Rig Veda 7.55.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 55, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.55
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- A mighty protective power imaged as the thousand-horned bull
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
सहस्रशृङ्गो वृषभो यः समुद्रादुदाचरत् । तेना सहस्येना वयं नि जनान्त्स्वापयामसि ॥
sahásra-śṛṅgo vṛṣabhó yáḥ samudrā́d udā́carat | ténā sahasyèna vayáṁ ní jánān svāpayāmasi ||
समुंदर से एक बड़ा बैल आया है, उसके हज़ार सींघ हैं। उसकी ताकत से हम लोगों को सुला देते हैं, शांत कर देते हैं।
Word by Word
- सहस्रशृङ्गः
- having a thousand hornsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (कर्तृपदस्य)Root सहस्र- + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) → बहुव्रीहि-समास
- वृषभः
- the bull (mighty one)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः; वृषभस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- समुद्रात्
- from the oceanNounपुंलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम्Role अपादानRoot समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उद्
- up, outIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root उद् (उपसर्ग)
- आचरत्
- moved forth / came outVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot चर् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
- तेन
- with thatPronounपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्येन
- with the thousand(-fold) one / with the ‘sahasya’ (thousand-related power)Noun/Adjectiveपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करण (तेन सह)Root सहस्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सहस्र-सम्बद्ध/सहस्र-सम्बन्धिन्’ इत्यर्थे)
- वयम्
- wePronounत्रिलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, back; completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root नि (उपसर्ग)
- जनान्
- peopleNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वापयामसि
- we cause (them) to sleep / we lullVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot स्वप् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → स्वापय-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सहस्रशृङ्गः वृषभः यः समुद्रात् उद् आचरत् । तेन सहस्येन वयम् नि जनान् स्वापयामसि ॥ 1) समुद्रादुदाचरत् → समुद्रात् + उद् + आचरत् (त् + उ → दु; उद्-उपसर्गः, आ-उपसर्गयुक्तं ‘आचरत्’)
- 2) जना॑न्त्स्वापयामसि → जनान् + स्वापयामसि (न् + स् संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A mighty bull with a thousand horns rises from the ocean-depth; by that force we cause the people to sink into sleep—settled and quiet.
Inner meaning
The ‘ocean’ is the deep subconscient/causal foundation of life. From it emerges a vast protecting potency—an irresistible mass of force (vṛṣabha) with “a thousand horns,” i.e., innumerable points of power and mastery. This force does not excite; it subdues turbulence and presses the dispersed energies into a unified repose. Psychologically, it is the descent of a strong, many-sided peace that can overrule restless thoughts and vital agitation and establish a profound sleep-like stillness (not tamas, but protected settling).
Universal truth
True rest is not weakness; it can be the action of a greater strength. A deep power rising from the foundation of being can pacify the surface and restore wholeness.
Themes
depth-power, collective-stilling, symbolic-animal (bull), mantric-efficacy
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.55.6–8 (quieting/sleep sequence), RV 7.86 (confession to Varuṇa; law and depth)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns often invoke large cosmic powers to establish harmony and protection; here the seer uses a potent image from the depths to still the household field.
Significance
The seer’s spiritual art is to call a greater-force-from-below/behind (the ‘ocean’) to overmaster surface disorder—an early Vedic gesture toward integral transformation of the subconscient.
The deity
- Devata
- Stambhana-bala imaged as the Sahasraśṛṅga Vṛṣabha (mighty protective power)
- Epithets
- sahasraśṛṅga (thousand-horned), vṛṣabha (bull), samudra-jāta (ocean-born; implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (oceanic depth, binding), Indra (force that overmasters resistance; transmuted here into pacification), Nidrā (sleep power)
Cosmic role
A stabilizing cosmic strength that rises from the depth-waters to pacify and protect the manifested field.
