Rig Veda 7.55.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 55, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.55
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Charm/appeasement against disturbance
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्वं सूकरस्य दर्दृहि तव दर्दर्तु सूकरः । स्तोतॄनिन्द्रस्य रायसि किमस्मान्दुच्छुनायसे नि षु स्वप ॥
tvaṁ sū́karasya dadṛhi táva dardartu sūkaráḥ | stotṝ́n índrasya rāyasi kím asmā́n du cchunāyase ní ṣu svàpa ||
तू हमारे अंदर की ताकत है। सुअर जैसी बुरी हरकत को कुचल दे। वो सुअर तेरे से टूट जाए। तू इंद्र के भक्तों को शक्ति देता है। फिर भी हमारा क्या बिगाड़ रहा है? अब शांत हो जा। सो जा।
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- thou (you)Pronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूकरस्य
- of the boarNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root सूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
- दर्दृहि
- make (it) firm / strengthenVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root दृढ्/दृंह् (धातु; ‘to make firm, strengthen’)
- तव
- of thee / thyPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दर्दर्तु
- let (him/it) strengthen / make firmVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); तृतीयपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root दृढ्/दृंह् (धातु; ‘to make firm, strengthen’)
- सूकरः
- the boarNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोतॄन्
- the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘praiser’)
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रायसि
- in/with wealth (bounty)Nounपुं/स्त्री (वैदिक); सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot रायि/राय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth, bounty’)
- किम्
- why? / what?Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (अव्यक्त-प्रयोगः)Role (प्रश्न) —Root किम् (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम)
- अस्मान्
- usPronounद्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दुच्छुनायसे
- for misfortune / to ill-omenNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दुच्छुनायस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ill-omen, evil portent/affliction’)
- नि
- down, away (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Role (क्रिया-विशेषण) —Root नि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- षु
- indeed, straightway (emphatic particle)Indeclinableनिपातः (बलार्थ/शीघ्रार्थ/अनुनासिक-प्रयोगः)Role (निपात) —Root षु (वैदिक निपात)
- स्वप
- sleep!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root स्वप् (धातु; ‘to sleep’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): त्वम् | सूकरस्य | दर्दृहि | तव | दर्दर्तु | सूकरः | स्तोतॄन् | इन्द्रस्य | रायसि | किम् | अस्मान् | दुच्छुनायसे | नि | षु | स्वप । 1) अस्मान्दुच्छुनायसे → अस्मान् + दुच्छुनायसे (न् + द् संयोगः). 2) नि षु स्वप: निपात-समूहः
- ‘नि’ उपसर्गवत्, ‘षु’ वैदिक-प्रबलनिपातः, ‘स्वप’ लोट्-आज्ञा। 3) दर्दृहि / दर्दर्तु: वैदिक-लोट् रूपे
- धातु-आधारः दृढ्/दृंह् ‘दृढीकरणे’ (पाठभेद/व्युत्पत्तिभेद सम्भवः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The addressed power is asked to crush the boar; let the boar be shattered by its force. It is said to be Indra’s rāyí (wealth/plenitude) for worshippers; why then bring ill-fortune? Lie down; sleep soundly.
Inner meaning
The ‘boar’ (sūkara) symbolises a dark, burrowing impulsion from the subconscient—obstinate, blunt, and disruptive. The mantra commands the protective force to break this obscure drive instead of troubling the aspirant. As ‘Indra’s rāyí’, the true function of this force is to increase luminous plenitude for the soul that offers; therefore it must be pacified and rightly directed, ending in quiescence of disturbance.
Universal truth
Within us, the same energy can either serve illumination or serve disturbance. When turned toward uprooting subconscient compulsions, it becomes a true wealth of strength; when misdirected, it breeds misfortune. Mastery is the redirection and pacification of force.
Themes
apotropaic-charm, sleep-and-stilling, Indra-wealth (rāyí) as inner plenitude, combatting-subconscient-disturbance
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.19, RV 7.23, RV 7.54
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s line is known for mantric governance of forces—invoking, directing, and pacifying energies to uphold ṛta in life.
Significance
The seer’s word here is a yogic command: break the subconscient ‘boar’ and restore the protector to its luminous function.
The deity
- Devata
- Protective threshold-force (Sārameya complex) with Indra as source of rāyí
- Epithets
- Indrasya rāyí (Indra’s plenitude)
- Related deities
- Indra, Vāstoṣpati, Rudra (as remover of affliction—conceptual)
Cosmic role
Protects the sacrificer’s domain; destroys intrusive and obscuring forces; serves Indra’s order.
Inner power
Dynamic force that can pierce and shatter resistance in the vital/subconscient when guided by illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pacification/protection charm; subduing disturbing forces in the dwelling
त्वं सू॑क॒रस्य॑ दर्दृहि॒ तव॑ दर्दर्तु सूक॒रः । स्तो॒तॄनिन्द्र॑स्य रायसि॒ किम॒स्मान्दु॑च्छुनायसे॒ नि षु स्व॑प ॥
त्वम् । सू॒क॒रस्य॑ । द॒र्दृ॒हि॒ । तव॑ । द॒र्द॒र्तु॒ । सू॒क॒रः । स्तो॒तॄन् । इन्द्र॑स्य । रा॒य॒सि॒ । किम् । अ॒स्मान् । दु॒च्छु॒न॒ऽय॒से॒ । नि । सु । स्व॒प॒ ॥
tvam | sūkarasya | dadṛhi | tava | dardartu | sūkaraḥ | stotṝn | indrasya | rāyasi | kim | asmān | ducchuna-yase | ni | su | svapa
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approx.)
