Rig Veda 8.2.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 2, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.2
- Rishi
- Medhyātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
न यं शुक्रो न दुराशीर्न तृप्रा उरुव्यचसम् । अपस्पृण्वते सुहार्दम् ॥
ná yaṃ śukró ná durāśī́r ná tṛprā́ uruvyácasam | apaspṛṇváte suhā́rdam ||
ผู้นั้นผู้แผ่รัศมีไพศาล—ทั้งพลังอันสว่าง ทั้งความประสงค์ร้าย ทั้งความพอใจในตน—ล้วนผลักไสพระองค์มิได้; เพราะพระองค์คือพลังใจดี ที่ไม่อาจถูกกีดกันจากการดำเนินอันเที่ยงแท้.
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (negation particle)Root न
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शुक्रः
- the bright/pure oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (implicit predicate/subject in nominal clause)Root शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- दुराशीः
- ill-wish, evil benedictionNoun (abstract) / Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (implicit predicate/subject in nominal clause)Root दुराशी (प्रातिपदिक: दुर्- + आशी ‘wish/benediction’)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- तृप्राः
- the satiating one / the sated oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (implicit predicate/subject in nominal clause)Root तृप्र (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic adj. ‘sated/satisfying’)
- उरुव्यचसम्
- wide-reaching, far-extendingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (qualifier of यम्)Root उरुव्यचस् (प्रातिपदिक; उरु- ‘wide’ + व्यचस् ‘expanse, reach’)
- अपस्पृण्वते
- to/for the one who wards off (keeps away)Verb (present participial form used as finite-like in Vedic) / Kṛdantaवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रकार), चतुर्थी/षष्ठी?— here best taken as दत्तिवचन-सम्बन्ध: ‘for/unto the one who repels/keeps off’; एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Sampradāna (recipient/beneficiary sense: ‘to/for the repelling one’)Root √स्पृ (स्पृणोति/स्पृणुते; ‘to touch, to reach’; with preverb अप-)
- सुहार्दम्
- goodwill, friendly-heartednessNoun (abstract) / Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (object: ‘goodwill/friendship’)Root सुहार्द (प्रातिपदिक; सु- ‘good’ + हार्द ‘heart, friendliness’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: न | यम् | शुक्रः | न | दुराशीः | न | तृप्राः | उरुव्यचसम् | अपस्पृण्वते | सुहार्दम् । प्रमुख-सन्धिः: (1) यं → यम् (अनुस्वार/मकारादेशः पदान्ते) । (2) उरु + व्यचसम् → उरुव्यचसम् (समास/सन्धि) । (3) अप + स्पृण्वते → अपस्पृण्वते (उपसर्ग-संयोग) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
No bright force, no ill-wisher, and no self-satisfied one can push him away—him of wide luminous reach—because he is good-hearted and cannot be excluded.
Inner meaning
Indra’s vast luminous action (uruvyacas) cannot be negated by rival energies: (1) śukraḥ—mere brilliance without truth (dazzling ego-intelligence), (2) durāśīḥ—ill-will or twisted desire, (3) tṛprāḥ—complacent satisfaction that stops aspiration. These cannot ‘apaspṛṇvate’ (thrust away/exclude) the divine helper, because his nature is su-hārdam—benevolent, aligned with the soul’s true movement; once the inner call is sincere, the illumined power persists.
Universal truth
Neither cynicism, nor malice, nor complacency can finally prevent the growth of truth when the deeper goodwill of consciousness is invoked; the higher aid is intrinsically inclusive and restorative.
Themes
Indra invincible, Hostile forces, Vastness (uru), Psychological battle
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.2 (continuing Indra-focused Soma session)
Significance
The verse reads like a psychological diagnostic: it names three common obstacles—false brilliance, ill-will, complacency—recognized by seers across traditions.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- uru-vyacas (wide-radiant), su-hārdam (good-hearted)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (truth-order), Mitra (benevolence), Soma
Cosmic role
Protector of the seeker; ensures the victory of luminous order against inner and outer negations.
Inner power
Persistent helping illumination that cannot be finally expelled when the soul consents.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise during Soma offering; also suitable as a protective affirmation in the rite
न यं शु॒क्रो न दुरा॑शी॒र्न तृ॒प्रा उ॑रु॒व्यच॑सम् । अ॒प॒स्पृ॒ण्व॒ते सु॒हार्द॑म् ॥
न । यम् । शु॒क्रः । न । दुःऽआ॑शीः । न । तृ॒प्राः । उ॒रु॒ऽव्यच॑सम् । अ॒प॒ऽस्पृ॒ण्व॒ते । सु॒ऽहार्द॑म् ॥
na | yam | śukraḥ | na | duḥ-āśīḥ | na | tṛprāḥ | uru-vyacasam | apa-spṛṇvate | su-hārdam
32
4 × ~8 (two pādas shown in saṃhitā line; RV often prints in 2 half-verses)
Negating triad (‘na… na… na…’) produces a rhythmic fencing-off of obstacles.
