Rig Veda 8.18.20: Mandala 8, Sukta 18, Mantra 20
Sukta 8.18
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa with Aśvins and Maruts invoked as protective powers
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
बृहद्वरूथं मरुतां देवं त्रातारमश्विना । मित्रमीमहे वरुणं स्वस्तये ॥
bṛhádvarū́thaṃ marútāṃ deváṃ trātā́ram aśvínā | mitrám īmahe váruṇaṃ svastáye ||
हम अपने भले के लिए मित्र और वरुण को पुकारते हैं। वो बड़े रक्षक हैं। अश्विन देवता भी बुलाते हैं जो बचाने वाले हैं। मरुत गण भी, ताकि हमको बड़ी सुरक्षा मिले।
Word by Word
- बृहत्
- great, loftyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root बृह् (वृद्धौ) → बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक) / बृहन्त्
- वरूथम्
- protection, shelterNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वरूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुताम्
- of the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रातारम्
- protector, saviourNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक; √त्रा ‘रक्षणे’)
- अश्विना
- the two AśvinsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (वैदिक-रूप; सामान्यतः ‘अश्विनौ’)Role कर्म (सम्बोधन-न; स्तुत्य-देवताद्वयम्)Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रम्
- MitraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईमहे
- we seek / we implore / we worshipVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √यम्/याच्? (वैदिक स्तुत्यर्थे ‘ईमहे’ = √इ/√या-प्रयोगः; परस्मै/आत्मनेपद-रूपः)
- वरुणम्
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वस्तये
- for well-being, for welfareNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: बृहत् वरूथम् मरुताम् देवम् त्रातारम् अश्विना । मित्रम् ईमहे वरुणम् स्वस्तये ॥ 1) ‘बृहद्वरूथम्’ = बृहत् + वरूथम् (त् + व → द्-व, जश्त्व-सन्धि)
- 2) ‘मित्रमीमहे’ = मित्रम् + ईमहे (म् + ई → मी, अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धि; दीर्घस्वर-प्रारम्भ)
- 3) ‘वरुणं स्वस्तये’ = वरुणम् + स्वस्तये (म् + स् → ंस्/ं स; संहितायां ‘ं’ लेखन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We seek Mitra and Varuṇa for well-being—wide protectors; and we invoke the Aśvins as saviors and the divine host of the Maruts as a great shelter.
Inner meaning
A complete inner protection is invoked: Mitra (harmony, luminous friendship) and Varuṇa (vastness, truth-law that releases from crookedness) establish swasti—right-being. The Aśvins are swift healers and restorers of the nervous-vital instrument, bringing timely rescue. The Maruts are the dynamic life-forces that clear and energize the inner atmosphere, building a ‘wide armor’ (bṛhad varūtham) around aspiration. Together they form a total yogic ecology: order (Āditya powers), healing (Aśvins), and energized clarity (Maruts).
Universal truth
Well-being is not one power but a harmony of powers: law and wideness, healing swiftness, and purified dynamic energy create a vast shelter for growth.
Themes
Protection, Harmony-and-Law (Mitra-Varuṇa), Inner well-being (svasti)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.18.16, Rig Veda 8.18.17, Rig Veda 8.18.18, Rig Veda 8.18.19
Significance
The seer composes a ‘protective consortium’ mantra—invoking complementary divine functions—useful as an integral sādhanā protection and harmonization formula.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa (with Aśvins and Maruts)
- Epithets
- bṛhad varūtham (vast shelter), trātāram (savior)
- Related deities
- Ādityas, Indra (often aided by Maruts), Agni (inner sacrifice leader)
Cosmic role
Mitra-Varuṇa uphold social/cosmic order and truth; Aśvins restore and heal; Maruts energize and clear the atmosphere, supporting Indra’s work of illumination.
Inner power
Mitra: harmonizing mind and relations within; Varuṇa: widening and purifying by truth; Aśvins: rapid repair of prāṇic/vital imbalance; Maruts: dynamic cleansing force and courageous uplift.
In ritual
Where it is used
Svastivācana / protection and well-being invocation; adaptable to homa and daily prayer.
बृ॒हद्वरू॑थं म॒रुतां॑ दे॒वं त्रा॒तार॑म॒श्विना॑ । मि॒त्रमी॑महे॒ वरु॑णं स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥
बृ॒हत् । वरू॑थम् । म॒रुता॑म् । दे॒वम् । त्रा॒तर॑म् । अ॒श्विना॑ । मि॒त्रम् । ई॒म॒हे॒ । वरु॑णम् । स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥
bṛhat | varūtham | marutām | devam | trātaram | aśvinā | mitram | īmahe | varuṇam | svastaye
32
4 × 8 (likely)
Invocatory listing with a protective crescendo (from Mitra-Varuṇa to Aśvins/Maruts).
Builds a sense of encirclement by beneficent forces; energizes and reassures simultaneously.
