Rig Veda 9.97.23: Mandala 9, Sukta 97, Mantra 23
Sukta 9.97
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna seers
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्र दानुदो दिव्यो दानुपिन्व ऋतमृताय पवते सुमेधाः । धर्मा भुवद्वृजन्यस्य राजा प्र रश्मिभिर्दशभिर्भारि भूम ॥
prá dānu-dó divyó dānu-pínva ṛtám ṛtā́ya pavate su-medhā́ḥ | dharmā́ bhuvad vṛjányasya rājā́ prá raśmíbhir daśábhir bhāri bhū́ma ||
Ke hadapan bergerak sang pemberi ilahi, pengembang aliran-aliran; yang berakal jernih mengalir sebagai Ṛta bagi Ṛta. Ia menjadi Dharma, raja medan yang giat, dan maju dengan sepuluh sinar—besar dalam daya dukungnya.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- दानुदः
- the slayer/overcomer of Dānu (demon)Noun/Adjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot दानु-द (prātipadika: dānu + √द (to cut/split) > 'one who splits/overcomes Dānu')
- दिव्यः
- heavenly, divineAdjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (qualifier)Root दिव्य (prātipadika from दिव् 'heaven' / √दिव्)
- दानुपिन्वः
- (he who) makes Dānu swell / invigorates (the waters)Noun/Adjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (qualifier)Root दानु-पिन्व (prātipadika; kṛdanta from √पिव्/√प्याय् 'to swell, make swell, invigorate' with object dānu)
- ऋतम्
- ṛta; cosmic order, truthNounneuter, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot ऋत (prātipadika)
- ऋताय
- for/unto ṛtaNounneuter, dative singularRole SampradānaRoot ऋत (prātipadika)
- पवते
- purifies itself; flows as the purified (Soma)Verbpresent indicative, 3rd person singular, ātmanepadaRoot √पू (pū/pav- ‘to purify, cleanse’)
- सुमेधाः
- good-minded, wiseAdjective/Nounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (qualifier)Root सु-मेधा (prātipadika)
- धर्मा
- supporter; law/order; firm foundationNounmasculine, nominative singular (Vedic form; = धर्मा < धर्मन्)Role Kartā (predicate-noun)Root धर्मन् (prātipadika)
- भुवत्
- became; came to beVerbinjunctive/aorist-subjunctless form, 3rd person singular (Vedic: 'became/has become')Root √भू (to be, become)
- वृजन्यस्य
- of the host/people; of the clanAdjective/Nounmasculine/neuter, genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot वृजन्य (prātipadika; ‘of the clan/host, belonging to the people/war-band’)
- राजा
- king, rulerNounmasculine, nominative singular (Vedic form राजा < राजन्)Role Kartā (predicate-noun)Root राजन् (prātipadika)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- रश्मिभिः
- with rays/streams (reins)Nounmasculine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot रश्मि (prātipadika)
- दशभिः
- with tenNumeralinstrumental pluralRole Karaṇa (qualifier)Root दशन्/दश (numeral stem)
- भारि
- a weighty/strong (deed/force); mightilyAdjectiveneuter, accusative singular (used adverbially/with implied object)Role Karma/AdverbialRoot भारि (prātipadika; ‘bearing, weighty/strong’)
- भूम
- we have become / we are (grown)Verbperfect (Vedic), 1st person plural (or archaic plural form), parasmaipadaRoot √भू (to be; also ‘to become, to grow’)
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi is minimal in the Saṃhitā text here. Key resolutions: (1) दानुदो is taken as दानुदः (nom. sg.) before following voiced consonant (RV orthography often writes -o for -aḥ in saṃhitā). (2) ऋतम् ऋताय is a straightforward juxtaposition (acc. + dat.) without fusion. (3) प्र रश्मिभिः shows no coalescence (pause-like separation). (4) Accent marks (दा॑नु-, दि॒व्यो, पि॒न्व, ऋ॒तमृ॒ताय॑, etc.) are preserved from the given text
- they do not change the pada segmentation
The meaning
Outer meaning
The divine giver and increaser of the streams moves forward; the clear-minded Soma flows as Truth for the Truth. He becomes the Law, king of the active field, and goes forth with ten rays, vast in bearing.
Inner meaning
Soma as divine Ananda releases and increases the ‘streams’—currents of consciousness and life-force. Purified, it becomes ṛtam for ṛta: truth-movement serving truth-being. It establishes dharmā (the right law) and rules the field of action (vṛjanya)—the dynamic nature—so action becomes governed by truth. The ‘ten rays’ are complete illuminations (fullness of knowledge-powers) radiating through the being.
Universal truth
When delight is purified into truth, it becomes the governing law of life and action; illumination multiplies into a complete radiance that carries the being forward.
Themes
Truth establishing Truth, Soma as kingly law, radiant completeness (ten rays), inner governance
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna seers (Pavamāna-maṇḍala collective)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.97.24 (kingship of gods and mortals), RV 9.76 (Soma as ṛta-bearer)
Family tradition
Soma hymns as a technical yoga of purification: from flow → truth → law → mastery of action.
Significance
The seer-tradition emphasizes Soma not as mere offering but as the principle that converts life into truth-governed action.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- divya (divine), sumedhā (clear-minded), rājā (king)
- Related deities
- Mitra-Varuṇa (ṛta/dharma guardians), Indra (illumined mind empowered by Soma)
Cosmic role
Bearer of ṛta; establishes dharma and radiates illumination through the worlds.
