Rig Veda 2.33.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 33, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.33
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Rudra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
त्वादत्तेभी रुद्र शंतमेभिः शतं हिमा अशीय भेषजेभिः । व्यस्मद्द्वेषो वितरं व्यंहो व्यमीवाश्चातयस्वा विषूचीः ॥
tvā́dattebhī rudra śáṃtamebhiḥ śatáṃ hímā aśīya bheṣajébhiḥ | vy àsmád dveṣó vitaráṃ vy àṃhó vy ámīvāś cātayasvā víṣūcīḥ ||
हे रुद्र! तुम्हारे अपने दत्त, परम शान्तिदायक भेषजों (औषध-उपचारों) के सहारे मैं सौ शीत-ऋतुएँ (वर्ष) पार करूँ। हमारे पास से द्वेष को दूर हटा; संकट को दूर कर; और जो चारों ओर से लगने वाले रेंगते रोग हैं, उन्हें भी तिरोहित कर दे।
Word by Word
- त्वात्
- from youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम), पञ्चमी एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / त्वम्
- अत्तेभिः
- with the eaters/consumers (i.e., devourers)Noun (agentive) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अत्त (प्रातिपदिक; ‘भक्षक/अन्नदाता’), √अद् ‘भक्षणे’
- रुद्र
- O RudraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शंतमेभिः
- with the most beneficent (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot शंतम (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of शम् ‘welfare/peace’)
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (अव्ययवत् संख्यापद-प्रयोगः)Role KarmaRoot शत (प्रातिपदिक)
- हिमाः
- winters (years)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot हिम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘winter/cold season’)
- अशीय
- may I attain / may I reachVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root √अश् (अश्नुते) ‘व्याप्तौ/प्रापणे’
- भेषजेभिः
- with remedies/medicinesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot भेषज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘remedy, medicine’)
- वि
- apart, awayPreverbउपसर्गRole (क्रियाविशेषक)Root वि (उपसर्ग)
- अस्मत्
- from usPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम), पञ्चमी बहुवचनRole ApādānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / वयम्
- द्वेषः
- hatred, hostilityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
- वितरम्
- farther awayAdjective (comparative, adverbial use)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root वितर (प्रातिपदिक; comparative of ‘far/over’)
- वि
- apart, awayPreverbउपसर्गRole (क्रियाविशेषक)Root वि (उपसर्ग)
- अंहः
- distress/evilNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot अंहस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘distress, sin, trouble’)
- वि
- apart, awayPreverbउपसर्गRole (क्रियाविशेषक)Root वि (उपसर्ग)
- अमीवाः
- diseasesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अमीवा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘disease’)
- चातयस्व
- drive away, repelVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √चातय् (causative of √चत्/√चद् in Vedic sense ‘to drive away, scatter’)
- विषूचीः
- (them) scattered in all directionsAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot विषूची (प्रातिपदिक; ‘diverging, scattered in different directions’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): त्वाद॑त्तेभी → त्वात् + अत्तेभिः
- शंत॑मेभिः → शंतमेभिः
- हिमा॑ → हिमाः
- व्य१॒॑स्मद्द्वेषो॑ → वि + अस्मत् + द्वेषः
- वित॒रं → वितरम्
- व्यंहो॒ → वि + अंहः
- व्यमी॑वाश्चातयस्वा॒ → वि + अमीवाः + चातयस्व
The meaning
Outer meaning
With Rudra’s most peace-giving remedies, may the worshipper live a hundred winters. Drive away hatred, distress, and afflictions that come from all sides.
Inner meaning
Rudra’s ‘bheṣajá’ are powers of inner healing: clarities, purifications, and right vibrations that restore harmony in mind and life. ‘Śataṃ himāḥ’ signifies wholeness across long cycles—endurance through many seasons of inner work. The mantra asks that divisive forces (dveṣa), constriction/guilt/pressure (aṃhas), and creeping disorders (amīvāḥ)—psychic, vital, mental—be driven out in every direction (viṣūcīḥ), so the being can remain in peace and progress.
Universal truth
Lasting well-being is not mere avoidance of pain but the active removal of hatred, distortion, and subtle illness by a deeper healing intelligence within consciousness.
Themes
Healing and longevity, Expulsion of hostility and disease, Transformation of fierce power into benevolence
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
Maṇḍala 2 seer; adept in hymns that combine protection, healing, and the maintenance of the sacrificer’s integrity.
Significance
His Rudra hymn frames healing as a spiritual necessity: peace-giving force is not passive but an active divine medicine removing inner hostility and constriction.
The deity
- Devata
- Rudra
- Epithets
- śaṃtama (most peace-giving), bheṣaja-pati (lord of remedies; implied)
- Related deities
- Aśvins (healers), Varuṇa (order), Sūrya (clarity)
Cosmic role
Healer and purifier whose fierce power expels disorder and restores right functioning in the worlds.
Inner power
Therapeutic force of consciousness that dissolves hatred, fear, and psychosomatic knots; establishes a calm, strong vitality.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective-healing invocation to Rudra; used to avert illness and hostility around the rite and the community.
