Rig Veda 9.72.8: Mandala 9, Sukta 72, Mantra 8
Sukta 9.72
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स तू पवस्व परि पार्थिवं रजः स्तोत्रे शिक्षन्नाधून्वते च सुक्रतो । मा नो निर्भाग्वसुनः सादनस्पृशो रयिं पिशङ्गं बहुलं वसीमहि ॥
sá tū́ pavasva pári pārthívaṃ rájaḥ stótre śíkṣann ādhū́nvate ca sukrato | mā́ no nírbhāg vásunaḥ sādana-spṛ́śo rayíṃ piśáṅgaṃ bahuláṃ vasīmahi ||
Ikaw nga ay dumaloy, pumapalibot sa makalupang sakop; turuan ang aming himno at ang nagtatrabaho, O ikaw na may mabuting kusang loob. Huwag mong putulin kami sa kayamanan, ikaw na humahawak sa mga upuan ng kasaganaan; sana ay taglayin namin ang kayumangging, saganang pag-iral.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one, Soma)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (पवस्व इत्यस्य)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- तू
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपातः (उपपादक/अनुनासिक-प्रयोगः)Root तू (निपात) अथवा तु (अव्यय)
- पवस्व
- purify yourself; flow as purifiedVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √पू (पूञ् पवने) / √पु (पवते) → पव-
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पार्थिवम्
- earthly, belonging to the earthAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (रजः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (परि-गमन/व्यापनस्य)Root पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक; पृथिवी-सम्बन्धी)
- रजः
- region, space; (also) dust/mistNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोत्रे
- in/at the hymn of praiseNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शिक्षन्
- teaching, instructing; trainingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्तः (शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः (सः इत्यस्य)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (सहक्रिया)Root √शिक्ष् (शिक्षँ विद्योपादाने/प्रेरणे) → शिक्ष
- आधून्वते
- to the shaker/one who sets (it) in motion (the presser/strainer)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्तः (शानच्), चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसक-प्रयोगः (दातृ-सम्बन्धः)Role सम्प्रदानRoot √धू (धूञ् कम्पने) + आ- → आधून्व
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकःRoot च (अव्यय)
- सुक्रतो
- O good-minded/wise oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot सु-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good-willed/wise’)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधः (प्रार्थना/आज्ञा-प्रयोगेषु)Root मा (निषेध-अव्यय)
- नः
- to us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (प्रसङ्गानुसारम्)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम) → नः
- निर्भाक्
- withholding a share; share-deprivingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (सः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot निर्-भाज् (√भज् विभागे/भागे) → निर्भाक्
- वसुनः
- of wealth, of goodsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सादनस्पृशः
- touching the seat/abode; reaching the dwellingAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (रयिम् इत्यस्य विशेषण-सम्बन्धः)Role सम्बन्धRoot सादन (प्रातिपदिक ‘seat, abode’) + √स्पृश् (स्पृशँ संस्पर्शे) → स्पृश
- रयिम्
- wealth, bountyNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (वसीमहि इत्यस्य)Root रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिशङ्गम्
- tawny, golden-huedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (रयिम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot पिशङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- बहुलम्
- abundant, plentifulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (रयिम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसीमहि
- we would obtain/seek to win (for ourselves)Verbलट्, उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √वस् (वसँ निवासे/वसँ आच्छादने; वैदिके ‘वस’ = इच्छ/प्राप्तौ) → वसी
Sandhi Notes
- स तू = सः + तु (वेदे ‘तू’ निपात-रूपेण)
- पवस्व परि = पवस्व + परि (सन्धि-रहितम्)
- पार्थिवं रजः (विशेषण-विशेष्य)
- स्तोत्रे शिक्षन् (शिक्षन् = √शिक्ष् शतृ-प्रत्ययः)
- आधून्वते च (आ-उपसर्गयुक्त √धू, शानच्-रूपम्; च समुच्चयः)
- मा नो निर्भाग्वसुनः = मा + नः + निर्भाक् + वसुनः (पाठे निर्भाग् इति दृश्यते, पदे ‘निर्भाक्’—√भज्-सम्बद्धः)
- सादनस्पृशो रयिम् = सादनस्पृशः (षष्ठी एकवचन) + रयिम्
- पिशङ्गं बहुलं (विशेषणद्वयम्)
- वसीमहि (आत्मनेपद, उत्तमबहुवचन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, flow circling the earthly region; teach our hymn and the one who works, O effective-willed one. Do not cut us off from wealth, you who touch the seats of abundance; may we possess the tawny, manifold riches.
