Rig Veda 9.63.9: Mandala 9, Sukta 63, Mantra 9
Sukta 9.63
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma hymns
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उत त्या हरितो दश सूरो अयुक्त यातवे । इन्दुरिन्द्र इति ब्रुवन् ॥
utá tyā́ hárīto dáśa sū́ro ayukta yā́tave | índur índra íti bruván ||
اور روشن نے سفر کے لیے دس سرمئی گھوڑوں کو جوتا ہے؛ روشن قطرہ یہ کہتے ہوئے نکلتا ہے کہ 'میں اندر ہوں' - وہ خوشی جو ہم میں فاتح طاقت بن جاتی ہے۔
Word by Word
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- त्या
- those (f.)Pronoun/Adjectivefeminine accusative plural (used adjectivally)Role KarmaRoot तद्
- हरितः
- the bay mares (of the Sun)Noun (f.)feminine accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot हरित्
- दश
- tenNumeralindeclinable numeral used adjectivallyRole Karma (qualifier)Root दश
- सूरः
- the SunNounmasculine nominative singularRole KartāRoot सूर
- अयुक्त
- yoked; harnessedVerbaorist (root-aorist), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot युज्
- यातवे
- to go; for goingVerbal noun (infinitive)dative/infinitival form expressing purposeRole Prayojana (purpose)Root या
- इन्दुः
- Indu (Soma)Nounmasculine nominative singularRole Kartā (of bruvan)Root इन्दु
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)masculine vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र
- इति
- thusIndeclinablequotative particleRoot इति
- ब्रुवन्
- saying; utteringVerb (participle)masculine nominative singularRole KartāRoot ब्रू
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution: उ॒त | त्या | ह॒रितः | दश | सूरः | अयुक्त | यातवे | इन्दुः | इन्द्र | इति | ब्रुवन् । Minor sandhi: इन्दुरिन्द्र → इन्दुः + इन्द्र (visarga before vowel lost in saṃhitā)
- other words largely stand without internal sandhi. Accent in saṃhitā: सूरो॑ (udātta on -रो), यात॑वे (udātta on या-), etc., not required for morphological segmentation
The meaning
Outer meaning
And the luminous one yoked the ten tawny steeds for the journey; the bright drop goes declaring ‘I am Indra’.
Inner meaning
The ‘ten tawny steeds’ (daśa haritaḥ) symbolize the full set of dynamic powers—often read as the ten senses/energies or complete vital-mental forces—harnessed for the inner journey. As Soma becomes Indu (bright drop), it moves with an identification mantra: ‘I am Indra’—meaning delight, when fully clarified, assumes the nature of victorious illumination. Ananda becomes power; bliss becomes the force that conquers obscurity.
Universal truth
When the whole instrument is harnessed and unified, purified joy transforms into victorious clarity: the deepest delight in consciousness can become the very strength that overcomes resistance and establishes light.
Themes
Indra-Soma unity, journey/ascent, tenfold powers, mantric proclamation
The seer
- Rishi
- Pavamāna Soma seers (RV 9; traditional attribution varies)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.63.1-11, Rig Veda 9.66, Rig Veda 9.99
Family tradition
Ninth Maṇḍala Soma tradition; includes bold identity-formulas where Soma and Indra interpenetrate (delight empowering illumination).
Significance
The seer records a transformative identity: the purified essence does not merely ‘help’ illumination; it becomes illumination-power—an inner alchemy central to Aurobindonian reading.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Indra-identification motif)
- Epithets
- Indu, Pavamāna, Sūra
- Related deities
- Indra, Maruts, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Soma as the empowering essence that can assume Indra’s victorious function; the fuel of divine action.
Inner power
Ananda that turns into vajra-like clarity and conquering will; integration of bliss and power.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification/offerings; praise of Soma’s power for Indra
उ॒त त्या ह॒रितो॒ दश॒ सूरो॑ अयुक्त॒ यात॑वे । इन्दु॒रिन्द्र॒ इति॑ ब्रु॒वन् ॥
उ॒त । त्याः । ह॒रितः॑ । दश॑ । सूरः॑ । अ॒यु॒क्त॒ । यात॑वे । इन्दुः॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । इति॑ । ब्रु॒वन् ॥
uta | tyāḥ | haritaḥ | daśa | sūraḥ | ayukta | yātave | induḥ | indraḥ | iti | bruvan
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8|8|8
Triadic propulsion; the last pāda lands with a declarative punch (indra iti bruvan).
