Rig Veda 7.38.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 38, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.38
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ with specific mention of Ahi Budhnya and Varūtrī
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अभि ये मिथो वनुषः सपन्ते रातिं दिवो रातिषाचः पृथिव्याः । अहिर्बुध्न्य उत नः शृणोतु वरूत्र्येकधेनुभिर्नि पातु ॥
abhí yé mithó vanúṣaḥ sápante rātíṃ divó rāti-sā́caḥ pṛthivyā́ḥ | áhīr budhnyà utá naḥ śṛṇotu varū́try éka-dhenubhir ní pātu ||
Mögen zu uns herankommen jene Mächte, die miteinander ringend vorandrängen zur Gabe – Gefährten des Schenkens von Himmel und von Erde. Ahi Budhnya, die Schlange des tiefen Grundes, höre uns; und Varūtrī möge uns behüten, einströmig, mit ihren milchgebenden Kühen des Überflusses.
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, against, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मिथः
- mutually, with one anotherIndeclinableअव्ययRoot मिथस् (अव्यय)
- वनुषः
- rivals, opponentsNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वनुष् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वनुष्’ = प्रतिद्वन्द्वी/शत्रु/प्रतिपक्ष)
- सपन्ते
- they pursue/assailVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root सप् (धातु; ‘to follow/seek after, to assail’—Vedic)
- रातिम्
- gift, bountyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot राति (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक; ‘gift, bounty’)
- दिवः
- of heaven/skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root दिव्/द्यौः (प्रातिपदिक)
- रातिषाचः
- winning/obtaining giftsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (ये …)Root राति-षाच् (समास; ‘gift-seeking/attaining’)
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root पृथिवी (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक)
- अहिर्बुध्न्यः
- Ahi Budhnya (the serpent of the deep)Proper Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (शृणोतु) / सम्बोधनार्थ-उल्लेखRoot अहि-बुध्न्य (समास; देवता-नाम)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उत (अव्यय)
- नः
- to us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna (श्रवणस्य) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- शृणोतु
- let him hearVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root श्रु (धातु)
- वरूत्री
- protective shelter, protectionNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (नि पातु) / साधनभावRoot वरूत्री (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक; ‘protection, shelter’)
- एकधेनुभिः
- with onefold streams/milch-cows (i.e., with unified means)Noun (instrumental phrase)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot एक-धेनु (समास; ‘having one stream/milk-cow’ → ‘with uniform/onefold milch-cows/streams’)
- नि
- down, fullyIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पातु
- let (it/he) protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root पा (धातु; ‘to protect’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): (1) अ॒भि + ये → अभि ये (सन्धि नहीं)
- (2) अहि॑र्बु॒ध्न्य॑ः → अहिः + बुध्न्यः (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफादेश: ः + ब् → र्)
- (3) वरू॒त्र्येक॑धेनुभिः → वरूत्री + एकधेनुभिः (ई + ए → य्-आगम: ईए → ये)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May those powers that strive together toward the gift—companions of the giving from heaven and earth—approach. May Ahi Budhnya hear us, and may Varūtrī protect us with her single-streaming milch-cows.
Inner meaning
The verse calls the cooperating divine forces in us that ‘press forward together’ toward the gift (rāti): the descent of helpful power from above (heaven) into the embodied field (earth). Ahi Budhnya, the serpent of the deep foundation, symbolizes the latent, coiled power in the subconscious base that must become an ally rather than an obstruction—he is asked to ‘hear’, i.e., consent to transformation. Varūtrī is the encompassing protective Shakti that guards the sadhaka from below (the subconscient) and all around, feeding the being with a single, undivided stream of nourishing energies (ekadhenubhiḥ)—unfragmented abundance.
Universal truth
Progress requires cooperation of higher and lower nature: when the deep foundation consents and a protecting unity surrounds us, abundance becomes one continuous flow rather than scattered gains.
Themes
Protection, Invocation of cosmic powers, Integration of depth-forces, Heaven–Earth plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.34 (Viśve Devāḥ), RV 7.35 (peace/protection), RV 7.69, RV 7.87
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s realism: not only invoke the heights; also address the deep foundation (budhna) and protection in transformation.
Significance
The seer acknowledges the subconscient base as a necessary participant; protection and unified nourishment are essential for stable ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ (with Ahi Budhnya and Varūtrī)
- Epithets
- rātiṣācaḥ (companions of the giving), varūtrī (protectress), ahir budhnya (deep serpent)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Ādityas, Agni, Indra (as slayer of resistances)
Cosmic role
Collective divine functions coordinating gifts from heaven and earth; deep foundational power; protective encompassing force.
Inner power
Integration of higher descent with subconscient consent; protection that ensures the descent remains pure and continuous.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Viśve Devāḥ invocations; protective prayers; possible use in rites seeking safety and abundance
अ॒भि ये मि॒थो व॒नुष॒: सप॑न्ते रा॒तिं दि॒वो रा॑ति॒षाच॑: पृथि॒व्याः । अहि॑र्बु॒ध्न्य॑ उ॒त न॑: शृणोतु॒ वरू॒त्र्येक॑धेनुभि॒र्नि पा॑तु ॥
अ॒भि । ये । मि॒थः । व॒नुषः॑ । सप॑न्ते । रा॒तिम् दि॒वः । रा॒ति॒ऽसाचः॑ । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । अहिः॑ । बु॒ध्न्यः॑ । उ॒त । नः॒ । शृ॒णो॒तु॒ । वरू॑त्री । एक॑धेनुऽभिः । नि । पा॒तु॒ ॥
abhi | ye | mithaḥ | vanuṣaḥ | sapante | rātim divaḥ | rāti-sācaḥ | pṛthivyāḥ | ahiḥ | budhnyaḥ | uta | naḥ | śṛṇotu | varūtrī | ekadhenu-bhiḥ | ni | pātu
44
4 × ~11
Dynamic and somewhat urgent in the first half; stabilizing and protective in the second.