Inner meaning
The purified delight is asked to move through and around the whole terrestrial field (pārthivaṃ rajaḥ)—not escaping life, but clarifying it from within. Soma ‘instructs’ (śikṣan) both the mantra (stotra) and the practitioner (ādhūnvate: the one who exerts/presses, inwardly the aspirant who shakes loose inertia). The prayer is against inner disinheritance: ‘do not sever us from the treasure’—do not let consciousness fall away from its native abundance. Soma is ‘sādanaspṛś’—touching the seats: it establishes contact with stable planes of plenitude. The sought ‘tawny’ (piśaṅga) wealth is the warm golden fullness of being—vital, mental, and spiritual energies unified and multiplied (bahula).
Universal truth
Spiritual delight is not a flight from the world but a clarifying circulation through life that educates aspiration and practice; when we keep contact with inner sources of abundance, plenitude becomes stable and many-sided.
Themes
purification of embodied nature, instruction by divine delight, prayer for abundance, non-deprivation
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.72 (Pavamāna Soma hymn)
Significance
The voice here is the inner sacrificer asking Soma to become guru-like (śikṣan), shaping both mantra and effort—an important Aurobindonian theme: the divine force educates the human instrument.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- sukratu (of effective will), sādanaspṛś (touching the seats of abundance), piśaṅga (tawny/golden)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Circulating purifier within the earthly field, maintaining connection between human aspiration and supraphysical abundance.
Inner power
Teacher-force of delight: it clarifies thought (stotra), strengthens effort (ādhūnvate), and restores rightful possession of inner riches.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification chants within Soma sacrifice
स तू प॑वस्व॒ परि॒ पार्थि॑वं॒ रज॑: स्तो॒त्रे शिक्ष॑न्नाधून्व॒ते च॑ सुक्रतो । मा नो॒ निर्भा॒ग्वसु॑नः सादन॒स्पृशो॑ र॒यिं पि॒शङ्गं॑ बहु॒लं व॑सीमहि ॥
सः । तु । प॒व॒स्व॒ । परि॑ । पार्थि॑वम् । रजः॑ । स्तो॒त्रे । शिक्ष॑न् । आ॒ऽधू॒न्व॒ते । च॒ । सु॒क्र॒तो॒ इति॑ सुऽक्रतो । मा । नः॒ । निः । भा॒क् । वसु॑नः । सा॒द॒न॒ऽस्पृशः॑ । र॒यिम् । पि॒शङ्ग॑म् । ब॒हु॒लम् । व॒सी॒म॒हि॒ ॥
saḥ | tu | pavasva | pari | pārthivam | rajaḥ | stotre | śikṣan | ādhūnvate | ca | sukrato itisu-krato | mā | naḥ | niḥ | bhāk | vasunaḥ | sādana-spṛśaḥ | rayim | piśaṅgam | bahulam | vasīmahi
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Circular, ‘encircling’ feel in the first pāda; then emphatic prohibitive/boon-seeking cadence.
Encourages steady effort and a sense of being guided; good for sustaining practice through inertia.
