Rig Veda 7.85.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 85, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.85
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
स्पर्धन्ते वा उ देवहूये अत्र येषु ध्वजेषु दिद्यवः पतन्ति । युवं ताँ इन्द्रावरुणावमित्रान्हतं पराचः शर्वा विषूचः ॥
spárdhante vá u deva-hū́ye átra yéṣu dhvajéṣu didyávaḥ pátanti | yuváṃ tā́n indrāvaruṇāv amítrān hatáṃ parā́caḥ śárvā víṣūcaḥ ||
یہاں دیوتاؤں کی پکار کے تصادم میں وہ جدوجہد کرتے ہیں، جہاں چمکتی روشنیاں جنگی معیاروں پر گرتی ہیں۔ آپ دونوں، اے اندر اور ورون، ان دشمن قوتوں کو مار گرائیں، انہیں دور بھگا دیں، ٹوٹے ہوئے اور بکھرے ہوئے۔
Word by Word
- स्पर्धन्ते
- they contend / vieVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्र. 3, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्पर्ध् (धातु)
- वै
- indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root वै (निपात)
- उ
- and / also (emphatic particle)Indeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root उ (निपात)
- देवहूये
- in the god-invocation / in the call to the godsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot देवहूय (प्रातिपदिक; देव + हूय < √ह्वे ‘आह्वान’)
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
- येषु
- in whichPronounपुं./नपुं., सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- ध्वजेषु
- in/among the banners, standardsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिद्यवः
- lightningsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot दिद्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पतन्ति
- fall / flyVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, बहुवचनRoot पत् (धातु)
- युवम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- तान्
- those (ones)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- इन्द्रावरुणौ
- Indra and VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्रावरुण (द्वन्द्व-समास प्रातिपदिक)
- अमित्रान्
- enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अमित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- हतम्
- smite / slayVerb (injunctive/imperative sense) / verbal adjective(युवम् …) ‘हतम्’ = आदेशार्थे: ‘slay!’; रूपम्: हत (PPP), नपुंसक/पुं. एकवचन-प्रयोगः (वेदे आदेशार्थे अव्ययवत्)Root √हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त)
- पराचः
- turned away, averseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (अमित्रान् विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot पराञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शर्वा
- destructive, deadlyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (अमित्रान् विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot शर्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘शर्व’ = विनाशक/घातक)
- विषूचः
- scattering apart, divergentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (अमित्रान् विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot विषूच् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): स्पर्धन्ते | वै | उ | देवहूये | अत्र | येषु | ध्वजेषु | दिद्यवः | पतन्ति || युवम् | तान् | इन्द्रावरुणौ | अमित्रान् | हतम् | पराचः | शर्वा | विषूचः || 1) ‘देवहूये’ = देव + हूय (√ह्वे) → प्रातिपदिक ‘देवहूय’
- सप्तमी एकवचन। 2) ‘इन्द्रावरुणावमित्रान्’ इति संहितायां ‘इन्द्रावरुणौ अमित्रान्’ (औ + अ → आव्/आव… संधि-लेखनम्) । 3) ‘ताँ’ = तान् (द्वितीया बहु.) वैदिक-दीर्घ/अनुस्वार-प्रयोगः। 4) ‘हतं’ वैदिके आदेशार्थे (युवम् … हतम्) PPP-रूपस्य विधिलिङ्/लोट्-भावे प्रयोगः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
In a god-invoking battle, lightning-like flashes fall on the standards; Indra and Varuṇa are asked to strike the hostile forces and drive them away, broken and dispersed.
Inner meaning
The sādhaka enters an inner clash (devahūya) where aspiration calls the divine powers into the field of consciousness. The ‘battle-standards’ are the fixed formations of our nature (habitual banners of ego, desire, fear). The ‘flashes’ are sudden illuminations that reveal where the resistance stands. Indra (luminous Mind-power) and Varuṇa (vast Law, truth-order, self-mastery) are invoked together to shatter the amitrāḥ—hostile movements in the lower nature—and to scatter them in all directions so they cannot regroup.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires both illumination and law: insight that exposes falsehood (Indra) and a sovereign inner order that binds the being to truth (Varuṇa). When both act, resistance is not merely suppressed but disintegrated and driven out of the system.
Themes
battle of light and darkness, removal of hostile forces, divine protection in conflict
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇi tradition in Maṇḍala 7)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86, RV 7.87, RV 7.88, RV 7.89
Family tradition
Royal priest-seer lineage emphasizing ṛta (truth-order) and the Varuṇa principle of vastness and ethical-spiritual law.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s vision often joins moral-spiritual law (Varuṇa/Ādityas) with effective divine force (Indra/Agni), mapping the inner battle as a movement from guilt/limitation to wideness and truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Śakra (Indra, implicit power), Āditya (Varuṇa as law-sovereign), ṛtasya gopā (Varuṇa as guardian of ṛta, thematic)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Ādityas, Agni, Soma, Maruts
Cosmic role
Indra breaks the cover and releases light; Varuṇa establishes the vast order and binds beings to truth. Together they govern victory that is not chaotic but harmonized with ṛta.
