Rig Veda 9.66.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 66, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.66
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ताभ्यां विश्वस्य राजसि ये पवमान धामनी । प्रतीची सोम तस्थतुः ॥
tā́bhyāṃ víśvasya rājási yé pavamāna dhā́manī | pratī́cī sóma tasthatúḥ ||
Nhờ hai điều ấy, trong cõi rực sáng của toàn thể, hai nơi an trụ của ngươi—hỡi Soma thanh tẩy—đứng đối diện nhau, hướng vào nội tại.
Word by Word
- ताभ्याम्
- by/with those twoPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-द्विवचनम्Role करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वस्य
- of all, of the wholeAdjective (used substantively)पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- राजसि
- in the region/space (rajas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ये
- who (the two)Relative pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-द्विवचनम्Role कर्तृ (of the relative clause)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पवमान
- O Pavamāna (self-purifying)Participle (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot पू (धातु) → पवमान (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, शतृ/शानच्-प्रकारः)
- धामनी
- the two abodes/placesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-द्विवचनम्Role कर्मRoot धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रतीची
- facing toward (us), turned hitherAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-द्विवचनम् (धामनी इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (as qualifier of the object)Root प्रतीच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम
- O SomaNounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्थतुः
- have stood / took their standVerbलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमा-द्विवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot स्था (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ताभ्याम् | विश्वस्य | राजसि | ये | पवमान | धामनी | प्रतीची | सोम | तस्थतुः । 1) ताभ्यां॒ विश्व॑स्य: विसर्ग/अनुस्वार-सन्धि न
- केवलं पदसीमा। 2) राजसि॒ ये: पदसीमा। 3) पवमान॒ धाम॑नी: पदसीमा। 4) प्र॒ती॒ची सो॑म: पदसीमा। 5) त॒स्थतु॑: = तस्थतुः (उकारान्तः विसर्गः पदान्ते)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
In the luminous midspace (rajas) of the whole world, Soma’s two established “stations” or seats stand “facing inward,” ready to meet the sacrificer/seeker.
Inner meaning
The purifying Soma (ānanda-consciousness) has two inward-facing poises in the seeker: one in the higher luminous mind (divine clarity) and one in the inner heart-vital depth (felt delight). When these two supports are harmonized, the bliss-current turns inward (pratīcī) and becomes directly experiential rather than outwardly diffused.
Universal truth
Spiritual fulfillment comes when consciousness reverses its outward flow and stands inwardly poised; then the higher illumination and the heart’s delight become two complementary bases for inner union.
Themes
Cosmic stations, Inward turning, Soma-ritual, Ṛta as placement
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda Book 9 (Soma Pavamāna collection), RV 9.66 (entire sūkta as a thematic unit)
Significance
The anonymity itself fits the Book 9 character: the “seer” is the purified consciousness that receives Soma’s flow; the hymn speaks from an impersonal yogic seeing where Delight becomes the revealer.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- pavamāna (self-purifying), soma (delight/nectar)
- Related deities
- Agni (inner will that kindles the sacrifice), Indra (illumined mind that receives Soma), Sūrya (truth-light that Soma supports)
Cosmic role
The clarifying current that moves through the worlds, refining and uplifting thought, life, and sense into a luminous, truth-aligned joy.
Inner power
Ānanda as purifier: it turns the being inward, stabilizes inner stations (dhāman), and prepares meeting/union with the Divine.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (pavamāna chants during filtration/flow)
ताभ्यां॒ विश्व॑स्य राजसि॒ ये प॑वमान॒ धाम॑नी । प्र॒ती॒ची सो॑म त॒स्थतु॑: ॥
ताभ्य॑म् । विश्व॑स्य । रा॒ज॒सि॒ । ये । प॒व॒मा॒न॒ । धाम॑नी॒ इति॑ । प्र॒ती॒ची इति॑ । सो॒म॒ । त॒स्थतुः॑ ॥
tābhyam | viśvasya | rājasi | ye | pavamāna | dhāmanī iti | pratīcī iti | soma | tasthatuḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh cadence)
Firm, forward-moving, with a stabilizing close—suited to ‘standing’ (tasthatuḥ) imagery.
Creates a sense of inward poise and establishment; the listener feels the turning of awareness from outer to inner space.
