Rig Veda 9.97.45: Mandala 9, Sukta 97, Mantra 45
Sukta 9.97
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सोमः सुतो धारयात्यो न हित्वा सिन्धुर्न निम्नमभि वाज्यक्षाः । आ योनिं वन्यमसदत्पुनानः समिन्दुर्गोभिरसरत्समद्भिः ॥
sómaḥ sutó dhāráyā́tyo ná hitvā́ síndhur ná nímnam abhí vājī́ ákṣāḥ | ā yónim ványam asadat punānáḥ sám índur góbhir asarat sám adbhiḥ ||
பிழிந்து எடுத்த சோமன், ஓடையில் பொழிந்து பாய்கிறான்; வேகக் குதிரை போல வழியை விட்டுவிடான், நதி போல ஆழத்தினை நோக்கி செல்கிறான். தன்னைத் தூய்மைப்படுத்திக் கொண்டு தன் இயல்பான யோனி (மூலம்)-இல் வந்து அமர்கிறான்; இந்து (துளி) கோ-கதிர்கள் (ஒளிக்கதிர்கள்) மற்றும் நீர்களுடன் சேர்ந்து ஒன்றாகப் பாய்கிறான்.
Word by Word
- सोमः
- Soma (the pressed juice)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (to press/produce Soma)
- सुतः
- pressed, expressedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सोमः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot √सु (सुनोति) + क्त (PPP)
- धारयात्यः
- streaming, moving in a flowAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सोमस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot धारया (स्त्री. ‘धारा’/‘धार’ से) + त्य (तद्धित, ‘-त्य’ = ‘going/connected with’)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- हित्वा
- having left, abandoningGerundअव्यय (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)Root √हा (जहाति) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
- सिन्धुः
- the river, the SindhuNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-कर्तृ)Root सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न
- निम्नम्
- the low place, depth, downward slopeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (गत्यर्थे लक्ष्य-देशः)Root निम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, intoIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/उपपद (दिशा/अभिमुखता)Root अभि
- वाज्याक्षाः
- having swift axles; swift-moving (like a chariot)Noun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सोमस्य विशेषणरूपेण)Role कर्तृRoot वाज्याक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; वाज्य ‘swift/bringing prize’ + अक्ष ‘axle’)
- आ
- to, untoIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग (आगमन/समन्तात्)Root आ
- योनिम्
- womb, source, resting-placeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (गत्यर्थे लक्ष्यः)Root योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वन्यम्
- wooden; of the forest (i.e., the wooden vat/filter)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (योनिम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot वन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- असदत्
- sat down; came to restVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √सद् (सीदति) [आ- उपसर्गार्थे सन्दर्भः]
- पुनानः
- purifying himself; being purifiedParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सोमस्य)Role कर्तृRoot √पू (पुनाति) + शानच् (pres. mid. participle)
- सम्
- together, withIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग (समवाय/संयोग)Root सम्
- इन्दुः
- Indu (Soma drop)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोभिः
- with cows (i.e., with milk / with cattle as wealth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- असरत्
- Root √सृ (सरति) [अ- augment; ‘असरत्’ = aorist]
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution (no external padapāṭha given): सोम॑:→सोमः
- सु॒तो→सुतः
- धार॒यात्यो॒→धारयात्यः
- हित्वा॒→हित्वा
- सिन्धु॒र्न→सिन्धुः न
- नि॒म्नम॒भि→निम्नम् अभि
- वा॒ज्य॑क्षाः→वाज्याक्षाः
- योनिं॒→योनिम्
- वन्य॑मसदत्→वन्यम् असदत्
- पुना॒नः→पुनानः
- समिन्दु॒र्गोभि॑रसर॒त्सम॒द्भिः→सम् इन्दुः गोभिः असरत् सम् अद्भिः. Vedic accents are not re-marked in the resolved forms
- they follow the saṃhitā text
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, pressed, pours in a stream; like a swift horse he keeps the course; like a river he goes to the deep. Purifying, he settles into his native womb; the drop flows together with the cows (rays) and with the waters.
