Rig Veda 7.19.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 19, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.19
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Vira (heroism)
मा ते अस्यां सहसावन्परिष्टावघाय भूम हरिवः परादै । त्रायस्व नोऽवृकेभिर्वरूथैस्तव प्रियासः सूरिषु स्याम ॥
mā́ te asyā́ṃ sahasāvan páriṣṭāv aghā́ya bhūma harivaḥ parādái | trā́yasva no ’vṛkébhir várūthais táva priyā́saḥ sū́riṣu syāma ||
मा तेऽस्यां सहसावन् परिष्टावघाय भूम हरिवः परादै । त्रायस्व नोऽवृकेभिर्वरूथैस्तव प्रियासः सूरिषु स्याम ॥
Word by Word
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक कण (prohibitive particle)Root मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- ते
- to/for you; of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध/सम्प्रदान (contextual)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्याम्
- in this (situation/place)Pronounसप्तमी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole अधिकरणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सहसावन्
- O mighty one (possessing strength)Noun (epithet)सम्बोधन एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot सहस् + वन् (प्रातिपदिक: सहसावन्)
- परिष्टौ
- in (our) praise/around the hymn of praiseNounसप्तमी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वेदिक रूप)Role अधिकरणRoot परि + स्तु (स्तु-धातु) → परिष्टु (स्तुति)
- अघाय
- to evil; for harmNounचतुर्थी एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (अर्थे: ‘अघ’ = evil/harm)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
- भूम
- may we be; let us becomeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (वक्ता-समूह)Root भू (धातु)
- हरिवः
- O you of the tawny steeds (Indra)Noun (epithet)सम्बोधन एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot हरि + वस् (प्रातिपदिक: हरिवस्)
- परादै
- ward off; give away (i.e., remove)Verbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (देवता)Root परा + दा (धातु) → परा-दा
- त्रायस्व
- protectVerbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृ (देवता)Root त्रा (धातु)
- नः
- us; of usPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role कर्म (of ‘protect’)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवृकेभिः
- with harmless (protections)Adjectiveतृतीया बहुवचन (नपुंसक/पुं) — ‘वरूथैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role करणRoot अ-वृक (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wolf-less’ → ‘harmless’)
- वरूथैः
- with shelters/defencesNounतृतीया बहुवचन नपुंसकलिङ्गRole करणRoot वरूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तव
- yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रियासः
- dear ones; favoritesAdjective/Nounप्रथमा बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ/विशेष्य (स्याम् इत्यस्य)Root प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूरिषु
- among patrons/chieftainsNounसप्तमी बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole अधिकरणRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (वक्ता-समूह)Root अस् (धातु) → स्या- (विधिलिङ्)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): ते॑ + अस्यां → ते अस्यां (vowel sandhi avoided in pada)
- सहसावन् + परिष्टौ (voc. + loc.)
- नोऽवृकेभिः → नः अवृकेभिः (visarga + vowel → ’)
- वरूथैः + तव (no change)
- प्रियासः + सूरिषु (no change). Accent marks are retained in the source but not encoded per-pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
A plea to Indra: in this encompassing difficulty, may we not become harmful to you nor fall away; protect us with shelters that are not wolfish; may we be dear to you among the noble leaders.
Inner meaning
In the ‘encircling pressure’ (pariṣṭā), the seeker prays not to deviate into falsehood, ego, or hostile movements that would obstruct Indra’s working in the nature. ‘Wolfish shelters’ are protections that come from lower vital cunning—defenses that save the ego but betray the soul. The prayer is for avṛka varūtha—guardianships free from predatory impulses—so that we remain Indra’s priyāsaḥ, beloved of the illumined Mind, among sūri (luminous leaders: higher faculties that guide the being).
Universal truth
In crisis, do not seek protection through fear, aggression, or deceit; ask for a safeguarding that is aligned with truth and illumination, so that higher intelligence can continue its work in you.
Themes
prayer for protection, avoidance of evil alignment, secure shelters, belonging to the illumined
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.19.1-10, RV 7.87 (Varuṇa themes of ṛta and protection)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s line emphasizes protection through ṛta—right order rather than mere force; his prayers often ask for non-deceptive, non-asuric safeguards.
Significance
The seer teaches that true protection is ethical-spiritual: to remain ‘dear’ to the divine power by refusing lower substitutes for safety.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Sahasāvan (possessing might), Harivaḥ (lord of tawny steeds), Protector (avitṛ)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (true law and protection), Maruts (supporting forces), Agni (inner guide)
Cosmic role
Guardian of the luminous march; rescuer in constriction; giver of right shelters.
Inner power
Courageous clarity that refuses ‘wolfish’ vital defenses and establishes clean protection through truth-force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective Indra-invocation within Soma rites; also suitable for anukramaṇī-style stotra sequences seeking safety.