त्वाद॑त्तेभी रुद्र॒ शंत॑मेभिः श॒तं हिमा॑ अशीय भेष॒जेभि॑: । व्य१॒॑स्मद्द्वेषो॑ वित॒रं व्यंहो॒ व्यमी॑वाश्चातयस्वा॒ विषू॑चीः ॥
त्वाऽद॑त्तेभिः । रु॒द्र॒ । शम्ऽत॑मेभिः । श॒तम् । हिमाः॑ । अ॒शी॒य॒ । भे॒ष॒जेभिः॑ । वि । अ॒स्मत् । द्वेषः॑ । वि॒ऽत॒रम् । वि । अंहः॑ । वि । अमी॑वाः । चा॒त॒य॒स्व॒ । विषू॑चीः ॥
tvādattebhiḥ | rudra | śam-tamebhiḥ | śatam | himāḥ | aśīya | bheṣajebhiḥ | vi | asmat | dveṣaḥ | vi-taram | vi | aṃhaḥ | vi | amīvāḥ | cātayasva | viṣūcīḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Firm, expulsive rhythm suited to ‘driving out’ motions (vi… vi… vi…).
Cathartic clearing; the repeated ‘vi’ creates a psychological sense of removal and spaciousness.
- tvādattebhīḥ
- Literal: given by you. Symbolic: grace-origin remedies—healing powers that descend from the divine force
- śaṃtamebhiḥ
- Literal: most peace-giving. Symbolic: forces that establish inner śānti while transforming turbulence
- bheṣajebhiḥ
- Literal: medicines, remedies. Symbolic: mantric-healing energies; purifying insights; restorative vibrations
- śataṃ himāḥ
- Literal: a hundred winters. Symbolic: full span of inner endurance; long continuity of practice through cycles
- dveṣaḥ
- Literal: hatred. Symbolic: division, hostility, reactive consciousness that blocks unity
- aṃhaḥ
- Literal: distress, constriction, sin/pressure. Symbolic: inner narrowing, burden, depressive obstruction to the soul’s wideness
- amīvāḥ
- Literal: diseases, afflictions. Symbolic: subtle disorders of prāṇa/mind; compulsions and anxieties
- viṣūcīḥ
- Literal: scattering, from every side. Symbolic: multi-directional attacks of lower nature; dispersed disturbances
Healing and appeasement formula; used where Rudra’s ‘bheṣajá’ aspect is invoked for longevity and removal of afflictions.
When seeking longevity, health, and removal of inimical forces; also as appeasement of Rudra’s potentially harmful aspect.
Recitation with offerings; sometimes paired with healing intentions and protective gestures in later practice.
Chant as a ‘clearing’ mantra during stress, resentment, or recurring anxiety patterns; use as a daily purification prayer.
bheṣaja ‘remedy’ is Rudra’s paradoxical attribute: fierce yet healer. √dviṣ ‘hate’ is treated as a real hostile force in consciousness. aṃhas is ‘narrowness/constriction’—psychologically, the cramped state that blocks ṛta. viṣūcī ‘scattered’ suggests diffuse disorders (mental/physical) that must be expelled for integral well-being.
Svastī and wholeness through healing, Removal of inner hostility (dveṣa), Release from constriction (aṃhas) into wideness
Afflictions are deviations from right order; Rudra restores alignment by expelling the forces of disorder.
Hatred and distortion obscure truth; healing reopens truthful perception and right relation.
Sustaining life across cycles (winters) implies continuous renewal of prāṇa and mind under divine governance.
Integral-yogic psychology: illness and hostility as vibrations to be transformed by higher force.
winter (as cycle marker)
Winter = periods of contraction/testing; remedies = inner energies of restoration; ‘driving away’ = expanding consciousness beyond constriction.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Rudra the terrifying becomes Rudra the physician: the same force that can wound also holds the supreme remedies. The mythic action is purification—driving away hostility, constriction, and diffuse afflictions so life can endure and expand.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dviṣ ‘hate’ relates to PIE *dweyḱ- / *dwi- semantic field of hostility/aversion (Indo-European comparanda are complex but the root is old in Indo-Iranian). √aś ‘attain’ is an archaic verbal root with broad Indo-European parallels in ‘reaching/achieving’ semantics. The repeated vi ‘apart’ is a poetic intensifier—an inherited Indo-European technique of prefix iteration to enact the meaning in sound.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi explicitly acknowledges dependence: the remedies are ‘tvā-datta’—given by Rudra. The exchange is surrender to the healer-aspect and a plea for inner cleansing (hatred, constriction) so the seeker may sustain a long, ordered life capable of realization.
Let Rudra’s peace-giving medicine descend through the system; consciously release resentment, self-blame, and anxiety.
anāhata (peace and goodwill) with viśuddha (purification)
Exhale-focused practice: on each ‘vi’ imagine expelling a layer of tightness; inhale receives ‘śaṃtama bheṣaja’.
Purified quietude with alert boundaries.
Write down one recurring ‘dveṣa’ (reactive dislike) and chant 11 times; after each cycle, relax the jaw/throat and feel the chest widen; end with a minute of silent goodwill.
Triṣṭubh with emphatic udātta on ‘rudra’ and on the repeated expulsive ‘vi’ phrases; maintain clear svarita transitions on dependent accents.
Make each ‘vy asmad… vy aṃho… vy amīvāḥ…’ a deliberate outward push; keep ‘śaṃtamebhiḥ’ softer and soothing.
‘śaṃtamebhiḥ’: nasal ‘ṃ’ and clear palatal ‘ś’., ‘amīvāḥ’: long ‘ī’ held; finish with visarga lightly., ‘viṣūcīḥ’: long ‘ū’ and long ‘īḥ’—don’t shorten.
Cooling, medicinal tone; firm on expulsions, gentle on blessings.
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