Rig Veda 9.69.3: Mandala 9, Sukta 69, Mantra 3
Sukta 9.69
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अव्ये वधूयुः पवते परि त्वचि श्रथ्नीते नप्तीरदितेॠतं यते । हरिरक्रान्यजतः संयतो मदो नृम्णा शिशानो महिषो न शोभते ॥
ávyē vadhū-yúḥ pavate pári tváci śrathnī́te náptīr áditer ṛtáṃ yaté | hárir akrān yajatáḥ saṃyató mádo nṛmnā́ śiśāno mahiṣó ná śobhate ||
Trên lớp lông cừu, chàng tuôn chảy, khao khát cô dâu—đi vòng quanh lớp da, tháo mở các nữ nhi của Aditi, và bước theo con đường của ṛta (trật tự chân chính vũ trụ). Kẻ màu vàng nâu sải bước, đáng tôn thờ, cơn ngây ngất tự chế ngự; được mài sắc bởi sức mạnh linh lực, chàng rực sáng như một đại ngưu.
Word by Word
- अव्ये
- in/at the sheep’s (wool) filter (i.e., in the wool)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: अव्ये = अव्याम्)Role अधिकारणRoot अव्य (प्रातिपदिक) < अवि- ‘भेड़/ऊन’
- वधूयुः
- desirous like a bride / bride-seeking (epithet of Soma)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण) / कर्ता-सम्बन्धीRoot वधूयु- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वधू’ + यु- ‘इच्छु/प्रवृत्त’)
- पवते
- purifies/flows (as Soma)Verbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पू (पवते) ‘शुद्धौ/पवने’
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषण)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्वचि
- on/at the skin, on the covering (i.e., on the strainer’s surface)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘त्वचा/आवरण’
- श्रथ्नीते
- loosens, unbinds, spreads outVerbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √श्रथ् ‘शिथिलीकरणे/विस्रंसने’
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-प्रदर्शकRoot न (अव्यय)
- अप्तीर्
- the works/activities (the ‘apti-s’)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (पदपाठे: अप्तीः)Role कर्मRoot अप्ती- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘कार्य/कर्म/प्राप्ति’ से)
- अदितेः
- of AditiNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अदिति- (प्रातिपदिक; देवी)
- ऋतम्
- ṛta, the cosmic order / truthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ऋत- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘ऋत/सत्य-नियम’
- यते
- strives, exerts himselfVerbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √यत् ‘प्रयत्ने/नियमे’
- हरिः
- the tawny one (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot हरि- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘हरित/हरि (सोम)’
- अक्रान्
- stepped forth, strodeVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन (वेदिक: अक्रान्)Role क्रियाRoot √क्रम् ‘गत्यर्थे’
- यजतः
- worthy of worship, venerableAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (हरिः का विशेषण)Role कर्ता (विशेषण)Root यजत- (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् से ‘पूज्य/यज्ञीय’)
- संयतः
- restrained, well-controlledAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (हरिः का विशेषण)Role कर्ता (विशेषण)Root सं-√यम् → संयत- (कृदन्त) ‘नियन्त्रित/संयमित’
- मदः
- the exhilaration, intoxication (of Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्ता/भाव (वाक्य-कर्तृवत्)Root मद- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘मद/उत्साह/मत्तता’
- नृम्णा
- with manly strength, with vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot नृम्ण- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘वीर्य/बल’
- शिशानः
- sharpening himself, waxing, becoming keenParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (हरिः/मदः के साथ)Role कर्ता (विशेषण/सहक्रिया)Root √शि/शा (वेदिक) ‘तीक्ष्णीकरणे/प्रदीप्तौ’ → शिशान- (कृदन्त, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- महिषः
- a buffalo/bullNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्ता (उपमान) / उपमेय-विशेषणRoot महिष- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘महिष/वृषभ’
- न
- likeIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-प्रदर्शकRoot न (अव्यय)
- शोभते
- shines, appears splendidVerbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √शुभ् ‘दीप्तौ/शोभायाम्’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): अव्ये | वधूयुः | पवते | परि | त्वचि | श्रथ्नीते | न | अप्तीः | अदितेः | ऋतम् | यते | हरिः | अक्रान् | यजतः | संयतः | मदः | नृम्णा | शिशानः | महिषः | न | शोभते । मुख्य सन्धि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) अप्तीः + अदितेः → अप्तीरदितेः (विसर्ग/दीर्घ-सन्धि: ई + अ = ई)
- (2) अव्ये वेदिक सप्तमी एकवचन (अव्याम् का प्राचीन/छन्दसि रूप)
- (3) अक्रान् = √क्रम् का लुङ् (अोरिस्ट) 3sg वैदिक रूप
- (4) शिशानः वैदिक वर्तमान कृदन्त (आत्मनेपदी अर्थ-छाया: ‘स्वयं तीक्ष्ण/प्रदीप्त होता हुआ’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
On the sheep’s fleece he flows, desiring the bride; he moves around the skin and loosens the daughters of Aditi; he goes by the path of ṛta. The tawny one strides—adorable, self-governed ecstasy; sharpened by power, he shines like a great bull.
