Rig Veda 9.86.39: Mandala 9, Sukta 86, Mantra 39
Sukta 9.86
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
गोवित्पवस्व वसुविद्धिरण्यविद्रेतोधा इन्दो भुवनेष्वर्पितः । त्वं सुवीरो असि सोम विश्ववित्तं त्वा विप्रा उप गिरेम आसते ॥
govít pavasva vasuvíd híraṇyavíd reto-dhā́ indo bhuvaneṣv árpitaḥ | tvaṃ suvī́ro asi soma viśvavít taṃ tvā viprā́ úpa girém āsate ||
Oczyść się jako znalazca Promieni światła, znalazca pełni, znalazca złotego oświecenia, o Indu - niosący nasienie umieszczony w światach. Jesteś dawcą heroicznej siły, o Somo, znawcą wszystkiego; do ciebie widzi zbliżają się ze swoim śpiewem.
Word by Word
- गोवित्
- O cow-finder (winner of cattle)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (विशेषण) / कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot गो-वित् (प्रातिपदिक; गो ‘cow’ + √विद् ‘to know/find’ → ‘finder/knower of cows’)
- पवस्व
- purify yourself; flow forthVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √पू (पवते) ‘to purify/flow’
- वसुवित्
- O wealth-finderAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (विशेषण)Root वसु-वित् (प्रातिपदिक; वसु ‘wealth’ + √विद्)
- हिरण्यवित्
- O gold-finderAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (विशेषण)Root हिरण्य-वित् (प्रातिपदिक; हिरण्य ‘gold’ + √विद्)
- रेतोधाः
- seed-holder; strength-bearerNoun (agentive epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (विशेषण)Root रेतस्-धा (प्रातिपदिक; रेतस् ‘seed/strength’ + √धा ‘to place/hold’)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘Soma-drop’
- भुवनेषु
- in the worldsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot भुवन (प्रातिपदिक) ‘world, realm’
- अर्पितः
- set/placed; offeredParticiple (past passive)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (इन्दोः)Root √अर्प् ‘to set/offer/attach’ (PPP अर्पित)
- त्वम्
- youPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवीरः
- very heroic; of good heroesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सु-वीर (प्रातिपदिक; सु ‘good’ + वीर ‘hero/strong man’)
- असि
- areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √अस् ‘to be’
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्ववित्
- all-knowing / all-findingAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (त्वम्)Root विश्व-वित् (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व ‘all’ + √विद्)
- तम्
- him (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उप + आ√सद् इत्यस्य)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचन (वेदिक-रूप)Role कर्म (उप + आ√सद् इत्यस्य)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्राः
- the seers/priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) ‘inspired sage’
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableRole क्रियाविशेषण (उपसर्ग)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- गिरेम्
- a hymn; song of praiseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेदिक-रूप: -इम्)Role कर्म (आ√सद् ‘to approach’—‘approach with/for a song’)Root गिर् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘song, hymn, praise’
- आसते
- sit (attend); approach and sit byVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √आस्/√सद् with आ- (आ√सद्/आस्) ‘to sit/attend/approach’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): गोवित् पवस्व वसुवित् हिरण्यवित् रेतोधाः इन्दो भुवनेषु अर्पितः । त्वम् सुवीरः असि सोम विश्ववित् तम् त्वा विप्राः उप गिरेम् आसते ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) हिरण्य॒विद्रे॑तो॒धा → हिरण्यवित् + रेतोधाः (त् + र् संयोग)
- (2) इन्दो॒ भुव॑ने॒ष्वर्पि॑तः → भुवनेषु + अर्पितः (उ + अ → व्-अ: ‘ष्व’)
- (3) सुवीरो॑ असि → सुवीरः + असि (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि)
- (4) विश्व॒वित्तं → विश्ववित् + तम् (त् + त → त्त)
- (5) त्वा॒ विप्रा॒ → त्वा + विप्राः (पद-सीमा; उच्चारण-संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Purify yourself as finder of cows (rays), finder of wealth, finder of gold; seed-bearer Indu set within the worlds. You are giver of heroic sons/strength and knower of all; the seers sit near you with their chants.
