Rig Veda 8.47.8: Mandala 8, Sukta 47, Mantra 8
Sukta 8.47
- Devata
- Devāḥ, with Āditya-protection refrained in refrain
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
युष्मे देवा अपि ष्मसि युध्यन्त इव वर्मसु । यूयं महो न एनसो यूयमर्भादुरुष्यतानेहसो व ऊतयः सुतयो व ऊतयः ॥
yuṣmé devā́ ápi ṣmasi yúdhyanta iva vármasu | yūyáṃ mahó na énaso yūyám arbhā́d uruṣyatānehasaḥ vo ūtáyaḥ su-ūtáyaḥ vo ūtáyaḥ ||
In euch, o Götter, stehen wir fest wie Kämpfer in Rüstung. Ihr seid es, die uns vor großer Verfehlung und vor kleiner bewahrt; eure Hilfen seien mit uns, unversehrt, eure guten Hilfen.
Word by Word
- युष्मे
- to/for you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन (Vedic: enclitic form; here best as चतुर्थी ‘to/for you two’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपि
- also, indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRole (सम्बन्ध/निपात)Root अपि
- स्मसि
- we areVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Vedic form of ‘स्मः’)Role (क्रिया)Root अस् (धातु)
- युध्यन्ते
- they fightVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root युध् (धातु)
- इव
- as if, likeIndeclinableअव्ययRole (उपमान-निपात)Root इव
- वर्मसु
- in armours, in coats of mailNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- महो
- of the great (one); of greatnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot महस्/महत् (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic gen. sg. ‘महो’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमा/निपात)Role (उपमान-निपात)Root न
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एनसः
- of sin, of guiltNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (also possible abl. sg. in form; here gen. ‘of sin/offence’)Role सम्बन्धRoot एनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्भात्
- from distress/straits; from harm (lit. ‘from the small/weak’ in Vedic idiom)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचनRole अपादानRoot अर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उरुष्यत
- protect (us)!, save!Verbलोट्/आज्ञार्थ, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Vedic injunctive/imperative usage)Role (क्रिया)Root उरुष्य् (धातु; denominative ‘to protect, to save’)
- अनेहसः
- undistressing, unharmingAdjective(विशेषण) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (agreeing with ‘ऊतयः’)Role कर्तृRoot अनेहस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘without distress/without want’)
- वः
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊतयः
- helps, protectionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतयः
- pressings (of Soma); libationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सुति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊतयः
- helps, protectionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठ-समाधान (Vedic sandhi): (1) ‘अपि ष्मसि’ = ‘अपि स्मसि’ (ष्म- for स्म-; Vedic phonetic assimilation). (2) ‘युध्यन्त इव’ → resolved as finite verb ‘युध्यन्ते’ + ‘इव’ (metrical/saṃhitā contraction; RV often shows -न्त इव for -न्ते इव). (3) ‘महो न एनसो’ = ‘महो’ (gen. sg. of महस्/महत्) + ‘न’ + ‘नः’ + ‘एनसः’ (enclitic ‘नः’). (4) ‘अर्भादुरुष्यत’ = ‘अर्भात्’ + ‘उरुष्यत’ (t + u → du by saṃhitā sandhi). (5) ‘उरुष्यतानेहसो’ = ‘उरुष्यत’ + ‘अनेहसः’ (t + a → tā by external sandhi; final -s of अनेहसः seen before v- in ‘वः’). (6) ‘ऊतयः सुतयः’ are appositional nominatives
- repetition ‘… व ऊतयः : सुतयो व ऊतयः’ is stylistic/metrical
The meaning
Outer meaning
In you, O Gods, we take our stand like fighters in armour. You save us from great wrongdoing and from small; may your harmless, good helps be with us.
Inner meaning
The aspirant ‘stands in’ the divine powers like a warrior within armour: not relying on ego-defense but on a conscious alignment with higher forces. ‘Mahas enas’ and ‘arbhād enas’ are large and small deviations—major falls and subtle distortions. The Ādityas protect by restoring right measure and truth, preventing both dramatic collapse and tiny compromises that gradually erode the sadhana.
Universal truth
Integrity is lost both by big transgressions and small concessions. Real protection is an inner alignment that gives strength, clarity, and resilience in every scale of challenge.
Themes
Inner-warrior-discipline, Purification-from-enas, Divine-protection-field
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.47.5-9
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 8 protection hymn-stream; specific seer not recoverable from excerpt.
Significance
Frames spiritual life as a battle requiring divine armour: a key Aurobindonian motif—yoga as a conscious warfare against ignorance, protected by truth-powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Devāḥ (general) with Āditya-protection refrain
- Epithets
- anehasaḥ (harmless), su-ūtayaḥ (good helps), uruṣyant (wide-protecting)
- Related deities
- Ādityas, Indra, Aditi
Cosmic role
Godheads as powers of the One: they uphold the aspirant against error and restore harmony across scales of action.
