Rig Veda 9.86.33: Mandala 9, Sukta 86, Mantra 33
Sukta 9.86
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
राजा सिन्धूनां पवते पतिर्दिव ऋतस्य याति पथिभिः कनिक्रदत् । सहस्रधारः परि षिच्यते हरिः पुनानो वाचं जनयन्नुपावसुः ॥
rājā síndhūnāṃ pavate pátir divá ṛtásya yāti pathí-bhiḥ kánikradat | sahásra-dhāraḥ pári ṣicyate háriḥ punā́nó vā́caṃ janáyann úpāvasuḥ ||
राजा सिन्धूनां सोमः पवते, पतिः दिवः; ऋतस्य पथिभिर्याति कनीक्रदन्। सहस्रधारः हरिः परितः सिच्यते; पुनानो वाचं जनयन् उपावसुः (अन्तर्वासुधनानि) उपनयति।
Word by Word
- राजा
- kingNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √राज्
- सिन्धूनाम्
- of the rivers/streamsNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवते
- purifies/flows (as the purifier)Verbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √पू (पवते) / √पु (to purify)
- पतिः
- lordNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरणम् ‘राजा’)Root पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः); षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/true law)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- याति
- goesVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √या
- पथिभिः
- by/along pathsNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot पथि/पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- कनिक्रदत्
- crying aloud/roaringVerbशतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम् सोमस्य)Root √क्रन्द् (with intensive reduplication: कनि-क्रन्द्)
- सहस्रधारः
- having a thousand streamsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरणम्)Root सहस्र-धार (प्रातिपदिक; समासः)
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot परि
- षिच्यते
- is poured/sprinkledVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)Role क्रियाRoot √सिच्
- हरिः
- the tawny one (Soma)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरणम् सोमस्य)Root हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुनानः
- purifying himselfVerb (Participle)शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम् ‘हरिः’)Root √पू/√पु (पुनान-; present middle participle)
- वाचम्
- speech/utteranceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनयन्
- producing, generatingVerb (Participle)शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम् सोमस्य)Root √जन् (causative √जन् → जनय-)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot उप
- आवसुः
- bringing good dwelling/wealth; beneficentAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरणम् सोमस्य)Root आ-वसु (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहिः/कर्मधारयः sense: ‘having/bringing good dwelling/wealth’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: राजा | सिन्धूनाम् | पवते | पतिः | दिवः | ऋतस्य | याति | पथिभिः | कनिक्रदत् । सहस्रधारः | परि | षिच्यते | हरिः | पुनानः | वाचम् | जनयन् | उप | आवसुः ॥ Notes: (1) ‘पतिः दिवः’ shows visarga before voiced consonant (द्) retained in saṃhitā. (2) ‘पथिभिः:’ is metrically written with punctuation
- underlying form पथिभिः. (3) ‘कनिक्रदत्’ is intensive/reduplicated present participle from √क्रन्द् ‘to roar’. (4) ‘षिच्यते’ is passive present of √सिच् with initial ष् as in RV orthography. (5) ‘उपावसुः’ resolves to उप + आवसुः (upasarga + epithet)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, called the king of rivers, streams forth; lord of heaven, he moves on the paths of ṛta with a resounding cry. The tawny Soma, thousand-streamed, is poured and filtered all around; purified, he brings forth the Word and draws near the riches of the inner home.
Inner meaning
The “kingly” current of delight-consciousness (Soma) pours through the many channels of our being (sindhu), governed by the law of right harmony (ṛta). Its vibrant “cry” is the awakened force of aspiration and victorious movement. As the delight is clarified (punāna), it generates vā́c—the true inspired utterance (mantric speech) that expresses the soul’s knowledge—and it brings near the inner riches (upavasuḥ): the stable treasures of the psychic and spiritual dwelling.