Inner meaning
Soma’s purification yields discoveries: go-vit is not cattle but the recovery of rays—lost illuminations in the subconscient. Vasu-vit is the finding of stable inner resources; hiraṇya-vit is the finding of golden higher light. As retodhā, Soma carries the ‘seed’ of new consciousness—creative potency implanted in the worlds of our nature (bhuvaneṣv arpitaḥ). From this arises suvīra: heroic force in the soul and life, enabling victorious action. The viprāḥ ‘sit near’—the illumined faculties gather around this purified delight, sustaining it by mantra and aspiration.
Universal truth
When delight is purified, it becomes a power of discovery: it restores light, substance, and higher value, and implants a creative seed that generates heroic capacity and integral knowledge.
Themes
Soma-ritual, recovery of light (cows), spiritual wealth, mantric approach of the seers
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.86 (sequence on Soma’s purifying discoveries), RV 9.48 (Soma as finder of light/wealth), RV 9.62 (Soma and the release of rays)
Family tradition
Ninth Maṇḍala Soma liturgical corpus; transmitted as a collective seer-vision tied to the Soma rite and inner ascent symbolism.
Significance
Embodies the key Aurobindonian motif: ‘finding the cows’ as recovering hidden illuminations; Soma is the delight-force that makes knowledge and heroic action possible.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- govit (finder of rays), vasuvit (finder of plenitude), hiraṇyavit (finder of golden light), retodhā (seed-bearer), suvīra (giver of heroic force), viśvavit (all-knower)
- Related deities
- Indra (receives strength/illumination from Soma), Sarasvatī (inspired word near Soma), Bṛhaspati (word-power that opens the hidden light)
Cosmic role
Soma as the clarifying nectar that unlocks light and abundance, fertilizes the worlds with creative consciousness, and empowers the seers’ inspiration.
Inner power
Ananda that reveals (illumination), stabilizes (plenitude), and generates (seed-power) a new birth of the being—heroic and all-knowing.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna Soma chanting during filtration and preparation for offering
गो॒वित्प॑वस्व वसु॒विद्धि॑रण्य॒विद्रे॑तो॒धा इ॑न्दो॒ भुव॑ने॒ष्वर्पि॑तः । त्वं सु॒वीरो॑ असि सोम विश्व॒वित्तं त्वा॒ विप्रा॒ उप॑ गि॒रेम आ॑सते ॥
गो॒ऽवित् । प॒व॒स्व॒ । व॒सु॒ऽवित् । हि॒र॒ण्य॒ऽवित् । रे॒तः॒ऽधाः । इ॒न्दो॒ इति॑ । भुव॑नेषु । अर्पि॑तः । त्वम् । सु॒ऽवीरः॑ । अ॒सि॒ । सो॒म॒ । वि॒श्व॒ऽवित् । तम् । त्वा॒ । विप्राः॑ । उप॑ । गि॒रा । उ॒मे । आ॒स॒ते॒ ॥
go-vit | pavasva | vasu-vit | hiraṇya-vit | retaḥ-dhāḥ | indo iti | bhuvaneṣu | arpitaḥ | tvam | su-vīraḥ | asi | soma | viśva-vit | tam | tvā | viprāḥ | upa | girā | ume | āsate
48
4 × 12 syllables
Expansive, enumerative rhythm (govit/vasuvit/hiraṇyavit) that feels like successive unveilings.
Builds a stepwise sense of attainment—light, plenitude, gold—then settles into communion as the viprāḥ ‘sit near’.
