Rig Veda 9.84.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 84, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.84
- Rishi
- Ascribed in RV 9 to Pavāmāna seers
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī or Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आ यस्तस्थौ भुवनान्यमर्त्यो विश्वानि सोमः परि तान्यर्षति । कृण्वन्त्संचृतं विचृतमभिष्टय इन्दुः सिषक्त्युषसं न सूर्यः ॥
ā́ yás tastháu bhúvanāny ámartyo víśvāni sómaḥ pári tā́ny arṣati | kṛṇván saṃcṛ́taṃ vicṛ́tam abhíṣṭaya índuḥ sisakty uṣásam ná sū́ryaḥ ||
భువనములపై స్థిరంగా నిలిచిన అమర్త్య సోముడు, అన్నిటినీ చుట్టూ ప్రవహించి ఆవరించుచున్నాడు. మా అభిష్టసిద్ధికై సమీకృతమును, విస్తరితమును—రెండింటినీ సమన్వయపరచి—ప్రకాశవంతుడైన ఇందు అంతరంలోని ఉషస్సును విడుదల చేయుచున్నాడు; ఆకాశంలో సూర్యుడు ఉషస్సును వెలికి తెచ్చినట్లే.
Word by Word
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableupasarga/particleRoot आ (upasarga) / ā (avyaya)
- यः
- whoPronounmasculine, nominative, singularRole KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- तस्थौ
- has stood; has taken his standVerbperfect (liṭ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipadaRoot स्था (धातु)
- भुवनानि
- worlds; beings; realmsNounneuter, accusative, pluralRole KarmaRoot भुवन (prātipadika < भू)
- अमर्त्यः
- immortalAdjective (used substantively)masculine, nominative, singularRole Kartā (apposition to यः) / viśeṣaṇaRoot अमर्त्य (prātipadika)
- विश्वानि
- allAdjectiveneuter, accusative, pluralRole Karma (qualifier of तानि/भुवनानि) / viśeṣaṇaRoot विश्व (prātipadika)
- सोमः
- SomaNounmasculine, nominative, singularRole KartāRoot सोम (prātipadika)
- परि
- around; all aboutIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRoot परि (upasarga/avyaya)
- तानि
- those (i.e., those worlds/all things)Pronounneuter, accusative, pluralRole KarmaRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- अर्षति
- flows; rushesVerbpresent (laṭ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipadaRoot ऋष्/अर्ष् (धातु: ‘to flow, move swiftly’)
- कृण्वन्
- making; doingVerb (participle)present active participle (śatṛ), masculine, nominative, singularRole Kartā (concurrent action of Soma) / viśeṣaṇaRoot कृ (धातु)
- संचृतम्
- gathered together; accumulatedAdjective/Participleneuter, accusative, singularRole Karma (object made/produced) / viśeṣyaRoot संचृत (ppp < सम्+चर्)
- विचृतम्
- spread out; dispersedAdjective/Participleneuter, accusative, singularRole Karma (object made/produced) / viśeṣyaRoot विचृत (ppp < वि+चर्)
- अभिष्टये
- for help; for aid; for supportNounfeminine, dative, singularRole Sampradāna (purpose/benefit)Root अभिष्टि (prātipadika)
- इन्दुः
- the drop (Soma); InduNounmasculine, nominative, singularRole KartāRoot इन्दु (prātipadika)
- सिषक्ति
- pours forth; joins; attachesVerbpresent (laṭ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada (Vedic form)Root सिच् (धातु: ‘to pour, sprinkle’; Vedic also ‘to mingle/attach’)
- उषसम्
- Dawn; the dawnNounfeminine, accusative, singularRole KarmaRoot उषस् (prātipadika)
- न
- like; asIndeclinableparticle of comparisonRoot न (avyaya)
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounmasculine, nominative, singularRole Kartā (of implied comparison)Root सूर्य (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: सोम॒: परि॒ → सोमः परि (visarga before p- retained in saṃhitā as ‘:’)
- तान्य॑र्षति → तानि अर्षति (i + a → ya in saṃhitā)
- कृ॒ण्वन्त्सं॒चृतं॑ → कृण्वन् संचृतम् (final -n + s- shown as -nts- in saṃhitā)
- सिषक्त्यु॒षसं॒ → सिषक्ति उषसम् (i + u → yu in saṃhitā)
- Accent marks in the given text are noted but not separately encoded per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The deathless Soma stands over the worlds and flows around them all. Making the gathered and dispersed for our fulfilment, the bright Indu releases the Dawn as the Sun does.
