Rig Veda 9.106.7: Mandala 9, Sukta 106, Mantra 7
Sukta 9.106
- Devata
- Soma Pavamana
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
पवस्व देववीतय इन्दो धाराभिरोजसा । आ कलशं मधुमान्त्सोम नः सदः ॥
pávāsva devávītaya índo dhā́rābhir ójasā | ā kalaśáṃ mádhumāntsoma naḥ sadáḥ ||
เพื่อการรับอันชื่นบานของเหล่าเทวะ จงชำระตนให้บริสุทธิ์เถิด โอ อินทุ (Indu) ด้วยธาราแห่งพลัง. โสมะ (Soma) ผู้เปี่ยมด้วยน้ำผึ้ง จงมาสู่กะละศะ (kalaśa) และประทับนั่งภายในพวกเรา.
Word by Word
- पवस्व
- purify yourself; flow forth (as Soma)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root √पू (पवते) / √पु (शुद्धौ)
- देववीतये
- for the gods’ enjoyment/banquet; for divine receptionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot देववीति- (देव + वीतिः < √वे/√वी ‘to pursue, seek, enjoy’)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma-drop)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्दु-
- धाराभिः
- with streamsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot धारा-
- ओजसा
- with strength; by mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot ओजस्-
- आ
- towards; intoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (आ- ‘towards, into’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- कलशम्
- the jar; vesselNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot कलश-
- मधुमान्
- honey-sweet; full of sweetnessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (विशेष्यः ‘सोमः’)Root मधुमत्-
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम-
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (स्वामित्व/सम्बन्ध)Root अस्मद्-
- सदः
- the seat; session; sacrificial hallNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (गन्तव्य/प्राप्तव्य)Root सदस्-
Sandhi Notes
- पवस्व दे॒ववी॑तय॒ इन्दो॒ → पवस्व | देववीतये | इन्दो (सम्बोधन)
- धारा॑भि॒रोज॑सा → धाराभिः | ओजसा (र्-लोपः/संहितायां संयोगः)
- मधु॑मान्त्सोम → मधुमान् | सोम (न् + स् → न्त्स्)
- नः सदः → नः | सदः (संहितायां विसर्ग-रूप ‘सदः’ स्थिरः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Purify yourself for the gods’ enjoyment, O Indu, with streams of strength. Come to the vessel, honey-rich Soma, and sit for us.
Inner meaning
Soma is invoked to self-purify so the inner gods (higher faculties) can receive and rejoice (devavītaye). The purification happens ‘with streams of ojas’—not weak refinement but forceful currents of energy. The ‘vessel’ (kalaśa) is both the ritual jar and the prepared inner receptacle: a concentrated, quiet heart-mind capable of holding delight without spilling into desire. ‘Sit for us’ asks Soma to take a stable seat within the being—Ananda established as a constant presence, not a passing mood.
Universal truth
Spiritual sweetness must be housed in a prepared vessel: a steady, purified receptivity. Then delight becomes stable and nourishing to the highest powers, and life is transformed from within.
Themes
Soma-ritual, invitation, purification, inner seating of the force
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.106.1-7
Significance
Culminating gesture of the sequence: Soma is not only invoked to flow but to ‘arrive’ and ‘sit’—the stabilization of Ananda in the adhāra (support) of the practitioner.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indu)
- Epithets
- pavamāna (purifying), madhumān (honey-rich), dhārāvat (streaming, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Viśve Devāḥ, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Purifier and delight-giver who becomes the settled nectar in the sacrificial vessel and in consciousness.
Inner power
Stabilized Ananda that nourishes higher faculties; strong streams of transforming energy (ojas).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration and placement into the kalaśa; invitation to the ‘sadas’ (ritual session/seat)
पव॑स्व दे॒ववी॑तय॒ इन्दो॒ धारा॑भि॒रोज॑सा । आ क॒लशं॒ मधु॑मान्त्सोम नः सदः ॥
पव॑स्व । दे॒वऽवी॑तये । इन्दो॒ इति॑ । धारा॑भिः । ओज॑सा । आ । क॒लश॑म् । मधु॑ऽमान् । सो॒म॒ । नः॒ । स॒दः॒ ॥
pavasva | deva-vītaye | indo iti | dhārābhiḥ | ojasā | ā | kalaśam | madhu-mān | soma | naḥ | sadaḥ
2 half-verses; imperative-heavy first half, settling cadence in the second (‘ā kalaśam…sadaḥ’).
