Rig Veda 9.90.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 90, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.90
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अभि त्रिपृष्ठं वृषणं वयोधामाङ्गूषाणामवावशन्त वाणीः । वना वसानो वरुणो न सिन्धून्वि रत्नधा दयते वार्याणि ॥
abhí trí-pṛṣṭhaṃ vṛ́ṣaṇaṃ vayó-dhāmāṅgūṣā́ṇām avāvaśanta vā́ṇīḥ | vánā vásāno váruṇo ná síndhūn ví ratna-dhā́ dayate vā́ryāṇi ||
К трёхспинному Быку, обители дыхания жизни, взывают звучащие голоса певцов. Облачённый в леса, как Варуна, он движется среди рек; как хранитель сокровищ, он раздаёт избраннейшие дары.
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग)
- त्रिपृष्ठम्
- three-backed / having three ridgesAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (कर्मणि; वृषणम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot त्रिपृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + पृष्ठ)
- वृषणम्
- the bull; the vigorous one (Soma)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वृषण (प्रातिपदिक)
- वयोधाम
- having the abode of strength/vitalityNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: -धाम = -धामानम्)Role KarmaRoot वयोधामन् (प्रातिपदिक; वयस् + धामन्)
- अङ्गूषाणाम्
- of the hymns/chantingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचनRoot अङ्गूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवावशन्त
- they made (him) eager / they gladdened, they caused to desireVerbलुङ् (आओरिस्ट/वैदिक), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √वश् (वशँ कान्तौ/वशे) + अव (उपसर्ग); वैदिक पुनरुक्त-आओरिस्ट/इम्पर्फेक्ट
- वाणीः
- voices, utterances (songs)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
- वना
- woods; (figuratively) forest-like (streams/places)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वन (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसानः
- clothing himself; wearingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), आत्मनेपद-भाव, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot √वस् (वस् आच्छादने) → वसान (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमान/उपमेय-सम्बन्धे)Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- सिन्धून्
- rivers, streamsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- रत्नधा
- treasure-bestowing; placing treasuresIndeclinable (adverbial epithet)अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Root रत्नधा (अव्ययीभाव/कृदन्त-निपात; रत्न + √धा ‘to place’ → ‘placing treasures’)
- दयते
- he gives, he apportionsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √दा/√दय् (वैदिक: √दा ‘to give’/‘to apportion’; रूप: दयते)
- वार्याणि
- desirable gifts/boonsNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वृ ‘to choose’ → ‘choice, desirable’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अभि | त्रिपृष्ठम् | वृषणम् | वयोधाम | अङ्गूषाणाम् | अवावशन्त | वाणीः || वना | वसानः | वरुणः | न | सिन्धून् | वि | रत्नधा | दयते | वार्याणि || 1) वयो॒धामा॑ङ्गू॒षाणा॑म् = वयोधाम् + अङ्गूषाणाम् (म् + अ → म् अ; संहितायां ‘मा’ इव दीर्घाभास/स्वरसंयोगः)
- 2) सिन्धू॒न्वि = सिन्धून् + वि (न् + व → न्व्)
- 3) रत्न॒धा द॑यते = रत्नधा + दयते (पदविरामेण पृथक्; संहितायां सन्धिः न बाध्यते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singers’ voices cry toward the three-backed Bull, the home of life-breath. Wearing the woods, like Varuṇa he moves among the rivers; as a holder of treasures he distributes the choicest boons.
Inner meaning
Soma Pavamāna is the Bull—fertile power—supporting a ‘three-backed’ structure: a triple foundation of consciousness (often read as the three planes or triple world; psychologically, body–life–mind, or the triple seat of force). As ‘vayodhāman’ he is the dwelling of prāṇa: purified delight reorganizes the life-force and gives it a stable habitation. The inspired utterances (vāṇīḥ) press toward this power, because mantra and purified delight mutually intensify. ‘Wearing the woods’ suggests Soma clothed in the raw energies of nature (vana), now taken up and refined; like Varuṇa (vast law and wideness), he moves through the ‘rivers’ (sindhu)—the many currents of consciousness—maintaining order and wideness. As ratnadhā (treasure-holder), he apportions vāryāṇi, the best desirable boons: clarity, wideness, and joyous force distributed across the being.
Universal truth
When inspiration (mantric speech) turns toward purified delight, life-breath finds a true dwelling; the many inner currents come under a wide law, and the best capacities are distributed harmoniously through the system.
Themes
Soma praised by voices, Ṛta and Varuṇa comparison, Treasure-distribution, Triple foundation
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.90 (traditional hymn attribution in some lists)
Significance
The seer’s vision links mantra-voice with Soma-force: inspired speech is not ornament but an effective pressure that awakens and distributes higher energies.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- vṛṣan (bull), tripṛṣṭha (three-backed), vayodhāman (home of life), ratnadhā (treasure-holder)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa, Mitra, Indra, Maruts
Cosmic role
Organizer of life-currents and distributor of boons; purifier who brings wideness and lawful flow among the streams.
