Rig Veda 9.91.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 91, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.91
- Rishi
- Rebha Kāśyapa
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
वीती जनस्य दिव्यस्य कव्यैरधि सुवानो नहुष्येभिरिन्दुः । प्र यो नृभिरमृतो मर्त्येभिर्मर्मृजानोऽविभिर्गोभिरद्भिः ॥
vītī́ jánasya divyásya kavyáir ádhi suvānó nahuṣyébhir índuḥ | prá yó nṛ́bhir amṛ́to mártyebhir marmṛjānó’vibhír góbhir adbhiḥ ||
Bagi kenikmatan kaum ilahi, oleh ilham para penyair, titis Soma diperah bersama orang-orang Nahushya. Ia mara—abadi di antara yang fana—sedang dimurnikan dan dijernihkan oleh biri-biri (bulu), oleh lembu-lembu (sinar), dan oleh air (arus kejernihan).
Word by Word
- वीती
- the (ritual) feast / refreshment / pursuitNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (वाक्ये मुख्यविषयः) / Adhikaraṇa (भावार्थे ‘in the feast’)Root वीति- (प्रातिपदिक; √वे/√वी ‘to go, pursue’ > ‘pursuit/refreshment/feast’)
- जनस्य
- of the peopleNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root जन- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिव्यस्य
- divine, heavenlyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (जनस्य विशेषणम्)Role SambandhaRoot दिव्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘heavenly, divine’)
- कव्यैः
- with/through the seers (poets)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (instrument/agency: ‘by/with the poets’)Root कव्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sage/poet, inspired’)
- अधि
- upon, over; in/atIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa/Upapada (preverbial/local sense ‘over, upon, in addition’)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सुवानः
- being pressed, pressing forth (Soma)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Kartā (इन्दोः विशेषणम्)Root √सु (सुनोति ‘to press/express Soma’) + शानच्
- नहुष्येभिः
- with the NahushyasNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (with/by the Nahushyas)Root नहुष्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘Nahushya’, a clan/descendants of Nahusha)
- इन्दुः
- the Soma (drop)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्दु- (प्रातिपदिक; Soma-drop)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole Upasarga (direction/intensifier)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यः
- who, whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (इन्दुः इत्यस्य सम्बन्धी)Role Kartā (relative pronoun)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नृभिः
- with men, by heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa/सहकारक (with men)Root नृ- (प्रातिपदिक ‘man, hero’)
- अमृतः
- immortalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (यः/इन्दुः विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (as predicate adjective)Root अमृत- (प्रातिपदिक ‘immortal’)
- मर्त्येभिः
- with mortalsNoun/Adjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa/सहकारक (among/with mortals)Root मर्त्य- (प्रातिपदिक ‘mortal’)
- मर्मृजानः
- cleansing, purifying (himself)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (यः/इन्दुः विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (self-descriptive: ‘cleansing himself/being cleansed’)Root √मृज् (मार्जति ‘to wipe/cleanse, purify’) + शानच्; (वेदिक पुनरुक्ति-रूप ‘मर्मृज्’)
- अविभिः
- with sheep (i.e., with wool/filters)Nounपुं/स्त्री (सामान्यतः); तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (with sheep’s wool/with sheep)Root अवि- (प्रातिपदिक ‘sheep/ewe’)
- गोभिः
- with cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (with cows / with cow-products, metaphorically with rays)Root गो- (प्रातिपदिक ‘cow’)
- अद्भिः
- with watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप: अद्भिः)Role Karaṇa (with waters)Root अप्/अद्- (प्रातिपदिक ‘water’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): वीती | जनस्य | दिव्यस्य | कव्यैः | अधि | सुवानः | नहुष्येभिः | इन्दुः || प्र | यः | नृभिः | अमृतः | मर्त्येभिः | मर्मृजानः | अविभिः | गोभिः | अद्भिः || 1) क॒व्यैरधि॑ → कव्यैः + अधि (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफ-सन्धि: ः + अ → र्/र्-प्रवेशः; संहितायां ‘र’ प्रादुर्भावः)
- 2) मर्मृजा॒नोऽवि॑भिः → मर्मृजानः + अविभिः (विसर्गः + अ → ‘ऽ’ (अवग्रह) द्वारा संधिः)
- 3) अद्भिः वेदिक-रूपम् (अप्-शब्दस्य तृतीया बहुवचनम्), classical ‘अप्भिः’ न, RV-प्रचलितम् ‘अद्भिः’
The meaning
Outer meaning
For the enjoyment of the divine folk, by poets’ inspirations, Soma is pressed with the Nahushya men. Immortal among mortals, he advances, being cleansed by wool, by cows, and by waters.
