Rig Veda 2.29.6: Mandala 2, Sukta 29, Mantra 6
Sukta 2.29
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Bhayankara and Vira (heroism)
अर्वाञ्चो अद्या भवता यजत्रा आ वो हार्दि भयमानो व्ययेयम् । त्राध्वं नो देवा निजुरो वृकस्य त्राध्वं कर्तादवपदो यजत्राः ॥
arvā́ñco adyā́ bhavatā yajatrā ā́ vo hā́rdi bháyamāno vyayeyam | trā́dhvaṃ no devā nijúro vṛ́kasya trā́dhvaṃ kartā́d avapádo yajatrāḥ ||
Tournez-vous vers nous aujourd’hui, ô dignes du sacrifice, afin que moi, tremblant au cœur, je trouve en vous délivrance. Sauvez-nous, ô dieux, de la ruse de la force lupine ; sauvez-nous de l’auteur de la chute, ô vénérables.
Word by Word
- अर्वाञ्चः
- turned hither, coming towards (you)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अर्वाञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक) < अवर्/अर्व् ‘नीचे/इधर’ + अञ्च् ‘मुड़ना/अभिमुख होना’
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अद्य (अव्यय) < अद्य ‘today/now’
- भवता
- be (become)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सम), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot भू (धातु)
- यजत्राः
- O worshipful onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यजत्र (प्रातिपदिक) < यज् ‘पूजा/यज्ञ’
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वः
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हार्दि
- in the heartNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (लोके ‘हृदि’ अर्थे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot हार्द (प्रातिपदिक) < हृद् ‘हृदय’
- भयमानः
- fearingAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot भै (धातु) → भयमान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- व्ययेयम्
- may I pass away / may I escapeVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot वि + इ (धातु ‘गमन’) / Vedic: व्य-इ ‘to go away, to pass’
- त्राध्वम्
- protect!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot त्रा (धातु ‘रक्षण’)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक; यहाँ कर्मरूपे ‘us’)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- O godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव् ‘दीप्ति’
- निजुरः
- of the fierce/hostileAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot निजुर (प्रातिपदिक; RV-शब्द, ‘कुटिल/हिंसक/आक्रामक’—विशेषण)
- वृकस्य
- of the wolfNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot वृक (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्राध्वम्
- protect!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot त्रा (धातु ‘रक्षण’)
- कर्तात्
- from the doer (evil-doer)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) < कृ ‘करण’
- अवपदः
- from the pitfall / from the misstepNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot अवपद (प्रातिपदिक; ‘pitfall/false step’, lit. ‘down-step’)
- यजत्राः
- O worshipful onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Sambodhana/KartāRoot यजत्र (प्रातिपदिक) < यज्
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेद (मुख्य): अर्वाञ्चो॑ → अर्वाञ्चः
- आ वो → आ + वः
- हार्दि (पद-रूपे सप्तमी) ‘हृदि/हार्दे’ अर्थे
- त्राध्वं॑ नो → त्राध्वम् + नः
- नि॒जुरो॒ वृक॑स्य → निजुरः + वृकस्य (षष्ठी-षष्ठी समन्वय)
- क॒र्ताद॑व॒पदो॑ → कर्तात् + अवपदः. उच्चारण-चिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) मूल पाठानुसार शब्दों पर स्थित हैं
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks the worshipful gods to turn toward them today so that, fearing in his heart, he may find release into them. He prays for protection from the stealth of a wolf-like force and from the maker of the fall.
Inner meaning
The Ādityas are invoked as near, attentive protectors. The heart’s fear is the felt vulnerability when hostile or lower forces approach during growth. ‘Release into you’ is not mere rescue but a movement of refuge—entering the gods’ consciousness, i.e., aligning with higher law and light. The ‘wolf’ symbolizes predatory impulses or hostile formations that steal inner gains stealthily (nijura). The ‘doer of the fall’ is the force that precipitates a descent from the achieved poise—sudden lapses, depressions, or moral-spiritual slips. The mantra is a protective appeal: keep the seeker’s consciousness within the circle of luminous order so that stealthy drains and sudden falls are prevented.
Universal truth
When one advances, subtle forces try to steal progress or induce a fall. Protection comes by turning inward to higher guidance and establishing a secure refuge in truth and vigilance.
Themes
turning of gods toward the seeker, deliverance from fear, protection from stealth hostility, avoidance of spiritual downfall
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.29.1–2.29.7 (series of appeals for mercy/protection)
Family tradition
A line attentive to inner ethics and protection by Ādityas; often frames the path as guarded movement under ṛta.
Significance
Shows the yogic psychology of ‘protective turning’: the divine must become near (arvāñcaḥ) for the aspirant to pass safely through fear and hostile interference.
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas (protective collective)
- Epithets
- yajatrāḥ (worship-worthy), trātāraḥ (saviors/protectors, implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa, Mitra, Indra (as ally against hostile forces, broadly)
Cosmic role
Maintain law, guard the path, repel disorder and hostile forces.
Inner power
Creates a protective circumference of truth-consciousness; grants refuge, vigilance, and steady ascent.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective prayer within Āditya/Varuṇa invocations; general śrauta recitation for guarding the sacrifice and the sacrificer.
