Rig Veda 1.91.22: Mandala 1, Sukta 91, Mantra 22
Sukta 1.91
- Devata
- Soma
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
त्वमिमा ओषधीः सोम विश्वास्त्वमपो अजनयस्त्वं गाः । त्वमा ततन्थोर्वन्तरिक्षं त्वं ज्योतिषा वि तमो ववर्थ ॥
tvám imā́ óṣadhīḥ soma víśvā́s tvám apó ajanayas tváṃ gā́ḥ | tvám ā́ tatanthor úrv àntárikṣaṃ tváṃ jyótiṣā ví támo vavartha ||
اے سوما، تو نے یہ سب پودے پیدا کیے؛ تو نے پانیوں کو جنم دیا؛ تو نے روشنی کی کرنیں آزاد کیں۔ تو نے درمیانی جہان کو وسیع کیا، اور اپنی روشنی سے تو نے اندھیرے کو دور بھگا دیا۔
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इमाः
- thesePronoun (demonstrative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ओषधीः
- plants, herbsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot ओषधि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole (सम्बोधन)Root सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (ओषधीः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- अपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अप्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजनयः
- you generated, producedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत); परस्मैपद; उत्तम? (न) मध्यम? (न) — प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √जन् (जनने)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- गाः
- cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot गो- (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- आ
- forth, out; completelyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (ततन्थ इति क्रियायोगे)Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ततन्थ
- you stretched, extendedVerbलिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √तन् (विस्तारे)
- उर्वः
- of the broad one (earth)Noun (genitive dependent)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root उर्वी- / उर्व- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विस्तीर्ण/पृथ्वी’)
- अन्तरिक्षम्
- midspace, atmosphereNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अन्तरिक्ष- (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- ज्योतिषा
- with lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot ज्योतिस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, awayIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (ववर्थ इति क्रियायोगे)Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तमः
- darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तमस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ववर्थ
- you drove away, dispelledVerbलिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √वृ (वरणे/वर्तने; RV usage ‘drive away/ward off’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): त्वम् इमाः ओषधीः सोम विश्वाः | त्वम् अपः अजनयः त्वम् गाः | त्वम् आ ततन्थ उर्वः अन्तरिक्षम् | त्वम् ज्योतिषा वि तमः ववर्थ || 1) त्वमिमा → त्वम् + इमाः (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + इ → मि). 2) विश्वास्त्वम् → विश्वाः + त्वम् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: आः + त् → आस् + त्). 3) त्वमपो → त्वम् + अपः (म् + अ → म). 4) अजनयस्त्वम् → अजनयः + त्वम् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: अः + त् → अस् + त्). 5) त्वं गाः: सन्धि-रूपे ‘त्वं’ (म् + ग् परे अनुस्वारादेशः). 6) ततन्थोर्वन्तरिक्षम् → ततन्थ + उर्वः + अन्तरिक्षम् (अन्तःपद-सन्धि: अ + उ → ओ; तथा उर्वः + अन्तरिक्षम् में विसर्गः परे स्वरः, प्रायः ‘उर्वोऽन्तरिक्षम्’/संहितायां ‘उर्वन्तरिक्षम्’).
- वि तमो → वि + तमः (विसर्गः पदान्ते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma has produced all plants, generated the waters, released the cows (rays), stretched wide the mid-region, and with light driven away darkness.
Inner meaning
Soma-Ananda is presented as a creative power in consciousness. ‘Plants’ (oṣadhīḥ) are growth-forces—healing and evolving capacities in the nature. ‘Waters’ (āpaḥ) are the flowing energies and the wide field of life-substance. ‘Cows’ (gāḥ) are rays of illumination/knowledge released from confinement. ‘Antarikṣa’ (mid-world) is the intermediate realm between physical and mental—vital-mental space where transformation must be widened (uru). With jyotiṣ (light of consciousness), Soma drives away tamas (darkness/ignorance). Thus delight is not merely enjoyment: it is a luminous creative principle that brings growth, flow, knowledge-rays, widened inner space, and the dispelling of obscurity.
Universal truth
A higher delight, when it enters the being, becomes a creative light: it fosters growth, frees knowledge, widens inner space, and dissolves darkness.
Themes
Cosmogony, Light vs Darkness, Creation of waters and plants, Knowledge rays (go)
The seer
- Rishi
- Kavi of RV 1.91 Soma hymn
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.91.1-23
Significance
A compact cosmogenesis of inner yoga: Soma creates growth-forces, releases knowledge-rays, widens the mid-plane, and dispels darkness—key steps of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma
- Epithets
- creator/releaser (ajanayas, tatantha, vavartha)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (illumination), Sūrya (light), Indra (slayer of cover), Agni (growth through will)
Cosmic role
Generative principle linked with moon and waters; sustains vegetation, waters, and light; disperses darkness.
