Sukta 79
Sukta 9.79
अयं लघुः पवमानसोमसूक्तः पिष्टान् सोमबिन्दून् शुद्ध्यर्थं शीघ्रं प्रवहन्तोऽभिनन्दति, ये यजमानानां कृते पोषणं धियं च प्रेरयन्ति। शुद्ध्यमानं सोमं च नैतिकरक्षात्मकशक्तिं कृत्वा, स समृद्धिं सुमतिं च बाधमानान् ‘निवारकान्’ शत्रून् च विनाशयत्विति प्रार्थयते। अन्ते सूक्तं यजमानान् सोमस्य बलं प्रियः मदः च ‘समात् समं’ सुरक्षितं नयतामिति याचते।
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
अचोदसो नो धन्वन्त्विन्दवः प्र सुवानासो बृहद्दिवेषु हरयः । वि च नशन्न इषो अरातयोऽर्यो नशन्त सनिषन्त नो धियः ॥
अचोदसः सोमबिन्दवो नः धन्वन्तु—प्रसुताः, बृहद्दिवेषु हरयः। अस्माकम् इषः प्रेरणाश्च विस्तीर्यन्ताम्; अरातयः अऱ्य इव नश्यन्तु; अस्माकं धियः सनिṣन्तु (लाभं जयन्तु)।
Mantra 2
प्र णो धन्वन्त्विन्दवो मदच्युतो धना वा येभिरर्वतो जुनीमसि । तिरो मर्तस्य कस्य चित्परिह्वृतिं वयं धनानि विश्वधा भरेमहि ॥
मदच्युतः सोमबिन्दवो नः प्र धन्वन्तु—तानि धनानि सह, येभिः वयं जुनीमसि अर्वतम्। कस्यचित् मर्त्यस्य परिह्वृतिं तिरः कृत्वा, वयं विश्वधा धनानि भरेमहि।
Mantra 3
उत स्वस्या अरात्या अरिर्हि ष उतान्यस्या अरात्या वृको हि षः । धन्वन्न तृष्णा समरीत ताँ अभि सोम जहि पवमान दुराध्यः ॥
उत स्वस्याः अरात्याः अरिः हि सः, उत अन्यस्याः अरात्याः वृकः हि सः। धन्वन् न तृष्णा समरीत तान्—अभि सोम जहि, पवमान, दुराध्यः॥
Mantra 5
एवा त इन्दो सुभ्वं सुपेशसं रसं तुञ्जन्ति प्रथमा अभिश्रियः । निदंनिदं पवमान नि तारिष आविस्ते शुष्मो भवतु प्रियो मदः ॥
एवा ते इन्दो सुभ्वं सुपेशसं रसं तुञ्जन्ति प्रथमा अभिश्रियः। निदंनिदं पवमान नि तारिष—आविः ते शुष्मो भवतु, प्रियो मदः॥
Inside Sukta 79
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Soma-drops surge forward—bright, pressed, and moving in the vast heights—so that the worshippers’ impulses and nourishments may expand.
- Development
The hymn contrasts abundance and right inspiration with the threat of arāti (withholding/ill-will), asking that non-givers and hostile forces perish and that dhī (insight) wins the prize.
- Climax
Soma is invoked as an active purifier and warrior: he must strike down the hard-to-master forces that spread like thirst across dry land.
- Where it settles
The poet asks Soma to carry the sacrificers safely through successive stages, revealing his might and establishing his beloved ecstasy within them.
The deity: Soma Pavamāna
- In the VedaThe hymn depicts Soma-drops as bright movers in the “vast heaven,” bestowing iṣ (impulse/nourishment) and sharpening dhī (visionary thought).
- Cosmic functionMediator of vitality and divine delight—purifying and energizing the worlds, empowering gods and humans, and driving away forces of scarcity, obstruction, and hostility.
- Inner significanceThe clarified current of consciousness: when the mind is ‘filtered,’ inspiration, courage, and right intention arise, while inner miserliness, fear, and predatory impulses are struck down.
Famous verses
अचोदसो नो धन्वन्त्विन्दवः प्र सुवानासो बृहद्दिवेषु हरयः । वि च नशन्न इषो अरातयोऽर्यो नशन्त सनिषन्त नो धियः ॥उत स्वस्या अरात्या अरिर्हि ष उतान्यस्या अरात्या वृको हि षः । धन्वन्न तृष्णा समरीत ताँ अभि सोम जहि पवमान दुराध्यः ॥एवा त इन्दो सुभ्वं सुपेशसं रसं तुञ्जन्ति प्रथमा अभिश्रियः । निदंनिदं पवमान नि तारिष आविस्ते शुष्मो भवतु प्रियो मदः ॥Attributes of the deity
- Purifying/filtered (pavamāna)
- Swift-flowing drops (indu/indavaḥ)
- Bestower of nourishment and gain (iṣ, sani)
- Giver of inspired thought (dhī)
- Protector who destroys hostile/withholding forces
- Ecstatic, प्रिय मद (dear exhilaration)
- Radiant/bright in the heights (bṛhaddiveṣu harayaḥ)
Also by this seer
- Associated broadly with the Soma Pavamāna corpus of Mandala 9 rather than a distinct, securely identified r̥ṣi oeuvre.
- Used within the Pavamāna sequence of the Soma sacrifice (Soma-yajña) as a liturgical purification chant.
The rite, step by step
- Soma is pressed and its juice collected.
- The juice is poured through the strainer (pavitra) for purification while Pavamāna verses are recited.
- The clarified Soma is mixed/prepared according to rite (often with water/milk as prescribed in the larger ritual setting).
- Libations are offered to the gods (commonly Indra and others) as Soma’s ‘strength’ is invoked.
- The sacrificers pray for nourishment, victory over hostile forces, and successful gain (sani).
Offerings
- Filtered Soma juice (primary)
- Water used in purification
- Optional accompanying oblations typical of Soma rites (e.g., ghee in the fire as part of the broader ceremony)
Frequently Asked Questions
The deity is Soma Pavamāna—Soma as the purified, filtered, flowing draught (Indu/Indavaḥ) that brings vitality, inspiration, and protective power.
It asks Soma to spread nourishment and right impulses, help inspired thought win gains, and destroy obstructive forces like withholding, hostility, and predatory harm.
Because Soma’s physical filtering in the ritual symbolizes a clarifying power: as Soma becomes pure, the mind and community are prayed to become strong, prosperous, and protected from inner and outer negativity.
Ask anything about Sukta 79 of the Rig Veda
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
