Rig Veda 7.85.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 85, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.85
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa / Ādityas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
स सुक्रतुॠतचिदस्तु होता य आदित्य शवसा वां नमस्वान् । आववर्तदवसे वां हविष्मानसदित्स सुविताय प्रयस्वान् ॥
sá su-krátur ṛta-cíd astu hóta yá ādityā śávasā vāṃ námasvān | āvavártat ávase vāṃ havíṣmān ásad ít sá suvitā́ya práyasvān ||
जो पुजारी अच्छा काम करता है और सच समझता है, वो आगे बढ़े। जो आदित्य हैं, उनके आगे झुक के नमाज़ पढ़े। हवन लेकर वापस आए मदद के लिए। सही रास्ते पर चले और आगे बढ़ता रहे।
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सु-क्रतुः
- of good resolve / wiseAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to सः)Root क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक); उपसर्गः सु-
- ऋत-चित्
- even according to ṛta / even trulyIndeclinable particle + nominal baseचित् = अव्यय; समास/योगः: ‘ऋत’ with emphatic ‘चित्’Role (qualifier)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात/अव्यय ‘even’)
- अस्तु
- let (him) beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (verbal predicate)Root अस् (धातु)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest / invokerNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (predicate nominative)Root होतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘to sacrifice/invoke’)
- यः
- whoRelative pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आदित्य
- O ĀdityaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role (addressed)Root आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- शवसा
- with strength / by mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- you two (to/for you two)Pronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी द्विवचन (enclitic form)Role Karma (object of नमस्वान्) / or SambandhaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नमस्वान्
- reverent / bearing homageAdjective (possessive) used as nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (of implied act of reverence)Root नमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित) → नमस्वत्
- आ-ववर्तत्
- has turned/has come (towards)Verbलुङ् (अorist/preterite), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (verbal predicate)Root √वृत्/√वर्त् (to turn/roll, to come round) with उपसर्ग आ-
- अवसे
- for help / for protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- for you twoPronounचतुर्थी/षष्ठी द्विवचन (enclitic form, contextually ‘for you two’)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हविष्मान्
- possessing oblation / the offererAdjective (possessive) used as nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to subject)Root हविस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (मन्) → हविष्मत्
- असत्
- was / came to beVerbलुङ् (aorist/preterite), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (verbal predicate)Root अस् (धातु)
- इत्
- indeed / justIndeclinableअव्यय (emphatic/limiting particle)Role (particle)Root इत् (निपात)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुविताय
- for good passage / welfareNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot सुवित (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रयस्वान्
- bringing refreshment / rich in offeringsAdjective (possessive) used as nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition)Root प्रयस् (प्रातिपदिक ‘refreshment/abundance’) + वत् (तद्धित) → प्रयस्वत्
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: स सुक्रतु॑ॠतचिदस्तु होता य आदित्य शवसा वां नमस्वान् । आववर्तदवसे वां हविष्मानसदित्स सुविताय प्रयस्वान् ॥ पदच्छेद (मुख्य): सः | सु-क्रतुः | ऋत-चित् | अस्तु | होता | यः | आदित्य | शवसा | वाम् | नमस्वान् | आ-ववर्तत् | अवसे | वाम् | हविष्मान् | असत् | इत् | सः | सुविताय | प्रयस्वान् । सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) स + सुक्रतुः → सः सुक्रतुः (विसर्ग-लोप/पदविभागे विसर्गः)
- (2) सुक्रतु॑ + ऋतचिद् → सुक्रतुः ऋतचित् (उकारान्त-प्रथमा एकवचन ‘-उः’ + ऋ-आदि; संहितायां ‘...तु॑ॠ...’)
- (3) ऋतचिद् + अस्तु → ऋतचिदस्तु (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: द् + अ → द + अ, संहितायां संयोगः)
- (4) आववर्तत् + अवसे → आववर्तदवसे (त् + अ → द् (जश्त्व))
- (5) हविष्मान् + असत् → हविष्मानसत् (न् + अ, संहितायां संयोगः)
- (6) असत् + इत् + सः → असदित्स सः (त् + इ → दि; इत् + सः → इत्सः, संहितायां ‘...दित्स...’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May he be a priest of good resolve and truth-awareness who bows with strength to you, O Ādityas. Turning toward your help with offerings, may he sit firm for right impulsion and progress toward the true unfolding.
