Rig Veda 9.37.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 37, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.37
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
स पवित्रे विचक्षणो हरिरर्षति धर्णसिः । अभि योनिं कनिक्रदत् ॥
sá pavítre vi-cakṣaṇó hárir arṣati dharṇasíḥ | abhí yóniṃ kánikradat ||
स पवित्रे विचक्षणो हरिर् धरणसिः शीघ्रमर्षति। अभि योनिं कनिकृदन् स्वां योनिम्—उत्पत्तिस्थानं निलयञ्च—प्रति गच्छति।
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- पवित्रे
- in/through the filter (sieve)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक) < √पू (पवने/शोधने) + -त्र
- विचक्षणः
- clear-sighted, discerningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) < वि-√चक्ष् (दर्शने) + -ण
- हरिः
- the tawny one (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सः इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्)Root हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्षति
- flows, streamsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √ऋष् (गत्यर्थः/प्रवाहे)
- धर्णसिः
- the supporter/steadfast one (epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अर्षति इत्यस्य कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः; हरिः इत्यस्य विशेषण/उपपद-भावः)Root धर्णसि (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक-रूपम्)
- अभि
- towards, ontoIndeclinable (Preverb/Upasarga)उपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Role दिशा/उपसर्ग-सम्बन्धःRoot अभि
- योनिम्
- the womb; source; seatNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- कनिक्रदत्
- cries aloud repeatedly; resoundsVerb (finite; intensive) / Kṛdanta-like formलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; वैदिके तीव्र/अभ्यास-रूपम्Role क्रियाRoot √क्रन्द् (रुदने/नादे) with intensive/reduplicated stem कनिक्रन्द्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | पवित्रे | विचक्षणः | हरिः | अर्षति | धर्णसिः | अभि | योनिम् | कनिक्रदत् । 1) स पवित्रे → सः पवित्रे (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते, संहितायाम्). 2) पवित्रे विचक्षणो → विचक्षणः (ओ/ः संधि-प्रदर्शनः; पदान्त-ः संहितायाम् ‘ओ’ इव दृश्यते). 3) कनिक्रदत् = वैदिकं अभ्यासयुक्तं (इंटेन्सिव्) √क्रन्द्-धातोः रूपम्
- संहितायां ‘कनि॑क्रदत्’ इति पाठः
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, tawny and discerning, rushes through the filter with sustaining force, crying out as he moves toward his womb/source (the collecting vessel).
Inner meaning
The delight-principle (Soma) in us, made “discerning” by purification (pavitra), pours swiftly with a force that upholds the being (dharṇasiḥ). Its “cry” is the soul’s exultant call as the purified current seeks its own yoni—its true matrix: the settled foundation of consciousness where bliss can abide and be established.
Universal truth
When consciousness is filtered of mixture, joy becomes intelligent and self-guiding; it naturally runs back to its own source and establishes a stable inner home. Purification is not denial but a clarification that lets delight uphold life and return to its origin.
Themes
Purification as discernment, Return to source (yoni), Luminous vitality (hari), Sustaining force (dharṇasi)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.37 (Soma Pavamāna hymn cluster)
Family tradition
RV 9 is a liturgical anthology of Soma-pavamāna verses attributed across multiple seer-families; this verse’s specific r̥ṣi is not securely identified in the provided tradition.
Significance
The anonymity fits the “collective yoga” of the Soma book: the experience is universalized—any aspirant can become the ‘seer’ when the inner Soma is purified and made vicakṣaṇa.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- hari (tawny/golden), vicakṣaṇa (discerning), pavamāna (self-purifying, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (as inner priest of the sacrifice), Indra (receiver and augmenter through Soma), Sūrya (illumination supported by Soma)
Cosmic role
Purifier and intensifier of life and mind; the flowing delight that becomes fit for the gods (higher powers) and establishes harmony in the worlds.
Inner power
Ananda as a conscious current: joy that gains discrimination, supports the being, and returns to its psychic source for stable abiding.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (pavamāna-stotra during Soma-yajña)
स प॒वित्रे॑ विचक्ष॒णो हरि॑रर्षति धर्ण॒सिः । अ॒भि योनिं॒ कनि॑क्रदत् ॥
सः । प॒वित्रे॑ । वि॒ऽच॒क्ष॒णः । हरिः॑ । अ॒र्ष॒ति॒ । ध॒र्ण॒सिः । अ॒भि । योनि॑म् । कनि॑क्रदत् ॥
saḥ | pavitre | vi-cakṣaṇaḥ | hariḥ | arṣati | dharṇasiḥ | abhi | yonim | kanikradat
Likely Jagatī (probable in this hymn section; not fully determinable from single pāda scan without accentual/phonetic resolution)
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables (Jagatī norm)
Longer, flowing gait suited to ‘streaming’ imagery; a running cadence that mimics Soma’s rush.