- पवस्व (pavasva)
- Literal: flow, purify thyself. Symbolic: let delight clarify and move through the nature
- पार्थिवं रजः (pārthivaṃ rajaḥ)
- Literal: earthly region/space, dust-realm. Symbolic: field of embodied life with its obscuring ‘dust’ to be cleansed
- स्तोत्रे शिक्षन् (stotre śikṣan)
- Literal: teaching the hymn. Symbolic: illumining the mantra-consciousness; refining speech/thought
- आधून्वते (ādhūnvate)
- Literal: to the one who shakes/presses/labours. Symbolic: aspirant who churns nature, dislodges tamas
- सुक्रतो (sukrato)
- Literal: of good will/effective power. Symbolic: divine intentionality that makes effort fruitful
- मा नः निर्भाक् (mā naḥ nir-bhāk)
- Literal: do not cut us off. Symbolic: do not let us lose inner inheritance/connection
- वसुनः (vasunaḥ)
- Literal: of the treasure/wealth. Symbolic: essential energies of being; spiritual resources
- सादनस्पृशः (sādanaspṛśaḥ)
- Literal: touching the seats. Symbolic: contacting stable planes/centers of abundance
- रयिम् (rayim)
- Literal: riches, plenitude. Symbolic: integral prosperity of consciousness (force, light, joy)
- पिशङ्गम् (piśaṅgam)
- Literal: tawny, golden-brown. Symbolic: golden radiance of vital-mental fullness
- बहुलम् (bahulam)
- Literal: manifold, abundant. Symbolic: many-powered completeness, not one-sided attainment
Prayer within Pavamāna hymns for Soma’s purifying circuit and for bestowal of rayi; used in Soma filtration with accompanying stotra.
While Soma is made to flow/filtered; accompanying stotra recitation
Invoking Soma to purify and to grant wealth; safeguarding the sacrificer’s share
For practitioners: recite before work/discipline to ask that effort be taught inwardly and not severed from joy and resources.
√pav ‘purify/flow’; √śikṣ ‘teach’ (discipline); niḥ-bhāk from √bhaj ‘share, apportion’ (PIE *bʰag- ‘share; allot’); rayi ‘wealth’ as plenitude (often spiritual prosperity); √vas ‘dwell’ (PIE *wes- ‘remain, dwell’). ‘pārthiva rajas’ indicates the embodied field to be pervaded and clarified by Soma.
Rayi as fullness of being, Teaching/training (śikṣ) as inner discipline, Participation/share (bhaj) as rightful reception through ṛta
Soma’s ‘pari’ movement images ṛta as a harmonizing orbit through life.
‘Seats of abundance’ suggest stable truth-planes that support manifestation.
Abundance is not accidental; it is contacted by alignment and purification.
Integral/psychological Vedism: prosperity (rayi) as fullness of consciousness, not merely material gain.
Rajas (dusty realm) = obscured embodied consciousness; circling flow = pervasion of practice into life; tawny gold = ripened vital-mental energy suffused with delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma’s encompassing flow around the earthly realm and the granting of rayi: inwardly, the delight-force purifies embodied nature, educates the hymn-consciousness, and prevents spiritual ‘disinheritance’—ensuring the seeker’s share in manifold plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhaj ‘apportion/share’ corresponds to PIE *bʰag- (sharing, allotment), a key sacral-economic root. √vas ‘dwell’ matches PIE *wes-, preserving the ancient notion that ‘possessing wealth’ is ‘dwelling in’ a state.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma not only to cleanse but to ‘teach’—a guru-like function of the devatā. The reciprocity is ethical and psychological: right labour (ādhūnvate) and right hymn (stotra) call forth Soma’s guidance and the secure bestowal of rayi.
Let delight circulate through daily life and educate both mantra and effort.
Maṇipūra (effective will) with support from Anāhata (joy)
Even-count breathing (e.g., 4-4 or 6-6) while mentally repeating ‘pavasva… sukrato’.
Quietly industrious, guided, resourceful.
Chant once before starting work; feel Soma ‘encircle’ the day’s activities; if anxiety about lack arises, repeat the ‘mā no nirbhāk’ line to restore inner trust and connection.
Follow marked udatta (॑) and resulting svarita contours; keep prohibitive ‘mā’ clean and steady (not rushed).
Prominent accents: pár i, pārthivám, rájaḥ, śíkṣan, sukráto, sádanaspṛśaḥ, piśáṅgam, bahulám.
‘pārthivaṃ rajaḥ’: keep anusvāra light before r., ‘sādanaspṛśo’: pronounce spṛ as ‘spr̥’ with syllabic r., Avoid hard ‘sh’: ‘śikṣan’ is palatal ś.
Clear, instructive, slightly firm (sukratu quality) yet soothing.
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