Rig Veda 9.104.1: Mandala 9, Sukta 104, Mantra 1
Sukta 9.104
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Shringara (love)
सखाय आ नि षीदत पुनानाय प्र गायत । शिशुं न यज्ञैः परि भूषत श्रिये ॥
sákhāya ā́ ní ṣīdata punānā́ya prá gāyata | śíśuṃ ná yajñáir pári bhūṣata śríye ||
O towarzysze, usiądźcie tutaj i śpiewajcie ku czci Tego, który się oczyszcza. Przyozdabiajcie go dziełami ofiarnymi, jak przyozdabia się dziecko - aby blask wzrastał.
Word by Word
- सखायः
- companions, friendsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सखि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (आ-), क्रियाविशेषकRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- नि
- down, in, intoIndeclinableउपसर्ग (नि-), क्रियाविशेषकRoot नि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- षीदत
- sit down (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचनRoot सद् (धातु) → षीद- (वेदिक रूप)
- पुनानाय
- for the purifying one (Soma)Participle (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान); एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot पू (धातु) → पुनान- (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययेन वर्तमानकृदन्त, आत्मनेपदी)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग (प्र-), क्रियाविशेषकRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- गायत
- sing (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचनRoot गै (धातु) / गा (धातु; वेदिक प्रयोग)
- शिशुम्
- the child (young one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शिशु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- यज्ञैः
- with sacrifices, by ritesNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot यज्ञ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableउपसर्ग (परि-), क्रियाविशेषकRoot परि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भूषत
- adorn, embellish (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचनRoot भूष् (धातु)
- श्रिये
- for splendor/beauty, for prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान); एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot श्री- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (RV-पदपाठानुसार): सखायः | आ | नि | षीदत | पुनानाय | प्र | गायत | शिशुम् | न | यज्ञैः | परि | भूषत | श्रिये || 1) आ + नि + षीदत: उपसर्गद्वयेन सह ‘सद्’ धातोः वेदिकादेशः ‘षीद-’ (cf. सीद-)। 2) शिशुं न: ‘शिशुम्’ (द्वितीया) + ‘न’ (उपमान-निपात), संधौ विशेषपरिवर्तनं न। 3) यज्ञैः परि: विसर्ग/विसर्जनीय-सन्धि न
- पदसीमा।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Companions, sit here and sing to the self-purifying Soma; adorn him with sacrificial works like adorning a child, for the sake of splendour.
Inner meaning
The ‘companions’ are the allied faculties of the seeker (thought, will, breath, aspiration) gathered in inner poise. They sing (mantra-vision) to Soma as it purifies—nurturing the newborn delight-consciousness (‘child’) with right works (yajña as inner offering). As Soma is cherished and formed, śrī (splendour, beauty, abundance) increases in the being.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth needs collectedness, uplifting speech, and consistent practice. When the emerging inner joy is protected and refined, it becomes a stable splendour that beautifies life.
Themes
Communal offering, Inner cultivation, Soma purification, Spiritual growth
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.104.2, Rig Veda 9.104.3, Rig Veda 9.104.4
Family tradition
Mandala 9 preserves multiple lineages; here the speaker is a collective ritual-yogic community addressing Soma in the press-house and within the heart.
Significance
The rishi-function is pedagogical: it instructs the inner community to gather, chant, and ‘nurture’ the emergent Soma—an image of careful spiritual formation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- punāna (purifying), śiśu (child-like, newborn)
- Related deities
- Agni (yajña leader), Sarasvatī/Vāc (inspired speech behind ‘singing’), Indra (receiver of strengthened Soma)
Cosmic role
Soma is the developing nectar of immortality that must be ‘cultured’ through yajña; it increases śrī by harmonizing energies.
Inner power
Tender but potent Ananda: when protected from distortion, it matures into stable radiance and creative force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna stotra/chant during Soma purification; communal singing by priests/chanters
सखा॑य॒ आ नि षी॑दत पुना॒नाय॒ प्र गा॑यत । शिशुं॒ न य॒ज्ञैः परि॑ भूषत श्रि॒ये ॥
सखा॑यः । आ । नि । सी॒द॒त॒ । पु॒ना॒नाय॑ । प्र । गा॒य॒त॒ । शिशु॑म् । न । य॒ज्ञैः । परि॑ । भू॒ष॒त॒ । श्रि॒ये ॥
sakhāyaḥ | ā | ni | sīdata | punānāya | pra | gāyata | śiśum | na | yajñaiḥ | pari | bhūṣata | śriye
Likely Gāyatrī (common in exhortative, song-inviting lines; exact syllable check needed)
24
3 pādas × ~8 syllables (approx.)
