Rig Veda 9.52.1: Mandala 9, Sukta 52, Mantra 1
Sukta 9.52
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
परि द्युक्षः सनद्रयिर्भरद्वाजं नो अन्धसा । सुवानो अर्ष पवित्र आ ॥
pári dyukṣáḥ sanád-rayir bhárad vā́jaṃ no ándhasā | suvānó arṣa pavítre ā́ ||
हे सोम, त्वं द्युक्षः सन् सनद्रयिर्धनं वहन् अस्मान् परितो वृणु; अन्धसा पिष्टेन रसेन अस्मभ्यं बलस्य पूर्णतां भर। सुवानः पवित्रम् आर्ष।
Word by Word
- परि
- around, forth (as preverb)Indeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root परि (upasarga) पारि-
- द्युःक्षः
- the bright/heavenly one (Soma)Noun/Adjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot द्युःक्ष- (prātipadika; from दिव्/द्युत् ‘shine’ + क्ष ‘see/appear’ > ‘heavenly/bright’)
- सनद्रयिः
- having ancient wealth; ancient-richNoun/Adjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to द्युःक्षः)Root सनद्- (old/ancient) + रयि- ‘wealth’ (compound prātipadika)
- भरद्वाजम्
- BharadvājaNounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot भरद्वाज- (proper name prātipadika)
- नः
- for us; ourPronoungenitive plural (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (recipient/beneficiary sense: ‘for us/our’)Root अस्मद् (enclitic pronoun)
- अन्धसा
- with the Soma-juice; with the draughtNounneuter, instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot अन्धस्- (prātipadika)
- सुवानः
- being pressed/extractedParticiple (verbal adjective)masculine, nominative singular (ātmanepada pres. ptcp.)Role Kartā (apposition to Soma)Root √सु (सुते) ‘press, extract (Soma)’ → सुवान- (present middle participle)
- अर्ष
- flow!; run!Verbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole (finite verb; governs action)Root √ऋष्/अर्ष् ‘flow, move swiftly’
- पवित्रः
- (through) the filter; the purifierNoun/Adjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole Adhikaraṇa (locative-sense without case: ‘through/along the filter’, Vedic usage) / also as apposition ‘the purifier’Root पवित्र- (prātipadika)
- आ
- hither, towards (intensifying/goal)Indeclinableupasarga (preverb) with अर्षRoot आ (upasarga)
Sandhi Notes
- No major external sandhi obscuring word boundaries in the saṃhitā text. पढ़-पाठ resolution: परि | द्युःक्षः | सनद्रयिः | भरद्वाजम् | नः | अन्धसा | सुवानः | अर्ष | पवित्रः | आ. Minor internal formation: सनद्रयिः is a compound (सनद् + रयि) with iḥ-ending
- द्युःक्षः is a fixed Vedic stem
- सुवानः is a kṛdanta from √सु
- आ is the preverb with imperative अर्ष
The meaning
Outer meaning
Encircle us, O shining Soma, bearing the ancient wealth; with thy pressed essence bring us vāja (force/plenitude); being expressed, flow to the filter.
Inner meaning
Let Soma’s luminous protection ‘circle’ the being—establishing a boundary of clarity against intrusion. He carries the ‘ancient wealth’ (sanat-rayiḥ): the perennial riches of the soul—stored tapas and inherited light of the tradition within. With the extracted essence (andhasā) he brings vāja: capacity and victorious energy. Then, expressed anew (suvānaḥ), he must still pass to the pavitra: even power must be purified to remain true.
Universal truth
Spiritual power is safest when it is both protective and purified; the deepest wealth is perennial and must be continually expressed and refined for right action.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Protection (pari), Wealth (Rayi), Force (Vāja)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.51.5, Rig Veda 9.52.2
Family tradition
Continuation of the Pavamāna cycle; the seer stresses both protection (pari) and purification (pavitra) as twin necessities of yogic growth.
Significance
Marks a mature stage: the seeker asks not only for ecstasy but for guardedness and right purification so that power does not become mixed.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Dyukṣa (shining), Sanatrayiḥ (bearer of ancient wealth), Suvāna (expressed)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Aditi (protective wideness)
Cosmic role
Protector and bringer of perennial riches; purifier that channels power into right form.
