Rig Veda 7.34.17: Mandala 7, Sukta 34, Mantra 17
Sukta 7.34
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Ahi Budhnya
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Bhayankara and Shanta (peace)
मा नोऽहिर्बुध्न्यो रिषे धान्मा यज्ञो अस्य स्रिधदृतायोः ॥
mā́ no’ hírbudhnyó riṣé dhā́n mā́ yajñó asya srídhad ṛtāyóḥ ॥
അഹി ബുധ്ന്യൻ ഞങ്ങളെ ഹാനിക്കരുതേ; ഋതത്തിന്റെ രണ്ടു ശക്തികളിൽ നിന്ന് (ധർമ്മ-നിയമവും സത്യ-അസ്തിത്വവും) അവനുവേണ്ടിയുള്ള ഞങ്ങളുടെ യജ്ഞം വഴുതിപ്പോകാതിരിക്കട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- मा
- not; may … notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी? बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यम्; अत्र प्रायः चतुर्थी ‘to us’)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- अहिः
- serpentNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अहि-
- बुध्न्यः
- of the deep; subterraneanAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अहिः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot बुध्न्य- (बुध्न ‘तल/गर्भ’ + य) विशेषण
- रिषे
- may (he) injureVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय), मध्यम? न; अत्र 3 एकवचन आत्मनेपद-रूपं ‘रिषेत’ अपेक्षितम्; संहितापाठे ‘रिषे’ = injunctive/archaic 3sg Ā. (Vedic) ‘may he harm’Root रिष्
- धात्
- let (him) put/inflictVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (धातु = ‘let him place/inflict’)Root धा
- मा
- not; may … notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- यज्ञः
- sacrifice; ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यज्ञ-
- अस्य
- of this; of him/itPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root इदम्
- स्रिधत्
- may (it) go astray / failVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (Vedic injunctive), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन: ‘may (it) fail/go wrong’Root स्रिध्
- ऋतायोः
- of the two ṛta-followers / two truthful (ones)Noun/Adjectiveद्विवचन, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (Vedic ending -योः): ‘of/in the two ṛtāyūs’; संदर्भे ‘ऋतायोः’ = ‘of the two righteous/true ones’ (dual gen.)Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root ऋतायू- (ऋत + आयु) विशेषण/नाम
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेदः: मा नः अहिः बुध्न्यः रिषे धात् मा यज्ञः अस्य स्रिधत् ऋतायोः। 1) नोऽहिः = नः + अहिः (ओऽ = विसर्ग-संधिः)
- 2) य॒ज्ञो अ॑स्य = यज्ञः + अस्य (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेशः संहितायाम्)
- 3) स्रिधदृता॒योः = स्रिधत् + ऋतायोः (त् + ऋ → द् + ऋ, जश्त्व/संहितासंधिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Ahi Budhnya not harm us; may our sacrifice for him not fall away from the two powers of ṛta (ṛtāyoḥ).
Inner meaning
The depth-serpent power can be beneficent or disruptive depending on relation. The rishi prays that this deep energy not injure the being—i.e., not disturb the nerves, emotions, or mental balance. The safeguard is that the yajña (inner sacrifice) must not slip (sridhat) away from ṛta’s dual aspect: truth-law and truth-being (often felt as right movement and right state). When aspiration and offering remain aligned with these two, the depth-force becomes contained and supportive.
Universal truth
Power without right order can harm; the remedy is steadfast alignment with truth in both conduct and consciousness—then even formidable depths serve growth.
Themes
appeasement, rite integrity, protection from deep forces, ṛta
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.87 (Varuṇa, ṛta and protection), RV 7.49 (waters and purification), RV 7.2 (Agni as guardian of the rite)
Family tradition
A strong Vasiṣṭha theme is protection through ṛta: the right law keeps powerful forces from becoming hostile.
Significance
The seer teaches safe transformation: invoke depth, but insist on right order and truth so the awakening does not become a fall or disturbance.
The deity
- Devata
- Ahi Budhnya
- Epithets
- budhnya (deep-seated), ahi (serpent power)
- Related deities
- Apām Napāt, Agni, Varuṇa
Cosmic role
Subterranean/depth guardian among water-powers; a force that can protect or harm depending on harmony with ṛta.
Inner power
Kundalini-like depth potency (in symbolic yoga terms) requiring truth-alignment and steady sacrifice to become benign.
In ritual
Where it is used
Appeasement/protection formula within invocations to depth deities; ensures the rite remains in ṛta and free from injury.