Song-like, compact, inviting; suited to communal chanting (‘pra gāyata’).
Creates a seated, gathered field; promotes rhythmic coherence of breath and voice, conducive to nurturing a subtle joy-state.
- सखायः (sakhāyaḥ)
- Literal: companions, friends. Symbolic: harmonized powers of the being; co-operating faculties in sādhanā
- आ नि षीदत (ā ni ṣīdata)
- Literal: sit down here. Symbolic: gather inward; establish steady attention and receptivity
- पुनानाय (punānāya)
- Literal: to the purifying one. Symbolic: to the self-clarifying Ananda-consciousness
- प्र गायत (pra gāyata)
- Literal: sing forth. Symbolic: utter the inspired word; vibration that calls and shapes inner experience
- शिशुम् (śiśum)
- Literal: child, infant. Symbolic: newborn psychic joy/inner Soma just awakening and needing care
- यज्ञैः (yajñaiḥ)
- Literal: by sacrifices, sacrificial works. Symbolic: disciplined offerings: right action, self-giving, aspiration, concentration
- श्रिये (śriye)
- Literal: for splendour, prosperity, beauty. Symbolic: inner radiance and harmonious abundance arising from purified delight
Communal chant during Soma purification; invites officiants/inner powers to ‘sit’ and perform coordinated praise and offering.
At the stage of inviting Soma to be purified and offered; also as a general call to chant
Seating, singing, adorning Soma with rites/acts
Group meditation/chant: begin by sitting together, invoking purified joy; ‘adorn’ it with intentional acts (gratitude, offering, ethical alignment) to grow inner splendour.
sakhā: from √sakh ‘associate, befriend’; in RV often indicates ritual comrades, psychologically allied faculties. √sad ‘sit’ with ni- indicates settling/establishing. √gai/gā ‘sing’. yajñá: from √yaj ‘worship, sacrifice’. bhūṣ: ‘adorn, embellish’. śrī: ‘splendour, radiance, prosperity’—inner luminous increase.
nurturing the ‘child’ consciousness, śrī as growth of luminous fullness, yajña as transformative inner work
‘Sit’ and ‘sing’ indicate ordered alignment; Soma grows in r̥ta when supported by right works.
Vāc (true utterance) calls forth and shapes the purifying Soma.
Nurturing the ‘child’ principle—new creation of consciousness through sustained formation.
Integral-yogic Veda: yajña as inner transformation; Soma as Ananda being cultivated.
Child = nascent psychic joy; song = mantra-vibration; adornment = intentional shaping of consciousness through practice.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘divine child’ mythologem: Soma (or the luminous consciousness born from purification) is treated as a child to be adorned and strengthened by yajña—suggesting the growth of an emergent higher consciousness through consecrated practice.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sad ‘sit’ reflects PIE *sed- (Latin sedēre, English sit). √gā ‘sing’ aligns with PIE *geh₂- ‘sing/chant’ (comparisons are debated, but the IE poetic register is shared). √yaj is Indo-Iranian-specific ritual lexicon (Avestan yaz- ‘worship’), showing tight Indo-Iranian continuity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi organizes a collective reciprocity: the companions provide stable attention (ni ṣīdata), mantra (gāyata), and formative works (yajñaiḥ); Soma responds by increasing śrī—an inner radiance and fullness that is the fruit of purification.
Gather the faculties (‘companions’) and invoke the purifying joy with mantra; treat the emerging joy as a child—protect, nourish, and refine it.
Anāhata (tender joy)
Seated coherent breathing (equal inhale/exhale) synchronized with soft chanting
Collected calm with gentle uplift; receptive devotion toward inner Ananda.
Before chanting, ‘sit’ inwardly: relax the body, align intention. Chant as offering, not performance. After chanting, keep a protective quiet so the ‘child’ delight can stabilize.
Maintain clear udatta rises on accented syllables (notably,, ); keep anudatta low and svarita as a controlled fall.
Let the first call ‘sakhāyaḥ’ ring; soften on ‘ni ṣīdata’ to embody sitting/settling; brighten again on ‘pra gāyata’.
: ‘sa-khā-yaḥ’ (kh aspirated), : retroflex ‘ṣ’ in ‘ṣī’, : ‘śi-śum’ with palatal ś, : long ‘ū’ in ‘bhū’
Warm, devotional, slightly lullaby-like to match ‘child’ imagery while staying metrically steady.
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