मा ते॑ अ॒स्यां स॑हसाव॒न्परि॑ष्टाव॒घाय॑ भूम हरिवः परा॒दै । त्राय॑स्व नोऽवृ॒केभि॒र्वरू॑थै॒स्तव॑ प्रि॒यास॑: सू॒रिषु॑ स्याम ॥
मा । ते॒ । अ॒स्याम् । स॒ह॒सा॒ऽव॒न् । परि॑ष्टौ । अ॒घाय॑ । भू॒म॒ । ह॒रि॒ऽवः॒ । प॒रा॒ऽदै । त्राय॑स्व । नः॒ । अ॒वृ॒केभिः॑ । वरू॑थैः । तव॑ । प्रि॒यासः॑ । सू॒रिषु॑ । स्या॒म॒ ॥
mā | te | asyām | sahasāvan | pariṣṭau | aghāya | bhūma | hari-vaḥ | parādai | trāyasva | naḥ | avṛkebhiḥ | varūthaiḥ | tava | priyāsaḥ | sūriṣu | syāma
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Urgent and supplicatory; strong pauses that fit confession and plea.
Stabilizes in crisis; evokes a protective field and ethical resolve.
- परिष्टौ (pariṣṭau)
- Literal: in the encircling, in the surrounding pressure. Symbolic: a constricting psychological crisis; siege of consciousness by lower forces
- अघाय (aghāya)
- Literal: for harm, sin, wrong. Symbolic: movements that injure the inner work—falsehood, revolt, depression, violence
- परादै (parādai)
- Literal: fall away, go aside. Symbolic: deviation from the path; loss of alignment with the higher power
- हरिवः (harivaḥ)
- Literal: possessor of tawny steeds. Symbolic: illumined mind that commands swift energies
- अवृकेभिः (avṛkebhiḥ)
- Literal: not wolfish. Symbolic: non-predatory, non-vitalistic protections; safeguards of truth and goodwill
- वरूथैः (varūthaiḥ)
- Literal: shelters, protections. Symbolic: inner coverings/guardrails—supporting formations of consciousness
- प्रियासः (priyāsaḥ)
- Literal: beloved ones. Symbolic: states and movements pleasing to the higher Truth—harmonized nature
- सूरिषु (sūriṣu)
- Literal: among the seers/leaders. Symbolic: among illumined faculties and guiding powers within (or noble leaders without)
Protective closing prayer in an Indra hymn: seeking safe guardianship during the ‘encircling’ crisis of contest; suited to rites where protection of the sacrificer and continuity of patronage (sūri) is sought.
When danger, rivalry, or ‘siege’ is felt—ritually during contested moments; psychologically during inner turbulence.
Recitation with offering; emphasis on seeking ‘non-wolfish’ protection rather than aggressive counter-rites.
Use in anxiety or conflict: chant to drop defensive aggression, ask for clean protection, and re-align with higher intelligence.
√trā ‘protect’ is a common Indo-Iranian protective root. avṛka ‘not-wolf’ uses vṛka ‘wolf’ (PIE *wĺ̥kʷos; cf. Latin lupus is different root, but Slavic vlŭkŭ, English wolf) as an inherited image of devouring danger; ‘non-wolfish shelters’ are protections that do not consume the seeker. varūtha ‘defense’ is a protective enclosure (positive counterpart to obstructive ‘covering’).
right alignment vs fall (parādai), protective order vs devouring forces (avṛka varūtha), belonging to the light-led community (sūri)
Avṛka-varūtha implies protection consistent with ṛta, not with predatory adharma.
Not ‘falling away’ (parādai) is staying with satya in thought, speech, and will.
Integral-psychological reading: crisis as tightening of consciousness; divine protection as higher order restoring wideness.
Wolf = predatory vital; encircling = constriction of prāṇa/mind; shelter = stable luminous formation around the heart-mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘divine protection in the encircling danger’: the worshipper asks not to fall away into harm and seeks shelters that do not devour. Innerly, it is the safeguarding of the aspirant during crisis so the being remains in right relation (priya) within the luminous order (sūri).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vṛka ‘wolf’ is a clear IE inheritance (PIE *wĺ̥kʷos; cf. English wolf), used in a moral-psychological compound avṛka ‘non-wolfish’. √trā ‘protect’ is Indo-Iranian and preserves archaic protective diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi adopts humility and vigilance: he asks that their offering-relationship not turn harmful and requests Indra’s non-devouring defenses. The reciprocity is ethical and psychological—steadfast alignment and praise on one side, protective guardianship and continued favor (priya) on the other.
Transforming fear-based defenses into truth-based protection; surrender of egoic reactions in crisis.
Anāhata (heart—trust) with Ājñā (clear seeing)
Lengthen exhale on ‘trāyasva no’; brief pause after exhale to feel protection settling.
Quiet courage; receptive trust under pressure.
Name the ‘wolfish’ pattern (aggression, manipulation, panic) inwardly; offer it to Indra; chant, then sit feeling a clean boundary of light around the heart and forehead.
Tri-svara; keep pleading phrases with clear udātta peaks; avoid rushing the negative particle ‘mā’.
Give weight to ‘mā’ and ‘trāyasva’ as semantic anchors; maintain Triṣṭubh caesura after ~4–5 syllables.
Sahasāvan: articulate long ā, Pariṣṭau: retroflex ṣṭ, Avṛkebhiḥ: vṛ with vocalic ṛ; do not insert a vowel, Varūthaiḥ: long ū and diphthong ai clearly
Supplicatory but steady; warm tone centered in the chest.
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