Rig Veda 7.83.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 83, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.83
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
इन्द्रावरुणावभ्या तपन्ति माघान्यर्यो वनुषामरातयः । युवं हि वस्व उभयस्य राजथोऽध स्मा नोऽवतं पार्ये दिवि ॥
indrā́varuṇāv abhyā́ tapanti mā́ghāny aryó vanúṣām arā́tayaḥ | yuváṃ hí vásva ubháyasya rā́jatho 'dhá smā no avataṃ pā́rye diví ||
इंद्र और वरुण, दुश्मन लोग हमारी कमाई और हमारी अच्छी ग्रोथ को जला रहे हैं। तुम दोनों तरफ के धन के राजा हो, अंदर और बाहर दोनों की। इसलिए हमारी रक्षा करो ऊपर वाली दुनिया में जहाँ सच्चा धन रखा है।
Word by Word
- इन्द्रावरुणौ
- Indra and VaruṇaNoun (dual deity compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र + वरुण (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
- अभ्या
- towards, against; uponIndeclinableअव्यय; ‘towards/against, upon’ (intensifying directional particle)Role अधिकारण (क्रियाविशेषण) / कर्मप्रवचनीयRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आ (दिशार्थे; निपात) → अभ्या (वैदिक प्रयोग)
- तपन्ति
- they heat, scorch, oppressVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot तप् (धातु)
- माघानि
- the bounties/gifts (riches)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्यः
- the Arya (noble patron/ally)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (तपन्ति-क्रियायाः) / विशेष्यRoot अर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वनुषाम्
- of the hostile/strange men (opponents)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वनुष् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरातयः
- the harms, hostilities; injurersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (तपन्ति-क्रियायाः) / विशेष्यRoot अराति (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवम्
- you twoPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (राजथः-क्रियायाः)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableअव्यय; हेतौ/निश्चयेRole सम्बन्ध (वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)Root हि (निपात)
- वसो
- O good one / O wealthy oneNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (वैदिक: वसो = हे वसो)Role सम्बोधनRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- उभयस्य
- of both (kinds/sides)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अर्थतः ‘of both’), षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root उभय (प्रातिपदिक)
- राजथः
- you two ruleVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot राज् (धातु) अथवा राजन्-भावे ‘to rule’
- अध
- then, now; moreoverIndeclinableअव्यय; ‘then/now, moreover’Role सम्बन्ध (वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)Root अध (निपात; वैदिक)
- स्म
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्यय; स्मरण/अनुवृत्ति/बलार्थकRole सम्बन्ध (वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)Root स्म (निपात)
- नः
- to us / of usPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान (अवतं) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवतम्
- protect (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot अव् (धातु) (अव + तन्/तृ?; here from अव् ‘to protect’)
- पार्ये
- in the far/upper (region)Adjective (locative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot पार्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘farther/other side’, ‘highest’)
- दिवि
- in heaven, in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: इन्द्रा॑वरुणाव॒भ्या त॑पन्ति… राज॒थोऽध॑ स्मा…। संधि-विच्छेद: (1) इन्द्रा॑वरुणौ + अभ्या (द्विवचन-प्रथमा ‘इन्द्रावरुणौ’ के बाद अव्यय ‘अभ्या’ पृथक्) (2) राजथोऽध = राजथः + अध (विसर्ग + अकार → ‘ओऽ’/अवग्रह; RV संहिता-लक्षण) (3) स्मा = स्म + आ (वैदिक निपात-समुच्चय; अर्थबल) (4) नोऽवतं = नः + अवतम् (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ + स्वरादि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Hostile forces scorch the speaker’s bounty and noble gains. Indra and Varuṇa are kings of wealth on both sides; therefore they should protect in the farther heaven.
Inner meaning
The ‘non-givers’ (arātayaḥ) attack the seeker’s inner prosperity—faith, joy, energy, and noble aspiration (ārya). They ‘scorch’ (tapanti) the growing riches by anxiety, greed, cynicism, and draining desires. Indra–Varuṇa are sovereigns of ‘both wealths’ (ubhayasya vasvaḥ): inner spiritual riches and outer supports. The prayer is to be guarded in the ‘farther heaven’ (pārye divi)—the higher consciousness where true riches are preserved from vital assault.
Universal truth
True protection is not merely against outer loss but against inner depletion; the secure treasury is the higher consciousness where truth and light reign.
Themes
protection of spiritual bounty, hostility as non-giving, higher heaven as refuge, divine kingship
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa line)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86–7.89 (Varuṇa: bonds and release), RV 7.31–7.33 (Indra: help and riches of light, thematic)
Family tradition
A line emphasizing guardianship of truth and right prosperity; the ‘wealth’ is repeatedly psychological—light, wideness, right power.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha teaches that hostile forces primarily attack the seeker’s inner wealth; the remedy is to take refuge in the higher plane of truth-consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- rājathā (you two rule), vasūpati (lords of wealth, implied)
- Related deities
- Kubera (later wealth symbolism, not Vedic), Mitra, Soma (bliss as inner wealth)
Cosmic role
As twin sovereignty, they administer the distribution and protection of riches—power and order, force and law.
