Rig Veda 7.67.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 67, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.67
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha, traditional attribution for Maṇḍala 7
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
अविष्टं धीष्वश्विना न आसु प्रजावद्रेतो अह्रयं नो अस्तु । आ वां तोके तनये तूतुजानाः सुरत्नासो देववीतिं गमेम ॥
aviṣṭáṃ dhīṣv aśvinā na ā́su prajā́vad réto áhrayaṃ no astu | ā́ vāṃ toké tánaye tū́tujānāḥ su-rátnāso deva-vī́tiṃ gamema ||
Wahai Aśvin, semoga dalam daya batin kami ada benih penciptaan yang terpelihara dan tidak tercedera, kaya dengan tenaga kelahiran-baharu. Didorong menuju kalian dalam anak kami dan dalam jiwa yang membesar, semoga kami—diperkaya khazanah bercahaya—mencapai jalan yang dipimpin para dewa, kenikmatan dan bimbingan ilahi kalian.
Word by Word
- अविष्टम्
- (may it be) protected/guardedVerb (past passive participle used predicatively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (PPP: ‘protected/guarded’)Role कर्म (predicate of the implied object ‘नः’)Root √अव् (रक्षणे) / अविṣṭa- (PPP)
- धीष्व
- in (our) thoughts / in inspirationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot धी- (प्रज्ञा/धिया) + loc.pl.
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (dual vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्प्रदान (addressed recipients)Root अश्विन्-
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- आसु
- in these (women/wombs)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot इदम् (आस्- ‘these’)
- प्रजावत्
- having offspring / fruitfulAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘रेतः’)Role विशेषणRoot प्रजा-वत्
- रेतः
- seed, semenNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (that which is to be ‘uninjured/undiminished’)Root रेतस्-
- अह्रयम्
- unimpaired, not diminishedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘रेतः’)Role विशेषणRoot अ-ह्रय- (adj. ‘not failing/undiminished’; from √ह्रि/ह्रय् ‘to fail/abate’ in Vedic usage)
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- अस्तु
- let it beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (भुवि)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वाम्
- to you two / of you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, द्विवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- तोके
- in the child / in offspringNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot तोक-
- तनये
- in the son / in progenyNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot तनय-
- तूतुजानाः
- hastening, speedingParticiple (present, intensive)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (of ‘गमेम’)Root √तू (त्वरणे) / तूतुजान- (intensive pres. participle)
- सुरत्नासः
- possessing good treasuresAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (of ‘गमेम’)Root सु-रत्न- (bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa adj.)
- देववीतिम्
- the gods’ pursuit/help; divine favorNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देव-वीति-
- गमेम
- may we go/attainVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √गम् (गत्यर्थे)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: अविष्टं धीष्व् अश्विना → अविष्टम् | धीष्व | अश्विना
- न आ॒सु → नः | आसु (enclitic ‘नः’ before vowel)
- प्रजावद्रेतो → प्रजावत् | रेतः
- अह्रयं नो → अह्रयम् | नः
- आ वां → आ | वाम्
- तोके तनये → तोके | तनये
- (Accent marks in the saṃhitā are not repeated in the pada list; forms are given in padapāṭha-style segmentation.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Aśvins, may there be in our inner powers a protected, unharmed seed, rich in offspring/creative force. Urged toward you in child and descendant, may we, rich in good jewels, attain the god-led path.
Inner meaning
Dhīṣu (in the inner faculties) the rishi asks for aviṣṭam—guarded integrity. ‘Retaḥ’ is the creative seed: the concentrated potency of becoming (not merely physical). ‘Prajāvat’ indicates abundant new formations—fresh realizations and works born from the soul. ‘Toke tanaye’ signifies our present embodied expression and our growing future being (the evolving soul-nature). With ‘suratnāsaḥ’ (luminous treasures: insights, powers, joys), we seek ‘devavīti’—the path where the gods lead and enjoy: a life guided by higher consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress needs protected creative potency and a continuity of growth. When inner seed is safeguarded, life becomes a god-led journey rich in luminous capacities.
Themes
Ashvins, healing-and-protection, inner-fertility-and-becoming, divine-guidance-path (deva-vīti), psychological-interpretation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.67.1-7, RV 7.33, RV 7.88
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 7 seer-line; emphasizes protection of inner faculties and the continuity of right becoming through ṛta.
Significance
Here Vasiṣṭha’s concern is the safeguarding of the ‘seed’ of becoming—an integral yoga theme: protect the subtle potency so the divine life can unfold.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Aśvinā, protectors (aviṣṭam), bringers of treasures (suratna)
- Related deities
- Pūṣan (safe paths), Savitar (impulsion), Uṣas
Cosmic role
Guardians of safe generation and right growth; they ensure continuity and healthy unfolding in transitions.
Inner power
Protection of the creative will and subtle seed; harmonizing life-force so new inner births occur without distortion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective Aśvin invocation for growth and continuity; adaptable in soma and household contexts
अ॒वि॒ष्टं धी॒ष्व॑श्विना न आ॒सु प्र॒जाव॒द्रेतो॒ अह्र॑यं नो अस्तु । आ वां॑ तो॒के तन॑ये॒ तूतु॑जानाः सु॒रत्ना॑सो दे॒ववी॑तिं गमेम ॥
अ॒वि॒ष्टम् । धी॒षु । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । नः॒ । आ॒सु । प्र॒जाऽव॑त् । रेतः॑ । अह्र॑यम् । नः॒ । अ॒स्तु॒ । आ । वा॒म् । तो॒के । तन॑ये । तूतु॑जानाः । सु॒ऽरत्ना॑सः । दे॒वऽवी॑तिम् । ग॒मे॒म॒ ॥
aviṣṭam | dhīṣu | aśvinā | naḥ | āsu | prajāvat | retaḥ | ahrayam | naḥ | astu | ā | vām | toke | tanaye | tūtujānāḥ | su-ratnāsaḥ | deva-vītim | gamema
44
4×11 (approx.)
