Rig Veda Sukta 67
Mandala 8Sukta 6721 Mantras

Sukta 67

Sukta 8.67

Devata

Ādityas (collective)

Dieser Hymnus bittet die Ādityas – königliche Wahrer des ṛta (der kosmischen Ordnung) – um Schutz, Huld und das glückliche Erreichen der Ziele. Vom Anruf über die dringende Bitte um Bewahrung in Gefahr bis hin zur umfassenden Verbannung von Hass, Sünde und bedrückender Heimsuchung zeichnet er die Ādityas als Hüter des Gesetzes und als Heiler sozialer wie innerer Unordnung.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 8.67

Mantras

Mantra 1

त्यान्नु क्षत्रियाँ अव आदित्यान्याचिषामहे । सुमृळीकाँ अभिष्टये ॥

Nun erbitten wir den Schutz jener königlichen Mächte, der Ādityas, der gnädigen und wohlgesinnten — damit unser Streben unter dem Gesetz der Wahrheit die ersehnte Erfüllung erreiche.

Mantra 2

मित्रो नो अत्यंहतिं वरुणः पर्षदर्यमा । आदित्यासो यथा विदुः ॥

Mitra führe uns über Enge und Bedrängnis hinaus; Varuṇa und Aryaman mögen uns hinübergeleiten – damit die Ādityas, wie sie das Gesetz (ṛta) kennen, uns den sicheren Übergang in die Weite gewähren.

Mantra 3

तेषां हि चित्रमुक्थ्यं वरूथमस्ति दाशुषे । आदित्यानामरंकृते ॥

Denn ihnen gehört ein leuchtender, preiswürdiger Schutz, ein Obdach, das dem Hymnus Antwort gibt, für den Spender, der recht darbringt – der Ādityas, tatbereit und hinreichend in der Kraft des Ordnens.

Mantra 4

महि वो महतामवो वरुण मित्रार्यमन् । अवांस्या वृणीमहे ॥

Groß ist euer großer Schutz, o Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman. Eure Zufluchten wählen und nehmen wir an – damit das große Gesetz (ṛta) über uns stehe und der gerade Pfad gefestigt sei.

Mantra 5

जीवान्नो अभि धेतनादित्यासः पुरा हथात् । कद्ध स्थ हवनश्रुतः ॥

O Ādityas, setzt uns fest in die Fülle des lebendigen Daseins; behütet uns zuvor vor dem Schlag des Totschlägers. Wo seid ihr denn, ihr Rufhörenden?

Mantra 6

यद्वः श्रान्ताय सुन्वते वरूथमस्ति यच्छर्दिः । तेना नो अधि वोचत ॥

Welcher Schutz auch immer euch eigen ist für den ermatteten Soma-Presser, welche schirmende Deckung auch immer — damit sprecht über uns und setzt uns in Sicherheit fest.

Mantra 7

अस्ति देवा अंहोरुर्वस्ति रत्नमनागसः । आदित्या अद्भुतैनसः ॥

Es gibt, o Götter, eine weite Weite jenseits der Bedrängnis; es gibt einen Schatz der Schuldlosigkeit — o Ādityas, von wunderbarer Kraft, die Sünde löst.

Mantra 8

मा नः सेतुः सिषेदयं महे वृणक्तु नस्परि । इन्द्र इद्धि श्रुतो वशी ॥

Möge uns diese Brücke nicht abgeschnitten werden; sie wähle uns und umfange uns ringsum für den großen Übergang. Denn Indra wahrlich ist der vielgehörte, der Herr der Macht.

Mantra 9

मा नो मृचा रिपूणां वृजिनानामविष्यवः । देवा अभि प्र मृक्षत ॥

Möge uns nicht der Schaden der Feindseligen, der Unrechtwirkenden, erreichen; o Götter, fegt sie rings um uns hinweg und treibt sie fort.

Mantra 10

उत त्वामदिते मह्यहं देव्युप ब्रुवे । सुमृळीकामभिष्टये ॥

Und zu dir, o weite Aditi, trete ich, der Große, mit meinem Wort, o Göttin—gnädig, heilend—zum Erreichen des innigen Begehrens.

