Rig Veda 9.33.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 33, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.33
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer tradition
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
अभि ब्रह्मीरनूषत यह्वीॠतस्य मातरः । मर्मृज्यन्ते दिवः शिशुम् ॥
abhí brahmī́r anūṣata yahvī́r ṛtásya mātáraḥ | marmṛ́jyante diváḥ śíśum ||
مقدس کلمات تعریف میں اس کی طرف جھکتے ہیں؛ رت کی طاقتور مائیں آسمان کے بچے کو صاف کرتی اور چمکاتی ہیں۔
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, unto, overIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय; governs accusative or indicates direction/intensityRole Adhikaraṇa (directional/relational) / Upasarga to verbRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ब्रह्मीः
- the sacred utterances / hymns (as feminine ‘brahmīḥ’)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ब्रह्मी- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ब्रह्मन्’ से स्त्रीलिङ्ग रूप)
- अनूषत
- they uttered / they have sung forthVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद; 3rd person pluralRole Kriyā (finite verb)Root वच्/उच् (Vedic: √वच् ‘to speak, utter’; aorist formation अनूषत)
- यह्वीः
- swift, impetuous (fem. pl.)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषणRole Kartā (as qualifier of मातरः)Root यह्वी- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root ऋत- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मातरः
- mothersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मातृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्मृज्यन्ते
- they cleanse themselves / they are being purifiedVerbलट् (present), आत्मनेपद; 3rd person plural; intensive/reduplicated presentRole Kriyā (finite verb)Root मृज् (√मृज् ‘to wipe, cleanse, polish’ with intensive/reduplicated stem मर्मृज्)
- दिवः
- of heaven / of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः); षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root दिव्/द्यौ- (प्रातिपदिक ‘दिव्/द्यौ’)
- शिशुम्
- the child (young one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शिशु- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद: अभि | ब्रह्मीः | अनूषत | यह्वीः | ऋतस्य | मातरः | मर्मृज्यन्ते | दिवः | शिशुम् ।
- ‘ब्रह्मीः’ का विसर्ग/ईः-समाप्ति यथावत्। 2) ‘यह्वीः ऋतस्य’ में ईः + ऋ- आरम्भ पर संधि नहीं की गई (पदपाठानुसार पृथक्)। 3) ‘दिवः शिशुम्’ में विसर्ग के बाद श-
The meaning
Outer meaning
The sacred utterances praise him; the mighty Mothers of Ṛta cleanse and polish the Child of Heaven.
Inner meaning
Brahmīḥ—mantric formulations and inspired words—press toward Soma in praise, meaning the soul’s speech aligns with the truth of the experience. The ‘mighty Mothers of Ṛta’ are the purifying waters/powers of right order (often the streams that wash Soma through the filter): psychologically, they are the forces of truth that cleanse perception and emotion. They polish the ‘Child of Heaven’—the newly born luminous delight-consciousness (Soma) descending from higher planes—making it fit to act in mind and life.
Universal truth
New higher consciousness is born ‘from above’ but must be purified and refined by truth-forces and right speech to become stable, effective, and radiant in the human instrument.
Themes
Purification, Mantra-power, Birth of light, Ṛta-waters
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma-Pavamāna seer tradition
- Other hymns
- RV 9.33 (purification theme), RV 9.83 (Soma cleansed by waters)
Family tradition
This tradition emphasizes mantra (brahmīḥ) and purification (mothers/waters) as twin instruments: right speech and right cleansing refine the divine birth within.
Significance
The seer points to an inner sacrament: the ‘heavenly child’ in us must be carefully washed and polished—spiritual growth is both birth and refinement.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (as ‘Child of Heaven’)
- Epithets
- Diváḥ śiśú (child of heaven), Pavamāna (purifying)
- Related deities
- Āpas (Waters), Vāc/Brahmanaspati (mantric power), Aditi (wideness/motherhood motif, thematic)
Cosmic role
A divine birth of delight and light descending into the worlds, refined by ṛta-powers and upheld by mantra.
Inner power
The nascent higher consciousness that, once purified, becomes a steady source of joy, clarity, and transformative sweetness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification at the pavitra with accompanying praises (brahmīḥ)
अ॒भि ब्रह्मी॑रनूषत य॒ह्वीॠ॒तस्य॑ मा॒तर॑: । म॒र्मृ॒ज्यन्ते॑ दि॒वः शिशु॑म् ॥
अ॒भि । ब्रह्मीः॑ । अ॒नू॒ष॒त॒ । य॒ह्वीः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । मा॒तरः॑ । म॒र्मृ॒ज्यन्ते॑ । दि॒वः । शिशु॑म् ॥
abhi | brahmīḥ | anūṣata | yahvīḥ | ṛtasya | mātaraḥ | marmṛjyante | divaḥ | śiśum
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4 × ~11
Devotional and cleansing: a gentle pressure of praise followed by a smoothing cadence (polishing).
