Rig Veda 7.83.8: Mandala 7, Sukta 83, Mantra 8
Sukta 7.83
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
दाशराज्ञे परियत्ताय विश्वतः सुदास इन्द्रावरुणावशिक्षतम् । श्वित्यञ्चो यत्र नमसा कपर्दिनो धिया धीवन्तो असपन्त तृत्सवः ॥
dāśa-rājñé párīyattāya viśvátas sudā́sa indrāvaruṇāv aśikṣatam | śvityáñco yátra námasā kapardíno dhiyā́ dhī́vanto ásapanta tṛ́tsavaḥ ||
दस राजा चारों तरफ से घेर के मारना चाहते थे। लेकिन इंद्र और वरुण ने सुदास को सीख दी और ताकत भी। जहाँ त्रित्सु रिशि झुक के पूजा करते हैं, वहाँ अंदर की ताकत बाहर आती है। उनके दिमाग में जो सोच है, वो काम आती है।
Word by Word
- दाशराज्ञे
- in/at the (battle) of the Ten KingsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रायः), सप्तमी एकवचन (दाशराज्ञे = ‘दाशराज्ञे’)Role अधिकारणRoot दाशराज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दश-राजन्’ समास) अथवा दाशराज्ञ (युद्ध/संघर्ष-नाम)
- परियत्ताय
- for the one who was hard-pressed/encircledAdjective (Kṛdanta)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन (परियत्ताय)Role सम्प्रदानRoot परि-यत् (धातु √यत् ‘to strive/press on’), क्त-प्रत्यय (यत्त)
- विश्वतः
- from all sidesIndeclinable (adverbial)अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रयोग (विश्वतः) = ‘from all sides/altogether’Role अधिकारणRoot विश्व (सर्वनाम-विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदासः
- Sudās (the king)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध/अधिकारण (यस्यार्थे) / (वाक्ये ‘यस्य’—सुदासः)Root सुदास (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- इन्द्रावरुणा
- Indra and VaruṇaNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र-वरुण (द्वन्द्व-समास प्रातिपदिक)
- अवशिक्षतम्
- helped/strengthenedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot अव-√शिक्ष् (धातु √शिक्ष् ‘to strengthen/teach/assist’), लङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट)
- श्वित्यञ्चः
- the bright/whitish-shining onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (असपन्त इत्यस्य)Root श्वित्यञ्च (प्रातिपदिक; ‘श्वित्/श्विति’ + अञ्च ‘turning/going’; विशेषण)
- यत्र
- whereIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role अधिकारणRoot यत्र (य-प्रत्यय-प्रश्न/सम्बन्ध-अव्यय)
- नमसा
- with reverence/obeisanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- कपर्दिनः
- the topknotted onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (असपन्त इत्यस्य)Root कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘with braided hair/topknot’)
- धिया
- with inspired thoughtNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘thought, insight’)
- धीवन्तः
- the inspired/wise onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (असपन्त इत्यस्य)Root धीवन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘possessing dhī’, from धी + वन्त्)
- असपन्त
- they followed/attendedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √सप् (धातु; ‘to follow/attend, to accompany’), लङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट)
- तृत्सवः
- the Tṛtsus (tribe/people)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (असपन्त इत्यस्य)Root तृत्सु (प्रातिपदिक; जन/गोत्र-नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): दाशराज्ञे | परियत्ताय | विश्वतः | सुदासः | इन्द्रावरुणा | अवशिक्षतम् || श्वित्यञ्चः | यत्र | नमसा | कपर्दिनः | धिया | धीवन्तः | असपन्त | तृत्सवः || मुख्य सन्धि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) इन्द्रावरुणावशिक्षतम् = इन्द्रावरुणा + अवशिक्षतम् (आ + अ → आ; पदान्त ‘-आ’ + ‘अ-’ संधि). (2) श्वित्यञ्चो यत्र = श्वित्यञ्चः + यत्र (विसर्ग-सन्धि: -ः + य- → -ो). (3) कपर्दिनो धिया = कपर्दिनः + धिया (विसर्ग-सन्धि: -ः + ध- → -ो). (4) ‘दाशराज्ञे’ को सप्तमी-एकवचन स्थानवाचक (अधिकारण) रूप में लिया गया है
- RV परम्परा में ‘दाशराज्ञ’ युद्ध-नाम/समास-प्रातिपदिक के रूप में आता है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
In the encircling assault of the Ten Kings from all sides, Indra and Varuṇa trained and strengthened Sudās; where the bright Tṛtsus with knotted locks bowed with reverence and advanced by thought and vision, there their discipline became power.
