Rig Veda 9.87.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 87, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.87
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna with explicit relation to Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
एष स्य ते मधुमाँ इन्द्र सोमो वृषा वृष्णे परि पवित्रे अक्षाः । सहस्रसाः शतसा भूरिदावा शश्वत्तमं बर्हिरा वाज्यस्थात् ॥
eṣá syá te mádhumān indra sómo vṛ́ṣā vṛ́ṣṇe pári pavítre akṣāḥ | sahasrasā́ḥ śatasā́ bhūridā́vā śaśvattamáṃ bárhir ā́ vājī́ asthāt ||
ହେ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର, ଏହା ତୋର ମଧୁମୟ ସୋମ; ବୃଷା (ବୃଷଭ) ବୃଷ୍ଣେ (ବୃଷଭ ପାଇଁ)—ପବିତ୍ର (ଛାଣଣୀ)ର ଚାରିପାଖେ ପ୍ରବାହିତ ହୋଇଛି। ସହସ୍ରସାଃ, ଶତସାଃ—ହଜାରର ଜୟୀ, ଶତର ଜୟୀ; ଭୂରିଦାବା—ପ୍ରଚୁର ଦାତା; ଶଶ୍ୱତ୍ତମ, ବାଜ୍ୟ—ନିତ୍ୟ ଶକ୍ତିମାନ—ପବିତ୍ର ବର୍ହି (ଯଜ୍ଞାସନ) ଉପରେ ସ୍ଥିର ହୋଇ ଦଣ୍ଡାୟମାନ ହେଲା।
Word by Word
- एषः
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्यः
- he/that (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वैदिकः ‘स्य’ = ‘सः’)Role KartāRoot स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक-रूप)
- ते
- to/for you; yourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मधुमान्
- honeyed, sweetAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot मधुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role (Address)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमः
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषा
- the bull; vigorous oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्णे
- for the bull (i.e., for Indra)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around, aboutIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पवित्रे
- in/at the filter (sieve)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (वैदिके लोकेटिव-एकवचनम्), एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अक्षाः
- has moved/has coursed (around)Verb (finite)लिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; वैदिक-रूप ‘अक्षाः’ = ‘अक्षत्/अक्षीत्’ (he has driven/has reached) — सोमस्य पवित्रे परि गमनम्Role KriyāRoot अक्ष् (धातु: अक्ष्/अश् ‘to reach, pervade’ → कृत्/प्रातिपदिक ‘अक्ष’); वैदिके ‘अक्ष’ = ‘अक्षन्/अक्ष’ (to move/drive) इत्यपि व्याख्या
- सहस्रसाः
- winning/bringing a thousand (gains)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सहस्र-स (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘सहस्र’ + ‘स’/‘सा’ ‘winning/bringing’)
- शतसाः
- winning/bringing a hundred (gains)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot शत-स (समास; ‘शत’ + ‘स’/‘सा’)
- भूरिदावा
- abundantly givingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot भूरि-दावन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘much-giving’)
- शश्वत्तमम्
- the most enduring, ever-lastingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः/पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (बर्हिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot शश्वत्-तम (प्रातिपदिक; superlative)
- बर्हिः
- sacrificial grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (Preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वाज्यस्थात्
- has stood/has taken position (as prize-winning/bringing vāja)Verb (finite) / Kṛdanta-based formलुङ्/आorist (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; वैदिक-रूप ‘अस्थात्’ with preverb आ; compound-like ‘वाज्य-’ = ‘for/with prize (vāja)’Role KriyāRoot स्था (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग) ; ‘वाज्य’ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्था → वाज्य-स्थात् (कृदन्त/समास-रूप)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): एषः स्यः ते मधुमान् इन्द्र सोमः वृषा वृष्णे परि पवित्रे अक्षाः । सहस्रसाः शतसाः भूरिदावा शश्वत्तमम् बर्हिः आ वाज्यस्थात् ॥ 1) एष स्य → एषः स्यः (विसर्ग-लोप/पुनरुद्धारः पदपाठानुसारः)
- 2) सोमो वृषा → सोमः वृषा (ओ-कारः = विसर्गसन्धिः)
- 3) वृष्णे परि (सन्धि-रहितम्)
- 4) बर्हिरा → बर्हिः आ (विसर्ग + आ)
- 5) वाज्यस्थात् = वाज्य + अस्थात् (आ-उपसर्गयुक्त ‘अस्थात्’), संहितायां य-सम्बन्धः
The meaning
Outer meaning
This is your honeyed Soma, O Indra; a bull for the Bull, he has flowed around the filter. Winner of a thousand and a hundred, giver of abundance, the ever-lasting energised one has stood on the sacred seat.
Inner meaning
Soma as honeyed ananda is offered to Indra—the illumined mind-power that conquers darkness. Soma is ‘bull for the Bull’: delight strengthens the divine force of illumination; ananda feeds and intensifies luminous courage. Having been filtered (inner discernment), Soma becomes victorious power (sahasrasāḥ, śatasāḥ) bringing abundant results—many realizations and energies. Standing on the barhis signifies that purified delight takes its place as a stable foundation for the inner sacrifice, ready to be received by Indra in us as decisive illumination.
Universal truth
Illumination is powered by delight-in-truth: when joy is purified and made steady, it becomes a force of victory and abundance in the spiritual life.
Themes
Indra-Soma synergy, victory-force (vāja), stability of the purified essence
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.87
Significance
The seer links Soma and Indra as complementary inner powers: delight becomes the food and strength of illumination, enabling repeated victories over obscurity.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (for Indra)
- Epithets
- madhumān, vṛṣā, vājy, bhūridāvā, śaśvattama
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Soma as the energizing offering that empowers Indra’s victories and distributes abundance.
