Rig Veda 9.62.8: Mandala 9, Sukta 62, Mantra 8
Sukta 9.62
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer-family
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
सो अर्षेन्द्राय पीतये तिरो रोमाण्यव्यया । सीदन्योना वनेष्वा ॥
só arṣéndrāya pītáye tiró romā́ṇy avyáyā | sī́dan yónā vaneṣv ā́ ||
Płynąć więc, aby Indra mógł pić; przechodź przez włosy niewiędnącej wełny i usiądź w łonach, drewnianych naczyniach, aby moc świetlistego umysłu mogła cię przyjąć.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that Soma)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्ष
- flow! rush forth!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root √ऋष् (गत्यर्थ/स्रवणार्थ; Vedic: ‘to flow, rush’)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पीतये
- for drinking (for the draught)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानRoot पीति (प्रातिपदिक; from √पा ‘to drink’)
- तिरः
- across, throughIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root तिरस् (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
- रोमाणि
- hairs, fleeces (of the filter)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot रोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव्यया
- with the unfailing (stream/means)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
- सीद
- sit! settle!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root √सद् (उपवेशन/निवेशन)
- अन्योनाः
- having another womb/seat (i.e., taking a new resting-place)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषणम्Root अन्य-योनि (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- वनेषु
- in the woods (i.e., in the wooden vessels/strainers)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वन (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- to, unto, hitherIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (क्रियायोगः/दिशा)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | अर्ष | इन्द्राय | पीतये | तिरः | रोमाणि | अव्यया | सीद् | अन्योनाः | वनेषु | आ । Sandhi: (1) सो = सः + (अ-) (visarga before vowel → ओ)
- (2) अर्षेन्द्राय = अर्ष + इन्द्राय (a + i → e)
- (3) तिरो = तिरः + (र-) (visarga before voiced consonant often becomes o in saṃhitā spelling)
- (4) सीदन्योना = सीद् + अन्योनाः (d + a → da; loss of word-boundary)
- (5) वनेष्वा = वनेषु + आ (u + ā → vā)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Flow for Indra to drink; pass through the unfading wool’s hairs and sit in the wooden wombs (vessels).
Inner meaning
Soma is invited to flow (arṣa) toward Indra—the illumined mind that can receive and wield delight as power. Passing through the ‘hairs’ of the unfading wool (romāṇi avyayā) signifies filtration through enduring purity: the steady sattvic texture that does not decay. Then Soma ‘sits’ in the wombs (yonā) of the woods (vaneṣu): the prepared receptacles in the embodied nature where delight can be held, matured, and offered upward again. Inner meaning: let delight be filtered through stable purity and then established in the right centers of the being so illumination can drink it.
Universal truth
Spiritual joy becomes strength and light when it is purified through enduring clarity and then embodied—held in stable forms of life—so the illumined mind can assimilate it.
Themes
Soma-to-Indra, filtration, assimilation, stabilization in receptacles
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer-family
- Other hymns
- RV 9.62.8-9 (Indra/Angirases sequence), RV 9.40 (Soma for Indra, thematic), RV 1.80 (Indra drinking Soma, thematic)
Family tradition
Pavamāna tradition often pairs Soma with Indra: delight is offered to illumination so it may become conquering force.
Significance
This verse teaches the necessity of filtration and right receptivity: the divine flow must be purified and then seated in prepared ‘wombs’ of the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (for Indra)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Soma (pressed and purified)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Maruts (often accompany Indra’s force)
Cosmic role
Purified Soma becomes the drink of Indra—fuel for illumination and victory over obstruction.
Inner power
Ananda that empowers the luminous mind, turning joy into force of discernment and conquest of darkness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration through wool (pavitra) and collection into wooden vessels prior to offering to Indra
सो अ॒र्षेन्द्रा॑य पी॒तये॑ ति॒रो रोमा॑ण्य॒व्यया॑ । सीद॒न्योना॒ वने॒ष्वा ॥
सः । अ॒र्ष॒ । इन्द्रा॑य । पी॒तये॑ । ति॒रः । रोमा॑णि । अ॒व्यया॑ । सीद॑न् । योना॑ । वने॑षु । आ ॥
saḥ | arṣa | indrāya | pītaye | tiraḥ | romāṇi | avyayā | sīdan | yonā | vaneṣu | ā
24
8/8/8
Directive and ritual-precise; imperative ‘arṣa’ gives a clean thrust.
