Rig Veda 8.67.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 67, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.67
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अस्ति देवा अंहोरुर्वस्ति रत्नमनागसः । आदित्या अद्भुतैनसः ॥
asti devā aṃhor urv asti ratnam anāgasaḥ | ādityā adbhutainasaḥ ||
ఓ దేవులారా, అంహస్/దుఃఖాన్ని దాటి ఒక విశాలమైన (ఉరు) విస్తీర్ణం ఉంది; నిరపరాధత్వం (అనాగస్) అనే ఒక రత్నం ఉంది—ఓ ఆదిత్యులారా, అద్భుతమైన ఐనస్-హర (పాపనాశక) శక్తి గలవారారా.
Word by Word
- अस्ति
- there is / existsVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अंहोः
- of distress / of sin / of troubleNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)Root अंहस् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- उरुः
- wide, broad, ampleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root उरु (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- वस्ति
- a dwelling / abodeNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वस्ति (प्रातिपदिकम्; ‘dwelling, abode’)
- अस्ति
- there is / existsVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)
- रत्नम्
- a treasure / precious giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अत्र प्रथमा)Role KartāRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अनागसः
- sinless, guiltlessAdjective(देवाः इति पदस्य) पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root अनागस् (प्रातिपदिकम्; a- + आगस्)
- आदित्याः
- the ĀdityasNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot आदित्य (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अद्भुतैनसः
- having wondrous (power over) guilt/sin; of marvelous sin-destroying mightAdjective(आदित्याः इति पदस्य) पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root अद्भुत-एनस् (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व/तत्पुरुष-समासः; अद्भुत + एनस्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अस्ति | देवाः | अंहोः | उरुः | वस्ति | अस्ति | रत्नम् | अनागसः | आदित्याः | अद्भुत-एनसः । 1) देवा (प्रथमा बहु) → देवाः। 2) अंहस् (षष्ठी एक) → अंहोः (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेशः)
- 3) अद्भुत-एनसः समासे ‘अद्भुतैनसः’ (अ + ए → ऐ) संधिः। 4) मन्त्रे द्विवारं ‘अस्ति’ इति क्रियापदं—द्वे वाक्यखण्डे ‘there is’ इत्यर्थे।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet affirms that there is a wide space beyond distress and a treasure of blamelessness; the Ādityas are wondrous in dissolving sin/fault.
Inner meaning
Aṃhas (distress, tightness) is the constricted state of consciousness under error and fear. The Ādityas open uru—wideness—by restoring alignment with ṛta. The ‘treasure’ (ratna) is anāgasaḥ: a luminous state without fault, not moralism but freedom from the vibration of falsehood. Adbhuta-enasaḥ: their wondrous power is to dissolve enas (inner deviation, obscuring residue) and return the being to clarity.
Universal truth
Beyond inner constriction lies wideness; purification is not punishment but a transformation into faultless clarity through higher truth-powers.
Themes
Release from distress, Purification, Wideness, Āditya grace
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.67.4, Rig Veda 8.67.5, Rig Veda 8.67.6, Rig Veda 8.67.8
Family tradition
A Maṇḍala 8 affirmation-style verse: not only petition but declaration of spiritual fact—there exists a wideness and a treasure.
Significance
Functions as a mantra of hope and metaphysical assurance: the wide realm beyond distress is real and accessible through the Ādityas.
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Epithets
- adbhuta-enasaḥ (wondrous removers of enas), anāgasaḥ-bestowers (givers of blamelessness)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (release from bonds), Soma (purifying delight), Agni (purifying will)
Cosmic role
They maintain the faultless functioning of the worlds; they rectify deviations that create suffering.
Inner power
They widen the mind, dissolve guilt/obscuration, and reveal the ‘treasure’ of a clear conscience and truth-aligned being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Expiatory/protective affirmations within Soma and daily recitations; reassurance to the sacrificer
अस्ति॑ देवा अं॒होरु॒र्वस्ति॒ रत्न॒मना॑गसः । आदि॑त्या॒ अद्भु॑तैनसः ॥
अस्ति॑ । दे॒वाः॒ । अं॒होः । उ॒रु । अस्ति॑ । रत्न॑म् । अना॑गसः । आदि॑त्याः । अद्भु॑तऽएनसः ॥
asti | devāḥ | aṃhoḥ | uru | asti | ratnam | anāgasaḥ | ādityāḥ | adbhuta-enasaḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Affirmative, spacious; the repeated asti creates steady grounding.
