Rig Veda 9.73.7: Mandala 9, Sukta 73, Mantra 7
Sukta 9.73
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
सहस्रधारे वितते पवित्र आ वाचं पुनन्ति कवयो मनीषिणः । रुद्रास एषामिषिरासो अद्रुहः स्पशः स्वञ्चः सुदृशो नृचक्षसः ॥
sahásradhāre vítate pavítra ā́ vā́caṃ punanti kaváyo manīṣíṇaḥ | rudrā́sa eṣām iṣirā́so ádruhaḥ spáśaḥ sváñcaḥ sudṛ́śo nṛcákṣasaḥ ||
ஆயிரம் ஓடைகள் கொண்ட, விரிந்த பவித்ரத்தில் கவிகளும் மனீஷிகளும் வாக்கைத் தூய்மைப்படுத்துகின்றனர். அவர்களின் ஆற்றல்கள் ருத்ர-சமம்—கூர்மையானவை, விரைவானவை, அத்ருஹ (துரோகம் அற்றவை)—; அவர்களின் ஸ்பஷ் (காவலர்/நோக்கினர்) ஸ்வஞ்ச் (தாமே நேரானவை), சுத்ருஷ் (தெளிவாகக் காண்பவை), ந்ருசக்ஷஸ் (மனிதனை அறியும் பார்வை) உடையவை.
Word by Word
- सहस्रधारे
- in the thousand-streamed (sieve/filter)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (अधिकरणे) [= सहस्रधारे (पवित्रे)]Role अधिकारणRoot सहस्र- + धारा-
- वितते
- in the outstretched/spreadAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (अधिकरणे) [= वितते (पवित्रे)]Role अधिकारणRoot वि-√तन् (तनोति) → वितत-
- पवित्रे
- in the purifier, the filter (soma-sieve)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-एकवचनम्Role अधिकारणRoot पवित्र-
- आ
- towards, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (पुनन्ति इत्यस्य) / दिशार्थःRoot आ
- वाचम्
- speech, voiceNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वाच्-
- पुनन्ति
- they purifyVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root √पू (पुनाति)
- कवयः
- the seers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot कवि-
- मनीषिणः
- the thoughtful, wiseAdjective (substantival)पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (कवयः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot मनीषिन्-
- रुद्रासः
- the RudrasNounपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot रुद्र-
- एषाम्
- of thesePronounषष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (सर्वलिङ्गम्)Role सम्बन्धRoot एतद् (एष-)
- इषिरासः
- vigorous/impetuousAdjective (substantival)पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (रुद्रासः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot इषिर-
- अद्रुहः
- non-injuring, not deceitfulAdjective (substantival)पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (रुद्रासः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot अ- + द्रुह् (द्रुह् ‘to harm’) → अद्रुह-
- स्पशः
- watchers, spiesNounपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot स्पश्/स्पश- (‘spy, watcher’)
- स्वञ्चः
- swift-movingAdjective (substantival)पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (स्पशः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot स्वञ्च-
- सुदृशः
- good-seeing, keen-sightedAdjective (substantival)पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (स्पशः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot सु- + दृश् → सुदृश-
- नृचक्षसः
- having men as their gaze; man-observingAdjective (substantival)पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (स्पशः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot नृ- + चक्षस्-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (RV-pada style): सहस्रधारे | वितते | पवित्रे | आ | वाचम् | पुनन्ति | कवयः | मनीषिणः || रुद्रासः | एषाम् | इषिरासः | अद्रुहः | स्पशः | स्वञ्चः | सुदृशः | नृचक्षसः || सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) ‘पवित्र आ’ इति संहितायां ‘पवित्र॒ आ’—अकारसन्धिः (अ + आ → आ) तथा पदान्त-रकारस्य विसर्गाभावः (RV संहिता-प्रयोगः)
- (2) ‘वाचं पुनन्ति’—अनुस्वारः परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रयोगः (वाचम् + पुनन्ति)
- (3) ‘एषामिषिरासः’ = एषाम् + इषिरासः (म् + इ → मि; संहितायां ‘एषामिषि…’)
- (4) ‘अद्रुहः स्पशः’—विसर्गः परे शकारे ‘ः’ रूपेण (जिह्वामूलीय/उपध्मानीय न) सामान्यः
- (5) ‘स्पशः स्वञ्चः’—सकारादौ परे विसर्गः ‘ः’ एव (RV)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In the thousand-streamed, widely spread purifier, seers and thinkers cleanse the Word. Their forces are Rudra-like—swift, without malice; their watchers are straight, clear-seeing, discerning the human being.