Inner meaning
Soma is prepared ‘for the divine people’—the inner gods, powers of light and harmony—through the kavi-impulses: inspired perceptions that know how to evoke and shape the subtle force. ‘Nahuṣya men’ can be read inwardly as the human faculties disciplined into a noble line of endeavor—energies trained to press out the essence. Soma, immortal in our mortal frame, moves forward when it is cleansed by: (1) avi—wool/filter: discriminative refinement; (2) go—cows: rays of knowledge that clarify and reveal; (3) ap—waters: streams of purity and calm lucidity. Thus Ananda becomes fit to be shared with the divine powers and to transform the human nature.
Universal truth
Higher joy is not mere emotion; it is extracted by inspired intelligence and purified through discrimination, knowledge-light, and calm clarity, until it can nourish the best powers in us.
Themes
immortal in mortals, purification media (wool/water/light), Soma offering to gods, inspired poetry efficacy
The seer
- Rishi
- Rebha Kāśyapa
- Lineage
- Kāśyapa
- Other hymns
- RV 9.91.1, RV 9.91.3, RV 9.91.4
Family tradition
Kāśyapa hymns often stress cooperation of human faculties with divine powers—pressing out the essence through inspired insight (kavi).
Significance
The seer’s emphasis on purification agents (wool, rays, waters) outlines a psychological method: discriminate, illumine, and शांतify (make clear) the movements so delight becomes a divine nourishment.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Indu (bright drop), Amṛta (immortal, here as quality), Pavamāna (purifying)
- Related deities
- Maruts (often linked with ‘nṛbhiḥ’ bands of force), Indra (drinks Soma; illumination), Āpas (waters as purifiers)
Cosmic role
Mediator between mortal and divine: distilled essence offered to the gods, strengthening them and the sacrificer.
Inner power
Deathless Ananda advancing in the being when clarified by discrimination, illumination, and peace.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing/straining in the Soma sacrifice; Pavamāna recitations during purification.
वी॒ती जन॑स्य दि॒व्यस्य॑ क॒व्यैरधि॑ सुवा॒नो न॑हु॒ष्ये॑भि॒रिन्दु॑: । प्र यो नृभि॑र॒मृतो॒ मर्त्ये॑भिर्मर्मृजा॒नोऽवि॑भि॒र्गोभि॑र॒द्भिः ॥
वी॒ती । जन॑स्य । दि॒व्यस्य॑ । क॒व्यैः । अधि॑ । सु॒वा॒नः । न॒हु॒ष्ये॑भिः । इन्दुः॑ । प्र । यः । नृऽभिः॑ । अ॒मृतः॑ । मर्त्ये॑भिः । म॒र्मृ॒जा॒नः । अवि॑ऽभिः । गोभिः॑ । अ॒त्ऽभिः ॥
vītī | janasya | divyasya | kavyaiḥ | adhi | suvānaḥ | nahuṣyebhiḥ | induḥ | pra | yaḥ | nṛ-bhiḥ | amṛtaḥ | martyebhiḥ | marmṛjānaḥ | avi-bhiḥ | gobhiḥ | at-bhiḥ
48
4×12 syllables (with possible Vedic substitutions)
Measured, processional rhythm matching the step-by-step cleansing sequence.
Induces a feeling of gradual clarification and forward advance (pra…marmṛjānaḥ).