Universal truth
When consciousness is purified and aligned with truth-order, an abundant inner flow awakens. From that clarified joy arises authentic speech and insight, and life becomes inwardly wealthy—guided by a lawful harmony rather than impulse.
Themes
Soma as king, ṛta guidance, birth of speech, abundance
The seer
- Rishi
- Composite/anonymous Soma-Pavamāna tradition (RV Book 9 anthology)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.86 (entire sūkta context), RV 9.85–9.87 (neighboring Soma-Pavamāna hymns with similar imagery of flow, ṛta, vā́c)
Family tradition
Book 9 is a liturgical anthology of Soma hymns drawn from multiple poet-families (e.g., Kāṇva, Vasiṣṭha, Viśvāmitra, Aṅgirasa lineages), preserved for Pavitra/Soma rites; this particular verse is transmitted without a single named seer in the provided data.
Significance
The ‘seer’ here is the collective Vedic intuition of the Soma-pressing tradition: a recurrent vision that bliss, once purified, becomes the generator of true speech and right action (vā́c born from Soma moving in ṛta).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- rājā (king), sindhūnām rājā (king of streams), divaḥ patiḥ (lord of heaven), sahasradhāra (thousand-streamed), hari (tawny, golden), punāna (self-purifying)
- Related deities
- Agni (as priest of the inner sacrifice), Indra (as receiver of Soma-ecstasy), Sarasvatī/Vāc (as inspired speech), Aśvins (as helpers in purification and awakening)
Cosmic role
Soma is the purifying flow that links heaven and earth, sustaining ṛta and nourishing the gods; as Pavamāna he is the clarified essence moving through the filters.
Inner power
Ananda (divine bliss) that, when purified, becomes luminous intelligence and creative mantra—vā́c arising from delight aligned to truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma Pavamāna recitation during Soma pressing and filtration (pavamāna-stotra/śastra complex)
राजा॒ सिन्धू॑नां पवते॒ पति॑र्दि॒व ऋ॒तस्य॑ याति प॒थिभि॒: कनि॑क्रदत् । स॒हस्र॑धार॒: परि॑ षिच्यते॒ हरि॑: पुना॒नो वाचं॑ ज॒नय॒न्नुपा॑वसुः ॥
राजा॑ । सिन्धू॑नाम् । प॒व॒ते॒ । पतिः॑ । दि॒वः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । या॒ति॒ । प॒थिऽभिः॑ । कनि॑क्रदत् । स॒हस्र॑ऽधारः । परि॑ । सि॒च्य॒ते॒ । हरिः॑ । पु॒ना॒नः । वाच॑म् । ज॒नय॑न् । उप॑ऽवसुः ॥
rājā | sindhūnām | pavate | patiḥ | divaḥ | ṛtasya | yāti | pathi-bhiḥ | kanikradat | sahasra-dhāraḥ | pari | sicyate | hariḥ | punānaḥ | vācam | janayan | upa-vasuḥ
Jagatī (probable; standard for many RV 9.86 verses)
48
4 pādas of ~12 syllables each (Jagatī cadence)
Long, river-like sweep suited to imagery of streaming and encircling pour.
Induces a sense of continuous inner flow; supports concentration on steady purification and the rise of inspired speech.
