Rig Veda 8.25.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 25, Mantra 5

Sukta 8.25

Devata

Mitra-Varuṇa

Rasa

Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

नपाता शवसो महः सूनू दक्षस्य सुक्रतू । सृप्रदानू इषो वास्त्वधि क्षितः ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 8.25.5

Transliteration

napā́tā śávasaḥ máhaḥ sūnū́ dákṣasya sukrátū | sṛprádānū iṣó vā́stv ádhi kṣitáḥ ||

Translation

Modern Hindi

तुम दोनों बड़े ताकत के वंश से हो। तुम्हारी सोच सही है और तुम सही काम करते हो। जल्दी-जल्दी ताकत देते हो। हमारे घर और हमारे इरादों पर तुम्हारा राज है।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

नपातः

O descendants/sons (O offspring)Noun · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (वाक्ये स्तुत्य-देवतासम्बोधन) · Root नपात् (प्रातिपदिक; √नप्/नभ् ‘सम्बन्ध/उत्पत्ति’ इत्यस्य प्राचीन-नामधात्वर्थः; ‘वंशज/पुत्र’)

शवसः

of might, of strengthNoun · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः ‘of might’) · Root शवस् (प्रातिपदिक ‘बल/तेज’)

महः

of greatnessNoun · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः ‘of greatness’) · Root महत्/महस् (प्रातिपदिक ‘महत्त्व/महिमा’)

सूनो

O sonNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन · Root सूनु (प्रातिपदिक ‘पुत्र’)

दक्षस्य

of Dakṣa / of skillNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of Dakṣa/skill’) · Root दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक ‘दक्षता/कौशल/दक्ष’)

सुक्रतू

O good-minded/wise in ritesAdjective (vocative epithet) · पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: -ū)Role सम्बोधन · Root सु-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; सु + क्रतु ‘संकल्प/कर्म-शक्ति/यज्ञ-प्रज्ञा’)

सृप्रदानू

O strong-giving/abundant-bestowingAdjective (vocative epithet) · पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: -ū)Role सम्बोधन · Root सृप्र-दानु (प्रातिपदिक; सृप्र ‘दृढ/तीक्ष्ण/शक्त’ + दानु ‘दानव/दानशील/प्रवाह’—वेदिक विशेषण-समास)

इषः

of refreshment, of nourishmentNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of nourishment/refreshment’) · Root इष्/इषा (प्रातिपदिक ‘इष्टि/आहार/बल/पोषण, refreshment’)

वास्तु

dwelling-place, abodeNoun · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अधि-उपपदेन: ‘upon/over the dwelling’) · Root वास्तु (प्रातिपदिक ‘निवास/आवास/स्थान’)

अधि

upon, overIndeclinable · अव्यय (उपपद; ‘upon/over/at’)Role अधिकारण-निर्देशक (स्थान-संबन्धः) · Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

क्षितः

of the settled people/dwellersNoun (kṛdanta used substantively) · पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वेदिक: ‘of the dweller/people’)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of the settled folk’) · Root क्षि (धातु ‘क्षयति/क्षिणोति’ ‘निवसति’ इत्यर्थे) → क्षित् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘निवासी/जन’)

Sandhi Notes

• पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विच्छेद): नपातः | शवसः | महः | सूनो | दक्षस्य | सुक्रतू | सृप्रदानू | इषः | वास्तु | अधि | क्षितः । विशेषम्: (1) ‘नपा॑ता॒’ = नपातः (सम्बोधन-बहुवचन; पदान्त -अः → -आः/आता इति वैदिक-पाठभेद/उच्चारण)
• (2) ‘सू॒नू’ ‘सु॒क्रतू॑’ ‘सृ॒प्रदा॑नू’ इत्यत्र -ū वैदिक-सम्बोधन-एकवचनरूपम् (सूनो/सुक्रतो/… इत्यर्थे)
• (3) ‘वास्त्वधि’ = वास्तु + अधि (उ + अ → व्-अ; संहितायां ‘वास्त्वधि’)

The meaning

Outer meaning

O two descendants of mighty force, sons of Dakṣa, wise in right action, givers of swift-flowing energies—abide over the dwelling-place of impulses/refreshments, establishing the habitation.

Inner meaning

Mitra–Varuṇa are invoked as born of the great Śavas (force) and as sons of Dakṣa (discerning power/skill of consciousness). In the inner yoga, they govern the ‘vāstu’—the settled house of the being—so that our impulsions (iṣaḥ) become nourishments, not restlessness. Their gift is sṛpra-dānu: swift, flowing currents of energy that are disciplined by right action (su-kratu) and guided by discernment (dakṣa).

Universal truth

Power becomes beneficent only when joined to discernment and right intention; then life-energies flow swiftly but do not scatter—they build a stable dwelling for the soul.

Themes

Inner governance of energies, Stabilizing the seat (vāstu), Right will (kratu), Nourishing flows (dānū)

The seer

Other hymns

Rig Veda 8.25.4–8 (sequence on inner sovereignty of Mitra–Varuṇa)

Family tradition

Kāṇva (probable)

Significance

The seer emphasizes Dakṣa and sukratu—key Vedic yogic terms for the conversion of raw force into intelligent, truth-acting energy.

The deity

Devata

Mitra–Varuṇa

Epithets

napātā śavasaḥ mahaḥ (offspring of great force), sūnū dakṣasya (sons of discernment), su-kratū (wise in right action), sṛpra-dānū (givers of swift streams)

Related deities

Dakṣa (discerning power), Aditi (infinite wideness that supports law), Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration ordered by truth)

Cosmic role

They channel cosmic force through law and discernment, ensuring energies serve harmony and truth rather than chaos.

Inner power

The power to regulate and ‘house’ life-energies so they become steady nourishment and effective action.

In ritual

Where it is used

Invocation for orderly flow of offerings/energies in Mitra–Varuṇa sequences; protection of the ritual ‘dwelling’ (vedi/home of rite)

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes