Rig Veda 8.7.21: Mandala 8, Sukta 7, Mantra 21
Sukta 8.7
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Devata
- Maruts/ordered host in relation to Ṛta
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
नहि ष्म यद्ध वः पुरा स्तोमेभिर्वृक्तबर्हिषः । शर्धाँ ऋतस्य जिन्वथ ॥
náhi ṣmá yád dha vaḥ purā́ stómebhir vṛktabarhiṣaḥ | śárdhāṃ ṛtásya jínvatha ||
Denn niemals war es anders bei euch von alters her, o ihr, die ihr den heiligen Sitz ausbreitet: durch Hymnen belebt ihr das Heer des Ṛta; durch das Wort setzt ihr die geordneten Mächte in Wirksamkeit.
Word by Word
- नहि
- not, indeed (emphatic negation)Indeclinableनिषेधार्थ-अव्ययम्Root नहि (न + हि)
- ष्म
- indeed, surely (emphatic particle)Indeclinableनिपातः (बलार्थ/पदपूरण)Root ष्म
- यत्
- that which / whatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः; यद्-तद्-सम्बन्ध)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ह
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातः (स्मरण/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थः; ‘indeed/for’)Root ह
- वः
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचनम् (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरा
- formerly, beforeIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययम्Role अधिकरण (काल)Root पुरा
- स्तोमेभिः
- with praises / hymnsNounपुंलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृक्तबर्हिषः
- (you) whose sacrificial grass is trimmed/spreadAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (देवसम्बोधन/वर्णन; ‘those whose barhis is trimmed’)Role कर्तृ (वर्ण्य-समूहः)Root वृक्त-बर्हिस् (समासः; वृक्त = √वृज्/वृञ्ज् ‘to cut/trim’ (PPP) + बर्हिस् ‘sacrificial grass’)
- शर्धान्
- troops, hostsNounपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot शर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- जिन्वथ
- you impel / you enliven / you strengthenVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √जिव्/√जिन्व् (जिन्वति ‘to set in motion, enliven, impel, strengthen’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: नहि | ष्म | यत् | ह | वः | पुरा | स्तोमेभिः | वृक्तबर्हिषः | शर्धान् | ऋतस्य | जिन्वथ । (1) यद्ध = यत् + ह (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: त् + ह → द्ध)
- (2) स्तोमेभिर्वृक्तबर्हिषः = स्तोमेभिः + वृक्तबर्हिषः (विसर्ग/रुत्व-सन्धिः: ः + व् → र्व्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
It has never been otherwise for you: by hymns, O strewers of the sacred seat, you invigorate the host of Ṛta.
Inner meaning
The Marut powers respond to and are strengthened by true mantra (stoma). When the consciousness is prepared (vṛktabarhis), the word of aspiration does not merely praise—it “feeds” (jinvatha) the ordered movements of truth (śardhā ṛtasya) so they become active forces in the being. This is Aurobindo’s key: mantra is an instrument of effectuation, not ornament.
Universal truth
Right speech joined to right preparation awakens right action. The law of truth (Ṛta) becomes dynamic in life when nourished by sincere aspiration and disciplined expression.
Themes
Ṛta-enlivening, power of hymn, collective deities, tradition and continuity
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.7 (hymn context), RV 1.62 (Kāṇva; truth/light release themes), RV 1.63 (Indra-Vṛtra; allied powers)
Family tradition
Kāṇvas are notable for strong emphasis on the efficacy of stoma/brahman—word as power that awakens the gods within the sacrifice.
Significance
The seer frames spiritual practice as a lawful collaboration: when aspiration is true and ordered, the powers of Ṛta become living allies.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (host of Ṛta; allied to Indra)
- Epithets
- vṛktabarhiṣaḥ, śardha (host-form)
- Related deities
- Indra, Varuṇa (Ṛta guardian aspect), Mitra
Cosmic role
Executors of movement in the mid-world; they intensify energies and support Indra’s victories that restore order.
Inner power
They are the disciplined dynamisms that can be tuned by mantra to act as instruments of truth rather than turbulence.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut/Indra-Marut praise within Soma liturgy; stoma as energizer of divine host.
