Rig Veda 7.89.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 89, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.89
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
यत्किं चेदं वरुण दैव्ये जनेऽभिद्रोहं मनुष्याश्चरामसि । अचित्ती यत्तव धर्मा युयोपिम मा नस्तस्मादेनसो देव रीरिषः ॥
yát kiṃ cedáṃ varuṇa daívyé jáne ’bhí-drohaṃ manuṣyā́ś cárāmasi | ácittī yát táva dhármā yuyópim mā́ nas tásmād énaso deva rīriṣaḥ ||
हे वरुण, अगर हम इंसानों से कोई बुरा किया है, बिना जाने, तो माफ कर दो। अगर हमने तुम्हारे धरम को तोड़ दिया, तो उस पाप को हमसे दूर कर दो। हमें उस गलती से मत पकड़, उसे हटा दो।
Word by Word
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (सम्बन्ध-समुच्चयार्थं ‘यत् … तत्’)Role सम्बन्ध/विषय (यद्-तद्-सम्बन्धः)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यद्-शब्द
- किम्
- anythingPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अनिश्चितार्थे)Role कर्म/विषय (यत्किम् = whatever)Root किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चेत्
- ifIndeclinableशर्त/सम्भावनार्थक-अव्ययम्Root चेत् (निपात)
- इदम्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role विषय/कर्म (यत्किम् चेदं = whatever this)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुण
- O VaruṇaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- दैव्ये
- in the divineAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरण (स्थाने/समूहे)Root दैव्य (देव-सम्बन्धि विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- जने
- among the people / in the communityNounपुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभिद्रोहम्
- hostility, offenseNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (चरामसि इत्यस्य)Root अभिद्रोह (प्रातिपदिक; अभि+द्रुह् ‘to harm, be hostile’ से)
- मनुष्याः
- (we) humansNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्ता (चरामसि—‘we’ के विशेषण/सम्बन्धः)Root मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्Root च (निपात)
- चरामसि
- we commit / we practiceVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot चर् (धातु)
- अचित्ती
- thoughtlessness, lack of intentNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (कारण/हेतुवाचकः)Role करण/हेतु (अचित्त्या = through thoughtlessness; पदपाठे प्रथमा-रूपेण)Root अचित्ति (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + चित्ति ‘thought, intention’)
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध/विषयRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धर्माः
- laws, ordinancesNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्ता/विषय (युयोपिम—‘have been violated’ इत्यर्थे)Root धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- युयोपिम
- I have transgressed / I have violated (kept back/failed to keep)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (वेदिक-रूपम्)Role क्रियाRoot युप्/यु (धातु; ‘to keep back, ward off’; वेदिके ‘युयोप’ इत्यादि)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सम्बन्धे)Root मा (निषेध-निपात)
- नः
- us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (रीरिषः—‘us’)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्मात्
- from thatPronounपुं/नपुं लिङ्गे पञ्चमी एकवचनम्Role अपादानRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एनसः
- from sin, from guiltNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी एकवचनम् (वेदे ‘एनसः’ पञ्चमी)Role अपादानRoot एनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देव
- O godNounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- रीरिषः
- may you not harm / do not injureVerbविधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थ (prohibitive with मा), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (वेदिक)Role क्रियाRoot रीरिष् (धातु; desiderative/intensive of √रिष् ‘to harm, injure’)
Sandhi Notes
- मुख्य सन्धि-विच्छेदः: (1) यत्किं → यत् + किम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + क्)
- (2) चे॒दं → चेत् + इदम् (त् + इ → द्; ‘चेत्’ + ‘इदम्’ = ‘चेदम्’)
- (3) जने॑ऽभिद्रो॒हं → जने + अभिद्रोहम् (अवग्रहः; अ + अ संधिः, पदपाठे पृथक्)
- (4) मनु॒ष्या॒३॒॑श्चरा॑मसि → मनुष्याः + चरामसि (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ḥ + च → श्च)
- (5) अचि॑त्ती॒ यत्तव॒ → अचित्ती + यत् + तव (पदसीमा)
- (6) युयोपि॒म मा → युयोपिम् + मा (म् + म)
- (7) मा न॒स्तस्मा॒देन॑सो → मा + नः + तस्मात् + एनसः (त् + ए → दे; ‘तस्मात्’ + ‘एनसः’ = ‘तस्मादेनसः’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Varuṇa: whatever betrayal or offense humans commit among the divine order, and whatever breach of Varuṇa’s law occurs through ignorance, may the god not harm us; may he loosen that sin from us.
