Rig Veda 7.35.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 35, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.35
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
शं नो अग्निर्ज्योतिरनीको अस्तु शं नो मित्रावरुणावश्विना शम् । शं नः सुकृतां सुकृतानि सन्तु शं न इषिरो अभि वातु वातः ॥
śáṃ no agnír jyótir-anīko astu śáṃ no mitrā́varuṇāv aśvínā śám | śáṃ naḥ su-kṛtā́ṃ su-kṛtā́ni santu śáṃ na iṣiró abhí vātu vā́taḥ ||
यह मंत्र शांति माँगता है। अग्नि ऐसे चमके जैसे रोशनी का चेहरा हो। मित्र और वरुण, अश्विन भाई साथ दें। हमारी अच्छी हरकतें काम आएँ। हवा साफ चले और हमें ठीक रखे।
Word by Word
- शम्
- auspiciously; for welfareIndeclinableअव्यय (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्राय अर्थ: ‘कल्याणम्/शिवम्’)Role विशेषण-भावे (वाक्य-उपपद; फल/आशीर्वादार्थ)Root शम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) / √शम् (शमुँ) ‘शमने’ (निघण्टु-भाव)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम् (enclitic) ‘our/of us’Role सम्बन्ध (genitive possessor)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्योतिः
- lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम् (विधेय-नाम)Role कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण/विधेय (predicate nominative)Root ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनीकः
- with radiant face/front; radiantNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम् (अग्नेः विशेषणम् ‘मुख/तेजः/अग्रभागः’)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- may (he/it) beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/आशीर्लिङ्गार्थ) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √अस् (असँ) ‘भुवि’
- शम्
- for welfareIndeclinableअव्ययRole फल/आशीर्वादार्थRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- नः
- of usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- मित्रावरुणौ
- Mitra and VaruṇaNoun (dual deity-compound)पुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा द्विवचनम् (द्वन्द्वः)Role कर्तृRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विना
- the AśvinsNounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा द्विवचनम् (देवद्वयम्)Role कर्तृRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शम्
- for welfareIndeclinableअव्ययRole फल/आशीर्वादार्थRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- शम्
- for welfareIndeclinableअव्ययRole फल/आशीर्वादार्थRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- नः
- of usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- सुकृताम्
- of the well-doers / of good deedsAdjective (substantivized)स्त्रीलिङ्गः षष्ठी बहुवचनम् ( ‘of the well-doers / of the good deeds’—Vedic allows substantivization)Role सम्बन्धRoot सु-कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; PPP of √कृ ‘to do’ with सु-)
- सुकृतानि
- good deedsNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सु-कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्तु
- may they beVerbलोट् परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √अस् (असँ) ‘भुवि’
- शम्
- for welfareIndeclinableअव्ययRole फल/आशीर्वादार्थRoot शम् (अव्यय)
- नः
- of usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- इषिरः
- vigorous; swift; refreshingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम् (वातस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot इषिर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards; uponIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्गार्थ: ‘towards, upon’)Role क्रियाविशेषण (directional)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वातु
- may (it) blowVerbलोट् परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √वा (वा॒) ‘गन्धने/प्रेरणे; to blow’
- वातः
- windNounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वात (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): अग्निर्ज्योतिरनीको → अग्निः + ज्योतिः + अनीकः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + ज → र्; ः + अ → र्). मित्रावरुणावश्विना → मित्रावरुणौ + अश्विना (औ + अ → आव्). न॑: = नः (enclitic gen. pl.). अभि वातु वातः: ‘वातु’ (लोट्) with subject ‘वातः’
- ‘अभि’ as preverb/adverb
The meaning
Outer meaning
A benediction of śam (peace/auspiciousness): may Agni be luminous; may Mitra-Varuṇa and the Aśvins bring harmony; may good deeds and right actions be present; may Vāta (Wind) blow upon us strongly and clearly.
