Rig Veda 7.35.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 35, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.35
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra with Vasus
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
शं न इन्द्रो वसुभिर्देवो अस्तु शमादित्येभिर्वरुणः सुशंसः । शं नो रुद्रो रुद्रेभिर्जलाषः शं नस्त्वष्टा ग्नाभिरिह शृणोतु ॥
śáṃ na índro vásubhir devó astu śám ādityébhir váruṇaḥ suśáṃsaḥ | śáṃ no rudró rudrébhir jalā́ṣaḥ śáṃ nas tváṣṭā gnā́bhir ihá śṛṇotu ||
Heil uns: möge der Gott Indra mit den Vasus sein; Heil: möge Varuṇa, der gut zu Preisende, mit den Ādityas sein. Heil uns: möge Rudra, heilend und gnädig, mit den Rudras sein. Heil uns: möge Tvaṣṭṛ hier uns hören, zusammen mit den göttlichen Müttern (gnā).
Word by Word
- शम्
- auspiciously; for well-beingIndeclinableअव्यय (मङ्गलार्थे)Role (वाक्य-विशेषणम्/आशीर्वादार्थक-उपपद) — क्रियाविशेषणRoot शम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) / √शम् ‘शमयति’ (शम ‘कल्याण/शान्ति’)
- नः
- of us; for usPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (possessor/for us)Root अस्मद्
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसुभिः
- with the VasusNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करण (सह/साधन) — ‘वसुभिः (सह)’Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्) / समानााधिकरणRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- may (he) beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्-भावे), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √अस् (भू)
- शम्
- auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (आशीर्वाद)Root शम् (अव्यय)
- आदित्येभिः
- with the ĀdityasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करण (सह) — ‘आदित्येभिः (सह)’Root आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुशंसः
- of good praise; well-renownedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (वरुणस्य) / समानााधिकरणRoot सु-शंस (प्रातिपदिक; सु + शंस ‘प्रशंसा/कीर्ति’)
- शम्
- auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (आशीर्वाद)Root शम् (अव्यय)
- नः
- for usPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (for us)Root अस्मद्
- रुद्रः
- RudraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रेभिः
- with the RudrasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करण (सह) — ‘रुद्रेभिः (सह)’Root रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- जलााषः
- health-giving; healing; graciousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (रुद्रस्य) / समानााधिकरणRoot जलााष (प्रातिपदिक; वेद. ‘जलाष/जलाष’ = ‘आरोग्य/भेषज/शिव’)
- शम्
- auspiciouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (आशीर्वाद)Root शम् (अव्यय)
- नः
- for usPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (for us)Root अस्मद्
- त्वष्टा
- TvaṣṭṛNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वेद. प्रथमा ‘त्वष्टा’ < ‘त्वष्टृ’)Role कर्तृRoot त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ग्नाभिः
- with the divine women (gṇāḥ)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करण (सह) — ‘ग्नाभिः (सह)’Root ग्ना (प्रातिपदिक; वेद. ‘देवी/स्त्री-देवता’, ‘wives (of gods)’)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्यय (देशवाचक)Role अधिकरण (स्थान) — ‘here’Root इह (अव्यय)
- शृणोतु
- may (he) hearVerbलोट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √श्रु (शृणोति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वेदपाठानुसार): शम् नः इन्द्रः वसुभिः देवः अस्तु । शम् आदित्येभिः वरुणः सुशंसः । शम् नः रुद्रः रुद्रेभिः जलााषः । शम् नः त्वष्टा ग्नाभिः इह शृणोतु ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) न॒ इन्द्रो॒ = नः + इन्द्रः (विसर्ग-लोपः/पदसंयोगः)
- (2) वसु॑भिर्दे॒वो = वसुभिः + देवः (ः + द् → र्द्)
- (3) देवोऽस्तु = देवः + अस्तु (ः + अ → ओऽ)
- (4) शमा॑दि॒त्येभिः = शम् + आदित्येभिः (म् + आ → मा)
- (5) आदित्येभिर्वरुणः = आदित्येभिः + वरुणः (ः + व् → र्व्)
- (6) शं नो रुद्रो = शम् + नः + रुद्रः (म् + न → ं न; तथा रुद्रः + (अगला ध्वनि) → रुद्रो (ः + र्-आदि → ओ))
- (7) रुद्रेभिर्जलााषः = रुद्रेभिः + जलााषः (ः + ज् → र्ज्)
- (8) शं नस्त्वष्टा = शम् + नः + त्वष्टा (म् + न → ं न; नः + त्व- → नस् + त्व- (वेद. संयोग))
- (9) ग्नाभिरिह = ग्नाभिः + इह (ः + इ → रि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Peace for us: may Indra be with the Vasus; peace: may Varuṇa, well-praised, be with the Ādityas; peace: may Rudra, healing, be with the Rudras; peace: may Tvaṣṭṛ here hear us with the Gnās (divine Mothers).