Creates a sense of channeling: flow → filter → settle; helpful for guiding attention through stages.
- Indrāya pītaye
- Literal: for Indra to drink. Symbolic: for the illumined mind to assimilate delight and turn it into victorious clarity
- arṣa
- Literal: flow. Symbolic: let consciousness move freely; release of Ananda-current
- romāṇi
- Literal: hairs (of wool). Symbolic: fine discriminating fibres of purity; subtle channels of filtration
- avyayā
- Literal: unfading, imperishable. Symbolic: stable sattva; enduring purity not subject to vital decay
- yonā
- Literal: wombs, seats. Symbolic: receptive centers where force is held and matured
- vaneṣu
- Literal: in the woods/wooden (vessels). Symbolic: formed structures of embodied nature; the ‘material’ receptacle made ready for the divine flow
Direct injunction in the Soma rite: Soma flows through wool and settles in vessels to be offered to Indra; inwardly: purified delight is offered to the Indra-power (victorious mind) for assimilation and strengthening.
As Soma passes through the filter and is set in cups for Indra’s libation
Filtering, collecting, presenting for drinking/offering
A mantra for ‘embodied purity’: before meditation, imagine thoughts filtered; then ‘seat’ calm joy in the body (breath, heart) so clarity (Indra) can drink.
arṣa: impv. 2sg of √ṛṣ; pītaye: dat. infinitive/gerundive-like from √pā; romāṇi: acc. pl. of roman ‘hair’; avyayā: instr. sg. of avyaya ‘imperishable’ (a- + √i ‘go’ → ‘not going away’); vaneṣu: loc. pl. of vana ‘wood’ (ritual wooden vessels). Symbolic justification: Indra as inner victorious intelligence; wool-fibers as subtle filtering discriminations; ‘vessels’ as stable inner formations that hold the force.
offering to Indra (victory of light), purification as subtle discrimination, receptivity (yoni) and formation (vessels)
Right flow through right filter into right seat: ṛta as correct procession of forces.
Avyayā indicates the truth-purity that does not diminish with time or circumstance.
Formation of receptacles (‘wombs’) for the divine current—manifestation requires prepared forms.
Integral-Vedic: descent (Ananda) must be filtered and embodied to support illumination and transformation.
Wool hairs = subtle filters of purity; wood vessels = embodied structures; Indra’s drinking = assimilation by illumined intelligence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘offering of Soma to Indra’ mythologem: Soma is prepared (filtered) and delivered to the victorious god for drinking. Inwardly, clarified delight becomes the fuel that empowers the Indra-principle to conquer obscurity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The drink/offer complex around √pā ‘drink’ is central to IE sacrificial culture (libation). The imperative ‘flow!’ (arṣa) is a performative speech-act typical of archaic ritual poetics across IE.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi commands the divine force in a lawful (ṛta-based) way: flow through purification, settle into proper seats, become fit for Indra. The reciprocity is power: Soma strengthens Indra; Indra, strengthened, secures victory and right order for the human field.
Channel delight to illumination: let Ananda flow, filter it through stable purity, and seat it in the body as a steady support for insight.
Anāhata (seat of sweetness) with ascent to Ājñā (Indra’s clarity)
Inhale imagining Soma flowing down; brief pause as ‘filter’; exhale settling it in the heart; then observe the mind brighten.
Energized clarity (illumined calm)
If joy becomes restless, return it to the ‘wool’: slow down, purify motive, then re-seat the joy in the heart-breath before seeking insight.
Gāyatrī; imperative arṣa should be crisp; keep a gentle rise on indrāya pītaye. Exact svara needs recitation source.
Mark three stages with voice: (1) arṣa (directive), (2) tiro romāṇi avyayā (filtered continuity), (3) sīdan yonā vaneṣv ā (settling cadence).
arṣa: vocalic ṛ + ṣ (retroflex) clean, indrāya: ‘dr’ cluster; long ā, pītaye: long ī, tiraḥ: final visarga light, romāṇi: long ā, avyayā: ‘vy’ cluster; long ā ending, sīdan: long ī, yonā: long ō? (yo-) keep ‘yo’ clear; long ā at end, vaneṣu: retroflex ṣ; short vowels, ā: final long ā sustained lightly
Clear and directive, then smooth and settling.
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.