Inner meaning
Soma is established above the movements of the worlds—an immortal poise of delight-consciousness that can encompass all life without being broken by it. He ‘flows around’ all states, integrating them. By his action the ‘gathered’ (saṃcṛta) and ‘dispersed’ (vicṛta)—concentrated and distributed energies of our being—are harmonized into a workable unity for accomplishment (abhiṣṭaye). Then Indu (the bright drop) ‘releases Dawn’—brings forth inner illumination—just as the Sun unveils the outer dawn: light emerges when delight is purified and made sovereign.
Universal truth
When consciousness is anchored in an immortal delight above reactivity, it can integrate scattered parts of life into a coherent whole, and illumination naturally dawns from within.
Themes
Soma-ritual, illumination and awakening, cosmic pervasion, inner integration, Rita-ordering
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.84 (Pavamāna Soma hymn context)
Significance
The vision is integrative: Soma’s immortality harmonizes concentration and dispersion, resulting in the release of Uṣas (illumination)—a key Aurobindonian motif of inner dawn.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavāmāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- amartyaḥ (deathless), induḥ (luminous drop)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra
Cosmic role
All-encompassing purifier that stands above and pervades the worlds, enabling the emergence of dawn/illumination.
Inner power
Integrative Ananda that unifies scattered parts of being and unveils inner light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification during pressing/filtration
आ यस्त॒स्थौ भुव॑ना॒न्यम॑र्त्यो॒ विश्वा॑नि॒ सोम॒: परि॒ तान्य॑र्षति । कृ॒ण्वन्त्सं॒चृतं॑ वि॒चृत॑म॒भिष्ट॑य॒ इन्दु॑: सिषक्त्यु॒षसं॒ न सूर्य॑: ॥
आ । यः । त॒स्थौ । भुव॑नानि । अम॑र्त्यः । विश्वा॑नि । सोमः॑ । परि॑ । तानि॑ । अ॒र्ष॒ति॒ । कृ॒ण्वन् । स॒म्ऽचृत॑म् । वि॒ऽचृत॑म् । अ॒भिष्ट॑ये । इन्दुः॑ । सि॒स॒क्ति॒ । उ॒षस॑म् । न । सूर्यः॑ ॥
ā | yaḥ | tasthau | bhuvanāni | amartyaḥ | viśvāni | somaḥ | pari | tāni | arṣati | kṛṇvan | sam-cṛtam | vi-cṛtam | abhiṣṭaye | induḥ | sisakti | uṣasam | na | sūryaḥ
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables
Broad, circling flow that mirrors ‘pari arṣati’ (encompassing movement).
Creates a sense of being held in a wide field; supports integration and the felt arrival of inner light.
- अमर्त्यः (amartyaḥ)
- Literal: deathless. Symbolic: immortal poise of consciousness beyond decay and reaction
- भुवनानि (bhuvanāni)
- Literal: worlds, planes. Symbolic: levels and fields of experience within the being
- परि अर्षति (pari arṣati)
- Literal: flows around/encompasses. Symbolic: integrates, surrounds, masters movements without losing center
- सम्चृतम् (saṃcṛtam)
- Literal: collected/gathered. Symbolic: concentrated energies, unified attention
- विचृतम् (vicṛtam)
- Literal: scattered/dispersed. Symbolic: distributed activities, fragmented impulses
- अभिष्टये (abhiṣṭaye)
- Literal: for help/fulfilment. Symbolic: for attainment; for the soul’s intended realization
- इन्दुः (induḥ)
- Literal: bright drop (Soma). Symbolic: luminous essence of delight-consciousness
- उषसम् (uṣasam)
- Literal: Dawn. Symbolic: illumination; awakening of higher perception
- सूर्यः (sūryaḥ)
- Literal: Sun. Symbolic: supramental light; revelatory power that unveils
Soma-pavamāna context within Soma sacrifice: purification/filtration (pavana) and pressing; recited to invoke the flowing Soma that empowers Indra and the gods and establishes protective, illumining force in the sacrificer.