Inner meaning
A complete inner governance is invoked: Indra (illumined mind) with the Vasus (foundational harmonizing powers) stabilizes and enriches the being; Varuṇa with the Ādityas brings vast truth and moral clarity; Rudra with his host brings strong but healing force that removes inner illness and fear; Tvaṣṭṛ, the shaper, with the Mothers (gnā) perfects the formation of nature—refining mind, life, and body into a fit vessel for the divine working.
Universal truth
Peace is established when illumination, truth-law, healing force, and right formation cooperate—so transformation occurs without violence or disorder.
Themes
peace hymn, divine collectives, healing, right formation, cosmic order
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (probable)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86 (Varuṇa), RV 7.90 (Indra), RV 7.46 (Rudra; related tradition), RV 7.35
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha integrates royal (Indra), sovereign-law (Varuṇa), fierce-healing (Rudra), and artisan-shaping (Tvaṣṭṛ) powers—an integral yoga of transformation rather than a single-aspect pursuit.
Significance
The verse is a fourfold protection and perfection: illumination, truth, healing force, and right formation—key steps in inner evolution.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Vasus); Varuṇa (with Ādityas); Rudra (with Rudras); Tvaṣṭṛ (with Gnās)
- Epithets
- deva (of Indra here), suśaṃsa (well-affirming, of Varuṇa), jalāṣa (healing, of Rudra)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Soma, Agni, Sarasvatī (as mother-power)
Cosmic role
Indra conquers Vṛtra and releases lights; Varuṇa upholds ṛta; Rudra purifies and heals; Tvaṣṭṛ fashions bodies and subtle forms; Gnās support manifestation.
Inner power
Breakthrough illumination (Indra), vast truth and self-rule (Varuṇa), transformative healing intensity (Rudra), perfect shaping of nature (Tvaṣṭṛ + Mothers).
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective śānti within larger rites; also suitable for healing and consecration contexts.
शं न॒ इन्द्रो॒ वसु॑भिर्दे॒वो अ॑स्तु॒ शमा॑दि॒त्येभि॒र्वरु॑णः सु॒शंस॑: । शं नो॑ रु॒द्रो रु॒द्रेभि॒र्जला॑ष॒: शं न॒स्त्वष्टा॒ ग्नाभि॑रि॒ह शृ॑णोतु ॥
शम् । नः॒ । इन्द्रः॑ । वसु॑ऽभिः । दे॒वः । अ॒स्तु॒ । शम् । आ॑आ॒दि॒त्येभिः । वरु॑णः । सु॒ऽशंसः॑ । शम् । नः॒ । रु॒द्रः । रु॒द्रेभिः॑ । जला॑षः । शम् । नः॒ । त्वष्टा॑ । ग्नाभिः॑ । इ॒ह । शृ॒णो॒तु॒ ॥
śam | naḥ | indraḥ | vasu-bhiḥ | devaḥ | astu | śam | āādityebhiḥ | varuṇaḥ | su-śaṃsaḥ | śam | naḥ | rudraḥ | rudrebhiḥ | jalāṣaḥ | śam | naḥ | tvaṣṭā | gnābhiḥ | iha | śṛṇotu
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Strong, protective cadence; each pāda feels like a ‘seal’ of peace over a domain.
Invokes confidence and safety; steadies the nervous system while calling higher force.
- इन्द्रः (indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind, lord of illumination; power that breaks obscurations
- वसुभिः (vasubhiḥ)
- Literal: with the Vasus. Symbolic: with foundational powers of harmony, wealth, right substance
- वरुणः (varuṇaḥ)
- Literal: Varuṇa. Symbolic: vastness and truth-law; inner conscience and cosmic order
- आदित्येभिः (ādityebhiḥ)
- Literal: with the Ādityas. Symbolic: solar truth-powers: clarity, purity, right relation
- रुद्रः (rudraḥ)
- Literal: Rudra. Symbolic: force that is formidable yet beneficent—purifies by intensity
- जला॑षः (jalāṣaḥ)
- Literal: healing, health-giving. Symbolic: the grace within strong force; restoration of wholeness
- त्वष्टा (tvaṣṭā)
- Literal: the fashioner. Symbolic: shaping intelligence that perfects forms of consciousness
- ग्नाभिः (gnābhiḥ)
- Literal: with the gnās (divine women/mothers). Symbolic: matrix-powers (śaktis) that nurture and embody the divine formation
Comprehensive śānti invocation aligning major divine collectives; suitable as a closing benediction for rites seeking protection, healing, and right formation.
