Hymn to Soma
Rigveda IX.96 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 by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
Foremost captain and champion, fronting the thundering cars, goeth abroad in quest of kine; his whole array quivereth with eager fire. To prosper Indra’s summons for his comrades, Soma clotheth himself in ravishing attire.
The russet fingers together curry his tawny steed without surcease, with reverent strokes that drive the courser on. Indra’s mate ascendeth the chariot; the All-knowing guideth with him unto the citadel of good intent.
Be thou made pure, O god, for the conclave of gods, for sovereign delight—Soma, beloved draught of Indra. As thou art strained, fashion the waters and bid this heaven to rain; from the vast expanse win for us a widening room.
For safety from overthrow and rescue from assault, cleanse thyself; for weal, for lofty wholeness. Such is the longing of these thy companions, such is my own desire, O self-purging Soma.
Soma cleanseth himself—the begetter of poet-thought, the begetter of heaven and of earth, the father of Agni, the father of the Sun, the father of Indra, and the father of Vishnu.
Framer for the gods, path-breaker for sage singers, seer of the inspired, wild buffalo among beasts, falcon among birds of prey, axe among forest trees—Soma raspeth through the sieve.
Like a river’s wave, self-purifying Soma hath sent forth the surge of speech—hymns and inspired imaginings. Gazing within, he over-mounteth these tribes below, bull among the cows, discerning every host.
Exhilarant, conquering in battle yet unconquered, thousand-jetting—rush thou to the prize. Be thou strained for Indra, O drop; as inspired sage, lift a surge from the herb and drive the cattle home.
Dear unto gods, the sought-for Soma roves about the vat, delight of Indra’s mirth; the drop of thousand streams and hundred prizes speedeth like a victor team to the gatherings.
Primal in birth, finding treasure even as he is born, groomed in the waters, milked upon the stone, warding off curses, king of creation—so, while he is strained, he traceth the path of sacred utterance.
Forasmuch as our far-seeing fathers wrought their rites with thee, O self-cleansing Soma, break thou the bars; lay foes low, thyself unshaken, and be to us a giver of heroes and of steeds.
Even as of old for Manu thou wast refined—life-bringer, foe-smasher, opener of wide places with the offering—so now be thou made pure, bestowing wealth. Stand shoulder to shoulder with Indra and forge us weapons.
Purify thyself, honey-rich Soma, follower of truth, arrayed in waters upon the sheep’s bright back. Sit in the butter-filled cups as the most gladsome draught for Indra.
With a hundred streams be cleansed into heaven’s rain—thousand-winning, god-ward aspiring, bellowing with the rivers in the vat beside the ruddy kine, lengthening our days.
This very Soma, strained by poet-thought, outstrippeth enmity like a prize stallion loosed. As milk from Aditi, he is heartening, broad as a highway, obedient as a docile steed.
Armed full well and pressed by the singers, haste to the dear hidden Name and to the spoil, like a famed racing team—speed to Vāyu, to the herds, O divine Soma.
The newborn colt, the delectable, they curry; the Maruts in throng bedeck the car-horse. Though a poet by song and by craft, Soma raspeth across the filter.
Seer-minded, maker of seers, sun-seizing, thousand-crafted, path-finder for bards, buffalo striving for the third realm—Soma, as the drum-beat of metre, ruleth the virāj by due measure.
Seated in the cups, the falcon wide-winged, the cow-seeking drop, grasping weapons, riding the water’s billow, the buffalo proclaimeth the sea to be the fourth domain.
Like a shining youth adorning his limbs, like a charger running for the stakes, he whirls about the cask as a bull about his herds; ever roaring he hath leapt into the twin bowls.
Cleanse thyself, O drop, in thy mighty virtue; ever roaring, wheel round the fleeces. Sporting, enter the double cups in thy clarity; let thy rousing sap uplift Indra.
His lofty jets are sent surging forth. Anointed with kine he hath plunged into the vats. Chanting the Sāman, intent upon song, keen for poet-rapture, bellowing he fareth as to a sister beloved.
Thrusting rivals aside, self-purging one, thou goest like a swain toward his dear, sung drop. Nesting in the wood like a swift-winged bird, Soma, refined, hath settled in the tubs.
As thou art strained, O Soma, thy beams draw nigh like a maid—good milkers pouring fair streams. The dappled bay, dispenser of many a boon, led into the waters, hath roared within the vessel of the god-seekers.
