Rig Veda 2.33.4: Mandala 2, Sukta 33, Mantra 4
Sukta 2.33
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Rudra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
मा त्वा रुद्र चुक्रुधामा नमोभिर्मा दुःष्टुती वृषभ मा सहूती । उन्नो वीराँ अर्पय भेषजेभिर्भिषक्तमं त्वा भिषजां शृणोमि ॥
mā́ tvā rudra cukrudhāmā namóbhir mā́ duḥṣṭutī vṛṣabha mā́ sahū́tī | ún no vīrā́ṃ arpaya bheṣajébhir bhiṣák-tamaṃ tvā bhiṣájāṃ śṛṇomi ||
Puissions-nous ne pas t’irriter, ô Rudra, même par nos hommages; que ni mauvaise louange, ô Taureau, ni appel erroné ne t’émeuve. Relève en nous les forces héroïques par tes guérisons; toi, le plus guérisseur des guérisseurs, nous t’entendons et te reconnaissons.
Word by Word
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- त्वा
- you (acc. sg.)Pronounद्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्र
- O RudraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चुक्रुधाम
- we have angered (provoked)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot क्रुध् (धातु)
- नमोभिः
- with obeisancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- दुःस्तुती
- bad praise / ill hymnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot दुःस्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषभ
- O Bull (mighty one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- सहूती
- violence / assault (hostile attack)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot सहूति (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्
- up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (उद्-)Root उत् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) अथवा दत्तिव-बहुवचन; अत्र अर्थतः ‘अस्माकम्/अस्मान्’ = our/usRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरान्
- heroes, strong menNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्पय
- grant / bestowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot अर्प्/अर्पय् (धातु)
- भेषजेभिः
- with remedies, medicinesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
- भिषक्तमम्
- the best physicianAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (तम-प्रत्ययान्त अतिशय)Role KarmaRoot भिषज् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप्
- त्वा
- you (acc. sg.)Pronounद्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भिषजाम्
- of physiciansNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot भिषज् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शृणोमि
- I hear / I invoke by hearingVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot श्रु (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): मा | त्वा | रुद्र | चुक्रुधाम | नमोभिः | मा | दुःस्तुती | वृषभ | मा | सहूती | उत् | नः | वीरान् | अर्पय | भेषजेभिः | भिषक्तमम् | त्वा | भिषजाम् | शृणोमि । मुख्य संधि/संहिता-रूप: (1) ‘उन्नो’ = ‘उत् + नः’ (द्/त् + न → न्न). (2) ‘भेषजेभिर्भिषक्तमम्’ = ‘भेषजेभिः + भिषक्तमम्’ (विसर्ग-लोपः, भ्-आदौ परे). (3) ‘चुक्रुधाम’ लिट्-रूप (क्रुध्) वैदिक-प्रयोगः
- ‘मा … चुक्रुधाम’ = ‘we have not angered’ (निषेध-मा + लिट्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Do not let us anger Rudra by our salutations; may ill-praise or wrong invocation not provoke him. Raise up our heroes with your remedies; we acknowledge you as the best healer among healers.
Inner meaning
The seeker recognizes that inner approach matters: even ‘namas’ can become egoistic or fearful, and wrong speech (duḥṣṭutī) or wrongly-directed call (sahūtī) can distort the relation with the fierce transforming Power. The prayer is for right attunement—humility without self-deprecation, invocation without anxiety. Rudra is asked to ‘raise up’ (ut… arpaya) the vīrāḥ—inner heroic energies—through healing forces, so the being becomes strong, clear, and aligned. The mantra ends with recognition: the transformative Power is also the supreme physician—healing by purification.
Universal truth
Spiritual power responds to sincerity and right vibration; misaligned speech and ego-driven religiosity can agitate the psyche. True healing comes when we approach transformation with honesty, humility, and precision.
Themes
Appeasement of Rudra, Right praise and invocation, Raising heroic energies through healing
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditionally connected to the Bhr̥gu line)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.33, RV 2.1, RV 2.23
Family tradition
Hymns of Maṇḍala 2 often show careful ritual speech; here that precision becomes psychological precision—right speech and right call.
Significance
The rishi teaches that the inner sacrifice depends on sincerity and exactness; Rudra’s force must be approached with truthfulness to become healing rather than disturbing.
The deity
- Devata
- Rudra
- Epithets
- vṛṣabha, bhiṣaktama, bhiṣajāṃ (among healers)
- Related deities
- Aśvins (healers), Agni (inner priest of will), Maruts (dynamic energies)
Cosmic role
Ambivalent divine power: can wound or heal; guardian of thresholds; purifier of the worlds.
Inner power
Disciplines speech and intention; converts raw intensity into therapeutic transformation; awakens courageous energies.
In ritual
Where it is used
Propitiatory Rudra verse to prevent offense and secure healing; suitable in rites where Rudra’s fierce aspect is acknowledged.
