Rig Veda 8.47.1: Mandala 8, Sukta 47, Mantra 1
Sukta 8.47
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
महि वो महतामवो वरुण मित्र दाशुषे । यमादित्या अभि द्रुहो रक्षथा नेमघं नशदनेहसो व ऊतयः सुतयो व ऊतयः ॥
máhi vo mahatā́m ávo váruṇa mítra dāśúṣe | yám ādityā́ abhí drúho rákṣathā néma-gháṃ ná naśad anéhaso va ūtáyaḥ su-ūtáyaḥ va ūtáyaḥ ||
عظیم ہے تمہاری عظیم مدد، اے ورون اور متر، دینے والے کے لیے۔ اے آدتیہ، اسے دشمنانہ پن سے بچاؤ، کوئی برائی اس تک نہ پہنچے۔ اے بغیر خطا والو، تمہاری حفاظتیں، تمہاری اچھی حفاظتیں ہماری پناہ گاہیں ہیں۔
Word by Word
- महि
- greatly, muchIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Role विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण) / प्रकारRoot महि (अव्यय; मह्/महत्-भाव) अथवा महि- (प्रातिपदिक) प्रयोगतः अव्यय
- वः
- your (of you all)Pronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic) — ‘of you/your’Role सम्बन्ध (genitive) — ‘your’Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- महताम्
- of the great (ones)Adjectiveषष्ठी बहुवचन (m./n.)Role सम्बन्ध — ‘of the great ones’Root महत् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवः
- help, protectionNounप्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (n.)Role कर्म (requested boon) / विधेयRoot अवस् (नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक) ‘help, protection’
- वरुण
- O VaruṇaNoun (proper) / Vocativeसम्बोधन एकवचन (m.)Role सम्बोधनRoot वरुण (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्र
- O MitraNoun (proper) / Vocativeसम्बोधन एकवचन (m.)Role सम्बोधनRoot मित्र (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper (the giver of offerings)Participle (verbal adjective)चतुर्थी एकवचन (m./n.) — ‘to the worshipper/giver’Role सम्प्रदानRoot दाश् (धातु) → दाशुष् (कृदन्त, परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट-भागवत् ‘worshipping/giving’)
- यम
- O YamaNoun (proper) / Vocativeसम्बोधन एकवचन (m.)Role सम्बोधनRoot यम (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आदित्या
- O ĀdityasNoun (proper class) / Vocativeसम्बोधन बहुवचन (m.)Role सम्बोधनRoot आदित्य (देवसमूह-प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- against, towardsIndeclinableअव्यय (पूर्वसर्ग/उपपद)Role दिशा/सम्बन्ध (towards/against)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- द्रुहः
- hostilities, harms, deceitsNounद्वितीया बहुवचन (f. or m. in Vedic usage) — object of ‘protect’Role कर्मRoot द्रुह् (स्त्री/पुं-प्रातिपदिक) ‘injury, deceit; hostile act’
- रक्षथ
- you protectVerbलट् (वर्तमान) मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (मुख्य) — addressed to godsRoot रक्ष् (धातु)
- नेमघम्
- distress, want (harmful lack)Noun/Adjectiveद्वितीया एकवचन (m./n.)Role कर्म (that which should not reach/afflict) / परिणामRoot नेमघ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘lack/need, poverty, distress’—Vedic) अथवा न-एमघ ‘non-harm’ (पदपाठे प्रायः एकपद)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध/उपमा-अव्यय; अत्र ‘न’ = ‘not’Role निषेधRoot न (अव्यय)
- नशत्
- may (it) reach / may it comeVerbलोट्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय (विधिलिङ्) तृतीयपुरुष एकवचन परस्मैपद (Vedic injunctive/precative sense) — ‘may it not reach’Role क्रिया (आशीः/विधि)Root नश् (धातु) ‘to reach, attain’
- अनेहसः
- of the troubleless; of freedom from distressAdjectiveषष्ठी एकवचन (m./n.) — ‘of the troubleless (one)’ or ‘of freedom from distress’Role सम्बन्धRoot अनेहस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘without distress/without trouble’, a- + नेहस्/एहस्)
- वः
- yourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- ऊतयः
- helps, aidsNounप्रथमा बहुवचन (f.)Role कर्तृ/विधेय (the aids as subject/predicate)Root ऊति (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक) ‘help, aid’
- सुतयः
