Rig Veda 9.90.6: Mandala 9, Sukta 90, Mantra 6
Sukta 9.90
- Rishi
- Rebha Kāśyapa
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
एवा राजेव क्रतुमाँ अमेन विश्वा घनिघ्नद्दुरिता पवस्व । इन्दो सूक्ताय वचसे वयो धा यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
evā́ rājéva krátumān aména víśvā ghaníghnad duritā́ pavasva | índo sūktā́ya vácase váyo dhā yūyáṃ pāta svastíbhiḥ sádā naḥ ||
اس طرح، ایک بادشاہ کی طرح جو ارادے اور صحیح حکمت عملی سے مزین ہو، اے سوما، بہہ اور ہماری تمام ٹیڑھی باتیں اور پریشانیاں کچل۔ اے اندو، ہم میں زندگی کی قوت اور پرجوش کلام کے لیے کثرت رکھ؛ اور اے طاقتیں، ہمیشہ اپنی خیر کی ہم آہنگیوں سے ہماری حفاظت کرو۔
Word by Word
- एवा
- thus, just soIndeclinableनिपात/उपपद (emphatic particle)Root एव (निपात)
- राजा
- kingNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानवाचक निपातRoot इव (निपात)
- क्रतुमान्
- possessing resolve/ritual power, wiseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (विशेष्य-समन्वयः) / विशेषणRoot क्रतु-मान् (प्रातिपदिक; -मान् प्रत्यय)
- अमेना
- with strength, by mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अम (प्रातिपदिक) / अमेन (करणवाचक)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (दुरितानि इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Karma (विशेषण)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- घनिघ्नत्
- strikes down, smitesVerbलट् (वर्तमाने); परस्मैपद; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kriyā (कर्तृ-सम्बद्धा)Root हन् (धातु) + घन्- (उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययात्मक तीव्रता) ; पुनरुक्ति-आकृति
- दुरितानि
- sins, misfortunes, evilsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot दुरित (प्रातिपदिक)
- पवस्व
- purify yourself; flow (as purified Soma)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); आत्मनेपद; मध्यम; एकवचनRole Kriyā (आज्ञा)Root पू (धातु; ‘to purify’) / पव्- (वेदिक रूप)
- इन्दो
- O Indu (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूक्ताय
- for the hymnNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- वचसे
- for the utterance/wordNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वयः
- vital strength, vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- धा
- bestow, placeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); परस्मैपद; मध्यम; एकवचनRole Kriyā (आज्ञा)Root धा (धातु ‘to place, bestow’)
- यूयम्
- you (all)Pronounउत्तमपुरुषार्थे (2nd person); प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पात
- protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); परस्मैपद; मध्यम; बहुवचनRole Kriyā (आज्ञा)Root पा (धातु ‘to protect’)
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with well-being, with blessingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRoot सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- of us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’)Role Sampradāna/सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): राजे॑व → राजा + इव
- घनि॑घ्नद्दुरि॒ता → घनिघ्नत् + दुरितानि (final -t + initial d- gives dd; -i- of दुरितानि appears as दुरिता in saṃhitā)
- इन्दो॑ → इन्दु (voc. sg.)
- स्व॒स्तिभि॒: → स्वस्तिभिः. Accent marks in the saṃhitā are retained in the citation but not repeated in pada-forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, flowing like a king skilled in resolve and right method, is urged to crush all distress and crookedness; he is asked to place vigor and abundance for inspired speech, and the helping powers are invoked to guard with well-being.
Inner meaning
The purified Soma (Ananda-consciousness) is invoked to rule the inner kingdom like a sovereign kratu—clear, discerning will—so that the distortions (durita: crooked movements of mind/vital) are broken. When Soma flows in the being, it feeds the mantra-power: inspired word (sūkta/vacas) becomes effective because life-force (vayas) and plenitude are lodged in the speech-soul. The closing plural ‘you powers’ widens the invocation to the supportive harmonies (svasti) of the inner gods—forces of balance, health, right arrangement—protecting the sadhaka’s journey.
Universal truth
Rightly-directed will joined to delight-consciousness dissolves inner disorder. When joy and clarity circulate, speech becomes truth-bearing and life becomes protected by harmonizing forces.
Themes
purification, overcoming evil/durita, mantra empowerment, protection and well-being
The seer
- Rishi
- Rebha Kāśyapa
- Lineage
- Kāśyapa
- Other hymns
- RV 9.91 (hymn), RV 9.90 (hymn context)
Family tradition
Kāśyapa line associated with wide-ranging hymns of inner journeying and luminous purification (notably Soma-Pavamāna visions).
Significance
Rebha (‘the resounding/chanting seer’) signifies the mantra-soul: the capacity to hear and shape inspired speech. In Soma hymns this points to inner purification where delight becomes the supporter of truth-utterance.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Indu (bright drop), Pavamāna (self-purifying/flowing pure), Rājā (kingly power, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (as inner priest/leader of sacrifice), Indra (illumined mind that receives Soma), Aditi/Ādityas (harmonies of order and well-being, suggested by svasti)
Cosmic role
Purifier and awakener of divine delight; he moves through the filters to become fit for the gods—i.e., consciousness refined for higher forces.
Inner power
Ananda that clarifies, heals crookedness, strengthens inspired speech, and establishes harmony (svasti) in the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma Pavitra cycle (Pavamāna chants) during Soma pressing and purification.
