Rig Veda 8.54.3: Mandala 8, Sukta 54, Mantra 3
Sukta 8.54
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आ नो विश्वे सजोषसो देवासो गन्तनोप नः । वसवो रुद्रा अवसे न आ गमञ्छृण्वन्तु मरुतो हवम् ॥
ā́ no víśve sa-jóṣaso devā́so gántanópa naḥ | vásavo rudrā́ ávase na ā́ gámac chr̥ṇvántu marúto hávam ||
सब देवता मिलकर हमारे पास आओ। वसु और रुद्र हमारी मदद के लिए आओ। मरुत लोग हमारी पूजा सुनो और आओ।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (directional: ‘towards, hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी? एकवचन-बहुवचन? (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यम्; here: दत्तिव/सम्प्रदान sense)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (pronominal stem)
- विश्वे
- allAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचन (देवासोः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot विश्व (prātipadika)
- सजोषसः
- of one accord; unanimousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचन (देवासोः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot सजोषस् (sa-joṣas, prātipadika)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (prātipadika)
- गन्त
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्Root गम् (धातु)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न (निपात)
- उप
- near; untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (‘near, unto’)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- नः
- to usPronounचतुर्थी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = अस्मभ्यम्)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- वसवः
- the VasusNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वसु (prātipadika)
- रुद्राः
- the RudrasNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot रुद्र (prātipadika)
- अवसे
- for aid; for protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचन (दत्तिव: ‘for help’)Role SampradānaRoot अवस् (prātipadika)
- नः
- to usPronounचतुर्थी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- आ
- hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (‘hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- गमन्
- comeVerbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम् (वेदिक रूप: गमन् < गच्छत)Root गम् (धातु)
- शृण्वन्तु
- let them hearVerbलोट् तृतीयपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्Root श्रु (धातु)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मरुत् (prātipadika)
- हवम्
- invocation; callNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot हव (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): आ | नः | विश्वे | सजोषसः | देवासः | गन्त | न | उप | नः || वसवः | रुद्राः | अवसे | नः | आ | गमन् | शृण्वन्तु | मरुतः | हवम् । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) गन्त + न + उप → गन्तनोप (न + उप = नोप)
- (2) गमन् + शृण्वन्तु → गमञ्छृण्वन्तु (न् + श् → ञ्छ्, वैदिक संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
All the gods, united, are invited to come near. The Vasus and Rudras should come to help; the Maruts should hear the call.
Inner meaning
Viśve Devāḥ are the totality of divine powers required for integral growth. ‘Sajoṣasaḥ’ (in one accord) indicates inner harmony—when the many god-forces in us cooperate rather than pull apart. Vasus are the foundational luminous energies that build and stabilize; Rudras are the purifying, forceful powers that break disease and falsehood; Maruts are the dynamic life-forces and storm-powers that energize and carry the impulse of transformation. The mantra is an integrative call: let all powers assemble around the seeker’s aspiration and respond.
Universal truth
Wholeness comes when stabilizing, purifying, and energizing forces unite around a single aspiration; then transformation becomes swift and supported.
Themes
All-gods invocation, Harmony of powers, Help/protection, Marut dynamism
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.54 (hymn context)
Family tradition
Collective invocation style typical of mid/late maṇḍala practice: calling multiple deva-powers for comprehensive aid.
Significance
Represents the seeker’s move from single-power reliance to integral yoga of many coordinated forces.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ (All Gods) with Vasus, Rudras, Maruts
- Epithets
- sajoṣasaḥ (united in accord)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Maintain the cosmos through coordinated functions: stability (Vasus), purification (Rudras), dynamism (Maruts).
Inner power
Integration of the being: grounding energies, cleansing force, and courageous impetus responding to aspiration.
In ritual
Where it is used
General deva-invocation at the opening or support of a rite
आ नो॒ विश्वे॑ स॒जोष॑सो॒ देवा॑सो॒ गन्त॒नोप॑ नः । वस॑वो रु॒द्रा अव॑से न॒ आ ग॑मञ्छृ॒ण्वन्तु॑ म॒रुतो॒ हव॑म् ॥
आ । नः॒ । विश्वे॑ । स॒ऽजोष॑सः॑ । देवा॑सः । गन्त॑न । उप॑ । नः॒ । वस॑वः । रु॒द्राः । अव॑से । नः॒ । आ । ग॒म॒न् । शृ॒ण्वन्तु॑ । म॒रुतः॑ । हव॑म् ॥
ā | naḥ | viśve | sa-joṣasaḥ | devāsaḥ | gantana | upa | naḥ | vasavaḥ | rudrāḥ | avase | naḥ | ā | gaman | śṛṇvantu | marutaḥ | havam
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables (approx.)
