Rig Veda 7.50.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 50, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.50
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Bhayankara and Shanta (peace)
आ मां मित्रावरुणेह रक्षतं कुलाययद्विश्वयन्मा न आ गन् । अजकावं दुर्दृशीकं तिरो दधे मा मां पद्येन रपसा विदत्त्सरुः ॥
ā́ māṃ mitrā́varuṇehá rakṣataṃ kulā́yayad viśváyan mā́ na ā́ gan | ajakāváṃ durdṛ́śīkaṃ tiró dadhe mā́ māṃ padyéna rápasā vidat tsarúḥ ||
मित्र और वरुण, मुझे यहाँ बचाओ। कोई बुरा ताकत हमारे पास न आए। मैं अंधेरे को छुपा के रखूँगा जो देखने में मुश्किल है। बुरा मुझे पकड़ न पाए।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- माम्
- mePronounद्वितीया एकवचन (enclitic form of अहम्)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- मित्रावरुणा
- Mitra and VaruṇaNoun (dual deity-compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन द्विवचनRole KartāRoot मित्र- + वरुण-
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह
- रक्षतम्
- protect (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRoot रक्ष्
- कुलाययत्
- (when) it nests / makes a nestVerb (denominative)लट्/इञ्ज्-प्रायः (Vedic present), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot कुलायय (नामधातु from कुलाय ‘nest’)
- विश्वयन्
- going everywhere; roamingAdjective/Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (as qualifier)Root विश्व + यन् (यन्/या ‘to go’ with preverb-like intensification; Vedic participial formation)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेध (prohibitive particle)Root मा
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Root अस्मद्
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग)
- गन्
- let it not comeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) / injunctive-like Vedic form, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (with prohibitive मा)Root गम्
- अजकावम्
- the ajakāva (a harmful creature)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अजकाव- (प्रातिपदिक; a kind of creature/being, traditionally a harmful animal/monster)
- दुर्दृशीकम्
- hard to see; ill-seen; of evil appearanceAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with ajakāvam as object-qualifier in Vedic usage)Role Karma (qualifier)Root दुर्- + दृशीक- (from √दृश्)
- तिरः
- away; aside; out of sightIndeclinableअव्यय (adverb/preverb)Root तिरस्
- दधे
- I have put/placedVerbलिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot धा
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot मा
- माम्
- mePronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- पद्येन
- with a step; by a foot/strideNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पद्य- (from पद ‘foot/step’)
- रपसा
- with violence; with sudden forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot रपस्-
- विदत्
- let it not find/encounterVerbलोट्/इञ्ज्-प्रायः (Vedic injunctive/aorist-like), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (with prohibitive मा)Root विद् (to find/meet)
- सरुः
- the saru (creeping/striking creature)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot सरु- (प्रातिपदिक; a creeping/striking being, often ‘serpent/creature’ in Vedic context)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: आ + माम्
- मित्रावरुणे → मित्रावरुणा (dual voc./nom.)
- कुलाययद्विश्वयन् → कुलाययत् + विश्वयन्
- न॒ आ → नः + आ
- ग॑न् kept as Vedic prohibitive form with मा
- अ॒ज॒का॒वं, दु॒र्दृशी॑कं taken as object + qualifier
- ति॒रो → तिरः
- विद॒त्त्सरु॑: → विदत् + सरुः (final -t + s- sandhi). Accents are not re-marked in the pada list
- they follow the Saṃhitā reading
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Mitra and Varuṇa, protect me here; let the all-pervading hostile force not come upon us. I place out of sight the baneful ajakāva, hard to discern; let not the creeping darkness find me by its footstep and sudden attack.
Inner meaning
Mitra-Varuṇa are the harmonizing and law-governing powers: Mitra establishes luminous concord in the mind and relations; Varuṇa enforces vast truth-order and guards against deviation. The ‘viśvayan’ hostile force is the pervasive intrusion of falsehood or disorder in the atmosphere of consciousness. ‘Ajakāva’ (obscure, hard to see) signifies a subtle, deceptive affliction—often read as a hidden poison, disease, or malign influence; psychologically it is a covert formation (subconscient suggestion, anxiety, self-deception) that evades direct notice. ‘Tsaruḥ’ and ‘padyena rapasā’ evoke the creeping step and sudden assault of darkness—tamasic inertia or subconscient attack. The mantra is apotropaic inwardly: conceal/withdraw the formation from the field, place it ‘behind’ (tiro dadhe), and stand under the guardianship of harmony and truth.
