Rig Veda 7.86.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 86, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.86
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
उत स्वया तन्वा सं वदे तत्कदा न्वन्तर्वरुणे भुवानि । किं मे हव्यमहृणानो जुषेत कदा मृळीकं सुमना अभि ख्यम् ॥
utá sváyā tanvā́ sáṃ vade tát kadā́ nv àntar váruṇe bhuvāni | kíṃ me havyám áhṛṇāno juṣeta kadā́ mṛḷīkáṃ su-mánā abhí khyam ||
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເວົ້າກັບຕົວຕົນຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກ່ຽວກັບສິ່ງນີ້: ເມື່ອໃດຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະໄດ້ເຂົ້າໄປໃນທ່ານ, ພະວະຣຸນ? ຂໍຖວາຍຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຊາວໃດທີ່ທ່ານຈະຮັບໂດຍບໍ່ບໍ່ພໍໃຈ? ເມື່ອໃດ, ດ້ວຍຈິດໃຈທີ່ເມດຕາ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະໄດ້ເຫັນຄວາມເມດຕາຂອງທ່ານ, ຄືການປ່ອຍໃຫ້ພັກຜ່ອນພາຍໃນຫົວໃຈຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ?
Word by Word
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अथवा-भावे अव्ययम्Root उत
- स्वया
- with (my) ownPronoun (reflexive) / Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (तन्वा सह विशेषणम्)Role KaraṇaRoot स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / स्वयम्
- तन्वा
- with (my) body/personNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; completelyPreverbउपसर्गः (वद् धातोः सह)Root सम्
- वदे
- I speak; I addressVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KartāRoot वद्
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अव्यक्त-वस्तुनिर्देशः)Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कदा
- when?Indeclinableकालवाचक-प्रश्नाव्ययम्Root कदा
- नु
- now then; indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (प्रश्न/अनुनय/उत्कण्ठा)Root नु
- अन्तः
- within; inwardlyIndeclinable / Adverbअव्ययप्रयोगः (अन्तर् > अन्तः)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अन्तर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणे
- O VaruṇaNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role Sampradāna (आह्वान/सम्बोधन) / संबोधनRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवानि
- may I be; may I becomeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/प्रार्थना), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KartāRoot भू
- किम्
- what?Pronoun (interrogative)नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- for me; of mePronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna (हित/सम्बन्ध) / षष्ठी-सम्बन्धRoot अहम् (अस्मद्)
- हव्यम्
- oblation; offeringNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक) < √हु
- अहृणानः
- not being angry; unresentfulAdjective (participle)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; ‘अ-’ नकारार्थःRole Kartā (जुषेत इत्यस्य कर्तृविशेषणम्)Root हृण्/हृ (धातु) + अ- (निषेध) → अहृणान (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
- जुषेत
- may he accept; may he take pleasure inVerbविधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/प्रार्थना), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KartāRoot जुष्
- कदा
- when?Indeclinableकालवाचक-प्रश्नाव्ययम्Root कदा
- मृळीकम्
- mercy; graciousnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मृळीक (प्रातिपदिक) < √मृड्
- सुमनाः
- kind-minded; benevolentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (अभि ख्यम् इत्यस्य कर्तृविशेषणम्)Root सु- + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) → सुमनस्
- अभि
- towards; uponPreverb / Indeclinableउपसर्गः (√ख्या धातोः सह)Root अभि
- ख्यम्
- may I behold/see; may I come to seeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/प्रार्थना), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (वेदिक रूपम्: ख्या > ख्य-)Role KartāRoot ख्या
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): उत | स्वया तन्वा | सम् वदे | तत् | कदा नु | अन्तः वरुणे | भुवानि || किम् मे | हव्यम् अहृणानः | जुषेत | कदा | मृळीकम् | सुमनाः | अभि ख्यम् || 1) ‘सं वदे’ = सम् + वदे (उपसर्ग-सन्धिः). 2) ‘तत्कदा’ = तत् + कदा (व्यञ्जनसन्धिः: त् + क → त्क). 3) ‘न्वन्तः’ = नु + अन्तः (उकारलोप/वेदिक संधि: नु अन्तः → न्वन्तः). 4) ‘अन्तर्वरुणे’ = अन्तः + वरुणे (विसर्गसन्धिः: अन्तः वरुणे → अन्तर्-वरुणे). 5) ‘हव्यमहृणानः’ = हव्यम् + अहृणानः (अनुस्वार/मकारसन्धिः: -म् अ- → -म-अ-). 6) ‘मृळी॒कं’ वैदिक-लेखनरूपम्
- पदरूपे ‘मृळीकम्’. 7) ‘अभि ख्यम्’ = अभि + ख्यम् (उपसर्गयोगः; √ख्या लोट् उत्तमपुरुष एकवचनम् वैदिकरूपे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet speaks inwardly and asks Varuṇa when he will be admitted into Varuṇa’s presence, what offering will be accepted without displeasure, and when he will behold Varuṇa’s mercy and release.