Encourages inward purity and tenderness toward the ‘newborn’ spiritual state; steadies aspiration with care.
- ब्रह्मीः (brahmīḥ)
- Literal: sacred utterances, mantras. Symbolic: Formative speech of truth; mantric will that shapes consciousness
- अनूषत (anūṣata)
- Literal: praised, sang. Symbolic: Consecrating affirmation; aligning speech with the divine movement
- यह्वीः (yahvīḥ)
- Literal: mighty, impetuous (feminine). Symbolic: Strong purifying powers; dynamic truth-forces
- ऋतस्य मातरः (ṛtasya mātaraḥ)
- Literal: Mothers of Ṛta. Symbolic: Originating powers of right order—purifying streams of truth-consciousness
- मर्मृज्यन्ते (marmṛjyante)
- Literal: they cleanse/polish. Symbolic: Refining transformation; making consciousness clear, smooth, and fit
- दिवः शिशुम् (divaḥ śiśum)
- Literal: the child of heaven. Symbolic: Newborn higher consciousness/Ananda emerging from the supramental/heavenly plane
Purificatory action: Soma being filtered/cleansed; inwardly, mantric forces and truth-waters polish the newly born light in consciousness.
During washing/straining phases, when Soma is clarified and prepared for offering.
Chanting while Soma is cleansed; invoking ṛta-mothers and the refining process.
Use during inner cleansing practices (self-offering, ethical alignment, emotional purification). Helpful when a new meditation depth has appeared and needs stabilization.
brahman (brahmīḥ): from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’—mantra as expanding power of consciousness. mātaraḥ of ṛta: generative agencies (often waters) that produce and uphold truth-order. marmṛj: intensive/reduplicated of √mṛj ‘cleanse, wipe’—strong purification motif. śiśu: ‘child’ emphasizes new birth of luminous consciousness.
Brahman as mantric expansion, Ṛta as generative order with ‘mothers’, Rebirth of luminous consciousness
Explicit: mothers of ṛta are the agents of purification—right order is a cleansing power.
Truth manifests as refinement: polishing removes distortion so the heavenly birth can shine.
Birth from heaven followed by purification—creation as descent plus refinement into form.
Integral-Vedic: descent of higher consciousness (heaven) and its transformation of the instrument through truth-forces.
Waters = purifying truth-currents; child = newly formed higher state; polishing = gradual refinement of mind-vital-body to hold it.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘birth and cleansing of the heavenly child’—Soma as newborn light being polished by the Mothers of Ṛta, while mantric brahmans surround him. It is the myth of spiritual rebirth through purification into truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bṛh ‘grow’ (brahman) aligns with IE growth/expansion semantics (cf. English broad via Germanic *braidaz, though not a direct cognate chain). √mṛj ‘wipe/clean’ is Indo-Iranian; compare Avestan marəz- ‘wipe/clean’ (where attested in related semantic fields). dyu (divaḥ) reflects PIE *dyeu- ‘sky, shine’ (cf. Zeus, dies).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer participates through brahman (mantric formulation), while the devatā-process is purification by Ṛta’s mothers. The relationship is cooperative: human speech invokes; cosmic truth-forces cleanse; Soma as inner child emerges clarified.
Protect and refine the ‘newborn light’ in you: offer speech (brahmīḥ) as truthful affirmation; invite the ṛta-mothers to wash away agitation and impurity.
anahata (tender care)
slow exhale-focused breathing (e.g., 4–6 count inhale, 6–8 count exhale) to support cleansing and soothing refinement.
Quiet purity; luminous tenderness; stable receptivity.
Chant 9 times; then sit with attention in the heart and crown, sensing a small bright ‘child’ of light being gently washed by a cool, truthful current; resolve to keep speech and action aligned with ṛta for 24 hours.
Use RV accenting; keep the flow gentle but precise; observe svarita transitions around sandhi as taught in your śākhā.
Let ‘ṛtasya mātaraḥ’ be intoned with reverence and steadiness; soften on ‘marmṛjyante’ to convey polishing.
‘brahmīḥ’: long ī; visarga ḥ audible but not harsh., ‘yahvīḥ’: y + ahv cluster; keep vī long; final ḥ clear., ‘marmṛjyante’: pronounce both r’s and the ṛj cluster distinctly; avoid collapsing into ‘mamrijyante’., ‘śiśum’: both ś sounds palatal; short u at end.
gentle, pure, soothing; maintain clarity of consonants without force.
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