Mantra 11

पर्षि दीने गभीर आँ उग्रपुत्रे जिघांसतः । माकिस्तोकस्य नो रिषत् ॥

Führe uns hinüber durch das Niedrige und durch die Tiefe, o Tochter des Mächtigen, vor denen, die uns erschlagen wollen. Niemand verletze unser tóka — Kind und Geschlechterfolge.

Mantra 12

अनेहो न उरुव्रज उरूचि वि प्रसर्तवे । कृधि तोकाय जीवसे ॥

Schaffe uns einen weiten, unhastigen Freiraum, o Weit-Leuchtende, damit wir uns in voller Ausdehnung entfalten. Tu es für unser tóka, damit es lebe.

Mantra 13

ये मूर्धानः क्षितीनामदब्धासः स्वयशसः । व्रता रक्षन्ते अद्रुहः ॥

Die da die Gipfelhäupter der Welten sind, untrüglich, selbstherrlich im Ruhm — sie wahren die vrata (heiligen Satzungen) ohne Trug.

Mantra 14

ते न आस्नो वृकाणामादित्यासो मुमोचत । स्तेनं बद्धमिवादिते ॥

Mögen jene Ādityas uns aus dem Rachen der Wölfe lösen; wie man einen gebundenen Dieb befreit, o Aditi, so mögen sie die Fesseln lockern, die die Seele umklammern.

Mantra 15

अपो षु ण इयं शरुरादित्या अप दुर्मतिः । अस्मदेत्वजघ्नुषी ॥

Fort mit uns sei dieser feindliche Pfeil, o Ādityas; weiche von uns der böse, verkehrte Sinn — sie, die den rechten Gang trifft und niederstreckt.

Mantra 16

शश्वद्धि वः सुदानव आदित्या ऊतिभिर्वयम् । पुरा नूनं बुभुज्महे ॥

Denn immerdar, o freigebige Ādityas, haben wir eurer Hilfe teilhaftig genossen — einst in der Vorzeit und auch jetzt; ununterbrochen ist euer Schutz in unserem Wachsen.

Mantra 17

शश्वन्तं हि प्रचेतसः प्रतियन्तं चिदेनसः । देवाः कृणुथ जीवसे ॥

O Götter klarer Einsicht, macht uns tauglich zum Leben — stets (zum rechten Weg) zurückkehrend, selbst wenn Schuld an uns haftet; gestaltet in uns die Kraft, in der Wahrheit zu leben.

Mantra 18

तत्सु नो नव्यं सन्यस आदित्या यन्मुमोचति । बन्धाद्बद्धमिवादिते ॥

Das ist für uns der immer neue Gewinn, o Ādityas: dass du, o Aditi, den Gebundenen aus den Banden löst — wie man löst, was fest verschnürt ist.

Mantra 19

नास्माकमस्ति तत्तर आदित्यासो अतिष्कदे । यूयमस्मभ्यं मृळत ॥

Nichts gibt es für uns darüber hinaus, o Ādityas, wenn die Gefahr überschlägt; ihr — erbarmt euch unser und stellt uns in Sicherheit.

Mantra 20

मा नो हेतिर्विवस्वत आदित्याः कृत्रिमा शरुः । पुरा नु जरसो वधीत् ॥

Nicht treffe uns die Waffe des Vivasvat, o Ādityas—auch nicht der künstlich geschaffene feindliche Pfeil; nicht schlage sie uns vor der Zeit, ehe wir gereift sind, jenseits des Drucks des Alters.

Mantra 21

वि षु द्वेषो व्यंहतिमादित्यासो वि संहितम् । विष्वग्वि वृहता रपः ॥

Streut weit hinweg Hass und Bedrängnis, o Ādityas; sprengt, was verdichtet und verknotet ist; treibt in alle Richtungen das drückende Unheil fort.

Inside Sukta 67

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A direct appeal for the protective ‘royal powers’ of the Ādityas, praised as gracious and favorable to the seeker’s aim.

