Rig Veda 10.157.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 157, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.157
- Devata
- Devāḥ opposed to Asurāḥ
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
हत्वाय देवा असुरान्यदायन्देवा देवत्वमभिरक्षमाणाः ॥
hatvā́ya devā́ asúrān yád ā́yan devā́ devatvám abhirákṣamāṇāḥ ।
Gdy bogowie wyruszyli, by zabić Asurów, bogowie poruszali się, strzegąc i zachowując swoje bóstwo, utrzymując nienaruszone promienne prawo własnej boskiej istoty.
Word by Word
- हत्वाय
- having slainVerb (absolutive/gerund)अव्यय; क्त्वान्त (gerund) = ‘having slain’Role (क्रियाविशेषण) पूर्वकालिक क्रिया—मुख्यक्रिययोः (अदायन्/अरक्षन्) हेतु/पूर्वकर्मRoot √हन् (हन्ति) → क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (त्वा) अव्ययभाव
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- असुरान्
- the AsurasNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot असुर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यद्
- what(ever); that whichPronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (अत्र ‘यत्’ = ‘यद् (किञ्चित्)’)Role कर्म (अदायन् इत्यस्य)Root यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अदायन्
- they gave; they grantedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole मुख्यक्रियाRoot √दा (ददाति) + आ-
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अरक्षन् इत्यस्य)Root देव-
- देवत्वम्
- godhood; divinityNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (अरक्षन् इत्यस्य)Root देवत्व- (देव + त्व प्रत्यय; भाव/तत्त्व)
- अभि
- towards; overIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय; ‘towards, over, upon’Role (क्रियाविशेषण) अरक्षन् इत्यस्य दिशाबोधकRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अरक्षन्
- they protected; they guardedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole मुख्यक्रियाRoot √रक्ष् (रक्षति) + अ- (लङ्)
- माणाः
- protecting; guardingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; वर्तमानकालिक कर्तरि कृदन्त (देवाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृविशेषण (देवाः) / सहक्रिया-भावRoot √रक्ष् (रक्षति) + -मान (शानच्/मान) [रक्षमाण-]
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: हत्वाय | देवाः | असुरान् | यद् | अदायन् | देवाः | देवत्वम् | अभि | अरक्षन् | (रक्ष)माणाः । 1) असुरान्यदायन् = असुरान् + यद् + अदायन् (न् + य → न्य्)
- 2) अदायन्देवा = अदायन् + देवाः (न् + द → न्द)
- 3) देवत्वमभिरक्षमाणाः = देवत्वम् + अभि + रक्षमाणाः (म् + अ → म; अभि + रक्ष… = उपसर्गयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When the gods went to slay the Asuras, they went guarding and preserving their divinity.
Inner meaning
The ‘gods’ are the luminous powers in us; the ‘asuras’ here are not later demonological beings but forces of falsehood, egoic will, and obscuring power that oppose the divine working. In the inner battle, the devas advance to overcome these resistances while vigilantly preserving devatva—our contact with the divine nature—so that victory does not degrade into violence, pride, or rajasic distortion. The verse teaches disciplined spiritual warfare: conquer the lower without losing the higher poise.
Universal truth
In confronting inner darkness, one must preserve one’s highest principle; power without purity corrupts the victory.
Themes
Deva–Asura conflict, inner battle (knowledge vs. obscurity), protection of divine state
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.157.1, Rig Veda 10.157.2, Rig Veda 10.157.3, Rig Veda 10.157.5
Significance
A succinct doctrine of sadhana: transformation requires confrontation with resistant forces, but the method must remain divine—guarding the light while engaging the darkness.
The deity
- Devata
- Devāḥ (collective luminous powers)
- Epithets
- Viśve Devāḥ (all gods), Ṛtāvṛdhaḥ (increasers of ṛta—class epithet)
- Related deities
- Indra (as leader in many battles), Agni (as purifier), Varuṇa/Mitra (as guardians of law)
Cosmic role
Upholders of cosmic order battling forces of concealment; they preserve the integrity of divine law while restoring harmony.
Inner power
A vigilant, coordinated purity that prevents the seeker’s will from being hijacked by ego during inner conflict.
In ritual
Where it is used
General protective/ābhicārika-apotropaic usage plausible (warding hostile forces); specific Śrauta assignment not securely determinable from the single verse alone.
