Rig Veda 9.63.29: Mandala 9, Sukta 63, Mantra 29
Sukta 9.63
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seer-poets
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अपघ्नन्त्सोम रक्षसोऽभ्यर्ष कनिक्रदत् । द्युमन्तं शुष्ममुत्तमम् ॥
apághnan soma rákṣaso 'bhyàrṣa kánikradat | dyumántaṃ śúṣmam uttamám ||
Zbijając moce ciemności, o Somo, wzbierz z wołaniem; przynieś najwyższą, promienną moc siły.
Word by Word
- अपघ्नन्
- striking away, driving offVerb (participle)शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (सोमः इति कर्तरि)Role Kartā (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)Root अप-हन् (धातु √हन् ‘हनने’ उपसर्ग अप-) → वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ)
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन (हे सोम)Role (सम्बोधन) —Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- रक्षसः
- the demons/evil spirits (rakṣasas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (वेदिके ‘रक्षसः’ = रक्षांसि)Role Karma (कर्म)Root रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableअव्यय; क्रियायोगे उपसर्गवत्Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अर्ष
- rush/flow (towards)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root √ऋष्/अर्ष् (गत्यर्थ/प्रवाहे; ‘to rush/flow’)
- कनिक्रदत्
- crying aloud, roaringVerb (participle)शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (सोमः इति कर्तरि)Role Kartā (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)Root √क्रन्द् ‘क्रन्दने’ (कनि- उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययात्मक पुनरुक्ति-भावः) → वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ)
- द्यु मन्तम्
- bright, splendidAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (शुष्मम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma (कर्म) — शुष्मम्-विशेषणम्Root द्युमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; द्युमत् ‘bright, splendid’)
- शुष्मम्
- strength, vigor, mightNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (कर्म)Root शुष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्तमम्
- highest, bestAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (शुष्मम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma (कर्म) — शुष्मम्-विशेषणम्Root उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; तमप्-प्रत्ययान्त अतिशय)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अपघ्नन् सोम रक्षसः अभि अर्ष कनिक्रदत् । द्युमन्तं शुष्मम् उत्तमम् ॥ 1) ‘रक्षसोऽभ्यर्ष’ = ‘रक्षसः + अभि + अर्ष’ (अः + अ → ओऽ; अभि + अर्ष → अभ्यर्ष)
- 2) ‘अपघ्नन्त्सोम’ संहितायां ‘अपघ्नन् + सोम’ (न् + स् संयोगः; पाठे ‘अपघ्नन्त्’ इव दृश्यते)
- 3) ‘द्युमन्तं’ = द्युमन्तम् (अनुस्वार/न्त-समासान्त)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Smiting the rakṣas, O Soma, surge forth with a cry; bring the most supreme radiant force (śuṣma).
Inner meaning
Soma, actively repelling obscuring subconscient forces, rises in a victorious surge (arṣa) with an awakening ‘cry’ (kanikradat)—the vibration of liberated energy—and manifests the highest luminous strength (dyumantam śuṣmam uttamam): a radiant dynamis that empowers the seeker’s will and illumination.
Universal truth
When darkness is confronted and expelled, a higher strength is released—radiant, joyous, and supreme—which becomes the engine of transformation.
Themes
combat with obscurity, invocation of supreme force, Soma as roaring current
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seer-poets (Soma Pavamanas)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.76 (Soma as giver of dyumna/śuṣma), RV 9.97 (Soma’s victorious surge)
Family tradition
Soma hymns frequently culminate in a demand for śuṣma (force) and dyumna (radiance), indicating the seers’ aim: not only purity but victorious power.
Significance
The rishi-stance is dynamic: purification becomes conquest, and conquest releases a supreme radiant strength—an inner heroism grounded in delight.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Rakṣo-han (rakṣas-slayer, by function), Dyumān (radiant), Uttama-śuṣma-dā (giver of highest force, by sense)
- Related deities
- Indra (recipient and wielder of śuṣma), Agni (burning away rakṣas), Maruts (battle-force of the gods)
Cosmic role
Protects the sacrifice and releases victorious energy for the gods’ work; Soma is both purifier and invigorator.
Inner power
A triumphant Ananda that becomes tejas—radiant strength—after expelling obscurity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing/filtration with protective-victorious intention
अ॒प॒घ्नन्त्सो॑म र॒क्षसो॒ऽभ्य॑र्ष॒ कनि॑क्रदत् । द्यु॒मन्तं॒ शुष्म॑मुत्त॒मम् ॥
अ॒प॒ऽघ्नन् । सो॒म॒ । र॒क्षशः॑ । अ॒भि । आ॒र्ष॒ । कनि॑क्रदत् । द्यु॒ऽमन्त॑म् । शुष्म॑म् । उ॒त्ऽत॒मम् ॥
apa-ghnan | soma | rakṣasaḥ | abhi | ārṣa | kanikradat | dyu-mantam | śuṣmam | ut-tamam
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4×12; strong imperatives and participles create a heroic cadence.