Inner meaning
Vasiṣṭha turns from outer speech to direct self-communication (svayā tanvā): the soul questions the indwelling Law and Vastness (Varuṇa) about re-entry into the true consciousness. The “offering” is not merely oblation but the purified movement of will, thought, and feeling; he seeks a state where the inner sacrifice is received without inner recoil (ahṛṇāna). “Mercy/healing release” (mṛḻīka) is the loosening of inner constriction—guilt, fear, and knotting of the vital—so the being can dwell ‘within’ the Infinite order.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress includes phases where conscience and truth-sense feel distant; the remedy is sincere inner inquiry, self-offering, and aspiration for a grace that restores alignment with truth and inner law.
Themes
Confession, Yearning for divine intimacy, Mercy and release, Inner communion
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Āditya-related seer-line; later tradition links Vasiṣṭha to the Vasiṣṭha-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86, RV 7.87, RV 7.88, RV 7.89
Family tradition
Saptaṛṣi; principal seer-family of Maṇḍala 7, noted for hymns to Varuṇa–Mitra and the ethic of ṛta (truth-order).
Significance
Vasiṣṭha embodies the yoga of truth and vastness: a seer who confronts inner fault honestly and seeks restoration by aligning the whole nature to ṛta under Varuṇa’s luminous sovereignty.
The deity
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Āditya, Rājan (King), Ṛtasya gopā (guardian of ṛta), Pāśin (holder of the noose), Mayobhu (giver of weal)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Indra (as illuminator allied to ṛta)
Cosmic role
Sustainer of cosmic order (ṛta), moral law, and the vast encompassing sky/oceanic infinity; he binds falsehood and releases the truthful.
Inner power
The soul’s truth-sense and vast peace that judges, purifies, and finally liberates; the power that makes the being transparent to Satya.
In ritual
Where it is used
Varuṇa-related prayers of appeasement and release (pāśa-mocana), often within soma/śrauta contexts as moral-rectitude invocations.
उ॒त स्वया॑ त॒न्वा॒३॒॑ सं व॑दे॒ तत्क॒दा न्व१॒॑न्तर्वरु॑णे भुवानि । किं मे॑ ह॒व्यमहृ॑णानो जुषेत क॒दा मृ॑ळी॒कं सु॒मना॑ अ॒भि ख्य॑म् ॥
उ॒त । स्वया॑ । त॒न्वा॑ । सम् । व॒दे॒ । तत् । क॒दा । नु । अ॒न्तः । वरु॑णे । भु॒वा॒नि॒ । किम् । मे॒ । ह॒व्यम् । अहृ॑णानः । जु॒षे॒त॒ । क॒दा । मृ॒ळी॒कम् । सु॒ऽमनाः॑ । अ॒भि । ख्य॒म् ॥
uta | svayā | tanvā | sam | vade | tat | kadā | nu | antaḥ | varuṇe | bhuvāni | kim | me | havyam | ahṛṇānaḥ | juṣeta | kadā | mṛḷīkam | su-manāḥ | abhi | khyam
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Grave, forward-driving cadence suited to confession and aspiration; balanced but urgent.
Creates a steady pressure of seeking—like repeated waves—supporting inward questioning and a widening into calm vastness.