Inner power
Transforms action by enthroning truth in the vital field; multiplies rays of knowledge until completeness (daśa) is reached.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna stotra during Soma purification; also linked to the theme of ṛta in Soma offerings
प्र दा॑नु॒दो दि॒व्यो दा॑नुपि॒न्व ऋ॒तमृ॒ताय॑ पवते सुमे॒धाः । ध॒र्मा भु॑वद्वृज॒न्य॑स्य॒ राजा॒ प्र र॒श्मिभि॑र्द॒शभि॑र्भारि॒ भूम॑ ॥
प्र । दा॒नु॒ऽदः । दि॒व्यः । दा॒नु॒ऽपि॒न्वः । ऋ॒तम् । ऋ॒ताय॑ । प॒व॒ते॒ । सु॒ऽमे॒धाः । ध॒र्मा । भु॒व॒त् । वृ॒ज॒न्य॑स्य । राजा॑ । प्र । रा॒स्मिऽभिः॑ । द॒शऽभिः॑ । भा॒रि॒ । भूम॑ ॥
pra | dānu-daḥ | divyaḥ | dānu-pinvaḥ | ṛtam | ṛtāya | pavate | su-medhāḥ | dharmā | bhuvat | vṛjanyasya | rājā | pra | rāsmi-bhiḥ | daśa-bhiḥ | bhāri | bhūma
48
4 × 12 syllables
Majestic and expansive; suitable for kingship, law, and vast bearing.
Creates a sense of wideness and authority; stabilizes the mind in truth-order while energizing forward movement.
- दानुदः (dānudaḥ)
- Literal: giver of the streams. Symbolic: one who releases currents of force/knowledge/bliss
- दानुपिन्वः (dānupinvaḥ)
- Literal: increaser of the streams. Symbolic: amplifier of inner flow—widening and intensifying consciousness
- ऋतम् ऋताय (ṛtam ṛtāya)
- Literal: truth for the truth. Symbolic: right movement serving right being; dynamic truth aligning with eternal truth
- सुमेधाः (sumedhāḥ)
- Literal: of good intelligence. Symbolic: luminous discernment born of purified delight
- धर्मा (dharmā)
- Literal: law, foundation. Symbolic: inner order that supports transformation
- वृजन्यस्य राजा (vṛjanyasya rājā)
- Literal: king of the active field. Symbolic: sovereignty over action-nature; mastery of the vital and works
- दश रश्मिभिः (daśa raśmibhiḥ)
- Literal: with ten rays. Symbolic: complete set of illuminations/knowledge-powers; integral radiance
Praise of Soma’s ṛta-bearing function during purification; supports consecration and right order in the sacrifice
As Soma is filtered and acclaimed in stotra sequences; praising Soma’s truth-bearing power.
Chant to consecrate Soma as ṛta-bearer before offering; supports ‘right ordering’ of the rite.
Chant when seeking alignment of work/action with inner truth—before important decisions, service, or disciplined practice.
pinv- (√pī/√pinv) ‘swell, make overflow’ underwrites Soma as increaser of inner streams (dānu). ṛta is from √ar ‘fit, join, order’ → ‘right order’; the doubling ṛtam ṛtāya intensifies teleology: Truth flowing for the establishment of Truth. raśmi ‘ray/rein’ again merges light and guidance; ‘ten rays’ suggests a complete radiative instrumentation of consciousness.
Ṛta (cosmic order), Dharma (foundation/law), sovereignty of consciousness (rājā)
Explicit: Soma flows as ṛtam for ṛta—truth-movement that restores cosmic order in the being.
Ṛta here points to Satya behind it: stable truth that the movement serves.
Order-from-flow: streams become governed; action-field is crowned by law; illumination proliferates.
Vedic integralism: truth is both movement and being; mastery of works arises from inner illumination.
Streams = currents of consciousness; rays = illuminations; king/field = sovereignty over the vital-physical domain; sun-imagery = supramental clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as ṛta-king: he flows as Truth to establish Truth, becomes dharman itself, and rules the arena of action with complete rays. This is the myth of luminous sovereignty: purified essence enthroned as cosmic and psychological law.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rājā reflects PIE *h₃rḗǵs ‘king’ (Lat. rēx), indicating inherited sacral kingship language. dharman (supporting law) continues an old IE pattern of abstract nouns from ‘support/hold’ semantics. raśmi/ray imagery aligns with IE solar/bridle metaphors.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer recognizes Soma not only as an offering but as the inner monarch who installs dharma and ṛta in human works. Praise becomes assent: by naming Soma as dharma and rājā, the rishi aligns the sacrifice—and the psyche—to that rulership.
Establish ṛta in action: feel a truth-current descending and organizing the day’s works.
Maṇipūra (governance of action) guided by Ājñā (illumined direction)
Exhale with ‘pra… pavate’ feeling forward release; inhale feeling ‘raśmibhiḥ’ spreading as light through the head and chest.
Firm, luminous sovereignty—calm command over impulses.
After chanting, contemplate one area of life-work; invite Soma’s ‘dharma’ to reorder motives and methods; act only after the inner sense of rightness is felt.
RV tonal recitation; emphasize clarity on ‘ṛtam ṛtāya’—do not blur retroflex/dental distinctions.
Let the second pāda land with weight on ‘ṛtam’; keep final ‘bhūma’ expansive with full cadence.
/: keep ‘nu’ short; ‘pinv’ with light ‘nv’, : vocalic ‘ṛ’ clear, not ‘ri’, : ‘vṛ’ vocalic; ‘janya’ palatal ‘j’, : ‘śm’ conjunct crisp
Majestic, steady, slightly lower register for ‘rājā/dharmā’.
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