Inner meaning
Varuṇa is the vigilant power of Truth and vastness that holds the soul to ṛta (right law). The mantra is an inward confession: in the “divine humanity” (daivye jane) we still move with impulses of division (abhidroha—inner treason against the higher call). Through acittī (unconsciousness, unseeing) we violate dharma (the soul’s right movement). The seeker asks not for external pardon alone but for the loosening (yuyopima) of the knot of error in the subconscient, so the being is not ‘injured’ (rīriṣaḥ) by the recoil of false movement.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth requires truthfulness with oneself: acknowledging ignorance-driven violations of inner law and calling on the higher consciousness to dissolve guilt, habit, and consequence—restoring alignment with an impersonal order rather than bargaining with a deity.
Themes
confession, ignorance-as-cause, appeal-for-non-injury, restoration-to-ṛta
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage, traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86 (Varuṇa confession and release), RV 7.87 (Varuṇa’s vastness and bonds), RV 7.88 (prayer for protection in ṛta)
Family tradition
Book 7 is the Vasiṣṭha family maṇḍala; strong emphasis on ṛta, Varuṇa-Mitra ethics, and inner purification through truth.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s Varuṇa hymns are archetypal for the yogic movement of self-scrutiny, surrender of fault, and liberation from inner ‘bonds’—a psychological rite of purification rather than mere juridical pardon.
The deity
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Deva (देव), Dharmapati (implied: lord of dharma), Ṛtasya gopā (implied: guardian of ṛta)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Aryaman, Aditi, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Upholder of ṛta and the moral-cosmic law; regulator of waters and the vast heaven; binder and releaser through his pāśa (bonds).
Inner power
The conscience-light and vast truth that exposes falsehood, corrects deviation, and grants release by inner rectification.
In ritual
Where it is used
Varuṇa-related prayers within śrauta contexts; also used as expiatory/confessional recitation (prāyaścitta mood)
यत्किं चे॒दं व॑रुण॒ दैव्ये॒ जने॑ऽभिद्रो॒हं म॑नु॒ष्या॒३॒॑श्चरा॑मसि । अचि॑त्ती॒ यत्तव॒ धर्मा॑ युयोपि॒म मा न॒स्तस्मा॒देन॑सो देव रीरिषः ॥
यत् । किम् । च॒ । इ॒दम् । व॒रु॒ण॒ । दैव्ये॑ । जने॑ । अ॒भि॒ऽद्रो॒हम् । म॒नु॒ष्याः॑ । चरा॑मसि । अचि॑त्ती । यत् । तव॑ । धर्म॑ । यु॒यो॒पि॒म । मा । नः॒ । तस्मा॑त् । एन॑सः । दे॒व॒ । रि॒रि॒षः॒ ॥
yat | kim | ca | idam | varuṇa | daivye | jane | abhi-droham | manuṣyāḥ | carāmasi | ac ittī | yat | tava | dharma | yuyopima | mā | naḥ | tasmāt | enasaḥ | deva | ririṣaḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Grave, judicial, and steady; suited to confession, vow, and ethical resolve.
Creates an inward pressure toward sincerity and alignment; the cadence supports contrition turning into calm release.
- वरुण (varuṇa)
- Literal: Vedic deity of cosmic order, guardian of law. Symbolic: Vast Truth-Consciousness; the power that binds the being to ṛta and releases by purification
- दैव्ये जने (daivye jane)
- Literal: in the divine race/people. Symbolic: In the aspirant humanity called to divinize; the higher collectivity within the being
- अभिद्रोह (abhidroha)
- Literal: hostility, treachery, betrayal. Symbolic: Inner revolt against the soul’s truth; sabotage by ego, doubt, vital desire
- अचित्ती (acittī)
- Literal: non-perception, unknowing. Symbolic: Ignorance/conscient veil causing wrong choice; subconscient inertia
- धर्म (dharma)
- Literal: law, ordinance, right order. Symbolic: Right movement of consciousness in harmony with ṛta
- एनस् (enas)
- Literal: sin, fault, stain. Symbolic: A deformation in consciousness leaving a residue/obscuration
- युयोपिम (yuyopima)
- Literal: we have violated/overstepped (and/or: loosen away). Symbolic: Crossing the inner limit; need for untying the knot of error
- रीरिषः (rīriṣaḥ)
- Literal: may you not harm/injure. Symbolic: May the recoil of falsehood not wound the evolving being
A classic Varuṇa confession-prayer for remission of enas; applicable in prāyaścitta sequences and in soma contexts where moral-ritual purity is foregrounded.
