Rig Veda 9.63.14: Mandala 9, Sukta 63, Mantra 14
Sukta 9.63
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Not derivable with certainty from provided excerpt alone
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
एते धामान्यार्या शुक्रा ऋतस्य धारया । वाजं गोमन्तमक्षरन् ॥
eté dhā́māny ā́ryā śukrā́ ṛtásya dhā́rayā | vā́jaṃ gómantam akṣaran ||
Te szlachetne, jasne stany bytu wypłynęły strumieniem Ṛty, wylewając Vāję, pełnię siły, bogatą w promienie oświeconej wiedzy.
Word by Word
- एते
- these (they)Pronoun (demonstrative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot एतद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- धामानि
- abodes; stations; luminous seatsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot धामन् (prātipadika)
- आर्या
- noble; AryanAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (धामानि इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot आर्य (prātipadika)
- शुक्रा
- bright; shiningAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (धामानि इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot शुक्र (prātipadika)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root ऋत (prātipadika)
- धारया
- by/with the streamNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot धारा (prātipadika)
- वाजम्
- prize; strength; (winning) mightNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वाज (prātipadika)
- गोमन्तम्
- rich in cows; cattle-aboundingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (वाजम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot गोमन्त् (prātipadika)
- अक्षरन्
- they flowed; they streamed forthVerbलुङ् (aorist), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role Kriyā (finite verb)Root √क्षर् (क्षरणे) + अ- (augment)
Sandhi Notes
- धामानि आर्या शुक्रा (karman/apposition as what/which flowed forth)
- ऋतस्य धारया (instrumental: ‘by the stream of ṛta’)
- वाजं गोमन्तम् (object/result: ‘a cow-rich prize’). Accents as in Saṃhitā: ए॒ते, धामा॒नि, आर्या॑, शु॒क्रा, ऋ॒तस्य॒, धार॑या, वाजं॒, गोम॑न्तम्, अक्षरन्
The meaning
Outer meaning
These noble, bright abodes have flowed out by the stream of Ṛta, pouring forth vāja rich in cows.
Inner meaning
As Soma purifies, consciousness reaches ‘dhāmāni’—stable stations/abodes of being (planes of realization). They are ‘āryā’ (noble: aligned to the soul’s law) and ‘śukrāḥ’ (bright: luminous with clarity). They ‘flow out’ by the current of Ṛta—the right-ordering truth-stream—bringing ‘vāja’ (effective force, victorious energy) that is ‘go-mantam’: filled with rays of knowledge. Power and light arrive together when the being is founded in Ṛta.
Universal truth
Stable realizations arise when life follows truth-order; then energy becomes luminous and knowledge becomes effective.
Themes
Rita, Soma-ritual, emanation/flow, illumination and power
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.63.13 (Soma as sun-like, establishing rasa), RV 1.164 (ṛta and luminous order; broad conceptual parallel), RV 10.190 (ṛta and satya as cosmic order; thematic parallel)
Family tradition
Pavamāna seers often speak of dhāman (stations) and ṛta (truth-order); this verse condenses that tradition into a concise realization statement.
Significance
The seer points to the goal of purification: not passing experiences, but stable luminous stations founded on Ṛta, yielding knowledge-filled power for life.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (with Ṛta as governing principle)
- Epithets
- śukra (bright, by effect), pavamāna (implied), ṛta-vāh (carrier of Ṛta, implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa/Mitra (guardians of Ṛta, by principle), Indra (vāja/victory resonance), Sūrya (śukra/illumination resonance)
Cosmic role
Soma’s purified flow becomes the operative stream of Ṛta, establishing luminous worlds (dhāman) and releasing effective force (vāja).
Inner power
Truth-ordered Ananda that stabilizes consciousness and makes power intelligent (go-filled).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma Pavamāna recitation affirming Ṛta and the resulting boons (vāja, illumination)
ए॒ते धामा॒न्यार्या॑ शु॒क्रा ऋ॒तस्य॒ धार॑या । वाजं॒ गोम॑न्तमक्षरन् ॥
ए॒ते । धामा॑नि । आर्या॑ । शु॒क्राः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । धार॑या । वाज॑म् । गोऽम॑न्तम् । अ॒क्ष॒र॒न् ॥
ete | dhāmāni | āryā | śukrāḥ | ṛtasya | dhārayā | vājam | go-mantam | akṣaran
Not derivable with certainty from provided excerpt alone.