Inner power
Purified ānanda that stabilizes prāṇa and spreads harmonious capacities through mind and life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna Soma chants in soma-yajña filtration/pressing context
अ॒भि त्रि॑पृ॒ष्ठं वृष॑णं वयो॒धामा॑ङ्गू॒षाणा॑मवावशन्त॒ वाणी॑: । वना॒ वसा॑नो॒ वरु॑णो॒ न सिन्धू॒न्वि र॑त्न॒धा द॑यते॒ वार्या॑णि ॥
अ॒भि । त्रि॒ऽपृ॒ष्ठम् । वृष॑णम् । व॒यः॒ऽधाम् । आ॒ङ्गू॒षाणा॑म् । अ॒वा॒व॒श॒न्त॒ । वाणीः॑ । वना॑ । वसा॑नः । वरु॑णः । न । सिन्धू॑न् । वि । र॒त्न॒ऽधाः । द॒य॒ते॒ । वार्या॑णि ॥
abhi | tri-pṛṣṭham | vṛṣaṇam | vayaḥ-dhām | āṅgūṣāṇām | avāvaśanta | vāṇīḥ | vanā | vasānaḥ | varuṇaḥ | na | sindhūn | vi | ratna-dhāḥ | dayate | vāryāṇi
48
4 × ~12
Broad and river-like, with a distributing cadence.
Induces wideness and regulated flow—useful for calming scattered prāṇa while keeping vigor.
- त्रिपृष्ठम् (tripṛṣṭham)
- Literal: three-backed. Symbolic: triple foundation/vehicle of consciousness (e.g., body–life–mind; or three worlds) stabilized by Soma
- वृषणम् (vṛṣaṇam)
- Literal: bull, potent one. Symbolic: generative force of delight that fecundates thought and life
- वयोधाम (vayodhām)
- Literal: home/dwelling of life-breath. Symbolic: seat where prāṇa becomes organized, uplifted, and sustained
- वाणीः (vāṇīḥ)
- Literal: voices, utterances. Symbolic: inspired mantra-forces seeking the Soma-power
- वना वसानः (vanā vasānaḥ)
- Literal: wearing the woods. Symbolic: clothing himself with natural energies, then refining them
- वरुणो न (varuṇo na)
- Literal: like Varuṇa. Symbolic: wideness, law, and harmonizing order moving through the currents
- सिन्धून् (sindhūn)
- Literal: rivers. Symbolic: streams/currents of consciousness and life-movement
- रत्नधा (ratnadhā)
- Literal: treasure-holder. Symbolic: holder and distributor of inner riches (light, joy, power)
Chanted by singers (āṅgūṣa) in Soma rite; emphasizes Soma as distributor of boons and as moving with Varuṇa-like order through the streams.
During purification/flow of Soma; sung/recited as Soma is ‘made ready’
Chanting accompanying filtration; invoking Soma as treasure-distributor and regulator of currents
For breath regulation and emotional harmonization: chant to gather scattered energies into a wide, ordered flow.
tri-pṛṣṭha suggests a triple support (often read as three worlds/three planes). vayodhāman: dhāman from √dhā ‘place/seat’, vayas ‘vitality, life-force’. ratna-dhā continues √dhā. vārya ‘to be chosen’ from √vṛ ‘choose’ (PIE *wel- ‘to choose/wish’ debated). Varuṇa comparison signals ordered, law-governed movement of Soma through the streams.
triple world/three planes (tri-pṛṣṭha), Varuṇa-like ṛta governance, distribution of chosen boons (vārya)
Varuṇa-simile emphasizes ṛta as wide law regulating the ‘rivers’ of becoming.
Vāryāṇi as ‘best boons’ correspond to truth-choices (satya-vrata) that refine life.
Stabilizing a triple foundation and distributing powers through the streams.
Integral symbolic psychology of the Veda (Aurobindo/Kashyap style).
Bull = potent delight-force; woods = raw life energies; rivers = prāṇic/mental currents; voices = mantra-shakti pressing toward realization.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The praised Bull moving through rivers like Varuṇa: Soma is both potent force and law-governed distributor of boons. Inner sense: the delight-essence, established on a triple foundation, is invoked by mantra-voices and then apportions chosen capacities across the life-streams.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā (PIE *dʰeh₁-) in dhāman and ratna-dhā shows inherited core morphology. The ‘threefold’ cosmological structuring is a recurrent IE pattern (tripartite worlds/functions), though realized distinctively in Vedic idiom.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The singers’ voices actively call Soma into manifestation; Soma responds as ratna-dhā, distributing vārya—chosen inner goods. The exchange is: inspired utterance and receptivity from the human side; ordered bestowal of life-force and treasures from Soma.
Let mantra-voice and breath converge on a stable inner ‘seat’ of delight; feel the life-force housed and regulated.
Viśuddha (mantric voice) + Anāhata (breath-life)
Nādī-śodhana style gentle alternation (or simple equal inhale/exhale) while chanting; visualize rivers becoming clear channels.
Wide, ordered flow; inspired quietude with subtle joy.
Chant softly, feel sound descending into the breath; on each exhale, imagine Soma distributing ‘best boons’ through the body as calm strength.
Maintain Vedic accents as per saṃhitā; watch udātta on key nouns (vṛ́ṣaṇam, síndhūn) depending on recension marking.
Keep compound splits clear: tri-pṛṣṭham; avoid swallowing consonant clusters.
tripṛṣṭham: retroflex ṛṣṭh cluster; articulate ṣṭh distinctly., vayodhām: long ā; avoid turning dh into d., āṅgūṣāṇām: nasalized āṅ-, long ū, retroflex ṣ., vāryāṇi: long ā in vā-, palatal y glide.
Flowing and rounded, like a river; keep resonance in chest and throat.
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