Universal truth
Protection is not only against visible threats but against subtle, pervasive, hard-to-detect influences; harmony and truth-order are the strongest guardians against such covert darkness.
Themes
Protection, Apotropaic hymn, Hostile forces (inner/outer), Law and harmony as shields
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.60–7.66 (Mitra-Varuṇa/Ādityas protection), RV 7.86–7.89 (Varuṇa: bonds, confession, release)
Family tradition
Āditya-centered protection and truth-order hymns; strong apotropaic and ethical purification strain in Maṇḍala 7.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha uses Mitra-Varuṇa not merely for outer safety but as inner guardians against subtle hostile forces and falsehood.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa (Ādityas)
- Epithets
- guardians (rakṣitārau, implied), sovereigns of ṛta (Varuṇa) and concord (Mitra)
- Related deities
- Ādityas, Indra (illumination against darkness), Agni (inner will as protector)
Cosmic role
Maintain cosmic and social order: Mitra binds by harmony and mutuality; Varuṇa upholds the vast law and restrains deviation.
Inner power
Establish sincerity, clarity, and inner discipline; detect and neutralize subtle falsehood and hostile suggestion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/apotropaic recitation; Mitra-Varuṇa invoked for guarding and averting harm (including unseen afflictions)
आ मां मि॑त्रावरुणे॒ह र॑क्षतं कुला॒यय॑द्वि॒श्वय॒न्मा न॒ आ ग॑न् । अ॒ज॒का॒वं दु॒र्दृशी॑कं ति॒रो द॑धे॒ मा मां पद्ये॑न॒ रप॑सा विद॒त्त्सरु॑: ॥
आ । माम् । मि॒त्रा॒व॒रु॒णा॒ । इ॒ह । र॒क्ष॒त॒म् । कु॒ला॒यय॑त् । वि॒ऽश्वय॑त् । मा । नः॒ । आ । ग॒न् । अ॒ज॒का॒ऽवम् । दुः॒ऽदृशी॑कम् । ति॒रः । द॒धे॒ । मा । माम् । पद्ये॑न । रप॑सा । वि॒द॒त् । त्सरुः॑ ॥
ā | mām | mitrāvaruṇā | iha | rakṣatam | kulāyayat | vi-śvayat | mā | naḥ | ā | gan | ajakāvam | duḥ-dṛśīkam | tiraḥ | dadhe | mā | mām | padyena | rapasā | vidat | tsaruḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Protective and cutting; sharper consonant clusters support an apotropaic ‘warding off’ movement.
Creates vigilance and containment; strengthens the sense of boundary against intrusive forces.
- मित्रावरुणा (mitrāvaruṇā)
- Literal: Mitra and Varuṇa. Symbolic: harmony (Mitra) and vast truth-law (Varuṇa) guarding the consciousness
- रक्षतम् (rakṣatam)
- Literal: protect/guard. Symbolic: establish a protective field of right vibration and order
- विश्वयत् (viśvayat)
- Literal: all-going, pervasive. Symbolic: diffuse hostile atmosphere; generalized negativity/falsehood
- अजकावम् (ajakāvam)
- Literal: a harmful being/thing called ajakāva (obscure term). Symbolic: subtle hidden affliction; deceptive formation in subconscient/vital
- दुर्दृशीकम् (durdṛśīkam)
- Literal: hard to see. Symbolic: subliminal suggestion; disguised impulse; unseen source of disturbance
- तिरो दधे (tiro dadhe)
- Literal: I put aside/behind, out of sight. Symbolic: withdraw attention/energy from the hostile formation; consign it to dissolution
- रपस् (rapas)
- Literal: darkness, deceit, harm. Symbolic: tamasic obscuration; hostile vibration
- त्सरुः (tsaruḥ)
- Literal: creeping attacker/stealthy strike (contextual). Symbolic: subconscient ‘creep’—slow encroachment followed by sudden relapse
Apotropaic protection in travel/field-labour/ritual movement; recitation for warding off poison/stings and unseen harms; adaptable to prokṣaṇa and rakṣā formulas in Śrauta/Gr̥hya settings
During travel, illness anxiety, before sleep, or at times of perceived negativity; also as a protective adjunct in rites.
