Hymn to Soma Pavamana (The Purifying Drop)
Rigveda IX.86 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 9 of the Rigveda, one of the 1,028 hymns organized within the ten books of the oldest Veda. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in Vedic Sanskrit and preserved through oral transmission across millennia.
This is a Good Works Translation produced for the Good Works Library from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
1. Forth flow your swift, thought-driven, exhilarating drops, O Purifying One, by themselves, like swift-born things. The heavenly, fair-winged, honeyed drops, most intoxicating, sit around the vat.
2. Your intoxicating, swift, exhilarating drops have been released, each apart, like chariot-racers. Like a milk-cow to her calf, the honeyed waves of drops flow with milk to Indra the mace-bearer.
3. Like a racehorse urged on, flow toward the prize, finder of the sun, toward heaven's vat whose mother is the stone. The bull Soma, being purified, rests on the surface of the fleece, for Indra's nourishment.
4. Your heavenly, thought-swift streams belonging to the Aśvins have poured forth with milk into their course. The seers within have set the enduring streams free — the ordainers who groom you, lord of seers.
5. All-seeing, mighty one, your banners go around all the dwelling-places of you, the powerful lord. Having pervaded all things, you purify yourself, Soma, by your own laws; you rule as lord of the whole world.
6. On both sides the rays of the self-purifying, steadfast one — his banners go around. When the tawny one is groomed upon the filter, seated, he settles down in his womb, in the vats.
7. The banner of the sacrifice, keeping good rites, Soma purifies himself; he goes to the gods' trysting-place. With a thousand streams he flows around the vat; the bull passes beyond the filter, bellowing loudly.
8. The king plunges into the sea, the rivers; he follows the wave of the waters, resting among the streams. The self-purifying one has mounted the woolen ridge, the sustainer of the great sky, at earth's navel.
9. Thundering like the ridge of heaven, he has cried out — he by whose laws both heaven and earth stand. Being purified, he seeks Indra's friendship again and again; Soma, purifying himself, settles down in the vats.
10. The light of the sacrifice purifies himself, the dear sweetness, father of the gods, begetter, rich in wealth. He bestows a hidden treasure by his own power — most intoxicating, exhilarating, the sap that belongs to Indra.
11. Roaring, the prize-winning one flows to the vat, the lord of heaven, hundred-streamed, all-seeing. The tawny one sits in the seats of Mitra, the bull being groomed by the woolen filters.
12. At the head of the rivers, self-purifying, he flows; at the head of speech, foremost, he goes among the cows. At the head of the prize he claims the great wealth; well-armed, the bull is purified by the pressers.
13. This one, endowed with thought, like a bird set loose, has run into the fleece, self-purifying, with his wave. By your will, O seer, between the two world-halves, bright, by his own insight he purifies himself, Soma, as yours, Indra.
14. Wearing a mantle that touches heaven, the venerable one, filling the mid-air, set within the worlds. Born as the sun, he has strode forth with the mist; he seeks to draw near his ancient father.
15. He grants great shelter to his own people — he who has first pervaded his own abode. Since his footstep is in the highest heaven, from there, gathered together, he approaches all things at once.
16. The drop has gone forth to Indra's trysting place; like a friend, he does not break a friend's agreement. Like a young man among maidens, Soma flows together into the vat, by a hundredfold path.
17. Your gladdening, praise-seeking, admiring thoughts have advanced into their dwelling-places. With insight they have cried out toward Soma in praise-songs; the milk-cows have mixed him with their milk.
18. To us, O Soma, bring the gathered, swelling refreshment; O drop, purify yourself as one who does not fail — the refreshment that milks for us three times a day, unfailing, rich in food, in strength, in sweetness, in noble sons.
19. The bull of our thoughts purifies himself, all-seeing, Soma, prolonger of day, of dawn, of heaven. Having made the vats of the rivers cry out, he enters Indra's heart, aided by the wise.
20. By the wise he purifies himself, the ancient poet; guided by men, he has cried out around the vats. Begetting the name of Trita, he makes sweetness flow, to forge friendship for Indra and Vāyu.
21. This one, purifying himself, has made the dawns shine out; this one has become the space-maker for the rivers. This one, having milked out the thrice-sevenfold mixture, Soma, exhilarating, purifies himself pleasantly for the heart.