मा त्वा॑ रुद्र चुक्रुधामा॒ नमो॑भि॒र्मा दुःष्टु॑ती वृषभ॒ मा सहू॑ती । उन्नो॑ वी॒राँ अ॑र्पय भेष॒जेभि॑र्भि॒षक्त॑मं त्वा भि॒षजां॑ शृणोमि ॥
मा । त्वा॒ । रु॒द्र॒ । चु॒क्रु॒धा॒म॒ । नमः॑ऽभिः । मा । दुःऽस्तु॑ती । वृ॒ष॒भ॒ । मा । सऽहू॑ती । उत् । नः॒ । वी॒रान् । अ॒र्प॒य॒ । भे॒ष॒जेभिः॑ । भि॒षक्ऽत॑मम् । त्वा॒ । भि॒षजा॑म् । शृ॒णो॒मि॒ ॥
mā | tvā | rudra | cukrudhāma | namaḥ-bhiḥ | mā | duḥ-stutī | vṛṣabha | mā | sa-hūtī | ut | naḥ | vīrān | arpaya | bheṣajebhiḥ | bhiṣak-tamam | tvā | bhiṣajām | śṛṇomi
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Balanced: cautionary negatives (‘mā… mā…’) followed by uplifting imperatives; creates a moral-psychological pivot.
First restrains and purifies intention, then elevates energy; leaves a sense of respectful intimacy with a powerful force.
- mā tvā cukrudhāma
- Literal: may we not anger you. Symbolic: may we not trigger harsh reaction by wrong inner posture
- namobhiḥ
- Literal: by salutations. Symbolic: even devotion must be pure—free of fear, bargaining, or hypocrisy
- duḥṣṭutī
- Literal: bad praise. Symbolic: false speech, flattering or distorted self-talk and invocation
- sahūtī
- Literal: wrong calling/invocation. Symbolic: misdirected aspiration; confused summons of power
- vṛṣabha
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: virile spiritual force; steadfast power in life-nature
- ut… arpaya
- Literal: raise up, lift. Symbolic: elevate the energies to a higher functioning
- bheṣajebhiḥ
- Literal: with remedies. Symbolic: purifying, harmonizing forces of consciousness
- bhiṣaktamam
- Literal: most healing/physician-best. Symbolic: supreme healer: transformation as the deepest cure
Propitiatory verse to avert Rudra’s wrath; employed where precision of praise and invocation is critical, and for healing/protection.
When seeking forgiveness for errors in praise/ritual, and when asking for restoration of strength and health.
Recitation with namas and offerings; corrective/appeasing function.
Use before chanting or meditation as a ‘right-attunement’ prayer: align speech, intention, and humility; then ask for upliftment of energy.
√krudh ‘anger’ marks Rudra’s dangerous aspect; the hymn insists that even worship can be faulty if not in right consciousness (duḥ-stuti, sa-hūti). vṛṣabha symbolizes overflowing potency. bhiṣak ‘healer/physician’ (bhiṣajām gen. pl.) elevates Rudra as the supreme restoring power; ‘hearing’ (śṛṇomi) implies receptivity and obedience to the divine vibration, not mere audition.
Right speech as ṛta (opposite of duḥ-stuti), Transformation through healing (bhiṣak), Ethics of invocation (speech-act responsibility)
Wrong praise/call disrupts R̥ta; right vibration restores harmony and makes force medicinal.
Duḥṣṭutī is untruth in speech; healing begins with truthful utterance and intention.
Raising up energies suggests evolution from lower to higher functioning in the manifested being.
Mantra-yoga psychology: speech (vāc) as a formative power; right vāc aligns with truth.
Bull = stable force of life and tapas; remedies = harmonizing currents that lift prāṇa and clarify mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘the dangerous god appeased by right speech’: Rudra can be provoked even by flawed worship. The corrective is precise praise and invocation, after which the same fierce power becomes the supreme healer who raises the inner heroes.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ (PIE *ḱlew-) and √stu ‘praise’ (PIE *ḱlew- related fame/praise field is often compared; exact mapping varies) show the archaic linkage between hearing, fame, and hymn. vṛṣabha ‘bull’ reflects an Indo-European symbolic complex where the bull indexes virility and storm-force.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi adopts humility and precision: he fears misalignment (wrong praise/call) and seeks Rudra’s benevolent aspect. The reciprocity requested is inner uplift—Rudra’s healings are to ‘raise’ the vīras, the active powers in the seeker, restoring right functioning under ṛta.
Purify intention and speech; approach inner transformation without fear or flattery; invite healing uplift of energy.
viśuddha (speech purity) and anāhata (humble devotion)
Soft ujjāyī or gentle humming on exhale after each pāda to settle the throat and heart; keep breath even during the ‘mā…’ cautions.
Reverent composure; disciplined sincerity.
Before mantra-japa, recite once slowly as a vow: ‘May my speech be true.’ Then sit, feel the throat relax, and invite Rudra’s ‘bheṣaja’ to lift fatigue into steady force.
Triṣṭubh with careful treatment of repeated prohibitives ‘mā’; udātta emphasis on ‘rudra’ and ‘bhiṣaktamam’.
Keep ‘mā…’ clear but not harsh; let the tone become uplifting on ‘un no vīrān…’; conclude with a definitive, acknowledging cadence on ‘śṛṇomi’.
‘cukrudhāma’: keep ‘krudh’ cluster clear; long ‘ā’ in ‘dhāma’., ‘duḥṣṭutī’: visarga in ‘duḥ’ audible but light; ‘ṣṭu’ conjunct crisp., ‘bhiṣaktamam’: retroflex ‘ṣ’, and avoid inserting a vowel between ‘ṣ’ and ‘k’.
Hushed reverence at start; warmer and fuller on the healing/uplift lines.
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