Inner meaning
The delight-principle, once extracted by discipline (suta), moves as a continuous current (dhārā). It is compared to a horse (aśva/vājin): the vital force energized and rightly directed does not abandon the path. It is also a river (sindhu) seeking the ‘deep’ (nimna): consciousness naturally descends into depth to gather fullness, then rises purified. The ‘native womb’ (yoni vanya) is Soma’s own source—its home in the truth-plane of Ananda. Flowing ‘with the cows’ means delight unites with illuminations (go = rays of knowledge); flowing ‘with the waters’ means it unites with the life-currents (āpaḥ). Thus knowledge-light and life-force are fused in one blissful movement.
Universal truth
A purified joy becomes a steady disciplined current; it joins illumination and life into a single transformative flow returning again and again to its source in the depths of being.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Purification, Inner alchemy of consciousness, Union of illumination and vital flow
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma-seers (individual uncertain; RV 9 Anukramaṇī varies by recension)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.97.44, RV 9.97.46, RV 9.2 (Soma flow imagery)
Family tradition
Soma-Pavamāna visionary tradition describing inner processes through river/horse/flow metaphors.
Significance
This verse is a compact yoga-psychology: sustained flow, disciplined direction, descent into depth, return to source, and integration of light (go) with life (āpaḥ).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Suta (pressed), Punāna (purifying), Indu (drop)
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ (Waters), Go (Rays/illumination as a symbolic host)
Cosmic role
Flowing essence that purifies itself and unites the luminous and vital worlds.
Inner power
Steady bliss-current that coordinates prāṇa (waters) and illumination (rays) and returns to its origin.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtering (pavamāna) while Soma runs in streams
सोम॑: सु॒तो धार॒यात्यो॒ न हित्वा॒ सिन्धु॒र्न नि॒म्नम॒भि वा॒ज्य॑क्षाः । आ योनिं॒ वन्य॑मसदत्पुना॒नः समिन्दु॒र्गोभि॑रसर॒त्सम॒द्भिः ॥
सोमः॑ । सु॒तः । धार॑या । अत्यः॑ । न । हित्वा॑ । सिन्धुः॑ । न । नि॒म्नम् । अ॒भि । वा॒जी । अ॒क्षा॒रिति॑ । आ । योनि॑म् । वन्य॑म् । अ॒स॒द॒त् । पु॒ना॒नः । सम् । इन्दुः॑ । गोभिः॑ । अ॒स॒र॒त् । सम् । अ॒त्ऽभिः ॥
somaḥ | sutaḥ | dhārayā | atyaḥ | na | hitvā | sindhuḥ | na | nimnam | abhi | vājī | akṣāriti | ā | yonim | vanyam | asadat | punānaḥ | sam | induḥ | gobhiḥ | asarat | sam | at-bhiḥ
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables (confirm by scan)
Flowing, river-like; extended cadence mirrors continuous streaming.
Induces a sense of uninterrupted movement and depth; supports long-breath chanting and meditative continuity.
- सुत (suta)
- Literal: pressed out. Symbolic: essence extracted by tapas/discipline from experience and nature
- धारा (dhārā)
- Literal: stream. Symbolic: continuous flow of consciousness, sustained practice
- अत्यः/वाजी (atyaḥ/vājī)
- Literal: swift steed / prize-winning horse. Symbolic: vital energy harnessed for the soul’s journey
- सिन्धु (sindhu)
- Literal: river. Symbolic: vast current of being moving toward depth and plenitude
- निम्न (nimna)
- Literal: deep, low place. Symbolic: the depth of consciousness (subconscient/causal) where fullness is gathered
- योनि (yoni)
- Literal: womb, source. Symbolic: origin-plane of Ananda; the true foundation of delight
- गोभिः (gobhiḥ)
- Literal: with cows. Symbolic: with rays of illumination/knowledge
- अद्भिः (adbhiḥ)
- Literal: with waters. Symbolic: with life-energies, currents of purification
Soma pressing and purification (pavamāna flow through the filter) in Soma-yajña contexts such as Agniṣṭoma; chanted during the Pavamāna-stotra sequences
As Soma is poured/filtered and collected; descriptive of the flowing process
Chant accompanying the visible flow; inwardly align with the ‘stream’ of practice
Excellent for japa during walking meditation or breath-flow practice—cultivating continuity without strain.
