Rig Veda 9.32.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 32, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.32
- Rishi
- Ascribed in the Soma-Pavamāna corpus to seers of the Pavitra/Soma tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
आदीं हंसो यथा गणं विश्वस्यावीवशन्मतिम् । अत्यो न गोभिरज्यते ॥
ādī́m haṃsó yáthā gaṇáṃ víśvasyāvīvaśan matím | átyo ná góbhir ajyate ||
پھر بلندیوں کا ہنس جماعت کو جگاتا ہے، سب کے خیال کو بیدار کرتا ہے؛ وہ روشنی کی کرنوں سے مل سا ہے، تیز رفتار گھوڑے کی طرح۔
Word by Word
- आ
- towards; him/itIndeclinable (preverb) + Pronoun (enclitic)आ = उपसर्ग; ईम् (= एनम्) = पुं., द्वितीया, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role कर्म (ईम् = ‘him/it’ as object)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एनम्
- हंसः
- the swan (metaphorically Soma)Nounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as, likeIndeclinableतुलनार्थक अव्ययRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- गणम्
- a flock, troopNounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण)Root गण (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वस्य
- of all, of the wholeAdjective (used substantively)नपुं., षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- आवीवशत्
- he kept seeking/impelling (made to desire)Verbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वीवश् (धातु; desiderative/intensive-type reduplication from √वश्/√वश् ‘to wish/seek, strive’ in Vedic usage)
- मतिम्
- thought, intention, devotionNounस्त्री., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्यः
- a steed, racerNounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (द्वितीय-उपमा-वाक्ये)Root अत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमार्थक अव्ययRoot न (अव्यय)
- गोभिः
- with cows; with kine (i.e., with milk/offerings)Nounस्त्री., तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अज्यते
- is anointed, is smearedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, 3 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √अञ्ज् (अञ्जति) ‘to anoint, smear’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): आ + ईम् + हंसः + यथा + गणम् + विश्वस्य + आवीवशत् + मतिम् । अत्यः + न + गोभिः + अज्यते । आदीं = आ + ईम् (एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम ‘him/it’)
- विश्वस्यावीवशन् = विश्वस्य + आवीवशत् (त् → न् before following dental m- in saṃhitā/phonetic junction)
- गोभिरज्यते = गोभिः + अज्यते (visarga before vowel → र्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Then the Swan, as it were, rouses the host, awakening the thought of all; like a swift steed he is anointed with the cows (rays).
Inner meaning
Soma as Haṃsa—the high-moving breath-soul or luminous consciousness—stirs all the inner powers (gaṇa) and awakens universal right thinking (mati). When the delight is clarified, it becomes swift like a war-horse (atya), and is ‘anointed’ by the Rays of Light (go) i.e., suffused with knowledge, fit to carry the seeker forward.
Universal truth
When inner delight becomes pure and luminous, it awakens collective faculties and sets thought into truth; joy and knowledge unite to accelerate transformation.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Inner awakening, Illumination symbolism, Consecration of force
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.32.1, RV 9.32.2, RV 9.32.4, RV 9.32.5, RV 9.32.6
Family tradition
Pavamāna hymns—often attributed across Kavi/Angiras-like transmission lines; exact attribution varies by Anukramaṇī.
Significance
The seer’s vision emphasizes Soma as Haṃsa: a yogic symbol later central in Upaniṣadic and Tantric contemplations of prāṇa and the inner Self.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (as Haṃsa)
- Epithets
- Haṃsa (swan of the heights), Pavamāna (self-purifying), Indu (bright drop)
- Related deities
- Savitar (impulsion of thought), Indra (illumined mind), Agni (leader of inner sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Mediator between worlds, awakening thought and energizing the host of powers; purifier that makes consciousness fit for the gods.
Inner power
Luminous Ananda that uplifts prāṇa and mind, coordinating faculties into a single aspiring movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification chants during filtration and offering sequences
आदीं॑ हं॒सो यथा॑ ग॒णं विश्व॑स्यावीवशन्म॒तिम् । अत्यो॒ न गोभि॑रज्यते ॥
आत् । ई॒म् । हं॒सः । यथा॑ । ग॒णम् । विश्व॑स्य । अ॒वी॒व॒श॒त् । म॒तिम् । अत्यः॑ । न । गोभिः॑ । अ॒ज्य॒ते॒ ॥
āt | īm | haṃsaḥ | yathā | gaṇam | viśvasya | avīvaśat | matim | atyaḥ | na | gobhiḥ | ajyate
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4 padas × ~11 syllables
Ascending, expansive; the ‘haṃsa’ image favors a lifted, airborne cadence.
