Rig Veda 1.162.20: Mandala 1, Sukta 162, Mantra 20
Sukta 1.162
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- Aśva with Agni/transformative heat implicitly
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
मा त्वा तपत्प्रिय आत्मापियन्तं मा स्वधितिस्तन्व आ तिष्ठिपत्ते । मा ते गृध्नुरविशस्तातिहाय छिद्रा गात्राण्यसिना मिथू कः ॥
mā tvā tapat priyá ātmā́pi-yántaṃ mā svá-dhitís tanvà ā́ tiṣṭhipat te | mā te gṛdhnúr avi-śastā́ti-hāya chidrā́ gā́trāṇy asínā mithū́ kaḥ ||
ขออย่าให้ตัวตนอันเป็นที่รักยิ่งภายในของท่าน ซึ่งกำลังเข้าใกล้ ถูกเผาไหม้เลย; ขออย่าให้ขวานตั้งทับลงบนกายของท่าน. ขออย่าให้ผู้ตัดที่โลภและไร้ชำนาญ ล่วงเกินแล้วฟันผิดด้วยคมมีด ทำให้อวัยวะของท่านแตกพรุน มีช่องโหว่ทั่วกาย.
Word by Word
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक कणRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- त्वा
- you (thee)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तपत्
- may (it) burn / scorchVerbलोट् (वैदिक), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; injunctive/imperatival senseRoot तप् (तपँ दाहे)
- प्रियः
- dear, belovedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- आत्मा
- self; vital beingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to प्रियः)Root आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपियन्तम्
- approaching; coming nearParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Karma (of तपत्)Root अपि-यम् (यम् उपरमे/गत्यर्थे; उपसर्ग अपि) → अपियन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक कणRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- स्वधितिः
- axe; hatchetNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot स्वधिति (प्रातिपदिक)
- तन्वः
- of (your) bodyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root तनू (प्रातिपदिक) / तन्व्- (वैदिक रूप)
- आ
- towards; ontoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तिष्ठिपत्
- may (it) stand upon / press uponVerbलोट् (वैदिक), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘stand/press upon’ senseRoot स्था (ष्ठा गतिनिवृत्तौ) → तिष्ठि- (वैदिक परस्मैपद-आदेश)
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक कणRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गृध्नुः
- greedy; ravenousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot गृध्नु (प्रातिपदिक; from √गृध् ‘to be greedy’)
- अविशः
- (like) a sheep (or sheepfold); harmless oneNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वैदिक), प्रथमा, एकवचन (collective)Role Kartā (apposition/descriptor)Root अवि-श (प्रातिपदिक) / अविश् (वैदिक) ‘sheepfold; sheep’
- तातिहाय
- lying in wait; assailingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (qualifier of गृध्नुः)Root तातिहाय (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक विशेषण, ‘lying in wait/attacking’)
- छिद्राः
- pierced; with holesAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Karma (of कः/करोतु implied)Root छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गात्राणि
- limbs; body-partsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (things affected)Root गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- असिना
- with a swordNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot असि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मिथू
- wrongly; in confusion; mutuallyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot मिथु (अव्यय)
- कः
- who? (lest anyone)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot क (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (संभाव्य): मा | त्वा | तपत् | प्रियः | आत्मा | अपियन्तम् | मा | स्वधितिः | तन्वः | आ | तिष्ठिपत् | ते || मा | ते | गृध्नुः | अविशः | तातिहाय | छिद्राः | गात्राणि | असिना | मिथू | कः || मुख्य सन्धि-समाधान: (1) तपत्+प्रियः → तपत्प्रियः (त् + प् संयोग)
- (2) आत्मा+अपियन्तम् → आत्मापियन्तम् (आ + अ = आ; दीर्घसन्धि)
- (3) स्वधितिः+तन्वः → स्वधितिस्तन्वः (विसर्ग + त् → स् त्)
- (4) तिष्ठिपत्+ते → तिष्ठिपत्ते (त् + त् → त्त)
- (5) गृध्नुः+अविशः → गृध्नुरविशः (विसर्ग + अ → र्)
- (6) तातिहाय+छि- → तातिहाय छि- (पदसीमा; सन्धि न आवश्यक)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A protective injunction: may the dear self not be scorched as it approaches; may the axe not strike the body; may no greedy, unskilled cutter damage the limbs with wrong blows, leaving gaps.