- Soma-pressings, libationsNounप्रथमा बहुवचन (f.)Role कर्तृ/विधेय (apposition)Root सुति (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक) ‘pressing; Soma-pressing/oblation’
- वः
- yourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- ऊतयः
- helps, aidsNounप्रथमा बहुवचन (f.)Role कर्तृ/विधेयRoot ऊति
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: महि वः महताम् अवः वरुण मित्र दाशुषे । यम आदित्या अभि द्रुहः रक्षथ । नेमघम् न नशत् अनेहसः वः ऊतयः । सुतयः वः ऊतयः । Notes: (1) ‘महि॑ वो’ = महि + वः (enclitic)
- (2) ‘मह॒तामवो॒’ = महताम् + अवः (m-final nasal before vowel)
- (3) ‘वरु॑ण॒ मित्र॑’ are vocatives in apposition
- (4) ‘यमा॑दित्या’ = यम + आदित्या (vowel sandhi a+a→ā)
- (5) ‘अ॒भि द्रु॒हो’ = अभि + द्रुहः (pada shows plural object)
- (6) ‘नेम॒घं न॑शदने॒हसो॑’ parsed as नेमघम् + न + नशत् + अनेहसः (t-final before vowel; accent ignored in segmentation)
- (7) ‘व ऊ॒तय॑:’ = वः + ऊतयः (visarga/ḥ in saṃhitā often appears as ‘व’ before vowel in RV orthography)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Varuṇa and Mitra give great help to the giver; the Ādityas protect him from deceit/hostility so that no share of evil reaches him; their protections are unfailing.
Inner meaning
Varuṇa–Mitra as powers of Vast Truth (Varuṇa) and Harmonious Light/Right Relation (Mitra) strengthen the aspirant who offers (dāśuṣe)—the one who gives his energies into the inner sacrifice. The Ādityas guard against druḥ (crookedness, hostile falsity): inner distortions, self-deception, and adverse formations that twist the mind and will. ‘Let no portion of evil reach’ is the demand that no fragment of false movement be admitted into the consciousness. Their ‘anehasaḥ ūtayaḥ’ are the unerring protections of the Truth-powers that keep the being aligned to ṛta.
Universal truth
When we sincerely offer ourselves to truth and harmony, the laws of a higher order protect us from inner falsity and outer hostility; integrity is itself a shield when supported by the Truth-powers.
Themes
Protection, Truth-order, Harmony and law, Removal of evil
The seer
Significance
The seer-voice here stands in the tradition of invoking Āditya powers for ethical-spiritual protection—guarding the inner sacrifice from crookedness (druḥ) and ensuring alignment with ṛta.
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas—especially Varuṇa and Mitra.
- Epithets
- mahatām avo (great help), anehasaḥ (unerring)
- Related deities
- Aditi (infinite mother-principle), Aryaman (noble harmony), Bhaga (distributor of felicity)
Cosmic role
Upholders of ṛta (cosmic/moral order), guardians against falsehood and disorder.
Inner power
Psychological protection through truthfulness, clarity, harmony, and right discrimination; they expose and repel inner crookedness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective invocation within soma/offerings context (general RV usage for the sacrificer).
महि॑ वो मह॒तामवो॒ वरु॑ण॒ मित्र॑ दा॒शुषे॑ । यमा॑दित्या अ॒भि द्रु॒हो रक्ष॑था॒ नेम॒घं न॑शदने॒हसो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: सु॒तयो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: ॥
महि॑ । वः॒ । म॒ह॒ताम् । अवः॑ । वरु॑ण । मित्र॑ । दा॒शुषे॑ । यम् । आ॒दि॒त्याः॒ । अ॒भि । द्रु॒हः । रक्ष॑थ । न । ई॒म् । अ॒घम् । न॒श॒त् । अ॒ने॒हसः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ । सु॒ऽऊ॒तयः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ ॥
mahi | vaḥ | mahatām | avaḥ | varuṇa | mitra | dāśuṣe | yam | ādityāḥ | abhi | druhaḥ | rakṣatha | na | īm | agham | naśat | anehasaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ | su-ūtayaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ
Likely a refrain-based strophic meter (common in RV 8)
Verse with a recurring refrain ‘… anehaso va ūtayaḥ su-ūtayo va ūtayaḥ’ suggesting a fixed cadence appended to each stanza.