Inner power
Massed peace-force capable of subduing rajasic motion and sealing the senses into restorative stillness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Night protection and induced quiet/sleep; charm-like usage
स॒हस्र॑शृङ्गो वृष॒भो यः स॑मु॒द्रादु॒दाच॑रत् । तेना॑ सह॒स्ये॑ना व॒यं नि जना॑न्त्स्वापयामसि ॥
स॒हस्र॑ऽशृङ्गः । वृ॒ष॒भः । यः । स॒मु॒द्रात् । उ॒त्ऽआच॑रत् । तेन॑ । स॒ह॒स्ये॑न । व॒यम् । नि । जना॑न् । स्वा॒प॒या॒म॒सि॒ ॥
sahasra-śṛṅgaḥ | vṛṣabhaḥ | yaḥ | samudrāt | ut-ācarat | tena | sahasyena | vayam | ni | janān | svāpayāmasi
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Surging first half (emergence from ocean) followed by settling cadence (lulling).
Begins with a rising energy then resolves into heaviness of peace; supports a ‘drop’ of attention into the depths.
- सहस्रशृङ्ग (sahasraśṛṅga)
- Literal: thousand-horned. Symbolic: innumerable powers/points of mastery; comprehensive protection
- वृषभ (vṛṣabha)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: sovereign strength, steady force that bears and subdues
- समुद्र (samudra)
- Literal: ocean. Symbolic: the vast subconscient/cosmic depth; causal waters of being
- उदाचरत् (udācarat)
- Literal: rose up, came forth. Symbolic: emergence/descent of a latent divine force into the waking field
- स्वापयामसि (svāpayāmasi)
- Literal: we cause to sleep. Symbolic: we settle the energies into quietude; induced inner silence
Charm of collective quieting; also interpretable as invoking a deep force to pacify surface agitation.
Before sleep; during disturbances; for household calm
Recitation to invoke a protective force; may accompany lying down or quiet sitting
Use when the mind won’t stop: chant once aloud, then 3–7 times mentally while feeling a ‘vast depth’ behind the breath.
vṛṣabhá ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, be virile, be strong’ → forceful potency. samudrá ‘gathering of waters’ (sam-udra) becomes a symbol of the great depth. sahasá ‘might’ is an old power-word (PIE *seǵʰ-? debated); √svap causative svāpayati ‘cause to sleep’ is transparent and archaic.
emergence of force from the depth (subconscient to conscious), tapas/sahas as effective power, R̥ta as pacification of disorder
The depth-force restores right measure by compressing excess motion into order.
A truthful peace that is strong and comprehensive, not fragile.
Power emerging from the waters—classical Vedic motif of manifestation from the oceanic infinite.
Vedic symbolism aligned with later Vedāntic/yogic notions of causal depth (kāraṇa) and subconscient base.
night
Ocean = subconscious/cosmic depth; bull = stable divine force; horns = rays/points of effective power that ‘hold’ the field in peace.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘power rising from the ocean’ mythologem: an immense force emerges from the depths and acts upon the world. Innerly, a deep-seat energy rises from the subconscient and is used not for violence but for pacification—mastery of the collective movements.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √car ‘move’ is pan-IE (PIE *kers- ‘run’ is sometimes compared; exact match debated). √svap is securely IE (*swep-). The imagery of ‘bull’ as potency parallels IE poetic diction where bovine terms encode strength and fertility.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi channels a vast impersonal might (‘that sahas’) and applies it as a governance of consciousness: the devata is less a person than a released potency, made operative by mantra for the purpose of inner and outer quiet.
Invoke ‘depth-peace’ from below the thoughts; let it rise and settle the surface.
Mūlādhāra (foundation/depth) and Ājñā (quieting the mind’s projections)
Down-breath visualization: inhale as if from navel to heart; exhale as if sinking into a vast ocean; extend exhale gently
From restless waking (jāgrat) toward quiet border of sleep (nidra) with witnessing calm
On ‘samudrād udācarat’ feel a vast power rising; on ‘ni janān svāpayāmasi’ let shoulders, eyes, tongue soften; allow thoughts to submerge without struggle.
Vedic accents as transmitted; keep a slight lift on sahasraśṛṅgo/vṛṣabho and a settling fall toward svāpayāmasi.
Make ‘samudrād udācarat’ a gentle rise; make ‘ni janān svāpayāmasi’ a deliberate downward cadence.
sahasraśṛṅgaḥ (ṛṅ = vocalic ṛ + ṅg), vṛṣabhaḥ (vṛ = vocalic ṛ), samudrāt (long ā), udācarat (ud-ā-; clear long ā), sahasyena (ha not aspirated beyond h), svāpayāmasi (svā = long ā; yā = long ā)
Full but soft; begin with contained power, end like a lullaby.
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