Inner meaning
In the inner sacrifice, the ‘beloved ātman’ is the psychic being approaching the transformative fire. The prayer asks that purification not become injury: tapas must not scorch the soul. The ‘axe’ and ‘blade’ symbolize harsh, ignorant methods—violent self-cutting, moralistic repression, or crude asceticism driven by greed/ego—that mutilate the nature instead of offering it integrally. True transformation preserves wholeness; it removes obscurations without creating inner fractures.
Universal truth
Purification requires skill, compassion, and right knowledge. When transformation is attempted with greed, haste, or violence, it damages the psyche. The true path protects the inmost self and heals the being into an integral offering.
Themes
protection, right measure, anti-greed ethic, Aśvamedha
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa-line (attribution varies)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.162.1–22, RV 1.163.1–14, RV 1.164
Family tradition
Seer of symbolic hymns; emphasizes hidden correspondences and the inner law (ṛta)
Significance
Here the rishi’s insight is ethical-psychological: inner sacrifice must be governed by knowledge and right measure, not by violent austerity or ego.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśva (consecrated force) with Agni implicit; guardianship of ṛta
- Epithets
- Aśva/Arvan (steed), Agni (purifier)
- Related deities
- Aditi (wholeness, non-injury), Varuṇa (law of ṛta), Savitar (right impulsion)
Cosmic role
The consecrated force is led through transformative heat toward the gods; the process must align with ṛta to avoid distortion.
Inner power
Agni as discerning purifier; the Aśva as dynamic life-energy being refined without harm to the psychic core.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvamedha protective/precautionary recitation during handling/cutting symbolism
मा त्वा॑ तपत्प्रि॒य आ॒त्मापि॒यन्तं॒ मा स्वधि॑तिस्त॒न्व१॒॑ आ ति॑ष्ठिपत्ते । मा ते॑ गृ॒ध्नुर॑विश॒स्ताति॒हाय॑ छि॒द्रा गात्रा॑ण्य॒सिना॒ मिथू॑ कः ॥
मा । त्वा॒ । त॒प॒त् । प्रि॒यः । आ॒त्मा । अ॒पि॒ऽयन्त॑म् । मा । स्वऽधि॑तिः । त॒न्वः॑ । आ । ति॒स्थि॒प॒त् । ते॒ । मा । ते॒ । गृ॒ध्नुः । अ॒वि॒ऽश॒स्ता । अ॒ति॒ऽहाय॑ । छि॒द्रा । गात्रा॑णि । अ॒सिना॑ । मिथु॑ । क॒रिति॑ कः ॥
mā | tvā | tapat | priyaḥ | ātmā | api-yantam | mā | sva-dhitiḥ | tanvaḥ | ā | tisthipat | te | mā | te | gṛdhnuḥ | avi-śastā | ati-hāya | chidrā | gātrāṇi | asinā | mithu | kariti kaḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Admonitory, controlled intensity; strong negatives (mā...) create a guarding rhythm
Creates a protective field—useful for calming excess zeal and establishing careful inner discipline.
