Rig Veda 2.27.14: Mandala 2, Sukta 27, Mantra 14
Sukta 2.27
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Aditi, Mitra, Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
अदिते मित्र वरुणोत मृळ यद्वो वयं चकृमा कच्चिदागः । उर्वश्यामभयं ज्योतिरिन्द्र मा नो दीर्घा अभि नशन्तमिस्राः ॥
áditē mítra váruṇóta mṛḷa yád vo vayáṃ cakṛmá kác cid ā́gaḥ | urváśyām abháyaṃ jyótiḥ índra mā́ no dīrghā́ abhí naśan támisrāḥ ||
ഹേ അദിതി, മിത്ര, വരുണ—കരുണ കാണിക്കണമേ; നിങ്ങളോടു വിരോധമായി ഞങ്ങൾ ഏതെങ്കിലും അപരാധം ചെയ്തിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ. ഹേ ഇന്ദ്ര, ഞങ്ങൾ നിർഭയമായ ജ്യോതിയിൽ വിശാലരാകട്ടെ; ദീർഘമായ അന്ധകാരങ്ങൾ ഞങ്ങളെ അമർത്തി നശിപ്പിക്കാതിരിക്കട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- अदिते
- O AditiNoun (proper/address)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (address)Root अदिति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्र
- O MitraNoun (proper/address)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot मित्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (invoked agent) / विषयRoot वरुण- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot उत (निपात)
- मृळ
- be gracious / show mercyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (प्रार्थना)Root मृळ् (धातु; ‘to be gracious/merciful’)
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक ‘that which’)Role कर्म (चकृमा इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; वैदिक एन्क्लिटिक रूपRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- चकृमा
- we have doneVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot कृ (धातु)
- कच्चित्
- whether indeed / perhapsIndeclinableप्रश्नार्थक/सम्भावनार्थक अव्यय (‘whether perhaps’)Root कच्चित् (निपात; किम्+चित्)
- आगः
- an offence, sinNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सन्दर्भे ‘sin/offence’)Role कर्म/विषय (अपराध-विषय)Root आगस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उर्वश्याम्
- Urvāśī (as object of prayer/attainment)Noun (proper)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (प्राप्तव्य/प्रार्थ्य)Root उर्वशी- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभयम्
- fearlessness, safetyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अ-भय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्योतिः
- lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्म/फलRoot ज्योतिस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper/address)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive ‘do not’)Root मा (निषेध)
- नः
- us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन; वैदिक एन्क्लिटिक (‘us/our’)Role सम्प्रदान (to us) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- दीर्घाः
- long, prolongedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (अमिस्राः इत्यस्य विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (with अमिस्राः)Root दीर्घ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- upon, againstIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (‘towards, upon’)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- नशन्तु
- let (them) perish / vanishVerbलोट्, तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot नश् (धातु; ‘to perish, be destroyed’)
- अमिस्राः
- darknesses, black nights (glooms)Noun/Adjective (collective)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (नशन्तु इत्यस्य)Root अमिस्र- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘unmixed, dark’—RV usage for ‘darknesses’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अदिते | मित्र | वरुणः | उत | मृळ | यत् | वः | वयम् | च | चकृमा | कच्चित् | आगः | उर्वश्याम् | अभयम् | ज्योतिः | इन्द्र | मा | नः | दीर्घाः | अभि | नशन्तु | अमिस्राः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: वरुणो॒त = वरुणः + उत (विसर्ग-लोपः)
- यद्वो = यत् + वः (द्/त्-सन्धि)
- कच्चि॒दागः = कच्चित् + आगः (त् + आ → दा/द्-आगमः, संहितायां ‘दागः’)
- ज्योति॑रिन्द्र = ज्योतिः + इन्द्र (विसर्ग → र्)
- मा नो = मा + नः (संहितासंयोगः)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Aditi, Mitra, Varuṇa—be gracious if we have done any fault against you. May we attain the wide fearless light, O Indra; let not long darknesses press upon us and destroy us.
Inner meaning
A confession and turning: the seeker acknowledges deviations from truth (āgaḥ) before the infinite Mother-principle Aditi and the truth-powers Mitra (harmonizing light) and Varuṇa (vast purity and law). Then the aspiration rises to Indra, the illumined Mind, for the widening into fearless light (uru… abhayaṃ jyotiḥ). ‘Long darknesses’ are persistent subconscient obscurities and depressive coverings that return by habit; the mantra asks that they not overtake the consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires honest recognition of error, opening to grace, and a decisive aspiration for widening light; otherwise recurring darkness can reclaim the field.
Themes
Confession and grace, Light over darkness, Atonement
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.27.1-16, RV 2.28
Family tradition
The hymn-sequence to Ādityas often culminates in a prayer for forgiveness and widening, indicating a mature ethical-spiritual psychology.
Significance
Gṛtsamada here models the yogic movement of repentance (realignment), receptivity to grace, and aspiration to Indra’s fearless illumination against recurring darkness.
The deity
- Devata
- Aditi, Mitra, Varuṇa; with Indra invoked
- Epithets
- mṛḻa (gracious), uru (wide), abhaya-jyotiḥ (fearless light, sought from Indra)
- Related deities
- Ādityas as a group, Agni (as inner priest, implied in offering/confession), Sūrya/Savitar (solar illumination)
Cosmic role
Aditi: infinite matrix of the gods; Mitra-Varuṇa: guardians of truth and harmony; Indra: breaker of the cover, bringer of illumination.
