Rig Veda 8.47.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 47, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.47
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
परिह्वृतेदना जनो युष्मादत्तस्य वायति । देवा अदभ्रमाश वो यमादित्या अहेतनानेहसो व ऊतयः सुतयो व ऊतयः ॥
pari-hvṛtédanā jano yuṣmā́dattasya vāyati | devā́ adábhram ā́śa vo yám ādityā́ ahetanānehasaḥ vo ūtáyaḥ su-ūtáyaḥ vo ūtáyaḥ ||
जब कोई इंसान हर तरफ से दबता है और उसका दिल छोटा हो जाता है, तब भी वो तुम्हारी तरफ देखता है। तुम देवता हो, तुम्हारी उम्मीद कभी खत्म नहीं होती। आदित्य देवता, तुमने जो भरोसा दिया है वो हिलना नहीं चाहिए। तुम्हारी मदद हमारे साथ हो, कोई तकलीफ न हो। तुम्हारी अच्छी मदद हमेशा काम आती है।
Word by Word
- परि
- around, aboutIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि
- ह्वृतेदना
- crooked-moving, of perverse courseAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (with जनः) / विशेषणRoot ह्वृत-एदन (प्रातिपदिक) < √ह्वर्/√ह्वृ (to go astray, be crooked) + एदन (going/impulse)
- जनः
- the people, a man (folk)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- युष्मात्
- from you (pl.)Pronounषष्ठी? (न), पञ्चमी, बहुवचनRole ApādānaRoot युष्मद्
- अत्तस्य
- of the eaten/consumed (one/thing)Adjective (participial)पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (dependent genitive)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अत्त (ppp. of √अद् ‘to eat’)
- वायति
- blowsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √वा (to blow)
- देवाः
- O gods / the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Sambodhana/Kartā (addressed)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदभ्रमाः
- unfailing, not to be deceivedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (देवाः)Root अ-दभ्र (प्रातिपदिक) < दभ्र ‘small/weak; (also) deceivable’ with privative अ-
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic ‘of/for you’)Role Sampradāna/सम्बन्ध (contextual)Root युष्मद् (enclitic)
- यमाः
- the Yamas (Yama-powers / Yamas)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (appositional group)Root यम (प्रातिपदिक)
- आदित्याः
- the ĀdityasNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (appositional)Root आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहेतनान
- unharming, non-injuringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (यमाः/आदित्याः)Root अ-हेतन (प्रातिपदिक) < हेतन ‘harm, injury’ with privative अ-
- एहसः
- from distress/anguishNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot एहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole Sampradāna/सम्बन्ध (contextual)Root युष्मद् (enclitic)
- ऊतयः
- helps, protectionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā/फल (as ‘helps’)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतयः
- Soma-pressings, libationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā/उपपद (apposition to ऊतयः)Root सुति (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (to press Soma)
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole Sampradāna/सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (enclitic)
- ऊतयः
- helps, protectionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā/फलRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): परि | ह्वृतेदना | जनः | युष्मात् | अत्तस्य | वायति || देवाः | अदभ्रमाः | वः | यमाः | आदित्याः | अहेतनानाः? (पाठे ‘अहेतनाने’ → प्रथमा बहुवचन ‘अहेतनानाः’ इति ग्रहणम्) | एहसः | वः | ऊतयः | सुतयः | वः | ऊतयः । ‘वः’ एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम—षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-प्रयोगः सन्दर्भानुसारः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
When a person is hemmed in and diminished, he still longs for the strength given by the Gods. The Gods’ unfailing hope placed in us should not be shaken; may the Ādityas’ harmless, good helps be with us.
Inner meaning
In the press of life (parihvṛta), the outer personality feels reduced (anā). Yet the soul still ‘breathes toward’ (vāyati) the force descending from the higher powers. The mantra affirms that hope (āśā)—a divine implant, not mere optimism—is steadfast and must not be disturbed. Ādityas stabilize faith in truth when the being is compressed by circumstance or subconscient pressure.
