Rig Veda 9.27.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 27, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.27
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
एष नृभिर्वि नीयते दिवो मूर्धा वृषा सुतः । सोमो वनेषु विश्ववित् ॥
eṣa nṛbhir ví nīyate divó mūrdhā vṛ́ṣā sutáḥ | sómo váneṣu viśvá-vit ||
โสมะนี้—คั้นออกมาเป็นพลังดุจพฤษภ—ถูกนำออกไปโดยพลังของมนุษย์ทั้งหลาย; เขากลายเป็นยอดและศิรษะแห่งสวรรค์ และในพงไพรภายใน เขาเป็นผู้รู้และผู้พบทุกสิ่ง
Word by Word
- एषः
- this (one)Pronoun (demonstrative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एष-
- नृभिः
- by/with men (priests)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth (intensifier with verb)Indeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- नीयते
- is led/borneVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive) = ‘is led’Role कर्म (of the leading action)Root √नी (नीञ्)
- दिवः
- of/from heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (genitive) अथवा पञ्चमी, एकवचनम् (ablative) — पद्ये ‘of/from heaven’Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) / अपादान (पञ्चमी)Root दिव्/द्यौः (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ-)
- मूर्धा
- the head, summitNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विशेष्य (apposition to एषः/सोमः)Root मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषा
- the bull (mighty one)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विशेषण (apposition)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतः
- pressed, extractedParticiple (past passive)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘pressed/extracted’Role विशेषण (of सोमः)Root √सु (सुनोति) → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, PPP)
- सोमः
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (of implied/overall predication)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- वनेषु
- in the woods/forestsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वन (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्ववित्
- all-finding, all-knowingAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (as epithet of सोमः)Role विशेषणRoot विश्व + √विद् (विद् ‘to know/find’) → वित् (कृदन्त/बहुव्रीहि-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: एषः | नृभिः | वि | नीयते | दिवः | मूर्धा | वृषा | सुतः | सोमः | वनेषु | विश्ववित् । Sandhi: (1) एष + (visarga) before नृभिः → एषः नृभिः (no change beyond visarga). (2) वि + नीयते: preverb ‘वि’ compounded in sense with √नी
- written separately in pada-text. (3) दिवो मूर्धा: दिवः (gen/abl sg) + मूर्धा (nom sg) shows o-vowel in saṃhitā ‘दिवो’ (RV saṃhitā form) corresponding to pada ‘दिवः’
- this is a regular Vedic sandhi/ending alternation in recitation. (4) विश्ववित् is a compound epithet (विश्व- + -वित् from √विद्), no external sandhi here
The meaning
Outer meaning
This Soma, pressed out as a bull, is led forth by men; he becomes the head of heaven, and in the woods he is the knower of all.
Inner meaning
Purified delight (Soma), pressed out from experience, takes the form of a strong, generative force (vṛṣā). It is ‘led forth’ by the nṛbhis—our awakened human faculties (aspiration, will, intelligence in action). Rising, it becomes the summit of the inner heaven (divo mūrdhā): the highest point of mental clarity. In the ‘forests’ (vaneṣu) of the inner being—complex subconscient and vital-mental growths—Soma becomes viśvavit, the finder/knower of all hidden movements, bringing them into light.
Universal truth
When inner joy is consciously cultivated and guided by our best powers, it becomes both strength and insight: it crowns the mind with a higher clarity and illumines the tangled inner nature, making self-knowledge possible.
Themes
Soma-ritual, purification, ascent, illumination, inner sacrifice
The seer
- Rishi
- Ascribed to the Soma Pavamāna cycle; specific rishi not securely identified for this verse in the provided source.
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.27.1, Rig Veda 9.27.2, Rig Veda 9.27.4, Rig Veda 9.27.5, Rig Veda 9.27.6
Family tradition
Pavamāna hymns preserve a technical-spiritual tradition of inner purification through Soma; rishi stands for the experiential yogin of ānanda.
Significance
The seer’s emphasis is on cooperation of human faculties with a descending/upwelling delight—yoga as guided manifestation (vi nīyate).
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Vṛṣā (Bull-force), Suta (pressed), Divo mūrdhā (crown of heaven), Viśvavit (all-knower/all-finder)
- Related deities
- Indra (illumined mind), Bṛhaspati (word of truth that opens), Sarasvatī (inspired flow)
Cosmic role
Soma is the luminous essence that, when purified, establishes a higher ‘heaven’ in the human being and reveals hidden orders within nature.
Inner power
A force of delight that becomes insight—organizing the inner world and making the subconscient knowable.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing/straining chants in Soma Yajña (Pavamāna).
