Rig Veda 9.73.8: Mandala 9, Sukta 73, Mantra 8
Sukta 9.73
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna as guardian of ṛta
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
ऋतस्य गोपा न दभाय सुक्रतुस्त्री ष पवित्रा हृद्यन्तरा दधे । विद्वान्त्स विश्वा भुवनाभि पश्यत्यवाजुष्टान्विध्यति कर्ते अव्रतान् ॥
ṛtásya gopā́ ná dábhāya sukrátus trī́ ṣá pavítrā hṛdy àntárā dadhe | vidvā́n sá víśvā bhúvanābhí paśyaty ávā́juṣṭān vidhyati kártē avratā́n ||
Ele é o pastor e guardião do ṛta, impossível de enganar, de vontade pura e perfeita; coloca os três purificadores no íntimo do coração. Sabedor, contempla todos os mundos; fere e abate os indesejados, os sem-lei que urdem a desordem.
Word by Word
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/true law)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोपाः
- guardian, protectorNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (वैदिकः—प्रथमा-एकवचने -आः)Role कर्तृRoot गोपा (प्रातिपदिक; गो + पा)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- दभाय
- harm/cheat (you)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot दभ् (धातु)
- सुक्रतुः
- of good resolve/power, wiseAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (गोपाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सु-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रीः
- threeNumeral/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- पवित्रा
- purifying filters/strainersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- हृद्यन्तरा
- within the heart, inwardAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (पवित्रा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot हृद्य-अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
- दधे
- has placed/has setVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूते/वैदिक-परफेक्ट); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot धा (धातु)
- विद्वान्
- knowing, wiseParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (पश्यति इत्यस्य)Root विद् (धातु) → विद्वस् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनानि
- worlds, beings/realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्म (विश्वा इत्यस्य विशेष्य)Root भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, over, uponIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/उपपदRoot अभि
- पश्यति
- seesVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot दृश् (धातु; पश्य-)
- अवाजुष्टान्
- those not delighting in strength/prize (unfavourable)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अ- + वाजुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- विध्यति
- pierces, strikesVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot व्यध्/विध् (धातु; ‘to pierce/smite’)
- कर्ते
- for the doer/agent (for the performer)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव्रतान्
- without sacred observance, lawlessAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्म (अवाजुष्टान् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root अ- + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): ऋतस्य | गोपाः | न | दभाय | सुक्रतुः | त्रीः | सः | पवित्रा | हृद्यन्तरा | दधे || विद्वान् | सः | विश्वा | भुवनानि | अभि | पश्यति | अवाजुष्टान् | विध्यति | कर्ते | अव्रतान् || 1) गोपा न → गोपाः न (वैदिके प्रथमा-एकवचनस्य -आः)
- 2) त्री ष → त्रीः सः (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धिः)
- 3) हृद्य१॒॑न्तरा → हृद्यन्तरा (समासः: हृद्य + अन्तर)
- 4) विद्वान्त्स → विद्वान् सः (तकारस्य परसवर्ण/सन्धिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He is the guardian-herdsman of ṛta, not to be deceived, of good will; he places the three purifiers within the heart. Knowing, he beholds all worlds and strikes down the unwelcome lawless makers of disorder.
Inner meaning
Soma as the inner guardian of truth (ṛtasya gopāḥ) is the consciousness that cannot be fooled by ego’s substitutions. ‘Sukratu’ is the right-willed intelligence that chooses truth. The ‘three purifiers’ set in the heart indicate a triple filtration in the psychic center: (1) thought, (2) vital impulse, (3) speech—or alternatively the triple powers of inspiration, illumination, intuition—made inward and intimate. From this heart-established purity, the knower sees the whole field of existence and rejects/strikes the ‘avratāḥ’—forces that fabricate crookedness and refuse the soul’s consent.
Universal truth
When truth-guarding awareness is established in the heart through layered purification, discernment becomes panoramic and disorderly tendencies lose their power to rule.
Themes
Ṛta guardianship, Heart-centered purification, Exclusion of the lawless, Threefold discipline
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna seer-tradition; specific rishi uncertain for RV 9.73 in many catalogs
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.73.1-9
Significance
Centers Vedic yoga in the heart: purification is not external washing but installing truth-guardianship and triple clarity within hṛd.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (as ṛtasya gopāḥ)
- Epithets
- ṛtasya gopāḥ, sukratu, vidvān
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (ṛta guardian), Indra (striker of obstruction), Agni (inner priest in the heart)
Cosmic role
Protector of cosmic order; establishes inner instruments of purification; rejects hostile and disorder-making forces.
