Rig Veda 7.55.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 55, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.55
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Addressed to the Sārameya dog within the Vāstoṣpati complex
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like short meter
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Bhayankara
यदर्जुन सारमेय दतः पिशङ्ग यच्छसे । वीव भ्राजन्त ऋष्टय उप स्रक्वेषु बप्सतो नि षु स्वप ॥
yád arjuna sārameya datáḥ piśaṅga yácchase | vī́va bhrājante ṛ́ṣṭaya úpa srakvéṣu bápsato ní ṣu svapa ||
ហើយអាជុន បុត្រសារម៉ាអើយ អ្នកដែលមានធ្មេញពណ៌លឿង នៅពេលអ្នករត់រហាន លំពែងរបស់អ្នកហាក់ដូចជាបន្លាលោតធ្លាយនៅត្រង់ចង្ការបស់អ្នក នៅពេលអ្នកព្រុឌ។ ចូរដេកចុះ ហើយចូរគេងឲ្យស្រួល។
Word by Word
- यत्
- when/that whichIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/यत्-तत्-सम्बन्धे अव्यय (relative particle)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) अथवा यद्-सम्बन्धी अव्यय
- अर्जुन
- O ArjunaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
- सारमेय
- O Sārameya (offspring of Saramā; a dog)Noun/Adjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सारमेय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सारमा’ से)
- दतः
- toothed; with teethAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (विशेष्यं ‘सारमेय’)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root दत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दन्त’/‘दत्’ = tooth) अथवा दत (विशेषण)
- पिशङ्ग
- O tawny/reddish-brown oneAdjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot पिशङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- यच्छसे
- you restrain/hold backVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (त्वम्)Root यम् (धातु) — यच्छति (प्रसारण/विकल्प-रूप)
- वीव
- indeed/lo!/surely (exclamatory particle)IndeclinableनिपातRoot वीव (निपात; वैदिक उद्गार/प्रेरणार्थ)
- भ्राजन्ते
- they shine/flashVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot भ्राज् (धातु)
- ऋष्टयः
- spears/lancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऋष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- towards/nearIndeclinableअव्यय (निकटता/अभिमुखता)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रक्वेषु
- in the jaws/jowlsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot स्रक्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्रक्वन्/स्रक्व’ = jaw/cheek/jowl)
- बप्सतः
- of the barking/snapping oneParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (सम्बन्ध: ‘of the barking one’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root बप्सत् (प्रातिपदिक; वर्तमान-कृदन्त, ‘बप्स्/बभ्स्’ धातु-सम्बद्ध ‘to bark/snap’)
- नि
- down; completelyIndeclinableअव्यय (अधः/निश्चय/निवृत्ति-भाव)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- षु
- indeed; straightawayIndeclinableनिपात (बल/त्वरार्थ/निश्चयार्थ)Root षु (निपात; वैदिक)
- स्वप
- sleep!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (त्वम्)Root स्वप् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): यद् | अर्जुन | सारमेय | दतः | पिशङ्ग | यच्छसे | वीव | भ्राजन्ते | ऋष्टयः | उप | स्रक्वेषु | बप्सतः | नि | षु | स्वप । प्रमुख संधि: (1) यद॑र्जुन → यद् + अर्जुन (द् + अ → दअ, लेखे ‘दर्जु’)
- (2) पिशङ्ग॒ यच्छ॑से → पिशङ्ग + यच्छसे (पदसीमा पर य्-आरम्भ)
- (3) ऋष्टय॒ उप॒ → ऋष्टयः + उप (विसर्ग-लोप/पदपाठ-परम्परा अनुसार)
- (4) बप्स॑तो॒ नि → बप्सतः + नि (षष्ठी-एकवचन ‘-तः’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A calming address to Arjuna, the Sārameya dog (offspring of Saramā), describing his flashing teeth like spears as he barks, and instructing him to lie down and sleep.
Inner meaning
The ‘dog of Saramā’ is a vigilant guarding force at the thresholds of consciousness—useful against intrusions, but it can become overactive (restless barking) and disturb inner peace. The rishi speaks to the protective instinct/alertness and commands it to rest, so the inner house can enter quietude and restorative sleep (a pacification of reactive energies).
Universal truth
Protective mechanisms are necessary, but when hypervigilant they become the very cause of suffering. True security comes when vigilance is governed by calm awareness and can be consciously switched off.
Themes
Apotropaic charm, Guardian at the threshold, Calming disturbance
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.54, RV 7.55, RV 7.60
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s hymns often aim at establishing harmony and protection; here the seer applies mantra-power to regulate a threshold-force (guardian).
Significance
The rishi’s mastery includes not only invoking gods but also disciplining subordinate powers—turning protective instinct into conscious, quiet service.
The deity
- Devata
- Sārameya (guardian dog/threshold force)
- Epithets
- Arjuna, piśaṅga-data (tawny-toothed)
- Related deities
- Vāstoṣpati (lord of dwelling), Indra (protector through illumination), Saramā (mythic finder/forerunner of the cows—intuition)
Cosmic role
Guardian at boundaries; warder against theft/intrusion; keeper of the ‘house’ perimeter.
