Rig Veda 9.64.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 64, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.64
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna seer-tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
असृक्षत प्र वाजिनो गव्या सोमासो अश्वया । शुक्रासो वीरयाशवः ॥
asṛ́kṣata prá vājíno gavyā́ sómāso aśvayā́ | śukrā́so vīrayā́śavaḥ ||
Nagbuhos sila palabas, ang makapangyarihang mga agos ng Soma, na sagana sa kasaganaan ng maliwanag na kawan at ang mabilis na mga lakas ng pag-unlad; nagliliwanag, mabilis, na nagbubuhat ng makabayanihang lakas sa loob.
Word by Word
- असृक्षत
- they streamed forth / were releasedVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person, pluralRole (क्रिया)Root सृज् (सृजति)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix) / निपातRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वाजिनः
- the prize-winning/strong ones (Soma-drops)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- गव्या
- with/through (the filter) of milk; milk-wiseAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental used adverbially)Role करणRoot गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमासः
- the Soma (juices)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वया
- with/like a horse; horse-wise (swiftly)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental used adverbially)Role करणRoot अश्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; from अश्व)
- शुक्रासः
- bright, shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरयाशवः
- swift for the hero/men; hero-aiding swift onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वीर-याशु (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद: असृक्षत् | प्र | वाजिनः | गव्या | सोमासः | अश्वया | शुक्रासः | वीरयाशवः || 1) असृक्षत॒ प्र → असृक्षत् + प्र (विसर्ग/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि नहीं; पदान्त त् स्थिर)
- 2) ग॒व्या सोमा॑सः → गव्या + सोमासः (स्वर-संयोग मात्र)
- 3) सोमा॑सो अश्व॒या → सोमासः + अश्वया (अः + अ → ओ; संहितायां ‘सोमासो’)
- 4) अश्व॒या । शु॒क्रासो॑ → अश्वया + शुक्रासः (पदविराम)
- 5) वीर॒याशव॑: → वीरयाशवः (पदान्त विसर्ग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Soma streams have flowed forth, powerful, rich in cattle-wealth and horse-wealth; shining, swift, bearing heroic vigor.
Inner meaning
The purified Soma currents (somāsaḥ) are described as vājinaḥ—bearers of plenitude and victorious force. They carry gavyā (cows/rays of knowledge) and aśvayā (horses/energies of action). As śukrāsaḥ (luminous, bright) and āśavaḥ (impetuous, swift), they bring vīrya (heroic soul-force) into the seeker—an inner intensification where knowledge and energy are fused by delight into effective spiritual action.
Universal truth
When consciousness is purified, it naturally flows as luminous force—uniting knowledge and energy—and awakens heroic capacity for transformation.
Themes
Soma flowing, Plenitude and speed, Luminous purification, Heroic conquest (inner)
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seer-poets (RV 9.64)
- Other hymns
- RV 9.64.1, RV 9.64.2, RV 9.64.3
Family tradition
Pavāmāna corpus often speaks in plurals (‘streams’) to indicate multiple currents of Soma—levels and movements of purified delight in the system.
Significance
Describes the experiential result of purification: luminous swift currents carrying both knowledge-rays and action-energies, awakening vīrya for inner conquest.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (plural streams)
- Epithets
- Vājinaḥ (plenitude-bearing), Śukra (luminous), Āśu (swift/impetuous)
- Related deities
- Indra (victory and vīrya), Maruts (impetuous forces), Agni (carrier-leader)
Cosmic role
Soma as multiple rivers of delight that nourish the gods/powers and drive the sacrifice toward victory and fullness.
Inner power
Currents of ananda that become luminous and swift, delivering integrated knowledge and energy and awakening heroic capacity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification chants as the streams run out after pressing
असृ॑क्षत॒ प्र वा॒जिनो॑ ग॒व्या सोमा॑सो अश्व॒या । शु॒क्रासो॑ वीर॒याशव॑: ॥
असृ॑क्षत । प्र । वा॒जिनः॑ । ग॒व्या । सोमा॑सः । अ॒श्व॒ऽया । शु॒क्रासः॑ । वी॒र॒ऽया । आ॒शवः॑ ॥
asṛkṣata | pra | vājinaḥ | gavyā | somāsaḥ | aśva-yā | śukrāsaḥ | vīra-yā | āśavaḥ
44
4 × 11 (probable).