- गोवित् (govit)
- Literal: finder of cows. Symbolic: finder of rays of knowledge/illumination (go = light-rays)
- वसुवित् (vasuvit)
- Literal: finder of wealth. Symbolic: discoverer of inner plenitude: energies, capacities, supports
- हिरण्यवित् (hiraṇyavit)
- Literal: finder of gold. Symbolic: recoverer of golden illumination (higher mind/gnosis)
- रेतोधाः (retodhāḥ)
- Literal: seed-bearer, semen-holder. Symbolic: carrier of the creative seed of transformation; generative potency of consciousness
- भुवनेषु अर्पितः (bhuvaneṣu arpitaḥ)
- Literal: set/placed in the worlds. Symbolic: implanted in the planes of our being; operative in embodied life
- सुवीरः (suvīraḥ)
- Literal: having good heroes/sons. Symbolic: producer of heroic energies; courageous life-force under illumination
- विश्ववित् (viśvavit)
- Literal: knower of all. Symbolic: integral knowing that harmonizes the parts of nature
- विप्राः (viprāḥ)
- Literal: seers, inspired poets. Symbolic: illumined faculties of intuition and inspired mind that serve the ascent
Praise formula emphasizing Soma as bestower of illumination (go) and creative potency (retas) during pressing/purification
As Soma is clarified and approached by officiants; supportive of inviting boons and inspiration.
Recitation/chant to consecrate the purified Soma and invoke discoveries (light/wealth/gold).
Meditation for ‘recovering lost light’: use before study, creative work, or inner inquiry to invite intuitive rays and courageous energy.
go-vít, vasu-vít, hiraṇya-vít: compounds with -vít ‘finding’ from √vid ‘find/know’ (distinct from √vid ‘know’ but historically related semantic field). reto-dhā́: dhā from √dhā ‘place, hold’; ‘holding seed’ = sustaining creative power in the worlds. viprá: often linked to √vip/√vep ‘tremble’ → inspired, vibrating speech.
knowledge as light (go), creative essence (retas) as spiritual potency, universal knowing (viśvavit)
Discovery (vit) occurs when Soma’s flow aligns the being with ṛta, releasing what was covered.
viśvavit points to knowledge that is whole, not fragmented—truth as integrality.
retodhā: the cosmos and the seeker are renewed by a seed of consciousness planted in the worlds.
Integral-psychological Vedism (Aurobindo/Kashyap): cows as illuminations; Soma as ananda-substance enabling gnosis.
Rays of light emerge from inner night; gold is higher luminous mind; seed is transformative intention/consciousness-potential entering embodied life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘finding of the cows’ transposed onto Soma: Soma as govít recovers the rays of illumination hidden in obscurity. Along with that, Soma is reto-dhā́, sustaining the creative seed in the worlds—knowledge and generative power together.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid ‘know/find’ reflects PIE *weyd- ‘see, know’ (Greek oîda, Latin vidēre). √dhā ‘place’ reflects PIE *dʰeh₁- (Greek títhēmi, Latin faciō is different; but Latin dō ‘give’ is related to *deh₃-, distinct). go ‘cow/light’ is Indo-Iranian *gau- from PIE *gʷou- (English cow).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seers ‘sit near’ (upa…āsate) Soma with their girā—mantra as approach and receptivity. Soma reciprocates as the all-knower and finder: he brings illumination (go), plenitude (vasu), and luminous richness (hiraṇya) into the practitioner’s established life in the worlds.
‘Finding the cows’: invite intuitive rays to arise; feel Soma as sweet clarity that plants a new intention-seed in the being.
Ajna (illumination), Manipura (heroic force), Anahata (delight as support)
Three-stage breath: inhale ‘go’ (light) to brow, hold gently ‘retas’ (seed) in navel, exhale ‘vasu’ (stability) into the whole body.
Bright, inspired, quietly courageous; receptive to mantra-born intuition.
Repeat the verse, then sit silently as if the viprāḥ within gather around a luminous cup; note one ‘ray’ of insight and one ‘heroic’ action it calls for.
Rigvedic accents as per padapāṭha; keep udātta prominence on compounds like govit/vasuvit/hiraṇyavit; śākhā-specific contours vary.
Let the first pāda be crisp and enumerative; broaden on bhuvaneṣv arpitaḥ; soften and intimate on viprā upa…āsate.
(govit): short i, dental t., (hiraṇyavit): clear ṇya cluster; avoid ‘hiranya’ flattening., (retodhāḥ): long āḥ with visarga; keep dh aspirated., (viprāḥ): long āḥ; light visarga at end.
Bright, articulated, slightly uplifting; end with a seated, reverent tone.
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