Protective, steady surge; balances aspiration with assurance.
Creates a cocoon-like sense of safety around the heart and navel; supports confidence in growth.
- धीषु (dhīṣu)
- Literal: in the thoughts/inner powers. Symbolic: in the faculties of inspired intelligence and discernment
- अविष्टम् (aviṣṭam)
- Literal: protected, guarded. Symbolic: kept safe from hostile forces, doubt, and dispersion
- रेतः (retaḥ)
- Literal: seed. Symbolic: creative potency of consciousness; power of new becoming
- प्रजावत् (prajāvat)
- Literal: having offspring. Symbolic: rich in new formations—realizations, works, inner births
- अह्रयम् (ahrayam)
- Literal: not to be harmed/deranged, uninjured. Symbolic: stable, not falling into disorder or crookedness
- देववीतिम् (devavītim)
- Literal: god-led path/track of the gods. Symbolic: a way of life guided by higher powers and their enjoyment
- सुरत्नासः (suratnāsaḥ)
- Literal: having good jewels. Symbolic: endowed with luminous gifts—insight, strength, joy
Aśvin-invocation in Soma contexts (general prayāja/āhuti usage); suitable as a call for swift aid, healing, and right increase during Soma offerings
At dawn rites; also suitable for prayers for progeny/prosperity and safe progress
Recited to secure protection and fruitful increase; inviting guidance on the divine path
Use for safeguarding creative projects, pregnancy/new ventures, or when rebuilding life-force after strain.
Key terms: (1) dhī- ‘vision-thought, inspired understanding’ (RV technical term for luminous intelligence). (2) rétas- ‘seed, seminal essence’ from √ri/√re ‘to flow’ → ‘that which flows/creates’; in inner sense, concentrated creative potency. (3) tūtujānāḥ intensive participle from √tuj ‘to impel, urge, smite’ → ‘strongly driven forward’, fitting the Ashvins’ rapid movement. (4) devá-vīti- compound: devá ‘god, luminous power’ + vīti ‘leading/enjoyment/way’ from √vī ‘to pursue, go, enjoy’ → ‘the way led by the gods’ and ‘divine participation’. (5) su-ratna- ‘good treasure’ (su- ‘good’ + ratna ‘jewel/boon’), often denoting inner riches of illumination and force rather than material wealth.
Ṛta (right order expressed as protected right generation and right path), Satya (intactness/non-injury of the creative truth-seed), Bṛhat (increase/expansion through prajā and tanaya)
Devavīti implies a track aligned with divine order rather than ego impulse.
Ahrayam: the seed remains true, not warped.
Seed → growth → luminous treasures → god-led journey: a microcosm of creation unfolding in the individual.
Integral/Vedāntic evolution: inner births and god-guided life as spiritual becoming.
dawn (Aśvin association)
The protected ‘germ’ of higher consciousness in the navel/heart region, growing into illumined guidance in life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Divine Twins as protectors and swift-guides who secure the ‘seed’ of right becoming and lead the sacrificer onto the deva-vīti (god-led way). Mythically this is the Ashvins’ recurring action: rescuing, healing, restoring wholeness; psychologically it becomes the safeguarding of creative essence (retas) within the dhīs so that true growth (prajā/tanaya) can proceed under ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam ‘to go/come’ (gamema) continues PIE *gʷem- ‘to go/come’ (cf. Greek baínō via different root; more directly English ‘come’ is unrelated, but Latin venīre is different; Avestan jam- is close). The dual vocative aśvinā highlights the archaic Indo-European ‘Divine Twins’ complex (cf. Greek Dioskouroi, Baltic Dieva dēli), preserving an inherited mythic grammar (dual address + rescue/aid function).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet approaches the Ashvins with a reciprocal covenant: human aspiration and forward-pressing (tūtujānāḥ) offered through word and will, answered by the gods with protection (aviṣṭam), intactness (ahrayam), and inner riches (su-ratnāsaḥ). The ‘gift’ sought is not merely external prosperity but the maintenance of a right creative continuity in consciousness and admission into the deva-vīti—participation in the divine movement.
Protect the ‘seed’ of aspiration in the navel/heart; feel it steady, unharmed, and capable of new inner births.
maṇipūra (seed-force of becoming)
soft belly breathing; inhale ‘gather seed’, exhale ‘protect and steady’; then a brief kumbhaka only if natural
secure, regenerative, quietly luminous
Chant 3 times; then place attention at navel and heart; affirm: ‘May my creative potency be protected and true’; end with a silent offering upward to the Aśvins.
Tri-svara; keep ‘retaḥ’ crisp; maintain nasalization in ‘prajāvad’ appropriately; do not rush consonant clusters.
Let the protective words (aviṣṭam, ahrayam) be slightly steadier; keep pāda 3–4 aspirational and forward-moving.
dhīṣv: ‘dhīṣu’ with long ī; avoid ‘dhi’ shortening, prajāvad: long ā; ‘jā’ clear, retaḥ: dental t, final ḥ soft, devavītim: long ī; separate de-va-vī-tim
warm, protective, inward
3
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