Rig Veda 7.1.10: Mandala 7, Sukta 1, Mantra 10

Sukta 7.1

Rishi

Vasiṣṭha

Devata

Agni, with Indraic mythic motif of Vṛtra-slaying invoked for inner battle

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Rasa

Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

इमे नरो वृत्रहत्येषु शूरा विश्वा अदेवीरभि सन्तु मायाः । ये मे धियं पनयन्त प्रशस्ताम् ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 7.1.10

Transliteration

imé naro vṛtra-hátyeṣu śū́rā víśvā ádevīr abhí santu māyā́ḥ | yé me dhíyaṃ panáyanta praśastā́m ||

Translation

यह वीर लोग दुश्मन को हराने में शहीद हो। सारी बुरी ताकतें और धोखे पीछे हट जाएँ। वो लोग जो मेरी सही बात को मानते हैं, उन्हें चोरी न हो। मेरी समझ को कोई कमज़ोर न करे।

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Word by Word

इमे

thesePronoun · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (वाक्यस्य विषयः) / विशेष्यः · Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

नरः

men, heroesNoun · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ · Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)

वृत्रहत्येषु

in the slayings of Vṛtra; in Vṛtra-killing battlesNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरण (स्थाने/विषये) · Root वृत्रहत्य (समास-प्रातिपदिक: वृत्र + हत्या)

शूराः

valiant, heroicAdjective · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (नरः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्) · Root शूर (प्रातिपदिक)

विश्वाः

allAdjective · स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (मायाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (अभि सन्तु इत्यस्य) / विशेषणम् · Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)

अदेवीः

non-divine, not of the godsAdjective · स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (मायाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म / विशेषणम् · Root अदेवी (नञ्-तत्पुरुष/उपसर्ग-निर्मित विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक: अ- + देवी)

अभि

towards, againstIndeclinableRole उपपद-सम्बन्धः (गत्यर्थ/अभिमुख्ये) · Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

सन्तु

let them beVerb · लोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रिया · Root अस् (धातु)

मायाः

devices, wiles, magical powersNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म/विधेय-नाम (सन्तु इत्यस्य) · Root माया (प्रातिपदिक)

ये

whoRelative pronoun · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (प॒नयन्ति इत्यस्य) · Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

मे

my / to mePronoun · षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचनस्य एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम् (gen./dat. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (धियं प्रति: ‘my’) · Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

धियम्

thought, insight, prayerNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (प॒नयन्ति इत्यस्य) · Root धि (प्रातिपदिक)

पनयन्त

praise, approve, prizeVerb · लट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (पदपाठे प्रायः ‘पनयन्ति’; संहितायां ‘पनयन्त’)Role क्रिया · Root पनय् (धातु; ‘to admire/approve, to prize’—RV usage)

प्रशस्ताम्

praised, celebratedAdjective (participle) · स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (धियम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role कर्म-विशेषणम् · Root प्र-शंस् (धातु) → प्रशस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; PPP)

Sandhi Notes

• संहिता-पाठः: ‘वृत्रहत्येषु शूरा’ इति पदच्छेदे ‘शूराः’ (प्रथमा बहु.)। ‘विश्वा अदेवीरभि’ इत्यत्र संधिः: विश्वाः + अदेवीः + अभि → ‘विश्वा अदेवीरभि’ (आः + अ → आ; ईः + अ → ईर्)। ‘ये मे धियं पनयन्त’ इत्यत्र पदपाठे क्रियारूपं सामान्यतः ‘पनयन्ति’
• संहितायां अन्त्य-स्वर-लोपेन ‘पनयन्त’ दृश्यते।

The meaning

Outer meaning

May these men be heroes in battles of Vṛtra-slaying; may all undivine deceits be driven back—those that bargain away and steal the well-praised insight.

Inner meaning

The ‘men’ (naraḥ) are the inner powers of the being—energies and faculties—that must become heroic in the slaying of the Coverer (vṛtra): the resistance of the subconscient that blocks light. ‘Adevī māyāḥ’ are false formations—deceptive impulses, confusions, and distortions that mimic truth but serve obscurity. The Panis (panayanta) are the hoarding/bargaining forces that steal the luminous intuition (dhī) by trading it for lower satisfactions. The mantra is a call for courageous inner warfare so the rightly praised insight can be protected and fulfilled.

Universal truth

Illumination must be defended: whenever insight arises, forces of distortion and compromise attempt to steal it. Victory requires courageous, organized inner energies aligned to truth.

Themes

Vṛtra-slaying (inner), Protection of inspiration, Rejection of undivine māyā, Anti-Paṇi motif

The seer

Rishi

Vasiṣṭha

Lineage

Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-gotra)

Other hymns

RV 7.18 (battle imagery), RV 7.23, RV 7.104 (later anti-hostile forces theme in RV)

Family tradition

Vasiṣṭha’s hymns frequently convert outer battle motifs into a disciplined victory of ṛta against obstructing powers.

Significance

Here Vasiṣṭha invokes the classic Vṛtra/Pani symbolism for inner psychology: resistance and theft of light are treated as practical obstacles to realization.

The deity

Devata

Agni

Epithets

(implicit) inner leader of the battle, (implicit) purifier of māyā-formations

Related deities

Indra (Vṛtra-slayer motif), Sarasvatī (dhī/intuition support), Bṛhaspati (breaker of the cave; defeats Panis)

Cosmic role

Agni as the force that burns coverings and exposes truth; though Vṛtra-slaying is Indraic, Agni supplies the heat and discernment enabling the victory.

Inner power

Discriminating flame that detects falsehood, fuels courage, and protects dhī from compromise.

In ritual

Where it is used

Protective/apotropaic segment within Agni hymn: strengthening the sacrificer’s forces against obstruction, and safeguarding dhī (inspired speech) from hostile influences.

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes