Rig Veda 1.39.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 39, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.39
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Maruts/Rudras
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
नहि वः शत्रुर्विविदे अधि द्यवि न भूम्यां रिशादसः । युष्माकमस्तु तविषी तना युजा रुद्रासो नू चिदाधृषे ॥
náhi vaḥ śátrur vividé ádhi dyávi ná bhū́myāṃ riśādasaḥ | yuṣmā́kam astu táviṣī tánā yujā́ rudrāso nū́ cid ā́dhṛṣe ||
तुम्हारा कोई दुश्मन नहीं मिला, न आसमान में न ज़मीन पर, बुराई मिटाने वाले। तुम्हारी ताकत हमारे काम आए, रुद्र, ताकि हम किसी से भी न हारें।
Word by Word
- नहि
- indeed not / surely notIndeclinableनिपात (प्रतिषेध/निश्चयार्थ) + अव्यय ‘हि’ (हेतौ/निश्चयार्थ)Root नहि (न + हि)
- वः
- of you (pl.)Pronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessive)Root युष्मद्
- शत्रुः
- enemyNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot शत्रु
- विविदे
- has found / has discoveredVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √विद् (विदँ ‘जानने/प्राप्तौ’), वि-
- अधि
- upon / inIndeclinableउपसर्ग/उपपद (अधिकरणार्थ)Role अधिकरणRoot अधि
- द्यवि
- in heaven / in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिक), सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot द्यौ (दिव्)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- भूम्याम्
- on earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot भूमि
- रिशादसः
- O harm-destroyers (Rudras/Maruts)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot रिशादस्
- युष्माकम्
- of you (pl.)Pronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessive)Root युष्मद्
- अस्तु
- let there be / may it beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सदृश), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (असँ ‘भू’)
- तविषी
- strength, mightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (अस्तु-सम्बद्ध)Root तविषी
- तना
- always / continuallyIndeclinableअव्यय (वैदिक), ‘सदा/नित्यम्’ अर्थेRoot तना
- युजा
- with a yokefellow/ally; as a helperNoun (instrumental of agent/means) / Adjectivalपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (युज्- ‘योक्/सहचर’)Role करणRoot युज् (युज्- ‘योजने’)
- रुद्रासः
- the RudrasNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अधृषे-सम्बद्ध)Root रुद्र
- नु
- now / indeedIndeclinableनिपात (सम्प्रति/प्रबोधनार्थ)Root नु
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात (अपि/एव-भाव, ‘even’)Root चित्
- अधृषे
- is not dared/overpowered (cannot be assailed)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; नकारार्थे ‘अधृषे’ = ‘न धृष्यते/न धर्षयति’Role क्रियाRoot √धृष् (धृषँ ‘साहसे/धर्षणे’) + अ-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): नहि | वः | शत्रुः | विविदे | अधि | द्यवि | न | भूम्याम् | रिशादसः | युष्माकम् | अस्तु | तविषी | तना | युजा | रुद्रासः | नु | चित् | अधृषे । मुख्य संधि: ‘शत्रुर्विविदे’ = शत्रुः + विविदे (विसर्ग→र्)
- ‘नू चित्’ = नु + चित् (ऊ-दीर्घ/स्वर-प्रभाव सहित संहिता-पाठ)
- ‘चिदाधृषे’ = चित् + अधृषे (त् + अ → द् + अ, वैदिक संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
No enemy has found you in heaven or on earth, O destroyers of harm. Let your strength be ours in the yoking of our being; O Rudras, even now may we be unassailable.
Inner meaning
The Marut-Rudra powers are invincible because they move in the divine order and cannot be ‘located’ by hostile forces in any plane (dyauḥ/bhūmi = higher and lower ranges of our consciousness). The seeker asks that this same strength become ours ‘in the yoking of our being’ (tanā yujā): when we harness body-life-mind to the inner sacrifice, let the Rudra-energies make the whole nature unassailable—immune to discouragement, falsehood, and harmful impulses.
Universal truth
True security comes from alignment (yoga/yoking) with higher powers; when the whole being is yoked to truth, hostility loses its hold.
Themes
invincibility, protection from harm, union with Rudra-force
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.39.1, RV 1.39.2, RV 1.39.3
Family tradition
The Kāṇva approach integrates protection with yoga: not mere warding-off, but a yoking of the whole being to divine strength.
Significance
Kaṇva’s vision culminates in invulnerability through integration—strength becomes ours when the being is yoked to the divine movement.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts/Rudras (collective)
- Epithets
- riśādasaḥ (destroyers of harm), Rudrāsaḥ, unassailable host
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Purifiers and protectors across heaven and earth; companions of Indra who ensure victory and safety of the cosmic journey.
Inner power
Fierce grace: energies that cut through harmful patterns and establish resilient right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective stotra to Maruts/Rudras within śrauta settings; invoked for safety of sacrificer and rite.