ए॒वा राजे॑व॒ क्रतु॑माँ॒ अमे॑न॒ विश्वा॒ घनि॑घ्नद्दुरि॒ता प॑वस्व । इन्दो॑ सू॒क्ताय॒ वच॑से॒ वयो॑ धा यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
ए॒व । राजा॑ऽइव । क्रतु॑ऽमान् । अमे॑न । विश्वा॑ । घनि॑घ्नत् । दुः॒ऽइ॒ता । प॒व॒स्व॒ । इन्दो॒ इति॑ । सु॒ऽउ॒क्ताय॑ । वच॑से । वयः॑ । धाः॒ । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
eva | rājā-iva | kratu-mān | amena | viśvā | ghanighnat | duḥ-itā | pavasva | indo iti | su-uktāya | vacase | vayaḥ | dhāḥ | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
48
4 pādas of 12 syllables each (Jagatī norm; minor Vedic resolutions possible)
Expansive, forward-driving cadence suited to ‘flowing’ (pavasva) and kingly movement.
Creates a broad, steady surge—supporting a sense of cleansing flow and confident protection.
- राजेव (rājeva)
- Literal: like a king. Symbolic: sovereign central consciousness governing the parts
- क्रतुमान् (kratumān)
- Literal: possessing kratu (resolve/plan). Symbolic: illumined will, right executive intelligence
- अमेना (amena)
- Literal: with true measure/skill; without injury (nuanced). Symbolic: right method, straightness, non-deviating action of consciousness
- दुरिता (duritā)
- Literal: difficulties, sins, crookedness. Symbolic: distorted formations in mind/vital; resistance-habits
- पवस्व (pavasva)
- Literal: purify/flow purified. Symbolic: Ananda-current clarifying and refining the nature
- इन्दु (indu)
- Literal: bright drop (Soma). Symbolic: luminous bliss-essence in the consciousness
- सुक्ताय वचसे (sūktāya vacase)
- Literal: for well-spoken inspired word. Symbolic: mantric speech that carries truth-force
- वयः (vayaḥ)
- Literal: vigor, life, strength. Symbolic: pranic fullness supporting tapas and utterance
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-beings/benedictions. Symbolic: harmonizing powers of balance, right ordering, protection
Used within Soma purification/pressing liturgy to invoke Soma’s cleansing of faults and establishment of mantra-vigor (vayaḥ) for effective recitation.
During Soma extraction/straining and offering sequences; sung/recited to accompany purification and uplift.
Pressing, filtering through wool, collecting, offering; invoking protection and right speech for the rite.
Used as a meditation-mantra for cleansing mental/vital distortions and empowering truthful speech before study, teaching, or important communication.
krátu- (from √kṛ ‘do/make’ → ‘effective power of doing’) becomes ‘will-intelligence’ in Vedic psychology. duritá (dus- ‘bad/difficult’ + ita ‘gone’) literally ‘bad-going’, hence wrong passages/afflictions. svastí (su- ‘good’ + asti ‘being’) is ‘good-being’, a state-force of harmony. aména: a- + ména (from √man? ‘measure/think’ with sense of ‘deceptive device’ in Vedic usage): straight, undeceiving movement.
kratu as will-in-action, removal of durita (inner error/suffering), svasti as stable harmony of being
Soma ‘crushing durita’ restores straightness and right order in the inner movements.
‘Sūkta/vacas’ indicates speech aligned to truth-force rather than egoic distortion.
Purification as re-creation: refining raw energies into divine nourishment.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic symbolism emphasized by Sri Aurobindo’s psychological reading (Soma as Ananda; kratu as illumined will).
A stream of luminous delight circulates through the being, filtering out crooked formations and establishing harmonized health in mind, life, and speech.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The sovereign purifier-king: Soma as a ruling power who ‘crushes’ duritā—inner hostile formations and wrong movements—restoring order. This is a transposition of the warrior/king myth into a psychological regime of purification and right governance of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svastí ‘good-being’ reflects an archaic compound type (su- + ‘to be’) paralleled across Indo-European ‘well-being’ formulas. The slaying lexicon (√han) is an inherited Indo-European poetic register for overcoming obstruction, here internalized.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Soma to found vigor in speech (vayo dhā … vacase), implying that inspired utterance depends on Soma’s purification. The gods’ protection ‘with svastis’ frames the sacrifice as a cooperative yoga: Soma purifies and empowers; the divine powers maintain the achieved harmony.
Invoke a ‘sovereign flow’ of delight-consciousness to straighten inner movements and empower truthful speech.
Viśuddha (speech-truth) supported by Anāhata (harmonizing well-being).
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or slow exhale-focused breathing while mentally repeating ‘pavasva’ as a cleansing current.
Quietly luminous, ordered, protected; speech emerging from still delight rather than agitation.
Before speaking/teaching, sit 3–5 minutes: feel a cool, bright stream descending through throat and heart; on exhale offer distortions (durita) into the stream; end with a brief intention of svasti (harmonious action).
Use Vedic three-tone delivery (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā; accent falls on marked udātta syllables (not fully recoverable from this plain text without svara marks).
Keep a clear lift on udātta; avoid musical oscillation beyond svarita’s controlled rise-fall; maintain pāda pauses after each quarter.
(evā): keep long ā open, (kratumām̐): nasalization on -mām̐, (ghanighnad): articulate double consonant cluster clearly, (duritā): dental d, rolled r, long ā, (svastibhiḥ): light ‘sv’, visarga on -bhiḥ
Steady, bright, ‘flowing’ tone; slightly stronger emphasis on action-verbs (pavasva, ghanighnad, dhā, pāta).
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