Rig Veda 7.82.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 82, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.82
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
युवामिद्युत्सु पृतनासु वह्नयो युवां क्षेमस्य प्रसवे मितज्ञवः । ईशाना वस्व उभयस्य कारव इन्द्रावरुणा सुहवा हवामहे ॥
yuvā́m íd yútsu pṛ́tanāsu váhnayo yuvā́ṃ kṣémasya prasavé mitájñavaḥ | īśānā́ vásva ubháyasya kā́rava índrāvaruṇā suhávā havāmahe ||
યુદ્ધો અને પૃતનાઓમાં અગ્નિવાહક (વહ્નયઃ) તમને જ પુકારે છે; ક્ષેમ (શાંતિ-કલ્યાણ)ના પ્રસવમાં મિતજ્ઞ (માપપૂર્વક જાણનારા) તમને જ આહ્વાન કરે છે. બંને પ્રકારના વસુ (ધન)ના ઈશાન, હે ઇન્દ્ર-વરુણ, સુહવા (સહેલાઈથી આહ્વાનનીય) એવા તમને ગાયક કવિઓ બોલાવે છે—અમે પણ તમને હવામહે (આહ્વાન કરીએ છીએ)।
Word by Word
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया/प्रथमा?—द्विवचन (युवाम् = द्वितीया द्विवचन; ‘you two’ as object)Role कर्म (हवामहे—‘we invoke you two’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इद्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic)Root इद् (निपात)
- युत्सु
- in battlesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग? (वेदे ‘युत्’ युद्ध-सम्बन्धः), सप्तमी बहुवचनRole अधिकरण (in battles)Root युध् → युत् (प्रातिपदिक ‘battle’), loc.pl.
- पृतनासु
- in fights/hostile encountersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot पृतना (प्रातिपदिक)
- वह्नयः
- bearers, impellers (mighty ones)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्ता (of implied ‘are/act as’—predicative: ‘(you) are the bearers/impellers’)Root वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया द्विवचनRole कर्म (understood with following clause as object of praise/invocation)Root युष्मद्
- क्षेमस्य
- of welfare, of safetyNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (of welfare/safety)Root क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रसवे
- at the setting in, at the impulse/occasionNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरण (at the setting-in/impulse/occasion)Root प्रसव (प्रातिपदिक)
- मितज्ञवः
- the prudent/measure-knowing onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्ता (of implied ‘are/act’—addressing the gods as ‘the prudent ones’)Root मितज्ञु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘measure-knowing, prudent’)
- ईशाना
- ruling, sovereignAdjective/Participle-likeपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन (agreeing with Indra-Varuṇa)Role कर्ता (predicative epithet)Root ईशान (प्रातिपदिक from √ईश् ‘to rule’)
- वसो
- of wealth, of goodNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (वसो = gen.sg. Vedic)Role सम्बन्ध (of wealth/good)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- उभयस्य
- of both (kinds)Adjective (substantive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (of both kinds—twofold)Root उभय (प्रातिपदिक)
- कारवः
- singers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्ता (of हवामहे)Root कारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रावरुणा
- O Indra and VaruṇaNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा द्विवचन (vocative-like address)Role सम्प्रदान/कर्म (those invoked)Root इन्द्र + वरुण (समास; द्वन्द्व)
- सुहवा
- easy to call uponAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा द्विवचन (agreeing with Indra-Varuṇa)Role (epithet in address)Root सु-हव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘easy to invoke’)
- हवामहे
- we invoke/call uponVerbलट् (वर्त्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (main verb)Root √ह्वे/√हू (हव्) ‘to call, invoke’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): युवाम् इद् युत्सु पृतनासु वह्नयः | युवाम् क्षेमस्य प्रसवे मितज्ञवः | ईशाना वसो उभयस्य कारवः | इन्द्रावरुणा सुहवा हवामहे || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) युवामिद् → युवाम् + इद् (म् + इ = मि). (2) युत्सु पृतनासु—कोऽपि विशेष-सन्धि न
- द्वे सप्तमी-बहुवचने अधिकरणे. (3) इन्द्रावरुणा—द्वन्द्व-समासः (इन्द्र-वरुणौ) पदान्ते दीर्घ ‘आ’ द्विवचन/सम्बोधन-रूपे. (4) सुहवा—सु + हव (उपसर्ग/उपपद-समासः), ‘easy to invoke’
The meaning
Outer meaning
In battles the flame-bearers call upon you two; for the bringing forth of peace the measured knowers invoke you. Masters of both kinds of wealth, the singers call you—Indra and Varuṇa—easy to invoke.
Inner meaning
The ‘flame-bearers’ (vahnayaḥ) are those who carry Agni—inner aspiration and will—through the struggles of life (yutsu, pṛtanāsu). In inner yoga, battles are conflicts with desire, inertia, fear, and falsehood. The ‘measured knowers’ (mitajñavaḥ) are disciplined discerners who know right measure (mita) and invoke the gods for kṣema—settled peace and secure harmony. Indra-Varuṇa are ‘lords of both wealths’: the dynamic wealth (victory-force, illumination, effective action) and the stable wealth (peace, wideness, order, protection). The verse teaches a complete yoga: call them both in struggle and in settlement; their aid is accessible (suhavā) when aspiration is sincere and measure is kept.
Universal truth
A full human flourishing needs both courageous power in difficulty and calm order in stability. The same higher principles should govern both our crises and our peace.