- प्रियः आत्मा (priyaḥ ātmā)
- Literal: beloved self. Symbolic: psychic being/inmost soul-personality that must be safeguarded
- तपत् (tapat)
- Literal: scorch/burn. Symbolic: excessive tapas; harsh inner heat that can become injurious
- अपियन्तम् (apiyantam)
- Literal: approaching/drawing near. Symbolic: the soul moving closer to Agni/higher transformation
- स्वधिति (svadhiti)
- Literal: axe. Symbolic: crude cutting will; harsh discipline without insight
- तन्वः (tanvaḥ)
- Literal: body. Symbolic: embodied nature—physical-vital-mental instrumentation
- गृध्नु (gṛdhnu)
- Literal: greedy. Symbolic: egoistic desire that hijacks sādhanā
- अविशस्ता (aviśastā)
- Literal: unskilled/undiscerning. Symbolic: ignorant force lacking right measure (a-viśastā)
- असिना (asinā)
- Literal: with the sword/blade. Symbolic: penetrating force misused; wrong analysis that splits rather than illumines
- छिद्रा गात्राणि (chidrā gātrāṇi)
- Literal: limbs full of holes/gaps. Symbolic: fractured personality; loss of integration through wrong practice
Aśvamedha: protective/expiatory formula against improper cutting and excessive heat; ensures integrity of offering and rite
At points where the rite evokes cutting/partitioning, to ensure correctness and non-harm
Verbal guarding against wrong action; ensuring skilled, lawful performance
A mantra for ‘safe tapas’: before intense meditation/fasting/breathwork, invoke non-harm, skill, and integral transformation.
(√tap ‘to heat, burn’): tapas must be conscious, not destructive. (ātman) ‘self/breath’: inner essence; in psychological reading, the central being. (gṛdhnu) from √gṛdh ‘to be greedy, desire’: desire distorts sacred work. (ati+√hā ‘to go beyond/leave’): transgression, exceeding right limit. (from √chid ‘to split’): gaps/defects—symbol of broken integration.
discipline vs. violence in transformation, desire (gṛdh) as corrupter of rite, integrity (acchidra) vs fragmentation (chidra)
Implied: wrong cutting violates ṛta; right action preserves the integrity of the offering.
Truth as right method—precision without violence; sincerity without cruelty.
Transformation must preserve the soul’s continuity while reshaping the outer nature.
Inner-sacrifice psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap style): tapas guided by the psychic being.
Heat is spiritual effort; the blade is discriminative power—beneficial only when guided by knowledge and compassion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘guarding the inmost self during sacrifice’: transformation must not scorch the ātman nor fragment the limbs. The adversary is not a demon but mismeasure—greed and unskilled overstepping.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tap ‘heat’ connects with PIE *tep- ‘warm’ (cf. Latin tepeō ‘be warm’). √gṛdh ‘greed’ has Indo-Iranian parallels; the moral-psychological vocabulary in early Vedic shows inherited Indo-European linkage of desire with disorder. √chid (split) again reflects PIE *skei-.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi petitions for a divinely governed process: the devatā-force must act without egoic greed or crude violence. The prayer establishes an ethic of inner yajña: protect the ātman while transforming nature.
Protect the psychic core during purification: let effort be warm but not scorching; let discernment cut ignorance, not the soul.
Anāhata (beloved inner self) with support from Manipūra (Agni)
Soothing exhalation emphasis (e.g., 4-in / 6-out) to cool excess inner heat; avoid forceful kumbhaka if agitated
Gentle vigilance; integral self-care in sādhanā
Before practice, inwardly affirm: ‘May my tapas be guided by truth and kindness.’ If strong emotions arise, do not ‘hack’ them away—offer them into Agni with awareness, keeping the heart intact and unified.
Use proper Ṛgvedic accents from a svara text; the repeated mā- injunctions should be clearly marked with their udātta placements.
Give each mā a clean onset; keep the cadence firm but not aggressive; observe Triṣṭubh caesura for clarity.
mā tvā: keep long ā; do not shorten, svadhitiḥ: pronounce dh as aspirated; final ḥ audible before pause, chidrā: retroflex ḍ; long ā, mithū: long ū; avoid ‘mithu’ short vowel
Protective, soft-edged, inwardly steady
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