Rig Veda 7.67.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 67, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.67
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Shanta (peace)
एष स्य वां पूर्वगत्वेव सख्ये निधिर्हितो माध्वी रातो अस्मे । अहेळता मनसा यातमर्वागश्नन्ता हव्यं मानुषीषु विक्षु ॥
eṣá sya vāṃ pū́rvagatveva sákhye ni-dhír hitó mādhvī́ rā́to asmḗ | áheḷatā mánasā yātam arvā́g aśnántā havyáṃ mā́nuṣīṣu víkṣu ||
यह तो तुम्हारा पुराना खज़ाना है, दोस्ती में रखा हुआ। तुमने हमें मीठा पानी दिया है। गुस्सा छोड़ के आओ, मन साफ करके। लोगों के बीच बैठ के यह भोग खाओ।
Word by Word
- एषः
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एष
- स्य
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातः (वैदिक-प्रयोगः; ‘indeed/just/now’ इत्यर्थे)Root सि (निपात; वैदिक) / अस्-धातोः (सम्भाव्य) अव्यय-प्रयोग
- वाम्
- of you two / for you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचनम् (वैदिक रूप)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम) → वाम्
- पूर्वगत्वा
- going before, leadingKṛdanta (Gerund used adjectivally)अव्ययीभाव/बहुव्रीहि-सदृश विशेषण-प्रयोगः; ‘having gone before/going first’Root पूर्व- (उपसर्ग/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + गम् (धातु) → गत्वा (क्त्वा) ; समास-प्रयोग
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययम्Root इव
- सख्ये
- in friendshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सख्य (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- निधिः
- treasure, depositNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot नि-धि (प्रातिपदिक) / धा-धातोः निष्पन्नः
- हितः
- placed, setParticiple (past passive)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (निधिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root धा (धातु) → हित (क्त) / ‘placed’
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (हेतौ/निश्चये)Root हि
- माध्वी
- honey-sweet, mead-likeAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (रा॒तः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्/सम्बद्धम्)Root माध्वी (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; मधु-सम्बन्धि)
- रातः
- given, bestowedParticiple (past passive)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (निधिः/एषः इत्यादि-वाक्ये विधेय-भावः)Root रा (धातु ‘to give’) → रात (क्त) / ‘given’
- अस्मे
- to usPronounचतुर्थी/सप्तमी, बहुवचनम् (वैदिक रूप; ‘to us/among us’)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम) → अस्मे
- अहेळतया
- without anger, unwrathfullyNoun (instrumental used adverbially)स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot हेळ (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘wrath/anger’) + अ- (निषेध) → अहेळतया
- मनसा
- with (your) mind, in intentionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot मनस् (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- यातम्
- come! (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्Root या (धातु ‘to go’)
- अर्वाक्
- hither, towards usIndeclinableदिशा-अव्ययम्Root अर्वाक्
- अश्नन्ता
- eating, partaking (you two)Participle (present active)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम् (यातम् इत्यस्य कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot अश् (धातु ‘to eat/consume’) → अश्नन्त (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- हव्यम्
- the oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot हव्य (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- मानुषीषु
- among the human (women/people)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मानुषी (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘human’)
- विक्षु
- in the clans, settlementsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot विश् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘clan, settlement’) → विक्षु
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): एषः स्य वाम् पूर्वगत्वा इव सख्ये निधिः हितः हि तो? (पाठे ‘निधिर्हितो’ = निधिः + हितः; ‘हितो’ वैदिक-उच्चारण/पदपाठ-रूप) माध्वी रातः अस्मे । अहेळतया मनसा यातम् अर्वाक् अश्नन्ता हव्यं मानुषीषु विक्षु । विशेषम्: ‘पूर्वगत्वेव’ = पूर्वगत्वा + इव
- ‘निधिर्हितो’ = निधिः + हितः
- ‘अर्वागश्नन्ता’ = अर्वाक् + अश्नन्ता
- ‘हव्यं मानुषीषु’ सन्धिरहितम्
- ‘वाम्/अस्मे’ वैदिक सर्वनाम-रूपे।
The meaning
Outer meaning
This is your ancient treasure laid down in your friendship from the first-coming: the honeyed gift granted to us. Come near with a mind without anger and partake of the offering among human peoples.
Inner meaning
The ‘ancient treasure’ (nidhi) is the perennial sweetness of divine delight (mādhvī)—a gift placed in the primal friendship between the human seeker and the helping powers. The rishi asks the Aśvins to come with aheḻatā manasā: a consciousness free from wrath or disturbance—pure benevolence. ‘Eating the offering’ is the divine acceptance of our inner oblation: purified experience, gratitude, and aspiration offered in the human field (mānuṣīṣu vikṣu).
Universal truth
The divine has already placed a treasure of sweetness in the bond with humanity. When we approach with sincerity, higher help responds with calm goodwill and transforms human life by accepting and uplifting our offerings.
Themes
divine-friendship, treasure-deposit (nidhi), madhu-bliss, invitation-to-offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.67.1-7, RV 7.33, RV 7.82
Family tradition
A seer-line of enduring covenant with the gods—friendship, right order, and the safe descent of sweetness into life.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha highlights the ‘nidhi’—the secret deposit of delight and help that becomes accessible through friendship (bhakti-like relation) and equanimity.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- pūrvagá (first-comers), Nāsatyā (true/unswerving ones), mādhvī-rāta (givers of honeyed gift)
- Related deities
- Soma (sweetness), Mitra (friendship), Uṣas (first-coming/dawn)
Cosmic role
Bearers of the ancient gift of sweetness and rescue; they renew the primordial bond at each dawn of consciousness.