Inner power
Indra protects the energetic abundance and courage; Varuṇa protects purity, right measure, and the safe keeping of higher gains.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protection of wealth and success; prayers for safeguarding gains in rites seeking prosperity and victory
इन्द्रा॑वरुणाव॒भ्या त॑पन्ति मा॒घान्य॒र्यो व॒नुषा॒मरा॑तयः । यु॒वं हि वस्व॑ उ॒भय॑स्य॒ राज॒थोऽध॑ स्मा नोऽवतं॒ पार्ये॑ दि॒वि ॥
इन्द्रा॑वरुणौ । अ॒भि । आ । त॒प॒न्ति॒ । मा । अ॒घानि॑ । अ॒र्यः । व॒नुषा॑म् । अरा॑तयः । यु॒वम् । हि । वस्वः॑ । उ॒भय॑स्य । राज॑थः । अध॑ । स्म॒ । नः॒ । अ॒व॒त॒म् । पार्ये॑ । दि॒वि ॥
indrāvaruṇau | abhi | ā | tapanti | mā | aghāni | aryaḥ | vanuṣām | arātayaḥ | yuvam | hi | vasvaḥ | ubhayasya | rājathaḥ | adha | sma | naḥ | avatam | pārye | divi
44
4 × ~11
Tense opening (attack) resolving into stable sovereignty (rājathā)
Transforms a sense of being ‘scorched’ into cool, guarded wideness.
- तपन्ति (tapanti)
- Literal: they scorch, burn. Symbolic: drain and overheat the system; consume joy and strength
- माघानि/माघान्य (māghāni)
- Literal: bounties, gifts, plenty. Symbolic: inner and outer abundance—energies, capacities, supports
- अर्यः (aryaḥ)
- Literal: noble one. Symbolic: the aspiring soul-nature seeking higher law
- व॒नुषाम् (vanuṣām)
- Literal: of men/peoples (contextual). Symbolic: forces in the human collective nature; habitual impulses
- अरा॑तयः (arātayaḥ)
- Literal: non-givers/hostiles. Symbolic: withholding forces—doubt, depression, envy, inertia
- वस्वः उभयस्य (vasvaḥ ubhayasya)
- Literal: wealth of both (sides). Symbolic: inner spiritual wealth and outer means; subjective and objective prosperity
- पार्ये दिवि (pārye divi)
- Literal: in the farther heaven. Symbolic: in the higher plane beyond ordinary mind—secure luminous consciousness
Protective prayer for safeguarding ‘maghā’ (bounty) against hostile forces; used in contexts seeking preservation of spiritual wealth and success.
When seeking preservation of acquired merit/wealth; protective sequences
Supplication for avati (protection) and higher guarding
For burnout and depletion: chant as a protection mantra for energy, focus, and ethical aspiration.
maghá- ‘bounty’ (cf. Avestan maga- ‘gift/powerful community’). vasu ‘good/wealth’ from √vas ‘to dwell’ → what is stable, possessed, made one’s dwelling (psychologically: abiding riches). tap ‘burn’ indicates hostile pressure that dries/consumes inner plenitude. rājan ‘king’ from √rāj ‘shine/rule’ (sovereignty as luminous governance).
maghā (plenitude/generosity), vasu (true wealth of being), twofold sovereignty (ubhayasya)
Hostiles disturb right measure; Varuṇa restores measure; Indra restores power to act in ṛta.
True wealth is satya-based—cannot be held by falsehood; it is guarded in higher consciousness.
Conservation of the gained light—stability of attainment.
Integral Vedism: ascent to ‘farther heaven’ as secure station of consciousness.
hot season imagery (implicit through scorching)
Heat = overactive vital desire/burnout; farther heaven = cool luminous mind/intuition safeguarding inner riches.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘hostile scorching’ of bounty—dark forces attempt to consume the gifts and noble growth. The counter-motif is the twin sovereignty of Indra-Varuṇa over ‘both’ domains, securing the riches in the higher heaven (pārye divi).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tap ‘burn’ relates to PIE *tep- ‘warm’ (cf. Latin tepeō ‘be warm’). √rāj ‘rule/shine’ is Indo-Iranian with parallels in Iranian; PIE connections are proposed via regal/brightness semantics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to their status as ‘kings’ of wealth: because they govern plenitude in all domains, they can prevent the leakage/consumption of the seeker’s gains. The prayer relocates security to a higher consciousness (pārye divi), implying ascent as part of protection.
Protection of inner gains; preventing leakage of energy through hostile habits
anāhata (inner wealth as quiet joy)
Cooling breath (śītalī/śītkārī) 12 rounds, then repeat the final pāda ‘pārye divi’ mentally
From overheated rajas to cool, wide sattva
Notice what ‘scorches’ your bounty (overwork, resentment, craving). Offer it upward; dwell in the ‘farther heaven’—a quiet luminous space above the head—and ask for protection of both inner and outer resources.
Ṛgvedic svara; highlight the contrast between ‘तपन्ति’ (tight) and ‘अवतं पार्ये दिवि’ (open, lifted).
Let ‘युवं हि … राजथः’ be steady and regal; elongate the sense of distance in ‘पार्ये दिवि’.
(indrāvaruṇāvabhyā): keep sandhi smooth; avoid swallowing ‘vabhyā’, (tapanti): clear dental t, (ubhayasya): bh voiced aspirate, (pārye): long ā; ry conjunct clean
Cooling, protective, sovereign
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