Rig Veda 7.20.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 20, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.20
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
नू चित्स भ्रेषते जनो न रेषन्मनो यो अस्य घोरमाविवासात् । यज्ञैर्य इन्द्रे दधते दुवांसि क्षयत्स राय ऋतपा ऋतेजाः ॥
nū́ cít sá bhreṣate jánō ná réṣan máno yó asya ghōrám āvivā́sāt | yajñáir yá índre dádhate duvā́ṃsi kṣáyat sá rāyé ṛtapā́ ṛtéjāḥ ||
जो इंसान इंद्र की भक्ति करता है वो कभी ठोकर नहीं खाता। उसका मन भी खराब नहीं होता। जो लोग यज्ञ के द्वारा इंद्र को भोग लगाते हैं वो ऐश में रहते हैं। वो सच्चाई को पीते हैं और सच्चाई से पैदा होते हैं।
Word by Word
- नू
- now, indeedIndeclinableकालवाचक/निपातःRoot नू (अव्यय)
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (अवधारण/अपि-अर्थ)Root चित् (अव्यय/निपात)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भ्रेषते
- falters, is shakenVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root भ्रंश्/भ्रेष् (धातु; ‘to fall/err, be shaken’)
- जनः
- the man, personNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (भ्रेषते इत्यस्य)Root जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधःRoot न (निषेध-अव्यय)
- रेषण्
- harming, injuringVerbal adjective (participle-like)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (नकारान्तः; ‘रेषण्’ = ‘हिंसन्/क्षिण्वन्’ इत्यर्थे)Role Kartā (अन्तर्भूत-क्रियायाः)Root रेष् (धातु; ‘to harm/injure’), क्त्वा/शतृ-प्रकारेण नकारान्त-रूपम्
- मनः
- mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (यो इत्यस्य विशेष्य)Root मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him (of Indra)Pronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- घोरम्
- terrible, awe-inspiringAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (मनः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Karma (आविवासात् इत्यस्य)Root घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
- आविवासात्
- has reverently served/worshippedVerbलिट्/परिपूर्ण-भूतार्थक-रूपम् (वेदिक-विशेषः), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √वास् (उपसर्गः आ-; ‘to dwell/seek, to serve, to worship’), आविवास (intensive/iterative perfect-like stem)
- यज्ञैः
- with sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रे
- in/for IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधते
- they place/offerVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root √धा (दधाति; ‘to place, set, bestow’)
- दुवांसि
- tributes, offeringsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot दुवांस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘offerings/tributes’, RV-lexeme)
- क्षयत्
- dwells, abides; possessesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (वेदिक-छन्दसि ‘क्षयत्’)Root √क्षि (क्षयति; ‘to dwell, abide, rule/possess’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रायः
- of wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः (RV), षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root राय्/राय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth’)
- ऋतपा
- guardian of ṛta (cosmic order)Adjective/Epithetपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root ऋतपा (प्रातिपदिक; ऋत + पा ‘protector/drinker of ṛta’)
- ऋतेजाः
- born of ṛta, sprung from truth/orderAdjective/Epithetपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root ऋतेजस् (प्रातिपदिक; ऋत + तेजस्/ज ‘born of ṛta’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: नू | चित् | सः | भ्रेषते | जनः | न | रेषन् | मनः | यः | अस्य | घोरम् | आविवासात् || यज्ञैः | यः | इन्द्रे | दधते | दुवांसि | क्षयत् | सः | रायः | ऋतपा | ऋतेजाः || 1) ‘नू चित्स’ = नू + चित् + सः (चित् + सः → चित्सः, विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि)
- 2) ‘रेषन्मनो’ = रेषन् + मनः (नकारान्त-शब्दः + मनः; पदे ‘मनः’ परे ओ-रूपं संहितायाम्)
- 3) ‘घोरमा॒विवा॑सात्’ = घोरम् + आविवासात् (म् + आ → मा)
- 4) ‘यज्ञैर्य’ = यज्ञैः + यः (विसर्गः परे यकारे ‘र्’)
- 5) ‘दुवां॑सि क्षय॒त्स’ = दुवांसि + क्षयत् + सः (त् + स → त्स)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even now a person does not stumble, nor does the mind come to harm, who has revered his terrible power. He who places offerings in Indra through sacrifices dwells in riches—drinker of ṛta, born of ṛta.
Inner meaning
When the seeker approaches Indra’s ‘terrible’ aspect (ghoram)—the uncompromising force that breaks falsehood—with reverence and surrender, the mind is protected from deviation and collapse. True ‘offering’ is the consecration of energies and works into the illumining Power. Then one ‘dwells’ (kṣayat) in plenitude: a stable state of consciousness nourished by ṛta (truth-order). ṛtapā/ṛtejā describes a being who drinks truth as sustenance and is generated from truth—an inner rebirth into right seeing and right force.
Universal truth
Reverence for truth’s severity (its demand for sincerity) protects the psyche from self-deception. When action is offered to the higher intelligence, life becomes sustained by an intrinsic order and abundance.
Themes
ṛta-centered prosperity, psychological steadiness, worship of formidable power, inner yajña
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.4, RV 7.7, RV 7.19, RV 7.23
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha emphasizes steadfastness (kṣaya/abiding) in ṛta and the protective power of sincere alignment with the gods as inner faculties.
Significance
The Vasiṣṭha vision often links victory to truth: the mind becomes unshakable not by suppression but by consecration to the higher light.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Ghóra (Formidable), Maghavan (Bounteous), Ṛtapā (associated here by result)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (ṛta-guardianship), Mitra, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Guardian of the right movement; breaker of limiting powers; bestower of plenitude when approached rightly.