अ॒र्वाञ्चो॑ अ॒द्या भ॑वता यजत्रा॒ आ वो॒ हार्दि॒ भय॑मानो व्ययेयम् । त्राध्वं॑ नो देवा नि॒जुरो॒ वृक॑स्य॒ त्राध्वं॑ क॒र्ताद॑व॒पदो॑ यजत्राः ॥
अ॒र्वाञ्चः॑ । अ॒द्य । भ॒व॒ता॒ । य॒ज॒त्राः॒ । आ । वः॒ । हार्दि॑ । भय॑मानः । व्य॒ये॒य॒म् । त्राध्व॑म् । नः॒ । दे॒वाः॒ । नि॒ऽजुरः॑ । वृक॑स्य । त्राध्व॑म् । क॒र्तात् । अ॒व॒ऽपदः॑ । य॒ज॒त्राः॒ ॥
arvāñcaḥ | adya | bhavatā | yajatrāḥ | ā | vaḥ | hārdi | bhayamānaḥ | vyayeyam | trādhvam | naḥ | devāḥ | ni-juraḥ | vṛkasya | trādhvam | kartāt | ava-padaḥ | yajatrāḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Urgent yet controlled; suitable for protective invocation and turning of forces.
Elicits alertness and reliance on higher protection; steadies the heart against fear.
- अर्वाञ्चः (arvāñcaḥ)
- Literal: turned toward (us), coming near. Symbolic: divine powers becoming inwardly present/accessible
- यजत्राः (yajatrāḥ)
- Literal: worthy of worship. Symbolic: powers that respond to conscious offering and aspiration
- हार्दि (hārdi)
- Literal: in the heart. Symbolic: core feeling-nature where fear and faith arise
- भयमानः (bhayamānaḥ)
- Literal: fearing. Symbolic: vulnerability at the threshold of change
- व्ययेयम् (vyayeyam)
- Literal: may I find release/escape. Symbolic: liberation into higher consciousness; loosening of inner knot
- वृक (vṛka)
- Literal: wolf. Symbolic: predatory desire/hostile force that devours gains
- निजुरः (nijuraḥ)
- Literal: stealth, secret attack. Symbolic: subtle leakage—unnoticed undermining of sadhana
- कर्तृ (kartṛ) / कर्तात् (kartāt)
- Literal: doer; from the doer. Symbolic: agency of downfall—habit-force that triggers lapse
- अवपद (avapada)
- Literal: falling down, the fall. Symbolic: descent from achieved poise; loss of inner station
Protective appeal (trādhvam) against visible and invisible harms; appropriate for safeguarding the sacrificer and community during liminal moments.
When danger/obstacles are felt—symbolically, when hostile forces threaten the rite or the practitioner.
Recitation as a protective shield (rakṣā) alongside offerings and intentions of safeguarding.
Use when anxiety rises or when one senses ‘leakage’ of discipline—repeat to call higher presence and prevent relapse.
√trā ‘protect, save’ is central to Vedic protection prayers. vṛka ‘wolf’ again signals predatory hostility. ava-pada ‘down-step’ expresses downfall in consciousness (a slip from ṛta). hṛd/ hārdí ‘in the heart’ marks the psychological locus. ni-jur suggests secret gnawing/consumption—subtle undermining forces.
downfall from ṛta (ava-pada), heart as seat of fear and conversion
Protection is the maintenance of ṛta against forces of disorder and fall.
Truth as refuge—entering the gods means entering a truer station of being.
Yoga-psychological interpretation: hostile forces as inner formations; gods as conscious powers of protection.
day (adyā: today—immediacy rather than astronomical time)
Wolf = devouring impulse; stealth = subconscious leak; turning toward = inner availability of higher help.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is rescue from predatory and stealth forces that cause a fall: the gods are asked to ‘turn toward’ the seeker and save from the wolf’s secret gnawing and from the agent that induces ava-pada (downfall).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The predator term vṛka continues the PIE wolf-word complex. The repeated imperative trādhvam is a formulaic protection refrain, comparable to IE prayer styles that use repetition for performative force.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi speaks as one fearing in the heart, asking the gods to approach inwardly (not merely appear outwardly). The reciprocity is: human openness and call, divine turning and saving action that prevents inner collapse.
Invoke protective presence; identify ‘wolfish’ stealth patterns (energy drains, negative loops) and the ‘fall-maker’ (trigger habits).
Anāhata (fear/faith) and Maṇipūra (protective strength, steadiness).
Protective breath: inhale ‘arvāñco adyā’, exhale ‘trādhvaṃ no devāḥ’—feel a shield forming around the heart.
From anxious contraction to guarded openness and inward refuge.
When fear appears, do not wrestle with it mentally; call the higher powers near, offer the fear into them, and watch for stealthy drains. Establish small, consistent disciplines to prevent ‘falls’.
Tri-svara; keep clear udātta on invocatory openings and on ‘trādhvaṃ’.
Two strong imperatives ‘trādhvaṃ’—give them firm emphasis; keep ‘nijuro vṛkasya’ slightly tightened to convey stealth danger.
arvāñco: nasalization ‘ñc’ cluster; do not simplify to ‘arvācho’, hārdi: long ā; retroflex ḍ not present—keep dental d, vṛkasya: vocalic ṛ; clear kṣ? (here ‘ksy’), articulate ‘kas-ya’ smoothly, avapado: keep v audible; do not collapse to ‘apado’
alert, protective, steady
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