Inner meaning
The seeker invokes an integral inner harmony: Agni as the awakened divine Will becomes a “face of light” in the front of consciousness; Mitra-Varuṇa establish inner concord and truth-law (ethical and spiritual order); the Aśvins bring swift healing and right adjustment of mind-life; sukṛta (right formations) and sukṛtāni (right works/energies of right doing) become stable habits of the nature; Vāta is the prāṇic current that clears stagnation and moves the being forward with a clean, impelling force.
Universal truth
Peace is not mere quietude but a coordinated right-ordering of powers—will, truth, harmony, healing, right action, and life-breath—so the inner sacrifice can proceed without distortion.
Themes
illumination, purification, right action, harmonizing pairs
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (probable; Maṇḍala 7 tradition)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.33, RV 7.34, RV 7.35, RV 7.36, RV 7.82
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭhas: hymns of inner order (ṛta), harmony, and the establishment of divine law in the human vessel; a steady, priestly vision that reconciles powers into peace.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s seeing emphasizes pacification of conflicting movements and the enthronement of truth-governed harmony; this verse reads like a psychological ‘alignment’ of will, truth, healing, action, and breath.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni; Mitra-Varuṇa; Aśvins; Vāta (invoked as harmonizing powers under Śam)
- Epithets
- jyotir-anīka (luminous-faced), suśaṃsa (well-affirming, in the adjacent verses’ tone), iṣira (swift/impelling, of Vāta)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas, Soma, Indra, Rudra
Cosmic role
Agni kindles the sacrifice; Mitra-Varuṇa uphold cosmic and moral order; Aśvins restore and renew; Vāta circulates life and links worlds.
Inner power
Illuminated will (Agni), truth-harmony and self-regulation (Mitra-Varuṇa), rapid healing and integration (Aśvins), purified prāṇic dynamism (Vāta).
In ritual
Where it is used
Śānti-prayoga / benedictive recitation within soma-related or general auspicious rites; also suitable as closing/settling mantra.
शं नो॑ अ॒ग्निर्ज्योति॑रनीको अस्तु॒ शं नो॑ मि॒त्रावरु॑णाव॒श्विना॒ शम् । शं न॑: सु॒कृतां॑ सुकृ॒तानि॑ सन्तु॒ शं न॑ इषि॒रो अ॒भि वा॑तु॒ वात॑: ॥
शम् । नः॒ । अ॒ग्निः । ज्योतिः॑ऽअनीकः । अ॒स्तु॒ । शम् । नः॒ । मि॒त्रावरु॑णौ । अ॒श्विना॑ । शम् । शम् । नः॒ । सु॒ऽकृता॑म् । सु॒ऽकृ॒तानि॑ । स॒न्तु॒ । शम् । नः॒ । इ॒षि॒रः । अ॒भि । वा॒तु॒ । वातः॑ ॥
śam | naḥ | agniḥ | jyotiḥ-anīkaḥ | astu | śam | naḥ | mitrāvaruṇau | aśvinā | śam | śam | naḥ | su-kṛtām | su-kṛtāni | santu | śam | naḥ | iṣiraḥ | abhi | vātu | vātaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (with Vedic resolution/expansion possible)
Forward-driving yet balanced; suited to benediction with firm cadence.
Creates a stabilizing ‘settling’ in the chest and brow while keeping prāṇa active—peace that is dynamic, not inert.
- शम् (śam)
- Literal: peace, welfare, auspiciousness. Symbolic: integral harmony; settled right-order of the being that allows higher consciousness to act
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine Will and aspiration; leader of the inner yajña
- ज्योतिः-अनीकः (jyotiḥ-anīkaḥ)
- Literal: having a luminous face/front. Symbolic: will made luminous—guidance and discernment at the forefront of awareness
- मित्रावरुणौ (mitrāvaruṇau)
- Literal: Mitra and Varuṇa. Symbolic: harmony and wideness/truth-law; the ethical-spiritual order (ṛta) in relations and self-governance
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the Aśvins. Symbolic: swift helpers—healing, right adjustment, rapid progress in the journey
- सुकृताम् / सुकृतानि (sukṛtām / sukṛtāni)
- Literal: good-doers / good deeds. Symbolic: right formations and right works—energies shaped by the soul’s intention rather than ego
- वातः (vātaḥ)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: prāṇa; the impelling life-force that clears and dynamizes consciousness
- इषिरः (iṣiraḥ)
- Literal: swift, strong, impetuous. Symbolic: vigorous upward-moving prāṇa aiding aspiration
Śānti and purification; Agni as inner light, Vāta as clearing breath—usable in preparatory rites and daily recitation.