Inner meaning
Soma flows upon the fleece (the filtering medium of purification) seeking the ‘bride’—the receptive soul-nature ready for union with delight. As it circulates around the covering (tvac), it loosens the luminous powers (Aditi’s daughters: rays, faculties of the Infinite) that were held tight by limitation. Moving by ṛta, Soma becomes a self-governed ecstasy (mada) that strides forward; intensified by nṛmṇa (soul-force), it radiates a vast, puissant presence (bull).
Universal truth
Purification prepares union; when delight moves according to truth, it releases the bound powers of infinity within us and becomes a strong, luminous mastery.
Themes
Release of light-powers, Disciplined ecstasy, Purification through coverings, Soma as luminous strength
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.69.4 (continues bull/cows and weaving imagery)
Family tradition
Pavamāna Soma line: strong emphasis on filtration (fleece), release of Aditi’s powers, and ṛta-guided ecstasy.
Significance
The verse encodes a psychology of ‘disciplined ecstasy’: Ananda is not mere excitement but a self-governed power that releases the infinite faculties.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- Hari (tawny, radiant), Yajata (adorable), Saṃyata (self-governed), Mahīṣa (mighty bull)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Purifier and liberator: Soma passes through the fleece, releasing the powers of Aditi and establishing ṛta in the moving consciousness.
Inner power
Disciplined rapture that unbinds inner faculties and strengthens sovereign luminous force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma filtration through wool (avya) during Soma-yajña
अव्ये॑ वधू॒युः प॑वते॒ परि॑ त्व॒चि श्र॑थ्नी॒ते न॒प्तीरदि॑तेॠ॒तं य॒ते । हरि॑रक्रान्यज॒तः सं॑य॒तो मदो॑ नृ॒म्णा शिशा॑नो महि॒षो न शो॑भते ॥
अव्ये॑ । व॒धू॒ऽयुः । प॒व॒ते॒ । परि॑ । त्व॒चि । श्र॒थ्नी॒ते । न॒प्तीः । अदि॑तेः । ऋ॒तम् । य॒ते । हरिः॑ । अ॒क्रा॒न् । य॒ज॒तः । स॒म्ऽय॒तः । मदः॑ । नृ॒म्ना । शिशा॑नः । म॒हि॒षः । न । शो॒भ॒ते॒ ॥
avye | vadhū-yuḥ | pavate | pari | tvaci | śrathnāīte | naptīḥ | aditeḥ | ṛtam | yate | hariḥ | akrān | yajataḥ | sam-yataḥ | madaḥ | nṛmnā | śiśānaḥ | mahiṣaḥ | na | śobhate
44
4×11 (probable)
Alternates circling/loosening phrases with strong strides; culminates in a powerful ‘bull’ flourish.
Elicits both purification (soft circling) and empowerment (strong cadence), useful for energizing practice while keeping mastery.