Key roots: √kṣar ‘to flow, melt, pour’ (ákṣāḥ: aor./perf. sense ‘has flowed’); √sṛ ‘to run/flow’ (ásarat: aor. ‘ran/flowed’). √sad ‘to sit, settle’ (ásadat: aor. ‘sat/settled’). punānáḥ from √pū ‘to purify/cleanse’. vājī from vāja ‘strength, prize, plenitude’ (often ‘victorious force’ in inner sense). gó- polysemy: ‘cow’ and ‘ray/light/knowledge’; in Soma hymns, go frequently aligns with illumination released/collected by the pressing.
ṛta as right movement/order (implicit in ‘not abandoning the course’), purification/clarification (punānaḥ), integration of light and life (gobhiḥ + adbhiḥ + sam)
The horse ‘not abandoning the course’ suggests fidelity to ṛta (right path).
Returning to yoni (true source) indicates restoration to the truth-plane of being.
Convergence of rays (knowledge) and waters (life) in one current of Ananda.
Integral yoga hermeneutic: descent into depth and ascent to source; integration of mind-light and life-force.
Stream/river = continuity of sadhana; horse = directed vital energy; deep = inner depth; waters = prāṇa; cows = illuminations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma-as-river/steed’ mythologem: the pressed Soma becomes a living current that rushes to its ‘yoni’ (seat/origin) through purification, converging with ‘cows’ (lights) and ‘waters’ (life-powers). Mythically it is the return/installation of the divine essence into its proper station; psychologically it is the settling of clarified delight-force into the soul’s native foundation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Flow-verbs √kṣar and √sṛ continue an Indo-European poetic complex of ‘liquid/light as flowing’ (cf. PIE *sreu- ‘flow’ > Skt srávati, Gk rheî ‘flows’, Lat ruō ‘rush’). The ‘cow = light’ metaphor parallels Indo-Iranian usage where bovine terms can mark luminous wealth; gó- is semantically extended in Vedic to ‘ray/illumination’, a poetic inheritance rather than a purely pastoral literalism.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer observes and implicitly invokes Soma’s right motion: Soma’s gift is not merely a substance but an inner operation—purifying, gathering lights (go) and waters (ap) into a unified stream. The reciprocity is: the human press/aspiration expresses Soma (‘sutaḥ’), and Soma in return establishes fullness of force (vāja) by integrating illumination and life-energy within the vessel.
Feel a continuous nectar-stream in the spine: steady, swift, and deep; let it unite clarity (light-rays) and vitality (waters).
Suṣumṇā focus; grounding in Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters) rising to Ājñā (light).
Slow ujjāyī or smooth nasal breathing; imagine inhale as ‘river to the deep’, exhale as ‘return to the yoni/source’.
Continuous flow (dhārā), deepened and purified; integrative calm.
Do not ‘push’ the horse; keep the course by gentle persistence. If agitation arises, descend into the ‘nimna’ (quiet depth) and let the current re-form.
Standard RV svara; long-flowing phrases benefit from keeping svarita transitions smooth—verify with Śākala recitation.
Maintain clear contrasts: sindhur (not ‘sindhu’), nimnam, yoniṃ. Keep consonant clusters clean: dhārayātyo, vājy akṣāḥ.
: dhā-ra-yā-tyaḥ (avoid inserting extra vowel), : sin-dhur na (sandhi), ṃ : yo-niṃ va-nyam (palatal ny), : go-bhiḥ (bh aspirate)
liquid, continuous, unbroken phrasing
Ask anything about this verse
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.