From energetic streaming to a calm ‘seating’ resolution.
Begins energizing, ends grounding—excellent for concluding a practice and establishing calm sweetness.
- देववीतये (devavītaye)
- Literal: for the gods’ enjoyment/receiving. Symbolic: for the higher powers to take possession joyfully; divine participation in the being
- धाराभिः (dhārābhiḥ)
- Literal: with streams. Symbolic: continuous currents of consciousness, sustained practice rather than sporadic peaks
- ओजसा (ojasā)
- Literal: with strength, vigor. Symbolic: effective spiritual energy (tapas-backed) that purifies and stabilizes
- कलशम् (kalaśam)
- Literal: vessel, jar. Symbolic: the inner container—collected mind/heart; purified body-life as fit receptacle
- मधुमान् (madhumān)
- Literal: honey-rich. Symbolic: Ananda abundant, healing, harmonizing
- सदः (sadaḥ)
- Literal: seat, session, dwelling. Symbolic: stable establishment of delight in the being; inner ‘assembly-hall’ of the gods
Directly aligned with Soma filtration into the kalaśa (vessel) and invitation for Soma to ‘sit’ in the session (sadas), i.e., to become present for offering and inner reception.
As Soma approaches the vessel and is prepared for offering/distribution
Chant while Soma is poured/settled; inwardly invite delight to collect and abide in the heart
Use at the end of meditation to ‘seal’ the state—asking sweetness to remain seated through the day.
from √ (pū) ‘to purify/cleanse’ in middle imperative. (ojas) from √/ semantic field ‘strength, vigor’ (Vedic ojas as concentrated potency). (deva-vīti) ‘gods’ enjoyment/reception’ from √ (vī) ‘to go/pursue’ → vīti as ‘pursuit/feast/reception’ in ritual diction. (kalaśa) ‘vessel/jar’ (later common).
purification (śuddhi as inner clarification), Ananda (madhu), strengthening of the devas (ojas)
Right order includes not only movement but stable establishment (sadaḥ) of the divine in the vessel of life.
A true vessel holds delight without distortion into craving.
The descent/settling of nectar into form—consciousness embodied and stabilized.
Integral Yoga: descent and fixation of higher Ananda into the adhāra.
Streams = sustained currents of practice; vessel = gathered receptivity; honey = healing delight; seat = stable consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘descent into the vessel’ mythologem: Soma, once purified, is invited to enter the kalaśa and become seated (sad) as a stable power. Psychologically, the clarified delight-force is asked to establish itself in the embodied consciousness so the gods can partake.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhu continues PIE *médʰu. The imperative pávāsva reflects inherited middle-voice usage for processes affecting the subject (‘purify yourself’). The stream-imagery dhārā is characteristically Indo-Iranian for sacrificial liquids, mapping physical flow to energetic flow.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not merely offer Soma; he requests Soma’s self-action (pavā-sva) and indwelling (ā…sadáḥ). The devata is treated as an autonomous power whose purification and seating complete the seeker’s inner rite and empower the devas within.
Prepare the inner vessel; invite delight to settle and remain.
Anahata (heart-vessel) with Sahasrara (nectar descent, subtle)
Slow exhale lengthening (e.g., 4-6) while feeling Soma ‘pour’ down and collect in the heart-center.
Quiet, collected sweetness; stable receptivity.
After purification (letting go of agitation), imagine streams of luminous sweetness descending; feel an inner cup at the heart; repeat the mantra until the sweetness ‘sits’—then rest silently for a minute.
Not provided; chant with a flowing rise on ‘pavasva…dhārābhir ojasā’ and a gentle settling fall on ‘ā kalaśam…sadaḥ’.
Make ‘pávasva’ clear and open; keep ‘dhārābhir ójasā’ as a strong, continuous phrase; soften and lengthen ‘mádhumān soma naḥ sádaḥ’ to convey settling.
(devavītaye): long ‘ī’; avoid ‘devavittaye’, (dhārābhiḥ): long ‘ā’; aspirated ‘bh’, (ojasā): ‘o’ pure; ‘j’ voiced, (kalaśaṃ): final anusvāra as nasalization; ‘ś’ palatal
Smooth, warm, nectar-like; end in a quiet, seated tone.
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