During rites invoking ṛta and purification; also privately when seeking release from fault
Recitation with water libation (āpaḥ) symbolism or silent resolve; mental offering of truthfulness
Use as a daily ‘inner ethics’ mantra: acknowledge deviation, invoke release, recommit to truthful action.
(abhi-droha) abhi- ‘against’ + √ ‘to be hostile, betray’ (cognate with Avestan druj ‘lie, deception’ as a mythic principle; semantic proximity: hostility/falsehood). (a-cittī) privative a- + citti ‘perception/awareness’ from √ ‘to notice, perceive’. (dharma) from √ ‘to hold, support’ → that which upholds; in RV often ‘ordinance’ aligned with Ṛta. : from √/√? RV form meaning ‘to disturb, violate, set aside’ (traditional gloss: ‘we have transgressed’). from √ ‘to harm, injure’ (intensive/reduplicated form).
dharma as support of Ṛta, ignorance (a-citti) as root of transgression, enas as stain with consequence, truth vs. druj-like betrayal (abhi-droha)
Direct: violation of Varuṇa’s dharma is deviation from ṛta; prayer seeks restoration.
Confession is a movement toward satya—truth-speaking inwardly.
Not cosmogonic; it concerns maintenance of order in the evolving human-divine relation.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral-yogic reading (Aurobindo): ethical law as psychological alignment with Truth-Consciousness.
Vastness and purity in consciousness; waters as cleansing flow removing inner stain.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘betrayal of the divine community and plea for remission’ mythologem: humans, meant to belong to the ‘divine people’ (daivya jana), lapse into abhi-droha and violate dharma through acitti; Varuṇa is implored not to let the enas become a wounding fate but to dissolve it.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘betray/be hostile’ participates in an Indo-Iranian moral-mythic lexicon that opposes truth/order to hostile deception (cf. Avestan druj as the Lie). √ ‘hold’ (dharma) reflects PIE *dʰer- ‘hold, support’ (cf. Greek thronos ‘seat’ via related support notions; more directly Sanskrit dhar- is a clear continuation). The privative a- in a-citti is an inherited morphological strategy across IE.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- It is a juridical-intimate relation: Varuṇa as upholder of dharma is acknowledged as the one whose law was violated, yet he is approached as the compassionate sovereign who can prevent the sin’s consequence from ‘injuring’ the seeker—transforming judgment into restoration.
Truth-alignment: observe where the being betrays its highest intention; offer it to the vast seeing of Varuṇa for dissolution.
ājñā (truth-seeing) and anāhata (ethical sincerity)
Slow exhale with mental phrase ‘mā nas tasmād enaso…’; brief pause to feel release
Pratyāhāra into conscience-light; widening into quiet vastness
1) Recall one concrete deviation without self-violence. 2) Name it as ‘acittī’ (ignorance). 3) Invoke Varuṇa’s vast truth to loosen the residue. 4) End with one small vow of right action today.
Follow RV śākhā udātta/anudātta/svarita as in traditional recitation; key lifts often on vocative ‘varuṇa’ and emphatic negatives ‘mā’.
Sustain clarity on compounds: daivye jane, abhidroham; keep ‘mā nas’ lightly separated to preserve negation force.
Roll ṇ in varuṇa with retroflex nasal, Keep ‘bhidroham’ with clear aspirate bh and dental d, Enas with short e and crisp s, Do not swallow visarga in rīriṣaḥ; let final ḥ be audible but soft
Low, steady, penitential-then-releasing; avoid drama, keep sincerity.
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