Rig Veda 7.66.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 66, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.66
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Short meter
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
ता नः स्तिपा तनूपा वरुण जरितॄणाम् । मित्र साधयतं धियः ॥
tā́ naḥ stipā́ tanūpā́ váruṇa jaritṝṇā́m | mítra sā́dhayataṃ dhíyaḥ ||
ขอท่านทั้งสอง—ผู้พิทักษ์ย่างก้าวของเรา และผู้พิทักษ์กายของเรา—โอ วรุณะ (Varuṇa) เจ้าแห่งเหล่านักสรรเสริญ; โอ มิตร (Mitra) จงทำให้ความคิดหยั่งรู้ (dhī) ของเราสำเร็จ และตั้งให้ถูกต้องเถิด.
Word by Word
- ता
- those (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (प्राप्तव्य-वस्तु)Root तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान (हित/लाभ-सम्बन्धः) अथवा षष्ठी-सम्बन्धःRoot अस्मद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- स्तिपा
- O Stipā (steadfast protector)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot स्तिपा (prātipadika; Varuṇa-epithet, ‘firm-protector/steadfast guardian’)
- तनूपा
- O Tanūpā (protector of our person)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot तनूपा (prātipadika; ‘protector of the body/person’)
- वरुण
- O VaruṇaNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot वरुण (prātipadika)
- जरितॄणाम्
- of the praisersNoun (agent noun)पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (सम्बन्ध/अधिकारः)Root जरितृ (kṛdanta-prātipadika; √जृ/जर् ‘to praise’ → ‘praiser’)
- मित्र
- O MitraNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot मित्र (prātipadika)
- साधयतम्
- accomplish (you two), make succeedVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (आज्ञा/प्रार्थना)Root √साध् (to accomplish, make succeed)
- धियः
- the prayers / thoughtsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (साध्य-वस्तु)Root धि (prātipadika; ‘thought, prayer, insight’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ता | नः | स्तिपा | तनूपा | वरुण | जरितॄणाम् | मित्र | साधयतम् | धियः । 1) ‘ता नः’ इति सर्वनाम + अस्मद्-एन्क्लिटिक
- विशेष सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न। 2) ‘स्तिपा तनूपा वरुण’—सम्बोधन-श्रृङ्खला (एपिथेट्-सम्बोधनानि), सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न। 3) ‘मित्र साधयतम्’—सम्बोधन + लोट्-द्विवचन-क्रिया
- सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न।
The meaning
Outer meaning
You two are guardians of our steps and guardians of our being—O Varuṇa of the singers; O Mitra, set right and accomplish our thoughts.
Inner meaning
Mitra–Varuṇa are invoked as protectors of the path (sti-pā) and of the embodied nature (tanū-pā). Varuṇa guards the truth-discipline of the aspirants (jaritṝṇām), preventing deviation; Mitra harmonizes and perfects the working thought (dhī), so the mind becomes a fit instrument of ṛta rather than a maker of confusion.
Universal truth
True progress needs both protection and correction: guidance for the journey and purification of the instrument. When the law of truth safeguards us and the power of harmony perfects our thought, the path becomes straight.
Themes
guidance and protection, perfection of thought, integral well-being
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.60, RV 7.61, RV 7.62, RV 7.66.2, RV 7.66.6
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭhas emphasize disciplined wideness: aspiration protected by law (Varuṇa) and harmonized by consent (Mitra).
Significance
The seer asks not for outer boons first but for the rectification of thought—central to the Aurobindonian reading of dhī as the instrument of revelation.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- sti-pā, tanū-pā, Varuṇa (of the singers)
- Related deities
- Aryaman, Aditi, Indra (as illumination ally)
Cosmic role
They guard journeys, contracts, and cosmic law; they correct deviation and maintain right relation in the worlds.