22. Purify yourself, Soma, in the heavenly abodes, being released, O drop, into the vat, onto the filter. Sitting in Indra's belly, crying out again and again, guided by men, you have made the sun climb into heaven.
23. Pressed by the stones, you purify yourself onto the filters, O drop, entering into Indra's belly. You became the watcher of men, all-seeing; Soma, you opened the cow-pen for the Aṅgirases.
24. You, Soma, self-purifying, well-minded, the inspired poets, seeking help, have rejoiced in, following after. The fair-winged bird brought you from beyond heaven, O drop, adorned with all our thoughts.
25. Purifying himself in the woolen filter with his wave, the tawny one — seven milk-cows bellow toward him. In the lap of the waters, the Āyus have driven the seer forth; in the womb of truth the buffaloes have driven him on.
26. The drop, purifying himself, plunges beyond the scorners, making all paths smooth for the one who sacrifices. Making the cows into his bright robe, the desirable poet, like a playful racehorse, flows around the fleece.
27. Unfailing, hundred-streamed, glorious, the waters bellow toward the tawny one, seeking him out as they flow down. The fingers groom him, wrapped around with cow-milk, on the third ridge, in the luminous realm of heaven.
28. Yours are these offspring of the heavenly seed; you rule over the whole world. And so all this is in your power, self-purifying one; you, O drop, are the first layer of every foundation.
29. You are the ocean, O all-knowing seer; yours are these five directions in their breadth. You have surpassed both heaven and earth; yours are the lights, self-purifying one, and the sun.
30. On the filter, in the breadth of the middle realm, for the gods, O Soma, self-purifying, you are purified. The eager ones seized you first; to you all these worlds have submitted.
31. The singer goes forth beyond the woolen fleece; the bull, the tawny one, has bellowed down among the wooden vats. The eager thoughts have cried out together; our minds lick the wondrous child.
32. He has clothed himself around with the sun's rays, stretching a threefold thread, as he is known to do. Leading the newest injunctions of truth, the lord of his wives goes to the trysting-place.
33. The king of the rivers purifies himself, the lord of heaven; he goes by the paths of truth, crying out again and again. Thousand-streamed, the tawny one is poured around, purifying himself, generating speech, bringing wealth near.
34. Self-purifying one, you run through the great flood, brilliant like the sun, through the woolen filters with your purifying stream. Purified by hands, pressed by men with stones, you race toward great, wealth-bringing strength.
35. You flow toward refreshment and strength, self-purifying one; like a falcon among the trees you settle in the vats. For Indra, to be enjoyed, the intoxicating exhilaration, pressed out, the highest pillar of heaven, all-seeing.
36. The seven sisters, like mothers, tend the newborn child, of noble birth, wise. The heavenly Gandharva of the waters, the watcher of men — Soma — is set to rule the whole world.
37. Ruling, you pervade these worlds, O drop, yoking your fair-winged tawny mares. Let them pour out for you sweet ghee and milk; let the peoples abide by your law, O Soma.
38. You are the watcher of men, Soma, on every side; self-purifying bull, you run through these worlds. Purify yourself for us, bringing wealth, bringing gold, that we may live on in the worlds.
39. Purify yourself as finder of cows, finder of wealth, finder of gold, bestower of seed, O drop, set within the worlds. You are rich in good sons, Soma, all-knowing; may we, the inspired ones, draw near and sing to you as you sit in the vats.
40. The wave of sweetness has raised up what is desired; clothed in the waters, the buffalo plunges through. The king whose chariot is the filter has mounted the prize; thousand-pointed, he wins great fame.
41. He, praised, stirs up every blessing full of offspring, lasting a whole lifetime, well-nourishing, day after day. Grant us prayer and wealth rich in offspring, wealth in horses and homesteads; when drunk, O drop, plead with Indra on our behalf.
42. He, at the head of days, the tawny, desired exhilaration, makes himself known by his own insight, day by day. Setting the two peoples — gods and men — in their places, he moves between them, bringing human praise and the divine order to the one who sustains all.
43. They anoint him, they anoint him from every side, they anoint him together; they lick his purpose, they anoint him with sweetness. In the swelling of the river, as he darts, the gold-purifying waters seize the bull among them.
