Rig Veda 9.90.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 90, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.90
- Rishi
- Rebha Kāśyapa
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उरुगव्यूतिरभयानि कृण्वन्त्समीचीने आ पवस्वा पुरंधी । अपः सिषासन्नुषसः स्वर्गाः सं चिक्रदो महो अस्मभ्यं वाजान् ॥
urúgavyūtir abháyāni kṛṇván samīcīné ā́ pavasva puráṃdhī | apáḥ sisāsann uṣásaḥ svàr gā́ḥ sáṃ cikrado mahó asmábhyaṃ vā́jān ||
उरुगव्यूतिरभयानि कृण्वन् समीचीने आ पवस्व पुरंधी। अपः सिषासन्नुषसः स्वर्गाः सं चिक्रदो महो अस्मभ्यं वाजान्।
Word by Word
- उरुगव्यूतिः
- the wide cattle-track / broad pathNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot उरु-गव्यूति- (प्रातिपदिक) < उरु ‘विस्तीर्ण’ + गव्यूति ‘गोमार्ग/चरागाह-मार्ग’
- अभयानि
- fearlessnesses / securitiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अभय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृण्वन्
- makingVerbवर्त्तमान कृदन्त-प्रत्यय (शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (कर्तरि), ‘making/doing’Role KartāRoot कृ (धातु)
- समीचीनः
- straight/right-directedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot समीचीन- (प्रातिपदिक) < सम् + अञ्च् (धातु) ‘to go/turn’
- आ
- hither, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (आगमन/आभिमुख्य)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- पवस्व
- purify thyself / flow pureVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole KartāRoot पू (धातु) ‘to purify’ (पवते)
- पुरंधी
- bounty / liberality (personified)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पुरंधि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अप्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सिषासन्
- seeking to impel / wishing to set in motionVerbवर्त्तमान कृदन्त-प्रत्यय (शतृ/शानच्-समकक्ष), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (कर्तरि), ‘desiring to set in motion/urge’Role KartāRoot शास् (धातु) ‘to instruct/impel’ (desiderative: सिषास-)
- उषसः
- of DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot उषस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वर्गाः
- heaven-going / leading to heavenAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्वर्ग- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, whollyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (संयोग/समवाय)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- चिक्रदः
- he cries aloudVerbवर्त्तमान, प्रथमा, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (वेदिक रूप), ‘cries aloud’Role KartāRoot क्रन्द् (धातु) ‘to cry out’ (intensive/reduplicated: चिक्रद-)
- महो
- great (thing)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेदिक: महो = महत्)Role KarmaRoot महत्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to usPronounचतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजान्
- prizes / strengths / (winning) rewardsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वाज- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): उरुगव्यूतिः अभयानि कृण्वन् समीचीनः आ पवस्व पुरंधी । अपः सिषासन् उषसः स्वर्गाः सम् चिक्रदः महो अस्मभ्यम् वाजान् । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) कृण्वन्त्समीचीने → कृण्वन् + समीचीनः (अन्त्य -न् + स-; संहितायां ‘न्त्स’ लेखन/उच्चारण)
- (2) पवस्वा पुरंधी → पवस्व + पुरंधी (अ + प → आ पवस्व; पदान्त -अ/व + प- संयोग)
- (3) सिषासन्नुषसः → सिषासन् + उषसः (न् + उ-; संहितायां ‘न्नु’)
- (4) स्वर्गाः सं चिक्रदो → स्वर्गाः + सम् + चिक्रदः (म् + च → ंच)
- (5) महो अस्मभ्यम् → महो + अस्मभ्यम् (स्वर-सन्धि: ओ + अ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Soma, flowing in a wide-ranging course, make for us fearlessness; flow here into the right-turned channels with the power of plenitude. Desiring the Waters, the Dawns, and the luminous Cows of the Sun-world, cry out and gather for us great vājās (victorious energies).
Inner meaning
Soma’s course is ‘wide-cow-tracked’ (urugavyūti): it moves through vast ranges where the rays of knowledge (go) can travel freely. This widening creates abhayāni—states of fearlessness—because fear is a contraction born of ignorance and divided force. ‘Flow into the right-turned’ (samīcīne) indicates entering the aligned inner channels—movements turned toward truth rather than desire. Puraṃdhī here is plenitude/abundance of right discernment and capacity, the power that ‘fills the city’ (the embodied system) with ordered richness. Soma yearns for the Waters (āpaḥ: conscious currents), the Dawns (uṣasaḥ: illuminations), and the solar Cows (svar gāḥ: rays of the supramental/solar truth-world). The ‘cry’ (cikradaḥ) is the intense vibration of aspiration that calls down these powers. The result is mahān vājān—great effective forces for victory in works and inner progress.
