Rig Veda 7.35.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 35, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.35
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Multiple paired deities
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
शं न इन्द्राग्नी भवतामवोभिः शं न इन्द्रावरुणा रातहव्या । शमिन्द्रासोमा सुविताय शं योः शं न इन्द्रापूषणा वाजसातौ ॥
śáṃ na indrāgnī bhavatām ávobhiḥ śáṃ na indrāvaruṇā rātáhavyā | śám indrāsómā suvitā́ya śáṃ yóḥ śáṃ na indrāpūṣaṇā vājásātau ||
Śam — Heil und Frieden uns: Indra und Agni mögen uns mit ihren Hilfen beistehen; śam uns: Indra und Varuṇa, die Spender der Opfergabe, mögen sie festigen. Śam: Indra und Soma mögen uns zum rechten Gang führen; śam und Fülle uns: Indra und Pūṣan mögen uns Sieg schenken im Gewinnen der Kraft.
Word by Word
- शम्
- auspiciously; for welfareIndeclinableअव्यय (मङ्गल/कल्याणार्थे)Role Adhikaraṇa (भाव/फल-परिस्थिति: ‘कल्याणरूपेण’)Root शम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) / √शम् (शमुँ उपशमे) (निरुक्त-संबन्ध)
- नः
- for us; to usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = ‘अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यं’ वैदिके)Role Sampradāna (हित-लाभार्थं: ‘for us’)Root अस्मद्
- इन्द्राग्नी
- Indra and AgniNoun (dual compound)प्रथमा द्विवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/द्वन्द्व)Role KartāRoot इन्द्र + अग्नि
- भवतात्
- may (they) beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्-भावे) मध्यमपुरुष? → वस्तुतः 3rd dual imperative: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष? (वैदिक प्रयोगे ‘भवतात्’ = 3rd द्विवचन आज्ञार्थे)Role (क्रिया)Root √भू (भवति)
- अवोभिः
- with helps; with protectionsNounतृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अवस् (नपुंसक/पुं; ‘help, protection’)
- शम्
- auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- नः
- for usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- इन्द्रावरुणा
- Indra and VaruṇaNoun (dual compound)प्रथमा द्विवचन (द्वन्द्व)Role KartāRoot इन्द्र + वरुण
- रातहव्या
- whose oblations are given/offered; receiving offered oblationsAdjective (compound)प्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं) — इन्द्रावरुणयोः विशेषणम्Role Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root रात-हव्य (√रा ‘to give’ + हव्य ‘oblation’)
- शम्
- auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- इन्द्रासोमा
- Indra and SomaNoun (dual compound)प्रथमा द्विवचन (द्वन्द्व)Role KartāRoot इन्द्र + सोम
- सुविताय
- for good passage; for welfareNounचतुर्थी एकवचन (नपुंसक/पुं; दत्त्यर्थे)Role Sampradāna (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)Root सुवित (सु-√वि/√विद्?; ‘good course, welfare, good guidance’)
- शम्
- auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- योः
- well-being; prosperityNounप्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचन (नपुंसक) — वैदिके ‘योः’ (पदपाठे प्रायः ‘योः’)Role Karma (प्राप्तव्य-फलम्: ‘welfare’)Root योस् (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘welfare, well-being’)
- शम्
- auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- नः
- for usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- इन्द्रापूषणौ
- Indra and PūṣanNoun (dual compound)प्रथमा द्विवचन (द्वन्द्व)Role KartāRoot इन्द्र + पूषन्
- वाजसातौ
- in the gaining of the prize; in the contest for bootyNounसप्तमी एकवचन (स्त्री) — ‘in the winning of the prize’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot वाज-साति (वाज ‘prize, strength’ + साति ‘winning’ from √सन्/√सा ‘to gain’)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ से पद-विभाग (मुख्य): शं नः इन्द्राग्नी भवताम् अवोभिः | शं नः इन्द्रावरुणा रातहव्या | शम् इन्द्रासोमा सुविताय शं योः | शं नः इन्द्रापूषणौ वाजसातौ || Sandhi: (1) इन्द्रा॒ग्नी = इन्द्र + अग्नी (द्वन्द्व, दीर्घ-सन्धि) (2) इन्द्रा॒वरु॑णा = इन्द्र + वरुणा (द्वन्द्व) (3) शमिन्द्रा॒सोमा॑ = शम् + इन्द्रासोमा (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + इ → मि) (4) इन्द्रा॑पू॒षणा॒ = इन्द्र + पूषणौ (संहिता में ‘इन्द्रापूषणौ’; दीर्घ/स्वर-सन्धि) (5) भवता॒म् अवो॑भिः: पदच्छेद में ‘भवताम् अवोभिः’ (म् + अ → म् अ, नासिक्य-परसवर्ण नहीं). वैदिक उदात्त/स्वरित चिह्न संहिता में हैं
- पद-रूप यहाँ बिना स्वर-चिह्न के दिए गए हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A peace-blessing: may Indra–Agni help; may Indra–Varuṇa establish the offering; may Indra–Soma lead to right going; may Indra–Pūṣan grant victory in winning strength.
