Rig Veda 7.69.8: Mandala 7, Sukta 69, Mantra 8
Sukta 7.69
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
नू मे हवमा शृणुतं युवाना यासिष्टं वर्तिरश्विनाविरावत् । धत्तं रत्नानि जरतं च सूरीन्यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
nū́ me hávam ā́ śṛṇutaṃ yuvānā yāsiṣṭaṃ vártír aśvināv írāvat | dhattáṃ rátnāni járataṃ ca sūrīn yūyáṃ pāta svastíbhiḥ sádā naḥ ||
नूनं मे हवमाशृणुतं युवाना अश्विनौ; यासिष्टं वर्तिर् इरावत् आगच्छतम्। धत्तं रत्नानि अस्मासु, जरतं च सूरीन् पोषयतम्; यूयं च नः सदा स्वस्तिभिः पात।
Word by Word
- नू
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (काल/सम्बोधनार्थे)Root नु
- मे
- to me / of mePronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदāन/सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- हवम्
- invocation, callNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ
- शृणुतम्
- hear (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot श्रु
- युवाना
- (you) two young onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot युवन्
- यासिष्टम्
- come/go (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद; Vedic injunctive/imperative-type formRole क्रियाRoot या
- वर्तिः
- path, track, courseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole अधिकारण/मार्ग (as ‘path/track’)Root वर्ति
- अश्विनौ
- the two AśvinsNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्तृ/सम्बोधन (contextually addressed)Root अश्विन्
- वीरावत्
- with heroes, hero-attended, strongAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with हवम्) / or adverbial accusativeRole विशेषण (of हवम्) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot वीरवत्
- धत्तम्
- place/bestow (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot धा
- रत्नानि
- treasures, giftsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot रत्न
- जरतम्
- you two who do not age / enduringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया द्विवचन (agreeing with अश्विनौ) / or vocative-like usage in VedicRole सम्बोधन/विशेषणRoot जरत्
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक निपातRoot च
- सूरीन्
- patrons, bountiful lordsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सूरि
- यूयम्
- you (all)Pronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- पात
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot पा
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with well-being(s), with blessingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्वस्ति
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRoot सदा
- नः
- us / of usPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role कर्म/सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): नू मे हवम् आ शृणुतम् युवाना । यासिष्टम् वर्तिः अश्विनौ वीरावत् । धत्तम् रत्नानि जरतम् च सूरीन् । यूयम् पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥ Key sandhi points: (1) हवमा → हवम् + आ (anusvāra before vowel)
- (2) अश्विनाविरावत् → अश्विनौ + वीरावत् (au + v-; written as -āv- in saṃhitā)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Hear my call, O young Aśvins; come by the most direct path rich in abundance. Place treasures in us, cherish the seers who age in the work; guard us always with well-being.
Inner meaning
The closing invocation asks for immediacy and straightness: yāsiṣṭaṃ varti—come by the most direct inner route, ‘irāvat’ (full of nourishing abundance). The ‘treasures’ (ratnāni) are not material gifts but powers of consciousness: clarity, strength, right joy, healing balance. ‘Cherish the seers who grow old’ points to sustaining the inner discernment and the long labor of transformation—protecting the yogic intelligence as it matures through repeated offerings. ‘Guard us with svastibhiḥ’ is a request for stable harmonizing forces—protective wideness and auspicious order—so the practice can continue safely and fruitfully.
Universal truth
Spiritual life needs both swift help and long protection: direct guidance, inner riches, and sustained safeguarding of those who persevere in the work.
Themes
invocation, boon-seeking (ratna), protection (svasti), guidance on the right path
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (traditional for Maṇḍala 7)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1 (Agni and the work), RV 7.60 (ṛta and protection), RV 7.69.4–7.69.7 (preceding steps: illumination, yoking, urgency, rescue)
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭha style often ends with a compact practical prayer: direct coming, inner riches, protection for the long work.
Significance
Embodies the mature yogic attitude: after invoking and receiving help, one asks for consolidation—treasures integrated and safeguarded over time.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- yuvānā, Nā́satyā (implicit), daṃsanā (implicit from hymn context)
- Related deities
- Bhaga (fortune/portion—treasure motif), Uṣas (direct path at dawn), Agni (work/yajña)
Cosmic role
Bestowers of boons and protectors at transitions; they bring abundance and safeguard wellbeing.
Inner power
They open the most direct channel for higher help, implant inner riches, and maintain protective harmony so the seeker’s work can mature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Closing/continuing prayer within an Aśvin hymn used in morning rites
नू मे॒ हव॒मा शृ॑णुतं युवाना यासि॒ष्टं व॒र्तिर॑श्विना॒विरा॑वत् । ध॒त्तं रत्ना॑नि॒ जर॑तं च सू॒रीन्यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
नु । मे॒ । हव॑म् । आ । शृ॒णु॒त॒म् । यु॒वा॒ना॒ । या॒सि॒ष्टम् । व॒र्तिः । अ॒श्वि॒नौ॑ । इरा॑ऽवत् । ध॒त्तम् । रत्ना॑नि । जर॑तम् । च॒ । सू॒रीन् । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
nu | me | havam | ā | śṛṇutam | yuvānā | yāsiṣṭam | vartiḥ | aśvinau | irāvat | dhattam | ratnāni | jaratam | ca | sūrīn | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables (closing cadence with blessing tone)
Invocatory opening, then blessing-like settling; feels like a concluding seal.
