Rig Veda 1.24.13: Mandala 1, Sukta 24, Mantra 13
Sukta 1.24
- Rishi
- Śunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
शुनःशेपो ह्यह्वद्गृभीतस्त्रिष्वादित्यं द्रुपदेषु बद्धः । अवैनं राजा वरुणः ससृज्याद्विद्वाँ अदब्धो वि मुमोक्तु पाशान् ॥
śúnaḥśépo hy áhvād gṛbhītás triṣv ā́dityaṃ dru-padéṣu baddháḥ | ávainaṃ rājā́ váruṇaḥ sasṛjyād vidvā́ṃ adábdho ví mumoktu pā́śān ||
शुनहेप को पकड़ लिया गया था और तीन जगह से बाँध दिया गया था। उसने आदित्य को पुकारा। अब वरुण राजा से दुआ है कि वो उसे छोड़ दे। वरुण सब जानता है, किसी ने धोखा नहीं दिया। अब वो बाँध के धागे खोल दे।
Word by Word
- शुनःशेपः
- Śunaḥśepa (proper name)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot शुनः-शेप (प्रातिपदिक; नाम) अथवा शुनः + शेप
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableअव्ययRoot हि (निपात)
- अह्वत्
- called upon, invokedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √ह्वा (आह्वाने)
- गृभीतः
- seized, takenAdjectiveभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root √ग्रह् (ग्रहणे) → गृभीत (कृदन्त)
- त्रिषु
- in/at the three (places/times)Noun(नपुंसकलिङ्ग ‘त्रि’), सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot त्रि (संख्या)
- आदित्यम्
- Āditya (the Aditya; here Varuṇa)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्रुपदेषु
- on/at the wooden postsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot द्रुपद (प्रातिपदिक)
- बद्धः
- boundAdjectiveभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root √बन्ध् (बन्धने) → बद्ध (कृदन्त)
- अव
- down, away; (as preverb)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- राजा
- the kingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (राजा इति विशेष्यस्य)Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- ससृज्यात्
- should release, should let goVerbविधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √सृज् (सर्गे/मोचने)
- विद्वान्
- knowing, wiseAdjectiveवर्तमानकृदन्त (वत्/वस्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root √विद् (ज्ञाने) → विद्वस् (कृदन्त)
- अदब्धः
- unbeguiled, uninjured, unassailableAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root अ + √दभ् (हिंसायाम्/दम्भे) → अदब्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, asunder; (as preverb)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मुमोक्तु
- let (him) release, may he freeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √मुच् (मोचने)
- पाशान्
- nooses, bondsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: शुनःशेपः | हि | अह्वत् | गृभीतः | त्रिषु | आदित्यम् | द्रुपदेषु | बद्धः || अव | एनम् | राजा | वरुणः | ससृज्यात् | विद्वान् | अदब्धः | वि | मुमोक्तु | पाशान् || 1) ह्यह्वत् = हि + अह्वत् (इकारस्य यकारादेशः)
- 2) गृभीतस् त्रिषु = गृभीतः + त्रिषु (विसर्गसन्धिः: स्/ः + त् → स् त्; संहितायां ‘गृभीतस्त्रि…’)
- 3) ससृज्याद्विद्वान् = ससृज्यात् + विद्वान् (त् + व् → द् + व्; संहितायां ‘…ज्याद्वि…’)
- 4) मुमोक्तु पाशान् = मुमोक्तु + पाशान् (सन्धिरहितं; संहितायां ‘…मुमोक्तु पाशान्’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Śunaḥśepa, seized and bound at three points to the Āditya (Varuṇa), calls out; may King Varuṇa, the knowing and unfailing one, release him and loosen the bonds.
Inner meaning
The soul (Śunaḥśepa—“dog-tailed,” the one driven by lower nature yet aspiring) cries out when captured by limitation. The “three bindings” indicate the triple knot of body–life–mind (or the three guṇas) fastened to the law of the cosmic order. Varuṇa, as the lord of ṛta and vastness, is invoked to release the inner being from constriction and guilt-fear, not by denial but by truthful seeing (vidvān) and flawless action (adabdho).
Universal truth
When consciousness is tied by habitual patterns at multiple levels, liberation comes through a higher Truth-Power that sees clearly and acts without distortion; sincere invocation opens the way for release.
Themes
Varuṇa’s pāśa, Śunaḥśepa bound in three, release/forgiveness
The seer
- Rishi
- Śunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.24.12-18, Rig Veda 1.25.1-21
Family tradition
Tradition places him in the Varuṇa sequence (RV 1.24–1.25); later narrative expansions appear in Aitareya Brāhmaṇa.
Significance
Embodies the archetype of the bound soul whose authentic cry (āhvāna) calls down the liberating action of ṛta; his mantras are confessional, truth-oriented, and release-seeking rather than merely propitiatory.
The deity
- Devata
- Varuṇa (Āditya)
- Epithets
- rājā (king), āditya, vidvān, adabdho
- Related deities
- Mitra, Aditi, Sūrya, Indra (as complementary liberator through force)
Cosmic role
Guardian of ṛta (cosmic order) and satya (truth); binder of the false, releaser through truth and wideness.
Inner power
The pressure of Truth that constricts egoistic deviation and then dissolves knots when sincerity and right alignment arise.
In ritual
Where it is used
Varuṇa-prāyaścitta / appeasement and release prayers; recited in contexts of guilt, oath, or transgression.