Inner power
The vigilant nervous-energy that scans for danger; when harmonised it becomes steady discernment; when uncontrolled it becomes anxiety.
In ritual
Where it is used
Domestic pacification/protection charm within the Vāstoṣpati sequence
यद॑र्जुन सारमेय द॒तः पि॑शङ्ग॒ यच्छ॑से । वी॑व भ्राजन्त ऋ॒ष्टय॒ उप॒ स्रक्वे॑षु॒ बप्स॑तो॒ नि षु स्व॑प ॥
यत् । अ॒र्जु॒न॒ । सा॒र॒मे॒य॒ । द॒तः । पि॒श॒ङ्ग॒ । यच्छ॑से । विऽइ॑व । भ्रा॒ज॒न्ते॒ । ऋ॒ष्टयः॑ । उप॑ । स्रक्वे॑षु । नि । सु । स्व॒प॒ ॥
yat | arjuna | sārameya | dataḥ | piśaṅga | yacchase | vi-iva | bhrājante | ṛṣṭayaḥ | upa | srakveṣu | ni | su | svapa
32
4 × ~8 (approx.)
Quick descriptive movement followed by a sealing imperative (‘ni ṣu svapa’).
First activates alert imagery, then drops the nervous system into release; effective as a lull/quieting formula.
- सारमेय (sārameya)
- Literal: descendant of Saramā. Symbolic: guardian-intelligence at the threshold; instinct of detection and protection
- अर्जुन (arjuna)
- Literal: bright/white; a name. Symbolic: the ‘clear’ guardian-force that should serve clarity, not agitation
- दतः पिशङ्ग (dataḥ piśaṅga)
- Literal: tawny-toothed. Symbolic: energetic, sharp defensive power
- ऋष्टयः (ṛṣṭayaḥ)
- Literal: spears. Symbolic: piercing reactive thoughts/impulses that ‘flash’ during agitation
- बप्सतः (bapsataḥ)
- Literal: barking. Symbolic: mental noise—alarm signals, repetitive fear-thoughts
- नि षु स्वप (ni ṣu svapa)
- Literal: lie down; sleep well. Symbolic: conscious down-regulation; pacification of the reactive guard
Apotropaic/household charm: pacifying the barking dog/guarding forces so the dwelling is calm; secondarily, calming disruptive energies at the threshold.
Night protection; when disturbed by barking, fear, or perceived intrusion; before sleep.
Recite to ‘bind’ restlessness; sometimes accompanied by settling actions (closing doors, extinguishing fire, quieting household).
Use for anxiety and hypervigilance: chant to calm the ‘inner guard dog’ and invite sleep.
(sārameya) patronymic from Saramā (mythic hound who finds the cows/treasure). (ṛṣṭi) ‘spear’ from √/related ‘to pierce’ (semantic: sharp projection). (svap) from √ ‘sleep’ (PIE *swep-; cf. Latin sopor, English sleep).
Threshold-guardianship (Saramā lineage), Pacification of reactive force, Sleep as settling of prāṇic agitation
Right order includes right functioning of protective forces—neither lax nor excessive.
Truth as clear perception without alarm distortion.
Psychological symbolism: threshold-forces and regulation of prāṇa/manas.
night
Dog = guarding prāṇa/nervous vigilance; teeth/spears = sharp reactive thoughts; sleep = restoration and withdrawal of senses (pratyāhāra-like).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Saramā/Sārameya threshold-guardian mythologem: the hound-line associated with finding hidden cows/treasure becomes a domestic guardian whose excessive fierceness is pacified. Inner sense: the reactive ‘guard’ energies (defensive vigilance, harsh speech) must be soothed so they protect without disturbing the settled consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svap ‘sleep’ reflects PIE *swep- (cf. Latin sopor, English sleep). The vivid martial metaphor ṛṣṭi ‘spear’ for flashing teeth reflects an inherited IE poetic device: weapon imagery mapped onto bodily features and natural phenomena (a common Indo-European style trait).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not ‘worship’ but commands pacification: the guardian-force is subordinated to the harmony of the dwelling. Reciprocity is pragmatic—protection is retained, agitation is dismissed.
Soften the ‘inner sentinel’: let awareness remain, but relax the defensive contraction.
muladhara
4-6 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 6) while repeating ‘ni ṣu svapa’ mentally
downshift into nidrā/relaxation with awareness
At bedtime: 3 rounds—(1) visualise barking thoughts, (2) speak the mantra, (3) feel the guard lie down at the threshold of the mind and rest.
Rigvedic accenting as per śākhā; keep the imperative ‘ni ṣu svapa’ clearly articulated and slightly lengthened.
Maintain caesura before the closing command: … bapsato | ni ṣu svapa.
sārameya: long ā; retroflex ṇ not present—keep ‘me-ya’ clear, piśaṅga: ś palatal; ṅ as velar nasal before g, ṛṣṭayaḥ: vocalic ṛ; ṣ retroflex; ṭ retroflex, srakveṣu: cluster ‘sr’ clean; kveṣu with v+eṣu
firm but soothing; like calming an overexcited protector
7
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.
