Rig Veda 8.27.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 27, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.27
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Bhayankara
विश्वे हि ष्मा मनवे विश्ववेदसो भुवन्वृधे रिशादसः । अरिष्टेभिः पायुभिर्विश्ववेदसो यन्ता नोऽवृकं छर्दिः ॥
viśve hí ṣmā mánave viśvávedaso bhúvan-vṛdhé riśā́dasaḥ | áriṣṭebhiḥ pāyúbhir viśvávedaso yántā no ’vṛkáṃ chárdiḥ ||
โอเหล่าผู้รู้ทั่วสากล (Viśvavedas) ทั้งหลาย แท้จริงเพื่อมานุ (Manu) บรรพชนมนุษย์ ท่านทั้งหลายเป็นผู้เพิ่มพูนโลกของเขา และเป็นผู้ทำลายผู้ก่อความเจ็บแค้น (riśādasa). ด้วยพลังคุ้มครองอันไม่บาดเจ็บ (pāyu) ของท่าน โอผู้รู้ทั่วสากล จงนำเราสู่ที่กำบังไร้หมาป่า—เป็นผืนคลุมแห่งสันติอันมิอาจล่วงละเมิดได้.
Word by Word
- विश्वे
- all (the gods/ones)Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- ष्मा
- verily, surelyIndeclinableवैदिक-निपात (बल/निश्चयार्थ)Root ष्म (निपात; वैदिक)
- मनवे
- to Manu / to the man (worshipper)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्ववेदसः
- all-knowingAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विश्वे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root विश्ववेदस् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास)
- भुवन्
- being, becomingVerbal adjective (present participle)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (विश्वे/विश्ववेदसः इत्यस्य सह)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root भू (धातु) → भुवन् (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
- वृधे
- for increase, for growthNoun (abstract/goal)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी/द्वितीया-एकवचन (वैदिक-रूप; अर्थतः ‘वृद्धये’)Role प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानRoot वृध् (धातु) → वृधि/वृध (प्रातिपदिक); वैदिक प्रयोगः
- रिशादसः
- eaters of injury; destroyers of harmAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विश्वे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root रिशादस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास: रिशा- + अदस्)
- अरिष्टेभिः
- with unharming, uninjured (means)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
- पायुभिः
- with protectors/guardiansNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot पायु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्ववेदसः
- O all-knowing onesAdjective (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; बहुवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot विश्ववेदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यन्ता
- the guide, leaderNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यम् (धातु) → यन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) / यन्ता (वैदिक नामरूप)
- नः
- of us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध/सम्प्रदान (सन्दर्भानुसार)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अवृकम्
- wolf-less; free from the wolf (danger)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (छर्दिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root अवृक (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-तत्पुरुष: अ- + वृक)
- छर्दिः
- shelter, protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot छर्दिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेदः: (1) नोऽवृकं = नः + अवृकम् (ओऽव्- संधि; विसर्गस्य लोपः/अवग्रहः)
- शेषपदानि पदपाठानुसारं प्रायः असन्धितानि।
The meaning
Outer meaning
All you all-knowing ones, truly, for Manu you become increasers of his world and destroyers of the hurtful. With your uninjured protective powers, O all-knowing ones, bring to us a wolf-less shelter—an inviolable covering of peace.
Inner meaning
Manu represents the human seeker (the mental being aspiring to right living). The Viśve Devāḥ, universal knowers, enlarge the ‘bhūvan’—the inner world of consciousness—by growth (vṛdhe) and by destroying what harms (riśādasaḥ): forces of falsehood, division, and the ‘wolf’ energies that devour peace (predatory impulses, hostile thoughts). Their ariṣṭa pāyus are intact, unbroken protections—powers that cannot be wounded by lower attacks. The sought ‘avṛkaṃ chardiḥ’ is a shelter without the wolf: a secure, fear-free inner covering where aspiration can mature.
Universal truth
Human growth requires divine protection: the expansion of consciousness and the removal of predatory, harmful tendencies, culminating in a secure inner peace that cannot be violated by fear or hostility.
