Rig Veda 9.52.2: Mandala 9, Sukta 52, Mantra 2
Sukta 9.52
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तव प्रत्नेभिरध्वभिरव्यो वारे परि प्रियः । सहस्रधारो यात्तना ॥
táva pratnébhir ádhvabhir avyó vā́re pári priyáḥ | sahásra-dhāro yā́t tánā ||
亲爱的那一位啊，你循着古老的道路，环行于羊毛滤器之旁；千流奔涌，循你自身的本性之道前行。
Word by Word
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root युष्मद् (त्वद्-)
- प्रत्नैभिः
- with the ancient (paths/means)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचनRole करणRoot प्रत्न- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्वभिः
- with paths / journeysNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचनRole करणRoot अध्वन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव्यः
- belonging to the sheep (woolly) / of sheepAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अव्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वारे
- in the water / in the floodNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वारि-/वार- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘water’/‘wave, flood’)
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रियः
- the dear one / belovedAdjective (used as noun/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot प्रिय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्रधारः
- having a thousand streamsAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सहस्र- + धार- (समास: बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-भाव; ‘having a thousand streams’)
- यात्तना
- going forth / advancingVerbal adjective / participial form(प्रायः) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन; ‘going/advancing’ (Vedic formation)Role कर्तृRoot या (धातु) + त्तन (कृत्-प्रत्यय; Vedic kṛdanta)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): तव | प्रत्नैभिः | अध्वभिः | अव्यः | वारे | परि | प्रियः | सहस्रधारः | यात्तना । प्रमुख संधि: ‘प्रत्नेभिः’ → ‘प्रत्नैभिः’ (एभिः-प्रत्ययस्य पूर्वे अ-आ-गुणः)
- अन्यत्र स्पष्ट संधि-लोप/विरामः। वैदिक स्वरचिह्न (॑, ॒) उच्चारण-निर्देशकाः, पदरूप-परिवर्तनं न कुर्वन्ति।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Soma, dear to the gods, moves along the ancient paths and is poured around the woolen filter; he flows onward in a thousand streams, following his own course.
Inner meaning
The delight-force (Soma) follows the perennial inner pathways of Yoga (pratnā adhvāḥ) and is filtered through the “wool” (avya/vāra)—the subtle discriminating sheath of the being—so that the raw vital-emotional excitement becomes clarified Ananda. “Thousand-streamed” indicates the many channels (nāḍī-like movements) through which purified delight can pervade mind, life, and body, moving according to its own law of truth (tanā: by its own extension/nature).
Universal truth
When consciousness is sincerely offered and purified through discernment, delight ceases to be a mixed impulse and becomes a many-channeled sustaining force that naturally finds its right course and harmonizes the whole being.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Filtration, Ṛta-paths, Manifoldness of one essence
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.52.1, Rig Veda 9.52.3, Rig Veda 9.52.4, Rig Veda 9.52.5
Significance
The anonymity suits the Soma book’s collective yogic voice: the mantra speaks from an impersonal seeing where delight is a universal process of purification rather than a personal petition.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Epithets
- priyaḥ (beloved), sahasradhāraḥ (thousand-streamed), pavamāna (self-purifying)
- Related deities
- Agni (as receiver/leader of the inner offering), Indra (as illumined mind that drinks Soma), Aśvins (as harmonizers of the vital currents)
Cosmic role
The clarifying current of bliss and immortality that, when pressed and filtered, becomes fit for the gods—i.e., for the higher powers of consciousness.
Inner power
Ananda-śakti that purifies emotion and life-energy, converts desire into luminous delight, and supports illumination and right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and filtration (pavamāna phase) in Soma-yajña
तव॑ प्र॒त्नेभि॒रध्व॑भि॒रव्यो॒ वारे॒ परि॑ प्रि॒यः । स॒हस्र॑धारो या॒त्तना॑ ॥
तव॑ । प्र॒त्नेभिः॑ । अध्व॑ऽभिः । अव्यः॑ । वारे॑ । परि॑ । प्रि॒यः । स॒हस्र॑ऽधारः । या॒त् । तना॑ ॥
tava | pratnebhiḥ | adhva-bhiḥ | avyaḥ | vāre | pari | priyaḥ | sahasra-dhāraḥ | yāt | tanā
Likely Jagatī (common in Soma Pavamāna verses; 4 padas of ~12 syllables, though full verification needs the complete pada division as transmitted in a specific śākhā)
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4×12 (Jagatī-type movement)
Long, forward-flowing cadence suited to imagery of streaming and circling through the filter.
Induces a sense of continuous current—helpful for meditation on purifying flow and widening of delight through the system.