- अव्ये (avye)
- Literal: on the sheep (fleece). Symbolic: on the filter of discernment; purification through sattvic medium
- वधूयुः (vadhūyuḥ)
- Literal: desiring the bride. Symbolic: seeking union with the soul-nature (receptive śakti)
- त्वचि (tvaci)
- Literal: skin. Symbolic: outer covering of consciousness; limiting sheath
- श्रथ्नीते (śrathnīte)
- Literal: loosens, unties. Symbolic: releases bound energies/faculties from knots of limitation
- नप्तीः अदितेः (naptīḥ aditeḥ)
- Literal: granddaughters/daughters of Aditi. Symbolic: luminous powers of the Infinite—rays of knowledge, wideness, harmony
- ऋतम् यते (ṛtaṃ yate)
- Literal: goes by ṛta. Symbolic: moves in right order; true process of transformation
- हरिः (hariḥ)
- Literal: tawny/golden one. Symbolic: luminous dynamic delight; radiant force
- मदः (madaḥ)
- Literal: ecstasy, intoxication. Symbolic: divine rapture that energizes without disorder
- सम्यतः (saṃyataḥ)
- Literal: self-restrained/governed. Symbolic: ecstasy under mastery; disciplined Ananda
- नृम्णा (nṛmṇā)
- Literal: manly power, soul-force. Symbolic: inner strength, heroic energy of the psychic being
- महिषः (mahiṣaḥ)
- Literal: great bull. Symbolic: vast potency, sovereign force of realization
Soma filtration over sheep’s wool (avya); imagery directly encodes the pavitra process while mapping it to inner purification and release of luminous powers.
As Soma passes through the fleece and is collected; accompanying the visible ‘loosening’ and clarifying.
Filtering/straining; invoking Soma’s disciplined ecstasy and liberating power.
For practitioners working with strong energies: chant to invite ‘saṃyata mada’—ecstasy with self-mastery—while releasing inner knots and latent faculties.
Aditi (a-diti ‘unboundness’, from √dā/√da ‘to bind’ with privative a-) grounds the symbolism of releasing bound powers (śrathnīte). √kram ‘stride’ (akrān) conveys heroic progress. mada is ecstasy that can be both ‘intoxication’ and ‘uplift’; paired with saṃyata ‘self-held’ it indicates disciplined rapture. śiśāna (intensifying/whetting) suggests a forge-like sharpening of force.
Aditi (infinite/unbound), Ṛta (truth-order), Self-restraint (saṃyama-like control)
Transformation must follow ṛta; only then does ecstasy become luminous mastery rather than turbulence.
Released ‘daughters of Aditi’ are truth-rays; satya expresses as liberated faculties of knowledge and harmony.
The Infinite’s powers are ‘bound’ in manifestation and released by the purifying nectar moving through forms.
Aurobindonian: Aditi as infinite consciousness; Soma as Ananda releasing divine faculties in the embodied being.
Fleece = discriminating filter; skin = outer sheath/ego-cover; bull = concentrated power; tawny radiance = illumined delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The release of Aditi’s bound ‘daughters’ (radiant powers) through Soma’s purifying passage. The mythic act is liberation: the infinite mother’s lights are loosened from coverings as Soma moves in ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The bull-as-strength trope (mahiṣa) is a widespread Indo-European poetic symbol for potency and generative force. The verb √kram ‘to stride’ is a classic heroic-motion verb, used across early IE poetries to mark divine advance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses Soma as both purifier and liberator: the human side provides the ‘fleece/covering’ (a disciplined medium), and Soma’s controlled ecstasy releases higher powers into manifestation, aligning the practitioner with ṛta.
Let delight circulate through the ‘filter’ of discernment; release bound faculties; cultivate ecstasy with self-governance.
Maṇipūra (power/mastery) integrated with Anāhata (receptive union)
Moderate ujjāyī to build steady heat and control; on exhale, feel knots loosening around the ‘skin’ of the body-awareness.
Energized clarity; rapture under discipline (saṃyata).
If bliss rises chaotically, invoke saṃyata: keep posture steady, breath even, and attention in the heart; allow energies to release gradually through discernment rather than force.
Vedic accents per Śākala; exact tonal marks should be taken from a svara-annotated RV 9.69.3.
Keep ‘ṛtaṃ yate’ steady and even (order); give strong but controlled emphasis to ‘hariḥ akrān’ and ‘mahiṣo na śobhate’.
(avye): ‘vy’ cluster clean, (śrathnīte): retroflex ṇī; do not simplify to ‘shathnite’, (aditeḥ): dental d; clear final ḥ, (saṃyataḥ): anusvāra before y, (mahiṣaḥ): retroflex ṣ
Controlled power—firm, resonant, not rushed; ‘disciplined ecstasy’ in tone.
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