- ताभ्याम् (tābhyām)
- Literal: by/with those two. Symbolic: two supports/poises of consciousness (higher luminous mind and inner heart-depth) that uphold inner realization
- राजसि (rājasi)
- Literal: in the luminous space / mid-region. Symbolic: the subtle luminous field between earth and heaven—inner midworld where mind and life are refined
- पवमान (pavamāna)
- Literal: purifying, flowing clear. Symbolic: ānanda that purifies the nature by a clarifying flow
- धामनी (dhāmanī)
- Literal: stations, abodes, powers. Symbolic: settled states of consciousness; stable formations of the Delight-force
- प्रतीची (pratīcī)
- Literal: turned inward, facing toward. Symbolic: the reversal inward (pratyāhāra-like turn) where experience becomes direct and intimate
- तस्थतुः (tasthatuḥ)
- Literal: have stood / are established (dual). Symbolic: two firm realizations become stable, no longer intermittent
A cosmological placement of Soma’s ‘two stations’ within rajas; in ritual terms, could allude to dual vessels/filters or dual phases of Soma’s course; inward-facing indicates the rite’s interiorization.
During Soma-pavamāna sequence as Soma is filtered and offered
Chant to accompany the flowing/clarifying Soma through the strainer into the vessels
Use as an inward-turning invocation before meditation: ‘let the two inner stations stand facing within’—a cue for gathering mind and heart into one focus.
(dhāman) ‘abode, station, power’ from √dhā ‘place, set’. ‘space, region, luminous expanse’ connected with brightness/atmospheric realm in Vedic cosmology. ‘turned toward, facing’ (prati + anc ‘toward’). √sthā (PIE *steh₂-) in tasthatuḥ shows deep IE continuity.
dhāman as stable power-stations of consciousness, duality resolved inward (pratīcī), cosmic order of placements (√dhā, √sthā) as Ṛta-structure
Pratīcī (inward-facing) suggests the movement from outward multiplicity to r̥ta-alignment within.
The ‘luminous rajas’ points to truth-light in the midworld where discernment becomes clear.
Stabilization of worlds/planes (dhāman) as a prerequisite for manifestation of higher delight.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-yogic reading (Aurobindo): planes of consciousness and inward conversion.
The ‘midspace’ is the inner subtle field where mind-life is purified; ‘stations’ are stable yogic poises that face inward for realization.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘two stations’ of Soma set in the universal luminous expanse, facing inward: a mythic architecture where divine powers take their place (dhāmanī) and orient toward the inner meeting. The cosmos is arranged to support interior realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- tasthatuḥ from √sthā continues PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’. dhāman from √dhā ‘set/place’ parallels IE placement verbs (PIE *dʰeh₁-). The dual grammatical number (instrumental dual tābhyām; nominative/accusative dual dhāmanī; perfect dual tasthatuḥ) is an archaic Indo-European feature preserved strongly in Vedic.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi perceives Soma’s powers as already ‘stationed’ in the luminous expanse, but crucially ‘pratīcī’—turned toward the inner seeker. This frames the sacrifice as a reciprocal approach: cosmic powers are oriented to meet the human inwardly when invoked.
Inward conversion: bring attention from sensory field to the inner heart and the luminous mind-space; feel two stable ‘seats’ of calm and delight.
Anāhata–Ājñā axis (heart-delight and luminous mind)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or equal breathing; on exhale, ‘turn inward’ (pratīcī).
Pratyāhāra leading to dhāraṇā—stable inward poise.
Before japa/meditation, pause after each pāda and feel: (1) vast luminous space, (2) two inner supports, (3) inward-facing stance, (4) quiet readiness for inner meeting.
Use traditional RV recitation with udatta/anudatta/svarita as per śākhā; without a provided svara-text, keep a conservative, even chant and avoid melodic exaggeration.
Lightly stress lexical udatta syllables if known; otherwise maintain steady pāda cadence and clear word boundaries per padapāṭha.
tābhyām: long ā; bhy cluster clear, viśvasya: ś = palatal, not dental, rājasi: long ā; j soft (j), pavamāna: vā long; mā long, pratīcī: long ī twice; c = ‘ch’ unaspirated palatal, tasthatuḥ: sth cluster; final ḥ audible but light
Clear, inward, resonant; end each pāda with a slight settling pause.
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