Rig Veda Sukta 9
Mandala 9Sukta 99 Mantras

Sukta 9

Sukta 9.9

Himne Soma Pavamāna ini memuji Soma yang diperah dan mengalir sebagai kuasa pelihat yang bercahaya, bergerak melalui dua alam dan menjadi layak bagi para dewa melalui penyucian. Ia mengaitkan arus Soma yang dijernihkan dengan ucapan ilham, tatanan benar (ṛta), serta hukum kemenangan Indra, dan berakhir dengan permohonan akan kemasyhuran yang berkekalan, kekuatan, kecerdasan, dan svah (dunia bercahaya).

Recitation with translationRig Veda 9.9

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • SomaMantras 1-4Pavamāna

    Soma is the divine plant-essence and its pressed juice, praised as a shining, purifying stream that becomes ‘pavamāna’ as it runs through the woolen filter, awakening inspiration and delighting the gods.

  • Soma PavamanaMantras 5-9Soma Pavamāna (with explicit address to Indra as the receiver/ordainer of the work)

Mantras

Mantra 1

परि प्रिया दिवः कविर्वयांसि नप्त्योर्हितः । सुवानो याति कविक्रतुः ॥

Mengitari rupa-rupa terkasih dari langit, sang kavi bergerak—ditempatkan pada dua alam yang seasal; diperah dan memancar keluar, ia melaju, yang kehendaknya ialah daya ilham sang penyair.

Mantra 2

प्रप्र क्षयाय पन्यसे जनाय जुष्टो अद्रुहे । वीत्यर्ष चनिष्ठया ॥

Maju, maju mengalirlah menuju kediaman yang tetap, bagi umat yang layak akan keajaiban—disambut oleh yang tidak memperdaya. Berlarilah ke jamuan persembahan dengan arusmu yang paling menang.

Mantra 3

स सूनुर्मातरा शुचिर्जातो जाते अरोचयत् । महान्मही ऋतावृधा ॥

Dia, putera suci daripada dua Ibu, setelah lahir menjadikan dua kelahiran itu bercahaya. Agunglah dia, dan oleh hukum Kebenaran (ṛta) ia menumbuhkan keagungan.

Mantra 4

स सप्त धीतिभिर्हितो नद्यो अजिन्वदद्रुहः । या एकमक्षि वावृधुः ॥

Dia, digerakkan oleh tujuh ilham, menggerakkan sungai-sungai yang tidak mengkhianati Kebenaran—mereka yang membesarkan satu Mata penglihatan.

Mantra 5

ता अभि सन्तमस्तृतं महे युवानमा दधुः । इन्दुमिन्द्र तव व्रते ॥

Mereka menempatkan arak-Soma dalam gerak yang benar—menuju Yang sungguh hadir dan tidak gugur, Kuasa Muda yang agung; wahai Indra, mereka menegakkan Indu dalam hukum pekerjaan-ilahi-Mu.

Mantra 6

अभि वह्निरमर्त्यः सप्त पश्यति वावहिः । क्रिविर्देवीरतर्पयत् ॥

Api-Pembawa yang abadi mara mendesak dan memandang Tujuh; daya pendorong memuaskan para dewi—memenuhi tenaga-tenaga ilahi dengan nikmat Soma yang dimurnikan.

Mantra 7

अवा कल्पेषु नः पुमस्तमांसि सोम योध्या । तानि पुनान जङ्घनः ॥

Dalam segala susunan hidup kami, jatuhkanlah bagi kami kegelapan-kegelapan itu, wahai Soma; perangi mereka. Engkau, yang memurnikan, hantam dan usirlah mereka, berulang-ulang.

Mantra 8

नू नव्यसे नवीयसे सूक्ताय साधया पथः । प्रत्नवद्रोचया रुचः ॥

Kini, bagi Yang sentiasa baharu dan kian-baharu, sediakanlah jalan-jalan bagi sukta (ucapan pujian) yang terucap indah; sinarkanlah cahaya-cahayamu menurut cara purba—memperbaharui pencerahan asal.