More expansive and forceful than anuṣṭubh; suited to command and striking imagery.
Energises will to overcome resistance, then resolves into a calming closure (‘ni ṣu svapa’).
- सूकर (sūkara)
- Literal: boar. Symbolic: subconscient compulsive drive; obscure, burrowing impulsion
- दर्दृहि / दर्दर्तु (dardṛhi / dardartu)
- Literal: crush / let it be crushed. Symbolic: decisive breaking of resistance-patterns
- रायसि (rāyasi)
- Literal: you are wealth/plenitude. Symbolic: rightly used energy becomes inner abundance—strength, stability, protection
- इन्द्रस्य (indrasya)
- Literal: of Indra. Symbolic: belonging to illumined mind; force subordinate to light
- दुच्छुना (ducchunā)
- Literal: ill-fortune. Symbolic: negative consequence of misdirected energy
- नि षु स्वप (ni ṣu svapa)
- Literal: lie down; sleep well. Symbolic: cessation of turbulence; quieting of the disturbing vibration
Apotropaic/peace-making usage: formulas to still disturbance and secure rest; adaptable in domestic/liminal contexts rather than a central soma-pressing liturgy (exact Śrauta assignment uncertain).
When facing recurring disturbance, nightmares, or ‘inauspicious’ pressure; before sleep.
Recite with intent to ‘crush’ the troubling impulse; conclude with settling gesture (sitting/lying down).
Use for compulsive patterns: name the ‘boar’ (urge), invoke inner Indra-force, then command the system to settle.
(sūkara) ‘boar’: traditionally an animal term; in Vedic symbolic diction, the boar often images a force that burrows in the dark (subconscient) and tears up the ordered field—hence a disturber of inner peace. from √dṛ / √dard- (intensive/desiderative formations around ‘to split, break, burst’): an imperative/ injunctive ‘crush, rend’. is a precative/imperative-like form from the same cluster, ‘let it be shattered’. (rāyí) from √rā ‘to give, bestow’ → abundance/wealth; in the inner sense, fullness of being and right enjoyment granted by Indra’s victorious consciousness. - (duḥ-śunā) ‘bad fortune/evil condition’: duḥ ‘bad’ + śuná/śunā ‘luck, welfare’ (semantic field: well-being vs. harm). from √svap ‘to sleep’: here used as a charm-like command to still the disruptive agency.
R̥ta (restoring order by crushing disruptive impulses), tamas vs. jyotis (dark burrowing force opposed to Indra’s luminous victory), inner protection/śānti through divine governance
Breaking the ‘boar’ restores order against the burrowing chaos of the subconscient.
Truth-power acts as decisive force, not mere idea.
Conflict of light and resistance is a key Vedic creation motif—light must clear the hidden obstruction.
Aurobindo-style inner battle: subconscient resistance vs illumined force.
night
Boar = tamasic drive; crushing = tapas of will; sleep = restored equilibrium after conquest of disturbance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A compressed combat-motif: the ‘boar’ as a destructive, dark force that must be crushed so that order (R̥ta) and rest can prevail. Instead of an external hunt, the action is interiorized: the burrowing impulse of the subconscient is shattered by the protecting power aligned with Indra’s victorious abundance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key verbal roots are archaic and widely Indo-European: √svap ‘sleep’ aligns with PIE *swep- (cf. Latin sopor, Old English swefan ‘sleep’). The semantic opposition duḥ- ‘bad’ reflects an inherited evaluative prefix comparable to Greek δυσ- (dys-). The imperative/precative style preserves an old injunctive mood usage typical of early Indo-Aryan ritual speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker approaches the divine power as a direct governor of inner states: because the power is ‘rāyí of Indra’ for the stotṛ (one who affirms), it owes—by the law of reciprocal right (R̥ta)—protection rather than harm. The verse thus negotiates a sacred contract: praise/affirmation is met by abundance and shielding, and the disturbing force is commanded into quiescence.
Identify a subconscient compulsion and apply illumined will to break it; then rest in stillness.
svadhisthana
kapālabhāti-light (if suitable) for 30–60 seconds, then long exhale chanting ‘ni ṣu svapa’ to settle
from dynamic tapas to deep quiescence
Do not use aggression; use clear, luminous firmness. End with 2–3 minutes of body-scan relaxation to ‘seal’ the pacification.
If triṣṭubh, keep each pāda broad and even; give a gentle cadence drop on the final ‘ni ṣu svapa’.
Emphasise the imperatives: dardṛhi … dardartu … then soften on the question and settle on the close.
tvam: crisp tv cluster, sūkarasya: long ū; dental s, dardṛhi: vocalic ṛ; do not add extra vowel, dardartu: roll the r lightly; keep rt cluster clear, rāyasi: long ā; palatal y
firm, luminous, commanding—then soothing at the end
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