Inner meaning
This is an integral ‘śaṃ’ formula: peace as the condition for effective inner conquest. Indra with Agni unites illumined mind with divine will—power to act on the insight. Indra with Varuṇa ensures the action stays within truth and right order. Indra with Soma brings bliss into the journey so the path is not dry effort but ananda-fueled progress (suvitāya). Indra with Pūṣan (the guide and nourisher of paths) secures practical victory in the gaining of force (vāja): the transformation becomes embodied capacity, not only vision.
Universal truth
Peace is not passivity; it is the harmonious coordination of will, truth, bliss, and right guidance, producing victorious progress in life.
Themes
peace hymn, paired deities, right progress, victory in force
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.35.2–3 (continuation), RV 7.18 (Indra), RV 7.86 (Varuṇa)
Family tradition
Mandala 7 benedictive litany (RV 7.35) traditionally linked to Vasiṣṭha’s capacity to harmonize multiple godheads into a single movement of śānti.
Significance
The seer here acts as a conductor of powers: pairing Indra with complementary deities to prevent one-sided development and to establish a stable peace that is dynamic and victorious.
The deity
- Devata
- Paired deities: Indra–Agni; Indra–Varuṇa; Indra–Soma; Indra–Pūṣan
- Epithets
- Indra (illuminer, Vṛtra-slayer—implicit), Agni (helper, priest—implicit), Varuṇa (order-keeper—implicit), Soma (nectar—implicit), Pūṣan (path-finder, nourisher—implicit)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Maruts, Bhaga
Cosmic role
These pairs cover action (Agni), law (Varuṇa), delight (Soma), and guidance/nourishment (Pūṣan), all empowered by Indra’s luminous force.
Inner power
A fourfold integration: will-to-act, truth-to-govern, bliss-to-sustain, guidance-to-actualize—producing peaceful but potent progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Śānti/benediction recitation; suitable as a concluding or protective section within rites.
शं न॑ इन्द्रा॒ग्नी भ॑वता॒मवो॑भि॒: शं न॒ इन्द्रा॒वरु॑णा रा॒तह॑व्या । शमिन्द्रा॒सोमा॑ सुवि॒ताय॒ शं योः शं न॒ इन्द्रा॑पू॒षणा॒ वाज॑सातौ ॥
शम् । नः॒ । इ॒न्द्रा॒ग्नी इति॑ । भ॒व॒ता॒म् । अवः॑ऽभिः । शम् । नः॒ । इन्द्रा॒वरु॑णा । रा॒तऽह॑व्या । शम् । इन्द्रा॒सोमा॑ । सु॒वि॒ताय॑ । शम् । योः । शम् । नः॒ । इन्द्रा॑पू॒षणा । वाज॑ऽसातौ ॥
śam | naḥ | indrāgnī iti | bhavatām | avaḥ-bhiḥ | śam | naḥ | indrāvaruṇā | rāta-havyā | śam | indrāsomā | suvitāya | śam | yoḥ | śam | naḥ | indrāpūṣaṇā | vāja-sātau
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4 × ~11 syllables
Mantric refrain-like cadence with repeated ‘śaṃ naḥ…’; soothing yet firm.