- svayā tanvā
- Literal: with one’s own body/self. Symbolic: inward turning; intimate self-dialogue of the soul
- antar varuṇe bhuvāni
- Literal: may I be within Varuṇa. Symbolic: abidance in the vast, truth-governed consciousness (ṛta) rather than the divided ego
- havyam
- Literal: offering/oblation. Symbolic: the inner gift: purified intention, surrender, truthful movement of being
- ahṛṇānaḥ
- Literal: not displeased/without anger. Symbolic: the inner Divine accepts when movements are sincere, non-deceptive, harmonized
- mṛḻīkam
- Literal: mercy, kindness, healing release. Symbolic: grace that dissolves inner bondage and restores peace and truth
- sumanāḥ
- Literal: good-minded, gracious. Symbolic: the Divine’s luminous consent felt as benevolence in the heart
- abhi khyam
- Literal: may I behold/see clearly. Symbolic: direct inner perception of grace and truth (not mental inference)
Appeasement/confessional prayer to Varuṇa within Soma contexts; also recited as a personal supplication for release from bonds (Varuṇa-pāśa) in later reception.
When seeking expiation, restoration of harmony, or before/after offerings where truthfulness and purity are emphasized.
Recitation as a plea for acceptance of oblation and removal of inner/outer impediments; mental ‘offering’ of sincerity.
Use as a mantra of self-review: before meditation, silently ask what inner offering is true today, and invoke mṛḻīka as inner release from anxiety and self-condemnation.
√bhū → bhuvāni (optative): ‘to become’ as entry into Varuṇa’s wideness (àntaḥ). √juṣ → juṣeta: acceptance/enjoyment of offering as inner consent of the divine law to the seeker’s movement. mṛḷīká (from √mṛḷ ‘to be gracious/soften’) signals not juridical pardon alone but a soothing restoration of harmony (ṛta) in the being.
inner entry into the Vast (àntaḥ…bhuvāni), divine acceptance (juṣ), mṛḷīka (mercy as restoration of ṛta)
Direct: yearning to ‘enter’ Varuṇa is yearning to live inside ṛta rather than outside it.
Truthful self-offering is the condition for acceptance; inner sight (abhi khyam) is satya-darśana.
Return to the vast origin (waters/sky) through alignment with law; reintegration of the individual into the universal order.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): ascent from ego to vast truth-consciousness; ethical purification as yogic necessity.
unspecified
unspecified
Sky/waters = vast consciousness; entering ‘within’ = moving from surface mind to the wide, calm truth-plane.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘approach to the sovereign within’ mythologem: the seeker asks to ‘be within Varuṇa’, implying entry into ṛta’s domain and release from constriction. The offering becomes an inner act of alignment, not mere oblation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The repeated interrogatives (kadā́…kadā́; kím) and optatives (bhuvāni, juṣeta, khyam) reflect an archaic prayer mode: desire framed as potentiality. √bhū (‘become’) is a central IE copular root (*bʰuH-), here used dynamically as spiritual becoming.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A direct, intimate negotiation: the rishi seeks the divine ‘yes’ (juṣeta) and the experience of mṛḷīka. Varuṇa is not distant judge alone but the inner law that can turn ‘su-manā’—gracious—when the seeker’s offering becomes sincere alignment.
Enter the ‘vast law’: sit with the question ‘What in me is not aligned with truth?’ and offer it without self-violence.
Anahata (heart) and Ajna (inner seeing)
Slow coherent breathing (e.g., 4–6 count inhale/exhale) while repeating ‘antar varuṇe bhuvāni’.
From surface remorse to quiet, wide peace; receptivity to grace.
1) Begin with inward recollection (svayā tanvā). 2) Name the sincere offering you can make today. 3) Pause after mṛḻīkam and feel the inner ‘loosening’ in the chest and brow. 4) End with a silent resolve to live in ṛta.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; preserve udātta peaks on key verbs (vade, bhuvāni, juṣeta, khyam) where marked by accent in pada.
Let udātta carry the aspiration; soften anudātta on particles (uta, nu, kim) to keep a confessional tone; avoid flattening ‘varuṇe’.
Keep retroflex ḻ in mṛḻīkam (not ‘mrilikam’)., Distinguish v/b: varuṇe (va-), bhuvāni (bhu-)., Hold nasalization in saṃ vade (saṃ = with anusvāra)., Sumanāḥ: clear ‘su-ma-nāḥ’ with long ā.
Low, steady, intimate—like inward speech becoming prayer.
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