Rig Veda 8.27.13: Mandala 8, Sukta 27, Mantra 13
Sukta 8.27
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
देवंदेवं वोऽवसे देवंदेवमभिष्टये । देवंदेवं हुवेम वाजसातये गृणन्तो देव्या धिया ॥
deváṃ-deváṃ vo ’váse deváṃ-devam abhiṣṭáye | deváṃ-devam huvema vā́ja-sātaye gṛṇánto devyā́ dhiyā́ ||
Jeden Gott und jeden Gott rufen wir euch zur Hilfe, jeden Gott und jeden Gott zu unserem höchsten Heil. Jeden Gott und jeden Gott beschwören wir zum Gewinn der Vāja—der sieghaften Kraft und Fülle—, indem wir mit göttlich inspirierter Einsicht (dhī) preisen.
Word by Word
- देवम्
- the god (as object)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव् (धातु, ‘दीप्तौ/क्रीडायाम्’)
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव्
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘वः’)Role सम्प्रदान (हितार्थे) / सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवसे
- for help, for protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक) < अव् (‘रक्षणे/अवने’)
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव्
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव्
- अभिष्टये
- for aid, for assistanceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अभिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) < अभि-ष्टि (√स्था/√ष्ठा/√स्ति-वृत्तिः; ‘अभिगमन/प्राप्ति/सहाय’ अर्थे)
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव्
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव्
- हुवेम
- we invoke, we callVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप)Role (क्रिया) —Root √हू (जुहोत्यादि, ‘आह्वाने’)
- वाजसातये
- for winning of prize/strength, for gaining bootyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot वाजसाति (प्रातिपदिक) = वाज- + साति (< √सन्/√सा ‘प्राप्तौ/लाभे’)
- गृणन्तः
- praising, singingParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त)Role कर्तृRoot √गृ (भ्वादि, ‘स्तुतौ’) → वर्तमान कृदन्त ‘गृणत्’
- देव्याः
- of the divineAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot देव्य (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) < देव
- धिया
- with thought, with inspired insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot धि (प्रातिपदिक) < √धा (‘धारणे/विधाने’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): दे॒वंदे॑वं → देवम् देवम् (अन्त्य -म् + आरम्भ द- : अनुस्वार-लेखन/सन्धि)
- वोऽव॑से → वः अवसे (ओऽ = विसर्गस्य ‘अ’ परेऽवग्रहः)
- दे॒वंदे॑वम॒भिष्ट॑ये → देवम् देवम् अभिष्टये (म् + अ-)
- हुवेम॒ वाज॑सातये → हुवेम वाजसातये (सन्धि नहीं)
- गृ॒णन्तो॑ दे॒व्या धि॒या → गृणन्तः देव्याः धिया (पदपाठानुसारः: -o = -ः; देव्या = देव्याः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We call each and every god for help, for our highest good, and for winning strength/plenty, praising with divine intelligence.
Inner meaning
The seeker does not cling to a single capacity while neglecting others: every divine power is invoked—will (Agni), illumination (Indra), harmony and law (Ādityas), delight (Soma), awakening (Uṣas/Savitṛ), etc. ‘Vājasātaye’ is the conquest of effective force: the integrated victory of the yoga in life. This is done by ‘devyā dhiyā’—a mind made luminous and inspired, not by ordinary reasoning.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires integral invocation: when all higher faculties are called and praised through a purified intelligence, life gains strength, help, and the power to realize the good.
Themes
Universal invocation, Aspiration for highest good, Attainment of force/plenitude, Mantric intelligence (dhī)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.27.10-12,14, RV 1.89 (All-Gods, protection and welfare)
Family tradition
Kāṇva-style integral invocation; the repetition ‘devaṃ-devaṃ’ is a litany-like yogic insistence on wholeness.
Significance
The rishi teaches integrality: the One is approached through the many powers, and the instrument is the ‘divine dhi’—a mind capable of receiving higher light.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ (All-Gods) in distributive form ‘each and every god’
- Epithets
- devaṃ-devaṃ (each god)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Savitṛ, Ādityas
Cosmic role
Totality of luminous powers that uphold the cosmos and empower human realization.
Inner power
Integral coordination—calling each power to contribute its specific function to the seeker’s growth and victory.
In ritual
Where it is used
General collective invocation; suitable at the start of a session of offerings or as a summative call to all powers.