Inner power
Grace that forgives and re-aligns; truth-harmony that stabilizes; illumined mind-force that widens into fearless clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Prāyaścitta-like (atonement) tone within Āditya praises; used where forgiveness and protection from darkness are sought
अदि॑ते॒ मित्र॒ वरु॑णो॒त मृ॑ळ॒ यद्वो॑ व॒यं च॑कृ॒मा कच्चि॒दाग॑: । उ॒र्व॑श्या॒मभ॑यं॒ ज्योति॑रिन्द्र॒ मा नो॑ दी॒र्घा अ॒भि न॑श॒न्तमि॑स्राः ॥
अदि॑ते । मित्र॑ । वरु॑ण । उ॒त । मृ॒ळ॒ । यत् । वः॒ । व॒यम् । च॒कृ॒म । कत् । चि॒त् । आगः॑ । उ॒रु । अ॒श्या॒म् । अभ॑यम् । ज्योतिः॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । मा । नः॒ । दी॒र्घाः । अ॒भि । न॒श॒न् । तमि॑स्राः ॥
adite | mitra | varuṇa | uta | mṛḷa | yat | vaḥ | vayam | cakṛma | kat | cit | āgaḥ | uru | aśyām | abhayam | jyotiḥ | indra | mā | naḥ | dīrghāḥ | abhi | naśan | tamisrāḥ
44
4 × ~11
Supplicatory opening turning into forceful aspiration; strong final prohibition against darkness
Creates catharsis (confession), then uplift into expansive light; ends with protective firmness.
- अदिते (adite)
- Literal: Aditi (the Infinite). Symbolic: infinite consciousness/mother-wideness that releases from limitation
- मित्र (mitra)
- Literal: Mitra. Symbolic: harmony, luminous concord, right relation in thought and life
- वरुण (varuṇa)
- Literal: Varuṇa. Symbolic: vast purity, law of truth, the power that binds falsehood and frees by truth
- मृळ (mṛḻa)
- Literal: be gracious, show mercy. Symbolic: descent of grace that restores alignment after error
- आगः (āgaḥ)
- Literal: fault, transgression. Symbolic: movement out of ṛta—falsehood, egoistic distortion, inertia
- उरु (uru)
- Literal: wide, vast. Symbolic: widening of consciousness beyond narrow ego-boundaries
- अभयम् (abhayam)
- Literal: fearless. Symbolic: state beyond anxiety born of ignorance; security in truth
- ज्योतिः (jyotiḥ)
- Literal: light. Symbolic: illumination, discernment, revealed knowledge
- तamisrāḥ (tamisrāḥ)
- Literal: darknesses. Symbolic: obscuring subconscient habits, depression, ignorance-forces
Atonement and protection formula within Āditya hymn; suitable for expiation (prāyaścitta-like intent) and for invoking light against tamas in Soma contexts.
After perceived transgression or before undertaking solemn vows/rites
Recitation with offering, seeking grace and renewed rightness
A powerful evening mantra: review the day, acknowledge misalignments, invoke grace, then aspire for fearless light and protection from depressive obscurity.
mṛḷa: imperative from √mṛḍ ‘be gracious, show mercy’—a softening of judgment under law. ā́gaḥ: ‘fault’ (moral/spiritual misalignment), not merely ritual error; against ṛta. uru: wide (√uru/√var semantic field of breadth) → widening of consciousness. tamisrāḥ: darknesses from tamas; plural suggests repeated or layered ignorances. Indra invoked as power that breaks obstruction and releases light; juxtaposed with Ādityas’ law: mercy + force are both needed.
Āgaḥ (fault) as deviation from ṛta, Abhaya (fearlessness), Jyotis (illumination) vs. tamas (ignorance)
Fault is deviation from ṛta; grace restores the right law.
Truth as fearless light; confession is a movement toward satya.
Widening into the infinite (Aditi) as liberation from limiting darkness.
Bridges Vedic ṛta-ethics with Upaniṣadic jyotis/tamas polarity; integral yoga emphasis on widening consciousness.
twilight/nightfall (implied by ‘long darknesses’)
Light = awakened discernment; darkness = subconscient inertia and ignorance; sky-wideness = expansion beyond ego.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘fault before cosmic law and release into light’: the seeker acknowledges āgaḥ before law-powers (Ādityas) and calls Indra’s force to prevent engulfment by prolonged darkness—an inner drama of confession, forgiveness, and illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- tamas ‘darkness’ continues PIE *temH- ‘dark’ (cf. English ‘dim’ is different root, but Latin tenebrae shares the darkness field). √naś ‘perish/destroy’ is PIE *nes- ‘to perish’ (cf. Greek νέκρος in related death field).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A twofold relation: to the Ādityas, the rishi seeks reconciliation with ṛta after misalignment (āgaḥ); to Indra, he seeks active victory over tamas. Together they represent lawful purification and dynamic liberation.
Confession → surrender to grace → aspiration for widening fearless light
Anahata (contrition/opening) moving to Ajna/Sahasrara (light and wideness)
4-count inhale (receive grace), 6–8-count exhale (release fault/darkness); brief stillness after ‘jyotiḥ’
Penitent openness transforming into expansive luminosity
Speak the first half as an honest offering of imperfection; on ‘uru aśyām abhayaṃ jyotiḥ’ feel the consciousness widen above the head; on the last pāda, reject the return of habitual gloom with quiet firmness.
Tri-svara; make the plea (mṛḻa) gentle, and lift clearly on jyótiḥ; final pāda should have a firm, descending closure.
Pause slightly after each deity invocation; keep ‘mā no’ clearly separated to avoid slurring; end ‘tamisrāḥ’ with audible visarga.
mṛḻa: retroflex ḻ (Vedic) approximated carefully; avoid ‘mṛḍa’ unless your śākhā dictates, varuṇota: keep the sandhi clear (varuṇa + uta), tamisrāḥ: long ā before ḥ
Supplicatory then luminous; soft intensity without strain
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