Builds a protective rhythmic field; repetition of śaṃ induces calm coherence while the deity-pairs add strength.
- śaṃ
- Literal: peace, auspiciousness. Symbolic: integral harmony; settled order that allows higher force to work
- avobhiḥ
- Literal: with helps/succours. Symbolic: supporting graces; inner aids that prevent collapse
- rātahavyā
- Literal: givers of the offering / who give the oblation. Symbolic: powers that enable right self-giving; capacity to consecrate
- suvitāya
- Literal: for right going, good passage. Symbolic: the true path of progress; unobstructed inner journey
- yoḥ
- Literal: well-being, prosperity. Symbolic: healthy coherence of the being
- vājasātau
- Literal: in the winning of vāja (force/prize). Symbolic: victorious acquisition of spiritual power and effective energy
Śānti-sūkta style benediction; widely used for auspicious opening/closing and for securing harmony in Soma rites.
At beginnings/endings of worship, before travel, before study or meditation sessions.
Chanted as an auspicious invocation for peace and success.
Use as a ‘peace + power’ mantra before demanding tasks; chant slowly to establish calm energy and right direction.
śam ‘peace’ (possibly from √śam ‘to calm, pacify’) becomes an inner harmonization. vāja from √vaj/√vāj ‘be strong, speed, vital force’—not only ‘prize/food’ but ‘plenitude of energy’; vāja-sāti is the attainment of that force. su-viti (suvitāya) indicates ‘right movement/fortunate progress’, aligning the journey of consciousness with ṛta.
svasti/śam as harmonized being, Ṛta-guided progress (suviti), vāja as force-plenitude
Indra’s force is yoked to Varuṇa’s ṛta so victory is truthful and sustainable.
Right going (suvitā) implies alignment with satya rather than egoic ambition.
Progress as a guided ascent: illumination + fire + bliss + pathfinding create a stable evolutionary movement.
Integral yoga reading: peace as the basis for dynamic transformation.
Fire = will; moon/nectar = bliss; path = right movement; sky-law = truthful wideness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘harmonization by divine pairs’: complementary cosmic functions are yoked—force with will (Indra-Agni), force with law (Indra-Varuṇa), force with delight (Indra-Soma), force with guidance (Indra-Pūṣan)—to produce śam (integral peace) and vāja-sāti (attainment of force).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Agni (Lat. ignis) points to PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis. Indra is Indo-Aryan-specific in form but participates in PIE storm/hero patterns. Soma parallels Iranian haoma (Indo-Iranian). The repetitive śam naḥ is an archaic anaphoric blessing style comparable to Indo-European hymn refrains.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests not isolated interventions but a systemic inner alignment: each divine pair governs a layer of the seeker’s transformation—energy, order, delight, guidance—so the human vessel can move in su-viti (right course) and stabilize yoḥ/śam (well-being/peace).
Establish śaṃ (harmonious peace) by invoking four supports: will, truth, bliss, guidance.
Ājñā (Indra) + Maṇipūra (Agni) with Soma influence at Sahasrāra/upper mind (bliss)
Chant on a long exhale; pause briefly after each pāda to feel ‘śaṃ’ settle in the body.
Quietly luminous, ready for right action.
Use as a pre-sādhana alignment: (1) call Agni—offer restlessness; (2) call Varuṇa—choose truth; (3) call Soma—invite sweetness; (4) call Pūṣan—ask for right next step.
Refrain-like; ‘śaṃ’ typically carried with clear tonal prominence in practice; exact udatta/anudatta/svarita requires śākala svara marks.
Keep ‘śaṃ naḥ’ consistent each time; articulate deity duals (indrāgnī, indrāvaruṇā, indrāsomā, indrāpūṣaṇā) with long ā where marked.
śaṃ: anusvāra as nasal resonance, in-drāg-nī: long ā, hard g, long ī, rā-ta-ha-vyā: aspirate h, long ā at end, su-vi-tā-ya: clear short i, long ā, pū-ṣa-ṇā: long ū, retroflex ṣ, retroflex ṇ
Soft but firm, like a blessing; avoid strain on long ā.
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