As Soma is made to flow and is ritually ‘encompassing’ the rite through repeated chants
Affirms Soma’s all-pervading, world-ordering action and its fruit—illumination (Uṣas).
For times of fragmentation: chant to integrate scattered attention and invite a clear ‘inner dawn’ after confusion.
Key roots: (1) tasthau < √sthā ‘stand, establish’ (perf. 3sg), indicating Soma’s stable sovereignty across bhuvanāni (planes). (2) arṣati < √ṛṣ/√arṣ ‘flow, rush’, standard for Soma’s purifying movement through filters and consciousness. (3) kṛṇvan < √kṛ ‘make, form’ (pres. act. ptc.), Soma as the effective shaper. (4) sam-cṛta / vi-cṛta from √cṛ ‘to move, wander’; with sam-/vi- they denote ‘collected integration’ and ‘distributed differentiation’: psychologically, Soma harmonizes concentrated and diffused energies for abhiṣṭi (effective support/attainment). (5) sisakti < √sij/√sic ‘pour, send forth’—Soma ‘releases’ uṣas (awakening light) as sūrya releases dawn: the delight-force brings illumination into manifestation.
Ṛta (ordering of worlds through a pervading divine movement), integration vs. diffusion of energies (sam-cṛta / vi-cṛta), immortality (amartya) as the stable ground of becoming
Encompassing all worlds indicates establishment of right order across planes of being.
Uṣas released ‘like the Sun’ suggests truth unveiling itself when conditions are purified.
Illumination emerges from the harmonization of concentrated and dispersed forces.
Integral/psychological interpretation: unification of parts of nature under an immortal center leading to awakening.
dawn
Sun = revelatory consciousness; Dawn = awakening illumination; Soma-flow = purifying delight that integrates life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the cosmic Soma who pervades and orders the worlds by his flowing, and who ‘releases’ the Dawn like the Sun. Outer image: Soma’s circulation and purification; inner image: the delight-essence establishes itself in all planes of the being and brings forth the awakening illumination (Uṣas) under the law of Truth (Sūrya as revealer).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- tasthau (√sthā) continues PIE *steh₂- ‘to stand’ (cf. Gk. hístēmi, Lat. stō). sūrya- is cognate with PIE *sóh₂wl̥ ‘sun’ (cf. Lat. sōl, Gk. hēlios via different developments). The flow-verb arṣati (√ṛṣ/√arṣ) aligns with an Indo-European poetic motif of ‘rushing/streaming’ sacred drink/river as a carrier of power, even where exact cognates are debated.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse frames Soma not as a mere offering but as an autonomous divine agent: ‘he stands over the worlds’ and ‘makes’ integration and distribution ‘for our abhiṣṭi’. The sacrificer-seer seeks reciprocity: Soma’s pervading flow becomes an inner governance that supports attainment—illumination (Uṣas) is the returned gift, the dakṣiṇā-like boon of awakened consciousness.
Rest above the ‘worlds’ (thought, emotion, body) as the deathless witness; then let a luminous delight flow around all experiences without resistance.
Sahasrāra/Ājñā (witness above worlds) with Anāhata (integrative sweetness)
Open monitoring with slow nasal breathing; on inhale gather (saṃcṛta), on exhale spread calmly (vicṛta) without losing center.
Integrated wideness culminating in an inner dawn of clear perception.
First establish the ‘amartya’ stance (not reacting). Then include everything in awareness (‘pari’). Finally, invite Uṣas: notice subtle brightenings of insight and allow them to expand without forcing.
Three-tone Vedic contour; exact svara placement needs a svara-pāṭha source for 9.84.2.
Maintain a smooth ‘circling’ delivery across ‘pari tāny arṣati’; brighten tone slightly on ‘uṣasaṃ’ and ‘sūryaḥ’.
: ‘a-mar-tyo’ with clear ‘ty’ cluster., : pronounce as ‘sam-cṛ-tam’ (anusvāra assimilates lightly)., : ‘vi-cṛ-tam’ with vocalic ṛ., : ‘si-ṣak-ti’ with retroflex (ṣa).
Flowing and resonant, gently brightening toward the dawn comparison.
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.