- राजा (rājā)
- Literal: king. Symbolic: sovereign principle of delight-consciousness governing the inner currents
- सिन्धूनाम् (sindhūnām)
- Literal: of the rivers/streams. Symbolic: multiple channels of being—mind, life, body, subtle nerves—through which awareness flows
- ऋतस्य पथिभिः (ṛtasya pathibhiḥ)
- Literal: by the paths of ṛta. Symbolic: movement in accordance with truth-order; right rhythms of growth
- कनिकradat (kanikradat)
- Literal: crying aloud, resounding. Symbolic: the dynamic vibration of awakened force and aspiration breaking inertia
- सहस्रधारः (sahasradhāraḥ)
- Literal: thousand-streamed. Symbolic: abundant, many-rayed outflow of clarified consciousness
- हरिः (hariḥ)
- Literal: tawny/golden. Symbolic: luminous vital-spiritual energy, radiant delight
- पुनानः (punānaḥ)
- Literal: being purified. Symbolic: clarification of consciousness through discernment and offering
- वाचम् (vācam)
- Literal: speech/word. Symbolic: inspired truth-utterance; revelatory expression of inner knowledge
- उपावसुः (upāvasuḥ)
- Literal: bringing near the riches/inner wealth. Symbolic: drawing the soul’s treasures into waking life; nearness of the inner home
Soma libation and filtration: emphasis on Soma as generator of Vāc (mantra efficacy)
During pressing (savana) and especially during filtering/purification sequences; associated with the Soma-liturgy of the soma-yajña.
Chanting while Soma is pressed (adri), mixed, and passed through the strainer into vessels; invocation of purified flow and its gifts.
Use as a meditation-chant for ‘purifying the currents’ (thought, emotion, prāṇa) and for invoking truthful speech before study, teaching, or creative work.
síndhu ‘river’ also ‘stream’ → currents of force. √sic ‘pour’ (PIE *seykʷ- ‘pour’, cf. Latin siccus is different; but ‘pour’ root widely attested). vā́c ‘word’ is sacral speech, revelation (PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’, cf. Latin vox). Soma ‘begets vā́c’: delight clarified becomes revelatory expression.
Ṛta-paths, Vāc as revelation, inner wealth (vasu) as plenitude
Explicit: Soma ‘goes by the paths of ṛta’, signifying lawful ascent and harmonized becoming.
Vā́c born from purified Soma suggests speech that conforms to satya rather than desire or distortion.
The Word (vā́c) is ‘begotten’ from purified delight—creation through inspired vibration emerging from clarified consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): Soma as Ananda, vā́c as revelation, ṛta as divine law in manifestation.
The many ‘streams’ are psycho-physical channels; the golden Soma is the bliss-current; filtering is inner purification; heaven is the illumined mind-plane.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as king of rivers and begetter of Vāc. The mythic action is the sovereign flow along ṛta-paths culminating in the birth of inspired speech—revelation arising from purified delight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vā́c aligns with PIE *wekʷ- ‘voice/speak’ (Latin vox, English voice). diváḥ aligns with PIE *dyew- ‘sky/day’. These deep inheritances show the archaic IE poetic linkage of sky/light and speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depends on Soma for the very emergence of mantra: Soma ‘generates the Word’. The exchange is thus foundational—offering and purification enable Soma, and Soma returns as inspired speech and inner riches (vasu).
Feel a luminous ‘stream’ descending and ascending through the spine and subtle channels; let it clarify emotion and thought until truthful speech arises spontaneously.
Viśuddha (speech/clarity) and Ājñā (illumination)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana or simple equal breathing; on exhale, imagine ‘pouring through the filter’; on inhale, ‘drawing near inner riches’.
From rajasic surge to sattvic clarity, opening toward a quiet ananda behind thought.
Chant slowly, then sit in silence; observe when speech becomes less reactive and more ‘ṛta-aligned’. Use before journaling, teaching, mantra-japa, or difficult conversations.
Use Vedic three-tone rendering (udātta/anudātta/svarita) per śākhā tradition; this verse contains multiple udātta peaks around key verbs (pavate, yāti, janayan).
Keep udātta syllables clear and slightly raised; avoid flattening compounds like sahasradhāraḥ and ṛtasya pathibhiḥ.
ṛ in ṛtasya is a vocalic ‘r’ (not ri/ru), hariḥ: final visarga lightly aspirated before pause, kanikradat: keep the retroflex ‘ḍ’ (t) cluster crisp; do not over-lengthen a, vācam: long ā in vā-; keep -cam unaspirated
Flowing, resonant, ‘stream-like’ with steady breath support.
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