Rig Veda 9.70.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 70, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.70
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स भिक्षमाणो अमृतस्य चारुण उभे द्यावा काव्येना वि शश्रथे । तेजिष्ठा अपो मंहना परि व्यत यदी देवस्य श्रवसा सदो विदुः ॥
sá bhíkṣamāṇo amṛ́tasya cā́ruṇa ubhé dyā́vā kā́vyenā ví śaśrathe | téjiṣṭhā ápo maṃhánā pári vyata yadī́ devásya śrávasā sádo vidúḥ ||
సుందరమైన అమృతత్వాన్ని కోరుతూ, ఆయన కవి దర్శనంతో రెండు ద్యావా (రెండు ఆకాశాలు) అంతటా విస్తరిస్తాడు. వేగవంతమైన ఉదారతతో అత్యంత ప్రకాశించే జలాలను చుట్టూ వ్యాపింపజేస్తాడు; దేవుని శ్రవస్ (యశస్సు/మహిమ) వల్ల వారు ఆ సదస్—ఆ ప్రకాశమయ స్థానం—ను తెలిసికొనునప్పుడు.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- भिक्षमाणः
- begging, seekingParticiple (present middle)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot √भिक्ष् (याच्) + शानच्
- अमृतस्य
- of immortality / of ambrosiaNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- चारुणः
- of the lovely/beautiful (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूप; चारोः/चारुणः)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- उभे
- bothAdjective/Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनम्Role कर्म (with वि-शॄ/शॄ?)Root उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- द्यावापृथिवी
- Heaven and EarthNoun (compound)स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनम् (द्वन्द्व-समासः)Role कर्मRoot द्याव् (द्यौः) + पृथिवी (समासः: द्वन्द्व)
- काव्येन
- by poetic skill / by inspired artNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot काव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, widely, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- शश्रथे
- has spread out / has expandedVerbलिट् (परोक्स-परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √श्रथ् (शिथिलीकृ/विस्तार) (परस्मै/आत्मनेपद) + लिट्
- तेजिष्ठाः
- most brilliantAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (अपो विशेषयति)Role कर्तृ (of following verb)Root तेजस् → तेजिष्ठ (अतिशय-तमा)
- अपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मंहना
- with might / with bountyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot मंहना (प्रातिपदिक; ‘उदारता/बल/वेग’)
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- व्यत
- has encompassed / has pervadedVerbलुङ्/इञ्ज्-प्रायः (वेदिक injunctive/aorist form), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √वी/व्यय्? (वेदिक-रूप: व्यत् < √व्या/√व्य (विस्तार/विभाग) )
- यदी
- when, ifIndeclinableसम्बन्धक-अव्ययम् (यदा/यदि-प्रकारः)Root यदि (अव्यय)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवसा
- by fame / by gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदः
- seat, session, assemblyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot सदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विदुः
- they have known / foundVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √विद् (ज्ञा)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): स भिक्षमाणः अमृतस्य चारुणः | उभे द्यावापृथिवी काव्येन वि शश्रथे || तेजिष्ठाः अपः मंहना परि व्यत् | यदी देवस्य श्रवसा सदः विदुः || 1) द्यावा + (पृथिवी) → द्यावापृथिवी (द्वन्द्व-समास, पदपाठे प्रायः ‘द्यावापृथिवी’). 2) ‘सः’ पदान्ते विसर्गः संहितायां ‘स’ इति दृश्यते. 3) ‘यदी’ = यदि (वेदिक दीर्घ). 4) ‘व्यत’ वेदिक-क्रियारूपम्
- संहितायां ‘व्यत’ इति नित्यं, परि-उपसर्गेण ‘परि व्यत’ = ‘पर्यव्यत्’ (परि+अव्यत्) इति संधि-सम्भवः
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, seeking beautiful immortality, spreads by poetic vision across both heavens; with swift generosity he encompasses the most shining waters, when by the god’s glory they know the luminous seat.
Inner meaning
Soma as the delight-consciousness aspires for amṛta (deathless being) not as escape but as a beautiful state (cāruṇa). By kāvya (seer-poetry: inspired vision), it expands across ‘both heavens’—the higher mind and the still higher luminous ranges. It surrounds the tejiṣṭhā āpaḥ, the most shining waters: streams of pure consciousness and dynamic energies. When these waters recognize the ‘seat’ (sadas)—the stable luminous station in us—through the god’s śravas (glory/power of revelation), the being becomes established in a clear plane of immortality.
Universal truth
Immortality is approached by widening consciousness through inspired seeing; when the pure streams of energy recognize their true center, life becomes generous, luminous, and established.
Themes
inner ascent, illumined waters, gnosis (kāvya), Soma as expanding consciousness
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.70.1, RV 9.70.3, RV 9.70.4
Significance
The rishi articulates the yogic mechanism: inspired seeing (kāvya) widens the heavens of consciousness; purified energies (āpaḥ) find their true seat through divine revelation (śravas).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- cāruṇa (beautiful), amṛtasya (immortality-seeking), kāvya-vardhana (expander by seer-vision, implied), maṃhana (generous)
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ (Waters), Bṛhaspati/Brāhmaṇaspati (seer-speech power, by association with kāvya)
Cosmic role
Mediator of immortality: Soma expands the heavens and gathers the luminous waters to establish a stable seat of light.