Inner meaning
The ‘pavitra’ is the vast filtering consciousness with innumerable currents (sahasradhāra) through which speech is refined. The poets (kavayaḥ) and deep thinkers (manīṣiṇaḥ) purify vā́c—not merely words, but the expressive power of consciousness—until it becomes a vessel of truth. The energies that arise in this process are Rudra-like: intense, swift, purifying, yet ‘adruhaḥ’ (without ill-will). The inner ‘spaśaḥ’ (watchers) are the vigilant discernments that keep the being straight (svañcaḥ), seeing clearly (sudṛśaḥ) and reading the human nature (nṛcakṣasaḥ) to correct it.
Universal truth
When consciousness becomes a wide purifier, speech and thought are refined into truth; intense transformative energies can act without hostility, guided by clear discernment.
Themes
Mantra discipline, Purification of Vāc, Rudra-force without malice, Inner discernment
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna seer-tradition; individual attribution uncertain for this hymn in many modern datasets
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.73.1-9
Significance
Highlights the Vedic yoga of vā́c: the seer is one who purifies speech until it becomes a direct instrument of consciousness and transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (with Rudra-like energies as associated powers)
- Epithets
- pavitra-stha (dwelling in the purifier), sahasradhāra, vā́c-śodhaka (purifier of the Word)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Bṛhaspati (lord of speech), Agni
Cosmic role
Cleanses and empowers the creative Word that orders worlds; releases swift transformative forces under vigilant guidance.
Inner power
Ananda-intelligence that refines expression; awakens fierce but benevolent transformative shakti (Rudra aspect) and steady inner witnessing (spaśaḥ).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma straining (pavitra) with recitation by priests (udgātṛ/hotṛ functions across traditions)
स॒हस्र॑धारे॒ वित॑ते प॒वित्र॒ आ वाचं॑ पुनन्ति क॒वयो॑ मनी॒षिण॑: । रु॒द्रास॑ एषामिषि॒रासो॑ अ॒द्रुह॒: स्पश॒: स्वञ्च॑: सु॒दृशो॑ नृ॒चक्ष॑सः ॥
स॒हस्र॑ऽधारे । विऽत॑ते । प॒वित्रे॑ । आ । वाच॑म् । पु॒न॒न्ति॒ । क॒वयः॑ । म॒नी॒षिणः॑ । रु॒द्रासः॑ । ए॒षा॒म् । इ॒षि॒रासः॑ । अ॒द्रुहः॑ । स्पशः॑ । सु॒ऽअञ्चः॑ । सु॒ऽदृशः॑ । नृ॒ऽचक्ष॑सः ॥
sahasra-dhāre | vi-tate | pavitre | ā | vācam | punanti | kavayaḥ | manīṣiṇaḥ | rudrāsaḥ | eṣām | iṣirāsaḥ | adruhaḥ | spaśaḥ | su-añcaḥ | su-dṛśaḥ | nṛ-cakṣasaḥ
48
4×12 (approx.)
Broad and flowing, mirroring the ‘widely spread’ purifier and many streams.
Opens the throat/voice sense subtly; supports mantra-japa aimed at refining speech and intention.