मा नोऽहि॑र्बु॒ध्न्यो॑ रि॒षे धा॒न्मा य॒ज्ञो अ॑स्य स्रिधदृता॒योः ॥
मा । नः॒ । अहिः॑ । बु॒ध्न्यः॑ । रि॒षे । धा॒त् । मा । य॒ज्ञः । अ॒स्य॒ । स्रि॒ध॒त् । ऋ॒त॒ऽयोः ॥
mā | naḥ | ahiḥ | budhnyaḥ | riṣe | dhāt | mā | yajñaḥ | asya | sridhat | ṛta-yoḥ
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4 × ~11; strong prohibitive ‘mā’ openings give a guarding rhythm.
Protective, restraining, law-like; clear caesuras reinforce boundaries.
Creates an inner ‘fence’—a sense of safety and right alignment; steadies the practitioner when dealing with intense energies.
- मा (mā)
- Literal: do not. Symbolic: protective prohibition; setting a boundary in consciousness
- अहिः बुध्न्यः (ahiḥ budhnyaḥ)
- Literal: serpent of the deep. Symbolic: depth-energy in subconscient/vital foundation
- रिषे (riṣe)
- Literal: to harm, injure. Symbolic: disturbance, imbalance, nervous/vital injury from unassimilated force
- यज्ञः (yajñaḥ)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: inner offering: consecrated practice and self-giving
- स्रिधत् (sridhat)
- Literal: may it not slip/fall away. Symbolic: avoid deviation, relapse, loss of alignment
- ऋतयोः (ṛta-yoḥ)
- Literal: of the two ṛtas / two powers of ṛta. Symbolic: truth as right law (order in action) and truth as right being (state of consciousness)
Appeasement and safeguarding: ensures the rite does not deviate from ṛta; protective prayer against unintended harm from deep powers.
When invoking potentially fierce/ambivalent powers; as a protective clause after praise.
Recitation as a verbal ‘warding’ while maintaining correct offerings; mentally reaffirm right order.
Use as a safety mantra before deep meditation, dreamwork, or intense pranayama: set the intention that no harm arise and practice remain aligned with truth.
√riṣ ‘harm’ is a standard Vedic root for injury. - ‘to fail, be remiss’ expresses deviation from right performance/inner alignment. dual is significant: points to a paired truth-principle—often interpreted as satya and ṛta, or two complementary modes of rightness (law and its true expression).
Ṛta (cosmic order), satya/ṛta duality (truth-being and truth-law), right performance as inner alignment
Explicit: the sacrifice must not deviate from ṛta’s twofold power.
Truth as a state (being) that prevents distortion of awakened force.
Sustaining creation requires law; powerful energies must be held within truth to serve manifestation.
Dharma/Ṛta-centered Vedic ethic read psychologically: right movement and right consciousness as twin supports.
Night (protective watch)
Unspecified
Depth-serpent = latent force; harm = imbalance; ṛta-twofold = right action + right state.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ambivalent ‘serpent-power’ mythologem: the deep power can protect or harm. The seer asks that it not injure and that the yajña remain aligned with ṛta—an inner warning that subconscious forces must be integrated without letting the discipline of truth slip.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The prohibitive mā is an archaic Indo-Iranian/IE feature in negative injunctive constructions. √dhā (PIE *dheh₁-) underlies dhāt. The dual ṛtayoḥ preserves an old grammatical category used for paired cosmic principles.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The relationship is careful propitiation: the rishi acknowledges the devatā’s potency and asks for non-injury and for steadiness of yajña in ṛta—showing that divine powers require right approach and truthful alignment.
Establish a protective intention: let awakened depth-energy be harmless and aligned with truth in action and being.
Mūlādhāra (depth power) regulated by Ajñā (truth-guidance) and heart sincerity.
Grounding breath: slow inhale to navel, slow exhale with the phrase ‘mā no’; avoid forceful retention if agitation arises.
Guarded steadiness; ethical alignment felt as inner law.
If strong energies arise, return to truth: simplify practice, increase sincerity and humility, and keep life-conduct and inner aspiration aligned—this is ‘not falling away from the two ṛtas’.
Strong initial prohibitive ‘mā’ with clear accent; maintain firm cadence through ‘ṛtāyoḥ’.
Do not rush the two ‘mā’ phrases; give weight to ‘sridhad’ (do not slip) and open resonance on ‘ṛtāyoḥ’.
mā: long ā, sustained but not loud., no’ hir: observe sandhi; keep slight pause awareness after ‘no’., budhnyo: cluster ‘dhny’; articulate without inserting extra vowel., sridhad: ‘sr’ cluster; keep voiced ‘dh’., ṛtāyoḥ: vocalic ṛ clear; long ā; final ḥ soft.
Firm, protective, grounded; avoid excessive intensity.
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