Rig Veda 7.86.8: Mandala 7, Sukta 86, Mantra 8
Sukta 7.86
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
अयं सु तुभ्यं वरुण स्वधावो हृदि स्तोम उपश्रितश्चिदस्तु । शं नः क्षेमे शमु योगे नो अस्तु यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
ayáṃ su túbhyaṃ váruṇa svadhāvo hṛdí stóma úpaśritaś cid astu | śáṃ naḥ kṣémé śám u yogé no astu yūyáṃ pāta svastí-bhiḥ sadā́ naḥ ||
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Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (here)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (स्तोमः इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण) / विषय-निर्देशःRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सु
- indeed, wellIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (वाक्य-प्रयोगे) विशेषणार्थ-निपातःRoot सु (निपात/उपसर्गीय-अव्यय)
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुण
- O VaruṇaNoun (proper) / Vocativeपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन (आह्वान)Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वधावः
- O self-sustaining / possessing svadhā (inherent power)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूपः: -वः)Role सम्बोधन-विशेषणम् (वरुणस्य)Root स्वधावन् (प्रातिपदिक; स्वधा-वत्)
- हृदि
- in the heartNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमः
- hymn of praiseNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (अस्तु इत्यस्य) / विषयःRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपश्रितः
- having approached, resorted toParticiple (past passive) used adjectivallyपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (स्तोमः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root उप-√श्रि (श्रि, श्रयति) → उपश्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (वाक्य-प्रयोगे) अपि/एव-अर्थेRoot चित् (निपात)
- अस्तु
- let it beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सदृशः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) विधानम्Root √अस् (भू)
- शम्
- well-being, peaceIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (फल-निर्देशः)Root शम् (अव्यय; शान्ति/कल्याणार्थ)
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (वेदे प्रायः एनक्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna (नो अस्तु) / सम्बन्धःRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षेमे
- in safety, in securityNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
- शम्
- well-beingIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (फल-निर्देशः)Root शम् (अव्यय)
- योगे
- in (our) yoking/endeavor, in undertakingNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot योग (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एनक्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna (नो अस्तु)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- let it beVerbलोट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) विधानम्Root √अस् (भू)
- यूयम्
- you (all)Pronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (पात इत्यस्य)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पात
- protectVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया) आज्ञा/प्रार्थनाRoot √पा (रक्षणे)
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with blessings / with well-beingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (काल-निर्देशः)Root सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (एनक्लिटिक)Role Karma (पात—कं? नः)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वेदिक-सन्धि-विग्रहः): अयम् | सु | तुभ्यम् | वरुण | स्वधावः | हृदि | स्तोमः | उपश्रितः | चित् | अस्तु || शम् | नः | क्षेमे | शम् | योगे | नः | अस्तु || यूयम् | पात | स्वस्तिभिः | सदा | नः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) तुभ्यं वरुण → तुभ्यम् वरुण (अनुस्वारस्य परसवर्ण/लोप-विकल्पः) (2) स्तोम उपश्रितः → स्तोमः उपश्रितः (विसर्ग-सन्धिः) (3) उपश्रितश्चित् → उपश्रितः चित् (विसर्गः + च → श्च) (4) नः क्षेमे (एनक्लिटिक नः; विसर्ग-रूपेण लेखनम्) (5) शमु योगे → शम् योगे (मकार-उकार-लेखनभेदः; मूलम् शम्) (6) स्वस्तिभिः सदा (विसर्गः यथावत्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hymn is offered to Varuṇa and placed in the heart; may there be peace in safety and peace in union/effort; may the gods protect always with well-being.
Inner meaning
The stoma is not merely spoken—it is ‘upaśrita’ (lodged) in the heart: mantra becomes inner vibration and remembrance. Varuṇa as svadhāvan (self-lawed) grants śam (peace/settled harmony) both in kṣema (secure abiding, protected foundation) and in yoga (yoking, active joining of forces, disciplined effort). The plural ‘yūyam’ widens the protection to Varuṇa with allied powers of ṛta (Ādityas), guarding the practitioner’s transitions (svasti: right passage).
Universal truth
Peace must hold both rest and action: stability (kṣema) and disciplined engagement (yoga). When prayer becomes heart-established, life’s movements are protected by a higher harmony.
Themes
Peace formula, Protection, Inner refuge, Harmony in rest and action
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86.8 (closing), RV 7.87.1-5 (Varuṇa’s ordering power), RV 7.89 (release and healing)
Family tradition
Custodian of Varuṇa’s dharma-vision; hymns often end in benediction that seals the inner movement into peace.
Significance
Embodies the Vedic method of ‘heart-seating’ the mantra: speech becomes consciousness, leading to śam in both rest and action.
The deity
- Devata
- Varuṇa (with allied Ādityas implied by yūyam)
- Epithets
- Svadhāvan (self-lawed), Āditya (son of Aditi—wideness, implied), R̥tāvān (possessor of ṛta, implied)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Aditi
Cosmic role
Maintains right law of worlds; grants safe passage, protection, and harmonious conditions.