Inner power
Purified delight that becomes enduring strength, fueling decisive illumination and conquest of resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra within Soma sacrifice
ए॒ष स्य ते॒ मधु॑माँ इन्द्र॒ सोमो॒ वृषा॒ वृष्णे॒ परि॑ प॒वित्रे॑ अक्षाः । स॒ह॒स्र॒साः श॑त॒सा भू॑रि॒दावा॑ शश्वत्त॒मं ब॒र्हिरा वा॒ज्य॑स्थात् ॥
ए॒षः । स्यः । ते॒ । मधु॑ऽमान् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । सोमः॑ । वृषा॑ । वृष्णे॑ । परि॑ । प॒वित्रे॑ । अ॒क्षा॒रिति॑ । स॒ह॒स्र॒ऽसाः । श॒त॒ऽसाः । भू॒रि॒ऽदावा॑ । श॒श्व॒त्ऽत॒मम् । ब॒र्हिः । आ । वा॒जी । अ॒स्था॒त् ॥
eṣaḥ | syaḥ | te | madhu-mān | indra | somaḥ | vṛṣā | vṛṣṇe | pari | pavitre | akṣāriti | sahasra-sāḥ | śata-sāḥ | bhūri-dāvā | śaśvat-tamam | barhiḥ | ā | vājī | asthāt
44
4 pādas × 11 syllables
Triumphant, steady beat with celebratory enumerations (thousand/hundred).
Elicits confidence and victorious uplift; stabilizes enthusiasm into enduring strength.
- madhumān somaḥ
- Literal: honeyed Soma. Symbolic: sweet ananda that attracts and sustains the ascent
- indra
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine mind/illumination-force that conquers obscurity
- vṛṣā vṛṣṇe
- Literal: bull for the bull. Symbolic: strengthening power offered to the strongest; delight intensifying illumination
- pavitre pari akṣāḥ
- Literal: flowed around the filter. Symbolic: ananda refined by discrimination, purified of mixture
- sahasrasāḥ / śatasāḥ
- Literal: winner of a thousand / hundred. Symbolic: multiplicity of victories—repeated breakthroughs and gains
- bhūridāvā
- Literal: giver of abundance. Symbolic: plentitude of inner resources: peace, force, clarity, right action
- śaśvattamam
- Literal: most enduring. Symbolic: stable delight not dependent on circumstance
- vājy
- Literal: energised, victorious. Symbolic: ananda turned into effective dynamic power
- barhiḥ
- Literal: sacrificial seat. Symbolic: inner altar of receptivity and offering where gods descend
Offering Soma to Indra; Soma after filtration is set upon/for the barhis as part of offering sequence.
When Soma is presented/praised as Indra’s drink; near offering sequences
Chant accompanying presentation of purified Soma and honoring its victory-giving power
For inner ‘Indra-work’: before challenging tasks or confronting inner resistance, invoke purified joy to strengthen clarity and courage.
vṛṣā/vṛṣṇe ‘bull for the bull’ encodes potency meeting potency: Soma-force empowering Indra-force. vājī from vāja (plenitude/victory-force). √sthā ‘stand’ (asthāt) indicates establishment—Soma becomes a stable power on the barhis (prepared foundation).
potency (vṛṣā) as spiritual force, establishment (sthā) of purified delight, abundance as fullness of being (bhūri)
Only Soma that has ‘gone around the filter’ becomes fit to empower Indra—ṛta is the condition of victorious illumination.
Enduring Soma implies truth-based joy, not excitement fed by desire.
Synergy of powers: delight nourishes mind-force; mind-force wins and establishes abundance.
Integral yoga reading: ananda as dynamic support of knowledge and will.
Honey = sweetness of truth; bull = concentrated power; filter = discrimination; seat = stable receptivity in the heart-mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Indra-Soma empowerment myth: Soma (bull-force) is prepared for Indra (bull-force) and, once purified, is established on the sacred seat. Innerly, delight-essence becomes the fuel for victorious luminous power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā ‘stand’ is a classic IE root (cf. Latin stō, English ‘stand’). The epithets sahasra-sāḥ/śata-sāḥ use numeral compounds, a strong Indo-European poetic feature for hyperbolic power and abundance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi mediates a functional alliance: Soma is addressed in a way that explicitly serves Indra’s action. The sacrificer’s role is to bring the sweet force to a stable station (barhis), enabling Indra’s victorious workings within the human field.
Offer your purified joy to the inner Indra: let delight rise, then concentrate it into a bright decisive clarity at the brow and heart.
Ajna (Indra/illumination) supported by Anahata (madhu/ananda)
Moderate ujjayi to ‘sweeten’ attention; on inhale feel madhu, on exhale feel Indra’s decisive force.
Joy-powered clarity; confident, luminous will.
First purify motive (filter); then consciously ‘offer’ the joy of truth to the illumined mind; act from that seated strength rather than from strain.
Vedic accents per Śākala; emphasize udatta on ‘indra’, ‘madhumān’, and victory epithets; exact contour requires recitation training with pada/svara marks.
Give weight to apposition ‘vṛṣā vṛṣṇe’; slightly broaden on enumerations ‘sahasrasāḥ śatasāḥ’.
‘madhumām̐’ nasalization on final ‘m̐’ (anusvāra chandrabindu), ‘vṛṣā’ vocalic ṛ, retroflex ṣ, ‘pavitre’ clear ‘tri’ cluster, ‘śaśvattamam’ articulate double ‘tt’
Victorious, warm resonance; keep sweetness on ‘madhu’ phrases.
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