ए॒ष नृभि॒र्वि नी॑यते दि॒वो मू॒र्धा वृषा॑ सु॒तः । सोमो॒ वने॑षु विश्व॒वित् ॥
ए॒षः । नृऽभिः॑ । वि । नी॒य॒ते॒ । दि॒वः । मू॒र्धा । वृषा॑ । सु॒तः । सोमः॑ । वने॑षु । वि॒श्व॒ऽवित् ॥
eṣaḥ | nṛ-bhiḥ | vi | nīyate | divaḥ | mūrdhā | vṛṣā | sutaḥ | somaḥ | vaneṣu | viśva-vit
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3×8 (typical Gāyatrī).
Conducting rhythm: a ‘leading forth’ movement, then a rising to a summit.
Gives a sense of guided ascent and inner discovery—strength becoming clarity.
- nṛbhiḥ
- Literal: by men, by human beings. Symbolic: by the awakened human powers—disciplined faculties cooperating in yoga
- vi nīyate
- Literal: is led forth, conducted outward. Symbolic: brought into manifestation and right channels within the being
- divaḥ mūrdhā
- Literal: head/summit of heaven. Symbolic: crown of inner mental sky—highest clarity, widened consciousness
- vṛṣā
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: generative force, virile spiritual energy; potent delight
- sutaḥ
- Literal: pressed out. Symbolic: essence extracted from experience through tapas and discernment
- vaneṣu
- Literal: in the woods/forests. Symbolic: inner thickets—subconscient, vital complexity, habitual formations
- viśvavit
- Literal: knower/finder of all. Symbolic: luminous discernment that discovers all inner truths
Soma-pavamāna cycle: purification/flow through the pavitra (filter) in Soma sacrifice (e.g., Agniṣṭoma/Somayāga contexts).
During the procession/leading of Soma after pressing and during filtration sequences.
Pressing (savana), conducting the juice, straining, offering.
Mantra for self-guided inner work: bring delight forward consciously, then observe hidden patterns in the ‘inner forest’ without judgment.
: √nī ‘to lead’ (present passive 3sg). : dyu/div ‘sky, shining’ → ‘luminous mind’. : ‘head/summit’ (governing height). : from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, to be potent’ → ‘fecund force’. : √su ‘to press out’ (ppp). (vana): ‘wood, forest’; also connotes ‘delight/pleasure-ground’ in Vedic usage, hence inner fields of experience. : viśva ‘all’ + √vid ‘to know/find’ (agentive ‘-vit’).
R̥ta as right ordering (Soma led ‘properly’ into the luminous summit), integration/totality of knowledge (viśva-vit), ascent to the head of heaven (hierarchy of consciousness)
Vi nīyate implies being led into right channels—ṛta as correct inner circulation.
Viśvavit: truth is not belief but discovery of all movements in consciousness.
Ascent and organization: the ‘head of heaven’ formed in man—microcosmic creation.
Integral Yoga reading: delight as a cognitive force that reveals and reorganizes nature.
Bull = potent spiritual energy; forest = inner complexity; heaven = mental wideness and clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘leading forth’ of Soma to the summit of heaven: the pressed delight-force is conducted by human faculties into the highest luminous plane, where it becomes the ‘head’ (governing apex) of consciousness and a universal finder (viśva-vit) within the inner ‘forests’ (complex vital-mental regions).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- diváḥ (dyu/div ‘sky, shining’) continues PIE *dyew- ‘bright sky/daylight’ (cf. Latin diēs, Greek Zeus < *dyēus). √vid in viśva-vit reflects PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’ (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit). The passive nīyate from √nī aligns with PIE *neH- ‘lead’ (cf. Greek νέω/νάω in related semantic fields; Indo-Iranian shows productive ‘leading’ verbs).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The human side (nṛ-bhiḥ) actively ‘leads’ the deity-force by right preparation (pressing/purifying), while Soma reciprocates by taking the highest seat (‘divo mūrdhā’) and revealing total knowledge (viśva-vit) within the practitioner—an exchange of disciplined offering for illumination and integrality.
Lead the ‘pressed’ essence of joy upward to the crown of the mind; then let it illuminate the inner thickets (habits, impulses).
Ājñā (clarity) and Sahasrāra (crown/summit) emphasis; grounding through Anāhata (joy).
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) gently; feel exhale ‘lead forth’ (vi nīyate) the Soma-current through the system.
Strong, clear, observant—capable of seeing inner complexity without confusion.
Chant 12 times. After chanting, do a ‘forest scan’: notice one hidden pattern arising; offer it into the Soma-light without suppression.
Rigvedic three-tone (udatta/anudatta/svarita); consult śākhā accent marks for precise pitch on divo, mūrdhā, viśvavit.
Maintain lift on divaḥ mūrdhā; keep vaneṣu and viśvavit clearly separated in articulation.
nṛbhiḥ: syllabic ‘ṛ’ (nṛ), not ‘nir’; bh is aspirated, vṛṣā: retroflex ‘ṣ’, long ā at end, mūrdhā: long ū; retroflex ḍh, viśvavit: ś + v cluster; do not insert extra vowel (vi-śva-vit)
Steady and strong, then widening and luminous at the ‘crown’ phrase.
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