Rig Veda 2.33.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 33, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.33
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Rudra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
हवीमभिर्हवते यो हविर्भिरव स्तोमेभी रुद्रं दिषीय । ऋदूदरः सुहवो मा नो अस्यै बभ्रुः सुशिप्रो रीरधन्मनायै ॥
havī́mabhir hávate yó havírbhir áva stómebhī rudráṃ diṣī́ya | ṛdū́daraḥ su-hávo mā́ no asyái babhrúḥ su-śípro rīradhat manā́yai ||
Aquele que invoca Rudra com oblações, que o serve com hinos e oferendas—que Rudra, de ventre robusto, fácil de invocar, não nos cause dano nisto. Que o Fulvo, de belos lábios, se enterneça para com nossa mente e intenção.
Word by Word
- हवीम्
- oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: हविस् → हवीम्)Role कर्मRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभिः
- towards, with (in ritual approach)Indeclinableअव्यय; ‘अभि’ (towards/over) + वैदिक तृतीया-बहुवचन-समाप्ति -भिःRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- हवते
- invokes, callsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √ह्वे (ह्वयति/हवते) ‘to call, invoke’
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हविर्भिः
- with oblationsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव
- down/away; in aid (particle)Indeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अव (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) अव- ‘down, away; in aid’
- स्तोमेभिः
- with praises, hymnsNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रम्
- RudraNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिषीय
- may he direct/appoint (to us), may he grantVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वैदिक प्रार्थनार्थ); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √दिश् ‘to show, point out; assign’ (वैदिक: desiderative/precative usage) अथवा √दिश् + विधिलिङ्
- ऋदूदरः
- soft-bellied (epithet of Rudra)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण)Root ऋदू-उदर (समास; प्रातिपदिक) ‘soft-bellied/pliant-bellied’
- सुहवः
- easy to invokeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण)Root सु-हव (समास; प्रातिपदिक) ‘easy to invoke’
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेध (prohibitive particle)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root मा (निषेध-अव्यय)
- नः
- to us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = our/to us; यहाँ ‘to us’ प्रार्थनासन्दर्भे)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अस्यै
- to this (woman/this one)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- बभ्रुः
- the tawny oneAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण)Root बभ्रु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘brown, tawny’
- सुशिप्रः
- fair-lippedAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण)Root सु-शिप्र (समास; प्रातिपदिक) ‘fair-lipped/with good jaws’
- रीरधत्
- may he grant/prosperVerbलुङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय (वैदिक प्रार्थनार्थ); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √राध् ‘to prosper, succeed; to grant’ (वैदिक: reduplicated aorist/precative nuance) अथवा √राध् caus./intensive
- मनायै
- for (our) mind/intentionNounपुं/नपुंसक (वैदिक प्रयोग); चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot मन (प्रातिपदिक) ‘thought, mind, intention’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): हवीम् + अभिः + हवते + यः + हविर्भिः + अव + स्तोमेभिः + रुद्रम् + दिषीय । ऋदूदरः + सुहवः + मा + नः + अस्यै + बभ्रुः + सुशिप्रः + रीरधत् + मनायै ॥ प्रमुख सन्धयः: (1) हवीम्-अभिः: अन्त्य -म् + अ- (अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धि) । (2) हविर्भिः: हविस् + भिः → हविर्भिः (स् → र् before voiced consonant) । (3) स्तोमेभी: पाठे ‘स्तोमे॑भी’ = स्तोमेभिः (वैदिक संहितापाठे विसर्ग/ः-लोप) । (4) मा नो: मा + नः (एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whoever invokes Rudra with oblations and hymns—may Rudra, strong-bellied and well-invoked, not harm us. May the tawny one with fair lips become gentle toward our mind/intention.
Inner meaning
The mantra describes the right method of approach: offering (havis) and inspired speech (stoma) as inner givings—energy, attention, sincerity—into the psychic fire. Rudra is ‘ṛdūdaraḥ’ (strong-bellied): the power that digests and transforms; he metabolizes crude impulses into usable strength. Yet the same force can be disruptive if approached wrongly, so the seeker prays ‘mā no…’—may the transformative intensity not injure the fragile parts of the nature. ‘Babhruḥ suśipraḥ’ (tawny, fair-lipped) suggests a radiant, beautifully-expressing power: may it ‘soften’ (rīradhan) toward manas—our mind and intention—so thought becomes aligned, gentle, and true.
Universal truth
Transformation must be invoked with right offering and right speech; then the fierce power becomes a friend of the mind, digesting experience into wisdom rather than disturbance.
Themes
Right method of worship, Propitiation and harmlessness, Mind aligned with divine force
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditionally connected to the Bhr̥gu line)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.33, RV 2.1, RV 2.23
Family tradition
The Maṇḍala 2 rishi integrates offering, hymn, and right relation to deity; the ritual vocabulary becomes a map of inner practice.
Significance
This verse articulates an Aurobindonian key: the gods respond to inner sacrifice—offering and aspiration—so the fierce power turns benevolent toward the mind and shapes it for truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Rudra
- Epithets
- ṛdūdaraḥ, suhavaḥ, babhruḥ, suśipraḥ
- Related deities
- Agni (sacrifice-fire), Soma (bliss that can accompany purification), Maruts (dynamic forces)
Cosmic role
A transformative cosmic force who can afflict or heal; invoked properly, he protects and refines the worshipper’s consciousness.
Inner power
Digestive alchemy of tapas: converts raw passion and fear into strength, clarity, and right expression.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Rudra-invocation accompanying havis and stoma; propitiatory to ensure the rite is not harmed by Rudra’s fierce aspect.