शुन॒:शेपो॒ ह्यह्व॑द्गृभी॒तस्त्रि॒ष्वा॑दि॒त्यं द्रु॑प॒देषु॑ ब॒द्धः । अवै॑नं॒ राजा॒ वरु॑णः ससृज्याद्वि॒द्वाँ अद॑ब्धो॒ वि मु॑मोक्तु॒ पाशा॑न् ॥
शुनः॒शेपः॑ । हि । अह्व॑त् । गृ॒भी॒तः । त्रि॒षु । आ॒दि॒त्यम् । द्रु॒ऽप॒देषु॑ । ब॒द्धः । अव॑ । ए॒न॒म् । राजा॑ । वरु॑णः । स॒सृ॒ज्या॒त् । वि॒द्वान् । अद॑ब्धः । वि । मु॒मो॒क्तु॒ । पासा॑न् ॥
śunaḥśepaḥ | hi | ahvat | gṛbhītaḥ | triṣu | ādityam | dru-padeṣu | baddhaḥ | ava | enam | rājā | varuṇaḥ | sasṛjyāt | vidvān | adabdhaḥ | vi | mumoktu | pāsān
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Grave, declarative, with a strong forward drive suitable for appeal and release.
Builds intensity through the first pāda’s predicament and resolves into a widening cadence on ‘vi mumoktu pāśān’ (may he loosen the bonds).
- शुनःशेप (śunaḥśepa)
- Literal: Śunaḥśepa (name; ‘dog-tail’). Symbolic: the struggling psychic being, driven by lower impulses yet capable of the cry for the Divine
- गृभीत (gṛbhīta)
- Literal: seized, grasped. Symbolic: captured by compulsions, fear, karmic habit
- त्रिषु (triṣu)
- Literal: in three (places). Symbolic: triple knot: body–prāṇa–mind; or three guṇas; or threefold ignorance
- द्रुपदेषु (drupadeṣu)
- Literal: in/at wooden posts. Symbolic: fixed supports of conditioned nature; rigid mental-vital structures
- पाशान् (pāśān)
- Literal: nooses, bonds. Symbolic: Varuṇa’s binding power: consequences of falsehood, inner constriction, guilt
- आदित्य (āditya)
- Literal: Āditya (solar deity class). Symbolic: luminous law, wide truth-consciousness
- विद्वान् (vidvān)
- Literal: knowing. Symbolic: truth-seeing awareness that can discriminate and release
- अदब्ध (adabdho)
- Literal: unbetrayed, unfooled, unfailing. Symbolic: integrity of the Truth-force; unerring inner guidance
Explicit pāśa-release formula; used as a potent prayer for loosening constraints and absolution
During expiatory rites, or when seeking release from ‘Varuṇa’s bonds’ (inner/outer constraint).
Confessional invocation; offering with truth-intent (satya-saṅkalpa).
Use as a mantra of unbinding: journaling confession + chant to dissolve shame/fear patterns and restore inner alignment.
(pā́śa) ‘noose’ from √paś/√pāś ‘bind’ (Vedic lexical). The triple binding (triṣu) invites inner mapping: physical–vital–mental constraints, or waking–dream–sleep limitations—Varuṇa’s release is integrative liberation. √sṛj ‘let go, emit’ (sasṛjyāt) complements √muc: the deity both ‘sends away’ and ‘loosens’ bonds.
bondage by law and liberation by truth, omniscience (vidvān) and unfailing order (adabdha)
Varuṇa’s bonds represent the self-correcting action of ṛta upon falsehood; release comes by re-entering ṛta.
Truth-seeing (vidvān) is the key that unties the knot; sincerity is the inner ‘offering’.
Proto-Vedāntic / Aurobindonian psychological symbolism: deities as powers of consciousness; bondage as ignorance.
Rigid structures (posts) and binding forces (noose) correspond to fixed habits and karmic necessity; the solar law corresponds to luminous right-order.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The noose-and-release myth: Varuṇa as binder by pāśa and liberator when rightly invoked. The triple binding intensifies the motif—bondage is total, across layers; release is a divine act of knowledge (vidvān) restoring the seeker to ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bandh ‘bind’ has IE cognates (cf. English bind). √sṛj ‘let go’ relates to IE *sreg-/*sreig- motion/flow complexes in Indo-Iranian developments (semantic ‘send forth’). The concrete ‘noose’ becomes an abstract moral-psychological constraint, a common IE metaphorization.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi leverages paradigmatic precedent: the devata’s identity includes both restraint and mercy. By naming Varuṇa ‘vidvān adabdha’, the rishi appeals to a justice that is also precise compassion—release is not arbitrary but truth-based.
Release from inner guilt/fear and compulsive patterns by invoking Truth and wideness (Varuṇa).
Anāhata (heart-knot release) / Viśuddha (truth-speaking)
Exhale-lengthening with soft kumbhaka after exhale while mentally repeating ‘vi mumoktu pāśān’.
From constricted, anxious self-sense to spacious, truthful witness-awareness.
Name the ‘three bindings’ you feel (body tension, vital craving, mental rumination). Chant once per binding; after each repetition, pause and sense widening above the head and across the chest.
Vedic accents as marked in the Saṁhitā text (udātta on accented syllables; svarita following; anudātta unmarked).
Keep udātta slightly raised and clear on key verbs (ahvad, mumoktu) and divine names (varuṇa). Let cadences fall gently at pāda ends.
śunaḥśepo: visarga in śunaḥ is light; avoid turning it into ‘shunahh’, gṛbhītaḥ: ṛ is vocalic; keep ‘gṛ’ not ‘gri’, drupadeṣu: retroflex ḍ in some recensions; keep ‘padeṣu’ crisp, pāśān: long ā; ś is palatal, not dental s
Steady, supplicatory, then widening and confident on the final pāda.
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