न॒हि व॒: शत्रु॑र्विवि॒दे अधि॒ द्यवि॒ न भूम्यां॑ रिशादसः । यु॒ष्माक॑मस्तु॒ तवि॑षी॒ तना॑ यु॒जा रुद्रा॑सो॒ नू चि॑दा॒धृषे॑ ॥
न॒हि । वः॒ । शत्रुः॑ । वि॒वि॒दे । अधि॑ । द्यवि॑ । न । भूम्या॑म् । रि॒शा॒द॒सः॒ । यु॒ष्माक॑म् । अ॒स्तु॒ । तवि॑षी । तना॑ । यु॒जा । रुद्रा॑सः । नु । चि॒त् । आ॒ऽधृषे॑ ॥
nahi | vaḥ | śatruḥ | vivide | adhi | dyavi | na | bhūmyām | riśādasaḥ | yuṣmākam | astu | taviṣī | tanā | yujā | rudrāsaḥ | nu | cit | ādhṛṣe
44
4 × ~11; negation ‘nahi’ gives strong opening; concluding blessing cadence
Assured, protective, sealing rhythm—ends with a sense of impenetrability.
Instills confidence and containment; feels like ‘closing the gates’ against intrusion.
- रिशादसः (riśādasaḥ)
- Literal: destroyers of harm. Symbolic: forces that consume pain-producing, false movements
- द्यवि…भूम्याम् (dyavi…bhūmyām)
- Literal: in heaven…on earth. Symbolic: in higher mind and in physical/vital nature
- तना युजा (tanā yujā)
- Literal: yoked with the body/with one’s being. Symbolic: integral yoga: harnessing the whole nature to the divine work
- रुद्रासः (rudrāsaḥ)
- Literal: Rudras (plural). Symbolic: fierce purifying powers that heal by removing falsehood
- आधृषे (ādhṛṣe)
- Literal: unassailable, not to be overcome. Symbolic: inner invulnerability through truth-aligned force
Protective assurance (abhaya) and consecration of the sacrificer’s embodied state (tanā) through yoking with divine force.
When seeking protection across domains (heaven/earth) and successful ‘yoking’ of the rite.
Protective affirmation and request for strength to be shared with the worshipper.
Daily protective recitation before travel, important meetings, or sādhanā; also as an affirmation of integral alignment (tanā yujā).
riśādasaḥ: riśa ‘harm’ + -adas (from √ad ‘eat’) → ‘harm-eaters’, i.e., those who consume/destroy injury—protective deities. tanā ‘by the body/through being’ indicates embodiment as the field of yoga (yuj). ādhṛṣe relates to √dhṛṣ ‘to assail/dare’; with ā- it can mean ‘to attack’ or ‘to be bold’; here in context: ‘unassailable/undared-against’.
yoga/yoking (yuj) as union of human and divine energies, abhaya (fearlessness) as sign of aligned force, cosmic totality (dyu/bhūmi) under ṛta
Invincibility is a function of Ṛta—forces moving in right order cannot be seized by disorder.
Truth-integration (yoking) makes the being ‘unassailable’.
Axis of heaven and earth harmonized in the individual through yoga (yuj).
Integral Yoga resonance: ‘tanā yujā’ suggests total consecration of nature, not partial spirituality.
Heaven/earth = higher and lower consciousness; protection = stabilized energetic field aligned to truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘invincible protectors’ mythologem: Maruts/Rudras as harm-destroyers whom no enemy can ‘find’ across the cosmic domains. Inner sense: when these forces are yoked into embodied existence (tanā yujā), the seeker becomes difficult to assail by hostile impulses and fears.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The heaven/earth merism (dyu/bhūmi) is a widespread Indo-European poetic totality marker. √yuj ‘yoke’ reflects PIE *yeug- (cf. Latin iugum, English yoke), central to the Vedic idea of disciplined union.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks participation: not only praising their invincibility but asking that their taviṣī become operative ‘for us’ through inner yoking. The devotion is a technology of alliance—divine protection becomes an embodied state.
Integrate (yoke) body-life-mind to the inner Divine; cultivate invulnerability through truth-alignment.
Anāhata (inner safety/trust) and Ājñā (alignment)
Slow coherent breathing (5-5) while inwardly repeating ‘tanā yujā’; feel the whole body consenting to alignment.
Quiet strength; protected openness without fear.
Contemplate two domains: ‘dyauḥ’ (higher intention) and ‘bhūmi’ (daily life). Chant to unite them. End with a firm inner resolve: no harmful suggestion will ‘find’ a foothold.
Respect ‘nahi’ opening with correct accent; keep ‘rudrāso’ and ‘ādhṛṣe’ carefully articulated with Vedic pitch contours as marked.
Let the first pāda sound declarative; soften slightly on the prayerful middle; end firmly on ‘ādhṛṣe’.
nahi: short vowels; light ‘h’, śatrur: ‘tr’ cluster clear, vivide: keep both ‘vi’ syllables distinct, dyavi: ‘dy’ cluster; short i, riśādasaḥ: palatal ‘ś’; long ā; visarga light, tanā yujā: long ā in tanā; ‘yujā’ with soft ‘j’
Grounded, protective, resonant; steady nasal resonance without strain.
9
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