दे॒वंदे॑वं॒ वोऽव॑से दे॒वंदे॑वम॒भिष्ट॑ये । दे॒वंदे॑वं हुवेम॒ वाज॑सातये गृ॒णन्तो॑ दे॒व्या धि॒या ॥
दे॒वम्ऽदे॑वम् । वः॒ । अव॑से । दे॒वम्ऽदे॑वम् । अ॒भिष्ट॑ये । दे॒वम्ऽदे॑वम् । हु॒वे॒म॒ । वाज॑ऽसातये । गृ॒णन्तः॑ । दे॒व्या । धि॒या ॥
devam-devam | vaḥ | avase | devam-devam | abhiṣṭaye | devam-devam | huvema | vāja-sātaye | gṛṇantaḥ | devyā | dhiyā
Gāyatrī (possible due to compact repetitive structure)
24
3 × 8 (though sandhi may blur; if recited as 3 pādas it fits gāyatrī-like litany)
Mantric, refrain-like, easy to memorize; strong anaphora (‘devaṃ-devaṃ’).
Builds concentration through repetition; evokes a sense of invoking a complete inner pantheon.
- देवंदेवं (devaṃ-devaṃ)
- Literal: each god, every god. Symbolic: every higher power/faculty needed for integral transformation
- अवसे (avase)
- Literal: for help. Symbolic: active support from the higher consciousness in difficulties and action
- अभिष्टये (abhiṣṭaye)
- Literal: for the best/desired good. Symbolic: the soul’s true good (śreyas): growth toward the divine aim
- वाजसातये (vājasātaye)
- Literal: for winning vāja (prize/strength). Symbolic: victory of effective force; dynamic realization in life
- देव्या धिया (devyā dhiyā)
- Literal: with divine thought/intelligence. Symbolic: inspired mind (dhi) capable of true discernment and mantra-vision
Comprehensive invocation at a climactic point of praise: calling all powers for aid, highest good, and vāja-winning; suitable as a unifying refrain in multi-deity offerings.
At openings/closures of worship, or when seeking comprehensive help and strength.
Recite with mental enumeration of inner powers; offer a single oblation as symbol of integrality.
Use as an ‘integral alignment’ mantra before meditation or demanding tasks—call will, clarity, harmony, delight, courage together.
abhiṣṭi ‘highest wish/aim’ from abhi- + √sthā ‘stand’ → ‘that which stands foremost’. vāja-sāti: vāja ‘strength, plenitude, victorious force’ (not merely ‘food/prize’) + sāti ‘winning’ from √san/√sā ‘to gain, win’. hu- (huvema) from √hū ‘call, invoke’. gṛṇ- from √gṛ ‘sing/praise’ (PIE *gʷerh₃- ‘praise’ often cited).
integrality of the divine (devam-devam), attainment (sāti) as inner realization, vāja as plenitude of force (Bṛhat energy)
Invoking all gods is invoking the full order of ṛta to act in the seeker.
Devī dhi is truth-intelligence; praise becomes a channel of satya.
Plenitude (vāja) as manifestation of higher force in life.
Integral Vedism (Aurobindo): gods as functional powers; wholeness of sadhana.
The ‘many gods’ are many lights in consciousness; their unity forms a single luminous field enabling victory-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the integrative total-invocation: the many gods are approached as a coordinated manifold where each power is called distinctly yet as part of the whole. The goal is abhiṣṭi (highest good) and vāja-sāti—winning the plenitude of force needed for the soul’s victorious advance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The repetitive distributive formula (devam-devam) is a poetic intensifier comparable to IE iteration for totality/emphasis. Roots √hū ‘call’ and √gṛ ‘praise’ reflect archaic hymn-register verbs with broad IE correspondences in ritual speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers devyā dhiyā—an intelligence made ‘divine’ by alignment with truth—as the mode of approach. The gods are asked to reciprocate by giving aid, the highest fulfillment, and the winning of vāja: not external spoils, but the inner fullness of effective force for realizing ṛta in life.
Integral invocation: silently name the faculties you need (will, light, peace, joy, strength) and call the corresponding ‘deva’ within.
sahasrāra (integration) with ājñā (devī dhi)
box breathing 4-4-4-4 while repeating devaṃ-devaṃ; on holds, feel ‘help’ descending.
Unified, empowered, inwardly supported.
Repeat slowly; after each ‘devaṃ-devaṃ’ pause and feel a different power awaken; end by feeling them as one presence acting through you.
Svara not provided; treat the repetition as a refrain—slight rise on the first ‘devaṃ’ and settle on the second; keep pāda endings clean.
Emphasize avase / abhiṣṭaye / vājasātaye as the three aims; keep devyā dhiyā luminous and clear.
devaṃ-devaṃ: nasal ‘ṃ’ lightly before d, abhiṣṭaye: ‘a-bhiṣ-ṭa-ye’ (retroflex ṭ), vājasātaye: ‘vā-ja-sā-ta-ye’ (long ā), gṛṇanto: vocalic ṛ in gṛ
clear, confident, expansive
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