Inner meaning
The ‘hotā’ is the awakened will in us that offers all movements into the inner sacrifice. He must be sukratu (right-willed, well-resolving) and ṛtacit (truth-conscious): not driven by desire but guided by inner law. Bowing ‘with force’ is not outer submission but a strong self-giving of ego to the higher order (Ādityas). ‘Turning again’ (āvavartat) indicates repeated conversion of nature back to the Divine whenever it strays. The offering (havis) is purified energy and attention. To ‘sit’ (asad) is to establish a stable seat in consciousness so that suvitāya (right going, happy progress) becomes possible—an ordered unfolding rather than a broken advance.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice succeeds when the inner priest is both sincere in will and awake to truth, repeatedly reorients to the higher law, and stabilizes a seat of consciousness from which right progress naturally proceeds.
Themes
qualification of the sacrificer/priest, truth-conscious effort, turning toward divine help
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇi)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86, RV 7.87, RV 7.88
Family tradition
Priestly-seer tradition that emphasizes the role of the inner hotā and the Āditya law as the foundation for lasting realization.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha frames yoga as right priesthood: a will that knows ṛta and repeatedly returns to it, making progress stable and protected.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa / Ādityas (law-powers)
- Epithets
- Āditya (law-sovereign class), ṛtāvṛdh (ṛta-increasing, thematic)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Savitar, Agni (as hotā principle)
Cosmic role
Ādityas uphold cosmic law and wideness; Indra–Varuṇa embody force + order within that law.
Inner power
They confer truth-guided will, strengthen self-offering, and establish a stable seat of progress (suvitā).
In ritual
Where it is used
Hotṛ-related self-blessing within praise of Ādityas/Indra–Varuṇa; general shrauta recitation context
स सु॒क्रतु॑ॠत॒चिद॑स्तु॒ होता॒ य आ॑दित्य॒ शव॑सा वां॒ नम॑स्वान् । आ॒व॒वर्त॒दव॑से वां ह॒विष्मा॒नस॒दित्स सु॑वि॒ताय॒ प्रय॑स्वान् ॥
सः । सु॒ऽक्रतुः॑ । ऋ॒त॒ऽचित् । अ॒स्तु॒ । होता॑ । यः । आ॒दि॒त्या॒ । शव॑सा । वा॒म् । नम॑स्वान् । आ॒ऽव॒वर्त॑त् । अव॑से । वा॒म् । ह॒विष्मा॑न् । अस॑त् । इत् । सः । सु॒वि॒ताय॑ । प्रय॑स्वान् ॥
saḥ | su-kratuḥ | ṛta-cit | astu | hotā | yaḥ | ādityā | śavasā | vām | namasvān | āvavartat | avase | vām | haviṣmān | asat | it | saḥ | suvitāya | prayasvān
44
4 × ~11 syllables; suited to injunction/blessing (āśīḥ)
Steady, aspirational, with a ‘turning’ movement in the middle (āvavartat) that feels like reorientation.
Builds sincerity and uprightness; helps the mind ‘sit’ and the will to become clean and effective.
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: the invoker/priest. Symbolic: the inner will that offers and calls down higher powers
- सुक्रतु (sukratu)
- Literal: of good resolve/intelligence of will. Symbolic: right intention and effective will aligned to the soul’s aim
- ऋतचित् (ṛtacit)
- Literal: truth-aware, conscious of ṛta. Symbolic: discernment that feels the true law in action and thought
- आदित्य (āditya)
- Literal: of the Ādityas. Symbolic: powers of vastness, law, harmony, and purification
- नमस्वान् (namasvān)
- Literal: bearing obeisance. Symbolic: strong self-offering; ego’s consent to higher governance
- आववर्तत् (āvavartat)
- Literal: turned back/returned. Symbolic: repeated conversion—bringing the being back to the Divine whenever it deviates
- हविष्मान् (haviṣmān)
- Literal: possessing the oblation. Symbolic: one who has gathered purified energies for offering (attention, breath, life-force)
- सुविताय (suvitāya)
- Literal: for good going/progress. Symbolic: right unfolding of consciousness; a happy straight path
- प्रयसवान् (prayasvān)
- Literal: with impulsion/effort; possessing forward urge. Symbolic: true tapas—steady, luminous effort without strain
Priestly self-definition within Soma rite: qualification of the hotṛ as ṛta-aware and sukratu
At moments of consecration of the officiant’s intention; in modern use, before meditation or japa to establish right will and truth-sense.