- sahasradhāra
- Literal: thousand-streamed. Symbolic: multiple currents of awareness/energy in purification
- vitate pavitre
- Literal: in the widely spread purifier. Symbolic: expanded field of consciousness that filters and clarifies
- vācam punanti
- Literal: they purify speech. Symbolic: refine expression so it carries truth-force (mantra-śakti)
- kavayaḥ
- Literal: seers/poets. Symbolic: intuitive faculties that hear and shape inner truth
- manīṣiṇaḥ
- Literal: thinkers, wise. Symbolic: discriminative intelligence supporting intuition
- rudrāsaḥ
- Literal: Rudra-like. Symbolic: fierce-purifying transformative energies
- adruhaḥ
- Literal: non-injuring, without malice. Symbolic: purification without egoic aggression
- spaśaḥ
- Literal: watchers, spies. Symbolic: inner vigilance; discernment that detects deviation
- svañcaḥ
- Literal: self-straight. Symbolic: aligned with the inner law; not crooked
- nṛcakṣasaḥ
- Literal: human-seeing. Symbolic: insight into human motives/patterns for transformation
Purification of Soma and concomitant ‘purification of Vāc’ in chant; aligns with correct recitation and inner clarity
As Soma passes through the filter; also as praise of the purifying process
Chant to consecrate and ‘cleanse’ vā́c in the rite
Mantra for truthful speech and inner alignment—use before important communication or as a daily ‘speech purification’ practice.
pun- √pū ‘purify’ (punanti). manīṣā from √man ‘think’ (PIE *men-). Rudra as the fierce-purifying force; adruha (a- + druh ‘harm/treachery’ √druh). dṛś ‘see’ (sudṛśa) PIE *derk- ‘see’ (broadly).
purification of speech (Vāc) as purification of consciousness, Rudra principle as intense cleansing force, discernment (spaśaḥ) as inner guardianship
Purified speech becomes a channel of ṛta; watchers ensure straightness (non-crookedness).
Satya expresses itself through cleansed vā́c—speech that is exact, luminous, and benevolent.
Creation through Word: the cosmos is sustained by speech purified into truth-force.
Vedic mantra-yoga; bridges to Upaniṣadic emphasis on speech as Brahman’s expression.
Streams = currents of prāṇa and awareness; filter = discriminative purification; lightning = swift transformative insight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘purifying the Word’: Vāc is treated as a substance that can be clarified in the pavitra. The seers’ Rudra-like energies act as fierce but benevolent purifiers, while watchers ensure straight movement—an inner ritual of making speech fit to carry ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The √man family (manīṣin) continues PIE *men- (mind). √dṛś (seeing) continues PIE *derk-/*drewk- (perception). The verse’s epithets (compound adjectives) mirror archaic IE poetic technique of stacking attributes to encode mythic function.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi-community (kavayaḥ manīṣiṇaḥ) is co-worker rather than passive recipient: they purify Vāc through the Soma-pavitra. The Devatā supplies force (Rudra-like intensity) and guardianship (spaśaḥ), enabling truthful utterance.
Place awareness in the throat and heart; feel a ‘wide filter’ through which words and thoughts pass and become clear.
Viśuddha (speech purification) with Anāhata support (benevolent, non-malicious force)
Ujjāyī-light (very gentle) for 3 minutes, then chant softly; let the sound ‘wash’ the throat.
From reactive speech to witness-backed truthful expression.
Observe one day of ‘straight speech’: before speaking, silently recall ‘spaśaḥ svañcaḥ’—let inner watchers verify alignment and kindness.
Sustain even tone across long compounds; allow gentle udātta lift on sahasradhāre, pavitre, vācam.
Do not clip consonant clusters: vitate, pavitre, manīṣiṇaḥ, nṛcakṣasaḥ.
sahasradhāre: dhā long ā; retroflex ṛ clear, vitate: short i; dental t, pavitre: vṛ not present—keep ‘vi’ clear, vācam: long ā, manīṣiṇaḥ: long ī; retroflex ṇ, rudrāsaḥ: dr cluster smooth, adruhaḥ: dr again; h audible, spaśaḥ: palatal ś, svañcaḥ: ñc cluster; nasalized properly, sudṛśaḥ: retroflex ṣ at end
Clear, resonant, slightly nasal support; gentle intensity without harshness (adruhaḥ).
3
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