Rig Veda 9.92.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 92, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.92
- Rishi
- Rebha Kāśyapa
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
तव त्ये सोम पवमान निण्ये विश्वे देवास्त्रय एकादशासः । दश स्वधाभिरधि सानो अव्ये मृजन्ति त्वा नद्यः सप्त यह्वीः ॥
táva tyé soma pavamāna niṇyé víśve devā́s tráya ekādaśā́saḥ | dáśa svadhā́bhir ádhi sā́no avyé mṛjánti tvā nadyàḥ saptá yáhvīḥ ||
В твоих сокрытых глубинах, о Сома-павамана, действуют все боги — трое и одиннадцать; и десять — со своими собственными силами (svadhā). На шерстяном гребне (фильтре) они очищают тебя; семь могучих рек омывают тебя, ведя к сиянию.
Word by Word
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्ये
- thosePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (with मृजन्ति)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNounसम्बोधन (voc.), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवमान
- O purifying oneAdjective (epithet)सम्बोधन (voc.), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (सोम-सम्बोधन)Role सम्बोधनRoot पवमान (√पू/√पु ‘to purify, cleanse’ → पवमान ‘purifying, being purified’)
- नि॒ण्ये
- in the hidden (place)Nounसप्तमी (loc.), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole अधिकारणRoot नि॒ण्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘secret/inner place, hidden recess’)
- विश्वे
- allAdjectiveप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (देवाः-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (with मृजन्ति)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- the godsNounप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (with मृजन्ति)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रयः
- threeNumeralप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (देवाः-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (as qualifier)Root त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- एकादशासः
- the elevenNumeral (collective/denominative adjective)प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (देवाः-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (as qualifier)Root एकादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + -as (बहुवचन-प्रत्यय)
- दश
- tenNumeralप्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन, (सामान्यतः पुं.)—अत्र ‘नद्यः’ (स्त्री.)-सङ्ख्या-विशेषणरूपेण अव्ययवत्Role कर्तृ (with मृजन्ति; as qualifier of नद्यः)Root दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वधाभिः
- with (their) स्वधा-powers / inherent powersNounतृतीया (instr.), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole करणRoot स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- uponIndeclinableअव्यय; ‘upon/over’Role अधिकारण-सम्बन्ध (preverbial/locative relation)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सानो
- on the ridge / on the summitNounसप्तमी (loc.), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वेदे ‘सानो’ = ‘सानौ’ प्रकारः)Role अधिकारणRoot सानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव्ये
- on/at the ewe (i.e., the woolen filter)Nounसप्तमी (loc.), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole अधिकारणRoot अवि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sheep/ewe’; also ‘wool’ by extension)
- मृजन्ति
- they cleanse / purifyVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √मृज् (मार्जने ‘to wipe, cleanse, purify’)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया (acc.), एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नद्यः
- the rivers/streamsNounप्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (with मृजन्ति)Root नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralप्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन—अत्र ‘यह्वीः’ (स्त्री.)-सङ्ख्या-विशेषणरूपेण अव्ययवत्Role कर्तृ (as qualifier of यह्वीः)Root सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- यह्वीः
- the swift/mighty (ones)Adjective (used substantively)प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (with मृजन्ति)Root यह्वी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘swift/impetuous, mighty’—नदी-विशेषण)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): तव | त्ये | सोम | पवमान | नि॒ण्ये | विश्वे | देवाः | त्रयः | एकादशासः || दश | स्वधाभिः | अधि | सानो | अव्ये | मृजन्ति | त्वा | नद्यः | सप्त | यह्वीः । विशेष: ‘देवास्त्रय’ = ‘देवाः त्रयः’ (विसर्ग-लोप/संयोग), ‘एकादशासः’ संख्याशब्दस्य बहुवचन-प्रथमा, ‘सानो’ वेदिक-रूप (loc. sg. of सानु), ‘दश’ ‘सप्त’ स्त्रीलिङ्ग-विशेष्ये (नद्यः/यह्वीः) संख्याविशेषणरूपेण।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, in his hidden depths, is served by all the gods—groups of three, eleven, and ten—who cleanse him on the woollen filter; seven mighty rivers wash him into brightness.