Themes
Protection, Inner battle (harm vs. safeguarding powers), Invocation of collective deities, Growth of the human seeker (Manu)
The seer
Significance
This is a protective and ethical-spiritual prayer centered on ‘Manu’ (the human ideal). It expresses a key Vedic yoga need: the growing inner world must be defended from hostile forces so that illumination can stabilize into peace.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ (All Gods / collective divine powers)
- Epithets
- viśvavedasaḥ, riśādasaḥ, pāyubhiḥ (protective)
- Related deities
- Ādityas, Agni, Indra, Varuṇa
Cosmic role
Collective maintenance of the cosmos; harmonizers and protectors of the sacrificer; removers of obstacles and harm.
Inner power
Integral protection and harmonization; expansion of consciousness; consuming of hostile and predatory movements.
In ritual
Where it is used
General invocation for protection and well-being; suitable as an āhvāna (inviting) / śānti-protective recitation within Soma contexts and communal rites; exact Śrauta assignment varies by śākhā and is not explicit from this single verse.
विश्वे॒ हि ष्मा॒ मन॑वे वि॒श्ववे॑दसो॒ भुव॑न्वृ॒धे रि॒शाद॑सः । अरि॑ष्टेभिः पा॒युभि॑र्विश्ववेदसो॒ यन्ता॑ नोऽवृ॒कं छ॒र्दिः ॥
विश्वे॑ । हि । स्म॒ । मन॑वे । वि॒श्वऽवे॑दसः॑ । भुव॑न् । वृ॒धे । रि॒शाद॑सः । अरि॑ष्टेभिः । पा॒युऽभिः॑ । वि॒श्व॒ऽवे॒द॒सः॒ । यन्त॑ । नः॒ । अ॒वृ॒कम् । छ॒र्दिः ॥
viśve | hi | sma | manave | viśva-vedasaḥ | bhuvan | vṛdhe | riśādasaḥ | ariṣṭebhiḥ | pāyu-bhiḥ | viśva-vedasaḥ | yanta | naḥ | avṛkam | chardiḥ
2 padas with descriptive epithets then a strong imperative request for shelter.
Protective and declarative; the second pada tightens into a firm petition.
Creates reassurance and inner fortification; good for anxiety, fear, or sense of psychic attack.
- मनवे (manave)
- Literal: to/for Manu. Symbolic: The human seeker; the law-giving mental being aspiring to right order
- विश्ववेदसः (viśvavedasaḥ)
- Literal: all-knowing. Symbolic: Integral divine awareness; powers that see the whole
- भुवन् वृधे (bhuvan vṛdhe)
- Literal: for the increase of the world. Symbolic: Expansion of the inner world of consciousness
- रिशादसः (riśādasaḥ)
- Literal: eaters/destroyers of harm. Symbolic: Forces that consume suffering, falsehood, hostile influence
- अरिष्टेभिः पायुभिः (ariṣṭebhiḥ pāyubhiḥ)
- Literal: with uninjured protections. Symbolic: Invulnerable guardianship; intact spiritual defenses
- अवृकम् (avṛkam)
- Literal: wolf-less. Symbolic: Free from predatory impulses/hostile formations
- छर्दिः (chardiḥ)
- Literal: shelter, covering. Symbolic: Protective peace; an inner envelope of safety and harmony
General invocation for protection and well-being; suitable as an āhvāna (inviting) / śānti-protective recitation within Soma contexts and communal rites; exact Śrauta assignment varies by śākhā and is not explicit from this single verse.
A protective mantra for daily recitation: invoke integral divine powers for an ‘inviolable shelter’—psychological safety, non-reactivity, and freedom from predatory impulses.