Inner meaning
When the being is surrounded by pressures from every side (pariyattāya viśvataḥ), the twin powers—illumined force (Indra) and truth-order (Varuṇa)—educate (aśikṣatam) the psychic leader (Sudās), turning crisis into training. The Tṛtsus are the inner warriors of aspiration—bright-pressing (śvityañcaḥ: luminous-striving) and kapardino (with ‘knotted locks’ = gathered energies, tapas held and bound into concentration). Their namas is not mere bowing but self-offering; their dhiyā dhīvantaḥ is an intensification of vision-thought. Thus inner discipline (tapas + dhi) becomes effective force in action.
Universal truth
Adversity that encircles the seeker can become a schooling by higher powers when one responds with reverence, concentrated energy, and luminous intelligence; disciplined aspiration turns pressure into progress.
Themes
encirclement and breakthrough, discipline and reverence, illumined advance, divine training
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18, RV 7.33, RV 7.82–7.84
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns often encode the transformation of conflict into a rite of inner victory; the Daśarājña motif becomes a paradigm of yogic testing.
Significance
The seer’s ‘training’ theme mirrors sādhanā: the gods are teachers; battles are classrooms; the clan is the organized inner nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- aśikṣatam (the two who train), rājānā (sovereigns)
- Related deities
- Agni (as inner priest behind ‘pressing’ effort), Bṛhaspati (as teacher-force implicit in ‘training’)
Cosmic role
Indra gives victorious force and breakthroughs; Varuṇa stabilizes truth, measure, and right governance of energies under law.
Inner power
Indra energizes the will to pierce encirclement; Varuṇa consolidates discipline and integrity so power does not become rajasic disorder.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra–Varuṇa praise in soma context; also suitable for rāṣṭra/kingly protection sequences in śrauta settings (general).
दा॒श॒रा॒ज्ञे परि॑यत्ताय वि॒श्वत॑: सु॒दास॑ इन्द्रावरुणावशिक्षतम् । श्वि॒त्यञ्चो॒ यत्र॒ नम॑सा कप॒र्दिनो॑ धि॒या धीव॑न्तो॒ अस॑पन्त॒ तृत्स॑वः ॥
दा॒श॒ऽरा॒ज्ञे । परि॑ऽयत्ताय । वि॒श्वतः॑ । सु॒ऽदासे॑ । इ॒न्द्रा॒व॒रु॒णौ॒ । अ॒शि॒क्ष॒त॒म् । श्वि॒त्यञ्चः॑ । यत्र॑ । नम॑सा । क॒प॒र्दिनः॑ । धि॒या । धीऽव॑न्तः । अस॑पन्त । तृत्स॑वः ॥
dāśa-rājñe | pari-yattāya | viśvataḥ | su-dāse | indrāvaruṇau | aśikṣatam | śvityañcaḥ | yatra | namasā | kapardinaḥ | dhiyā | dhī-vantaḥ | asapanta | tṛtsavaḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables; strong mid-pāda caesura supports ‘encirclement → strengthening’ turn.
Dynamic and strategic—like a march that holds formation under pressure.
Encourages steadiness in difficulty; builds a sense of being ‘trained’ rather than ‘attacked’ by circumstances.
