Rig Veda 7.86.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 86, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.86
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Adbhuta (wonder)
पृच्छे तदेनो वरुण दिदृक्षूपो एमि चिकितुषो विपृच्छम् । समानमिन्मे कवयश्चिदाहुरयं ह तुभ्यं वरुणो हृणीते ॥
pṛ́cche tád éno váruṇa didṛ́kṣū́po émi cikítuṣo ví-pṛccham | samānám ín me kaváyaś cid āhur ayáṃ ha túbhyaṃ váruṇo hṛṇīte ||
أسألُ عن ذلك الذنب، يا ڤارونا، راغبًا أن أراه جليًّا؛ وأدنو لأسألَ العارف. حتى الكَڤيّون (الحكماء) يقولون لي القولَ نفسه: «إن ڤارونا هذا لَقد سخط عليك حقًّا».
Word by Word
- पृच्छे
- I ask / I inquireVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √प्रछ् (प्रच्छ्)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एनः
- sin, offenseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (तत्-विशेषण/अपेक्षया)Root एनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुण
- O VaruṇaNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिदृक्षुः
- wishing to see (clearly)Adjective (desiderative participle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि), इच्छार्थक (दिदृक्षु- = ‘wishing to see’)Role कर्ता (पृच्छे/एमि-कर्तृविशेषण)Root √दृश्
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (गत्यर्थे/समीपार्थे)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- एमि
- I goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √इ (ए/इ)
- चिकितुषः
- of the wise/knowing (one)Adjective (perfect participle)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (कर्तरि), ‘of the knowing/wise one’Role सम्बन्ध (विपृच्छम्-विशेषण)Root √चित् (चिकित् ‘to perceive/understand’)
- विपृच्छम्
- a questioner / one to be questioned; inquiryNoun (agent noun / action noun)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (एमि…विपृच्छम्)Root वि + √प्रछ् (प्रच्छ्)
- समानम्
- the sameAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (आहुः-उक्तिविषय)Root समान (प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeedIndeclinableनिपात (एव/खलु-भावे, बलार्थक)Root इत् (निपात)
- मे
- my / to mePronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- कवयः
- seers, sagesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्ता (आहुः)Root कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात (अपि/यद्यपि-भावे)Root चित् (निपात)
- आहुः
- they have said / they sayVerbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √अह् (ब्रू/अह् ‘to say’)
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ता (हृणीते)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableनिपात (खलु/वै-भावे, पदपूरण/बलार्थक)Root ह (निपात)
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ता (हृणीते)Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- हृणीते
- is ashamed / feels shameVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √ह्री (ह्रीञ्)
Sandhi Notes
- पृच्छे तद् एनः → पृच्छे तदेनो (द् + ए → दे)
- दिदृक्षुः उप → दिदृक्षूप (उ + उ → ऊ)
- (चिकितुषः) वि-पृच्छम् → चिकि॒तुषो॑ वि॒पृच्छ॑म् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: षः + व → षो व)
- समानम् इत् → समानमिन् (म् + इ → मि)
- अयम् ह → अयं ह (म् + ह → ं ह)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks about his fault, approaches to question a knower, and hears even sages say that Varuṇa is offended with him.
Inner meaning
The seeker wants to *see* the inner deviation (eno) clearly (didṛkṣu): not vague guilt but precise insight. He approaches the ‘knower’—either the illumined part within or a realized guide—because the ordinary mind rationalizes. The consensus of the ‘kavayaḥ’ indicates an impersonal truth: the inner law (Varuṇa) registers disharmony. Offence is not Divine anger but the felt withdrawal of peace when one departs from ṛta.
Universal truth
Growth requires honest diagnosis of error; when we violate our deeper truth, we feel a loss of inner harmony. Guidance—inner or outer—helps convert shame into clarity and correction.
Themes
Introspection, Confession, Seeking knowledge of fault, Divine displeasure as loss of harmony
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86, RV 7.87, RV 7.88, RV 7.89
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 7 seer-family; strong emphasis on ethical-spiritual alignment with Ādityas, especially Varuṇa.
Significance
Here Vasiṣṭha models the yogic move from emotional remorse to luminous inquiry—turning ‘sin’ into a knowable psychological cause that can be transformed.
The deity
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Ṛtāvān (possessor of ṛta), Dharmapāla (protector of law, later idiom), Āditya
- Related deities
- Mitra, Savitṛ (as impeller toward right action), Agni (as purifier of offering)
Cosmic role
Registrar and enforcer of ṛta; the cosmic intelligence that maintains harmony and exposes falsehood.
Inner power
The inner judge that is simultaneously healer—by revealing the precise point of deviation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Confessional/expiatory recitation within Varuṇa invocations; used when seeking to identify transgression affecting ritual efficacy.