ह॒त्वाय॑ दे॒वा असु॑रा॒न्यदाय॑न्दे॒वा दे॑व॒त्वम॑भि॒रक्ष॑माणाः ॥
ह॒त्वाय॑ । दे॒वाः । असु॑रान् । यत् । आय॑न् । दे॒वाः । दे॒व॒ऽत्वम् । अ॒भि॒ऽरक्ष॑माणाः ॥
hatvāya | devāḥ | asurān | yat | āyan | devāḥ | deva-tvam | abhi-rakṣamāṇāḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Martial yet controlled
Instills vigilant strength; encourages firm overcoming without agitation.
- असुरान् (asurān)
- Literal: Asuras. Symbolic: egoic/obscuring powers, false formations resisting truth (covering forces)
- हत्वाय (hatvāya)
- Literal: to slay, for the slaying. Symbolic: to decisively overcome and dissolve resistances
- देवत्वम् (deva-tvam)
- Literal: divinity, godhead. Symbolic: luminous nature: clarity, truth, wideness, right will
- अभिरक्षमाणाः (abhi-rakṣamāṇāḥ)
- Literal: guarding on all sides, protecting. Symbolic: maintaining inner purity, vigilance, and right motive during struggle
- आयन् (āyan)
- Literal: they went forth. Symbolic: active advance of consciousness into contested inner territories
General protective/ābhicārika-apotropaic usage plausible (warding hostile forces); specific Śrauta assignment not securely determinable from the single verse alone.
Protective recitation during times of conflict, temptation, or psychological turbulence
Chanted as a reminder of ‘right battle’—to act without losing inner law
Use as an ethical-spiritual anchor when facing anger, addiction patterns, or adversarial situations: ‘win without losing devatva’.
: absolutive/infinitival in -āya from √han ‘to strike, slay’ → inner sense: to break the power of obstruction. : early Vedic ‘lord/power’ can be positive, but in many late/10th-maṇḍala contexts tends toward ‘anti-deva’ (obscuring will); thus here taken as hostile powers. : abstract in -tva from deva ‘shining’ (√div/√dyut ‘to shine’) → ‘state of luminosity/divinity’. : present middle participle of abhi-√rakṣ ‘to guard, protect’ with abhi ‘around, towards’ → protective containment of the deva-state.
Ṛta (maintenance of divine order through guarding devatva), Satyam/Ritam (integrity of truth-being against distortion)
Guarding devatva implies guarding ṛta in action.
Truth maintained through vigilance while exercising force.
Restoration of order by removing falsehood while keeping divine integrity intact.
Aurobindonian psychological reading: inner conquest must remain sattvic and luminous.
Asuras = subconscient/egoic cover; devas = illumined faculties; ‘guarding’ = mindfulness and purity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Deva–Asura combat motif: luminous powers advance to defeat obscuring/appropriating powers; the key emphasis is not merely victory but the safeguarding of devatva (the integrity of the divine mode) during the advance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- deva- aligns with PIE *deiwos ‘celestial, shining’ (cf. Latin deus, Old Irish día). √han ‘to strike/kill’ continues PIE *gʷhen- ‘to strike, slay’ (cf. Greek phénō ‘I slay’, Avestan jan-). √rakṣ ‘guard’ is Indo-Iranian (cf. Avestan rāxš- ‘to protect’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse speaks from a witnessing/affirming stance: the seer aligns with the Devas’ action as an inner paradigm—victory is meaningful only if the divine consciousness (devatva) is preserved from admixture with the Asuric mode (egoic seizure/obscuration).
Mindful inner battle: confront a specific resistance while preserving calm clarity and goodwill.
Ajna (discernment) protecting Anahata (purity) during Manipura (force) action
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for vigilance; then chant once, sit silently 2 minutes
Steady warrior-poise (sthira-vīrya)
Name the ‘asuric’ pattern (fear, craving, pride). Invoke the devas as higher faculties. Act or refrain decisively, but keep the heart free of hatred—this is ‘abhirakṣamāṇāḥ devatvam’.
Svara notations not provided; keep a firm udātta rise on devāḥ, asurān, devatvam; avoid dramatic pitch swings—controlled strength.
Mark the participle abhirakṣamāṇāḥ with steady articulation; do not rush long compounds.
asurān: clear long ā, devatvam: pronounce ‘tv’ cluster cleanly, abhirakṣamāṇāḥ: keep ‘kṣ’ as k+ṣ, and long āṇāḥ at the end
Firm, disciplined, slightly martial but not harsh
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