- pariyattāya viśvataḥ
- Literal: encircling attack from all sides. Symbolic: total life-pressure/testing of the sadhaka from multiple fronts
- aśikṣatam
- Literal: you trained/taught. Symbolic: divine education: crisis used to strengthen inner instrument
- śvityañcaḥ
- Literal: bright/white-pressing. Symbolic: luminous striving, purified effort in the inner yajña
- kapardino
- Literal: with braided/knotted hair. Symbolic: tapas gathered; energies bound into concentration and vow
- namasā
- Literal: with reverence. Symbolic: self-offering, surrender of ego to higher guidance
- dhiyā dhīvantaḥ
- Literal: with thought, possessing vision. Symbolic: illumined intelligence (dhi) becoming a seeing power
- tṛtsavaḥ
- Literal: the Tṛtsus (clan). Symbolic: inner collectivity of aspiring forces allied to the psychic being
Recalls Dāśarājña as paradigm; used to invoke disciplined, thought-led advance and divine training in the midst of encirclement.
When seeking protection against hostility and for strengthening of leadership/resolve; in narratives linked to tribal conflict and divine aid.
Recitation with oblations; emphasis on namas (reverential offering) and dhi (intentional contemplation).
Use during stressful periods: frame problems as ‘pariyatti’ (encirclement) and practice reverence + concentration; repeat as an affirmation of divine training.
pari-√yat indicates encirclement/pressure. √śikṣ ‘train’ gives a psychological sense: divine powers educate the warrior-soul. dhī from √dhī/√dhyai ‘think, contemplate’—in RV, dhī is inspired seeing. kaparda as outward sign of vrata (concentration).
dhi (inspired intelligence), vrata/discipline (kapardinaḥ as sign), divine instruction (śikṣ)
Right governance of energies under Varuṇa’s law turns conflict into ordered strength.
Training is effective when dhi aligns with satya; otherwise force scatters.
Evolution through pressure: the gods shape the human instrument via tests.
Integral yoga-aligned hermeneutic: adversity as a means of conscious evolution.
Siege = constriction of consciousness; brightness = clarity/purification; knotted hair = gathered life-force held by tapas; bowing = ego-relaxation enabling descent of guidance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘divine training in siege’: when surrounded by many powers, the gods intensify discipline and inspired intelligence, enabling the bright-pressing advance of the right forces (Tṛtsus).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śikṣ ‘train’ has Indo-Iranian parallels; dhī relates to the IE mental lexicon (PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘set, put’ is not direct; PIE *men- is separate, but dhī is a specifically Indo-Aryan development). rājñá- ‘king’ relates to Indo-Iranian rājan-.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi portrays the devatās as educators of the soul-force, not merely external saviors. The human side contributes namas (reverent opening) and dhī (illumined thought); the gods respond by śikṣ (strengthening instruction), turning devotion into capability.
Reframe ‘attacks from all sides’ as a divine training; invoke Indra for courage and Varuṇa for self-mastery and ethical clarity.
manipura (strength under pressure)
box-breath (4-4-4-4) for steadiness; then chant one pāda per exhale to embody formation and control.
From scattered reactivity to concentrated, luminous advance (dhi becoming vision).
When overwhelmed, bow inwardly (namas) before reacting; gather energies (kapardino) by simplifying desires; act from dhi (quiet seeing) rather than impulse.
Maintain udātta prominence on deity names and key verbs (aśikṣatam); keep svarita transitions smooth across sandhi.
Mark the caesura after key phrases (…viśvataḥ | …aśikṣatam); avoid rushing the compound śvityañcaḥ.
dāśarājñe: retroflex ṇ in rājñe; long ā, pariyattāya: double ‘tt’ crisp, aśikṣatam: ś + ikṣ cluster clear, śvityañcaḥ: palatal ñ, not dental n, kapardino: retroflex ṇ not present; keep ‘rd’ cluster clean
bright and focused; slightly faster to mirror encirclement yet controlled to express discipline.
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.