Universal truth
In crisis, what preserves the path is not willpower alone but a deeper hope rooted in truth. When hope is anchored in a higher order, it becomes unshakeable and restorative.
Themes
Invocation-for-protection, Inner-battle (pressure of limiting forces), Ṛta-guardianship, Psychological-soteriology
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.47 (adjacent verses 5–9 share the same protective refrain)
Family tradition
Likely within Kāṇva-stream compilations typical of Maṇḍala 8, but not securely attributable here.
Significance
The rishi’s psychology is explicit: the human under pressure still aspires; the divine response is to plant and preserve unerring hope—central to the Aurobindonian ‘psychic faith’.
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas (addressed also as Devāḥ)
- Epithets
- adabhram (unfailing), anehasaḥ (harmless), su-ūtayaḥ (good helps)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman
Cosmic role
Sustainers of harmony and law; guardians of the moral-psychological order that keeps hope aligned with truth.
Inner power
They uphold the psychic flame of confidence, preventing collapse into tamas (inertia) and restoring wideness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective invocation to Ādityas for safeguarding the sacrificer/community; also suited for prayers during adversity
प॒रि॒ह्वृ॒तेद॒ना जनो॑ यु॒ष्माद॑त्तस्य वायति । देवा॒ अद॑भ्रमाश वो॒ यमा॑दित्या॒ अहे॑तनाने॒हसो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: सु॒तयो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: ॥
प॒रि॒ऽह्वृ॒ता । इत् । अ॒ना । जनः॑ । यु॒ष्माऽद॑त्तस्य । वा॒य॒ति॒ । देवाः॑ । अद॑भ्रम् । आ॒श॒ । वः॒ । यम् । आ॒दि॒त्याः॒ । अहे॑तन । अ॒ने॒हसः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ । सु॒ऽऊ॒तयः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ ॥
pari-hvṛtā | it | anā | janaḥ | yuṣmādattasya | vāyati | devāḥ | adabhram | āśa | vaḥ | yam | ādityāḥ | ahetana | anehasaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ | su-ūtayaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ
Likely Triṣṭubh or Jagatī-family cadence with refrain
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Probable 4 pādas with a recurring refrain segment; the refrain functions as a litany.
Compression-release rhythm: the first clause evokes constriction; the refrain opens into steadiness.
Stabilizes the heart-mind; repeated ‘ūtayaḥ’ acts like a mantra-beat restoring confidence.
- परि-ह्वृता (parihvṛtā)
- Literal: encircled/pressed on all sides. Symbolic: constricted consciousness under stress or attack
- अना (anā)
- Literal: diminished, lacking, weakened. Symbolic: loss of inner strength; depression/deflation of the vital
- जनः (janaḥ)
- Literal: the person/people. Symbolic: the embodied seeker, the surface nature
- युष्मादत्तस्य (yuṣmādattasya)
- Literal: of that which is given by you. Symbolic: grace-force; higher energy not manufactured by ego
- वायति (vāyati)
- Literal: blows/breathes/longs. Symbolic: aspiration; the inner breath reaching upward
- आश (āśā)
- Literal: hope. Symbolic: psychic confidence placed by the gods in the heart
- अदभ्रम् (adabhram)
- Literal: unfailing, not deceiving. Symbolic: truth-grounded assurance that does not collapse
- अहेतन (ahetana)
- Literal: do not shake/disturb. Symbolic: do not allow faith to be displaced by doubt or fear
Protective/śānti coloring; suitable for apotropaic recitation seeking ‘ūtayaḥ’ (aids) and freedom from ‘ehas’ (harm), often aligned with daily prayer and Soma-associated hymnody in Mandala 8.
When seeking protection from harm, failure, or collapse of resolve; during transitions and uncertainties
Recite after offering with intention of restoring āśā (hope) and receiving divine strength (yuṣmādattam)
A support mantra for burnout, grief, anxiety, or recovery; used as a daily ‘hope-stabilizer’ recitation.
Key terms: (1) āśā́ ‘hope’ from √āś ‘to wish, desire, expect’; psychologically, the soul’s forward leaning toward the True. (2) ūtí ‘help, aid’ from √av/√ū ‘to favor, protect’ (Vedic: ūtí as concrete saving power). (3) a-dabhra ‘unfailing’ with privative a- + √dabh ‘to deceive, injure’; hence ‘not misleading’, stable in ṛta. (4) pari-hvṛtā: compound with pari- ‘around’ + √hvṛt/√hvar (Vedic nuance ‘to be turned aside, disturbed, attacked’), indicating a state of being beset/harried. (5) anehas ‘harmless, without distress’ with a- + ehas (trouble/attack), marking a protection that does not carry reactive suffering.
Ṛta (Ādityas as guardians of cosmic order), Aditi (unboundedness; the wide Mother-field behind the Ādityas), Protection as alignment with Truth (adabhra āśā)
To remain in ṛta is to keep inner hope undisturbed by the press of disorder.
Adabhram āśā—hope that is true, not self-deception.
From constriction to wideness: the gods expand the being by restoring divine breath/aspiration.
Yogic-psychological Vedism: faith as a descending power that sustains the ascent.
Constricted breath and mind reopen to aspiration; the ‘wind’ becomes the soul’s upward urge sustained by truth-powers.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘guardianship of Ṛta’ by the Ādityas: when the mortal is hemmed in by hostile or limiting powers (pari-hvṛtā), the divine law-powers uphold an unfailing hope (adabhra āśā) and extend saving aids (ūtayaḥ). Mythically, it is not combat imagery but juridical/cosmic protection—maintaining the soul’s orientation to Truth against forces of deviation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- adabhra (a- + √dabh) reflects an old Indo-European pattern of privation (PIE *n̥-/a-) plus a root meaning ‘harm/deceive’; cognate tendencies appear across IE in ‘damage/deceit’ semantics (cf. English ‘deceive’ is not cognate, but the semantic field is comparable). āśā from √āś ‘wish/hope’ aligns with archaic desiderative/aspirational vocabulary common in IE prayer-poetry. The repeated ūtayaḥ (aid) shows formulaic plural ‘helps’ typical of Indo-Iranian liturgical diction (cf. Avestan supports expressed as pluralized ‘aids/boons’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker positions the human (janaḥ) as pressured and lacking, yet still ‘breathing toward’ (vāyati) the divine gift—an implicit reciprocity: the Gods establish hope within the human vessel, and the human responds by turning/aspiring toward that endowment. The exchange is not transactional ‘fee-for-boon’, but a restoration of right inner orientation (āśā) under Āditya-law, resulting in ‘anehas’ help—protection that does not produce reactive suffering.
Restore divine hope in the heart during constriction; receive ‘yuṣmādattam’ as descending strength.
Anahata (hope/faith)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (receive), hold (remember adabhram āśā), exhale (release pressure) on the refrain.
From contracted/tamas-pressed to quietly aspiring and supported.
When overwhelmed, recite once slowly naming your present pressure mentally, then repeat the refrain 12 times as a ‘hope seal’.
Accents not fully reconstructible here; follow Saṃhitā marks where provided (e.g., devā́, ādityā́) and keep refrain consistent each time.
Let ‘āś’ carry a clear emphasis; keep ‘anehaso va ūtayaḥ’ even and continuous, like a protective hum.
parihvṛtā: articulate hvṛ (h + vṛ) without inserting extra vowel, yuṣmādattasya: keep consonant cluster tt clear, adabhram: soft d, clear bhr, ahetana: separate a-he-ta-na
Soothing, heart-centered, slightly lower pitch to calm the system.
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