Rig Veda 9.61.10: Mandala 9, Sukta 61, Mantra 10
Sukta 9.61
- Rishi
- RV 9 Pavamāna tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
उच्चा ते जातमन्धसो दिवि षद्भूम्या ददे । उग्रं शर्म महि श्रवः ॥
uccā́ te jātám ándhaso diví ṣád bhū́myā dade | ugráṃ śárma máhi śrávaḥ ||
నీ అంధస్ (రసం) నుండి జనించినది ఉన్నతమైనది; అది దివిలో ఆసీనమై ఉంటుంది, భూమి దానిని స్వీకరిస్తుంది. అదే నీ ఉగ్ర శర్మ, నీ మహత్ శ్రవస్—ఆ ఉన్నత శక్తి మమ్మల్ని మహా రక్షణలో స్థాపించుగాక.
Word by Word
- उच्चा
- aloft, on highIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषण (अव्यय), ‘ऊर्ध्वम्/उपरि’ अर्थेRole Adhikaraṇa (देश/दिशा-निर्देशः; क्रियाविशेषणत्वेन)Root उच्च (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषण) < √उच्/उच्च् (उन्नतौ) (व्युत्पत्त्यनुसारेण)
- ते
- of you/yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचनम् (gen. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (possessor/related-to)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जातम्
- born, producedParticiple (Adjective) / Noun-likeनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (nom./acc. sg.)Role Karma (यत् ‘ददे’ इत्यस्य दानवस्तु-रूपेण) / अथवा विशेषणम् ‘अन्धसः’ इत्यस्यRoot √जन् (जन्मनि) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; भूतकृत्)
- अन्धसः
- of the soma-juice (pressed draught)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (gen. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (source/possessive: ‘of the soma-juice’)Root अन्धस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवि
- in heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (loc. sg.)Role Adhikaraṇa (स्थान: in heaven)Root द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- षत्
- sitting, being seatedParticipleपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (nom. sg.); वैदिकरूपेण ‘षत्’ = ‘सत्’Role Kartā (कर्ता: ‘sitting/being’—यः ददे इति क्रियायाः कर्ता)Root √सद् (सीदति/आसने) → सत्/षत् (कृदन्त; वर्तमानकृदन्त)
- भूम्याः
- from the earth / of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी/पञ्चमी एकवचनम् (gen./abl. sg.)Role Apādāna (यदि ‘from earth’ अर्थः) / सम्बन्ध (यदि ‘of earth’ अर्थः)Root भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददे
- has given, bestowedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √दा (दाने)
- उग्रम्
- mighty, powerfulAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (nom./acc. sg.)Role Karma (ददे इत्यस्य दानवस्तु-रूपेण) / विशेष्य-विशेषणभावेन ‘शर्म’ इत्यस्यRoot उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शर्म
- shelter, protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (nom./acc. sg.)Role Karma (that which is granted) / फल (protective boon)Root शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- महि
- greatly, mightyIndeclinable (adverbial) / Adjective-useअव्यय, ‘महत्त्वेन/अत्यर्थम्’ अर्थेRole विशेषण (उग्रम्/शर्म/श्रवः इत्यस्य तीव्रता-वृद्ध्यर्थम्)Root महि (अव्यय/विशेषणप्रयोगः; ‘महन्’ से सम्बन्धित)
- श्रवः
- fame, gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (nom./acc. sg.)Role Karma (bestowed object) / फल (fame, glory)Root श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उच्चा | ते | जातम् | अन्धसः | दिवि | षत् | भूम्याः | ददे | उग्रम् | शर्म | महि | श्रवः । वैदिक-विशेषः: ‘षत्’ इति रूपं √सद्-धातोः वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘सत्’ (nom. sg. m.) का वैदिक/संहितापाठ-रूपान्तरम्। ‘भूम्याः’ षष्ठी/पञ्चमी एकवचन-रूपं
- सन्दर्भे ‘दिवि … भूम्याः’ इत्यत्र ‘दिवि’ (loc.) तथा ‘भूम्याः’ (abl./gen.) द्वारा स्थान/अपादान-सम्बन्धः सूच्यते।
The meaning
Outer meaning
What is born from Soma’s essence rises high; it has its seat in heaven and is received by earth—Soma’s powerful peace/protection and great renown. May that exalted power set us in a vast shelter.
Inner meaning
From the purified Soma (clarified consciousness and delight) a higher formation is born in us—an uplifted state that takes its station in the luminous mind (dyu) while the embodied nature (bhūmi) receives and holds it. This descent-ascent establishes an “ugra śarma”: a strong, battle-worthy peace—an inner protection that is not mere quietude but victorious security in the midst of struggle. “Mahi śravaḥ” becomes the wide hearing/renown of the soul: the capacity to receive the higher Word and to radiate its truth in life.
Universal truth
When consciousness is purified, its highest birth naturally seeks the heights (clarity, truth, wideness) and then must be grounded in life. True peace is dynamic strength; true greatness is a widened receptivity and resonance with the higher truth.
Themes
Heaven-earth integration, Protection-boon, Manifestation of power
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seers
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.61 (Pavamāna series), Rig Veda 9.62–9.64 (adjacent Pavamāna movements)
Family tradition
Ninth Maṇḍala Soma-Pavamāna tradition; hymns of purification and ascent of Soma-consciousness.