Colophon
This hymn is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated independently from the Sanskrit. Reference translations consulted during original translation are to be documented during audit.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ṛgveda IX.96
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 senānīḥ śūro agre rathānāṁ gavyann eti harṣate asya senā |
bhadrān kṛṇvann indrahavān sakhibhya ā somo vastrā rabhasāni datte || 1 ||
sam asya hariṁ harayo mṛjanty aśvahayair aniśitaṁ namobhiḥ |
ā tiṣṭhati ratham indrasya sakhā vidvām̐ enā sumatiṁ yāty accha || 2 ||
sa no deva devatāte pavasva mahe soma psarasa indrapānaḥ |
kṛṇvann apo varṣayan dyām utemām uror ā no varivasyā punānaḥ || 3 ||
ajītaye 'hataye pavasva svastaye sarvatātaye bṛhate |
tad uśanti viśva ime sakhāyas tad ahaṁ vaśmi pavamāna soma || 4 ||
somaḥ pavate janitā matīnāṁ janitā divo janitā pṛthivyāḥ |
janitāgner janitā sūryasya janitendrasya janitota viṣṇoḥ || 5 ||
brahmā devānām padavīḥ kavīnām ṛṣir viprāṇām mahiṣo mṛgāṇām |
śyeno gṛdhrāṇāṁ svadhitir vanānāṁ somaḥ pavitram aty eti rebhan || 6 ||
prāvīvipad vāca ūrmiṁ na sindhur giraḥ somaḥ pavamāno manīṣāḥ |
antaḥ paśyan vṛjanemāvarāṇy ā tiṣṭhati vṛṣabho goṣu jānan || 7 ||
sa matsaraḥ pṛtsu vanvann avātaḥ sahasraretā abhi vājam arṣa |
indrāyendo pavamāno manīṣy a1ṁśor ūrmim īraya gā iṣaṇyan || 8 ||
pari priyaḥ kalaśe devavāta indrāya somo raṇyo madāya |
sahasradhāraḥ śatavāja indur vājī na saptiḥ samanā jigāti || 9 ||
sa pūrvyo vasuvij jāyamāno mṛjāno apsu duduhāno adrau |
abhiśastipā bhuvanasya rājā vidad gātum brahmaṇe pūyamānaḥ || 10 ||
tvayā hi naḥ pitaraḥ soma pūrve karmāṇi cakruḥ pavamāna dhīrāḥ |
vanvann avātaḥ paridhīm̐r aporṇu vīrebhir aśvair maghavā bhavā naḥ || 11 ||
yathāpavathā manave vayodhā amitrahā varivovid dhaviṣmān |
evā pavasva draviṇaṁ dadhāna indre saṁ tiṣṭha janayāyudhāni || 12 ||
pavasva soma madhumām̐ ṛtāvāpo vasāno adhi sāno avye |
ava droṇāni ghṛtavānti sīda madintamo matsara indrapānaḥ || 13 ||
vṛṣṭiṁ divaḥ śatadhāraḥ pavasva sahasrasā vājayur devavītau |
saṁ sindhubhiḥ kalaśe vāvaśānaḥ sam usriyābhiḥ pratiran na āyuḥ || 14 ||
eṣa sya somo matibhiḥ punāno 'tyo na vājī taratīd arātīḥ |
payo na dugdham aditer iṣiram urv iva gātuḥ suyamo na voḻhā || 15 ||
svāyudhaḥ sotṛbhiḥ pūyamāno 'bhy arṣa guhyaṁ cāru nāma |
abhi vājaṁ saptir iva śravasyābhi vāyum abhi gā deva soma || 16 ||
śiśuṁ jajñānaṁ haryatam mṛjanti śumbhanti vahnim maruto gaṇena |
kavir gīrbhiḥ kāvyenā kaviḥ san somaḥ pavitram aty eti rebhan || 17 ||
ṛṣimanā ya ṛṣikṛt svarṣāḥ sahasraṇīthaḥ padavīḥ kavīnām |
tṛtīyaṁ dhāma mahiṣaḥ siṣāsan somo virājam anu rājati ṣṭup || 18 ||
camūṣac chyenaḥ śakuno vibhṛtvā govindur drapsa āyudhāni bibhrat |
apām ūrmiṁ sacamānaḥ samudraṁ turīyaṁ dhāma mahiṣo vivakti || 19 ||
maryo na śubhras tanvam mṛjāno 'tyo na sṛtvā sanaye dhanānām |
vṛṣeva yūthā pari kośam arṣan kanikradac camvo3r ā viveśa || 20 ||
pavasvendo pavamāno mahobhiḥ kanikradat pari vārāṇy arṣa |
krīḻañ camvo3r ā viśa pūyamāna indraṁ te raso madiro mamattu || 21 ||
prāsya dhārā bṛhatīr asṛgrann akto gobhiḥ kalaśām̐ ā viveśa |
sāma kṛṇvan sāmanyo vipaścit krandann ety abhi sakhyur na jāmim || 22 ||
apaghnann eṣi pavamāna śatrūn priyāṁ na jāro abhigīta induḥ |
sīdan vaneṣu śakuno na patvā somaḥ punānaḥ kalaśeṣu sattā || 23 ||
ā te rucaḥ pavamānasya soma yoṣeva yanti sudughāḥ sudhārāḥ |
harir ānītaḥ puruvāro apsv acikradat kalaśe devayūnām || 24 ||
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).
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