Summoning and processional—like a gathering call.
Creates a sense of protection and support from all sides; helpful for centering and invoking integral harmony.
- विश्वे देवासः (viśve devāsaḥ)
- Literal: all the gods. Symbolic: the complete spectrum of divine functions in consciousness
- सजोषसः (sajoṣasaḥ)
- Literal: of one mind/accord. Symbolic: inner harmony and coordinated action of multiple powers
- वसवः (vasavaḥ)
- Literal: Vasus. Symbolic: foundational luminous energies (support, abundance, stability)
- रुद्राः (rudrāḥ)
- Literal: Rudras. Symbolic: purifying forces that remove inner illness, fear, and falsity
- मरुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: Maruts. Symbolic: dynamic life-energies/storm-forces that drive change and courage
- हवम् (havam)
- Literal: call, invocation. Symbolic: the soul’s aspiration (psychic cry) that summons the powers
General all-gods invitation (sarvadevatya) used to assemble powers at the sacrifice; adaptable across offerings, especially in Soma contexts.
When calling multiple deities to attend the sacrifice; also as a protective inclusive invitation
Āvāhana (invitation) and śravaṇa-request (asking them to hear)
Use at the start of meditation to harmonize inner parts—mind, life, body—and invite comprehensive guidance.
(sa-joṣas) ‘together in joṣa’ from joṣa ‘pleasure, consent, harmonious liking’ (√juṣ ‘to enjoy, be pleased’). from ava ‘help’. √gam ‘go/come’ (gantan, gaman). √śru ‘hear’ (śṛṇvantu). The deity-groups (Vasus, Rudras, Maruts) function as coordinated modalities: stability/plenty, purifying force, dynamic impetus.
Harmony/consent (sa-joṣas) as prerequisite for integral action, Invocation (havam) as linking act, Multiplicity of powers within one order (R̥ta as coordination)
Sajoṣasaḥ expresses ṛta as concord among powers rather than conflict.
The ‘havam’ is effective when it is sincere truth of aspiration.
Cosmos sustained by differentiated powers acting in unity.
Integral Vedic psychology: many gods as many powers of the One Consciousness.
Maruts = surging prāṇa; Rudras = purifying force; Vasus = stabilizing vitality and substance; ‘coming near’ = descent/availability of powers.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of the divine assembly: the many powers come ‘in one accord’ to the sacrificer’s call. Innerly, it is the integrative yoga of the Veda—summoning multiple faculties (stability, purification, dynamism) into coordinated action under R̥ta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam (come/go) corresponds to PIE *gʷem- (go, come; cf. Greek baínō is different, but Latin venīre is also different; Indo-Iranian preserves *gʷem- clearly). √śru ‘hear’ corresponds to PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear’ (Sanskrit śru-, Greek klúō). The collective imperative style is a hallmark of inherited liturgical address.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi acts as coordinator: by havam he calls the diverse god-powers to approach in harmony (sa-joṣas). The devatās respond by ‘hearing’ and ‘coming’—i.e., becoming active presences in the inner and outer sacrifice.
Invoke integral support: ‘All powers of the Divine, come in harmony.’
Anāhata (harmonizing center) with whole-axis integration
Coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while chanting to unify inner rhythms.
Collective alignment: from scattered attention to unified field-awareness.
Before chanting, feel each part of the being (body-life-mind) and invite the corresponding deva-force to cooperate; after chanting, sit and sense ‘support from all directions’.
Maintain clear rises on invocatory openings ‘ā no…’; keep cadence even to convey ‘sajoṣasaḥ’ (accord). Exact svara requires accented text.
Sustain the long ‘ā’ in ‘आ नो’ to establish the invitation; articulate group names (vasavo, rudrā, marutaḥ) distinctly.
‘’ as sa-jo-ṣa-saḥ (retroflex ṣ)., ‘’ as gan-ta-no-pa (do not split into ‘gantana upa’ in chanting flow)., ‘’ as śṛṇ-van-tu (v clearly voiced).
Open and inviting, not forceful; rounded vowels for a ‘gathering’ effect.
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