Energizes aspiration and then seals it with a sense of guarded depth—useful when facing inner turbulence.
- मिथः (mithaḥ)
- Literal: together, mutually. Symbolic: cooperation of inner powers; integration of faculties
- वनुषः (vanuṣaḥ)
- Literal: striving, eager. Symbolic: aspiring energies pressing toward realization
- सपन्ते (sapante)
- Literal: they press/advance. Symbolic: inner pressure of tapas toward the gift
- राति (rāti)
- Literal: gift, giving. Symbolic: descent of grace/power; spiritual boon
- दिवः / पृथिव्याः (divaḥ / pṛthivyāḥ)
- Literal: from heaven / from earth. Symbolic: from higher consciousness and from embodied nature—both contribute
- अहिर्बुध्न्य (ahir budhnya)
- Literal: serpent of the deep foundation. Symbolic: subconscient/kuṇḍalinī-like latent force; deep life-energy needing consent
- वरूत्री (varūtrī)
- Literal: protectress. Symbolic: enveloping protective Shakti; guardian against lower intrusion
- एकधेनुभिः (ekadhenubhiḥ)
- Literal: with single milch-cows / one-streaming cows. Symbolic: unified streams of nourishing light/force (rays) feeding the being
General invocatory usage within Soma-yajña/Agni-led offerings; protective (rakṣaṇa) framing for the rite and the sacrificer (yajamāna)
When invoking collective gods for support; also in protective transitions within rites
Calling cooperative powers, then asking deep power to listen and protectress to guard
Chant when feeling subconscient anxiety or scattered energy; use as a protective ‘container’ before deep meditation.
Key terms: (1) rātí- ‘gift, giving’ from √rā ‘to give, grant’; suggests an inner bestowal rather than material donation. (2) sā́c ‘together with, accompanying’ in rāti-sā́caḥ: powers that move in companionship with the act of giving. (3) budhna ‘bottom, base’ (PIE *bʰudʰ-no- ‘foundation’), hence budhnya ‘belonging to the depth’; Ahi Budhnya is the power of the nether foundation/subconscient. (4) varū́trī ‘protectress/encloser’ from √vṛ ‘to cover, surround, ward’; protection as a conscious containment against dissolution. (5) dhénu ‘milch-cow; yielding stream’ from √dhā/√dhen ‘to flow, to nourish’; symbolically the streaming of light/force/joy; éka-dhenu- indicates unified, non-scattered flow.
Ṛta as harmonized cooperation of powers (mitháḥ), Protection/containment (varūtra) against disorder, Subconscient foundation (budhna) as a layer to be appeased and integrated
Cooperating powers moving together implies alignment with ṛta rather than conflict.
Truth as undivided flow (eka-dhenu): one stream of nourishing force.
Descent and integration: gifts from heaven and earth unified; deep foundation participates.
Yoga of transformation: subconscient must be converted; protection is a necessary power of the Divine Shakti.
Higher and lower consciousness cooperating; latent base-energy awakened safely; nourishment as unified light/force streams.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the reconciliation/integration of the depth-serpent power (Ahi Budhnya) with the luminous gifts of Heaven and Earth: the foundational, coiled force is not slain but made to 'hear' and support the rite, while Varūtrī encloses and guards—turning potentially obstructive depths into a protected base for the descent of rāti (inner gifts).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- budhna- ‘base’ aligns with PIE *bʰudʰ-no- ‘bottom, foundation’ (cf. English ‘bottom’ via Germanic developments; and the widespread IE formation in -no-). √pā ‘protect’ is an old IE root (cf. Latin pāstor ‘shepherd’ as protector). √vṛ ‘cover’ has IE parallels in notions of enclosing/warding (covering as protection), supporting the semantic field of varūtrī.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer requests a reciprocal alignment: the powers who 'strive together' toward the gift are asked to approach, while the human side offers attention and invocation; in return, Ahi Budhnya grants hearing (responsive presence from the depths) and Varūtrī grants containment/protection—establishing a secure inner field in which the divine giving can operate without dispersion or hostile intrusion.
Invite cooperative forces of ascent; ask the deep foundation to consent; establish a protective field for unified nourishment.
mūlādhāra (budhna/foundation) with anāhata (protective enveloping field)
Grounding breath: slow inhale down to the base, slow exhale expanding a protective sphere around the body; end with a brief stillness on ‘ni pātu’.
Integrated force with protected depth; safe awakening of latent energy.
Before deeper practices, chant once or thrice; visualize a coiled luminous force at the base becoming attentive (hearing), while a protective mantle surrounds you; then allow a single stream of calm energy to rise.
Maintain clear accent distinctions; the opening has forward momentum—avoid flattening into monotone.
Give energy to ‘sapante’ and ‘rātiṃ’; slow slightly on ‘ahir budhnya’ for depth; conclude firmly on ‘ni pātu’.
(mitho): dental th aspirated, (vanuṣaḥ): retroflex ṣ, (rātiṣācaḥ): long ā; ṣā aspirated c? (c is unaspirated; keep ‘cā’ clear), (ahir-budhnyaḥ): budh-nya cluster; don’t drop h, (varūtrī): long ū; retroflex ṭr cluster, (ekadhenubhiḥ): dh aspirated; long e; bh aspirated
Begin energetic, then deepen and round the tone for protection.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
