Rig Veda 9.63.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 63, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.63
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma hymns
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
सुत इन्द्राय विष्णवे सोमः कलशे अक्षरत् । मधुमाँ अस्तु वायवे ॥
sutá indrā́ya víṣṇave sómaḥ kalaśé akṣarat | mádhu-māṃ astu vā́yave ||
ఇంద్రునికీ విష్ణువుకీ పిండిన సోమము కలశములో ధారగా ప్రవహించింది. అది వాయువుకోసం మధుమయంగా ఉండుగాక—ప్రాణవాయువు విస్తృత గమనానికి తగిన మధుర ఆనందరసంగా.
Word by Word
- सुतः
- pressed (Soma), the pressed oneAdjective (past passive participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (Kartā) — of ‘अक्षरत्’Root √सु (सुते) / सुत- (ppp)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna) — recipientRoot इन्द्र-
- विष्णवे
- for ViṣṇuNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna) — recipientRoot विष्णु-
- सोमः
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (Kartā) — apposition to ‘सुतः’, agent of ‘अक्षरत्’Root सोम-
- कलशे
- in/into the vessel (jar)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa) — locusRoot कलश-
- अक्षरत्
- flowed, streamedVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √क्षर् (क्षरति)
- मधुमान्
- honeyed, sweetAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole प्रेडिकेटिव विशेषण — of implied ‘सः/सोमः’ with ‘अस्तु’Root मधु- + -मान् (possessive)
- अस्तु
- let (him/it) beVerbलोट् (imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √अस् (अस्ति)
- वायवे
- for VāyuNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna) — recipientRoot वायु-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): सुतः | इन्द्राय | विष्णवे | सोमः | कलशे | अक्षरत् | मधुमान् | अस्तु | वायवे || 1) ‘सोम॑:’ = ‘सोमः’ (visarga before consonant)
- 2) ‘मधु॑माँ’ is Vedic orthography for ‘मधुमान्’ (nom. sg. m. of -मान् stem; final -न् realized as nasalization/ँ in saṃhitā writing)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Pressed Soma has streamed into the jar for Indra and Vishnu; may he be honeyed for Vayu.
Inner meaning
When bliss is ‘pressed out’ by tapas and right practice, it streams into the stable container (kalaśa)—the collected consciousness. It is offered to Indra (illumined mind) and Viṣṇu (wide-pervading consciousness/steps of expansion). Made ‘madhu-mān’ for Vāyu, it sweetens and harmonizes prāṇa—the life-movement—so the whole being can move widely without disturbance.
Universal truth
Real joy must be integrated: it should empower clarity (Indra), wideness (Vishnu), and harmonious life-breath (Vayu).
Themes
Soma-ritual, triadic offering, madhu symbolism, inner collection
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seers (Soma Maṇḍala tradition)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.63.1-2, Rig Veda 9.63.4
Family tradition
Soma specialists integrating multiple devatās: Indra (illumination), Vishnu (wideness), Vayu (prāṇa).
Significance
Shows the integrality principle: one purified essence serves mind, wideness, and life-breath—an early Vedic template for integral yoga.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- suta (pressed), madhu-mān (honey-rich)
- Related deities
- Indra, Vishnu, Vayu
Cosmic role
The refined essence offered to the powers that govern illumination, expansion, and life-movement.
Inner power
Ananda that becomes stable (in the jar), luminous (for Indra), vast (for Vishnu), and harmonizing (for Vayu).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and pouring into jars; offerings to Indra-Vishnu and Vayu
सु॒त इन्द्रा॑य॒ विष्ण॑वे॒ सोम॑: क॒लशे॑ अक्षरत् । मधु॑माँ अस्तु वा॒यवे॑ ॥
सु॒तः । इन्द्रा॑य । विष्ण॑वे । सोमः॑ । क॒लशे॑ । अ॒क्ष॒र॒त् । मधु॑ऽमान् । अ॒स्तु॒ । वा॒यवे॑ ॥
sutaḥ | indrāya | viṣṇave | somaḥ | kalaśe | akṣarat | madhu-mān | astu | vāyave
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3 × 8 syllables
Balanced triadic movement—mirrors the triad of recipients (Indra-Vishnu-Vayu).
