Rig Veda 9.73.6: Mandala 9, Sukta 73, Mantra 6
Sukta 9.73
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna as purifier and establisher of ṛta through measured chant
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्रत्नान्मानादध्या ये समस्वरञ्छ्लोकयन्त्रासो रभसस्य मन्तवः । अपानक्षासो बधिरा अहासत ऋतस्य पन्थां न तरन्ति दुष्कृतः ॥
pratnā́n mā́nād adhyā́ yé sám asvarañ chlokayántrāso rabhasásya mántavaḥ | ápānakṣāso badhirā́ ahāsata ṛtásya pánthāṃ ná taranti duṣkṛ́taḥ ||
เขาทั้งหลายผุดขึ้นจากมาตราโบราณ ประสานเป็นเสียงเดียว—ความคิดเหล่านี้ถูกเทียมไว้กับบทขับร้อง ถูกแรงอันกรากเกรี้ยวผลักดัน. แต่ผู้กระทำชั่ว—ไร้เพลา หูหนวก—ร่วงหลุดไป; เขาไม่อาจข้ามหนทางแห่งฤตะ (ṛta) ได้.
Word by Word
- प्रत्नात्
- from of old, from ancient timesNoun/Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot प्रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) < *pra-tna-
- मानात्
- from the measure/standard (from the rule)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot मान (प्रातिपदिक) < √मा (माने/मितौ) / ‘measure, standard’
- अध्या
- over, upon; in addition/thereuponIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आ (अव्यय) → अध्या (वैदिक)
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableअव्ययRole (preverb)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अस्वरन्
- they sounded/sang togetherVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √स्वर् (स्वरे/ध्वनौ) with सम्; अस्वरन्
- छ्लोकयन्त्रासः
- hymn-instrumented ones; those furnished with praise as their meansNoun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to ये)Root छ्लोक-यन्त्र (समास; प्रातिपदिक) < छ्लोक/श्लोक ‘hymn, praise’ + यन्त्र ‘instrument, contrivance’
- रभसस्य
- of impetuosity/vehemenceNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root रभस (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्तवः
- thinkers, sagesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root मन्तु (प्रातिपदिक) < √मन् (मनुते) ‘think’
- अपानक्षासः
- not-reaching, failing to attainAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root अप-नक्ष (समास/प्रातिपदिक); नक्ष ‘reach/attain’ (cf. √नश्/नक्ष् in Vedic) with अप- ‘away’
- बधिराः
- deafAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root बधिर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहासत
- they laughed (mocked)Verbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √हस् (हासे) with अ- (augment); अहासत
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- पन्थाम्
- the pathNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पथिन्/पन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableअव्ययRole (negation)Root न (अव्यय)
- तरन्ति
- they cross, pass overVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √तॄ (तरणे)
- दुष्कृतः
- evil-doers, wrong-doersNoun/Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot दुष्-कृत (समास; प्रातिपदिक) < दुष् ‘bad’ + कृत ‘done’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): प्र॒त्नान्माना॒दध्या → प्रत्नात् + मानात् + अध्या (t/d assimilation: -त् + म- → -न् म- in saṃhitā)
- स॒मस्व॑र॒ञ्छ्लोक॑यन्त्रासो → सम् + अस्वरन् + छ्लोकयन्त्रासः (final -न् + छ् → ञ्छ्)
- रभ॒सस्य॒ मन्त॑वः preserved
- अपा॑न॒क्षासो॑ बधि॒रा → अपानक्षासः + बधिराः
- अ॑हासत preserved
- ऋ॒तस्य॒ पन्थां॒ न त॑रन्ति preserved
- दु॒ष्कृत॑: → दुष्कृतः (visarga in pada)
The meaning
Outer meaning
From the ancient measure they rise into one accord—thoughts harnessed to the chant, driven by rushing force. The evil-doers, axle-less and deaf, fall away; they cannot cross the path of ṛta.
Inner meaning
True inner progress depends on ‘māna’—right measure, rhythm, and proportion of the being. When thoughts are yoked to mantra (śloka-yantra) and propelled by a purified impetus (rabhas), they harmonize and ascend. But the forces of falsehood are ‘an-akṣa’ (without axle: no stable center) and ‘badhira’ (deaf: cannot hear the truth-vibration); they slip away from the journey and cannot traverse the path of ṛta (the law of right becoming).
Universal truth
A disciplined rhythm of life and speech aligns thought into a single current; disorderly, uncentered and unreceptive tendencies cannot sustain the crossing into truth.
Themes
Right measure and mantra, Exclusion of the lawless, Path-crossing, Discipline of thought
The seer
- Rishi
- Ascribed to the Soma-Pavamāna tradition; specific rishi uncertain for 9.73 in many indices
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.73.1-9
Significance
The ‘seer’ here is the discipline of ṛta itself—measure as a spiritual instrument that separates aligned thought from chaotic impulse.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- pavamāna, ṛtasya-panthā-kṛt (maker/revealer of the path of ṛta), śloka-yukta (yoked to chant)
- Related deities
- Indra, Varuṇa, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Establishes right rhythm in mind and world; enables crossing (tāraṇa) over confusion into ordered truth.