Recitation for rakṣā (protection); symbolic ‘setting aside’ of harm (tiro dadhe) may be paired with sprinkling water or boundary-making gestures in later practice.
Use as a psychic-protection mantra: chant before entering stressful environments; combine with a brief truth-intention and boundary visualization.
√rakṣ ‘to guard’ → rakṣatam. √gam ‘to go/come’ with ā → ā gan ‘come upon/assail’. dur-dṛśīka: dur- ‘bad/hard’ + √dṛś ‘see’. rapasā: rapas ‘violence, sudden attack’ (possibly from √rap ‘to snatch/strike’ semantic domain). ajakāva, tsaru are archaic/hapax-like terms; treat as named hostile agencies (poison/sting) rather than zoological certainties—consistent with Vedic usage of concrete images for subtle harms.
Ṛta as protection through Varuṇa, saṃdhi/harmony through Mitra, rakṣā (guarding consciousness)
Ṛta upheld by Ādityas; Rapas (darkness/hostility) as counter-force; Protection as restoration of right order in the atmosphere (antarikṣa of consciousness)
Mitra-Varuṇa protect by enforcing ṛta—harmonious relations and truthful order—against the pervasive hostile.
Truth-discernment is the antidote to ‘durdṛśīka’ (hard-to-see) falsehood.
Vedic psychology of hostile forces (asuric/obscuring movements) countered by divine law and harmony.
night (suggested by darkness and stealth attack)
Darkness = tamas/obscuration; creeping step = gradual subconscient encroachment; nest/shelter = protected inner space established by harmony and law.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘warding off the hidden stinger’ mythologem: a subtle hostile agent (ajakāva/tsaru) approaches by stealth (padyena) and sudden assault (rapasā). Mitra-Varuṇa are invoked as cosmic guardians whose order and harmony create a protective enclosure (‘nest’) against intrusion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The prohibitive mā + injunctive/imperative pattern is an old Indo-European modal strategy for apotropaic speech. √dṛś ‘see’ is PIE *derk- ‘to see’ (cf. Greek dérkomai), supporting durdṛśīka ‘hard to see’. The dual address (mitrāvaruṇā) preserves an archaic paired-deity formula typical of Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer entrusts personal safety to the guardianship of Mitra-Varuṇa while actively cooperating through speech-acts of exclusion (‘I place it aside, out of sight’). Protection is thus both grace (rakṣatam) and disciplined inner boundary-making against subconscious intrusion.
Invoke Mitra as inner friendliness and luminous goodwill; invoke Varuṇa as vast truth-witness; then identify one subtle ‘ajakāva’ pattern (hidden fear/compulsion) and place it ‘behind’—withdraw consent and attention.
Viśuddha (truth boundary) and Maṇipūra (protective will-power)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 briefly (if comfortable) to establish containment; then slow exhale to release fear.
Vigilant clarity transitioning to protected calm.
Chant once slowly; then visualize a clear luminous boundary around you; affirm one truthful intention (satya) and one harmonious intention (mitra) to neutralize the hostile atmosphere.
Keep invocatory opening ‘ā mām mitrāvaruṇeha’ prominent; sharpen consonants in the apotropaic middle; settle firmly on ‘rakṣatam’ and ‘avant’ sense (though not present here).
Maintain clear pāda breaks; slightly emphasize negations ‘mā…’ to seal the protective intent; avoid haste which blurs ‘ajakāvaṃ’ and ‘durdṛśīkam’.
: sandhi—mitrāvaruṇeha (long ā), do not split harshly., : articulate y-y sequence lightly (ku-lā-ya-yat)., : keep j soft; long ā in -kā-., : retroflex ṛ; long ī in -śī-; clear k at end., : initial ts conjunct—release cleanly without inserting a vowel.
Firm, protective, and precise; not loud, but decisive—like a boundary-setting command.
11
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.