44. Sing to the inspired, self-purifying one; like a mighty river the stream of the plant flows over. Like a serpent he glides past his worn-out skin; like a playful racehorse, the tawny bull has darted forth.
45. Going first, the watery king shows his might, measurer of days, set within the worlds. The tawny one, dripping with ghee, fair to behold, a flood, with light as his chariot, purifies himself as a home for wealth.
46. He has been released, the pillar of heaven, the exhilaration raised on high; the threefold one flows around the worlds. Our thoughts lick the wondrous stalk, when the singers of hymns have come to him with song, drawn to his bright robe.
47. Your streams run swiftly, gathered together, beyond the fine threads of the ewe's wool — the streams of you being purified. When, O drop, you are anointed with cow-milk in the two bowls, pressed out, O Soma, you settle down in the vats.
48. Purify yourself, Soma, finder of power for us, worthy of praise; run around through the woolen fleece, the dear sweetness. Slay all the rākṣasas, the devourers, O drop; rich in good sons, may we speak loudly at the sacrificial gathering.
Translator's note: several epithets in this hymn (viśvacakṣa, ṛbhvasaḥ, saṁyataḥ, and the recurring pavamāna/pavate family) carry a dense, technical ritual vocabulary describing the Soma-pressing rite itself — the stalk crushed between stones, strained through a sheep's-wool filter, and mixed with milk before reaching the vats set out for Indra. Where a term's precise ritual referent is uncertain, the rendering favors the most literal sense of the Sanskrit words over a smoother but less certain English gloss.
Colophon
Rigveda IX.86 is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation rendered verse by verse from the Sanskrit text printed below. Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation.
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Source Text: ṛgveda IX.86
Sanskrit source text from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
pra ta āśavaḥ pavamāna dhījavo madā arṣanti raghujā iva tmanā |
divyāḥ suparṇā madhumanta indavo madintamāsaḥ pari kośam āsate || 1 ||
pra te madāso madirāsa āśavo 'sṛkṣata rathyāso yathā pṛthak |
dhenur na vatsam payasābhi vajriṇam indram indavo madhumanta ūrmayaḥ || 2 ||
atyo na hiyāno abhi vājam arṣa svarvit kośaṁ divo adrimātaram |
vṛṣā pavitre adhi sāno avyaye somaḥ punāna indriyāya dhāyase || 3 ||
pra ta āśvinīḥ pavamāna dhījuvo divyā asṛgran payasā dharīmaṇi |
prāntar ṛṣayaḥ sthāvirīr asṛkṣata ye tvā mṛjanty ṛṣiṣāṇa vedhasaḥ || 4 ||
viśvā dhāmāni viśvacakṣa ṛbhvasaḥ prabhos te sataḥ pari yanti ketavaḥ |
vyānaśiḥ pavase soma dharmabhiḥ patir viśvasya bhuvanasya rājasi || 5 ||
ubhayataḥ pavamānasya raśmayo dhruvasya sataḥ pari yanti ketavaḥ |
yadī pavitre adhi mṛjyate hariḥ sattā ni yonā kalaśeṣu sīdati || 6 ||
yajñasya ketuḥ pavate svadhvaraḥ somo devānām upa yāti niṣkṛtam |
