Rig Veda 9.17.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 17, Mantra 4
Sukta 9.17
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ कलशेषु धावति पवित्रे परि षिच्यते । उक्थैर्यज्ञेषु वर्धते ॥
ā́ kalaśéṣu dhāvati pavítre párī ṣicyate | uktháir yajñéṣu vardhate ||
وہ مٹکوں میں بہتا ہے، چھننی میں چھایا جاتا ہے، قربانیوں میں بلند کیے گئے بھجنوں سے وہ بڑھتا ہے، جیسے سچائی کا کلام اسے بڑھاتا ہے۔
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, intoIndeclinableउपसर्गः (preverb), अव्ययम्Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- कलशेषु
- in the jars (vessels)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot कलश (prātipadika)
- धावति
- runs, streamsVerbलट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root धाव् (धावति) / dhāv-
- पवित्रे
- in/through the filter (strainer)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पवित्र (prātipadika)
- परि
- around; all aboutIndeclinableउपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) / pari
- षिच्यते
- is poured; is sprinkledVerbलट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम् (कर्मणि-प्रयोगः/मध्यभावः)Role (क्रिया) —Root सिच् (सिञ्चति) / sic-
- उक्थैः
- with hymns (ukthas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot उक्थ (prātipadika)
- यज्ञेषु
- in the sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यज्ञ (prātipadika)
- वर्धते
- grows; increasesVerbलट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root वृध् (वर्धते) / vṛdh-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: आ | कलशेषु | धावति | पवित्रे | परि | षिच्यते | उक्थैः | यज्ञेषु | वर्धते । 1) परि + सिच्यते → परि षिच्यते (वेदिके ‘स’ → ‘ष’ मूर्धन्यादेशः ‘रि’ परे). 2) Accent (as in saṃhitā): क॒लशे॑षु (उदात्तः ‘षु’), प॒वित्रे॒, परि॑, य॒ज्ञेषु॑
- others as transmitted in the given text
The meaning
Outer meaning
He runs into the jars; in the purifier he is poured all around; by hymns in the sacrifices he increases.
Inner meaning
Soma’s clarified delight is gathered into ‘kalaśa’—inner vessels of receptivity (body, life, mind made fit). In the pavitra it is ‘poured around’: it pervades and saturates the whole system. The uktha (uplifted word of affirmation/true speech) in yajña (inner offering) makes Soma grow—meaning the more the soul offers and speaks truth, the more Ananda intensifies and becomes stable.
Universal truth
Joy increases where it is received in a purified vessel and affirmed by true speech and conscious offering; inner delight grows by right practice and right word.
Themes
Vessel and flow, Mantric increase, Ritual-as-psychological technology
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇva (Kāṇva tradition)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 9.17.3, RV 9.17.5 (adjacent), RV 9.18 (collection and increase motifs)
Family tradition
Kāṇva Soma hymns are practically ‘manuals of inner processing’: receiving, filtering, collecting, and increasing the Soma-force through word and offering.
Significance
The seer indicates a law of sadhana: purified receptivity (vessel) + pervasion (sprinkling) + true mantra (uktha) = growth of Ananda.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Pavamāna, Indu, Amṛta (immortal essence, thematic)
- Related deities
- Agni (yajña leader), Bṛhaspati (word-power, thematic), Indra
Cosmic role
Collected essence of delight that is prepared, contained, and offered to sustain gods and worlds.
Inner power
Saturating Ananda that stabilizes the system and increases through mantra and offering.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma collection into jars and circum-pouring during Soma-yajña
आ क॒लशे॑षु धावति प॒वित्रे॒ परि॑ षिच्यते । उ॒क्थैर्य॒ज्ञेषु॑ वर्धते ॥
आ । क॒लशे॑षु । धा॒व॒ति॒ । प॒वित्रे॑ । परि॑ । सि॒च्य॒ते॒ । उ॒क्थैः । य॒ज्ञेषु॑ । व॒र्ध॒ते॒ ॥
ā | kalaśeṣu | dhāvati | pavitre | pari | sicyate | ukthaiḥ | yajñeṣu | vardhate
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3×8 (approx.)
Practical, stepwise rhythm: entry → pervasion → increase.
Creates a sense of orderly ritual within; encourages receptivity and steady growth rather than sudden rush.
