Rig Veda 5.40.7: Mandala 5, Sukta 40, Mantra 7
Sukta 5.40
मा मामिमं तव सन्तमत्र इरस्या द्रुग्धो भियसा नि गारीत् । त्वं मित्रो असि सत्यराधास्तौ मेहावतं वरुणश्च राजा ॥
mā́ mām imáṃ táva sántaṃ atra irasyā́ drugdhó bhiyásā ní gārīt | tváṃ mitró asi satyárādhās táu mā́ ihā́vatam váruṇaś ca rājā́ ||
โอ อตริ (Atri) ขออย่าให้ผู้นี้—ผู้เป็นของท่าน—ถูกความกลัวกดให้ตกต่ำเพราะโทษแห่งความริษยา ท่านคือมิตระ (Mitra) ผู้บันดาลความสำเร็จอันสัตย์จริง ขอท่านทั้งสอง—มิตระและพระราชาวรุณะ (Varuṇa)—จงคุ้มครองข้าพเจ้า ณ ที่นี้
Protective/prāyaścitta-like appeal within sacrificial setting: guarding the sacrificer from hostile emotions (envy/fear) that disrupt ṛta and the efficacy of the offering.
Satya (truth) as basis of right boons (rādhāḥ), Ṛta upheld by Mitra-Varuṇa, psychological afflictions as inner adversaries (fear, envy)
Mitra-Varuṇa are explicit upholders of ṛta; protection is protection of right order within and without.
Satyarādhās: true results come from alignment with truth, not reactive emotion.
Ethico-spiritual Vedism trending toward Upaniṣadic truth-discipline (satya/ṛta as inner law).
Twilight/transition (psychologically: vulnerable moments)
Mitra = harmonizing daylight of mind; Varuṇa = vast sky/ocean of consciousness that purifies and holds to truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a cosmic combat but an ethical-psychological mythologem: hostile forces work through envy and fear to ‘cast down’ the aspirant; Mitra-Varuṇa, as guardians of truth and right relation, are invoked to restore inner order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The fear lexeme √bhī is widely IE (cf. Gk phóbos ‘fear’ as a semantic relative though not a direct cognate; PIE fear roots are multiple). The pair-sovereignty (Mitra/Varuṇa) reflects an IE pattern of dual guardians of order and contract, comparable to juridical/sovereign dyads in other IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker aligns himself as ‘tava santam’—belonging to and aligned with the seer’s truth—then seeks the concrete protection of Mitra-Varuṇa. The rishi’s truth-state and the gods’ law-power cooperate to prevent a fall into lower consciousness.
Bring awareness to the heart-space; invoke Mitra as harmony in relationships and Varuṇa as vast truth-holding awareness.
Anāhata (heart)
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while repeating ‘tvam mitro asi… varuṇaś ca rājā’.
From reactive vital turbulence to calm, truthful wideness.
When jealousy or fear arises, name it, widen the breath, and repeat the mantra as an inner vow to truth and goodwill; let Varuṇa’s vastness dissolve contraction, let Mitra restore benevolence.
Follow saṃhitā accent marks per recension; emphasize the prayerful prohibitive ‘mā’ with clarity, not harshness.
Maintain pāda pauses after ‘ni gārīt’ and at the close; keep ‘mitro’ crisp; lengthen long vowels (ā, ī).
: mā mām imaṃ—separate mām / imaṃ clearly, : i-ra-syā (palatal ‘sy’ cluster), : drugdho—retain gh + dh articulation, : satya-rādhāḥ with clear aspirate dh
Gentle, protective, heart-centered tone.
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