Rig Veda 2.23.8: Mandala 2, Sukta 23, Mantra 8
Sukta 2.23
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
त्रातारं त्वा तनूनां हवामहेऽवस्पर्तरधिवक्तारमस्मयुम् । बृहस्पते देवनिदो नि बर्हय मा दुरेवा उत्तरं सुम्नमुन्नशन् ॥
trātā́raṃ tvā tanū́nāṃ havāmahe 'vá-spartar adhi-vaktā́ram asmayúm | bṛ́haspate deva-nído ní barhaya mā́ durévā́ út-taraṃ sumnám ún naśan ||
Te invocamos, salvador de nuestros cuerpos: al que ahuyenta, al abogado que habla por nosotros, al no engañado. Oh Bṛhaspati, derriba a los difamadores de los dioses; que los malquerientes no alcancen nuestra dicha más alta, nuestro favor (sumna).
Word by Word
- त्रातारम्
- protector (as the one invoked)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्रातृ (√त्रा ‘रक्षणे’)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद्
- तनूनाम्
- of bodies / of personsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root तनू
- हवामहे
- we invoke / callVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वा (ह्वाने/आह्वाने)
- अवस्पर्तर्
- repeller / one who drives awayNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अवस्पर्तृ (अव-√स्पृ/√स्पर्द् ‘प्रतिस्पर्धा/प्रतिघात’—वेद. ‘अपसारक/निवारक’)
- अधिवक्तारम्
- advocate / intercessor / authoritative speakerNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अधिवक्तृ (अधि-√वच् ‘वक्तृ/प्रवक्ता’)
- अस्मयुम्
- not-mocking; non-derisive; kindlyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root अस्मयु (a- + स्मयु ‘हास/उपहास’)
- बृहस्पते
- O BṛhaspatiNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot बृहस्पति
- देवनिदः
- god-revilers / those who insult the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देवनिद् (देव + निद् ‘निन्दक’)
- नि
- down; away; completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot नि
- बर्हय
- drive away / thrust downVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √बर्ह् (बर्हणे ‘निवारणे/हिंसायाम्’—वेद. ‘दूरं नय’)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेध (लोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगे)Role क्रियानिषेधRoot मा
- दुरेवाḥ
- misfortunes / evil-goersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot दुरेव (दुर् + एव ‘मार्ग/गमन’ → ‘दुष्टगमन/दुर्भाग्य’)
- उत्तरम्
- higher; further; subsequentAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root उत्तर
- सुम्नम्
- favor; grace; blessingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सुम्न
- उन्नशन्
- may they attain / reachVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्रायः (वेद.), तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot उद्-√नश् (नश् ‘प्रापणे/नाशे’—वेद. ‘प्राप्नुयात्’)
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेदः: हवामहेऽवस्पर्तरधिवक्तारमस्मयुम् → हवामहे | अवस्पर्तर् | अधिवक्तारम् | अस्मयुम् । देवनिदो नि बर्हय → देवनिदः | नि | बर्हय । दुरेवा उत्त॑रं → दुरेवाḥ | उत्तरम् । सुम्नमुन्नशन् → सुम्नम् | उन्नशन् (उद्-नशन्; उन्न- संधि)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Bṛhaspati is called the saviour of our bodies, the one who drives off dangers, our advocate, undeluded. He is asked to strike down slanderers of the gods so that ill-wishers do not reach our higher felicity.
Inner meaning
Bṛhaspati is the inner protector of the embodied being (tanūnām)—not only physical safety but the integrity of the soul-in-body. As ‘advocate’ (adhivaktā) he is the higher discernment that speaks in us for truth when lower nature accuses, doubts, or confuses. ‘Slanderers of the gods’ (devanidaḥ) are inner voices that deny the possibility of the divine, mock aspiration, or belittle higher experiences; they must be struck down so the ‘uttaraṃ sumnam’—the higher happiness, grace, and felicity—remains untouched by ill-will (durevāḥ).
Universal truth
The ascent is protected when inner truth becomes our advocate; cynicism and denial of the higher must be rejected so that the higher joy can be secured.
Themes
Protection from hostile speech, Grace and felicity, Right advocacy of the Word
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (Angiras current)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.23.1-10
Family tradition
A lineage emphasizing the priestly Word as both protector and judge—able to refute slander and establish truth in the being.
Significance
He presents Bṛhaspati as inner ‘counsel’ and ‘advocate’, a psychological image of the higher mind defending the aspiration against inner denial.
The deity
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Epithets
- trātā (saviour), avaspartṛ (repeller), adhivaktā (advocate), asmayu (undeluded)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (truth-flow of speech), Agni (inner priest sustaining aspiration), Indra (power that strikes down coverers)
Cosmic role
Guardian of the divine work in man; upholder of the gods’ cause against forces of denial and false speech.
Inner power
Truth-speaking intelligence that protects embodiment, repels intrusion, and secures higher joy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocations for protection of the sacrificer and the rite; countering hostile speech and rival claims.