Mantra 9

पवमान महि श्रवो गामश्वं रासि वीरवत् । सना मेधां सना स्वः ॥

Wahai Soma yang menyucikan (Pavamāna), kurniakan kepada kami śravas yang agung—pendengaran ilham; anugerahkan sinar-sinar cahaya dan daya-daya pantas dengan kekuatan kepahlawanan; kurniakan kecerdasan yang berkekalan, kurniakan svah yang berkekalan—alam bercahaya di dalam.

Inside Sukta 9

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Soma is introduced as a seerly power moving around the beloved forms of heaven, set in the two kindred realms, pressing himself forth in inspired will (kavi-kratu).

  2. Development

    The hymn follows Soma’s purification and right movement, presenting the stream as established within ṛta and aligned with Indra’s vrata (divine law/working).

  3. Climax

    Soma is affirmed as the great youthful, unfailing presence placed into Indra’s ordinance—purity becoming power for victory and right action.

  4. Where it settles

    The close turns to boons: great śravas, cattle and horses (prosperity and energy), heroic force, enduring medhā, and enduring svah (luminous world).

The deity: Soma

  • Cosmic functionMediator of vitality and illumination: Soma quickens Indra and the gods, sustains ṛta (right order), and circulates as a life-giving, heaven-reaching current of light and power.
  • Inner significanceThe clarified mind and inspired consciousness: as Soma is filtered of dross, so awareness is refined into clarity, poetic intuition (kavi-kratu), and enduring medhā (intelligence) leading toward svah (inner luminous heaven).

The seer

  • Anukta (attribution uncertain)This hymn belongs to the Soma Pavamāna corpus (Mandala 9) where many verses are traditionally transmitted without a single clearly preserved seer-name; the focus is on the ritual-poetic vision of Soma’s purification.

Famous verses

kavikratuḥ
Verse 9.9.1Sets the keynote image of Soma as ‘kavi-kratu’—a seerly, inspired will moving through heaven and the paired realms, framing purification as a cosmic journey.Read verse 9.9.1 →
indra tava vrate
Verse 9.9.5Explicitly links the purified Indu with ṛta/right movement and Indra’s vrata, showing Soma as the empowered offering that supports divine action and victory.Read verse 9.9.5 →
sanā medhāṃ sanā svaḥ
Verse 9.9.9A clear concluding prayer listing the hymn’s core desired fruits—śravas, strength, medhā, and svah—bridging ritual Soma with inner illumination.Read verse 9.9.9 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Purifier (pavamāna)
  • Luminous and heaven-oriented
  • Kavi (seer-like) and inspirer of speech
  • Strength-giving to Indra
  • Upholder of ṛta
  • Bestower of śravas (inspired renown/hearing), medhā, and svah

Also by this seer

  • General association with the Pavamāna (Soma) hymns of Mandala 9 transmitted in the Pavitra (filtering) context
  • No secure, hymn-specific additional attributions for RV 9.9 in the received tradition

The rite, step by step

  • Press the Soma plant to express the juice (savana).
  • Mix and prepare the juice according to rite (often with water; sometimes with milk/curds depending on pressing).
  • Filter through the woolen strainer (pavitra) while chanting Pavamāna stotras/ṛks.
  • Collect the clarified Soma in vessels; consecrate by further recitation and rhythmic chanting.
  • Offer libations to the gods (notably Indra) and distribute the remainder per ritual rule.

Offerings

  • Clarified Soma juice (Indu)
  • Libations to Indra and other deities
  • Associated oblations as required by the Soma rite (supporting offerings to Agni, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions

It praises Soma while it is being purified (pavamāna), describing it as a luminous, inspired power that supports ṛta (right order) and strengthens the gods, especially Indra.

In Soma rituals, Indra is a chief recipient of Soma. The hymn says the purified Indu is established in Indra’s ‘vrata’—his divine law and victorious working.

It asks Pavamāna Soma for great śravas (inspired renown/hearing), prosperity and swift energies (cows and horses), heroic force, lasting medhā (intelligence), and svah (the luminous world).

Ask anything about Sukta 9 of the Rig Veda

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