Rig Veda 9.101.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 101, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.101
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यो धारया पावकया परिप्रस्यन्दते सुतः । इन्दुरश्वो न कृत्व्यः ॥
yó dhā́rayā pāvakáyā pari-prasyándate sutáḥ | índur áśvo na kṛ́tvyaḥ ||
เขาผู้ถูกคั้นแล้ว ไหลหลั่งวนเวียนไปทั่วด้วยธาราอันสว่างและชำระให้บริสุทธิ์; อินทุ (Indu) นี้ดุจม้าเร็ว พร้อมสำหรับภารกิจ.
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धारया
- with a stream/flowNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot धारा (प्रातिपदिक; √धृ ‘धारण’ से) अथवा धारा- (स्त्री.)
- पावकया
- purifyingAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम् (धारया इति सह विशेषणम्)Role KaraṇaRoot पावक (प्रातिपदिक; √पू ‘पवित्रे/शोधने’ से)
- परि
- around, forth (as preverb)Indeclinable (preverb) / Adverbअव्ययम्Root परि
- प्रस्यन्दते
- flows forth, streamsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √स्यन्द् (स्यन्दते) ‘प्रवाहे/स्रवणे’ + प्र- (उपसर्ग) (+ परि- अर्थसह)
- सुतः
- pressed (Soma), expressedParticiple (past passive) used adjectivallyपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्दुः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (with इन्दुः) / predicate qualifierRoot √सु (सुनोति) ‘अभिषवे/प्रसवे’ → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्दुः
- the Soma dropNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वः
- a horseNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (उपमान-भागः)Root अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinable (particle of comparison)अव्ययम्Root न
- कृत्व्यः
- active, ready for action (energetic)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्दुः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (with इन्दुः) / predicate qualifierRoot कृत्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘कृत्य/कृत्व्य’ प्रकारः, ‘कार्य/कर्मण्य/कर्मशील’ अर्थे)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यः | धारया | पावकया | परि | प्रस्यन्दते | सुतः | इन्दुः | अश्वः | न | कृत्व्यः || (धार॑या पाव॒कया॑ = तृतीया-एकवचन द्वयम्; परि + प्रस्यन्दते = उपसर्ग-योगः; इन्दु॒रश्वो॒ = इन्दुः + अश्वः (विसर्ग-लोपः, रुत्व/रेफ-सन्धिः); न कृत्व्यः = उपमान-निर्देशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Pressed Soma streams all around in a bright-purifying flow; this Indu is like a swift horse ready for work.
Inner meaning
When delight is pressed out by discipline, it circulates through the whole being as a cleansing current (pāvakā dhārā). The luminous drop (Indu) becomes an aśva—vital force made swift, obedient, and capable for the divine work (kṛtya).
Universal truth
Purified joy is not passive; it becomes an energetic, ready power that can carry life’s work in clarity.
Themes
Flow imagery, Purification, Energy for action, Soma as dynamic force
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.101.1-4
Significance
The seer describes a key yogic sign: delight begins to circulate and purify, converting raw vitality into a swift, serviceable force.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- pāvaka (purifying), indu (luminous drop), suta (pressed)
- Related deities
- Agni (pāvaka), Indra (receiver of Soma strength)
Cosmic role
Circulating purifier that prepares the offering and empowers the gods’ action.
Inner power
Transforms vital energy into a luminous, obedient ‘horse’—a carrier of divine intention.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pavamāna Soma filtration/flow
यो धार॑या पाव॒कया॑ परिप्र॒स्यन्द॑ते सु॒तः । इन्दु॒रश्वो॒ न कृत्व्य॑: ॥
यः । धार॑या । पा॒व॒कया॑ । प॒रि॒ऽप्र॒स्यन्द॑ते । सु॒तः । इन्दुः॑ । अश्वः॑ । न । कृत्व्यः॑ ॥
yaḥ | dhārayā | pāvakayā | pari-prasyandate | sutaḥ | induḥ | aśvaḥ | na | kṛtvyaḥ
Quick, streaming movement; the simile ‘horse’ gives forward thrust.
