Rig Veda 9.94.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 94, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.94
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इषमूर्जमभ्यर्षाश्वं गामुरु ज्योतिः कृणुहि मत्सि देवान् । विश्वानि हि सुषहा तानि तुभ्यं पवमान बाधसे सोम शत्रून् ॥
íṣam ūŕjam abhý arṣā́śvaṃ gā́m uru jyótiḥ kṛṇuhi mátsi devā́n | víśvāni hí su-ṣáhā tā́ni túbhyaṃ pávamāna bā́dhase soma śátrūn ||
จงไหลมาหาเราด้วยอาหารและพลัง; จงนำม้ากับโคมา—จงทำให้เกิดแสงสว่างอันกว้างไกล. จงทำให้เหล่าเทพยินดีภายใน. เพราะสิ่งทั้งปวงนี้ท่านย่อมทนและแบกรับได้ดี; ฉะนั้น โสมผู้ชำระให้บริสุทธิ์เอ๋ย จงผลักไสศัตรูทั้งหลาย.
Word by Word
- इषम्
- nourishment, refreshmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इष् (प्रातिपदिक: इषा-)
- ऊर्जम्
- strength, vigorNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ऊर्ज् (प्रातिपदिक: ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जा-)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि
- अर्ष
- rush/flow (towards)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot ऋष् (गत्यर्थ) / अर्ष् (वेद. ‘to rush/flow’)
- अश्वम्
- horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- गाम्
- cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेद. रूप: गाम्)Role कर्मRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- उरु
- wide, broadAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणरूपेण)Role कर्मRoot उरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्योतिः
- light, radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेद. प्रयोगे)Role कर्मRoot ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणुहि
- make! produce!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot कृ (करणे)
- मत्सि
- rejoice! be exhilarated!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (वेद. रूप)Root मद् (हर्षे/मादे; वेद. ‘to rejoice/exult’)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वानि
- all (things)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (बाधसे इत्यस्य)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि
- सुषहा
- very mighty/overpoweringAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (विश्वानि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot सु- + सह (प्रातिपदिक: सुषह-)
- तानि
- thosePronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- तुभ्यम्
- for you, to youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पवमान
- O purifying (Soma)Participle/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot पू (पवने) → पवमान (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
- बाधसे
- you press/drive away, you smiteVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot बाध् (पीडने/नाशने)
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- शत्रून्
- enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): इष॒मूर्ज॑म् → इषम् + ऊर्जम् (अ + ऊ = ऊ)
- अभ्य१॒॑र्ष → अभि + अर्ष (इ + अ = य्, i.e., अभ्यर्ष)
- गामु॒रु → गाम् + उरु (म् + उ = मु)
- ज्योति॑: → ज्योतिः (visarga in saṃhitā)
- दे॒वान् → देवान्
- विश्वा॑नि॒ हि → विश्वानि + हि
- सु॒षहा॒ तानि → सुषहा + तानि
- तुभ्यं॒ पव॑मान॒ → तुभ्यम् + पवमान
- सोम॒ शत्रू॑न् → सोम + शत्रून्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Flow to us with food and force; bring the horse and the cow; make wide light; delight the gods. Since you can bear all these, O purifying Soma, drive away the enemies.
Inner meaning
Soma is invoked to descend/flow into the system with iṣa (nourishing substance of consciousness) and ūrj (dynamic vitality). He brings ashva (force of action) and go (rays of knowledge), and widens the inner light (uru jyotiḥ) so the gods—higher faculties—can rejoice and work within (matsi devān). With this strengthened, illumined harmony, Soma pushes back the inner adversaries: obscurity, inertia, false desire, and the resisting formations that obstruct growth.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires both nourishment and energy, knowledge and power, wideness of light and joy of higher faculties; then resistance can be steadily overcome.
Themes
boons: nourishment and force, illumination, inner victory, Soma as purifier and warrior
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.94
Family tradition
A practical sādhaka-tone typical of Pavamāna verses: asking for concrete inner results—energy, knowledge, wideness, and victory over resistance.
Significance
Frames the yajña as inner battle and inner increase: Soma as the purifying bliss that supplies both illumination (go) and force (aśva) for overcoming obstruction.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Suṣahā (well-enduring), Soma (nectar)
- Related deities
- Indra (victory over Vṛtra-like obstruction), Agni (inner sacrifice), Maruts (life-forces)
Cosmic role
Purifier and energizer who supports the gods’ working by providing bliss-force and luminous wideness.
Inner power
Transforms prāṇa into a steady power; releases illuminations; repels hostile formations.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification; prayer for strength, cattle/horse (symbolic prosperity) and victory over foes.