त्रा॒तारं॑ त्वा त॒नूनां॑ हवाम॒हेऽव॑स्पर्तरधिव॒क्तार॑मस्म॒युम् । बृह॑स्पते देव॒निदो॒ नि ब॑र्हय॒ मा दु॒रेवा॒ उत्त॑रं सु॒म्नमुन्न॑शन् ॥
त्रा॒तार॑म् । त्वा॒ । त॒नूना॑म् । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ । अव॑ऽस्पर्तः । अ॒धि॒ऽव॒क्तार॑म् । अ॒स्म॒युम् । बृह॑स्पते । दे॒व॒ऽनिदः॑ । नि । ब॒र्ह॒य॒ । मा । दुः॒ऽएवाः॑ । उत्ऽत॑रम् । सु॒म्नम् । उत् । न॒श॒न् ॥
trātāram | tvā | tanūnām | havāmahe | ava-spartaḥ | adhi-vaktāram | asmayum | bṛhaspate | deva-nidaḥ | ni | barhaya | mā | duḥ-evāḥ | ut-taram | sumnam | ut | naśan
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4×11
Strong declarative invocatory opening; decisive downward stroke in the third pāda; protective closure.
Invokes a felt ‘advocate’ presence; stabilizes the listener against doubt and hostile inner speech.
- त्रातारम् (trātāram)
- Literal: saviour, protector. Symbolic: saving power of illumined guidance preserving the soul’s journey
- तनूनाम् (tanūnām)
- Literal: of the bodies/persons. Symbolic: the embodied instruments—mind, life, body held in harmony
- अवस्पर्तः (avaspartaḥ)
- Literal: one who drives away/repels. Symbolic: force that expels intrusive formations and dangers
- अधिवक्तारम् (adhivaktāram)
- Literal: advocate, spokesman. Symbolic: inner voice of truth; higher discrimination speaking for the soul
- अस्मयुम् (asmayum)
- Literal: undeluded, not bewildered. Symbolic: clarity immune to confusion and glamour
- देवनिदः (devanidaḥ)
- Literal: slanderers of the gods. Symbolic: denying thoughts; cynicism toward the divine; hostile speech in mind
- उत्त॑रं सुम्नम् (uttaraṃ sumnam)
- Literal: higher felicity/grace. Symbolic: higher joy and benediction of awakened consciousness
Protects the sacrificer against slander and hostile speech; strengthens the ‘advocate’ function of Bṛhaspati as guardian of correct utterance and right reputation within the rite.
When establishing the rite’s sanctity; when facing criticism, slander, or inner doubt during invocation.
Recitation to ‘strike down’ dev-nindā and guard the ‘higher good’ of the offering.
Helpful when battling cynicism, negative self-talk, or social discouragement of spiritual practice; recite to re-affirm the reality of the higher.
adhi-vaktṛ from adhi- ‘over, on behalf’ + √vac ‘speak’ (PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’). deva-nid from √nind ‘revile’ (PIE *neid- ‘to scold/abuse’ attested in Germanic). sumná ‘grace/favor’ likely from su- + √man/√mn̥ ‘think’ → benevolence/goodwill (semantic development: good-mindedness → favor).
Power of speech (vac) as protection, Higher felicity (uttara sumnam), Truth vs slander (deva-nid)
Dev-nindā is disorder in speech against ṛta; Bṛhaspati restores right speech and right relation to the gods.
The ‘advocate’ is satya-vāc within; truth defends itself by illumining falsehood.
Higher felicity as a summit (‘uttara’) reached when denial is removed.
Early inner-ethics of speech (vāc) and truth; anticipates Upaniṣadic stress on satyam and inner guidance.
Upward reach = ascent of consciousness; slanderers = whispering shadows; repelling = protective pranic/mental boundary set by truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘advocate of the gods’ who strikes down slander: a mythologem where correct speech and divine alignment protect the embodied being (tanū). Hostile speech is treated as a real force capable of blocking ‘higher grace’, hence it must be thrust down.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vac ‘speak’ continues PIE *wekʷ- (cf. Latin vox, English ‘voice’ via Germanic from related formations). The prominence of speech-roots underlines the Indo-European poetic ideology: word is power, and wrong word (slander) is a weapon.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi seeks Bṛhaspati as protective spokesman and repeller: the human voice aligns with the cosmic Word-lord so that hostile narratives (deva-nid) cannot diminish the ascent toward ‘uttara sumnam’.
Invoke the ‘inner advocate’: listen for the calm, clear voice of truth that defends aspiration against doubt.
viśuddha (truth-speech) and anāhata (inner confidence)
Bhrāmarī (gentle) 5 rounds to quiet inner slander; then chant with long, even exhale.
From mental noise/criticism to protected inner silence with clear guidance.
When negative inner talk arises, pause and mentally say ‘adhivaktāram’; feel a higher witness speaking for your deeper intent; then affirm one truthful sentence and return to practice.
Observe udatta peaks on key nouns (trātāram, bṛhaspate) and imperatives (ni barhaya).
Make the first pāda expansive (invocation), second steady (attributes), third firm (command), fourth soft-protective (guarding the higher good).
tanūnām: long ū; keep nasal ‘ām’ clear., adhivaktāram: split a-dhi-vak-tā-ram; long ā., devanido: ‘de-va-ni-daḥ’ with clear dental d., uttaraṃ sumnam: double ‘tt’ crisp; ‘sumnam’ with short ‘u’.
Warm, steady, reassuring; firm articulation on ‘ni barhaya’.
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