Rig Veda 9.85.1: Mandala 9, Sukta 85, Mantra 1
Sukta 9.85
- Devata
- Soma
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
इन्द्राय सोम सुषुतः परि स्रवापामीवा भवतु रक्षसा सह । मा ते रसस्य मत्सत द्वयाविनो द्रविणस्वन्त इह सन्त्विन्दवः ॥
índrāya soma suṣútaḥ pári sravā́pāmīvā bhavatu rákṣasā sahá | mā́ te rásasya matsata dvayāvíno dráviṇasvanta ihá sántv índavaḥ ||
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.
Word by Word
- इन्द्राय
- to/for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (दत्तिव) एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O Soma / SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (सम्बोधन/हे-प्रयोगः सम्भवः)Role सम्बोधन (प्रयोगतः)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुषुतः
- well-pressed (well-extracted)Participleभूतकृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (सोमस्य)Root √सु (सुनोति ‘to press/extract’)
- परि
- around; forthIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणम् (परितः/समन्तात्)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रव
- flow!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √स्रु (स्रवति ‘to flow’)
- अप
- awayIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणम् (अप- ‘away’)Root अप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अमीवाः
- afflictions, diseasesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (भवतु इत्यस्य)Root अमीवा (प्रातिपदिक) ‘disease/affliction’
- भवतु
- let it be / may it becomeVerbलोट्; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √भू (भवति ‘to be, become’)
- रक्षसा
- with the demon (Rākṣas) / with harmful powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole सह-सम्बन्धे करण/सहकारक (सह इत्यनेन)Root रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘demon, harm’
- सह
- together withIndeclinableअव्ययRole सहकारक-निर्देशकRoot सह (अव्यय)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableअव्यय; निषेध (prohibitive)Role वाक्य-निषेधकRoot मा (निषेध-अव्यय)
- ते
- of you/thyPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रसस्य
- of the juice, of the sapNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot रस (प्रातिपदिक)
- मत्सत
- be exhilarated / rejoiceVerbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वेदिक रूप)Role क्रियाRoot √मद् (मदति ‘to be exhilarated, rejoice’)
- द्वयाविनः
- twofold (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (द्रविणस्वन्तः)Root द्वयाविन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘having twofold (nature/possession)’
- द्रविणस्वन्तः
- wealth-possessing (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot द्रविणस्वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘possessing wealth’
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (देश)Root इह (अव्यय)
- सन्तु
- let them beVerbलोट्; प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (अस्ति ‘to be’)
- इन्दवः
- Soma-dropsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘drop; Soma-drop’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): इन्द्राय | सोम | सुषुतः | परि | स्रव | अप | अमीवाः | भवतु | रक्षसा | सह || मा | ते | रसस्य | मत्सत | द्वयाविनः | द्रविणस्वन्तः | इह | सन्तु | इन्दवः । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) स्रवाप = स्रव + अप (स्वर-सन्धि; अ + अ → आ). (2) सन्त्विन्दवः = सन्तु + इन्दवः (उ + इ → वि; ‘सन्त्वि…’). (3) इन्द्रा॑य (उदात्त-चिह्न) इत्यादि स्वरचिह्नाः पाठभेद-स्वरनिर्देशार्थं
- पदच्छेदे मूलरूपाणि एव दत्तानि।
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Soma, well-pressed, flow all around for Indra; let sickness be driven away together with the Rakṣas. Let not the double-minded taste your essence; may the shining drops be here, rich in wealth.
Inner meaning
Let the purified Ananda circulate through the whole being for the sake of Indra—the illumined Mind that must drink delight to slay darkness. As Soma flows, it casts out inner sickness (āmīvā: disorder, depression, falsehood) together with rakṣas—hostile formations that distort and devour clarity. The ‘double-minded’ (dvayāvinaḥ) are divided tendencies—sincere aspiration mixed with desire, doubt, or ego—unfit to enjoy the true rasa. The indavaḥ (shining drops) are the many currents of clarified delight that should fill the system with draviṇa—true riches: force, clarity, joy, and right capacity.
Universal truth
Purified joy is protective: it expels psychic illness and hostile patterns; but it must be guarded from divided intention. Integrity of will is the condition for stable spiritual sweetness.
Themes
Soma-ritual, protection and purification, Indra empowerment, ethical-psychological integrity
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer-tradition (Mandala 9); specific rishi for 9.85.1 not securely identified in common listings
- Other hymns
- RV 9.85 (whole sūkta)
Family tradition
Pavamāna hymns often function as both offering and psychic protection: purification plus exorcistic removal of hostile forces.
Significance
The seer underscores a key yogic law: Ananda must be protected by sincerity and single-mindedness; otherwise it is ‘tasted’ by divided impulses and dissipated.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma (for Indra)
- Epithets
- suṣuta (well-pressed), pavamāna (purifying), indu/indavaḥ (bright drops), draviṇasvat (wealth-bearing)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni (inner sacrifice leader), Rudra (healing/protection, thematic)
Cosmic role
Life-giving and protective delight that empowers Indra to maintain order by expelling sickness and hostile darkness.