Inner power
Indra: decisive illumined intelligence and courage; Varuṇa: inner law, self-restraint, wideness, and truth-sense that prevents relapse into old patterns.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra–Varuṇa praise/invocation within Soma-related or victory-protective sequences (general Maṇḍala 7 usage)
स्पर्ध॑न्ते॒ वा उ॑ देव॒हूये॒ अत्र॒ येषु॑ ध्व॒जेषु॑ दि॒द्यव॒: पत॑न्ति । यु॒वं ताँ इ॑न्द्रावरुणाव॒मित्रा॑न्ह॒तं परा॑च॒: शर्वा॒ विषू॑चः ॥
स्पर्ध॑न्ते । वै । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । दे॒व॒ऽहूये॑ । अत्र॑ । येषु॑ । ध्व॒जेषु॑ । दि॒द्यवः॑ । पत॑न्ति । यु॒वम् । तान् । इ॒न्द्रा॒व॒रु॒णौ॒ । अ॒मित्रा॑न् । ह॒तम् । परा॑चः । शर्वा॑ । विषू॑चः ॥
spardhante | vai | oṃ iti | deva-hūye | atra | yeṣu | dhvajeṣu | didyavaḥ | patanti | yuvam | tān | indrāvaruṇau | amitrān | hatam | parācaḥ | śarvā | viṣūcaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (with Vedic resolution/expansion likely)
Martial, driving cadence suited to invocation in struggle; forward-thrusting with decisive caesura.
Energizes will and clarity; supports a ‘cutting away’ of resistance while maintaining inner poise through Varuṇa’s steadiness.
- देवहूये (devahūye)
- Literal: in the calling/invocation of the gods; god-summoning contest. Symbolic: the inner sacrifice where aspiration summons higher powers into active engagement
- स्पर्धन्ते (spardhante)
- Literal: they strive, contend. Symbolic: the conflict of forces in consciousness—aspiration vs. inertia/desire
- ध्वजेषु (dhvajeṣu)
- Literal: on the standards/banners. Symbolic: fixed formations of nature; identity-flags of ego and habitual tendencies
- दिद्यवः (didyavaḥ)
- Literal: flashes, gleams, lightnings. Symbolic: brief illuminations, intuitive gleams that reveal the enemy positions
- अमित्रान् (amitrān)
- Literal: foes, hostile ones. Symbolic: inner adversaries: doubt, impulsion of desire, anger, depression, falsehood
- शर्वा (śarvā)
- Literal: shattered, broken (as if by a missile). Symbolic: disintegration of resistant formations so they cannot re-form
- विषूचः (viṣūcaḥ)
- Literal: scattered apart, in different directions. Symbolic: dispersion of subconscient knots; removal of concentrated obstruction
Protective/royal martial prayer within ritual; inner battle against amitra forces
During hymnic recitation to invoke protection, victory, and right order; also adaptable to daily recitation before demanding actions.
Stotra/śastra-style praise with offering-intent (havis-minded attitude) and protective petition.
Use as a mantra of inner protection before difficult conversations, examinations, or when breaking addictive loops—invoke ‘illumination + law’ to disperse hostile impulses.
√spṛdh (spardh-) 'contend' has IE parallels of rivalry/strife; dhvája 'banner' (mark of a host); didyú 'flash' from √dyut 'shine'; amítra a- + mitra 'non-friend' = hostile; √han 'strike' is old IE (cf. Greek phónos is different, but IE striking roots are widespread); parā́c 'away' directional; viṣūc from vi- + √suc/śuc? (directional scattering sense).
inner conflict as field of invocation (deva-hūya)
Indra’s victory is asked to be aligned with Varuṇa’s ṛta—removing hostile forces without disorder.
Hostile powers are essentially falsehoods; their scattering is restoration of truth-perception.
Conflict as a necessary phase in manifestation: light descending into mixed nature to reorganize it.
Proto-Vedāntic / Integral-Vedic (Aurobindonian) reading: psychological sacrifice and transformation of nature.
Lightning = sudden intuition; battlefield = inner arena of forces; banners = fixed self-definitions; scattering = dissolution of concentrated subconscient resistance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The god-aided battle: Indra–Varuṇa as joint defenders who drive away hostile powers. In the inner reading, the 'amitra' are forces of division/falsehood; the flashes are moments of illumination striking the formations of obscurity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mitra- has Indo-Iranian cognacy with Avestan miθra (contract/bond), indicating shared cultural semantics. didyú from √dyut relates to PIE *dyeu- 'shine'.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi calls upon the paired sovereigns not for external conquest alone but for the decisive inner victory: to make the hostile formations 'parācaḥ'—removed from the field of consciousness—so the rite and life-march can proceed.
Invoke Indra-clarity to detect resistance; invoke Varuṇa-wideness to re-establish inner law and self-mastery; then consciously ‘send away’ the hostile formation.
Ājñā (Indra—illumined discernment) and Viśuddha (Varuṇa—truth and ethical clarity)
Moderate inhale (calling the gods), firm exhale (driving away the amitra); brief pause after exhale to feel ‘scattering’ in silence.
Dynamic stillness: alert, courageous, and wide; a controlled force rather than agitation.
Before chanting, name the ‘amitra’ (one pattern). Chant 3–9 times; after each cycle, visualize the pattern breaking (śarvā) and dispersing (viṣūcaḥ) into vast space (Varuṇa).
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per pada; follow Śākala accentuation as given in saṃhitā with special care to enclitics (vā, u).
Keep udatta syllables bright and slightly raised; let svarita fall-glide; do not over-stress particles (vā, u) though they carry accentual behavior in Vedic recitation.
(spardhante): clear ‘rdh’ cluster, not ‘rth’, (devahūye): long ū in hū; avoid ‘huye’ shortness, (dhvajeṣu): articulate ‘dhv’ as a cluster, not separated, (didyavaḥ): keep ‘dy’ palatal glide, not ‘di-ya’, (indrāvaruṇau): long ā; ‘ṇ’ retroflex in varuṇa, (viṣūcaḥ): long ū; final ḥ audible but soft
Firm, clear, slightly martial; end each pāda with controlled release into wideness.
9
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.