Significance
The Pavamāna rishis specialize in the yoga of purification: converting raw experience into clarified delight and luminous power that can seat itself in the higher mind and transform embodied life.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (self-purifying), Indu (bright drop), Madhu (honeyed delight)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Varuṇa, Maruts
Cosmic role
Purifier and intensifier of consciousness; mediates between heaven (luminous mind) and earth (embodied life), establishing protection and wideness.
Inner power
Ananda-force that clarifies thought, strengthens will, and creates a stable inner shelter (śarma) while widening receptivity (śravas).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (Pavamāna stotra/śastra context)
उ॒च्चा ते॑ जा॒तमन्ध॑सो दि॒वि षद्भूम्या द॑दे । उ॒ग्रं शर्म॒ महि॒ श्रव॑: ॥
उ॒च्चा । ते॒ । जा॒तम् । अन्ध॑सः । दि॒वि । सत् । भूमिः॑ । आ । द॒दे॒ । उ॒ग्रम् । शर्म॑ । महि॑ । श्रवः॑ ॥
uccā | te | jātam | andhasaḥ | divi | sat | bhūmiḥ | ā | dade | ugram | śarma | mahi | śravaḥ
48
4 pādas × 12 syllables (Jagatī norm)
Long, flowing, expansive cadence suitable for ‘wideness’ and establishment.
Encourages an upward lift followed by grounding—felt as elevation in the head-space and a settling protection in the heart and body.
- अन्धसः (andhasaḥ)
- Literal: juice, Soma-essence. Symbolic: the pressed essence of delight/consciousness; the sap of inner experience that becomes spiritual force
- उच्चा (uccā)
- Literal: high, aloft. Symbolic: elevation of consciousness; ascent beyond habitual mind
- दिवि (divi)
- Literal: in heaven. Symbolic: in the luminous mind-plane; clarity and wide seeing
- भूमिः (bhūmiḥ)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: the embodied nature; physical-vital foundation capable of receiving the higher
- उग्रम् शर्म (ugraṃ śarma)
- Literal: strong protection/peace. Symbolic: victorious peace; a forceful shelter against inner resistance
- महि श्रवः (mahi śravaḥ)
- Literal: great fame/hearing. Symbolic: vast receptivity to the higher Word and its effective manifestation
Concludes with a protection-boon: in Soma ritual, the clarified essence is ‘raised’ and offered to gods; here it is also ‘received by earth’—the embodied sacrificer gains shelter and enduring efficacy.
During Soma-yajña sequences when Soma is filtered and offered
Chanting as Soma flows through the filter; consecrating the clarified stream
Use as a meditation mantra for ‘elevate and ground’: invoke higher clarity (dyu) and establish protective peace in daily life (bhūmi).
(andhas) is Soma ‘juice/essence’ (distinct from later ‘blindness’ homonym); here genitive andhasaḥ. (uccā́) expresses elevation. √sad ‘sit’ (ṣad) indicates establishment. √dā ‘give/place’ (dade) shows reception/placement into earth-nature. (śarma) is ‘shelter, peace’—a key RV boon. (śravas) ‘fame’ from √śru ‘hear’—that which is heard/resounds; psychologically, the established, outwardly effective radiance of accomplishment.
descent and establishment of higher consciousness in embodiment, R̥ta spanning heaven-earth, śarma as stable peace of the transformed nature
Soma’s purified flow aligns the inner being with ṛta, producing an ordered peace that can withstand disturbance.
The ‘high-born’ state in heaven indicates truth-consciousness taking its rightful seat.
A ‘birth’ from essence: higher consciousness is generated from refined experience and then embodied.
Proto-Vedāntic and integral-yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): ascent to higher mind and descent into life.
Purified delight rises to illumined mind and is received by embodied nature, producing strong peace and widened hearing.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The heaven–earth transmission: what is born from Soma’s essence is raised to heaven and then taken up by earth. Mythically, this is the axis of sacrifice—elevation to the luminous realm and embodiment as protection (śarma) and enduring efficacy (śravas).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sad ‘sit’ is PIE *sed- (cf. Latin sedeō, English ‘sit’). √śru ‘hear’ (śravas) relates to PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear/fame’ (cf. Greek kleos ‘glory’, a close functional cognate to Vedic śrávas). The heaven/earth dyad is an inherited IE poetic polarity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer asks Soma not only for uplifted experience (uccā) but for establishment (ṣad) and embodiment (bhūmiḥ ā dade): the divine delight must become a strong peace and a great, reliable power in life. The reciprocity is fulfilled when the higher is anchored in the earthly nature.
Let the ‘high-born’ clarity arise and seat itself in the crown/head-space; then consciously receive it into the body as protective peace.
Sahasrara–Ajna axis with grounding into Anahata and Muladhara
Slow inhalation ‘lifting’ (uccā), gentle retention in the head-space, long exhalation ‘receiving’ into the body (bhūmi)
Widened, protected clarity—quiet strength rather than passive calm.
After chanting, visualize a white-gold stream rising to the crown, then descending as a shield-like peace around the heart and the whole body.
Follow Rigvedic udātta/anudātta/svarita as per śākhā recitation; verse has a rising emphasis on uccā and a settling cadence on śarma/śravaḥ.
Give clear udātta lift on uccā; maintain steadiness through divi…bhūmy ā dade; deepen resonance on ugraṃ śarma; broaden on mahi śravaḥ.
uccā: double ‘cc’ and long ā, andhasaḥ: nasal ‘n’ before ‘dh’, final visarga lightly aspirated, bhūmyā: long ū; ‘myā’ as palatal glide, śarma/śravaḥ: retroflex-free ‘ś’ (palatal), final visarga soft
Clear, steady, slightly expansive on the last pāda
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