Inner power
The power that establishes inner peace as a stable base and as a dynamic harmony during effort (yoga).
In ritual
Where it is used
Varuṇa-related śānti/benediction usage (general)
अ॒यं सु तुभ्यं॑ वरुण स्वधावो हृ॒दि स्तोम॒ उप॑श्रितश्चिदस्तु । शं न॒: क्षेमे॒ शमु॒ योगे॑ नो अस्तु यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
अ॒यम् । सु । तुभ्य॑म् । व॒रु॒ण॒ । स्व॒धा॒ऽवः॒ । हृ॒दि । स्तोमः॑ । उप॑ऽसृइतः । चि॒त् । अ॒स्तु॒ । शम् । नः॒ । क्षेमे॑ । शम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । योगे॑ । नः॒ । अ॒स्तु॒ । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
ayam | su | tubhyam | varuṇa | svadhāvaḥ | hṛdi | stomaḥ | upa-sṛitaḥ | cit | astu | śam | naḥ | kṣeme | śam | oṃ iti | yoge | naḥ | astu | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Benedictory, evenly balanced; the repeated śam creates a settling refrain-like effect within triṣṭubh drive.
Soothes the nervous system; seals practice with a sense of protected wideness and ‘good passage’.
- svadhāvan
- Literal: self-powered, having its own law. Symbolic: the Divine as intrinsic order; truth-law within consciousness
- hṛdi
- Literal: in the heart. Symbolic: psychic center; sincerity and intimate remembrance
- stoma
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: mantric formation that builds inner harmony
- upaśrita
- Literal: resting upon, lodged in. Symbolic: mantra seated in the being, not merely uttered
- śam
- Literal: peace, ease. Symbolic: harmonized vibration of mind-life-body
- kṣema
- Literal: security, welfare at rest. Symbolic: stable foundation of the being; protected poise
- yoga
- Literal: yoking, joining. Symbolic: disciplined integration of forces; right effort toward truth
- svasti
- Literal: well-being, good passage. Symbolic: safe inner transitions; auspicious movement through states of consciousness
Closing śānti-like benediction within hymn; adaptable as a protective refrain in recitation.
As a closing prayer after recitation, meditation, or after a Varuṇa hymn sequence; adaptable as a śānti mantra.
Offer water (ārghya) or simple añjali while mentally placing the stoma in the heart; conclude with a protection resolve.
Excellent as an end-of-session mantra: ‘peace in rest, peace in effort’—use before sleep and before demanding work.
hṛdí…úpaśritaḥ: praise is internalized as heart-established orientation. kṣéma (security) and yóga (yoking/discipline) form a pair: peace in rest and peace in effort. √śri ‘lean on, resort to’ conveys taking refuge in the divine law (svadhā).
heart-internalization of mantra (hṛdí stóma), kṣema (secure peace) and yoga (peace in disciplined union), svasti as sustained harmonizing force
Peace is the felt harmony when the being aligns with ṛta in both stillness and movement.
Truth as inner law, not external compulsion—svadhāvan.
Sustaining-order theme: preservation and right transitions rather than origin creation.
Yoga of integration (yoking) grounded in Vedic ṛta; anticipates Upaniṣadic śānti as inner foundation.
evening (best suited as closing benediction)
Kṣema is like a sheltered home; yoga like harnessing horses—both must be pervaded by śam.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘heart-established hymn’ mythologem: the mantra is lodged in the heart as a living alignment with the divine law, yielding peace in both stability (kṣema) and disciplined union (yoga). It culminates the confession cycle with reintegration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The pair kṣema/yoga parallels an IE polarity of ‘rest/settlement’ vs ‘yoking/action’. √yuj (yoga, PIE *yeug- ‘yoke, join’) is a prominent IE root; its semantic expansion to disciplined spiritual union is already seeded here.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reconciliation and stabilization: after exposing fault and its causes, the rishi places the stoma in the heart and asks for continuous protection. Varuṇa’s sovereignty becomes an inner peace that accompanies both secure dwelling and the active yoking of the being toward truth.
Seat the mantra in the heart; cultivate peace in stillness and in action.
Anahata (heart) primarily; Sahasrara as ‘right passage’ into higher poise (advanced).
4-4 or 6-6 equal breathing while mentally repeating ‘śaṃ… śam…’ on exhale.
Settled, safeguarded, integrative calm.
1) Place attention in the heart. 2) On each ‘śam’, release tension. 3) Visualize two conditions: sheltered stability (kṣema) and active yoking (yoga). 4) End with a protective sphere of svasti around your day.
Triṣṭubh with clear udatta peaks; emphasize the repeated ‘śam’ as gentle but distinct accents.
Do not rush ‘śaṃ naḥ kṣeme śam u yoge’; keep a slight pause after each śam to let it settle.
varuṇa: retroflex ṇ; keep vowels open., svadhāvo: long ā in dhā; v as soft ‘va’., upaśritaś: ś as palatal; avoid ‘s’.
soft, benedictory, heart-centered
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