Themes
Invocation, Victory and peace, Right measure (ṛta), Wealth as plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86 (inner fault, prayer, release), RV 7.82 (Indra-Varuṇa hymn)
Family tradition
A lineage emphasizing the right law (Varuṇa) and effective divine help (Indra) for both conflict and harmony—practical spirituality for life’s full spectrum.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha presents the gods as allies in psychological transformation: victory in struggle and establishment in peace are both parts of the same ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra-Varuṇa
- Epithets
- ईशाना (īśānā) lords/masters, सुऽहवा (suhavā) easy to invoke
- Related deities
- Agni (implied by vahnayaḥ), Mitra (peaceful harmony)
Cosmic role
Guardians of the sacrificer in conflict and protectors of settled order; dispensers of prosperity and stability.
Inner power
Indra: courage, breakthrough, luminous command in struggle; Varuṇa: calm containment, law, protection, peace. Together: victorious peace—strength that results in harmony.
In ritual
Where it is used
General invocation for protection in conflict and for well-being (kṣema) in communal rites; suitable in Śrauta praise sequences.
यु॒वामिद्यु॒त्सु पृत॑नासु॒ वह्न॑यो यु॒वां क्षेम॑स्य प्रस॒वे मि॒तज्ञ॑वः । ई॒शा॒ना वस्व॑ उ॒भय॑स्य का॒रव॒ इन्द्रा॑वरुणा सु॒हवा॑ हवामहे ॥
यु॒वाम् । इत् । यु॒त्ऽसु । पृत॑नासु । वह्न॑यः । यु॒वाम् । क्षेम॑स्य । प्र॒ऽस॒वे । मि॒तऽज्ञ॑वः । ई॒शा॒ना । वस्वः॑ । उ॒भय॑स्य । का॒रवः॑ । इन्द्रा॑वरुणा । सु॒ऽहवा॑ । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ ॥
yuvām | it | yut-su | pṛtanāsu | vahnayaḥ | yuvām | kṣemasya | pra-save | mita-jñavaḥ | īśānā | vasvaḥ | ubhayasya | kāravaḥ | indrāvaruṇā | su-havā | havāmahe
44
4 × ~11; balanced antithesis (battle/peace) across pādas.
March-like firmness with a settling cadence—mirrors moving from conflict to security.
Energizes resolve, then calms into assurance; good for centering in stressful situations.
- युत्सु / पृतनासु (yutsu / pṛtanāsu)
- Literal: in fights, battles. Symbolic: inner conflicts with resistance and ignorance
- वह्नयः (vahnayaḥ)
- Literal: carriers (often of the flame). Symbolic: aspirants carrying Agni, the will-to-progress
- क्षेम (kṣema)
- Literal: peace, security, well-being. Symbolic: settled harmony of the being; stable poise
- मितज्ञवः (mitajñavaḥ)
- Literal: knowers of measure. Symbolic: disciplined discernment; right proportion and self-control
- वस्वः उभयस्य (vasva ubhayasya)
- Literal: wealth of both kinds. Symbolic: dynamic power + stable peace; inner riches of force and wideness
- सुऽहवा (suhavā)
- Literal: easy to invoke. Symbolic: readily accessible to sincere aspiration and truthfulness
General invocation for both victory (yuts/pṛtanā) and peace (kṣema), integrating dynamic and stable aims of the rite and of the inner yoga of the sacrifice.
Before journeys, contests, disputes, or when seeking social/inner peace; also during protective rites.
Calling the dual deities as guardians and givers of prosperity; aligns the yajamāna with both force and order.
A mantra for ‘stress-to-stability’: chant before difficult conversations (battle) and at day’s end to settle into peace (kṣema).
váhni from √vah ‘to carry’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘carry’, cf. Latin vehere). kṣéma ‘rest, security’ (cf. Avestan xšaēma). mita ‘measured’ from √mā ‘measure’ → right proportion. īśāna ‘lord’ from √īś ‘to own, rule’.
Measure/proportion (mita) as ṛta, Dual wealth (inner/outer plenitudes), Kṣema (peaceful stability)
Varuṇa’s ṛta provides the basis for kṣema; Indra’s force defends that order against disruption.
Truth expressed as right measure (mita) and right action in conflict.
Sustaining the created world requires both protection (order) and active defense (force).
Integral synthesis: tapas (effort in battle) must culminate in śānti/kṣema (settled peace) within ṛta.
Flame = aspiration/will; battle = inner resistance; peace = stable equilibrium; ‘two wealths’ = dynamic energy and calm wideness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gods as dual guardians of battle and peace: they preside over both the crisis of transformation (battle) and the establishment of order (kṣema). The mythic frame is the divine support of the sacrificer in both struggle and settlement.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ is a clear Indo-European root (PIE *weǵh-). The pairing of battle/peace is a common archaic poetic opposition; the formula ‘we call you’ (havāmahe) is an inherited liturgical register.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The singers and flame-bearers invoke the gods as administrators of right measure: by maintaining mita (proportion) they convert conflict into ordered peace, granting both spiritual riches and life-supporting stability.
Call the twin powers during inner conflict; then allow them to establish kṣema—quiet strength.
maṇipūra (battle-force) harmonized with anāhata (peace/secure openness)
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) to embody measure (mita); or 4-6 breathing to settle into kṣema after chanting.
Steady warrior-calm: alert, protected, non-reactive.
Use in two phases: chant once with emphasis on yutsu/pṛtanāsu (mobilize courage), then again with emphasis on kṣemasya prasave (settle into peace).
Tri-svara; keep udātta prominence on yuvām, kṣemasya, īśānā, suhavā.
Mark the contrast: slightly firmer articulation in yutsu/pṛtanāsu pāda; softer release in kṣema pāda; keep final havāmahe as a complete offering.
yutsu: clear cluster ts., pṛtanāsu: vocalic ṛ in pṛ-; avoid ‘pri’., mitajñavaḥ: pronounce jñ as ‘gya/’ cluster, not separated., suhavā: keep u short, ha clear.
Firm but not harsh; ‘warrior-priest’ tone that resolves into calm resonance.
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