sahasradhāraḥ pari kośam arṣati vṛṣā pavitram aty eti roruvat || 7 ||
rājā samudraṁ nadyo3 vi gāhate 'pām ūrmiṁ sacate sindhuṣu śritaḥ |
adhy asthāt sānu pavamāno avyayaṁ nābhā pṛthivyā dharuṇo maho divaḥ || 8 ||
divo na sānu stanayann acikradad dyauś ca yasya pṛthivī ca dharmabhiḥ |
indrasya sakhyam pavate vivevidat somaḥ punānaḥ kalaśeṣu sīdati || 9 ||
jyotir yajñasya pavate madhu priyam pitā devānāṁ janitā vibhūvasuḥ |
dadhāti ratnaṁ svadhayor apīcyam madintamo matsara indriyo rasaḥ || 10 ||
abhikrandan kalaśaṁ vājy arṣati patir divaḥ śatadhāro vicakṣaṇaḥ |
harir mitrasya sadaneṣu sīdati marmṛjāno 'vibhiḥ sindhubhir vṛṣā || 11 ||
agre sindhūnām pavamāno arṣaty agre vāco agriyo goṣu gacchati |
agre vājasya bhajate mahādhanaṁ svāyudhaḥ sotṛbhiḥ pūyate vṛṣā || 12 ||
ayam matavāñ chakuno yathā hito 'vye sasāra pavamāna ūrmiṇā |
tava kratvā rodasī antarā kave śucir dhiyā pavate soma indra te || 13 ||
drāpiṁ vasāno yajato divispṛśam antarikṣaprā bhuvaneṣv arpitaḥ |
svar jajñāno nabhasābhy akramīt pratnam asya pitaram ā vivāsati || 14 ||
so asya viśe mahi śarma yacchati yo asya dhāma prathamaṁ vyānaśe |
padaṁ yad asya parame vyomany ato viśvā abhi saṁ yāti saṁyataḥ || 15 ||
pro ayāsīd indur indrasya niṣkṛtaṁ sakhā sakhyur na pra mināti saṁgiram |
marya iva yuvatibhiḥ sam arṣati somaḥ kalaśe śatayāmnā pathā || 16 ||
pra vo dhiyo mandrayuvo vipanyuvaḥ panasyuvaḥ saṁvasaneṣv akramuḥ |
somam manīṣā abhy anūṣata stubho 'bhi dhenavaḥ payasem aśiśrayuḥ || 17 ||
ā naḥ soma saṁyatam pipyuṣīm iṣam indo pavasva pavamāno asridham |
yā no dohate trir ahann asaścuṣī kṣumad vājavan madhumat suvīryam || 18 ||
vṛṣā matīnām pavate vicakṣaṇaḥ somo ahnaḥ pratarītoṣaso divaḥ |
krāṇā sindhūnāṁ kalaśām̐ avīvaśad indrasya hārdy āviśan manīṣibhiḥ || 19 ||
manīṣibhiḥ pavate pūrvyaḥ kavir nṛbhir yataḥ pari kośām̐ acikradat |
tritasya nāma janayan madhu kṣarad indrasya vāyoḥ sakhyāya kartave || 20 ||
ayam punāna uṣaso vi rocayad ayaṁ sindhubhyo abhavad u lokakṛt |
ayaṁ triḥ sapta duduhāna āśiraṁ somo hṛde pavate cāru matsaraḥ || 21 ||
pavasva soma divyeṣu dhāmasu sṛjāna indo kalaśe pavitra ā |
sīdann indrasya jaṭhare kanikradan nṛbhir yataḥ sūryam ārohayo divi || 22 ||
adribhiḥ sutaḥ pavase pavitra ām̐ indav indrasya jaṭhareṣv āviśan |
tvaṁ nṛcakṣā abhavo vicakṣaṇa soma gotram aṅgirobhyo 'vṛṇor apa || 23 ||
tvāṁ soma pavamānaṁ svādhyo 'nu viprāso amadann avasyavaḥ |
tvāṁ suparṇa ābharad divas parīndo viśvābhir matibhiḥ pariṣkṛtam || 24 ||
avye punānam pari vāra ūrmiṇā hariṁ navante abhi sapta dhenavaḥ |
apām upasthe adhy āyavaḥ kavim ṛtasya yonā mahiṣā aheṣata || 25 ||
induḥ punāno ati gāhate mṛdho viśvāni kṛṇvan supathāni yajyave |
gāḥ kṛṇvāno nirṇijaṁ haryataḥ kavir atyo na krīḻan pari vāram arṣati || 26 ||
asaścataḥ śatadhārā abhiśriyo hariṁ navante 'va tā udanyuvaḥ |
kṣipo mṛjanti pari gobhir āvṛtaṁ tṛtīye pṛṣṭhe adhi rocane divaḥ || 27 ||
tavemāḥ prajā divyasya retasas tvaṁ viśvasya bhuvanasya rājasi |