  2. Development

    The hymn intensifies into practical safeguarding—crossing perilous conditions, warding off would-be harmers, and preserving the ‘toka’ (child/lineage/continuity).

  3. Climax

    A decisive protective turn: the Ādityas are asked to actively dismantle what is ‘knotted/compacted’—the tight formations of distress and hostility.

  4. Where it settles

    It closes with a broad apotropaic sweep: hatred, distress, and oppressive affliction are scattered in all directions, restoring space for ṛta and well-being.

The deity: Ādityas

  • In the VedaThe Ādityas are portrayed as luminous, “royal” guardians who uphold ṛta, watch over human conduct, loosen bonds of guilt, and grant wide shelter and well-being. They are repeatedly invoked as gracious (sumṛḷīka) and as protectors who drive away enmity and distress.
  • Cosmic functionTo maintain cosmic and social order through law, covenant, and moral oversight; to regulate the courses of sun and seasons, and to preserve harmony by restraining chaos, falsehood, and hostility.
  • Inner significanceThe Ādityas symbolize the inner governance of truth: conscience, clarity, ethical restraint, and the capacity to undo inner knots—fear, hostility, and self-sabotaging patterns—so intention can reach its rightful fulfillment.

Famous verses

sumṛḷīkān abhiṣṭaye
Verse 8.67.1Programmatic invocation: names the Ādityas as ‘kṣatriya’ sovereign powers and asks for their gracious protection so the seeker’s purpose is fulfilled under ṛta.Read verse 8.67.1 →
mākis tokasya no riṣat
Verse 8.67.11A vivid protection verse: asks to be carried across danger ‘in the low and in the deep’ and prays that none harm the ‘toka’ (child/lineage/inner continuity).Read verse 8.67.11 →
vi ṣu dveṣo vy aṃhatim
Verse 8.67.21The climactic dispersal prayer: commands the scattering of hatred and distress and the breaking apart of compacted oppression—an archetypal Āditya function of restoring order.Read verse 8.67.21 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Upholders of ṛta (truth-order)
  • Sovereign/royal protectors (kṣatriya powers)
  • Gracious and healing (sumṛḷīka)
  • All-seeing moral guardians
  • Bond-loosening and guilt-releasing
  • Dispellers of hatred, distress, and oppression

Also by this seer

  • Maṇḍala 8 contains a large Kāṇva corpus and many hymns to Indra, Agni, Soma, and the Ādityas; this sukta is part of that protective and order-affirming strand.
  • Because the rishi attribution is uncertain, no additional specific hymns can be assigned with confidence beyond RV 8.67 itself.

The rite, step by step

  • Establish the sacred fire (Agni) and purify the space with water and orderly seating.
  • Recite opening invocations to the Ādityas, explicitly requesting their ‘avaḥ’ (protection) and gracious disposition.
  • State the concrete need: safe passage through ‘low and deep’ conditions (danger, uncertainty), protection of household/lineage (toka), and freedom from attackers or hostile forces.
  • Offer oblations while repeating protective refrains/verses, asking the Ādityas to loosen knots of distress and to scatter hatred.
  • Conclude with a dispersal prayer: drive away dveṣa (enmity), aṃhati (distress), and rapas (oppressive affliction), sealing the rite with a final oblation and silent resolve to live by ṛta.

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya) into the fire
  • Soma (where applicable in Soma context) or a substitute libation
  • Milk/curds and simple food offerings in domestic rites
  • Water oblations and sprinkling for purification

Frequently Asked Questions

The Ādityas are a group of deities linked with the sun and with moral-cosmic law (ṛta). They include figures like Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryaman, invoked here together as protectors.

The hymn asks for Āditya protection—safe passage through dangers, safeguarding of one’s child/lineage (toka), and the removal of hatred, distress, and oppressive affliction.

Because they are seen as sovereign guardians of order: they rule by truth and law, restrain harmful forces, and ensure stability in the world and in human life.

Ask anything about Sukta 67 of the Rig Veda

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