इष॒मूर्ज॑म॒भ्य१॒॑र्षाश्वं॒ गामु॒रु ज्योति॑: कृणुहि॒ मत्सि॑ दे॒वान् । विश्वा॑नि॒ हि सु॒षहा॒ तानि॒ तुभ्यं॒ पव॑मान॒ बाध॑से सोम॒ शत्रू॑न् ॥
इष॑म् । ऊर्ज॑म् । अ॒भि । अ॒र्ष॒ । अश्व॑म् । गाम् । उ॒रु । ज्योतिः॑ । कृ॒णु॒हि॒ । मत्सि॑ । दे॒वान् । विश्वा॑नि । हि । सु॒ऽसहा॑ । तानि॑ । तुभ्य॑म् । पव॑मान । बाध॑से । सो॒म॒ । शत्रू॑न् ॥
iṣam | ūrjam | abhi | arṣa | aśvam | gām | uru | jyotiḥ | kṛṇuhi | matsi | devān | viśvāni | hi | su-sahā | tāni | tubhyam | pavamāna | bādhase | soma | śatrūn
44
4 pādas (approx. 11 syllables each)
Commanding and energetic; imperative verbs create a driving cadence.
Mobilizes will and prāṇa; good for dispelling lethargy and fear; evokes wideness (uru).
- इषम् (iṣam)
- Literal: refreshment, food. Symbolic: nourishment of consciousness; sustaining delight
- ऊर्जम् (ūrjam)
- Literal: vigor, force. Symbolic: dynamic vital energy under soul-direction
- अर्ष (arṣa)
- Literal: flow!. Symbolic: let the bliss-current circulate through mind-life-body
- अश्वम् (aśvam)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital force of action and progress
- गाम् (gām)
- Literal: cow. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge; illuminations
- उरु ज्योतिः (uru jyotiḥ)
- Literal: wide light. Symbolic: widened consciousness; large clarity beyond narrow mind
- मत्सि देवान् (matsi devān)
- Literal: gladden the gods. Symbolic: make the higher powers active and joyful within
- शत्रून् (śatrūn)
- Literal: enemies. Symbolic: inner obstructing forces (tamas, confusion, desire)
Petition within Soma purification: requesting iṣ/ūrj and victory over hostile powers; fits Soma-sacrifice intent of empowerment and protection.
At moments of offering/pressing when seeking protection and increase.
Recite as Soma is strained and offered; mentally ‘offer’ obstructions into the flow for purification.
Use in daily practice when facing resistance: chant before work, during recovery from fatigue, or to clear mental fog.
iṣ from √iṣ ‘to seek, impel, nourish’ → both food and impetus. ūrj from √urj ‘to invigorate’ (strength/sap). √arṣ ‘to flow, rush’ (arṣa). aśva ‘horse’ often symbolizes speed/force; go ‘cow’ symbolizes light/knowledge. √kṛ ‘to make’ (kṛṇuhi). √mad ‘to gladden’ (matsi). su-ṣahā from √sah ‘to endure, conquer’—capacity to bear divine intensities. √bādh ‘to press, repel, subdue’ used for overcoming obstacles.
inner battle of light vs. obstruction, broadening of consciousness (uru jyotis), divine delight nourishing the gods (mad/mats)
Wide light and gladdened gods indicate alignment with ṛta—right functioning of inner powers.
Implicit: victory over obstruction allows truth-perception to prevail.
Increase (iṣa/ūrj) and illumination (go/jyotiḥ) as building blocks of the transformed being.
Yoga of transformation: purification (pavamāna) leading to power and knowledge, then conquest of resistance.
dawn-to-morning (suggested by ‘wide light’)
Flow = circulating bliss; food/force = sustenance and energy; horse/cow = action-force and knowledge-rays; light = widened awareness; enemies = inner darkness and reactive patterns.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘repulsion of enemies’ is the battle mythologem internalized: Soma’s purification is also a conquest over obstructing forces (śatrūn). The gifts of horse and cow encode the recovery of force and light—dynamic energy and illumined knowledge—needed for victory.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mad ‘to rejoice’ has IE parallels in intoxicating/joy semantics (cf. Iranian mad-). √sah ‘endure/conquer’ reflects an old strength verb (often compared with IE *seǵh- ‘to hold fast/conquer’ in scholarship; exact correspondences vary). The opposition of ‘wide light’ vs. ‘enemies’ continues an inherited IE poetic polarity of light/order against hostile darkness/chaos.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi directly petitions Soma to ‘flow toward’ and actively ‘make wide light’, while also delighting the devāḥ (inner divine powers). Soma is addressed as uniquely capable (su-ṣahā) of holding and delivering these boons and of removing inner adversaries—so the human aspiration depends on Soma’s purifying agency.
Invite a current of bliss to fill the body; call in energy (aśva) and illumination (go); widen the inner light; then consciously release one ‘enemy’ pattern into the flow.
Manipura (power/ūrj) and Ajna (light/clarity)
Kapalabhati (3 rounds of 30–60 strokes) followed by calm breathing; then chant once slowly to seal wideness.
Dynamic, vigilant, expansive.
After chanting, name the obstruction (fear, doubt, craving). Feel it as a knot; on exhale, let Soma’s flow wash through and ‘press back’ the knot without aggression—steady endurance (suṣahā).
Vedic accents not provided; chant with crisp imperatives; slight upward inflection on arṣa, kṛṇuhi, bādhase.
Pause after ūrjam; emphasize uru jyotiḥ; final pāda firm and descending to convey ‘driving back’.
(iṣam): retroflex ṣ, (ūrjam): long ū, palatal j, (abhy arṣa): sandhi—link smoothly, (jyotiḥ): jy- cluster, short o, visarga soft, (pavamāna): v soft, long ā
Strong, clear, forward-placed tone; avoid strain.
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