- प्र॒त्नेभिः (pratnebhiḥ)
- Literal: by/with the ancient (ones). Symbolic: the perennial truths and established inner pathways of the Rishis; timeless yogic routes in consciousness
- अध्वभिः (adhvabhiḥ)
- Literal: by paths/roads. Symbolic: graded movements of sadhana; stages of ascent and circulation of force
- अव्यः (avyaḥ)
- Literal: woolen. Symbolic: the subtle filtering medium—discrimination, sattvic refinement, the psychic-vital ‘fleece’ that strains mixtures
- वारे (vāre)
- Literal: in/around the strainer (woolen filter). Symbolic: the clarifying instrument of inner purification; the process that separates truth-delight from desire-mixture
- प्रियः (priyaḥ)
- Literal: dear, beloved. Symbolic: Ananda as inherently beloved to the soul and to the gods (higher powers)
- सहस्रधारः (sahasradhāraḥ)
- Literal: thousand-streamed. Symbolic: plentitude of currents of delight/illumination distributing through the being
- तना (tanā)
- Literal: by his own stretch/continuity; in his own way. Symbolic: the self-law (svabhāva) of the divine delight-force moving without coercion when purified
Filtration imagery: Soma passing through woolen strainer (avyavāra); emphasizes established ‘ancient paths’ of rite and inner process
During the Pavitra (filtering) recitations as Soma is strained and made ready for offering/drinking
Chanting while Soma passes through woolen strainer into vessels; invoking purity and abundant flow
Use as a ‘purification mantra’ before meditation: visualize mixed emotions being strained into clear, luminous delight.
(adhvan) ‘path’ from PIE *h₂edʰ-? (uncertain; Vedic ‘journey/path’). (avya) from (avi) ‘sheep’ → woolen. / (vāra) ‘covering/strainer’ (ritual implement) → psychologically the ‘sheath’ that sifts. (sahasra) ‘thousand’ intensifier; from √dhṛ ‘hold’ → streams held in channels. (tanā) adverbial ‘in continuity/by itself’ from √tan ‘stretch, extend’.
Ancient paths as ṛta-established inner routes, Manifold currents of one delight (sahasra-dhāra), Self-law (tanā) as intrinsic truth of the being
Soma moves by the established ṛta-paths—right channels that sustain cosmic harmony.
Purified delight aligns with truth and therefore flows ‘by its own nature’ without distortion.
The many streams suggest manifestation: one delight differentiating into countless supportive currents.
Proto-Vedantic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: Ananda as a fundamental plane supporting mind and life when purified.
The straining of Soma mirrors the refinement of consciousness: raw life-juice becomes clarified bliss distributed through many inner channels.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma’s thousand-streamed passage through the woolen strainer on ‘ancient paths’. Inner sense: the delight-consciousness, following established truth-routes (ṛta-adhvan), differentiates into many currents while remaining one, purified by the psychic ‘fleece’ that separates truth from mixture.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tan ‘stretch/extend’ (tanā) reflects PIE *ten- ‘stretch’ (Latin tendere, English ‘tension’). sahasra ‘thousand’ aligns with Indo-Iranian numeral inheritance (Av. hazanra).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates and confirms Soma’s lawful movement (‘thy ancient paths… go in thy own continuity’), aligning human practice with Soma’s intrinsic ṛta; the hymn is an act of attunement to that self-law (tanā).
Purification of emotion into quiet joy; letting delight find its natural right course.
Anahata (heart) and Sahasrara (widening into many streams)
Nadi-shodhana-like gentle alternate breathing while visualizing a clarified nectar circulating
Sattvic clarity leading to a wide, tranquil Ananda.
Offer the day’s mixed movements inwardly; imagine a woolen filter of discernment; let only what is true and luminous pass; rest in the resulting quiet sweetness and allow it to spread through the body.
Use standard Rigvedic accenting as marked in the saṃhitā text (udātta on accented syllables; svarita as the post-udātta fall; anudātta elsewhere). Without a provided svara-pāṭha, follow the edition’s accent marks precisely.
Keep udātta syllables clear and slightly elevated; avoid over-musicalizing—let the cadence ‘flow’ like the meaning.
tava: light ‘v’ (not ‘w’), short a’s, pratnebhiḥ: retroflex ‘ṇ’ not present; keep ‘tne’ cluster clean, adhvabhiḥ: pronounce ‘dhva’ as a tight cluster, avyaḥ: ‘vy’ glide; visarga as soft echo before pause, sahasradhāraḥ: keep compound clear: saha-sra-dhā-raḥ, yāt tanā: long ā in yāt; tanā with long ā
Smooth, liquid, unbroken tone emphasizing continuity of flow.
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