Before demanding rites, during expiations, or to invoke protection for participants.
Recitation as a fourfold invocation of guardian powers; can accompany sprinkling (prokṣaṇa) or silent resolve.
As a ‘psychic protection’ chant: call illumination (Indra), ethical clarity (Varuṇa), healing courage (Rudra), and right reshaping of habits (Tvaṣṭṛ).
Vasus (‘bright/good ones’) relate to vasu ‘good, wealth’—elemental supports of plenitude. Ādityas embody solar law and universality; Varuṇa as su-śaṃsa (‘good-affirming’) indicates that right speech and right order coincide. jalāṣa is a classic epithet of Rudra as healer—transforming the fierce into remedial purification. gnābhiḥ: gnā ‘divine woman/mother’ (Vedic), indicating formative/generative powers accompanying Tvaṣṭṛ’s shaping activity.
collective divine functions (gaṇa principle), healing purification (Rudra jalāṣa), formation of being (Tvaṣṭṛ), Ṛta upheld by Ādityas/Varuṇa
Varuṇa with Ādityas anchors the whole movement in law and truth, preventing force from becoming egoic.
Suśaṃsa: truth that is ‘well-affirmed’—a supportive verdict of the higher law within.
Tvaṣṭṛ and the Mothers indicate the divine artisanry of evolution—spirit shaping nature.
Integral transformation (Aurobindo): illumination + law + force + formation as coordinated powers.
From breakthrough mind to vast truth, then purifying force, then perfected embodiment—peace as a complete psycho-physical harmony.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘harmonization of divine hosts’: each great power is invoked together with its collective (Vasus/Ādityas/Rudras/Gnās), implying that peace is a systemic concord of cosmic functions—wealth-support, law, purification-healing, and formation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Rudra participates in the Indo-European storm/fierce-healer complex; the ‘divine collectives’ resemble Indo-European divine assemblies. √śru ‘hear’ (śṛṇotu) continues PIE *ḱleu-. The epithet jalāṣa shows Vedic semantic specialization—turning ferocity into healing—typologically comparable to other IE traditions where the dangerous god is also the physician.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks an all-level peace: elemental stability (Vasus), lawful truth (Ādityas/Varuṇa), purifying remedy (Rudra), and right shaping of capacities (Tvaṣṭṛ with generative gnās). The request ‘iha śṛṇotu’ stresses immediacy—divine hearing as present inner response in the practitioner.
Fourfold inner invocation: illumine (Indra), widen and govern (Varuṇa/Ādityas), purify and heal (Rudra), reshape and perfect (Tvaṣṭṛ/Mothers).
Ājñā (Indra illumination), Viśuddha (Varuṇa truth), Maṇipūra (Rudra force purified), Svādhiṣṭhāna/Mūlādhāra (Tvaṣṭṛ formation in life/body).
4-cycle breathing: inhale on each ‘śaṃ naḥ…’, exhale softly at pāda end; feel a protective ‘ring’ forming.
Śānta-vīra: tranquil courage.
Chant once; then silently offer four inner movements: (1) ‘Let the light decide’, (2) ‘Let truth rule’, (3) ‘Let force heal’, (4) ‘Let the Mother-shaping perfect the form’.
Maintain clear udātta peaks on deity names and qualifiers (इन्द्रो॒, वरु॑णः, रु॒द्रो, त्वष्टा॒).
Each pāda is an invocation; slightly lengthen the deity-name syllable bearing the accent; keep ‘śaṃ naḥ’ uniform.
indro: rolled ‘r’ light; long o, vasubhiḥ: aspirated bh; visarga soft, ādityebhiḥ: long ā at start; ‘tye’ clear, varuṇaḥ: retroflex ṇ, rudrebhiḥ: cluster dr; bh aspirated, jalāṣaḥ: long ā; retroflex ṣ, tvaṣṭā: conjunct ṣṭ; long ā, gnābhiḥ: initial gn cluster—‘g’ + ‘nā’ (not ‘jñā’)
Steady and protective; slightly firmer on Rudra/Tvaṣṭṛ pādas.
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