Inner power
Ananda that widens awareness and organizes energies around a luminous center, releasing generous power.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration and praise during Soma-yāga sequences
स भिक्ष॑माणो अ॒मृत॑स्य॒ चारु॑ण उ॒भे द्यावा॒ काव्ये॑ना॒ वि श॑श्रथे । तेजि॑ष्ठा अ॒पो मं॒हना॒ परि॑ व्यत॒ यदी॑ दे॒वस्य॒ श्रव॑सा॒ सदो॑ वि॒दुः ॥
सः । भिक्ष॑माणः । अ॒मृत॑स्य । चारु॑णः । उ॒भे इति॑ । द्यावा॑ । काव्ये॑न । वि । श॒श्र॒थ्चे । तेजि॑ष्ठाः । अ॒पः । मं॒हना॑ । परि॑ । व्य॒त॒ । यदि॑ । दे॒वस्य॑ । श्रव॑सा । सदः॑ । वि॒दुः ॥
saḥ | bhikṣamāṇaḥ | amṛtasya | cāruṇaḥ | ubhe iti | dyāvā | kāvyena | vi | śaśrathe | tejiṣṭhāḥ | apaḥ | maṃhanā | pari | vyata | yadi | devasya | śravasā | sadaḥ | viduḥ
48
4×12 (approx.)
Sweeping, enveloping motion reflecting ‘spreading out’ and ‘encompassing’.
Induces a sense of expansion in the head-space and a gathering of energies into a calm center.
- अमृतस्य चारुणः (amṛtasya cāruṇaḥ)
- Literal: of beautiful immortality. Symbolic: deathless consciousness experienced as harmony and joy
- काव्येन (kāvyena)
- Literal: by poetic/seer power. Symbolic: mantric vision (inspired intuition) that widens awareness
- उभे द्यावा (ubhe dyāvā)
- Literal: both heavens. Symbolic: two higher domains: mind and supramental/ideal ranges (graded heights)
- तेजिष्ठाः आपः (tejiṣṭhāḥ āpaḥ)
- Literal: most shining waters. Symbolic: luminous currents of consciousness-force; clarified energies
- मंहना (maṃhanā)
- Literal: with generosity. Symbolic: spontaneous outpouring of power/joy without ego-grasping
- देवस्य श्रवसा (devasya śravasā)
- Literal: by the god’s glory. Symbolic: revelatory force that makes truth heard/known inwardly
- सदः (sadaḥ)
- Literal: seat, station. Symbolic: stable inner plane where light is established (the ‘luminous seat’)
Soma purification and offering; emphasis on kavi-power and the ‘waters’ suggests the flow through the filter and the ascent to the divine seat.
While Soma is flowing/purifying; also during stotra recitations
Chant to support the ‘establishment’ (sadas) of Soma’s clarified essence
Use before meditation to widen awareness; helpful when seeking inner stability amid energetic movement.
(bhikṣamāṇa) from √bhikṣ ‘to beg/seek’ → aspiration. (kāvya) from kavi ‘seer’ (possibly √ku/√kav ‘to see/think’) → inspired cognition. (ap) ‘waters’ in RV often denotes luminous flows (not physical water only). (śravas) from √śru ‘to hear’ develops into ‘fame/glory’; psychologically ‘heard-of’ = manifest power acknowledged in consciousness.
Amṛta (immortality), Kavi (inspired knowledge), Śravas (effective glory)
The ‘knowing of the seat’ implies truth-recognition by the energies themselves.
Establishing a luminous seat by gathering shining waters across the heavens.
Vedic yoga of ascent/descent: widening of higher planes and stabilization in a ‘seat’ of consciousness.
Waters are currents of conscious force; the two heavens are graded inner skies; the seat is the stable witnessing/light-center.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the aspirant who spreads across ‘both heavens’ and encompasses the shining waters—mythically the conquering pervasion of the luminous streams that lead to the gods’ seat; psychologically the expansion of consciousness until it holds the radiant currents of inspiration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- áp- ‘waters’ continues PIE *h₂ep- (cf. Latin aqua via a different formation; Old Prussian ape ‘river’), showing the deep Indo-European ‘waters’ lexeme. dyā́v- ‘sky’ relates to PIE *dyew- (cf. Zeus, Latin Iūpiter), marking the inherited celestial semantic field.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s kavi-force is presented as the means by which Soma ‘spreads out’; inspired speech and the god’s movement interpenetrate. The poet’s vision enables Soma’s expansion, while Soma’s glory establishes the ‘seat’ within which the sacrificer’s awareness can dwell.
Widen into ‘both heavens’ (upper mind and higher light) and let shining currents circulate around a central seat in the heart/head until they ‘know’ it.
Ājñā (seat of light) or Anāhata (stable seat of being)
Slow inhale imagining expansion upward and outward; slow exhale imagining luminous waters gathering around a central point; brief pause to ‘know the seat’.
Spacious, centered, quietly radiant.
Chant 12 times; then sit and locate a stable inner ‘sadas’ (a still point). Let thoughts and energies orbit it without dispersing.
Maintain clear udatta on key expansions (ví śaśrathe) and luminous terms (téjiṣṭhāḥ); follow traditional accent marks where available.
Keep caesura natural after pāda halves; avoid rushing through consonant clusters (śravasā, sadas).
bhikṣamāṇo: kṣ cluster crisp, śaśrathe: retroflex ṣ in some recensions may vary; keep ś as palatal here per text, tejiṣṭhāḥ: j is soft; ṣṭh cluster aspirated, śravasā: śra-va-sā, long ā
Cool, even, inward; let phrases ‘spread out’ before resolving.
12
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