Inner power
Harmonizing intelligence-bliss that gives the being an ‘axle’ (center) and restores hearing (śravaṇa) to the soul.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification chants during pressing/straining
प्र॒त्नान्माना॒दध्या ये स॒मस्व॑र॒ञ्छ्लोक॑यन्त्रासो रभ॒सस्य॒ मन्त॑वः । अपा॑न॒क्षासो॑ बधि॒रा अ॑हासत ऋ॒तस्य॒ पन्थां॒ न त॑रन्ति दु॒ष्कृत॑: ॥
प्र॒त्नात् । माना॑त् । अधि॑ । आ । ये । स॒म्ऽअस्व॑रन् । श्लोक॑ऽयन्त्रासः । र॒भ॒सस्य॑ । मन्त॑वः । अप॑ । अ॒न॒क्षासः॑ । ब॒धि॒राः । अ॒हा॒स॒त॒ । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । पन्था॑म् । न । त॒र॒न्ति॒ । दुः॒ऽकृतः॑ ॥
pratnāt | mānāt | adhi | ā | ye | sam-asvaran | śloka-yantrāsaḥ | rabhasasya | mantavaḥ | apa | anakṣāsaḥ | badhirāḥ | ahāsata | ṛtasya | panthām | na | taranti | duḥ-kṛtaḥ
48
4×12 (approx.)
Measured, marching rhythm; supports the theme of māna (measure) and panthā (path).
Instills steadiness and ethical-psychological alignment; helpful for bringing scattered thoughts into cadence.
- pratnāt mānāt
- Literal: from the ancient measure. Symbolic: timeless law of right proportion; inherited truth-rhythm (ṛta) in consciousness
- samasvaran
- Literal: sounded together, came into one accord. Symbolic: integration of mind-movements into unity
- śloka-yantra
- Literal: chant-harness/instrument. Symbolic: mantra as a yoke that directs thought-force
- rabhasya
- Literal: rushing/impetuous force. Symbolic: purified drive (śakti) that accelerates ascent
- mantavaḥ
- Literal: thoughts/intentions. Symbolic: mental formations offered into the inner sacrifice
- an-akṣa
- Literal: without axle. Symbolic: without inner axis (self-mastery); unstable nature
- badhira
- Literal: deaf. Symbolic: incapable of listening to truth; closed receptivity
- ṛtasya panthā
- Literal: path of ṛta. Symbolic: progressive track of truth-led becoming
- duṣkṛtaḥ
- Literal: evil-doers. Symbolic: mis-formed actions/thoughts that work against harmony
Emphasizes correct chant/measure in Soma rite; also ethical-psychological exclusion of duṣkṛta from ṛta-path
During the regulated sequences (māna) of Soma rites
Chant to stabilize and ‘yoke’ the mind of the sacrificer/priest to the rite’s rhythm
Use as a ‘focus mantra’ before study, work, or meditation to align thought with a clear measure and reduce mental noise.
māna ‘measure’ from √mā ‘to measure’ → right proportion/order. śloka (chant) from √śru/√ślōk? (traditional: śloka as utterance/verse; linked to calling/renown), here as disciplined sound-form. yantra ‘instrument/harness’ from √yam ‘to restrain, control’ → regulated mechanism. anakṣa ‘without axle’ (a- + akṣa ‘axle’) akṣa from √akṣ ‘axis/axle’ (PIE *h₂eḱs- ‘axle’). badhira ‘deaf’ (blocked hearing). duṣ-kṛtá ‘ill-done’ from √kṛ ‘do, make’ with dus- ‘bad’.
māna (right measure) as principle of order, ṛta-path as spiritual law, hearing as receptivity to truth (śruti principle)
Explicit: those not aligned cannot cross ṛta’s path.
Truth is approached by measured thought yoked to mantra; falsehood is marked by deafness to the inner word.
World-order emerges from measure; disharmony collapses by its own lack of axis.
Integral-Vedic psychology: measure as a law of consciousness, not merely ritual count.
Path = yogic progression; axle = inner center (self-rule); rushing force = awakened śakti driving practice.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘crossing’ myth is moralized and psychologized: only thoughts yoked to true chant and ancient measure can traverse ṛta’s path; the uncentered (anakṣa) and unreceptive (badhira) cannot pass. It is the bridge/crossing motif applied to inner discipline.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- akṣa ‘axle’ is a strong IE inheritance (cf. Latin axis). √mā ‘measure’ is PIE *meh₁- ‘measure’. The dus- prefix (bad) is a productive Indo-European evaluative preverb (cf. Greek dys-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns thought (mantavaḥ) to measured chant (śloka-yantra), effectively collaborating with Soma’s purifying order. The Devatā’s law (ṛta) is not granted to mere desire; it requires receptive hearing and inner centering (akṣa-like support).
Bring thoughts into ‘one accord’ by repeating the mantra while feeling a central axis in the spine and a measured cadence in breath.
Maṇipūra (will/discipline) with support to Ājñā (focused thought)
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) for 3 rounds, then chant once per exhale for 6–12 repetitions.
From scattered rajas to ordered, luminous steadiness.
Before chanting, set a simple ‘measure’ (one intention). If a thought is ‘deaf’ (resistant), do not fight; let it ‘fall away’ by returning to rhythm.
Maintain clear udātta peaks on mānāt, ṛtasya, panthām; keep compounds clean (śloka-yantrāsaḥ).
Do not rush rabhasasya—give it a controlled emphasis to mirror ‘measured force’.
pratnān: retroflex ṇ at end, mānād: long ā, śloka-yantrāsaḥ: split gently śloka | yantrāsaḥ, rabhasasya: bha aspirated? (bh) clear, apānakṣāso: long ā; kṣ cluster distinct, badhirā: dh voiced aspirate, duṣkṛtaḥ: retroflex ṣ; kṛ vocalic ṛ
Even, metrical, ‘counted’ delivery; avoid excessive emotional swell.
6
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