Inner power
Restoring sweetness and goodwill; reconciling disturbances; teaching a calm, non-reactive mind that can receive divine help.
In ritual
Where it is used
Concluding/affirming Aśvin invitation within a rite—emphasizing gift, friendship, and acceptance of offering
ए॒ष स्य वां॑ पूर्व॒गत्वे॑व॒ सख्ये॑ नि॒धिर्हि॒तो मा॑ध्वी रा॒तो अ॒स्मे । अहे॑ळता॒ मन॒सा या॑तम॒र्वाग॒श्नन्ता॑ ह॒व्यं मानु॑षीषु वि॒क्षु ॥
ए॒षः । स्यः । वा॒म् । पू॒र्व॒गत्वा॑ऽइव । सख्ये॑ । नि॒ऽधिः । हि॒तः । मा॒ध्वी॒ इति॑ । रा॒तः । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । अहे॑ळता । मन॑सा । या॒त॒म् । अ॒र्वाक् । अ॒श्नन्ता॑ । ह॒व्यम् । मानु॑षीषु । वि॒क्षु ॥
eṣaḥ | syaḥ | vām | pūrvagatvāiva | sakhye | ni-dhiḥ | hitaḥ | mādhvī iti | rātaḥ | asme iti | aheḷatā | manasā | yātam | arvāk | aśnantā | havyam | mānuṣīṣu | vikṣu
44
4×11 (approx.)
Intimate and reconciliatory; less forceful, more inviting and settling.
Softens reactive emotion; evokes trust and sweetness; supports devotional recollection.
- निधिः (nidhiḥ)
- Literal: treasure, deposit. Symbolic: a hidden perennial gift—inner ananda reserved in the soul
- सख्ये (sakhye)
- Literal: in friendship. Symbolic: covenant of mutuality: human aspiration and divine response
- माध्वी (mādhvī)
- Literal: honeyed sweetness. Symbolic: ananda-rasa, delight that heals and harmonizes
- पूर्वगत्वा (pūrvagatvā)
- Literal: first-coming, ancient arrival. Symbolic: the primal descent of help at the dawn of awakening
- अहेळता मनसा (aheḻatā manasā)
- Literal: with non-angry mind. Symbolic: divine consciousness free of disturbance; also a model for the seeker’s equanimity
- हव्यम् (havyam)
- Literal: offering to be eaten. Symbolic: inner oblation—purified energies and experiences offered to the higher powers
- मानुषीषु विक्षु (mānuṣīṣu vikṣu)
- Literal: among human clans. Symbolic: in ordinary life-fields; spirituality lived in the human collective
Invitation to partake of havis in Soma/offerings; emphasizes friendly approach and ‘madhu’ delight associated with Ashvin reception
After establishing the invitation; when reaffirming the bond and requesting benign presence
Calling the deities to partake; offering acceptance and hospitality
Use when seeking emotional reconciliation, restoring trust, or ending meditation with gratitude and offering.
ni-dhí- ‘deposit/treasure’ from ni- + √dhā ‘to place’ (PIE *dʰeh₁-). mādhvī ‘honeyed’ from madhu (PIE *médʰu ‘honey/mead’). aheḷa ‘without anger’ shows moral-psychological valence: the gods’ approach is asked to be free from punitive force, enabling receptive communion.
Ṛta as faithful recurrence (‘former comings’ → stable divine law), sakhya (reciprocal harmony between human and divine)
The ‘ancient deposit’ implies a stable law of response: aspiration and offering evoke divine presence.
Nāsatyā as truth-keepers: their help is reliable, not capricious.
The hidden treasure placed in creation becomes manifest through relationship and offering.
Bhakti-tinged integral reading: friendship with the gods as a mode of yogic relation; ananda as the secret deposit.
dawn (pūrvagatva)
The sweetness stored in the psychic being; when anger subsides, the inner offering is accepted and delight flows into life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Ashvins’ recurring ‘first-coming’ and their stored treasure of honeyed delight: a pattern of divine visitation where the gods return by ancient custom to accept offerings and renew the bond.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ni-√dhā (nidhi) continues PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘set, put’ (cf. Greek títhēmi). madhu preserves PIE *médʰu ‘honey/mead’, widely attested across Indo-European ritual drink vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi claims an inherited intimacy (‘as in former comings’) and asks the gods to approach with benevolent intention (aheḷatā manasā). The exchange is: remembrance and offering from humans; sweetness and gracious presence from the Ashvins.
Recall the ‘ancient deposit’ of sweetness in the heart; cultivate a non-angry, benevolent mind; offer the day’s experiences inwardly.
anāhata
soft coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while repeating ‘aheḻatā manasā’ mentally
devotional calm; reconciled goodwill
Chant 1–3 times; then sit with the heart as a treasury; release resentment; offer a simple inner ‘food’—gratitude, sincerity, and aspiration—to the Aśvins.
Tri-svara; keep the tone gentle; avoid sharp rises that sound ‘angry’—let udātta be clear but softened.
Slightly emphasize ‘nidhiḥ’ and ‘aheḻatā manasā’; keep pāda breaks restful.
eṣa sya: keep vowels distinct; avoid merging into ‘eṣasya’, pūrvagatveva: articulate ‘tv’ cluster cleanly, aheḻatā: retroflex ḻ (as in Vedic recitation traditions); if not trained, keep a careful ‘l’ without turning to ‘d’, aśnantā: nasal ‘n’ clear; do not drop final ā
soft, devotional, welcoming
3
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