Rig Veda 9.67.21: Mandala 9, Sukta 67, Mantra 21
Sukta 9.67
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यदन्ति यच्च दूरके भयं विन्दति मामिह । पवमान वि तज्जहि ॥
yád ánti yác ca dūraké bhayáṃ víndati mā́m ihá | pávamāna ví tát jahi ||
यदन्ति यच्च दूरेके भयं विन्दति मामिह। पवमान वि तज्जहि॥
Word by Word
- यत्
- whatever/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (relative pronoun; ‘that which/whatever’)Role कर्म (of ‘जहि’—‘destroy that’)Root यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- अन्ति
- near, close byIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकारण (locative sense: ‘near’)Root अन्ति (avyaya; from prātipadika ‘अन्त’ ‘near’)
- यत्
- whatever/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (relative pronoun)Role कर्म (of ‘जहि’)Root यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role समुच्चय (conjunction)Root च
- दूरके
- in the distance, far awayNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Vedic locative)Role अधिकारणRoot दूरक (prātipadika; ‘far place/distance’)
- भयम्
- fearNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (object of ‘विन्दति’ / also target of ‘जहि’)Root भय (prātipadika)
- विन्दति
- finds/obtainsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √विद् (विन्दति) ‘to find, obtain’
- माम्
- mePronounद्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (object of ‘विन्दति’)Root अस्मद् (sarvanāma)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकारणRoot इह
- पवमान
- O Pavamāna (purifying Soma)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot पवमान (prātipadika; pres. mid. participle of √पू ‘to purify’, used as epithet of Soma)
- वि
- apart, away; completelyIndeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्गः/निपातःRole क्रियाविशेषण (intensifies/separates action)Root वि
- तत्
- that (i.e., that fear/evil)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (correlative to ‘यत्’)Role कर्म (object of ‘जहि’)Root तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- जहि
- strike down, destroyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √हन् ‘to strike, slay’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यत् + अन्ति + यत् + च + दूरके + भयम् + विन्दति + माम् + इह । पवमान + वि + तत् + जहि ॥ Sandhi/phonetics: (1) यदन्ति = यत् + अन्ति (त् + अ → द् + अ by voicing in saṃhitā; written यद्-)
- (2) यच्च = यत् + च (त् + च → च्च)
- (3) मामिह = माम् + इह (म् + इ → मि; anusvāra/parasavarṇa not shown here)
- (4) वि तज्जहि: तज्जहि = तत् + जहि (त् + ज → ज्ज)
- Accents as in saṃhitā: यदन्ति॒, यच्च॑, दूर॒के, वि॒न्दति॒, मामि॒ह, पव॑मान॒, तज्ज॑हि
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whatever fear finds me here, near or far—O Pavamāna—strike it away.
Inner meaning
Fear is treated as an invading formation that can arise from immediate circumstances (anti) or distant/subconscious sources (dūrake). Pavamāna Soma—the purifying ananda-current—dissolves fear by clearing the vital and nervous being, restoring trust in the inner divine guidance and reestablishing luminous calm.
Universal truth
Fear is a movement of obscurity; purification of consciousness—especially through inner delight and clarity—can dissolve it at its roots, whether triggered by present events or latent impressions.
Themes
fear removal, protection, inner purification, Soma as destroyer of negativity
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.67.1-32
Significance
A direct therapeutic-prayer verse: the Vedic method uses a higher vibration (Soma) to disperse psychological contraction (fear), anticipating later yogic practices of purification and protection.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Śuci (pure), Rakṣohā (by function in adjacent verses)
- Related deities
- Agni (protector), Indra (fear-dispeller through victory), Vāyu (breath as channel)
Cosmic role
Purifier who restores harmony and wards off forces of darkness and distress.