Builds confidence through repetition; induces a felt sense of wideness and release.
- अंहः (aṃhaḥ)
- Literal: distress, narrowness, trouble. Symbolic: constriction of consciousness; pressure of ignorance and fear
- उरु (uru)
- Literal: wide, broad. Symbolic: widened consciousness; liberation into vastness (Varuṇa-like)
- रत्नम् (ratnam)
- Literal: treasure, jewel. Symbolic: attainment of luminous purity and stable truth-state
- अना॑गसः (anāgasaḥ)
- Literal: blameless, without fault. Symbolic: free from inner deviation; purified nature transparent to truth
- एनस् (enas)
- Literal: sin, fault, pollution. Symbolic: residual obscuration; the ‘wrong turn’ in consciousness
- अद्भुतैनसः (adbhuta-enasaḥ)
- Literal: of wondrous (power) regarding sin. Symbolic: marvelous capacity to dissolve obscuration and restore order
Affirmation used in prayers for release from aṃhas (distress) and purification from enas; relevant to confession/appeasement motifs around Varuṇa-Āditya sphere.
After confession/recognition of fault; before recommitting to right action
Recitation as proclamation of the possibility of purification and release
Use during self-forgiveness practice: repeat to shift from constriction (aṃhas) to wideness (uru) and clarity (anāgasaḥ).
aṃhas ‘distress/narrowness’ contrasts with uru ‘wide’: a key Vedic psychological polarity (constriction vs wideness). enas is not merely ‘moral sin’ but a state of error, defilement, or deviation from ṛta; thus adbhuta-enasaḥ indicates powers that can wonderfully undo the knot of deviation. ratna ‘treasure’ is inner fullness—stable luminous gain.
Aṃhas vs Uru (constriction vs wideness), Enas (deviation from ṛta) and purification, Ratna (spiritual treasure)
Distress arises from deviation from ṛta; wideness returns when ṛta is restored.
Anāgasaḥ is satya in character—transparent, unwarped being.
Cosmic maintenance and purification: the world is kept luminous by removal of enas.
Vedic integral psychology: ‘sin’ as a vibration/obscuration removable by truth-light.
after sunrise (clearing)
Clearing of inner weather: clouds of guilt/fear dissolve, revealing spacious sky-mind and the jewel of purity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘crossing from aṃhas to uru’ mythologem: moving from oppressive narrowness into divine wideness, enabled by Āditya purification from enas. It is a liberation pattern rather than a single heroic exploit—release by lawful solar powers.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- uru ‘wide’ corresponds to PIE *wer- / *h₁wer- ‘wide, broad’ (cf. Greek eurús ‘wide’). This inherited adjective anchors a pan-Indo-European poetic opposition between narrowness and breadth/freedom.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer testifies (asti…asti) to the Ādityas’ objective power: they are not only petitioned but presented as guarantors of a real realm of wideness and a real ‘treasure’ of blameless being—inviting the gods to actualize that truth in the human.
Widening beyond distress; contemplation of ‘there is a vast beyond’ (asti…uru).
anahata (release from tightness)
Box breathing gently (4-4-4-4) while contemplating ‘asti…uru’ on the inhale and ‘ratnam anāgasaḥ’ on the exhale
Spacious relief; purified quiet joy
When guilt or constriction arises, do not spiral inward. Affirm the existence of wideness; invite the Āditya light to dissolve the residue (enas) and reveal the inner jewel.
Let the repeated asti be steady and level; slight udatta lift on uru and ratnam; give adbhuta-enasaḥ a bright upward turn then settle.
Two clear pauses: after uru, after anāgasaḥ; keep the final epithet as a single flowing compound.
(aṃhaḥ): nasalization on aṃ, visarga at end, (uru): both short u, (anāgasaḥ): long ā in nā, soft sibilants, (adbhutainasaḥ): articulate dbh cluster; split mentally as adbhuta + enasaḥ
spacious, reassuring, luminous
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