सुपर्णमुपपप्तिवांसं गिरो वेनानामकृपन्त पूर्वीः । शिशुं रिहन्ति मतयः पनिप्नतं हिरण्ययं शकुनं क्षामणि स्थाम् ॥

Di puncak Dyau (langit), ujaran-ujaran purba kuasa-kuasa yang mendamba telah membentuk yang bersayap-indah, yang telah hinggap. Fikiran-fikiran menjilat dan memelihara sang anak yang sentiasa bergerak—burung keemasan yang ditegakkan dalam kediaman bumi.

Mantra 12

ऊर्ध्वो गन्धर्वो अधि नाके अस्थाद्विश्वा रूपा प्रतिचक्षाणो अस्य । भानुः शुक्रेण शोचिषा व्यद्यौत्प्रारूरुचद्रोदसी मातरा शुचिः ॥

Tegak, sang Gandharva telah mengambil tempatnya di puncak langit, memandang segala rupa daripada penzahiran ini. Dengan nyala terang daripada cahaya yang suci, sinarnya memancar luas; ia menjadikan dua Ibu—Langit dan Bumi—bersinar dalam kebersihan.

Inside Sukta 85

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Soma is invoked to flow for Indra, simultaneously expelling sickness and Rakṣas-like darkness, and guarding the sacred rasa from the ‘double-minded.’

  2. Development

    The hymn dwells on the mechanics and poetry of purification—hands, cup, and inspired speech—showing Soma’s bright drops becoming fit to enter Indra and empower praise and victory.

  3. Climax

    A visionary elevation: the Gandharva-guardian stands aloft, beholding all forms, while Soma’s radiance flashes out and makes Heaven and Earth shine—purification becomes cosmic illumination.

  4. Where it settles

    The purified Soma is established as a beneficent, wealth-bringing, order-protecting power: fit for Indra, hostile forces repelled, and the rite secured in clarity and light.

The deity: Soma Pavamāna, for Indra

  • In the VedaSoma is the pressed and flowing plant-essence, purified through the filter, shining as ‘drops’ (indavaḥ), intoxicating and strengthening Indra, and driving away disease and hostile beings. He is praised as bright, swift, and truth-bearing, entering the god and the hymn, while guarded/overseen in cosmic imagery (e.g., Gandharva motif).
  • Cosmic functionMediator of vitality and power: Soma renews life-force, fuels Indra’s victorious might, purifies the atmosphere of harmful forces, and sustains ṛta (right order) through luminous clarity.
  • Inner significanceThe refining of Soma mirrors inner purification: clarifying mixed motives (‘double-minded’), expelling inner darkness, and distilling a concentrated ‘rasa’ of courage, discernment, and inspired speech that can ‘enter Indra’—the awakened power of decisive action.

The seer

  • An unknown seer (Anādeśya/Anonymous) of the Soma Pavamāna corpusThis hymn belongs to the 9th Maṇḍala’s specialized ‘Soma Pavamāna’ collection, where authorship is sometimes not clearly preserved in later indices; the focus is the technical and mystical language of Soma’s purification and empowerment for Indra.

Famous verses

apāmīvā bhavatu rakṣasā saha
Verse 9.85.1Sets the hymn’s protective tone: Soma flows for Indra while sickness and rakṣas-hostility are cast out; it also stresses safeguarding the rasa from ‘double-minded’ participation.Read verse 9.85.1 →
daśa kṣipaḥ
Verse 9.85.7A vivid ritual snapshot—‘ten swift hands’ cleanse Soma in the cup—linking priestly action, inspired speech, and Soma’s entry into Indra as intoxicating power.Read verse 9.85.7 →
ūrdhvo gandharvo adhi nāke asthāt
Verse 9.85.12Cosmic culmination using the Gandharva image: Soma’s guardian-radiance stands on high, sees all forms, and illumines Heaven and Earth—purification as universal shining.Read verse 9.85.12 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Purifying (pavamāna)
  • Luminous/bright (śukra, bhānu)
  • Intoxicating-strengthening (madira)
  • Protective/exorcistic (driving off amīvā and rakṣas)
  • Rasa-bearing (essence/juice)
  • Ritually exact (pressed, filtered, set in vessels)

Also by this seer

  • Participation (as an anonymous or uncertain attribution) in the wider RV 9 Pavamāna hymn tradition centered on Soma’s pressing, filtering, and ascent into the gods
  • Associated with the ritual-poetic idiom that links Soma’s rasa (essence) to protection, healing, and inspired speech (vāc)

The rite, step by step

  • Press Soma (suṣuta) and set it to flow (pari srava)
  • Filter/purify through the strainer (pavitra), collecting in cups/vessels (kalaśa)
  • Priests ‘cleanse the steed’—repeated washing/clarifying actions as the Soma runs bright
  • Recite hymns of praise (suṣṭuti) to invite Soma’s entry into Indra and the rite
  • Consecrate as a protective draught: prayer to cast out amīvā (sickness) and repel rakṣas/hostility
  • Offer the clarified Soma to Indra (and associated deities) and distribute according to the rite

Offerings

  • Clarified Soma juice (Soma rasa)
  • Libations into the fire/offerings to Indra as per Soma-sacrifice procedure
  • Accompanying oblations customary to Soma rites (e.g., ghee and ritual portions, depending on śrauta setting)

Frequently Asked Questions

It praises Soma as it is purified for offering to Indra, asking that the clarified Soma drive away sickness and hostile forces (Rakṣas) and bring strength, clarity, and true wealth.

The verse warns that Soma’s sacred essence should not be approached with divided intention or deceit; purity of motive is part of the rite’s power and protection.

Here the Gandharva functions as a lofty guardian/witness of Soma, expressing Soma’s radiant, overseeing aspect—an image that turns the ritual purification into a cosmic illumination of Heaven and Earth.

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