Creates a sense of integration: clarity, wideness, and breath harmonize in a single cadence.
- sutaḥ
- Literal: pressed out. Symbolic: essence extracted by discipline, aspiration, and inner churning
- kalaśe
- Literal: in the jar. Symbolic: collected mind/heart-vessel; stable concentration that can hold the force
- akṣarat
- Literal: has flowed/streamed. Symbolic: continuous descent/effusion of ananda into the prepared consciousness
- indrāya
- Literal: for Indra. Symbolic: for illumined intelligence and victorious discernment
- viṣṇave
- Literal: for Vishnu. Symbolic: for wideness, all-pervading integration, the ‘three strides’ of expansion
- madhu-mān
- Literal: honey-possessing. Symbolic: sweet, harmonious delight that heals harshness and agitation
- vāyave
- Literal: for Vayu. Symbolic: for prāṇa—life-force movement, breath, and dynamic circulation of energy
Soma expressed and collected in kalaśa; offerings apportioned to Indra/Vishnu/Vayu in Soma rites
After pressing, when Soma is collected and apportioned for specific deities.
Pressing (savana), pouring into kalaśa, offering portions.
Use to integrate meditation experiences into daily life: stabilize joy (jar), clarify thought (Indra), widen perspective (Vishnu), and calm breath/energy (Vayu).
suta: √su (to press out Soma). kalaśa: vessel/urn (collecting, containing). akṣarat: √kṣar (to flow, melt, stream). madhu: honey/sweetness; from PIE *médʰu (honey, mead). vāyu: wind/life-breath from √vā (to blow). viṣṇu: traditionally from √viṣ/√viś (pervade) with the ‘wide stride’ theology.
pervasion and the ‘wide stride’ (Vishnu), prāṇa as carrier-force (Vayu), sweetness (madhu) as harmonizing delight
Right distribution: the essence flows to the right powers in right measure—orderly integration of faculties.
Truth becomes livable when it widens and breathes—not only a mental insight.
From extraction to integration: essence pressed out becomes a sustaining order across planes (mind, vastness, life).
Integral/triadic yoga reading (Aurobindo): mind-illumination + wideness + prāṇic harmony.
Pressed joy streams into collected awareness, sweetens the breath, and supports wide luminous action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘pressed Soma’ that streams into the vessel and becomes apportioned to major powers (Indra–Vishnu–Vayu): a mythic distribution of delight that empowers victory (Indra), cosmic wideness/order (Vishnu), and vital ascent/motion (Vayu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu directly reflects PIE *médʰu (cf. Avestan madu, Greek méthy ‘wine’, Old English medu ‘mead’), showing an inherited Indo-European poetic substance of sweetness/intoxication linked to inspired power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions Soma as the mediating substance/power that becomes ‘fit’ (madhu-mān) for specific divine functions: the human act of pressing/collecting corresponds to an inner gathering, enabling different god-powers to work distinctly in the seeker.
Stabilize bliss in the ‘inner jar’ (collected awareness) and let it sweeten the breath so wideness arises naturally.
Ājñā (clarity) + Anāhata (wideness) + subtle prāṇa field (nāḍīs)
Bhrāmarī or soft ujjāyī to ‘honey’ the breath; feel sweetness spreading with exhale.
Spacious, sweet, integrated.
After a good meditation, chant 9 times to ‘seal’ the state into breath and action; then walk slowly, keeping a honeyed exhale.
Gāyatrī accents; keep flow on ‘akṣarat’ as a continuous glide; brighten ‘indrāya viṣṇave’.
Do not rush the deity names; give each a clear, equal placement to mirror integration.
sutaḥ: light visarga., viṣṇave: retroflex ṣṇ cluster; keep ‘ṇ’ cerebral., kalaśe: ś palatal; short e., akṣarat: kṣ cluster crisp., madhumān: keep nasalization/length; avoid ‘maduman’., vāyave: long ā; y clear.
Smooth and sweet-toned; avoid sharp attack to preserve ‘madhu’ quality.
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