Inner meaning
The delight-principle (Soma) is purified in the secret subliminal being (niṇya). All divine powers of the consciousness (the “gods” as faculties) collaborate: the triple powers (e.g., illumination–force–harmony), the eleven vital-mental energies, and the ten capacities of integral action, each working by its own svadhā (inherent law). On the “woolly ridge” (the filter of discernment), the streams of the being—seven rivers—clarify the mixed movements and carry the essence into luminous awareness.
Universal truth
Inner transformation is collective: awakening involves many coordinated powers. Purification happens through discernment and the steady flow of conscious energies, until delight becomes luminous and governable.
Themes
Soma-ritual, seven rivers, pantheon cooperation, purification into light
The seer
- Rishi
- Ascribed to the Soma Pavamāna Mandala tradition (Kānva/Angirasa-associated liturgical corpus); specific rishi not preserved in the provided source.
- Other hymns
- RV 9.92.1-7 (context hymn), RV 9.93.1-6 (adjacent Soma-purification sequence)
Family tradition
Book 9 is a specialized liturgical collection of Soma hymns, compiled from multiple seer-families; verses often function as mantra-units for the Pavitra (filtering) rite.
Significance
The ‘unknown’ attribution itself mirrors the teaching: Soma’s purification is an impersonal, universal yogic process; the seerhood here is collective—many powers seeing and acting in the inner sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (self-purifying), Indu (bright drop), Soma (nectar of delight)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Viśve Devāḥ, Sarasvatī (as river-power/flow of inspiration)
Cosmic role
Purifier and intensifier of the sacrifice; carrier of offerings to the gods; awakener of light and immortality in the worlds.
Inner power
Ananda that clarifies mind and life, making consciousness luminous, coherent, and receptive to higher truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma Pavamāna pressing and filtration (pavitra) within Soma-yajña.
तव॒ त्ये सो॑म पवमान नि॒ण्ये विश्वे॑ दे॒वास्त्रय॑ एकाद॒शास॑: । दश॑ स्व॒धाभि॒रधि॒ सानो॒ अव्ये॑ मृ॒जन्ति॑ त्वा न॒द्य॑: स॒प्त य॒ह्वीः ॥
तव॑ । त्ये । सो॒म॒ । प॒व॒मा॒न॒ । नि॒ण्ये । विश्वे॑ । दे॒वाः । त्रयः॑ । ए॒का॒द॒शासः॑ । दश॑ । स्व॒धाभिः॑ । अधि॑ । सानौ॑ । अव्ये॑ । मृ॒जन्ति॑ । त्वा॒ । न॒द्यः॑ । स॒प्त । य॒ह्वीः ॥
tava | tye | soma | pavamāna | niṇye | viśve | devāḥ | trayaḥ | ekādaśāsaḥ | daśa | svadhābhiḥ | adhi | sānau | avye | mṛjanti | tvā | nadyaḥ | sapta | yahvīḥ
48
4 pādas of ~12 syllables
Long, flowing cadence suited to ‘streaming’ imagery and sustained concentration.
Induces a sense of continuous inner flow—helpful for meditation on purification and coordinated inner workings.