- वीती (vītī)
- Literal: enjoyment, feast, distribution. Symbolic: shared delight among inner divine powers
- जनस्य दिव्यस्य (janasya divyasya)
- Literal: of the divine people. Symbolic: the gods as psychological powers of light
- कव्यैः (kavyaiḥ)
- Literal: by the poets’ (kavi) powers. Symbolic: inspired seeing, intuition shaping experience
- सुवानः (suvānaḥ)
- Literal: being pressed out. Symbolic: extraction of essence from experience into consciousness
- नहुष्येभिः (nahuṣyebhiḥ)
- Literal: with the Nahushya men. Symbolic: disciplined human faculties/energies cooperating in yoga
- अमृतः (amṛtaḥ)
- Literal: immortal. Symbolic: deathless delight-consciousness in the mortal body
- मर्मृजानः (marmṛjānaḥ)
- Literal: being cleansed/brightened. Symbolic: progressive purification of mind-vital substance
- अविभिः (avibhiḥ)
- Literal: by sheep (wool). Symbolic: filter of discrimination, sattwic refinement
- गोभिः (gobhiḥ)
- Literal: by cows. Symbolic: rays of knowledge/illumination
- अद्भिः (adbhiḥ)
- Literal: by waters. Symbolic: streams of clarity, peace, purified movement
Directly references pressing community and purification media (wool, waters): fits Soma pressing rites where Soma is filtered and offered for the gods’ vītī.
During the cleansing/clarifying phase as Soma passes through filter and is mixed/collected.
Pressing (savana), filtering (pavitra), washing/clarifying; offering for devas’ ‘vīti’.
Meditation on refining joy: observe emotion, filter through discrimination, bring in knowledge-light, settle into calm—then offer the clarified delight to higher aspiration.
marmṛjāná is intensive/reduplicated from √mṛj ‘wipe/cleanse’ (PIE *merg- ‘wipe’ cf. Latin mergō ‘dip’—semantic neighbor via wet cleaning). amṛta (a- + mṛta ‘mortal/dead’ from √mṛ ‘die’) is the deathless essence. vītī denotes the gods’ ‘taking/enjoyment’ of offering; kavi/kavya language encodes inspired speech as operative force.
immortality (amṛta) manifesting in mortality, kavi-inspired speech as causal power, purification as transformation of consciousness
Purification is r̥ta in action—right method turning raw force into divine nourishment.
Go (rays) symbolizes revealing truth; Soma becomes ‘truth-delight’ when illumined.
Alchemical transformation: essence extracted and refined to become amṛta within mortality.
Aurobindonian psychological symbolism: gods as inner powers; Soma as Ananda purified by light and peace.
Discrimination (wool) + illumination (rays) + calm clarity (waters) refine the delight-force so it can nourish the highest movements in us.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The descent/ascent of amṛta within the mortal frame: Soma is ‘immortal among mortals’, purified through multiple agencies (wool, cows/rays, waters). Mythically it is the god-juice made fit for divine enjoyment; inwardly it is the deathless delight clarified in human nature through light and cleansing currents.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amṛta is a classic Indo-Iranian formation (Avestan aməša/related immortality lexicon), showing inherited negative prefix a- with ‘mortal/dead’. The participial layering (suvānaḥ… marmṛjānaḥ) is a hallmark of early Indo-European poetic syntax, stacking processes rather than subordinating them.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi and ritual community (Nahuṣya men) participate in expressing Soma, while the devatā remains the immortal essence that can be clarified by human and cosmic means. The relationship is cooperative: human action prepares the channel; Soma brings the deathless quality into the offering and into the practitioner.
Refine emotional energy into steady delight and offer it upward as nourishment for the inner gods (higher faculties).
Svādhiṣṭhāna (raw rasa) purified toward Anāhata (shared delight) and Ājñā (illumined clarity).
Cooling exhale (śītalī/quiet nasal cooling) after a few normal breaths to ‘wash’ the system like apas; then silent repetition of ‘induḥ…marmṛjānaḥ’.
Clear, purified sweetness; luminous calm.
When joy or desire arises, ‘press’ it (extract essence), ‘filter’ it (discern), ‘illumine’ it (bring truth-light), ‘wash’ it (settle in peace), then offer it to the higher intention rather than to craving.
Chant in Vedic three-tone; keep ‘pra yo…’ as a forward-driving segment; respect pāda caesura.
Slight lift on ‘amṛtaḥ’ and ‘marmṛjānaḥ’ to mark the immortal quality and the cleansing action.
(vītī): long ī vowels, (kavyair): glide ‘y’ and roll into ‘r’, (nahuṣyebhiḥ): retroflex ṣ, clear ‘hye’ cluster, (marmṛjānaḥ): repeat ‘mar’ cleanly; long ā, (adbhiḥ): cluster ‘dbh’—keep voiced d, then aspirated bh
Clear, cooling, purified tone; avoid harshness to match cleansing imagery.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