Universal truth
Wideness aligned to truth dissolves fear; purified delight, guided into right channels, calls forth higher illuminations and truth-rays, yielding a powerful and fruitful life-energy.
Themes
Soma-ritual, purification, illumination, recovery-of-light (cows/rays), inner-fearlessness, plenitude-of-force (vāja)
The seer
- Rishi
- Rebha Kāśyapa (traditional hymn attribution in many Anukramaṇī lists; verse-level attribution not always separated)
- Lineage
- Kāśyapa
- Other hymns
- RV 9.90 (hymn-level)
Family tradition
Kāśyapa lineage often associated with wide, oceanic symbolism and harmonizing orders; here expressed as wideness and fearlessness through Soma’s flow.
Significance
Rebha’s voice (as traditionally understood) emphasizes wideness (uru), right alignment (samīcīna), and the calling of dawns and solar rays—classic markers of an inner ascent from life-currents to illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- urugavyūti (wide-ranging), puraṃdhī (plenitude-bringing), pavamāna (self-purifying)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya (Svar), Indra, Āpas (Waters)
Cosmic role
Opens wide paths, establishes fearlessness, and summons waters/dawns/solar rays; gathers victorious energies for the sacrificer.
Inner power
A widening delight-force that aligns the channels and calls higher illumination into embodied life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration/flow (pavamāna) within soma-yajña; invoked for protection and increase of strength
उ॒रुग॑व्यूति॒रभ॑यानि कृ॒ण्वन्त्स॑मीची॒ने आ प॑वस्वा॒ पुरं॑धी । अ॒पः सिषा॑सन्नु॒षस॒: स्व१॒॑र्गाः सं चि॑क्रदो म॒हो अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ वाजा॑न् ॥
उ॒रुऽग॒व्यूतिः । अभ॑यानि । कृ॒ण्वन् । स॒मी॒ची॒ने इति॑ स॒म्ऽई॒ची॒ने । आ । प॒व॒स्व॒ । पुर॑न्धी॒ इति॒ पुर॑म्ऽधी । अ॒पः । सिसा॑सन् । उ॒षसः॑ । स्वः॑ । गाः । सम् । चि॒क्र॒दः॒ । म॒हः । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । वाजा॑न् ॥
uru-gavyūtiḥ | abhayāni | kṛṇvan | samīcīne itisam-īcīne | ā | pavasva | purandhī itipuram-dhī | apaḥ | sisāsan | uṣasaḥ | svaḥ | gāḥ | sam | cikradaḥ | mahaḥ | asmabhyam | vājān
Jagatī (probable and common in Pavamāna; confirm by syllable count in the chosen text)
48
4 × 12
Expansive and rolling; suited to wideness and gathering imagery.
Opens the breath and chest; induces spaciousness and confidence, reducing fear-contraction.
- उरुगव्यूतिः (urugavyūtiḥ)
- Literal: wide cow-track/course. Symbolic: vast path where rays of knowledge move freely; widening of consciousness
- अभयानि (abhayāni)
- Literal: fearlessnesses. Symbolic: states of inner security born of wideness and truth
- समीचीने (samīcīne)
- Literal: right-turned, aligned. Symbolic: movements turned toward the Truth; right inner channels (nāḍī-like symbolism)
- पुरंधी (puraṃdhī)
- Literal: abundance; ‘filling the city’. Symbolic: plenitude that organizes and enriches the embodied nature
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: conscious currents; flowing energies of awareness
- उषसः (uṣasaḥ)
- Literal: dawns. Symbolic: illumining openings; awakenings of consciousness
- स्वः गाः (svaḥ gāḥ / svar gāḥ)
- Literal: cows of the heaven/sun-world. Symbolic: rays of knowledge from the luminous plane (svar)
- वाजान् (vājān)
- Literal: powers/prizes of strength. Symbolic: effective victorious energies for works and realization
Soma Pavitra-stotra usage: chanted during Soma pressing and purification (pavamāna sequence) in Agniṣṭoma/Atirātra-type Soma sacrifices, accompanying the flow through the filter (pavitra).