Key terms: (1) viśvá-vedas: viśva ‘all’ + vedas ‘knowledge’ (√vid ‘to know’), indicating total cognition rather than mere omniscience. (2) riśā́dasaḥ: compound with -dasa ‘eater’ from √ad ‘to eat’; riśā- relates to injury/harm (cf. riś ‘to hurt’), hence ‘consumers of harm’—psychologically, powers that dissolve hostile formations. (3) pāyú- ‘protector’ from √pā ‘to protect, guard’. (4) áriṣṭa ‘uninjured, unharmed’ (a- privative + √riṣ ‘to damage’), suggesting protection that cannot be breached. (5) yántā: imperative from √yam ‘to hold, restrain, guide’; here ‘lead/bring into’ a state of safety. (6) á-vṛka: a- privative + vṛka ‘wolf’; the ‘wolf’ is a Vedic image for devouring, predatory powers (outer/inner), hence a request for a field of consciousness not subject to such seizure. (7) chárdiḥ: ‘covering/shelter’, often as divine protection; from √chṛd/√chard ‘to cover/shelter’ (semantic field: protective enclosure).
Ṛta (protective order that restrains hostile forces), expansion of being (vṛdhi as growth of consciousness), collective divine action (Viśve Devāḥ as harmonized powers)
The gods protect the human alignment to R̥ta by destroying what violates it (harmful forces).
Viśvavedas = truth-knowledge that can discern and neutralize falsehood.
World-increase (bhūvan vṛdhi): the inner cosmos grows under divine guardianship.
Ethico-spiritual psychology leading toward Upaniṣadic inner security (abhaya) through truth and wideness.
Wolf = hostile/predatory impulses and fear; shelter = protective peace and stable inner envelope.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the collective gods as ‘destroyers of harm’ who establish a secure enclosure for Manu (humanity). Rather than a single heroic exploit, it is the recurring Vedic action of the devas forming an unbreachable refuge (chardiḥ) and consuming hostile forces (riśādasaḥ). The ‘wolf’ signifies predatory darkness—forces that seize the life-force or knowledge—so ‘wolf-less shelter’ is the protected domain of ordered consciousness under Ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes align with inherited Indo-European verbal cores: √vid ‘know’ (PIE *weid- ‘see/know’) in vedas; √ad ‘eat’ (PIE *h₁ed- ‘eat’) in -dasa; √pā ‘protect’ (often connected with PIE *peh₂- ‘protect, shepherd’ in broader IE comparisons); √yam ‘hold/guide’ (PIE *yem- ‘hold’). The verse’s compounds (viśva-vedas, riśā-das) show the old Indo-European poetic strategy of dense epithetic composition to encode mythic function in morphology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker positions Manu as the representative human vessel; the devas are invoked as universal knowers who actively increase the ‘becoming’ (bhuvan) toward growth (vṛdhi). The reciprocity is implicit: the human offers recognition and alignment (calling them viśvavedas twice, acknowledging their true nature), and the devas respond by establishing protective order—granting an avṛka chardiḥ, a consciousness-covering where hostile impulses cannot enter.
Establish a protected inner space (‘wolf-less shelter’) for growth of consciousness.
Anahata (safety/peace) with Ajna (all-knowing guidance)
Extended exhale (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 6) while repeating ‘avṛkaṃ chardiḥ’ mentally to seal calm.
Protected wideness; quiet confidence.
Visualize a luminous boundary around your mind-heart. Offer all fear and hostility outward into the ‘riśādasaḥ’ power that consumes harm. Rest inside the boundary as a calm, wolf-free shelter; then let your aspiration grow steadily (bhūvan vṛdhe).
Maintain a calm, even tone; emphasize the protective petition in the second pada. Exact udātta/anudātta/svarita mapping needs a svara edition.
Slightly stress ‘ariṣṭebhiḥ pāyubhiḥ’ (protections) and resolve firmly on ‘avṛkaṃ chardiḥ’.
viśve: ś palatal; not ‘vish’ heavy, ṣmā: retroflex ṣ; long ā, manave: short a; clear v, riśādasaḥ: ri- short; ś palatal; d soft dental, ariṣṭebhiḥ: retroflex ṣṭ; bh aspirated; final ḥ, pāyubhiḥ: long ā; bh aspirated, avṛkam: vocalic ṛ; keep vṛ as one unit, chardiḥ: ch aspirated; rd cluster; final ḥ
Low, steady, protective; minimal vibrato.
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