हवी॑मभि॒र्हव॑ते॒ यो ह॒विर्भि॒रव॒ स्तोमे॑भी रु॒द्रं दि॑षीय । ऋ॒दू॒दर॑: सु॒हवो॒ मा नो॑ अ॒स्यै ब॒भ्रुः सु॒शिप्रो॑ रीरधन्म॒नायै॑ ॥
हवी॑मऽभिः । हव॑ते । यः । ह॒विःऽभिः । अव॑ । स्तोमे॑भिः । रु॒द्रम् । दि॒षी॒य॒ । ऋ॒दू॒दरः॑ । सु॒ऽहवः॑ । मा । नः॒ । अ॒स्यै । ब॒भ्रुः । सु॒ऽशिप्रः॑ । री॒र॒ध॒त् । म॒नायै॑ ॥
havīma-bhiḥ | havate | yaḥ | haviḥ-bhiḥ | ava | stomebhiḥ | rudram | diṣīya | ṛdūdaraḥ | su-havaḥ | mā | naḥ | asyai | babhruḥ | su-śipraḥ | rīradhat | manāyai
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Invocatory and narrative at first (whoever invokes…), then turns intimate and conciliatory toward the mind.
Creates a sense of safe approach to a powerful deity; ends with a softening, pacifying cadence.
- havis
- Literal: oblation. Symbolic: inner offering—energy, desire, attention surrendered into the work
- stoma
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: uplifted thought and inspired speech shaping consciousness
- suhava
- Literal: well-invoked. Symbolic: power that responds when called with sincerity and precision
- ṛdūdaraḥ
- Literal: strong-bellied. Symbolic: capacity to digest/transform; alchemy of experience and impulse
- mā no asyai
- Literal: may he not harm us in this. Symbolic: may transformation not become violence; protect the aspirant nature
- babhruḥ
- Literal: tawny, brownish-red. Symbolic: fiery-golden force of purification in life-energy
- suśipraḥ
- Literal: fair-lipped. Symbolic: beautiful expression—right vāc, harmonious articulation in mind
- manāyai (manas)
- Literal: to/for the mind. Symbolic: toward intention, thought-current, inner consent and direction
Propitiatory close: establishes the correct method of invoking Rudra with havis and stoma so his force becomes benign; used in appeasement and protection sequences.
During offerings and praises to Rudra, especially when seeking protection from unintended harm and seeking benevolence.
Offerings (havis) with recitation; praise and appeasement; intention-setting for a gentle outcome.
As a pre-meditation ‘offering’ verse: surrender restlessness as havis; then ask the transforming power to be gentle with the mind during deep inner work.
The verse defines correct approach: havis + stoma. √radh ‘to yield, be gracious’ is central: the fierce one must ‘soften’ toward the seeker’s manas (intention). babhru (tawny) and su-śipra (fair-lipped) are not mere physical traits: color and mouth/jaw index Rudra’s force and speech/breath—when harmonized, they become protective rather than harmful.
Manas as intentional field needing divine alignment, Rita through right invocation (su-hava), Transformation of fearsome power into grace (√radh)
Suhava implies alignment with R̥ta—right call elicits right response.
Stoma is effective when it carries truth; suśipra hints at purified expression.
Transformation as digestion: the cosmos and the yogin both ‘cook’ raw energies into higher forms.
Mantra-psychology aligned with integral yoga: offering + aspiration evokes transforming descent.
dawn/early light (suggested by tawny radiance)
Digestive fire = inner tapas that assimilates experience; tawny radiance = purified life-force; storm = transformative upheaval that can be pacified into harmony.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘taming/softening of the fierce deity’ through correct offering and hymn, so that Rudra becomes non-harmful and turns graciously toward the mind. It is the alchemy of terror into protection.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- manas derives from PIE *men- ‘think’. √hū invocation is part of ancient Indo-Iranian ritual speech. The use of epithets (color + mouth) reflects Indo-European formulaic style: descriptive compounds encode divine function rather than biography.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames a covenant of right approach: if invoked well (su-hava) with offering and hymn, Rudra’s energy is asked to refrain from harm and to yield (√radh) toward the seeker’s intention. The exchange is an inner pacification: the mind becomes a fit field for Rudra’s power.
Make an inner offering; invite Rudra’s transformative digestion to process fear and agitation; ask for gentleness toward the mind.
maṇipūra (digestive tapas) and viśuddha (purified expression)
On inhale, feel ‘havis’ rising to the inner altar; on exhale, release it into a warm navel fire; end with soft, lengthened exhale on ‘manāyai’.
Quiet surrender with inner warmth; mind becoming pliable and clear.
Before shadow-work or intense practice, chant 1–3 times; consciously ‘offer’ one habit-pattern; then sit 5 minutes feeling the navel warmth digest it, while the mind stays soothed and receptive.
Triṣṭubh with udātta prominence on ‘rudram’, ‘suhava’, and descriptive epithets; soften the melodic contour toward the final ‘manāyai’.
Keep the first half declarative (who invokes…); make ‘mā no…’ a gentle caution, not fear; end with a pacifying tone on ‘rīradhan manāyai’.
‘havīṃmabhiḥ’: nasalization and long ‘ī’ kept clear; avoid compressing syllables., ‘ṛdūdaraḥ’: vocalic ‘ṛ’ distinct; long ‘ū’ sustained., ‘suśipraḥ’: palatal ‘ś’ clear; visarga lightly released.
Warm, conciliatory, with a slight inner smile in tone on the final pāda.
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