athedaṁ viśvam pavamāna te vaśe tvam indo prathamo dhāmadhā asi || 28 ||
tvaṁ samudro asi viśvavit kave tavemāḥ pañca pradiśo vidharmaṇi |
tvaṁ dyāṁ ca pṛthivīṁ cāti jabhriṣe tava jyotīṁṣi pavamāna sūryaḥ || 29 ||
tvam pavitre rajaso vidharmaṇi devebhyaḥ soma pavamāna pūyase |
tvām uśijaḥ prathamā agṛbhṇata tubhyemā viśvā bhuvanāni yemire || 30 ||
pra rebha ety ati vāram avyayaṁ vṛṣā vaneṣv ava cakradad dhariḥ |
saṁ dhītayo vāvaśānā anūṣata śiśuṁ rihanti matayaḥ panipnatam || 31 ||
sa sūryasya raśmibhiḥ pari vyata tantuṁ tanvānas trivṛtaṁ yathā vide |
nayann ṛtasya praśiṣo navīyasīḥ patir janīnām upa yāti niṣkṛtam || 32 ||
rājā sindhūnām pavate patir diva ṛtasya yāti pathibhiḥ kanikradat |
sahasradhāraḥ pari ṣicyate hariḥ punāno vācaṁ janayann upāvasuḥ || 33 ||
pavamāna mahy arṇo vi dhāvasi sūro na citro avyayāni pavyayā |
gabhastipūto nṛbhir adribhiḥ suto mahe vājāya dhanyāya dhanvasi || 34 ||
iṣam ūrjam pavamānābhy arṣasi śyeno na vaṁsu kalaśeṣu sīdasi |
indrāya madvā madyo madaḥ suto divo viṣṭambha upamo vicakṣaṇaḥ || 35 ||
sapta svasāro abhi mātaraḥ śiśuṁ navaṁ jajñānaṁ jenyaṁ vipaścitam |
apāṁ gandharvaṁ divyaṁ nṛcakṣasaṁ somaṁ viśvasya bhuvanasya rājase || 36 ||
īśāna imā bhuvanāni vīyase yujāna indo haritaḥ suparṇyaḥ |
tās te kṣarantu madhumad ghṛtam payas tava vrate soma tiṣṭhantu kṛṣṭayaḥ || 37 ||
tvaṁ nṛcakṣā asi soma viśvataḥ pavamāna vṛṣabha tā vi dhāvasi |
sa naḥ pavasva vasumad dhiraṇyavad vayaṁ syāma bhuvaneṣu jīvase || 38 ||
govit pavasva vasuvid dhiraṇyavid retodhā indo bhuvaneṣv arpitaḥ |
tvaṁ suvīro asi soma viśvavit taṁ tvā viprā upa girema āsate || 39 ||
un madhva ūrmir vananā atiṣṭhipad apo vasāno mahiṣo vi gāhate |
rājā pavitraratho vājam āruhat sahasrabhṛṣṭir jayati śravo bṛhat || 40 ||
sa bhandanā ud iyarti prajāvatīr viśvāyur viśvāḥ subharā ahardivi |
brahma prajāvad rayim aśvapastyam pīta indav indram asmabhyaṁ yācatāt || 41 ||
so agre ahnāṁ harir haryato madaḥ pra cetasā cetayate anu dyubhiḥ |
dvā janā yātayann antar īyate narā ca śaṁsaṁ daivyaṁ ca dhartari || 42 ||
añjate vy añjate sam añjate kratuṁ rihanti madhunābhy añjate |
sindhor ucchvāse patayantam ukṣaṇaṁ hiraṇyapāvāḥ paśum āsu gṛbhṇate || 43 ||
vipaścite pavamānāya gāyata mahī na dhārāty andho arṣati |
ahir na jūrṇām ati sarpati tvacam atyo na krīḻann asarad vṛṣā hariḥ || 44 ||
agrego rājāpyas taviṣyate vimāno ahnām bhuvaneṣv arpitaḥ |
harir ghṛtasnuḥ sudṛśīko arṇavo jyotīrathaḥ pavate rāya okyaḥ || 45 ||
asarji skambho diva udyato madaḥ pari tridhātur bhuvanāny arṣati |
aṁśuṁ rihanti matayaḥ panipnataṁ girā yadi nirṇijam ṛgmiṇo yayuḥ || 46 ||
pra te dhārā aty aṇvāni meṣyaḥ punānasya saṁyato yanti raṁhayaḥ |
yad gobhir indo camvoḥ samajyasa ā suvānaḥ soma kalaśeṣu sīdasi || 47 ||
pavasva soma kratuvin na ukthyo 'vyo vāre pari dhāva madhu priyam |
jahi viśvān rakṣasa indo atriṇo bṛhad vadema vidathe suvīrāḥ || 48 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).