Inner power
They provide ‘armour’—stable force and clarity—so the being can engage struggle without being wounded by reactions.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective and expiatory prayer (removal of enas)
यु॒ष्मे दे॑वा॒ अपि॑ ष्मसि॒ युध्य॑न्त इव॒ वर्म॑सु । यू॒यं म॒हो न॒ एन॑सो यू॒यमर्भा॑दुरुष्यताने॒हसो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: सु॒तयो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: ॥
यु॒ष्मे इति॑ । दे॒वाः॒ । अपि॑ । स्म॒सि॒ । युध्य॑न्तःऽइव । वर्म॑सु । यू॒यम् । म॒हः । नः॒ । एन॑सः । यू॒यम् । अर्भा॑त् । उ॒रु॒ष्य॒त॒ । अ॒ने॒हसः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ । सु॒ऽऊ॒तयः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ ॥
yuṣme iti | devāḥ | api | smasi | yudhyantaḥ-iva | varmasu | yūyam | mahaḥ | naḥ | enasaḥ | yūyam | arbhāt | uruṣyata | anehasaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ | su-ūtayaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ
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Two main pādas plus refrain-like extension; the simile ‘yudhyanta iva varmasu’ provides a strong rhythmic image.
Martial steadiness; then repetitive refrain stabilizes into protection.
Energizes courage while keeping the nervous system contained; good for fear and moral wavering.
- युष्मे…अपि स्मसि (yuṣme…api smasi)
- Literal: in you we are/stand. Symbolic: taking refuge by identification with higher consciousness
- युध्यन्तः इव (yudhyanta iva)
- Literal: like those who fight. Symbolic: active inner struggle for truth and progress
- वर्मसु (varmasu)
- Literal: in armours. Symbolic: protective sheath of divine force; stable inner poise
- एनसः (enasaḥ)
- Literal: sin/offence/defect. Symbolic: deviation from truth; error of mind, heart, or will
- महः (mahaḥ)
- Literal: great. Symbolic: gross lapses; overwhelming wrong movement
- अर्भात् (arbhāt)
- Literal: small, minor. Symbolic: minute slips, subtle egoism, small falsehoods
General protective and purificatory use; recited for freedom from enas (moral/psychic error) in rites emphasizing purification and safe passage.
When seeking purification from fault and protection in conflict or uncertainty
Recitation with resolve (saṅkalpa) to stand in the gods; offer errors into truth (Āditya order)
Use before challenging tasks; also as a ‘moral clarity’ mantra when tempted by small compromises.
varman ‘armour’ from √vṛ ‘to cover, ward’; psychologically, a divine protective formation. enas ‘fault/sin’ is ‘that which burdens/taints’, contrasted as ‘great’ and ‘small’ to include all deviations. uruṣyati from √urūṣ/uru ‘wide’ → ‘make wide/safe’; the Vedic equation ‘wideness = safety/freedom’ is central to inner interpretation (release into Aditi-like vastness).
Enas (deviation from ṛta) and its removal, Wideness-as-safety (uru, Aditi principle), Inner battle (yudh imagery)
Enas is departure from ṛta; the gods restore alignment.
Protection from small and great errors implies increasing truth-precision in consciousness.
Progress as ordered evolution: guarding against regression at both macro and micro levels.
Yoga of works and inner battle (kṣatriya aspect of sadhana) within a truth-order framework.
Armour is the stable force-field of higher consciousness; battle is the inner struggle against ignorance and habit.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘armoured battle under the Gods’: the seeker fights within divine coverings (varman), while the Gods deliver from enas (error/sin) in both its massive and subtle forms. It is the archetype of spiritual warfare safeguarded by ṛta-powers.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛ ‘cover’ (varman) is a strong IE root (cf. Latin ver- in ‘covering’ semantics is not direct, but PIE *wer- ‘to cover’ appears across branches). The ‘wide = safe’ semantic (uru → protection) is an archaic Indo-Iranian spiritual metaphor (Avestan ‘vouru-’ ‘wide’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi does not ask to be spared struggle; rather he asks to struggle ‘in you’—to have the Gods as the very medium of his battle. The Devata becomes the inner armour and the purifier from enas, enabling right action aligned with ṛta.
Take inner refuge in the divine powers; observe and correct both large and subtle deviations from truth.
Manipura (courage/steadfast action) with Ajna (discernment)
Brisker inhale to gather strength; long exhale on refrain to seal protection; 6–12 cycles.
From wavering to ‘armoured’ steadiness—calm courage.
Before action, say ‘yuṣme…api smasi’ as identification; then scan for ‘small enas’ (tiny untruths) and release them on the refrain.
Accents not fully reconstructible; keep ‘yūyam’ and ‘enaso’ clearly emphasized; maintain identical melody for each refrain repetition.
Give a slight lift on ‘yudhyanta’ to evoke battle-energy; settle on ‘anehaso va ūtayaḥ’ as a steady drone.
yuṣme: keep ṣ retroflex, varmasu: v-ar-ma-su, not ‘war’, enaso: clear e-na-so, uruṣyata: articulate retroflex ṣ and dental t
Clear, upright, slightly brighter tone; avoid shouting.
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