Rig Veda · 767 of 1027
Mandala 9: HYMN XLIV. Soma Pavamana.
1.INDU, to us for this great rite, bearing as ’twere thy wave to Gods, Unwearied, thou art flowing forQh.
2.Pleased with the hymn, impelled by prayer, Soma is hurried far away, The Wise One in the Singer’s stream.,
3.Watchful among the. gods, this juice advances to the cleansing sieve Soma, most active, travels on.
4.Flow onward, seeking strength for us, embellishing the sacrifice: The priest with trimmed grass calleth thee.
5.May Soma, ever bringing power to Bhaga and to Vāyu, Sage And Hero, lead us to the Gods.
6.So, to increase our wealth to-day, Inspirer, best of Furtherers, Win for us strength and high renown.
Asked of Guide
Why is Soma described as 'flowing' and 'hurried' in this hymn?
The hymn treats Soma as a living power poured into the ritual: words like “flowing” and “hurried” show the juice moving through the priest and the sacrificial apparatus toward the gods. That motion represents vitality and efficacy—the sacrifice is energized as Soma advances “to the cleansing sieve” and into the divine presence.
Calling Soma “most active” and “ever bringing power to Bhaga and to Vāyu” ties the physical movement to benefits for worshippers—strength, wealth, and renown. This emphasis on an animate, traveling force echoes later Upanishadic readings where ritual substances become conduits of spiritual potency, as in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad’s discussions of sacrificial transformation.
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