पृ॒च्छे तदेनो॑ वरुण दि॒दृक्षूपो॑ एमि चिकि॒तुषो॑ वि॒पृच्छ॑म् । स॒मा॒नमिन्मे॑ क॒वय॑श्चिदाहुर॒यं ह॒ तुभ्यं॒ वरु॑णो हृणीते ॥
पृ॒च्छे । तत् । एनः॑ । व॒रु॒ण॒ । दि॒दृक्षु॑ । उपो॒ इति॑ । ए॒मि॒ । चि॒कि॒तुषः॑ । वि॒ऽपृच्छ॑म् । स॒मा॒नम् । इत् । मे॒ । क॒वयः॑ । चि॒त् । आ॒हुः॒ । अ॒यम् । ह॒ । तुभ्य॑म् । वरु॑णः । हृ॒णी॒ते॒ ॥
pṛcche | tat | enaḥ | varuṇa | didṛkṣu | upo iti | emi | cikituṣaḥ | vi-pṛccham | samānam | it | me | kavayaḥ | cit | āhuḥ | ayam | ha | tubhyam | varuṇaḥ | hṛṇīte
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4×11 syllables (approx.)
Interrogative, stepping rhythm—like approaching and questioning; triṣṭubh supports argument and discernment.
Stabilizes the mind into inquiry; reduces emotional turbulence by giving it a measured cadence.
- enaḥ
- Literal: fault, sin. Symbolic: misalignment with truth-consciousness; a knot in nature that blocks the flow of light
- didṛkṣu
- Literal: desiring to see. Symbolic: aspiration for self-knowledge, not self-justification
- upo emi
- Literal: I go near. Symbolic: approach to the inner teacher/conscience or a seer-guide
- cikituṣaḥ
- Literal: of the knowing one. Symbolic: the illumined faculty (buddhi/inner witness) that can name the real cause
- vipṛccham
- Literal: I ask in detail. Symbolic: discriminating inquiry (viveka) applied to inner movements
- kavayaḥ
- Literal: seers/sages. Symbolic: higher intuitions and confirmed knowledge-traditions within consciousness
- hṛṇīte
- Literal: is offended/angered. Symbolic: the law of truth ‘turns away’ as loss of inner consent and protection
Confessional-analytical segment: identifying the ‘eno’ before seeking release; used as a model for self-scrutiny in later tradition.
Before corrective rites (prāyaścitta) or when a sense of impurity/obstruction arises.
Questioning and acknowledgment, followed by offerings meant to restore harmony with ṛta.
Journaling-meditation mantra: repeat didṛkṣu and ask, ‘What exactly is misaligned?’ then listen without self-blame.
éno ‘fault’ is treated as something to be ‘seen’ (didṛkṣū), implying ignorance/constriction rather than merely legal transgression. √cit (cikituṣaḥ) highlights discrimination/awareness as the remedy. √hṛṇ (hṛṇīte) marks the felt withdrawal of harmony with ṛta.
self-knowledge as purification (didṛkṣū…cikituṣaḥ), eno as inner constriction/ignorance, alignment with ṛta via discernment
Fault is defined as departure from ṛta; restoration begins with seeing the departure.
Truth is *seen* (didṛkṣā) and spoken; the sages’ unanimity suggests objective satya beyond preference.
Knowledge as a restoring power—right seeing re-establishes harmony in the formed being.
Integral-psychological reading: conscience as cosmic law within; error as obscuration rather than moral damnation.
unspecified
unspecified
Approaching the knower = turning inward/upward toward the witnessing intelligence; ‘offence’ = eclipse of inner sky.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hidden fault’ mythologem: the seeker must uncover (see) the obscuring error that disrupts relation with the sovereign of ṛta. The mythic action is not combat but diagnosis—approaching the ‘knower’ to reveal the unseen cause.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Desiderative formation didṛkṣū (from √dṛś ‘see’, PIE *derk- ‘to see’) is an inherited Indo-European expressive device for intensified intention. The motion-verb construction upa + √i (‘approach’) is likewise archaic and formulaic in IE prayer language.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The relationship becomes ethically and psychologically precise: the rishi accepts the possibility of disharmony and seeks clarity rather than mere appeasement. Varuṇa’s ‘anger’ is experienced as the inner law’s resistance to a distorted state—prompting the seeker’s movement toward discernment.
Didṛkṣā: cultivate the will to see the exact movement of falsehood (avoidance, exaggeration, fear) and name it.
Ajna (clear seeing)
Nadi-śodhana (gentle alternate nostril) 6–8 rounds, then chant once with long pauses after pṛcche and hṛṇīte.
Witnessing clarity; remorse converts into insight.
Ask inwardly: (1) What is the ‘eno’—the specific distortion? (2) What is its motive-force? (3) What truthful action restores harmony today? End by offering the insight to Varuṇa as inner law.
Tri-svara; emphasize udātta on pṛcche, eno, didṛkṣu, cikituṣaḥ, hṛṇīte according to accent marks; keep interrogatives crisp.
Make pāda breaks clear; slightly lift pitch on didṛkṣu and settle downward on hṛṇīte to convey recognition.
pṛcche: clear conjunct ‘pṛc-che’ (not ‘priche’)., didṛkṣu: retroflex ṛ, and ‘kṣu’ as kṣ + u., cikituṣaḥ: ‘ci-ki-tu-ṣaḥ’ with ṣ retroflex., hṛṇīte: aspirate hṛ-, long ī.
Clear, inquiry-toned, not lamenting; steady breath support.
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