- bṛhád
- Literal: wide, vast. Symbolic: expansive consciousness; large protection that no narrow fear can breach
- varū́tham
- Literal: covering, armor, shelter. Symbolic: protective formation of spiritual force around the being
- marútām
- Literal: of the Maruts. Symbolic: storm-powers: dynamic energies that clear obstruction and impel progress
- trātā́ram
- Literal: savior, protector. Symbolic: rescuing force that intervenes in crisis (inner and outer)
- aśvinā
- Literal: the Aśvins (twin gods). Symbolic: swift healers; harmonizers of prāṇa and senses; restorers of right functioning
- mítram
- Literal: Mitra. Symbolic: harmony, right relation, luminous concord
- váruṇam
- Literal: Varuṇa. Symbolic: vast truth-law; purifier who releases from bondage
- svastáye
- Literal: for well-being. Symbolic: established right-being; integrative health of body-life-mind
General invocation for protection and svasti; suitable as an appeasing/protective recitation within Soma-rites and daily agnihotra contexts (broadly ‘svastyayana’ usage).
Morning protection, before important work, before travel, during illness recovery, or when beginning a new discipline.
Offer ghee to Agni while reciting; or perform water-sprinkling for swasti; mentally ‘armor’ the aura with bṛhad varūtham.
A comprehensive ‘well-being shield’ mantra: recite before meditation/workouts/therapy to align harmony (Mitra), truth (Varuṇa), healing (Aśvins), and energy-clearing (Maruts).
Key terms: (1) bṛhat ‘the vast’ from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ → psychological wideness of being (cf. satyam ṛtam bṛhat). (2) varūtha ‘cover/shelter’ (noun of protection; linked in sense to enclosing/warding) → inner formation that guards the aspirant from disorder. (3) trātṛ ‘protector’ from √trā ‘to protect, save’. (4) svasti ‘well-being’ = su- ‘good’ + asti ‘being’ (√as ‘to be’) → a stable good state of existence. (5) Mitra/Varuṇa: paired Ādityas—harmony and law/vastness—often invoked for ṛta-maintenance.
Ṛta (cosmic order as protection), Bṛhat (vast consciousness), Svasti (harmonious being)
Mitra-Varuṇa are primary ṛta guardians; their shelter is lawful protection, not mere defense.
Varuṇa’s presence insists on truthfulness as the condition of swasti.
Protective order and dynamic energies collaborate to sustain the evolutionary sacrifice.
Integral synthesis: harmony + law + healing + force as coordinated yogic powers.
morning (Aśvins’ typical association)
monsoon/storm season (Maruts’ imagery)
Wind-storm = clearing prāṇa and breaking inertia; twin horsemen = swift vital restoration; sky-vastness = release from constriction; solar harmony = right relation and balance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘protective enclosure’ mythologem: divine powers form a varūtha (shelter) around the sacrificer/aspirant. Inwardly, it is the establishment of a guarded field of ṛta where right movement (Aśvins), dynamic force (Maruts), and the law/harmony (Mitra–Varuṇa) cooperate to secure svasti.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bṛhat from √bṛh aligns with PIE *bʰerǵʰ- ‘rise, high’ (semantic field of growth/height/vastness). svasti (su- + √as ‘be’) parallels Indo-European ‘well-being’ compounds (cf. Greek eu- ‘well’). √trā ‘protect’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan θrā- ‘protect’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal protection-contract: the seer’s act is ‘īmahe’—a conscious turning and choosing of the powers; the gods respond by becoming varūtha/trātṛ—an active guarding of the inner sacrifice and the seeker’s state of being (svasti).
Fourfold inner alignment: (1) Mitra—harmonize thoughts/relations; (2) Varuṇa—widen and purify by truth; (3) Aśvins—heal the prāṇic body; (4) Maruts—clear and energize the inner atmosphere.
Anāhata (Mitra harmony), Viśuddha (Varuṇa truth), Svādhiṣṭhāna/Manipūra (Aśvin-Marut prāṇa-vital regulation)
3-stage breath: calm inhale (Mitra), spacious hold (Varuṇa), cleansing exhale (Maruts), gentle restorative pause (Aśvins).
Protected wideness with energized clarity.
Before practice, affirm truthful intention (Varuṇa), soften into goodwill (Mitra), scan and relax the nervous system (Aśvins), then do 1–2 minutes of vigorous exhale-cleansing (Marut clearing) if needed; end in quiet wideness (bṛhad).
Not fully recoverable; emphasize bṛhád, varū́tham, trātā́ram, aśvinā́, mítram, váruṇam, svastáye.
bṛhád varū́tham / marútāṃ // deváṃ trātā́ram / aśvinā́ // mítram īmahe / váruṇam // svastáye.
bṛhad: vocalic ṛ, varūtham: long ū, marutām: retroflex ṭ not present; keep dental t, aśvinā: palatal ś; long ā, mitram: short i; clear tr, varuṇam: retroflex ṇ
Clear, protective, slightly resonant—like a proclamation of shelter.
9
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.