Cleansing effect: the repeated ‘na’ acts like a psychological rejection of hindrances, ending in the warm resolution ‘suhārdam’.
- शुक्रः (śukraḥ)
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: Brilliance divorced from truth—egoic glare, mental dazzle
- दुराशीः (durāśīḥ)
- Literal: ill-wishing, bad intention. Symbolic: Hostile desire-forces, sabotage from within or without
- तृप्राः (tṛprāḥ)
- Literal: satiated, self-satisfied. Symbolic: Complacency that blocks ascent; tamasic satisfaction
- उरुव्यचसम् (uru-vyacasam)
- Literal: wide-spreading in radiance/speech. Symbolic: Vast luminous reach of the higher mind; expansive illumination
- अपस्पृण्वते (apa-spṛṇvate)
- Literal: push away, exclude. Symbolic: Psychic rejection—attempt to shut out the divine influence
- सुहार्दम् (su-hārdam)
- Literal: good-hearted, kind. Symbolic: Benevolent divine force aligned with the psychic being’s truth
Protective praise: asserting Indra’s irresistibility against hostile or complacent forces during the Soma rite.
When affirming Indra’s invincibility and benevolence amid competing forces
Recitation as part of stotra/śastra praising Indra’s wide power
Use as an inner ‘shield’ mantra against (a) egoic brilliance, (b) ill-will, (c) complacency—repeat before meditation to clear the field.
(uru) ‘wide’ (PIE *wer- ‘broad’ semantic field) + (vyácas) from √ ‘to extend/spread’. from apa + √/ ‘to touch’ → ‘to ward off, repel’. - = ḥ ‘bad’ + āśīs ‘wish/blessing’ (√ ‘to desire/hope’). (tṛprā́) related to √ ‘to be satisfied/sated’; psychologically ‘sated with the lesser’.
Victory of the wider consciousness over hostility, Rejection of complacent satisfaction (tṛp) in spiritual ascent
The wide-radiant Indra embodies r̥ta’s victorious spread against limiting denials.
True light differs from mere śukra (glare); satya-light is benevolent and integrative.
Expansion: consciousness widens (uru) and pervades (vyacas) the being.
Integral psychology of the Veda: obstacles are inner formations; deity is a power of consciousness.
Light = consciousness; ‘wide light’ = expanded awareness; ill-will and complacency = constricting formations that cannot ultimately bar the higher influx.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The inviolability of Indra’s wide power: no hostile will or complacent satisfaction can ‘exclude’ him. Mythically this echoes Indra’s unstoppable advance; psychologically it describes the irresistible entry of the higher force once the offering/aspiration is rightly prepared.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- uru ‘wide’ aligns with widespread IE notions of breadth as power (semantic parallel to Latin lātus ‘broad’ though not direct cognate). √tṛp ‘be satisfied’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan tarəp- ‘satisfy’). The negative triad ná...ná...ná is a common IE poetic device of emphatic exclusion.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi safeguards the descent by naming the inner obstacles—hostility (duḥāśīḥ) and complacency (tṛprāḥ)—and affirms Indra as ‘suhārdam’, the benevolent ally. The hymn thus functions as a psychological purification accompanying the rite.
Identify and release the three blockers: dazzling ego-thought, ill-will, and complacency; then invoke the ‘good-hearted’ luminous mind.
anāhata (heart)
On inhale: widen (uru); on exhale: release (na…na…na…) the three obstacles.
From defensive contraction to protected wideness; heart-supported clarity.
End each repetition by dwelling on ‘su-hārdam’—feel benevolence as the signature of true light (not mere brilliance).
Emphasize the triple ‘na’ with clear udatta peaks; let the cadence soften on ‘suhārdam’. Exact svara requires śākhā mapping.
Keep ‘uru-vyacasam’ flowing as one luminous expansion; avoid clipping consonant clusters in ‘durāśīḥ’.
śukro: keep ‘ś’ palatal, not dental ‘s’., durāśīḥ: lengthen ā; final ḥ lightly aspirated., apaspṛṇvate: articulate ‘spṛ’ cluster with brief rolled ‘ṛ’.
Firm at the negations, warm and open at the ending.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