Inner power
Varuṇa: purifier, remover of falsehood, keeper of conscience and vastness; Mitra: unifier, builder of concord, maker of right mental formation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective invocations to Mitra–Varuṇa for safe passage and right conduct
ता न॑: स्ति॒पा त॑नू॒पा वरु॑ण जरितॄ॒णाम् । मित्र॑ सा॒धय॑तं॒ धिय॑: ॥
ता । नः॒ । स्ति॒ऽपा । त॒नू॒ऽपा । वरु॑ण । ज॒रि॒तॄ॒णाम् । मित्र॑ । सा॒धय॑तम् । धियः॑ ॥
tā | naḥ | sti-pā | tanū-pā | varuṇa | jaritṝṇām | mitra | sādhayatam | dhiyaḥ
32
4 pādas of ~8 syllables (approx.)
Directive and prayerful; quick turns of address (Varuṇa… Mitra…) create responsive cadence.
Feels like guided walking: step-by-step protection, then a settling of thought into order.
- sti-pā
- Literal: guardian of steps/paths. Symbolic: protector of the yogic movement; right guidance in transitions
- tanū-pā
- Literal: guardian of the body/person. Symbolic: protector of the embodied nature; safeguarding life-force and temperament
- jaritṝṇām
- Literal: of the singers/praisers. Symbolic: of those who aspire and articulate the soul’s call
- dhī/dhiyaḥ
- Literal: thoughts, insights. Symbolic: illumined understanding; the forming power of consciousness
- sādhayatam
- Literal: make accomplished, set right. Symbolic: rectify the mind into truth-effective intuition
Prayer for guidance (steps) and integrity (body/being), culminating in the perfection of dhī (insight).
Morning or before travel/undertaking; also during soma rites as a prayer for purity of the sacrificer’s intention.
Recited as protective prayer; mentally offer one’s ‘dhiyaḥ’ into the Āditya law.
A pre-meditation or pre-work recitation: ‘guard my steps, guard my being, set right my thoughts’—useful for anxiety and scattered mind.
tanū ‘body/self’ from √tan ‘stretch’ (the extended being); pā ‘protect’ (tanū-pā); sādhay- from √sādh ‘accomplish, make straight/right’; jaritṛ ‘singer’ from √gṛ ‘sing/praise’ (traditional derivations vary). stipā is a compound-like protector term (sti/step + pā) indicating guidance in movement.
tanū (embodied self as vessel), dhī (insight), sādhana (accomplishment; implied by √sādh)
Mitra–Varuṇa maintain ṛta by guarding movement (steps) and instrument (body-mind).
Truthfulness as inner alignment; Varuṇa’s domain is the compulsion toward satya.
Order is enacted through right movement and right thought—microcosm reflecting macrocosm.
Integral-Vedic psychology: gods as functions in consciousness; dhī as revelatory mind.
The ‘path’ is the progressive unfolding of sadhana; ‘body-guarding’ is stabilizing prāṇa and nerves so insight can descend.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘guardianship’ mythologem: the gods guard both movement (steps) and embodiment (tanū), and complete the dhī. Innerly, it is the securing of the path of practice and the vessel, so insight can be accomplished.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- tanū from √tan ‘stretch’ continues PIE *ten- ‘stretch’ (cf. Latin tendō). √pā ‘protect’ has Indo-Iranian parallels and fits an IE pattern of protection verbs used in sacral contexts.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The singers (jaritṛ) ask for a comprehensive guardianship: not only external safety but the right forming of inner cognition. The devatās are invoked as practical allies in sādhana—making thought effective and true.
Protection of the path and purification of thought (dhī-śuddhi).
ajna
4-4 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 4) while feeling ‘steps’ steadying
Guided composure; ethical clarity; harmonized mind.
Before sitting, feel the feet and spine; invoke ‘sti-pā’ to steady life-movements, ‘tanū-pā’ to calm the nerves, then offer thoughts to be corrected into truthful seeing.
Three-tone Vedic recitation; preserve accent contrasts especially in vocatives (varuṇa, mitra).
Clear caesura at ‘varuṇa jaritṝṇām | mitra…’; let the addresses stand out without rushing.
sti-pā: crisp cluster ‘st’ and long ā, tanū-pā: long ū in tanū, jaritṝṇām: retroflex ṛ and long ṝ, dhiyaḥ: aspirate dh, short i, visarga ḥ at end
Protective, prayerful, slightly softer on requests; firm on ‘sādhayatam’.
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