Elicits a sensation of circulation and readiness—good for energizing yet cleansing praṇa.
- धारा (dhārā)
- Literal: stream/flow. Symbolic: continuous current of purified consciousness
- पावका (pāvakā)
- Literal: purifying, bright. Symbolic: clarifying force that burns/cleanses obscurity
- परिप्रस्यन्दते (pari-prasyandate)
- Literal: streams around on all sides. Symbolic: pervasion of the whole nature—mind, life, body
- इन्दु (induḥ)
- Literal: bright drop; Soma. Symbolic: luminous essence of Ananda-consciousness
- अश्व (aśvaḥ)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy-force disciplined for action
- कृत्व्य (kṛtvyaḥ)
- Literal: fit for work, to be done. Symbolic: ready instrumentality for the soul’s task
Describes the Soma flow after pressing and during purification; ritually marks the moment of streaming; psychologically marks the moment when clarified delight becomes an active power for the work.
During the streaming/straining of Soma
Letting Soma run through the pavitra; recitation to accompany flow
Use when beginning work after meditation: invoke ‘purified energy ready for the task’ rather than restless drive.
dhārā ‘stream’ from √dhṛ ‘hold/support’ → the held-together flow; pāvaka from √pū ‘purify’ with fire-bright nuance; √syand ‘flow’ in prasyandate; indu- ‘drop, bright Soma’ (luminous essence); aśva- ‘horse’ (PIE *h₁éḱwos, cf. Latin equus); kṛtvya- from √kṛ ‘do/make’ indicating readiness for effective action.
Purification as empowerment (pāvaka leading to kṛtya/kṛtvya action), Dynamic force (aśva) as symbol of energized consciousness
Right order is felt as a clean pervasion—nothing blocked, nothing forced.
Clarity arises as the flow becomes pāvaka—truth seen in movement.
Pervasion (pari-) suggests universalization of consciousness.
Yoga of transformation: Ananda converts prāṇa into effective śakti.
Stream = circulating awareness; brightness = discernment; horse = harnessed life-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as the ‘steed’ of the sacrifice: the purified Indu becomes a swift carrier-force. Innerly, when delight is clarified, it turns into a disciplined energy capable of executing the divine work (kṛtvyaḥ), not merely a passive ecstasy.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva- is a classic IE cognate set (PIE *h₁éḱwos → Sanskrit aśva-, Latin equus, Old Irish ech). √kṛ ‘do’ parallels broad IE ‘make/do’ roots (cf. Greek κρίνω is unrelated; but Baltic/Slavic *ker- ‘do’ comparisons are sometimes discussed). The flow verb √syand is Indo-Iranian poetic staple.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer’s stance is observational and confirmatory: by naming Soma ‘kṛtvyaḥ’, he affirms Soma’s readiness to act for the sacrificer once purified—suggesting the human task is to press and clarify, after which the Devatā becomes the effective agent.
Track a circulating cool-luminous current from crown to heart to navel and through the limbs; let it ‘wash’ thoughts.
Maṇipūra (work-force) guided by Ājñā (clarity)
Even breathing with a gentle internal ‘circulation’ visualization on inhale/exhale (no retention needed).
Brightly energized, purified prāṇic readiness.
Before action, pause for 1 minute: feel the ‘horse’ of energy become steady and willing; then act from the clean flow, not from impulse.
Not fully determinable from the provided text; keep a smooth ‘streaming’ intonation with a slight lift on ‘pāvakayā’ and ‘induḥ’.
Do not break ‘pari-prasyandate’—chant as one flowing unit; pause lightly at the danda (|).
dhārayā: long ‘ā’, pāvakayā: ‘v’ soft; long ‘ā’, prasyandate: ‘sy’ cluster clear, kṛtvyaḥ: vocalic ‘ṛ’; ‘tv’ crisp
Liquid, flowing, lightly resonant.
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