Inner power
Ananda as luminous creative force that widens consciousness and frees knowledge.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma praise highlighting cosmic/creative functions
त्वमि॒मा ओष॑धीः सोम॒ विश्वा॒स्त्वम॒पो अ॑जनय॒स्त्वं गाः । त्वमा त॑तन्थो॒र्व१॒॑न्तरि॑क्षं॒ त्वं ज्योति॑षा॒ वि तमो॑ ववर्थ ॥
त्वम् । इ॒माः । ओष॑धीः । सो॒म॒ । विश्वाः॒ । त्वम् । अ॒पः । अ॒ज॒न॒यः॒ । त्वम् । गाः । त्वम् । आ । त॒त॒न्थ॒ । उ॒रु । अ॒न्तरि॑क्षम् । त्वम् । ज्योति॑षा । वि । तमः॑ । व॒व॒र्थ॒ ॥
tvam | imāḥ | oṣadhīḥ | soma | viśvāḥ | tvam | apaḥ | ajanayaḥ | tvam | gāḥ | tvam | ā | tatantha | uru | antarikṣam | tvam | jyotiṣā | vi | tamaḥ | vavartha
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4 × ~11
Cosmic, declarative; each ‘tvam’ is a creative fiat.
Expansive and clarifying; produces a felt widening and brightening in the listener.
- ओषधीः (oṣadhīḥ)
- Literal: plants, herbs. Symbolic: healing growth-powers; evolving capacities of nature in us
- अपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: life-currents, energies, the flowing substance of consciousness
- गाः (gāḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge released from concealment
- अन्तरिक्षम् (antarikṣam)
- Literal: mid-region, atmosphere. Symbolic: intermediate vital-mental plane; the field of inner movement and expansion
- उरु (uru)
- Literal: wide. Symbolic: widening of consciousness beyond constriction
- ज्योतिषा (jyotiṣā)
- Literal: by light. Symbolic: illumined awareness, intuitive light
- तमः (tamaḥ)
- Literal: darkness. Symbolic: ignorance, inertia, subconscious covering
- वि ववर्थ (vi vavartha)
- Literal: you have driven away, dispersed. Symbolic: dissolution of obscurity through luminous Ananda
Cosmogonic glorification within Soma hymn; supports Soma’s status as cosmic creator/purifier and justifies his centrality in the rite as bringer of light and growth.
In Soma hymns to affirm Soma’s universal power and its light-dispelling action.
Recited as stuti; supports the sense of rite as participation in cosmic creation.
Chant for clearing mental fog and revitalizing growth: visualize light widening the inner space and releasing ‘cows’ (insights).
óṣadhi- ‘plant’ (healing/growth) possibly from √uṣ ‘burn’ in folk etymologies, but Vedic usage centers on ‘herb’; ajanayaḥ from √jan (PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’); tatantha from √tan (PIE *ten- ‘stretch’); jyótiṣ- ‘light’ from √dyut ‘shine’ (PIE *dyeu- family); támas ‘darkness’ (PIE *temH- ‘dark’); vavartha from √vṛt ‘turn, roll’ (PIE *wert- ‘turn’).
Cosmogony as inner creation (growth, flow, illumination), Go (cows) as rays of knowledge, Dispelling tamas by jyotis (truth-consciousness)
Creation unfolds in ordered layers—growth, flow, widening, illumination—reflecting r̥ta.
jyotiṣ dispelling tamas: truth-light overcoming ignorance.
Inner cosmogony: Soma as creator of life-forces and releaser of knowledge-rays; widening of antarikṣa as evolution of the intermediate plane.
Vedic creation symbolism leading toward Upaniṣadic light-knowledge themes.
dawn-like (light dispelling darkness)
spring (growth of plants)
Plants = healing growth in nature; waters = prāṇa/flow; cows = rays of knowledge; antarikṣa = vital-mental field; light = awakened consciousness; darkness = subconscious ignorance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A cosmogonic mythologem: Soma as creator of growth (plants), flow (waters), and illumination (cows/rays), who widens the mid-world and drives out darkness—innerly, the emergence of a luminous, ordered consciousness from obscurity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan (ajanayaḥ) reflects PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’; √tan (tatantha) reflects PIE *ten- ‘stretch’; √vṛt (vavartha) reflects PIE *wert- ‘turn’; and támas reflects PIE *temH- ‘dark’. These conserve a very old Indo-European cosmogonic lexicon.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi magnifies Soma from ritual drink to cosmic agent, grounding the aspirant’s trust: the same power that generated waters and light can generate inner growth and dispel ignorance in the human vessel.
Widen the intermediate field (antarikṣa) and let Soma’s light disperse tamas; invite growth and healing powers to arise.
Sahasrāra/Ājñā (light), Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/flow), Anāhata (healing growth)
Nadi-śodhana-like slow alternate breathing while repeating ‘tvam… tvam…’ to balance flows; end with a silent visualization of light expanding the inner sky.
Widened, luminous, purified.
If dullness or heaviness dominates, chant 12 times, then sit with attention in the space behind the forehead, imagining a wide blue antarikṣa filled with cool moonlight that turns into steady jyotiṣ.
Vedic accents with repeated ‘tvam’ openings; keep each ‘tvam’ clearly articulated as a rhythmic pillar.
Slightly lengthen and lift ‘jyotiṣā’ to sonically enact illumination; soften on ‘tamaḥ’ then brighten on ‘vi’.
oṣadhīḥ: retroflex ṣ; long īḥ at end., ajanayaḥ: j clear; final ḥ audible but light., tatantha: dental t; nasal nth cluster clean., vavartha: vava- smooth; aspirate th lightly.
Clear, luminous, expansive; avoid heaviness.
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