Leaves the listener in protected wideness; supports integration of practice and confidence in ongoing safeguarding.
- हवम् (havam)
- Literal: call, invocation. Symbolic: aspiration; the soul’s summons to higher help
- युवाना (yuvānā)
- Literal: young ones. Symbolic: ever-fresh, swift divine energies
- यासिष्टम् वर्तिः (yāsiṣṭam vartiḥ)
- Literal: most direct path/track. Symbolic: straight inner channel; unobstructed descent of help
- इरा-वत् (irāvat)
- Literal: rich in nourishment/abundance. Symbolic: full of sustaining force; plenitude that feeds the being
- रत्नानि (ratnāni)
- Literal: treasures, jewels. Symbolic: inner gifts: powers, realizations, capacities of consciousness
- जरतम् (jaratam)
- Literal: cherish, cause to grow old / support. Symbolic: sustain maturation; protect the long-term worker in yoga
- सूरीन् (sūrīn)
- Literal: seers, illumined ones. Symbolic: inner discernment and illumined intelligence guiding the work
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-beings, auspicious forces. Symbolic: protective harmonies; stabilizing influences of right order
Invitatory verse for the Aśvins; protective benediction (svasti) used in Soma rites and daily invocations
At the end of Aśvin invocation sequence; as a concluding request for boons and protection
Benediction and request for gifts (ratna) and svasti
Use as a closing mantra after meditation/prāṇāyāma: ask for direct guidance, inner gifts, and lasting protection through the day.
Key terms: (1) हव: from √hū ‘to call, invoke’; not merely ritual call but the soul’s summons. (2) वर्तिः: from √vṛt ‘to turn, proceed’; ‘track/course’—the right line of movement. (3) īrā (in irāvat): abundance/nourishment; extends from food to plenitude of force and felicity. (4) ratna: ‘treasure’ as precious attainment; often denotes powers/boons of realization. (5) svasti: su-asti ‘good being’; a formula of harmonizing protection.
svasti (right-being) as alignment with ṛta, ratna as inner riches (powers of realization), īrā as plenitude and nourishment of consciousness
Svastibhiḥ indicates a field where forces are harmonized—ṛta made experiential as safety and auspicious flow.
The ‘most direct path’ is the straight line of truth-consciousness, not the detours of desire and confusion.
Implanting ‘treasures’ into the being: higher powers descending to build a new formation of consciousness.
Yoga of descent and integration: realizations must be placed in the being and protected until they mature.
Dawn (implicit Aśvin context)
Direct path = clear nāḍī/channel of descent; abundance = prāṇa and delight that nourishes transformation; svasti = harmonized environment of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a narrative myth but an archetypal pattern: the ‘coming of the gods by the right path’ and the installation of treasures. The Aśvins are summoned as ever-young rescuers and restorers to bring plenitude (īrā) and to guard with svasti.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ (śṛṇutam) reflects PIE *(s)ḱlew- ‘hear, be famed’ (cf. Gk. klýō, Eng. ‘loud’ via fame semantics). √yā ‘go’ is an old IE motion root (cf. Lat. īre ‘go’ as functional parallel though different etymon; Indo-Iranian preserves √yā robustly). su- in svasti is a common IE ‘good/well’ prefixal element (cf. Gk. eu-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Ṛṣi positions himself as the caller whose ‘havam’ invites descent; the Devatā is asked to respond by (a) right approach (vartiḥ), (b) inner endowment (ratna), and (c) continual safeguarding (svasti). The reciprocity is the exchange of inspired speech and offering for divine protection and enrichment.
Close practice by inviting direct guidance and asking that inner gains be ‘placed in the being’ and protected.
Ājñā (direct path) integrating into Anāhata (svasti—harmonizing protection) and Maṇipūra (treasures as capacities for action)
3 slow breaths with mental repetition on exhale: ‘svasti’; feel a protective field around the body.
Integrated calm; gratitude and readiness for right action.
After any insight, ask for consolidation: ‘place the ratna in me’—then act simply and steadily so the gift matures (jaratam).
Blessing-oriented contour: keep udātta clear but soften overall; let svarita falls be gentle, especially on svastibhiḥ.
Open with a clean call (‘nū me havam’), slightly quicken on ‘yāsiṣṭaṃ vartiḥ’, then slow and warm on ‘dhattam ratnāni’ and ‘pāta svastibhiḥ’.
nū: long ū; do not shorten., yāsiṣṭam: long yā; ṣṭ conjunct crisp., irāvat: long ā; light ‘v’., svastibhiḥ: ‘sv’ conjunct; final ḥ softly released.
Warm, blessing-like, steady; end with a soft sustained resonance.
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