Rapid, streaming cadence with bright consonants (śukr-, āś-) suggesting speed and brilliance.
Creates a felt ‘flow state’: quickened yet clear, like energy becoming luminous and purposeful.
- असृक्षत (asṛkṣata)
- Literal: they have flowed forth. Symbolic: release of purified currents in consciousness; unobstructed movement of ananda
- वाजिनः (vājinaḥ)
- Literal: possessing vāja; strong, prize-winning. Symbolic: plenitude-bearing forces; capacities that win the ‘prize’ of realization
- गव्या (gavyā)
- Literal: cattle-rich. Symbolic: rich in rays of knowledge/illumination
- अश्वया (aśvayā)
- Literal: horse-rich. Symbolic: rich in vital energies and powers of progress
- शुक्रासः (śukrāsaḥ)
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: clarified, luminous consciousness
- वीरयाशवः (vīrayāśavaḥ)
- Literal: swift with heroism/virility. Symbolic: impetuous currents carrying heroic soul-force (vīrya) for conquering inner resistance
Describes the released flow of Soma after pressing, moving toward purification and offering.
When Soma is seen/imagined as flowing forth in multiple streams toward offering
Chant to accompany the visual/ritual flow, invoking luminous speed and heroic potency for the rite’s success
A mantra for entering a clear, energetic flow in sadhana—use when beginning concentrated work or dynamic meditation.
vāja from √vaj ‘to be strong, to impel’ → plenitude of force (not merely ‘food/prize’); śukra from √śuc ‘shine, be bright’ → clarified luminosity; vīra from √vīr ‘be strong/heroic’ (semantic field of manly force) → inner heroic energy.
Vāja (plenitude of force), Heroic energy (vīrya/vīra), Purification into luminosity
The ‘flowing forth’ is the ordered movement of purified essence according to ṛta—no longer obstructed by mixture.
Śukra-luminosity indicates truth-clarity in the current of delight.
From purification arises multiplicity of powers: many streams of one essence feeding the worlds.
Integral Vedic psychology: ananda becomes śakti (force) and jñāna (light) simultaneously.
Streams = currents in subtle body; cows = illuminations; horses = prāṇic dynamisms; brightness = clarified mind; speed = released tapas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘released divine streams’ mythologem: Soma as a host of shining currents carrying light (gavyā), speed (aśvayā), and hero-force (vīrayā) into manifestation—an image of awakened powers entering the system.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva/āśu reflect the inherited Indo-European horse/speed complex (PIE *h₁éḱwos for aśva; √aś ‘swift’ has Indo-Iranian parallels). √sṛj ‘send/let flow’ aligns broadly with PIE flow/send semantics though not a single neat cognate set.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses and affirms the manifestation-process: the Soma powers are not requested but described as already flowing—suggesting a participatory rite where the seer’s vision tracks the inner release of energies.
Enter the experience of ‘purified flow’: let delight become luminous, swift, and strong—integrating insight and action.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (flow/ānanda) rising to Ājñā (śukra clarity) and empowering Maṇipūra (vīrya).
Wave-breath: slightly lengthened inhale and smooth, continuous exhale; synchronize mental image of Soma-streams flowing forward.
Luminous flow-state; energized clarity.
Visualize multiple bright streams descending from above the head, passing through the mind as light, through the heart as joy, through the navel as power—then moving outward as effective action without strain.
Śākhā-dependent; emphasize the opening ‘asṛkṣata’ as a release; keep ‘śukrāsaḥ’ bright in pitch and ‘āśavaḥ’ quick in articulation.
Let the first pāda ‘flow’ with minimal breaks; slightly stress the qualifiers (gavyā / aśvayā / śukrāsaḥ) as descriptive flashes.
asṛkṣata: vocalic ṛ clear; kṣ conjunct crisp, vājino: long ā; ‘ji’ light, gavyā: ‘vy’ conjunct clean, somāsaḥ: long ā; visarga light, aśvayā: ‘śv’ conjunct, śukrāsaḥ: palatal ś; long ā; visarga light, vīrayāśavaḥ: long ī; ‘yā’ long; ‘ś’ clear; visarga light
Bright, flowing, slightly faster than normal, but articulate; end with a clean, energized cadence.
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