Inner power
Heart-seated truth-sense (psychic discernment) that integrates the being and gives panoramic seeing.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification and offering; also protective invocations within Soma sequences
ऋ॒तस्य॑ गो॒पा न दभा॑य सु॒क्रतु॒स्त्री ष प॒वित्रा॑ हृ॒द्य१॒॑न्तरा द॑धे । वि॒द्वान्त्स विश्वा॒ भुव॑ना॒भि प॑श्य॒त्यवाजु॑ष्टान्विध्यति क॒र्ते अ॑व्र॒तान् ॥
ऋ॒तस्य॑ । गो॒पाः । न । दभा॑य । सु॒ऽक्रतुः॑ । त्री । सः । प॒वित्रा॑ । हृ॒दि । अ॒न्तः । आ । द॒धे॒ । वि॒द्वान् । सः । विश्वा॑ । भुव॑ना । अ॒भि । प॒श्य॒ति॒ । अव॑ । अजु॑ष्टान् । वि॒ध्य॒ति । क॒र्ते । अ॒व्र॒तान् ॥
ṛtasya | gopāḥ | na | dabhāya | su-kratuḥ | trī | saḥ | pavitrā | hṛdi | antaḥ | ā | dadhe | vidvān | saḥ | viśvā | bhuvanā | abhi | paśyati | ava | ajuṣṭān | vidhyati | karte | avratān
48
4×12 (approx.)
Stately and declarative; suited to proclamation of guardianship and inner establishment.
Creates a protective, centered feeling; supports heart-based steadiness and moral clarity.
- ṛtasya gopāḥ
- Literal: herdsman/guardian of ṛta. Symbolic: protective discernment that keeps truth intact
- na dabhāya
- Literal: not to be deceived. Symbolic: incorruptible inner witness
- sukratu
- Literal: good will/wise resolve. Symbolic: right intention aligned with truth
- trī pavitrā
- Literal: three purifiers. Symbolic: triple inner filtration (mind-vital-speech or inspiration-illumination-intuition)
- hṛdi antaḥ
- Literal: within the heart. Symbolic: psychic center where sincerity and truth-consent reside
- vidvān
- Literal: knowing. Symbolic: gnosis-like discernment born of purification
- viśvā bhuvanā abhi paśyati
- Literal: sees all worlds. Symbolic: integral awareness across planes of being
- avājuṣṭān
- Literal: unwelcomed, not accepted. Symbolic: movements the soul refuses—false suggestions
- karte avratān
- Literal: makers, lawless. Symbolic: constructive but perverse forces that build disorder in life
Inner installation of purifying agencies ‘in the heart’; ritual correlates with Soma’s triple filtration/clarification stages (often mapped to threefold powers)
During Soma straining/offerings when affirming ṛta and excluding impurities
Chant to ‘guard’ the rite and establish purity
As a heart-protection mantra: before sleep or before entering challenging environments; to reaffirm boundaries against inner/outer negativity.
gopā ‘cow-protector/guardian’ from go ‘cow/ray’ + √pā ‘protect’ (PIE *peh₂-). krátu ‘will, power of effective intention’ (Indo-Iranian central term for conscious force). hṛd ‘heart’ (inner center). vidh- √vyadh/vidh ‘to pierce, strike’. ajus- √juṣ ‘to enjoy/approve’ with a- negation → not accepted by the divine order.
Ṛta guarded within the heart, threefold purification (possible triad: body-life-mind; or three filters/pressings), kratu as conscious will, discernment across worlds
Explicit: Soma is guardian of ṛta and enforces it by excluding avratāḥ.
Satya becomes stable when installed in the heart through triple purification.
Order is maintained by guardianship and discrimination; worlds are held together by truth-sense.
Vedic integral psychology; anticipates later yogic emphasis on heart-center sincerity.
Herdsman = vigilant guidance of thoughts/energies; three purifiers = layered refinement of the being; worlds = planes of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘the guardian of ṛta’ who keeps the luminous cattle (go = rays/knowledges) safe and installs purifying powers in the heart. The striking down of avratā́n is the inner version of the slaying of obstructors—removal of disordering impulses from the psychic field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- go/pā (guardian) is a classic IE pastoral metaphor repurposed for cognition (cows = lights). √pā ‘protect’ is PIE *peh₂-. The semantic extension of ‘worlds’ (bhuvana) from √bhū ‘become’ reflects the IE ontological vocabulary of becoming.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi acknowledges a divine governance within: Soma as ṛta’s guardian places purifiers inside the heart, enabling the seeker’s inner order. The reciprocity is consent to purification; the Devatā responds with knowledge-vision and removal of hostile forces.
Rest attention in the heart; invoke a ‘guardian of truth’ presence that filters thoughts in three layers before they become speech/action.
Anāhata (heart)
Coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while mentally repeating ‘ṛtasya gopāḥ’.
From vulnerability to protected sincerity; from confusion to panoramic discernment.
Visualize three luminous filters in the heart-lotus: (1) truth of thought, (2) purity of motive, (3) kindness/precision of speech. Let any ‘unwelcome’ impulse dissolve before it acts.
Give clear udātta on ṛtásya, gopā́, sukrátuḥ, vidvā́n; maintain smooth flow in compounds.
Keep ‘trī ṣa pavitrā’ articulated as a clear triad; avoid swallowing consonants in vidhyati, avratān.
ṛtasya: vocalic ṛ, gopā: long ā, dabhāya: bh voiced aspirate, sukratuḥ: short u; retroflex ṭ? (not here) keep dental t, pavitrā: long ā, hṛdi: vocalic ṛ, vidvān: dv cluster, bhuvanābhi: split bhuvanā | abhi, avājuṣṭān: long ā; ṣṭ cluster, vidhyati: dhy cluster, avratān: vr cluster clear
Warm, heart-resonant, steady; slight firmness on the ‘striking down’ phrase without aggression.
5
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