Inner power
Cleansing Ananda that immunizes the system against obscurity; builds integral will by refusing divided motives.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra with protective intent (removal of disease/hostile forces)
इन्द्रा॑य सोम॒ सुषु॑त॒: परि॑ स्र॒वापामी॑वा भवतु॒ रक्ष॑सा स॒ह । मा ते॒ रस॑स्य मत्सत द्वया॒विनो॒ द्रवि॑णस्वन्त इ॒ह स॒न्त्विन्द॑वः ॥
इन्द्रा॑य । सो॒म॒ । सुऽसु॑तः । परि॑ । स्र॒व॒ । अप॑ । अमी॑वा । भ॒व॒तु॒ । रक्ष॑सा । स॒ह । मा । ते॒ । रस॑स्य । म॒त्स॒त॒ । द्व॒या॒विनः॑ । द्रवि॑णस्वन्तः । इ॒ह । स॒न्तु॒ । इन्द॑वः ॥
indrāya | soma | su-sutaḥ | pari | srava | apa | amīvā | bhavatu | rakṣasā | saha | mā | te | rasasya | matsata | dvayāvinaḥ | draviṇasvantaḥ | iha | santu | indavaḥ
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4 × ~11
Protective, incantatory firmness with forward flow
Creates a boundary of clarity; energizes resolve; feels like ‘clearing the air’ in the psyche.
- सुषुतः (suṣutaḥ)
- Literal: well-pressed. Symbolic: well-prepared inner offering; sincerity and concentration
- परि स्रव (pari srava)
- Literal: flow around. Symbolic: pervade the whole being; circulate in all parts
- अमीवा (āmīvā)
- Literal: sickness. Symbolic: inner disorder: obscurity, depression, false habit-energy
- रक्षसा (rakṣasā)
- Literal: with Rakṣas. Symbolic: hostile forces/formations; devouring negativity and falsehood
- रस (rasa)
- Literal: sap/essence. Symbolic: taste of Ananda; true delight-energy
- द्वयाविनः (dvayāvinaḥ)
- Literal: double/dual-minded. Symbolic: divided will; mixed motives; inner duplicity
- द्रविणस्वन्तः (draviṇasvantaḥ)
- Literal: possessing wealth. Symbolic: filled with true riches of being—strength, clarity, joy
- इन्दवः (indavaḥ)
- Literal: bright drops. Symbolic: multiple streams of luminous delight-consciousness
Soma offering to Indra; apotropaic (warding) function: drive away affliction and rakṣas; regulate who may partake (inner purity/integrity).
During Soma libations to Indra; also suitable as an apotropaic (protective) recitation within Soma sequences
Chanted as Soma is poured and offered; intention of expelling āmīvā and rakṣas
Use as a protective mantra before meditation to clear intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and energetic heaviness; reinforce single-minded aspiration.
√sru ‘flow’ frames Soma as a circulating purifier. amīvā ‘disease’ is read psychologically as disturbance/false movement; rakṣas as obscuring/hostile formations. dvayāvin ‘twofold’ indicates divided will; thus exclusion from rasa (essential delight) is an ethical-psychological condition: only integral being can receive Soma. draviṇa is ‘substance/wealth’ as fullness of force and means for realization.
inner purity vs. duplicity (dvayāvin), protection from hostile forces (rakṣas), rasa as essential delight
Expelling āmīvā/rakṣas restores ṛta in the being.
Dvayāvinaḥ are opposed to satya; truth requires inner unity.
Purification as continual re-creation: removing hostile accretions so the luminous drops can ‘be here’.
Yoga of integral purification: ethical-psychological unity as prerequisite for stable Ananda.
Flowing around = pervasion of consciousness; sickness = obscurity; Rakṣas = hostile formations; shining drops = clarified joy-points in the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as purifier and protector: his flow casts out sickness and rakṣas, while his rasa is reserved from the ‘double-minded’. Mythically: guarding the sacred drink from hostile beings; psychologically: the delight-essence cannot be assimilated by divided consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sru ‘flow’ is from PIE *srew- ‘flow’ (cf. English ‘stream’ is different root, but Latin fluere is different; still PIE *srew- appears in various IE branches). √mad (matsata) continues PIE *med- ‘be excited/glad’. The semantic pairing of ‘flow’ + ‘purify/ward off’ is a common inherited ritual-poetic structure.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests Soma’s action in exchange for offering: Soma must both empower Indra and cleanse the human field, but also discriminate—granting rasa only to integral seekers. The reciprocity is moral-ritual: right preparation and right inner state condition the divine gift.
Pervasion of purified joy; protection from divided intention and hostile thought-forms.
Maṇipūra (will/integrity) supporting Anāhata (joy).
Exhale-lengthening (e.g., 4 in / 6 out) while chanting to ‘cast out’ heaviness; brief kumbhaka after exhale if comfortable.
Clear, protected, unified aspiration.
State an inner vow of single-mindedness; chant 9 times; visualize a luminous ring of Soma around you; then sit quietly, refusing ‘double’ motives for a few minutes.
Chant with clear udatta emphasis on indrā́ya, sóma, suṣútaḥ; maintain firm anudatta base; let svarita glide down smoothly (exact accents depend on marked recension).
Slightly stress the prohibitive ‘mā’ and the clause about dvayāvinaḥ with a firm, restraining tone; keep the rest flowing.
indrāya: long ā in -drā-, suṣutaḥ: retroflex ṣ; ‘su-ṣu-taḥ’, rakṣasā: retroflex ṣ; avoid ‘raksh’ English sound—keep ‘kṣ’ cluster, dvayāvino: ‘dva-yā-vi-no’ with long ā, draviṇasvantaḥ: retroflex ṇ; keep consonant cluster ‘sv’ clear
Protective, steady, not overly soft; end with a bright, assuring tone on indavaḥ.
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