- कलश (kalaśa)
- Literal: jar, vessel. Symbolic: Inner receptacles—purified body-life-mind capable of holding Ananda
- धावति (dhāvati)
- Literal: runs, hastens. Symbolic: Quick entry of the force when receptivity is ready
- पवित्र (pavitra)
- Literal: purifier. Symbolic: Discriminating clarity; discipline that keeps the force pure
- परि सिच्यते (pari sicyate)
- Literal: is poured around, sprinkled. Symbolic: Pervasion and saturation of the being by Ananda
- उक्थ (uktha)
- Literal: hymn/solemn chant. Symbolic: Mantric truth-speech; affirmation that builds the inner sacrifice
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: Inner offering of energies to the Divine; conscious self-giving
- वर्धते (vardhate)
- Literal: grows, increases. Symbolic: Progressive intensification and stabilization of Ananda
Handling of Soma: flowing into kalaśas; mantric strengthening through uktha in yajña
During/after filtration when Soma is collected and prepared for offerings
Directing Soma into kalaśas, sprinkling/handling in pavitra; chanting ukthas
A mantra for ‘holding the experience’: after meditation, chant to stabilize joy in daily life and ‘contain’ it without loss.
kalaśa ‘jar’ as ritual vessel; inner correlate: receptacle of consciousness. √dhāv ‘run/flow’; sicyate from √sic ‘to pour, sprinkle’; uktha from √vac/√uk? (Vedic ‘utterance/hymn of praise’), functioning as mantric force; vardhate from √vṛdh ‘grow, increase’ (PIE *werdh- ‘grow’).
Vessel symbolism (adhāra of consciousness), Mantra as formative power (uktha), Growth through right offering (ṛta-yajña)
The ordered sequence of receiving and increasing Soma mirrors ṛta—right process yields right growth.
Uktha as satya-vāc: truth-speech that builds the inner reality.
Containment and distribution of essence: the One delight becomes many streams, held in forms (vessels) for manifestation.
Mantra-śakti view aligned with Aurobindo: word as formative power that increases the realized force.
unspecified
unspecified
Vessels = purified faculties; sprinkling = pervasion through nerves/naḍīs; hymns = formative thought-sound that consolidates experience.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma in the vessels’ mythologem: the divine essence is received, circulated, and increased by sacred speech. Psychologically, prepared inner vessels receive delight; mantra distributes and intensifies it until it becomes a stable power in the work.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vardhate (√vṛdh) matches PIE *werdh- ‘grow’ (cf. Eng worth via semantic development; Germic *werþ- differs but growth/value association is common). The pour roots √sic and flow roots are central to IE ritual poetics of libation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi supplies uktha—accurate, uplifting utterance—so Soma can ‘increase’ within the yajña. The devatā responds by becoming more potent and more pervasively present in the vessels of the being.
Stabilize and ‘contain’ inner joy in the body; let it pervade evenly; then strengthen it with a quiet mantra-affirmation (uktha).
Anāhata (containment of Ananda) with grounding to Mūlādhāra (vessel-stability)
Slow diaphragmatic breathing; on inhale ‘fill the vessel’, on exhale ‘sprinkle’ awareness through the limbs
Integrated, embodied Ananda; steady receptivity.
After any high experience, avoid dispersal: feel the ‘kalaśa’ of the body as a calm container; let the joy circulate gently; repeat the mantra as a sealing act, then proceed to action with quiet gratitude.
Keep a calm, even accent flow; lightly emphasize ‘kalaśeṣu’ and ‘vardhate’ while maintaining traditional udatta/svarita contours as learned.
Articulate the sequence clearly: ā kalaśeṣu dhāvati | pavitre pari sicyate | ukthair yajñeṣu vardhate. Slight pause at each pada.
ā (long opening), kalaśeṣu: ś sound clear, eṣu with retroflex ṣ, dhāvati: long ‘ā’, pari: rolled/light ‘r’, sicyate: ‘cy’ conjunct clean, ukthaiḥ: ‘kh’ aspirated, visarga-like ḥ at end, yajñeṣu: ‘jñ’ conjunct; ṣ retroflex, vardhate: ‘dh’ aspirated
Warm, contained, resonant chest tone; steady and unhurried.
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