Rig Veda 8.67.19: Mandala 8, Sukta 67, Mantra 19
Sukta 8.67
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
नास्माकमस्ति तत्तर आदित्यासो अतिष्कदे । यूयमस्मभ्यं मृळत ॥
nā́smā́kam asti táttara ādityāso atiṣkáde | yūyám asmábhyaṁ mṛḷata ||
Nichts gibt es für uns darüber hinaus, o Ādityas, wenn die Gefahr überschlägt; ihr — erbarmt euch unser und stellt uns in Sicherheit.
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (negation)Root न
- अस्माकम्
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessive/genitive relation)Root अस्मद्
- अस्ति
- is / existsVerbलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (copula)Root अस् (असँ)
- तत्
- thatPronounप्रथमा/द्वितीया, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचनRole कर्म/विषय (that thing as the matter spoken of)Root तद्
- तरः
- a rescuer / one who carries acrossNounप्रथमा, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचनRole कर्ता (as predicate-noun: ‘a crosser/overcomer’)Root तर (तॄ/तॄ-भावः; ‘crossing, overcoming’; prātipadika: तर)
- आदित्याः
- O ĀdityasNounसम्बोधन (vocative), पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot आदित्य (प्रātipadika)
- अतिष्कदे
- leap over / pass beyondVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (Vedic ending -e)Role (injunctive/imperative action directed to the addressed)Root स्कन्द्/स्कद् (Vedic: ‘to leap, spring’; with preverb अति-)
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्ताRoot युष्मद्
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to us / for usPronounचतुर्थी (dative), बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- मृळत
- be gracious / show mercyVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (requested action by the addressed)Root मृळ् (मृळँ) ‘to be gracious, show mercy’
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi resolved as: नास्माकम् → न + अस्माकम्
- तत्तरः → तत् + तरः. The rest are already padic forms. Accent marks in the saṃhitā text indicate Vedic udātta/svarita but are not re-applied per-pada here beyond noting the original source has Vedic accentuation
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Ādityas, when danger overleaps us, there is no other refuge beyond that (your protection). Show mercy to us and place us in safety.
Inner meaning
When inner crisis “overleaps” the mental-vital being, the seeker recognizes no power higher than the solar Truth-forces (Ādityas: Mitra-Varuṇa-Aryaman-Bhaga etc.) for establishing right order. The prayer is for their grace to restore inner harmony, wideness, and protection of the sadhana from collapse into fear, falsehood, or impulsive action.
Universal truth
In moments of overwhelm, the most effective refuge is alignment with principles of truth, law, harmony, and luminous discernment; grace operates as a restoring order that re-seats consciousness in safety and clarity.
Themes
refuge, mercy, crisis-protection
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.67.1-21 (Āditya-related section within the 8th Maṇḍala context)
Significance
The rishi-voice here is characteristically “solar”: it turns from mere fear to a principled refuge in the cosmic guardians of Ṛta (right order). Even without a named seer, the mantra carries the stamp of inner discipline—seeking safety by truth-alignment rather than by outer control.
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Epithets
- Guardians of Ṛta, Sons of Aditi, Lords of vastness (Aditi), Protectors, Upholders of truth and law
- Related deities
- Aditi, Sūrya, Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Bhaga, Savitar
Cosmic role
They maintain Ṛta (cosmic order), protect the worlds from disorder, and establish the sunlit law of right relation among forces.
Inner power
Conscience of Truth (satya-buddhi), ethical clarity, inner protection through right arrangement of thought, will, and action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Supplication for grace in crisis; typical of protective hymns where deities of law are invoked as ultimate refuge.
नास्माक॑मस्ति॒ तत्तर॒ आदि॑त्यासो अति॒ष्कदे॑ । यू॒यम॒स्मभ्यं॑ मृळत ॥
न । अ॒स्माक॑म् । अ॒स्ति॒ । तत् । तरः॑ । आदि॑त्यासः । अ॒ति॒ऽस्कदे॑ । यू॒यम् । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । मृ॒ळ॒त॒ ॥
na | asmākam | asti | tat | taraḥ | ādityāsaḥ | ati-skade | yūyam | asmabhyam | mṛḷata
44
4 pādas (approx. 11 syllables each; triṣṭubh-like cadence)
Urgent yet steady; a protective appeal with a firm closing imperative.
