Rig Veda 2.23.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 23, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.23
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
न तमंहो न दुरितं कुतश्चन नारातयस्तितिरुर्न द्वयाविनः । विश्वा इदस्माद्ध्वरसो वि बाधसे यं सुगोपा रक्षसि ब्रह्मणस्पते ॥
ná tám áṃho ná duritáṃ kútaś caná nā́rātayas titirúr ná dvayā́vinaḥ | víśvā íd asmād dhvaráso ví bādhase yáṃ su-gopā́ rakṣasi brahmaṇas-pate ||
जिसको आप रखते हो, उसको कोई दुख नहीं मिलता, कोई बुराई नहीं छू सकती। कोई दुश्मन, कोई धोकेबाज़ उसको हरा नहीं सकता। आप उसके पास से सारी बुरी बातें भगा देते हो। जो शब्दों के स्वामी हो, आप उसकी अच्छे से रक्षा करते हो।
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (negation)Root न
- तम्
- that (him/it)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद्
- अंहः
- distress, sin, troubleNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अंहस्
- न
- norIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- दुरितम्
- misfortune, evil, wrongdoingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दुरित
- कुतः
- from anywhere, whenceIndeclinableअव्यय (ablatival/interrogative adverb)Root कुतः
- चन
- even (at all)Indeclinableएव/अपि-भाव (enclitic intensifier with negation)Root चन
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- अरातयः
- harms, hostilities, injurious powersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अराति
- तितिरुः
- have crossed over / have prevailedVerbलिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot तॄ (तॄ/तॢ) "to cross over" (perf. stem तितिर-)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- द्वयाविनः
- the double-dealers / twofold-minded (deceivers)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot द्वयाविन्
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot विश्व
- इत्
- indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Root इद् (particle) इत्
- अस्मात्
- from this (one), from himPronounपुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot अस्मद्
- ध्वरसः
- injurers, hostile beingsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ध्वरस्
- वि
- apart, awayIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot वि
- बाधसे
- you repel, you drive awayVerbलट् (present), आत्मनेपद, 2 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot बाध्
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद्
- सुगोपाः
- good-guardian, well-protectingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सुगोप
- रक्षसि
- you protectVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, 2 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot रक्ष्
- ब्रह्मणस्पते
- O Lord of sacred utterance (Bṛhaspati)Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot ब्रह्मणस्-पति (compound)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): न तम् अंहः न दुरितम् कुतः चन | न अरातयः तितिरुः न द्वयाविनः | विश्वाः इत् अस्मात् ध्वरसः वि बाधसे | यम् सुगोपाः रक्षसि ब्रह्मणस्पते || प्रमुख संधि: (1) नारा॑तयः = न + अरातयः (अ-आ संधि → आ)
- (2) विश्वा॒ इद॑स्मात् = विश्वाः + इत् + अस्मात् (विसर्ग-लोप/संधि; इद्/इत् निपात)
- (3) अस्माद्ध्व॒रसो॒ = अस्मात् + ध्वरसः (त् + ध् → द्ध्)
- (4) कुत॑श्च॒न = कुतः + चन (विसर्गः + च → श्च)
The meaning
Outer meaning
No distress or evil from anywhere, no hostile attackers, no double-dealers can cross the one whom Brahmaṇaspati guards. All crooked violences he drives away from the one he protects well.
Inner meaning
When the consciousness is held by the master of the Word, inner suffering (aṃhas) and wrong movement (durita) cannot overtake it. ‘Double-dealers’ are divided motives—parts of us that pretend to aspire while secretly serving desire or fear. Brahmaṇaspati’s protection is the integrity of truth in speech and thought; it repels crooked impulses (dhvarasaḥ) and hostile formations before they can enter and distort the inner sacrifice.
Universal truth
Spiritual safety is fundamentally wholeness: when truth governs, duplicity and crookedness lose access. Protection is not mere shielding but purification and straightening of the being.
Themes
Protection, Removal of evil, Ethical-psychological purification
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu–Aṅgiras line
- Other hymns
- RV 2.23.5 (seal of protection)
Family tradition
The hymn sequence culminates in assurance: once the Word is enthroned and active, protection becomes comprehensive—especially against inner crookedness and division.
Significance
A mantra of inner armor: it asserts that truth-consciousness, when established, is a boundary against both external hostility and internal duplicity.
The deity
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati (Bṛhaspati)
- Epithets
- sugopāḥ, brahmaṇas pati
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (guardian of ṛta), Agni (purifier), Indra (defender against hostile forces)
Cosmic role
Guardian of ṛta through the power of brahman; repeller of hostile and crooked forces that threaten the sacrifice and the seeker.
Inner power
Protective clarity and integrative truth that prevents division and distortion in the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Apotropaic/protective recitation within śrauta rites; used to ward off obstacles and inimical influences against the sacrificer.