Encourages a sense of forward movement and uplift; supports meditative visualization of a luminous current being clarified and established.
- pavitra
- Literal: filter, purifier (woolen strainer). Symbolic: the discriminating purification of consciousness; the inner sieve that separates truth from mixture
- vicakṣaṇa
- Literal: clear-seeing, discerning. Symbolic: illumined discrimination; the awakened intelligence within delight
- hari
- Literal: tawny, golden. Symbolic: luminous delight/energy; the golden current of purified consciousness
- arṣati
- Literal: rushes, flows. Symbolic: swift movement of the liberated inner current toward its truth
- dharṇasiḥ
- Literal: sustaining, upholding force. Symbolic: the support-power that maintains the being (dharma-like holding) through delight
- yoni
- Literal: womb, source, seat. Symbolic: the true foundation-plane (inner vessel) where the purified bliss is established
- kanikradat
- Literal: crying out, neighing/clamoring. Symbolic: ecstatic vibration/mantric resonance of the liberated life-force and joy
Describes Soma’s clarified flow through the strainer into its receptacle (yoni), with emphasis on discernment and sustaining power.
During the filtering/clarifying of Soma and its offering sequence; chanted as the Soma flows into vessels.
Chanting to accompany straining through the pavitra and collecting in the droṇa/kalāśa (vessels).
Use as a mantra of inner purification: ‘let the joy become discerning and return to the heart-source’; suitable before meditation or after emotional turbulence.
Key terms: (1) vi-cakṣaṇa: vi- ‘distinctly’ + √cakṣ ‘see’—Soma as discriminative clarity within the purification process. (2) hari: ‘tawny/golden’—luminous vitality; often marks the bright, life-energized aspect of a deity. (3) dharṇasi: from √dhṛ ‘hold’ with noun formation—‘sustaining power’ that supports the ascent/flow. (4) yoni: ‘womb/source/seat’—ritually the vat or receptacle; psychologically the settled foundation in truth-consciousness where the force is reborn. (5) kanikradat: intensive/reduplicated from √krand ‘roar/cry’—the triumphant or urgent sound of the force breaking through obstructions.
discernment (vi-cakṣaṇa) as fruit of purification, yoni as source-seat (rebirth into truth), sustaining power (dharṇasi) as support of transformation
The ‘right flow’ of Soma through the filter images r̥ta: movement aligned to truth, not mixture.
Yoni as the settled ‘seat’ of truth-consciousness where Ananda can abide.
Purification as a cosmogonic act: from mixed waters to clarified essence that supports the worlds.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: Ananda as a plane that becomes conscious and foundational.
A clarifying stream of delight-energy passing through discrimination and settling in the heart/psychic seat as stable joy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘return to the womb/source’ mythologem: the purified Soma, roaring, goes to the yoni. It is the re-entry of the clarified force into its originating matrix—psychologically, the force of delight returning to and grounding in the truth-seat after passing through discrimination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √cakṣ ‘see’ belongs to the archaic IE ‘seeing/knowing’ field (cf. PIE *kweḱs-/*kʷekʷ- proposals in comparative work; at minimum it reflects inherited ‘vision’ semantics central to IE poetics). √dhṛ ‘hold’ continues PIE *dher- ‘support’. The intensive formation kanikradat reflects an old Indo-Iranian expressive morphology for repeated sound/motion.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer’s vision tracks Soma’s inner pedagogy: purification yields vi-cakṣaṇa (discernment) and dharṇasi (sustaining capacity), culminating in grounding in the yoni (source). The devatā thus completes a cycle: clarified movement → discriminating sight → stable re-seating in truth.
Visualize a golden current of joy passing through an inner ‘filter’ of discernment, then settling in the heart as a stable seat of Ananda.
Anāhata (heart) as yoni/seat; Ajñā as vicakṣaṇa (discerning sight).
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or slow exhale-focused breathing while imagining ‘filtering’ of thoughts; pause (antara-kumbhaka) briefly at the ‘settling’ in the heart.
Quietly exhilarated clarity—joy with discrimination.
Before chanting, set an intention: ‘May delight become pure and intelligent.’ After chanting, sit silently and feel the ‘homecoming’ of the current into the heart-seat.
Use Vedic svara as per śākhā tradition (udātta/anudātta/svarita) where marked; in app delivery, provide guided ‘rise-fall’ contours on accented syllables (notably pavítre, haríḥ, yónim).
Keep udātta syllables bright and slightly higher; let svarita fall-glide; avoid flattening at caesura after dharṇasiḥ.
vicakṣaṇaḥ: articulate kṣ as a single conjunct (k+ṣ) without inserting a vowel, harir arṣati: maintain sandhi flow; do not over-pause between harir and arṣati, dharṇasiḥ: retroflex ṇ clearly; short iḥ at end, kanikradat: crisp kr cluster; final -dat is dental d with short a
Clear, flowing, slightly bright tone to mirror the streaming current.
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