Namas (bowing) + havis (offering) as inner attitudes; request for avas (help/protection) and suvitā (right progress).
A pre-practice ‘alignment verse’: set intention (sukratu), invoke truth-sense (ṛtacit), and recommit to return whenever distracted (āvavartat).
krátu 'will, resolve, intelligence-power' (central Vedic psychological term); ṛta-cit 'ṛta-knowing' (cit from √cit 'perceive'); hotṛ from √hu 'offer'; śávas from √śu/śav 'be strong'; namas from √nam 'bow'; ā-vavartat from √vṛt 'turn'; aváse dative from √av 'help'; su-vití from su- + √vī 'pursue/find/enjoy' → right progress; práyas from pra- + √i/√yas? (effort/striving; Vedic prayas = exertion, zeal).
kratu (intentional will), ṛta-cit (truth-consciousness), suviti (right progress/pathfinding)
The hotā must be ṛtacit—only truth-conscious will can handle divine force safely and fruitfully.
Sitting firm (asad) indicates establishment in truth-being rather than fluctuating mental opinion.
Maintenance of the cosmos through sacrifice: right offering sustains right unfolding (suvitā).
Karma-yoga prototype in Vedic form: self-offering guided by truth-consciousness.
morning (Āditya resonance; suitable though not explicit)
Sun/Ādityas = truth-illumination and law; fire/hotā = will that transforms; sitting = stable consciousness-seat.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The consecration of the inner priest: the hotṛ becomes fit by sukratu and ṛta-awareness, repeatedly turning toward divine help. The mythic pattern is initiation—human agency transformed into a truth-instrument that can mediate divine action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √nam 'bow' reflects PIE *nem- 'bend' (cf. Greek némō is different; but bending root is old). √cit 'perceive' relates to PIE *ḱeyt- 'notice' (cf. English 'cite' via Latin citare is unrelated; but Indo-Iranian cit- is inherited). √hu 'pour/offer' is Indo-Iranian ritual root with deep antiquity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi frames the human side of reciprocity: the gods respond when the human instrument is rightly formed—truth-aware, forceful in aspiration, and surrendered in namas—so that the offering becomes an effective channel for suvitā (right advance).
Strengthen the inner ‘hotā’: a will that is clean, truth-aware, and repeatedly returns to the higher aim.
Anāhata (self-offering and devotion) and Viśuddha (truth-guided expression and alignment)
Slow-meditative breathing with a gentle bow on exhale (chin slightly down) to embody namas; pause after inhale to ‘sit’ in widened awareness.
Consecrated steadiness—quiet resolve without tension.
Chant 3 times before sitting. After chanting, remain still for 2–3 minutes, feeling a stable inner seat and a clear intention to return whenever distraction arises.
Triṣṭubh with udatta emphasis on sukratu, ṛtacit, hotā, āditya; follow Śākala accent marks where available.
Keep a devotional firmness: lift udatta cleanly, but keep overall tone steady and prayerful.
(sukratu): ‘kr’ cluster crisp, (ṛtacit): vocalic ṛ clear (not ‘ri’), (āditya): long ā; ‘ty’ palatal, (namasvān): ‘sv’ cluster smooth; long ā, (āvavartat): repeat ‘va’ clearly; retroflex ṭ at end, (suvitāya): long ā; avoid shortening
Warm, steady, consecrating; slightly softened endings to encourage inner settling.
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