Inner power
Ananda that expands the being; clarity that dissolves dread; a protective luminous current.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/expelling invocation within Soma praise; could accompany warding of inauspicious influences
यदन्ति॒ यच्च॑ दूर॒के भ॒यं वि॒न्दति॒ मामि॒ह । पव॑मान॒ वि तज्ज॑हि ॥
यत् । अन्ति॑ । यत् । च॒ । दू॒र॒के । भ॒यम् । वि॒न्दति॑ । माम् । इ॒ह । पव॑मान । वि । तत् । ज॒हि॒ ॥
yat | anti | yat | ca | dūrake | bhayam | vindati | mām | iha | pavamāna | vi | tat | jahi
Likely Anuṣṭubh (two lines with 8-syllable cadence feel)
32
4 pādas × ~8 syllables (often written as 2 half-verses)
Compact, mantra-like, suitable for repetition and direct psychological effect.
Soothing yet decisive; effective as a fear-clearing japa due to brevity and clear imperative.
- अन्ति (anti)
- Literal: near. Symbolic: immediate, conscious triggers of fear
- दूरके (dūrake)
- Literal: far. Symbolic: subconscious/remote origins, inherited or latent impressions
- भयम् (bhayam)
- Literal: fear. Symbolic: vital obscuration, contraction of consciousness
- विन्दति (vindati)
- Literal: finds/attacks/comes upon. Symbolic: fear as a force that seizes the being
- पवमान (pavamāna)
- Literal: self-purifying (Soma). Symbolic: purifying stream of ananda-consciousness
- वि तत् जहि (vi tat jahi)
- Literal: strike it apart, drive it away. Symbolic: decisive dispersion of fear-formations
Apotropaic prayer within Soma purification: Soma invoked to remove fear and hostile influences from sacrificer and rite.
During Soma rites; also adaptable as general apotropaic (rakṣa) utterance
Verbal expulsion of भय; invoking purified Soma to clear negativity
Daily anxiety-clearing chant; use before challenging conversations, medical procedures, or sleep.
bhaya- from √bhī ‘fear’. vindati from √vid ‘find, know’ (here ‘find/come upon’). jahi imperative from √han ‘smite, slay’. vi + han intensifies: ‘strike apart, disperse utterly’. The near/far pair (anti/dūrake) is a totalizing formula: fear from any plane or origin.
fear as obscuration/contraction opposing R̥ta, purification as widening and securing consciousness, divine aid in inner battle
Fear is a sign of disharmony; Pavamāna restores ṛta in the vital being.
Satya brings abhaya: truth-consciousness is naturally fearless.
Purification sustains the soul’s expansion against contraction (fear).
Upaniṣadic echo of ‘abhaya’ (fearlessness) grounded here in Soma-purification.
Near/far = conscious/subconscious domains; flow = cleansing current through the nerves and breath.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘banishing of fear’ by the purified Soma: fear is treated as an intrusive force that ‘finds’ the person; Soma is asked to strike it apart. Innerly, the clarified delight-consciousness is a power of widening that dissolves dread, enabling the soul to proceed in truth and courage.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhī ‘fear’ reflects PIE *bʰeyh₂- ‘fear’ (cf. Greek phóbos ‘fear’ via related sound-symbolism; English fear is different root). √han (PIE *gʷhen-) again shows the inherited ‘smite’ formula used for inner adversaries, not only external foes.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi speaks personally (mām), making the rite an inner practice: Soma is invoked as a direct psychological ally. The reciprocity is immediate—invocation calls down the purifying force; the force removes fear, allowing steadier offering and clearer speech.
Dissolve fear by bathing the vital in a pure, sweet current; cultivate ‘abhaya’.
Anāhata (fear contraction/expansion)
Lengthen exhale; optionally add a soft pause after exhale while feeling fear dissolve (only if comfortable).
Calm, expanded, protected presence.
Chant 9 or 27 times. On ‘bhayaṃ’, notice the contraction; on ‘pavamāna’, feel a bright stream; on ‘vi tat jahi’, imagine fear breaking into mist and vanishing into open space.
Use saṃhitā accents where marked; keep the imperative ‘jahi’ crisp and downward-resolving.
Slight pause after ‘dūrake’; emphasize ‘pavamāna’; deliver ‘vi tat jahi’ as a single decisive release.
yad anti: dental ‘d’, clear ‘nti’ cluster, dūrake: long ‘ū’, bhayaṃ: nasal ‘ṃ’ as light anusvāra, pavamāna: long ‘ā’ in -mā-, jahi: soft ‘h’, short ‘i’
Gentle but firm; calming resonance
27
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