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma-juice. Symbolic: Divine Bliss/Ananda distilled in consciousness
- पवमान (pavamāna)
- Literal: purifying, flowing clear. Symbolic: The bliss-force self-clarifying through sadhana
- नि॒ण्ये (niṇye)
- Literal: hidden, secret place. Symbolic: Subliminal/deeper layers of being where transformation occurs
- विश्वे देवाः (viśve devāḥ)
- Literal: all the gods. Symbolic: All divine faculties/powers in the seeker working together
- त्रयः (trayaḥ)
- Literal: three. Symbolic: Triple principle (often interpreted as mind–life–body or knowledge–will–harmony) brought into unity
- एकादशासः (ekādaśāsaḥ)
- Literal: elevenfold. Symbolic: Vital-mental energies/senses-force organized for the sacrifice
- दश (daśa)
- Literal: ten. Symbolic: Complete powers of action/perfection (ten directions/capacities)
- स्वधाभिः (svadhābhiḥ)
- Literal: by their own powers. Symbolic: Innate law of each faculty acting rightly (self-nature aligned to Truth)
- सानौ अव्ये (sāno avye)
- Literal: on the woollen ridge. Symbolic: Filter of discrimination; the subtle sheath that separates truth from mixture
- सप्त यह्वीः नद्यः (sapta yahvīḥ nadyaḥ)
- Literal: seven mighty rivers. Symbolic: Seven streams of consciousness/energies carrying purification into light
Soma strained on wool (ávya) and washed by waters; invoked as supported by the whole pantheon in the Soma sacrifice. Inner sense: multiple god-powers collaborate to purify delight within the hidden depths of the being.
During Soma pressing/straining sequences; chanted as Soma flows through the filter into vessels.
Straining Soma through wool; collecting in jars; invoking divine cooperation for purity.
Use as a purification mantra before meditation: ‘let all inner powers cooperate; let the seven streams clarify the being’.
niṇyá ‘hidden’ relates to √nī ‘lead down/in’ with a sense of ‘inward/secret’. mṛjanti < √mṛj ‘wipe clean, polish’: purification as brightening, not mere removal. svadhā is ‘self-established power’ (sva + dhā from √dhā ‘place’): each god acts by an inherent law-force. The numbers (3, 11, 10) are symbolic enumerations of coordinated divine functions operating in Soma’s purification.
Rita (coordinated divine order implied by numerical harmonies), svadhā (inherent power/law), hidden depth (niṇya) as inner cave of consciousness
Purification aligns the many god-powers into a single ordered movement (Ṛta) within the seeker.
Soma becomes ‘bright’ when truth is separated from mixture; inner delight stabilizes in Satya.
Emergence of light from hidden depths through the action of streams/powers.
Proto-Vedāntic and Integral-Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as psychological powers; Soma as Ananda.
Filtering = discrimination; rivers = currents of prāṇa and thought; brightness = clarified awareness in which delight becomes luminous and steady.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘washing of Soma by the seven rivers’ and cleansing on the woolly ridge: a recurring Vedic mythic image where the divine essence is clarified by waters/streams. Psychologically, the many currents of consciousness (seven) and the total godhead collaborate to purify the delight-force hidden within.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mṛj ‘wipe/clean’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan marəz- ‘cleanse’), showing a shared ritual-psychological lexicon. The prominence of ‘waters/rivers’ (nadyàḥ) continues the IE sacral valuation of waters as purifiers and bearers of inspiration.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames Soma’s purification as a coordinated divine operation rather than a human act alone: the gods cleanse Soma ‘in your hidden place’. The implied reciprocity is that when the human offers the process (fleece, summit, waters), the divine powers activate their svadhā to reveal Soma’s clarified force from within the secret depth.
Feel Soma as a subtle nectar in the heart-mind being clarified by steady inner currents; invoke all faculties to collaborate rather than conflict.
Anahata (bliss/expansion) and Ajna (discernment/filter).
Nadi-śodhana-like gentle alternate breathing; on exhale imagine ‘washing’ impurities into clarity.
Quiet, luminous flow; integrative harmony of powers.
Before japa, sit still and ‘offer’ scattered movements into a single stream; repeat the mantra slowly, imagining seven currents cleansing the inner instrument.
Use Vedic svara as per śākhā tradition; generally maintain udatta on marked syllables and allow svarita fall on following syllables (exact accents require pada-svara notation).
Keep ‘pavamāna’ and ‘viśve devāḥ’ clear and slightly lifted; avoid flattening compound clusters like ‘ekādaśāsaḥ’.
niṇye: retroflex ṇ; keep short ‘i’, svadhābhiḥ: aspirate ‘dh’, visarga softly audible, yahvīḥ: long ī; do not drop the final ḥ, mṛjanti: vocalic ṛ, light ‘j’
Clear, flowing, slightly resonant; imagine a continuous stream.
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