Promotes uplift of breath and clarity of thought; feels like widening space in the head and chest.
- हंसः (haṃsaḥ)
- Literal: swan. Symbolic: the high-flying luminous principle; soul-breath consciousness that moves between worlds
- गणम् (gaṇam)
- Literal: host, troop. Symbolic: the assembled inner powers—senses, prāṇas, faculties—organized for the yoga
- मतिम् (matim)
- Literal: thought, intention. Symbolic: right understanding, inspired mentality awakened by Soma
- अत्यः (atyaḥ)
- Literal: swift steed. Symbolic: vital force harnessed and made swift for the spiritual journey
- गोभिः (gobhiḥ)
- Literal: with cows. Symbolic: with rays of light/knowledge that ‘anoint’ and clarify consciousness
- अज्यते (ajyate)
- Literal: is anointed, smeared. Symbolic: is suffused/impregnated with illumination
Soma pressing and purification (Pavamāna-stotra context within Agniṣṭoma/other Soma sacrifices; chanted during filtering through the wool/strainer).
While Soma flows through pavitra; also in Indra-Soma offerings
Recitation/chant to accompany the purifying flow and consecration
Chant as a breath-led meditation: feel Haṃsa rising, awakening thought; use before study, mantra-japa, or creative work.
haṃsaḥ: traditionally ‘swan’; in Vedic symbolism the luminous mover between waters (ap) and the supramental heights; linked to breath/psyche as carrier of consciousness. avīvaśat: from √vaś/√vas (to wish, to will, to attract; also to make subject), here as an intensive/causative perfect-like form ‘made to wake/impel strongly’, governing matim. mati: from √man ‘to think, form in mind’; denotes purposeful intelligence, not mere opinion. atya: ‘steed’ (cf. √at ‘to move, roam’) expressing speed/force. go: from √gā ‘to go’ and Vedic polyvalence ‘cow/ray’; in Soma hymns frequently ‘rays of illumination’ recovered and used for consecration.
Ṛta as the right movement and ordering of consciousness, Awakening of mati (intentional intelligence), Consecration/anointment as inner preparation
Awakened mati aligns with Ṛta—thought becomes a right movement rather than wandering.
Soma’s purification makes thought transparent to truth.
Illumination ‘anoints’ force; knowledge organizes the host into a higher functioning.
Upaniṣadic echo (Haṃsa as Self/prāṇa) within a Vedic symbolic framework.
Breath-soul uplift (Haṃsa) awakens mental clarity (mati) and consecrates vital speed (atya) with rays of knowledge (go).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘anointing/consecration of the swift power with rays’—Soma as the luminous agent that awakens universal intention (mati) and equips the dynamic force (atya) with light (go). The mythic action is not cattle-raid but illumination: the rays become the consecrating substance for victorious movement.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mati (√man ‘think’) aligns with PIE *men- ‘to think’ (cf. Latin mens, English mind). go ‘cow/ray’ is from PIE *gʷou- ‘cow’ (cf. Greek bous, Latin bos), but Vedic extends it poetically to ‘ray’ via the ‘going’ brilliance and the recovered ‘cows of light’ theme. atya ‘steed’ expresses the Indo-European poetic equation of horse = force/speed in heroic and ritual diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer witnesses Soma as an inner operative power: Soma awakens the total mind (viśvasya matim) and consecrates the inner ‘steed’ of action. The reciprocity is implicit: the human offers the rite of purification; Soma returns the boons of awakened intelligence and luminous force fit to move in Ṛta.
Haṃsa as inner breath-light: let purified joy awaken right thought in all parts of the being.
Ājñā (clarity of mati) with support from Anāhata (uplift)
So’ham-style gentle awareness: inhale ‘so’, exhale ‘ham’; synchronize with a felt upward glide like a swan.
Quietly elevated, lucid, spacious; coordinated faculties.
Before chanting, sit tall; feel the ‘host’ of thoughts gather; on each line, invite a unifying clarity and a swift, consecrated energy for action.
Follow RV accent marks in the saṃhitā: maintain clear udātta peaks on marked syllables; keep unmarked syllables level and avoid melodic over-ornamentation.
Give a slight lift on ‘हं॒सः’ and other marked syllables per notation; keep caesura after ‘गणं’ as a gentle pause.
haṃsaḥ: nasal ṃ before s; final ḥ audible but soft, avīvaśan: long ī; articulate v-v sequence cleanly, matim: dental t; short i, atyo: palatal y glide; avoid ‘atyō’ overlength, gobhiḥ: aspirate bh; visarga lightly echoed
Light, clear, slightly lifted (as if ‘singing upward’).
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