Rushing surge with a ringing peak on ‘kanikradat’; ends in a lofty uplift (‘uttamam’).
Builds inner courage and victorious energy; suitable when will flags or obscurity presses.
- apa-ghnan
- Literal: striking away, smiting off. Symbolic: expelling intrusive formations; decisive rejection
- rakṣasaḥ
- Literal: rakṣas (dark beings). Symbolic: subconscient obscurers, devourers of clarity
- abhi ārṣa
- Literal: surge forth, flow strongly toward. Symbolic: powerful ascent/descent-current that overcomes inertia
- kanikradat
- Literal: crying out, making a ringing sound. Symbolic: awakening vibration; triumphant release of energy; mantra-śabda as force
- dyumantam
- Literal: radiant, full of light. Symbolic: illumined power; consciousness-force carrying light
- śuṣmam
- Literal: force, vigor, might. Symbolic: effective spiritual strength (tejas/bala) energized by Ananda
- uttamam
- Literal: highest, supreme. Symbolic: the peak potency of the divine force in the being
Dynamic invocation during Soma flow: Soma urged to surge with force against rakṣas; energising chant in purification
In pavamāna sequences emphasizing rakṣas-expulsion and empowerment of the sacrificer and gods.
Chanted as Soma is made to flow strongly; intention to drive away darkness and call down radiant strength.
Use before demanding work or during depression/lethargy: invoke a surge of luminous force after rejecting intrusive negativity.
āṛṣa: imperative/aoristic from √ṛṣ ‘rush, flow’; kanikradat: intensive/desiderative-like formation from √krand ‘to roar’ indicating repeated/insistent sound; dyu- from √div ‘shine’ + -mant ‘possessing’; śuṣma ‘force’ linked to vitality/energy vocabulary in RV.
śuṣma as inner strength-force, victory over darkness (rakṣas)
Rakṣas represent disorder and obstruction; their removal allows ṛta to act through radiant strength.
The ‘cry’ symbolizes truth-force asserting itself against falsehood and inertia.
From conflict to manifestation: expulsion of darkness releases a higher creative dynamis.
Psychological Veda: adverse forces as subconscient formations; Soma as Ananda transforming into tejas.
A powerful inner current that, after clearing darkness, becomes a radiant strength felt as uplift, clarity, and victorious momentum.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The roaring surge of Soma against rakṣas: a vivid battle-image where the luminous stream becomes a warrior-current. Psychologically, the awakened delight-force rises with a powerful vibration that breaks the subconscient darkness and releases ‘uttama śuṣma’—highest strength.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyu- (dyumant) reflects PIE *dei̯w- ‘shine/sky’; √krand ‘roar’ shares the widespread IE sound-symbolic field for loud cry (compare Slavic and Germanic ‘grunt/cry’ fields by function though not strict cognacy); √ṛṣ ‘rush’ aligns with inherited ‘run/flow’ semantics frequent in IE poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi calls for an active intervention: Soma must not only cleanse but surge, cry, and manifest the highest luminous force. The reciprocity is empowerment—Soma’s śuṣma becomes the aspirant’s victorious energy against inner darkness.
On ‘kanikradat’, feel a clear inner call that breaks tamas; then invite ‘dyumantam śuṣmam’ as a bright strength in the solar plexus and heart.
maṇipūra
Bhastrikā (gentle) or 3 strong rounds of breath, then quiet sitting; pair exhale with ‘apa-ghnan’.
Victorious uplift (tejas with Ananda).
Chant 5 or 12 times; after chanting, stand or walk slowly for 2 minutes feeling the ‘surge’ translate into steady, luminous action.
Keep ‘kanikradat’ lively and ringing; observe accents; let ‘dyumantam śuṣmam uttamam’ rise in tone and then settle firmly at the end.
Articulate the sandhi in ‘rakṣaso ’bhy’ cleanly; avoid swallowing the avagraha pause.
apa-ghnan: separate lightly as apa-ghnan; gh is voiced aspirate., abhy arṣa: ‘rṣ’ cluster; keep retroflex ṣ., kanikradat: crisp k; short vowels; final -t audible., dyumantam: dyu as ‘dhyu’ glide; nasal n before t.
Ringing, confident, slightly elevated pitch on the ‘cry’ word; finish with grounded authority.
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