Affirmative and स्थापक (establishing): names states and their lawful source (ṛta).
Gives a sense of alignment and inevitability—like stepping onto a clear path where energy and light naturally follow.
- dhāmāni
- Literal: abodes, stations. Symbolic: stable states/planes of consciousness; founded realizations
- āryā
- Literal: noble. Symbolic: soul-aligned, aspiring, governed by inner law
- śukrāḥ
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: luminous clarity, purified intelligence
- ṛtasya dhārayā
- Literal: by the stream of Ṛta. Symbolic: the current of right order/truth-force guiding the flow of transformation
- vājam
- Literal: vital strength/prize. Symbolic: effective power, victorious capacity in works
- gomantam
- Literal: rich in cows. Symbolic: rich in rays of knowledge/illumination
- akṣaran
- Literal: they flowed out. Symbolic: spontaneous outpouring/manifestation from established truth
Pavamāna flow through the filter; affirmation of ṛta-stream producing vāja
During Soma flow/filtration as a proclamation of the right-ordered results of purification.
Chanted as Soma streams are collected/offered; reinforces the sacrificer’s alignment with Ṛta.
A mantra for ethical-spiritual alignment: return to right order (ṛta) and let stable states (dhāman) and effective power arise naturally.
dhā́man- from √dhā ‘to place/establish’ → ‘seat/abode’; in inner sense, established states. ā́rya- ‘noble’ (socially and spiritually), often implying conformity to ṛta. ṛtá- from √ar/ṛ ‘to fit, move rightly’ → cosmic order. dhārā ‘stream’ from √dhṛ ‘to hold/maintain’ (that which ‘holds’ as a continuous flow). √kṣar ‘flow’ gives akṣaran ‘poured out’.
Ṛta (truth-order), dhāman (planes/stations of being), vāja (plenitude of force)
Explicit: the stream of Ṛta is the causal channel through which luminous stations and knowledge-filled power manifest.
Ṛta here implies satya as its truth-content; bright dhāmāni are satya-states—stable truth-realizations.
Worlds/states ‘flow out’ from the truth-stream; creation is an outpouring of ordered consciousness into form and force.
Ṛta–satya doctrine leading toward Upaniṣadic truth-consciousness; integral view where truth yields both light and power.
dawn-to-day transition (symbolic of bright stations establishing)
A truth-current running through the being creates stable ‘terraces’ of realization; brightness is clarity; flowing out is spontaneous manifestation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Emanation through Ṛta: the ‘bright noble dhāman-s’ pour out via ṛta’s stream, yielding vāja and gómant light. Mythically, Ṛta is the channel that makes divine powers ‘flow into manifestation’—a cosmogonic motif internalized as ordered emergence in consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ṛtá corresponds to the Indo-Iranian concept (Av. aša) from a shared root meaning ‘rightly ordered’. The flow verb √kṣar has parallels in Indo-European liquid-motion roots; the semantics of ‘outflow’ as manifestation is archaic and widespread.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer describes a law-governed process rather than a personal bargain: Soma’s purification participates in Ṛta, and through that participation the dhāman-s and vāja become available. The human role is to align with Ṛta so the ‘right stream’ can operate.
Align with Ṛta: feel a central truth-current; allow stable luminous ‘stations’ to form; then act from knowledge-filled power.
Suṣumṇā focus (central channel as ṛta-dhārā) and Sahasrāra/Ājñā (luminous dhāman)
Slow spinal breathing: inhale up the central channel (ṛta-dhārā), exhale down; rest in a ‘bright station’ at the brow or crown.
Truth-aligned quietude with ready strength.
Before decisive work, ask: ‘Is this in Ṛta?’ If yes, proceed—vāja will come with go (light). If not, purify intention first.
Vedic accents per recension; sustain a steady tone on ‘ṛtasya dhārayā’ to embody order, then release slightly on ‘akṣaran’.
Chant with measured evenness; let ‘āryā śukrā’ be clear and luminous; avoid rushing the ṛta phrase.
ete: long e, dhāmāni: long ā; dental n, āryā: long ā; ry clear, śukrāḥ: ś palatal; long ā; visarga light, ṛtasya: vocalic ṛ; dental t, dhārayā: long ā; y glide, vājam: long ā, gomantam: go-man-tam, akṣaran: kṣ conjunct crisp; short a endings
Even, centered, with a calm brightness.
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