Stabilizes the nervous system through a ‘calling-to-order’ rhythm; helps the mind gather itself and seek refuge in clarity.
- आदित्याः (ādityāsaḥ)
- Literal: the sons of Aditi; solar deities. Symbolic: powers of the infinite (Aditi) expressing as truth, law, harmony, right discernment, protection in consciousness
- अति-स्कदे (ati-skade)
- Literal: when it overleaps; sudden overpassing danger. Symbolic: a surge of hostile forces or upheaval that jumps beyond ordinary control (inner attack, panic, temptation, collapse of will)
- मृळत (mṛḷata)
- Literal: be gracious, show mercy. Symbolic: descent of protective grace that softens harsh pressure and restores right vibration
- तरः (taraḥ)
- Literal: a farther shore; beyond. Symbolic: a higher poise of consciousness; the ‘other shore’ of safety in Truth
Supplication for grace in crisis; typical of protective hymns where deities of law are invoked as ultimate refuge.
Invocations for protection and appeasement of adverse forces; suitable in moments of perceived danger or during transitions.
Recitation as a protective prayer (rakṣā) and for appeasement (śānti) within a broader offering context.
Use as a short protective affirmation before difficult conversations, travel, or when anxiety ‘overleaps’; pair with a brief centering breath and resolve to act by truth.
ati-skand (√skand ‘leap’) depicts sudden peril as a leaping assault—psychologically, a surge of adverse force. √mṛḷ ‘be gracious’ expresses soothing restoration, not mere pardon: a calming of the hostile pressure.
refuge in ṛta-protectors, grace (mṛḷ) as restoration of harmony
Ādityas are classical upholders of Ṛta; safety is conceived as re-entry into right order.
Mercy is not sentimental; it is the restoring power of Truth that re-seats the being in a stable law.
From the infinite (Aditi) emerge ordering powers that prevent the worlds from falling into chaos.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo-style): cosmic gods as psychological powers; protection as inner alignment with Truth.
dawn-to-day (solar consciousness rising)
The ‘sun’ is illumined discernment; the ‘shore beyond’ is the higher settled poise of consciousness beyond fear.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘ultimate refuge’ mythologem: in sudden danger that ‘leaps over’ defenses, the Ādityas are invoked as unsurpassed protectors whose mercy restores safety and right order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √skand ‘leap’ continues PIE *(s)kend- ‘jump’ (cf. Greek skándalon ‘stumbling block’ as a related semantic neighborhood; Germanic *skand-). The comparative -tara is inherited Indo-European comparative morphology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer confesses dependence in extremis: the gods’ mercy is requested as an active intervention that re-establishes inner steadiness and outer protection.
Take refuge in ‘solar law’: feel a wide, truthful order descending into the mind and heart.
anahata (protection/faith) and ajna (truth-discernment)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale), emphasizing longer exhale while repeating mṛḷata mentally.
From rajasic alarm to sattvic wideness and trust.
When overwhelmed, pause action; invoke the Ādityas as inner principles—truthfulness, clarity, right relation. Ask: ‘What is the truthful next step?’ Then proceed.
Vedic accents present in saṃhitā (udātta/anudātta/svarita); follow Śākala tradition if learning with audio.
Keep udātta syllables slightly raised; do not over-musicalize—clarity over melody. Emphasize the imperative mṛḷata as the closing force.
ādityāso: long ā; retroflex ḍ in āditya, atiṣkade: articulate ti-ṣka- with clear ṣ (retroflex sibilant), mṛḷata: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ḷ (tongue curled back), light ‘ta’ at end
steady, prayerful, protective (not forceful)
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.