Inner power
A luminous boundary-force plus a descending wealth of Ananda that becomes usable strength through purification.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna recitation during filtration; prayers for wealth (rayi) and strength (vāja)
परि॑ द्यु॒क्षः स॒नद्र॑यि॒र्भर॒द्वाजं॑ नो॒ अन्ध॑सा । सु॒वा॒नो अ॑र्ष प॒वित्र॒ आ ॥
परि॑ । द्यु॒क्षः । स॒नत्ऽर॑यिः । भर॑त् । वाज॑म् । नः॒ । अन्ध॑सा । सु॒वा॒नः । अ॒र्ष॒ । प॒वित्रे॑ । आ ॥
pari | dyukṣaḥ | sanat-rayiḥ | bharat | vājam | naḥ | andhasā | suvānaḥ | aṣar | pavitre | ā
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4 × ~8; opening ‘pari’ sets a circling rhythm, ending with ‘pavitra ā’ as resolution.
Protective, enclosing feel at the start; then a forward flow toward purification.
Creates containment and safety, then a sense of channeling energy cleanly.
- pari
- Literal: around. Symbolic: protective encirclement; establishing a sacred boundary
- dyukṣaḥ
- Literal: shining, radiant. Symbolic: luminous consciousness; clarity that guards
- sanat-rayiḥ
- Literal: ancient wealth. Symbolic: perennial inner riches—stored light, merit, soul-capital
- bharat
- Literal: bearing, bringing. Symbolic: carrying down higher resources into the being
- vājam
- Literal: strength, plenitude, prize. Symbolic: effective power for right works
- naḥ
- Literal: to us. Symbolic: to the whole being—mind, life, body
- andhasā
- Literal: with pressed essence. Symbolic: with distilled Ananda-force
- suvānaḥ
- Literal: being expressed/pressed. Symbolic: active manifestation of delight through practice
- pavitre ā
- Literal: to the filter. Symbolic: to the inner purifier—discernment/sincerity
Invocation during Soma pressing and approach to filtration; request for vāja and rayi as inner plenitudes
While Soma is being filtered and prepared for offerings
Filtration and consecration; invoking protective and enriching effects for the yajamāna
For energetic sensitivity: chant to establish a luminous boundary, then sit with attention at the breath to ‘filter’ mixed emotions into clear strength.
द्युक्ष (dyukṣa) from dyu ‘sky, shine’ → luminous. सनत्र (sanatra) ‘from of old, anciently’ + rayi ‘wealth’ → perennial riches (psychologically stable fullness). भरत् from √bhṛ ‘bear, bring’ (PIE *bʰer-) → bringer. सुवान (suvāna) from √su ‘press/express’ → generated essence. पवित्र as above from √pū.
Perennial wealth (sanad-rayi) as stable being, Purification (pavitra) as rite of transformation, Vāja as empowered action in ṛta
The movement to pavitra indicates that wealth and power must align to ṛta through purification.
Shining (dyukṣaḥ) suggests truth-light as protective circumference.
Perennial wealth descending into present action through repeated expression and purification.
Integral yoga: protection, purification, and power as coordinated processes.
A ring of clarity around the being; inner wealth descending as strength; energies filtered into purity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The shining Soma as bringer of ancient wealth and vāja, moving to the pavitra. Inner sense: the illumined delight-force surrounds the seeker, restores perennial fullness (rayi), and delivers empowered capacity (vāja) through purification.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘bear/bring’ reflects PIE *bʰer- (English ‘bear’, Latin ferō). dyu ‘shine/sky’ reflects PIE *dyew- (Zeus, Jupiter), retaining the luminous-heaven semantic field.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma to ‘encompass’ and ‘bring’—a protective and enriching reciprocity: the human offers expression (suvāna), Soma returns luminous surrounding force and perennial riches.
Establish a protective luminous circumference; invoke perennial inner wealth; then consciously submit energies to purification.
Sahasrāra/Ājñā (radiant boundary) with grounding in Maṇipūra (vāja as strength)
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) for 4 cycles to create ‘pari’ containment; then natural breath while chanting, ending with silent attention at the nostrils as ‘pavitra’.
Contained wideness; purified power.
Chant 12 times; visualize a circle of pale-gold light around you; invite the ‘ancient wealth’ as a quiet confidence; finally offer all impulses into a bright inner filter at the forehead for refinement.
Tri-svara framework; exact udatta/anudatta placements require svara-pāṭha.
Let ‘pari’ open softly but clearly; brighten tone on ‘dyukṣaḥ’; resolve gently on ‘pavitra ā’.
pari: short i’s, light r, dyukṣaḥ: pronounce ‘dyuk’ with clear y; kṣ conjunct crisp, sanatrayiḥ: separate ‘sanat’ + ‘rayiḥ’ in feeling; final ḥ light, andhasā: aspirated dh; long ā, suvāno: long ā; avoid turning into ‘suvano’, pavitre ā: keep final ā open and sustained
Calm, enclosing, luminous
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