न तमंहो॒ न दु॑रि॒तं कुत॑श्च॒न नारा॑तयस्तितिरु॒र्न द्व॑या॒विन॑: । विश्वा॒ इद॑स्माद्ध्व॒रसो॒ वि बा॑धसे॒ यं सु॑गो॒पा रक्ष॑सि ब्रह्मणस्पते ॥
न । तम् । अंहः॑ । न । दुः॒ऽइ॒तम् । कुतः॑ । च॒न । न । अरा॑तयः । ति॒ति॒रुः॒ । न । द्व॒या॒विनः॑ । विश्वाः॑ । इत् । अ॒स्मा॒त् । ध्व॒रसः॑ । वि । बा॒ध॒से॒ । यम् । सु॒ऽगो॒पाः । रक्ष॑सि । ब्र॒ह्म॒णः॒ । प॒ते॒ ॥
na | tam | aṃhaḥ | na | duḥ-itam | kutaḥ | cana | na | arātayaḥ | titiruḥ | na | dvayāvinaḥ | viśvāḥ | it | asmāt | dhvarasaḥ | vi | bādhase | yam | su-gopāḥ | rakṣasi | brahmaṇaḥ | pate
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4×11 (approx.)
Sealing, protective cadence; repetitive negations create a strong boundary effect.
Creates psychological ‘armor’; reduces anxiety and strengthens integrity of intention.
- aṃhaḥ
- Literal: distress. Symbolic: psychic suffering from obscurity/error
- duritam
- Literal: evil/misfortune. Symbolic: wrong movement, harmful habit-patterns
- arātayaḥ
- Literal: hostile assailants. Symbolic: adverse forces: doubt, fear, jealousy, destructive impulses
- dvayāvinaḥ
- Literal: double-dealers/two-fold. Symbolic: duplicity, divided will, mixed motives
- dhvarasaḥ
- Literal: crooked violences/obliquities. Symbolic: perversions of force—twisting of energy away from ṛta
- sugopāḥ
- Literal: good herdsman/guardian. Symbolic: perfect protector who guards the ‘cows’ (rays/knowledges) and the inner order
- brahmaṇas pate
- Literal: lord of the Word. Symbolic: sovereign of mantra-consciousness ensuring integrity
Apotropaic assurance: recited to secure immunity from fault, hostile speech, and harmful influences during ritual and inner discipline.
As a protective affirmation after invocation/praise; when securing the sacrificer’s safety and the rite’s success.
Rakṣā (protective) function—verbal boundary-setting through mantra.
Chant as a protective affirmation before sleep, before travel, or before entering challenging social/emotional situations; especially useful to counter inner ‘divided will’.
durita ‘ill-gone’ (dur- + ita from √i ‘go’) → misfortune/evil. dvaya ‘twofold’ indicates division; psychologically a split will. dhvaras (rare) relates to √dhvṛ/√dhvar ‘to bend, be crooked, injure’ → perversion/violence. rakṣ from √rakṣ ‘guard’ (protective semantic).
Protection of the seeker, Removal of ‘crookedness’ (adharma vs ṛta), Unity of will vs division (dvaya)
Crookedness is anti-ṛta; Brahmaṇaspati restores straight movement by repelling dhvarasaḥ.
Satya is the single will; dvayāvin (double) cannot pass where satya is established.
Stabilisation of the created inner order—maintenance of the luminous world against relapse into chaos.
Ṛta–satya ethics leading to yogic integrity (ekāgratā, single-pointedness).
Good guardian = vigilant awareness; ‘crooked violences’ = twisted prāṇa/impulse currents; protection = luminous boundary of truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The guarded one becomes unreachable by hostile forces: a mythologem of the ‘protected sacrificer’ within ṛta’s enclosure, where perverting powers (dhvaras) cannot cross. It is the spiritual fortification granted by the Word’s lord.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dur- as a negative prefix corresponds to IE *dus- ‘bad’ (cf. Greek δυσ-, Latin dus- in compounds). The inherited morphology of negation + motion (‘ill-gone’) is a common Indo-European way to name misfortune.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi speaks with certainty of the deity’s guardianship: the hymn is performative—declaring the protective field created by Brahmaṇaspati, which itself is part of the efficacy of brahman (spoken truth establishing protection).
Establish inner integrity: detect ‘double motives’ and offer them to the truth-word; affirm a straight movement (ṛju) in thought and action.
Mūlādhāra (safety/grounding) supported by Anāhata (trust)
Lengthened exhale with silent repetition of ‘na…na…’ clauses as a boundary practice; pause after exhale feeling stillness and safety.
Protected equanimity; single will; reduced vulnerability to suggestion and mood.
Chant 11 times at night. Then review the day for one instance of dvayāvin (inner double-dealing). Resolve one concrete correction for tomorrow—this is the ‘straightening’ of dhvarasaḥ.
Tri-svara; the repeated ‘na’ clauses should be even and firm, creating a rhythmic ‘seal’.
Keep each negation distinct; slightly stress ‘dvayāvinaḥ’ and ‘dhvaraso’ as the key dangers being denied.
duritam: keep short u; dental t, kutaś cana: articulate ś clearly, dvayāvinaḥ: pronounce ‘dv’ cluster cleanly, long ā, dhvaraso: aspirate dh; keep ‘vra’ cluster clear, sugopā: long ā at end
Low, steady, protective—like laying down a boundary; avoid excessive speed.
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