न॒हि ष्म॒ यद्ध॑ वः पु॒रा स्तोमे॑भिर्वृक्तबर्हिषः । शर्धाँ॑ ऋ॒तस्य॒ जिन्व॑थ ॥
न॒हि । स्म॒ । यत् । ह॒ । वः॒ । पु॒रा । स्तोमे॑भिः । वृ॒क्त॒ऽब॒र्हि॒षः॒ । शर्धा॑न् । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । जिन्व॑थ ॥
nahi | sma | yat | ha | vaḥ | purā | stomebhiḥ | vṛkta-barhiṣaḥ | śardhān | ṛtasya | jinvatha
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Declarative, steady propulsion; the cadence feels like marching troops (śardha).
Builds confidence in the lawfulness of practice; strengthens resolve and rhythmic steadiness of mind.
- stomebhiḥ
- Literal: with hymns/praises. Symbolic: mantric formations of aspiration that build and direct consciousness
- vṛktabarhiṣaḥ
- Literal: strewers of the barhis. Symbolic: powers that prepare and order the inner field for descent and right workings
- śardhān
- Literal: hosts, troops. Symbolic: grouped energies/movements in the being acting together
- ṛtasya
- Literal: of Ṛta (cosmic order). Symbolic: truth-order in thought, will, and action; the right law of inner growth
- jinvatha
- Literal: you quicken, set in motion, invigorate. Symbolic: you energize the truth-movements so they become effective realizations
Affirmation of traditional efficacy: hymns enliven the divine hosts and sustain Ṛta in the rite and in the seeker
During stotra/śastra sequences to stimulate the deity-host and affirm their established response to hymns.
Recitation with offerings; reinforcement of Ṛta through ordered chant.
As an affirmation before disciplined practice: repeat to remind the mind that sincere mantra + order reliably awakens higher movements.
ṛta from √ṛ 'to fit, set in order'—Truth as right arrangement. śardha 'host' denotes collective energies. √jinv 'quicken' indicates energizing into effective movement. stoma (√stu) is the means: word as force that nourishes Ṛta’s host.
Ṛta (cosmic order), mantric nourishment (stoma → jinv), collective powers (śardha)
Explicit: the host belongs to Ṛta; hymns quicken it—speech participates in cosmic order.
True speech is the condition for Ṛta to become operative rather than merely conceptual.
Cosmos as sustained by right vibration (stoma) that keeps order active in the worlds.
Vedic yoga psychology (Aurobindo): Ṛta as truth-consciousness organizing the being.
Prepared ground + rhythmic mantra invigorates ordered life-forces; turbulence becomes truth-force through right vibration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'host of Ṛta' mythologem: divine troops are not chaotic; they are energized as the ordered powers of Truth. Psychologically, hymnic speech awakens disciplined energies, converting raw force into Ṛta-governed action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ṛta is Indo-Iranian (Avestan aša) reflecting a shared concept of cosmic order. √stu 'praise' and the instrumental stomebhiḥ show inherited IE poetic technology where praise is efficacious action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asserts a proven reciprocity: the devata respond to stoma by quickening Ṛta’s host. The rishi’s role is to supply the right word; the devata’s role is to translate that word into living, ordered energies in the world and the psyche.
Use mantra as ‘nutriment’ for truth-movements: recite, then watch for orderly impulses replacing scattered ones.
Maṇipūra (force/tapas) coordinated with Ājñā (order/clarity).
Brisk but controlled ujjāyī for 12 breaths, then normal breath while repeating the mantra mentally.
Collective coherence: many parts of the being aligning into one ordered movement.
After chanting, choose one small truthful action immediately (speech, decision, discipline). This ‘anchors’ Ṛta in behavior.
Vedic accents to emphasize ṛtasya and jinvatha; exact śākha-specific svara requires pada-svara source.
Keep ‘nahi ṣma’ crisp; sustain the long vowels; give weight to ‘ṛtasya’ and a decisive cadence on ‘jinvatha’.
nahi ṣma: retroflex ṣ; keep cluster ‘ṣm’ tight, stomebhiḥ: ‘bh’ aspirated; final ḥ light, śardhān: palatal ś; ‘rdh’ cluster clear, ṛtasya: vocalic ṛ; avoid ‘ri’
Firm, rhythmic, troop-like steadiness; minimal ornamentation.
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