Builds momentum and culminates in a strong affirmation—useful for inner confidence and identity with the higher force.
- haritaḥ
- Literal: tawny/golden steeds. Symbolic: Dynamic energies/senses turned luminous and serviceable
- daśa
- Literal: ten. Symbolic: Totality of the instrument (ten powers: senses/energies) brought into harmony
- ayukta
- Literal: yoked. Symbolic: Integration and discipline of the whole nature
- induḥ
- Literal: bright drop (Soma). Symbolic: Concentrated luminous delight
- indraḥ iti bruvan
- Literal: saying ‘(I am) Indra’. Symbolic: Identity of ananda with illumined victorious force; bliss becoming power
Chanted in Soma sequences emphasizing Indra’s empowerment; imagery of Indra’s harit steeds
In Pavamāna sequences celebrating Soma’s energizing of Indra; near offerings to Indra in Soma rites.
Chant as Soma is presented; affirmation of Soma’s potency to become Indra-force.
Affirmation practice: when facing resistance (tamas, fear), chant and feel delight turning into decisive clarity—‘my joy becomes my strength’.
harit: ‘tawny, golden’ (often of Indra’s horses). daśa ‘ten’ is inherited PIE *deḱm̥(t) (cf. Latin decem, Greek deka). bruvan: √brū (to speak). The identification ‘Indur Indraḥ’ expresses functional equivalence: Soma as the power that makes Indra effective.
identity of powers (Soma as Indra-force), tenfold completeness of dynamism, speech (brū) as mantra-proclamation
Ṛta as integration of the whole instrument (ten powers) into ordered movement; Tapas as yoking/discipline; Satya as identity with the true power (Indra)
Harnessing ‘ten’ suggests establishing ṛta in the totality—nothing left outside the order.
The declaration ‘I am Indra’ hints at satya of being: the essence identifies with the higher truth-power.
Deification of the human instrument: energies become luminous steeds; essence becomes divine power.
Vedic basis for later identity-statements (mahāvākya-like in spirit), read psychologically as transformation of consciousness.
All energies of the system harnessed; concentrated delight becomes a radiant, conquering clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Soma becomes Indra’ mythic equivalence: Soma’s bright drop proclaims Indra-hood, meaning the delight-force transforms into the victorious breaker of obstacles. The yoking of ten steeds adds the motif of complete dynamic equipment for the journey.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- daśa ‘ten’ is a clear PIE inheritance (*deḱm̥). √brū ‘speak’ belongs to an old Indo-European speech lexicon (compare broader IE *bʰeh₂- ‘speak’ complexes, though exact match is debated). √yuj remains a strong PIE *yeug- reflex.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi records a revelatory identification: in the inner rite, Soma’s purified delight does not merely ‘serve’ Indra but becomes Indraic power. The practitioner is invited to allow delight to transmute into victorious will.
Integrate the ‘ten powers’ (senses/energies) and let purified joy become victorious clarity; practice identity with the higher force rather than struggle from ego.
maṇipūra (power) rising to ājñā (illumination) with sahasrāra overlight (identity)
kapālabhāti-light (if suitable) to mobilize energy, followed by slow breathing; then chant to seal the force in clarity.
From dispersed sensorium to unified, luminous, victorious consciousness.
Before challenging action, chant 10 times (echoing daśa); feel each repetition ‘yoke’ one strand of energy; end by resting in the sense that inner delight itself is the conquering power.
Maintain accent peaks on ‘haritaḥ’, ‘sūraḥ’, and ‘índuḥ’; deliver the final ‘índra iti bruván’ with clear declarative contour per RV accents.
Slight lift through the first two pādas to build momentum; articulate the last pāda as an affirmation, not shouted but firm.
haritaḥ: dental ‘t’, final ḥ light, daśa: short vowels, clear ś, induḥ: short ‘i’, final ḥ audible, bruvan: ‘v’ as soft labio-dental; keep ‘n’ clear
Resonant and confident; keep brightness without strain.
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