Inner power
Discriminating, forceful illumination that prevents inner collapse and establishes stable truth-consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma-yajña; verses emphasizing protection and ṛta-based reward.
नू चि॒त्स भ्रे॑षते॒ जनो॒ न रे॑ष॒न्मनो॒ यो अ॑स्य घो॒रमा॒विवा॑सात् । य॒ज्ञैर्य इन्द्रे॒ दध॑ते॒ दुवां॑सि॒ क्षय॒त्स रा॒य ऋ॑त॒पा ऋ॑ते॒जाः ॥
नु । चि॒त् । सः । भ्रे॒ष॒ते॒ । जनः॑ । न । रे॒ष॒त् । मनः॑ । यः । अ॒स्य॒ । घो॒रम् । आ॒ऽविवा॑सात् । य॒ज्ञैः । यः । इन्द्रे॑ । दध॑ते । दुवां॑सि । क्षय॑त् । सः । रा॒ये । ऋ॒त॒ऽपाः । ऋ॒ते॒ऽजाः ॥
nu | cit | saḥ | bhreṣate | janaḥ | na | reṣat | manaḥ | yaḥ | asya | ghoram | āvivāsāt | yajñaiḥ | yaḥ | indre | dadhate | duvāṃsi | kṣayat | saḥ | rāye | ṛta-pāḥ | ṛte--jāḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Steady and resolute; less ‘charge’ than pure battle verses, more ‘firm stride’ of assurance.
Creates mental steadiness and protection; supports a disciplined, reverent concentration.
- घोरम् (ghoram)
- Literal: terrible, formidable. Symbolic: truth’s severe force that destroys inner falsehood and complacency
- आविवासात् (āvivāsāt)
- Literal: has served/worshipped with reverence. Symbolic: attentive surrender; conscious alignment with the higher power
- यज्ञैः (yajñaiḥ)
- Literal: by sacrifices. Symbolic: inner consecration of thought, life-force, and works
- दुवांसि (duvāṃsi)
- Literal: offerings/oblations. Symbolic: energies, intentions, and actions placed into the divine Mind-Power
- क्षयत् (kṣayat)
- Literal: dwells, abides. Symbolic: attains stable poise in plenitude (inner wealth)
- ऋतपा (ṛtapā)
- Literal: drinker of ṛta. Symbolic: one who lives by truth-substance; consciousness nourished by right order
- ऋतेजाः (ṛtejāḥ)
- Literal: born of ṛta. Symbolic: new birth from truth—purified nature generated by alignment with ṛta
Ethos-verse supporting sustained worship: stability, protection, and ṛta-based prosperity through yajña
When invoking Indra for safeguarding the rite and for stable increase (rāyaḥ).
Recitation with offerings; psychologically, offering of intention and effort into higher guidance.
For anxiety, instability, or self-sabotage: chant to stabilize mind and align with truth-based action.
√bhraś/bhreṣ ‘fall, slip’ and √riṣ ‘injure’ create a psychological assurance: right relation to the formidable divine force prevents inner collapse. ṛta-pā and ṛta-jā explicitly ground prosperity in truth-order: rāy is a result of ṛta-integration, not material gain. √dhā ‘place’ (IE *dʰeh₁-) emphasizes establishing offerings ‘in Indra’—inner consecration.
Ṛta as foundation of prosperity, yajña as inner consecration, mind’s stability through right worship
Explicit: the realized state is ṛtapā/ṛtejā—living and born from ṛta.
Mind does not ‘fall into harm’ when it refuses falsehood and serves the true power.
Birth from ṛta: transformation of nature through truth.
Vedic psychology: yajña as inner discipline yielding stable consciousness.
Storm-force as cleansing intensity; ‘drinking ṛta’ as assimilating truth-energy; ‘dwelling’ as establishing an inner home in wideness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ṛta-mythologem: prosperity and stability arise from drinking and being born of ṛta. Indra’s ‘terrible’ aspect is not chaos but overwhelming truth-force; reverent alignment with it prevents stumbling and harm.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā ‘place’ reflects PIE *dʰeh₁- (cf. Greek títhēmi). √kṣi ‘dwell’ links to IE notions of settling/inhabiting. The formulaic compounds ṛta-pā / ṛta-jā show archaic poetic compounding used to encode doctrine-like meaning.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames devotion as a technology of inner safety: serving Indra’s ghorá power and placing offerings ‘in Indra’ yields a stable mind and abiding rāy. The reciprocity is ethical-spiritual: right consecration → right protection → ṛta-born fullness.
Contemplate ‘ṛta’ as a living order descending into thought and action; offer the day’s works inwardly to Indra’s clarity.
anāhata (reverence/surrender) supporting ājñā (clear guidance)
Moderate pace; lengthen exhale on ‘ṛtapā ṛtejāḥ’; 4-4 breathing between repetitions.
Quiet strength; protected lucidity; stable ethical-spiritual alignment.
Begin with a moment of honesty: name what is ‘false’ or evasive in you. Chant, then sit and feel the mind ‘not stumbling’—a straightness in the inner posture. End by choosing one truthful act to perform today.
Maintain Vedic accents as in saṃhitā; keep ‘ghorám’ and ‘índre’ clearly articulated with their accentual prominence per the text tradition.
Do not over-dramatize ‘ghoram’; let the accent carry firmness while the overall tone remains controlled and reverent.
bhréṣate: ‘ṣ’ retroflex; keep ‘e’ clear, āvivāsāt: long ā at start; vās with clear long ā, duvāṃsi: nasalization on āṃ, ṛtapā ṛtejāḥ: vocalic ṛ repeated—keep it light, not ‘ri’
Steady, even, protective timbre; slightly lower pitch than battle verses.
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.