At the beginning or completion of offerings; before travel/undertakings; to establish auspiciousness in the ritual field.
Recited by hotṛ/adhvaryu as a peace-invocation while aligning fires, breaths, and intentions.
Use as a pre-meditation ‘alignment’ mantra: will (Agni), truth-harmony (Mitra-Varuṇa), healing (Aśvins), right action (sukṛta), and breath (Vāta).
jyotis-anīka: anīka ‘face/front’ (often ‘countenance’)—Agni as ‘front of light’, i.e., the conscious leading edge of will. su-kṛta from √kṛ ‘do, make’ + su ‘good’: not moralism but right-formed action in alignment with ṛta. √vā ‘blow’ (vāta) is both physical wind and prāṇic movement; iṣira ‘swift/impelling’ signals a purified dynamism aiding inner progress.
right action (su-kṛta) as ṛta in works, illumined will (Agni as jyotis-anīka), purifying breath-force (Vāta)
Mitra-Varuṇa signify ṛta as both cosmic law and psychological self-governance.
Truth becomes operative when will is luminous (jyotiḥ-anīka) and deeds are sukṛta.
Ordering of energies: breath and will shape a harmonious field where higher light can manifest.
Proto-Vedāntic and yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness.
Fire = aspiration/will; Wind = prāṇa and movement of life-force; their harmony yields calm power and clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘purification and right functioning’: Agni leads as the luminous front, the Aśvins restore and set right, Mitra-Varuṇa harmonize and lawfully contain, and Vāta clears by a swift breath—so that su-kṛta (right-formed action) can manifest.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Agni ~ Latin ignis (PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis). √kṛ ‘make/do’ continues PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘make’ (broadly; exact mapping debated, but Indo-European ‘do/make’ roots are archaic). √vā ‘blow’ is Indo-European (cf. Latin ventus ‘wind’ from *h₂weh₁- ‘blow’). The twin Aśvins reflect the widespread Indo-European ‘divine twins’ mythic pattern.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks the gods to become inner operators: Agni as illumined will, Vāta as cleansing movement, Aśvins as restoring powers, Mitra-Varuṇa as harmonizing law—so the seeker’s actions become su-kṛta, aligned with truth rather than driven by confusion.
Establish inner peace as functional harmony of will, truth, healing, action, and breath.
Anāhata–Viśuddha axis (harmony/truth) with Agni rising toward Ājñā (luminous front).
Slow nāsikā-breath with gentle emphasis on exhale; feel ‘vāta’ clearing the channels after each pāda.
Śānta-dīpta: calm yet lit from within.
Chant once slowly, then sit: (1) kindle aspiration in the heart (Agni), (2) widen and straighten the mind (Mitra-Varuṇa), (3) invite swift repair of imbalance (Aśvins), (4) resolve one concrete right action (sukṛta), (5) feel prāṇa as a clean current (Vāta).
Vedic svara as in Śākala tradition: udatta on marked syllables, svarita where indicated; overall benedictive evenness with clear udātta peaks on key invocations (,, :).
Keep ‘śaṃ no’ lightly lifted; place the main accent on the deity-terms carrying svara marks; avoid flattening the final cadence of each pāda.
śaṃ: nasalized ‘a’ with anusvāra—soft, not heavy ‘m’, jyotiḥ: final visarga lightly aspirated before vowel in sandhi context, anīkaḥ: long ī, clear retroflex ‘ṇ’, mitrāvaruṇau: long ā and ṇ; do not split the compound unnaturally, aśvinā: palatal ś, short i, vātaḥ: long ā; visarga audible at end
Clear, steady, slightly softened timbre; let the breath feel ‘clean’ on the last pāda.
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