During the flowing/clarifying of Soma; also in sequences seeking protection and prosperity
Chant as Soma is poured/filtered; intention of making the ‘course’ wide and auspicious
Anxiety relief and ‘inner alignment’ practice: chant to widen awareness, steady breath, and invite dawning clarity before important transitions.
Key terms: (1) urú ‘wide’ (PIE *wer- ‘broad/raised’? semantic overlap with ‘wide/ample’) + gavyū́ti ‘cow-track/way’ (go ‘ray/cow’ + vyūti ‘separating/spreading out’, from √vyu ‘separate, spread’): the ‘broad ray-path’ of Soma’s movement in consciousness. (2) abháya ‘fearless’ (a- privative + bhaya ‘fear’, from √bhī ‘fear’): inner security against hostile formations. (3) pavasva from √pū ‘to purify’ (pavamāna ‘self-purifying’): Soma as purifier of mind-life. (4) puráṃdhī (puraṃ ‘fullness/abundance’ + dhī ‘placing/holding; also ‘thought’): abundance as a power of right-disposition and plenitude. (5) vā́ja from √vaj ‘to be strong, to impel’: not merely ‘prize/food’ but ‘condensed force, victory-power, plenitude’.
R̥ta (right-directed movement: samīcīna), fearlessness as a state of inner mastery (abhaya), bṛhat/mahás (vastness of being)
‘Right-turned’ flow is movement in ṛta; fearlessness results from alignment with cosmic order.
Svaḥ-gāḥ as truth-rays; dawns as progressive unveilings of satya.
Ascent from waters (life-consciousness) to dawns (illumination) to solar rays (truth-world).
Integral Vedic yoga of ascent and descent: wideness → illumination → effective power.
Dawn (uṣas motif)
Waters = conscious currents; Dawn = awakening light; Cows = rays of knowledge; wide track = expanded consciousness; fearlessness = release of contraction.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘recovery and gathering of the Cows (gāḥ)’—a classic mythic action where the luminous herds (rays/knowledges) are brought out into the open by a divine power. Here Soma, in his wide course, desires the Waters and the Dawns and the luminous Cows of svàr, and ‘gathers’ (sam) the great vājās for the sacrificer: the myth becomes an inner process of illumination and empowerment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve archaic Indo-European poetic diction: (1) uṣás- ‘dawn’ aligns with PIE *h₂éusōs (cf. Greek Ēōs, Latin Aurora). (2) √bhī ‘fear’ in bhaya reflects PIE *bʰeyH- ‘fear/terrify’. (3) go- ‘cow’ as a central poetic symbol is Indo-Iranian; while semantically ‘cow’, in Vedic it extends to ‘ray/light’, a metaphorical elevation typical of Indo-European sacral poetry. (4) The verbal system (imperative pavasva; participial kṛṇvan) encodes performative speech: the hymn does not describe but enacts the requested transformation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi addresses Soma as an active collaborator in the inner sacrifice: Soma is asked to ‘flow here’ in right alignment, to create fearlessness and to gather powers ‘for us’. The reciprocity is implicit: the human offers the pressed Soma and the inspired word; Soma returns illumination (uṣas, gāḥ), clarified currents (apah), and victorious force (vāja), establishing a cycle of exchange that is psychological (purification and empowerment) as well as ritual.
Widen awareness and align inner currents ‘right-turned’; invite dawning illumination and solar clarity.
Anāhata (wideness/fearlessness) → Ājñā (illumination)
Slow_meditative breathing with lengthened exhale; visualize breath as Soma flowing into aligned channels; brief pause after exhale to feel ‘abhaya’.
Spacious, luminous calm with a rising clarity.
On each repetition, feel the chest widen (uru), then sense a gentle dawn-light behind the forehead (uṣas/svar); end by affirming fearless action (vājāḥ) from that light.
Use the recension’s svara marks; emphasize the widening words (urú-, abháyāni) with clear udātta where marked; keep cadence even across 4 jagatī pādas.
Do not over-pause mid-compound (urugavyūtiḥ); keep samīcīne as a single aligned phrase.
उरुगव्यूतिः urugavyūtiḥ: long ū in -vyū-, clear tiḥ ending., समीचीने samīcīne: long ī; palatal c; nasal -ne., स्वः गाः svaḥ gāḥ: visarga on svaḥ; long ā in gāḥ., चिक्रदो cikrado: crisp cik-; avoid chik-; roll lightly into -rado.
Open-throated, expansive, with gentle brightness—avoid strain to preserve ‘fearlessness’.
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