Supplicatory opening, then protective imperative, then mantra-like refrain that seals the protection.
The refrain works as a sonic ‘shield’: repeated assertion of unfailing protection stabilizes the mind against fear and doubt.
- वरुण (Varuṇa)
- Literal: Vedic deity Varuṇa. Symbolic: vastness and truth-law; the power that binds to ṛta and purifies by sincerity
- मित्र (Mitra)
- Literal: Vedic deity Mitra. Symbolic: harmony, right relation, luminous concord in mind and life
- आदित्याः (Ādityāḥ)
- Literal: sons of Aditi. Symbolic: powers of infinity and truth that uphold ṛta and guard the path
- दााशुषे (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver/worshipper. Symbolic: the aspirant who offers energies, attention, and ego into the inner yajña
- द्रुहः (druhaḥ)
- Literal: injury, deceit, hostile crookedness. Symbolic: falsity, perversion, adverse suggestion, inner betrayal of the truth
- अघम् (agham)
- Literal: evil, harm. Symbolic: wrong movement, obscuration, suffering-causing formation
- अनेहसः (anehasaḥ)
- Literal: unfailing, unerring, not negligent. Symbolic: sure guidance of truth-consciousness; protection that does not miss
- ऊतयः (ūtayaḥ)
- Literal: helps, protections. Symbolic: guarding forces of the Truth-powers around the sadhaka
Protective invocation in Soma ritual and general apotropaic recitation; aligns with Āditya hymns used for safeguarding and truth-order.
At moments of seeking protection/purification during offerings; also suitable as apotropaic (warding) recitation.
Recitation with offering (ghṛta/soma symbolically) while requesting guarding from druḥ and agha.
Use as a daily ‘inner protection’ mantra before engaging challenging environments; pair with a vow of truthfulness (satya) and right relation (mitra).
Varuṇa from root √vṛ/√var ‘cover, encompass’ → lord of all-encompassing order; Mitra from √mi ‘bind’/‘measure’ (and IE *mitr- ‘contract/friendship’ in Indo-Iranian) → harmony and right relation. √rakṣ ‘guard’ (rakṣatha) expresses the protective function. druh ‘deceit/hostility’ marks distortion against ṛta. ūti ‘help’ from √av/√ū? (traditional: succor/protection), functioning as refrain.
Ṛta (cosmic law upheld by Varuṇa-Mitra), Satya vs. Druh (truth vs. distortion), Protection as grace (ūti/ava)
Ādityas maintain ṛta by preventing entry of crookedness into the sacrificer’s field.
Truth as protection: the unerring (anehasaḥ) help is the force of satya guarding the being.
Sustaining order rather than cosmogony: preservation of the path and the human in the cosmic law.
Dharma/ṛta-centered Vedic ethic with yogic-psychological application.
daylight (Āditya domain)
Solar law = clarity and moral-psychic order; ‘portion’ (nema) = what we admit into consciousness—discipline of intake.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the Ādityas as guardians of ṛta who repel druh (distortion/hostility) so that agha (harm/falsehood) cannot ‘reach’ the worshipper. It is not a battle of weapons but of law and truth: cosmic order actively protects the evolving soul.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Mitra is Indo-Iranian (Avestan Miθra) tied to covenant/order; Varuṇa is distinctively Vedic but built on IE semantics of ‘encompassing/covering’. √rakṣ ‘guard’ has parallels in Indo-Iranian protective vocabulary; druh relates to Avestan druj- ‘lie, deceit’, a key Indo-Iranian ethical dualism (truth vs. lie).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi approaches the Ādityas as upholders of inner and outer law: the worshipper’s offering (dāśuṣ) calls forth their avas/ūti. The reciprocity is ethical and psychological: alignment with truth invites protection from forces of falsehood (druh/agha).
Establish an inner covenant with truth (Varuṇa) and harmony (Mitra); detect and reject ‘crooked’ movements in thought.
Ajna (discernment) and Anahata (harmonious relation).
Slow exhale-focused breathing; on exhale repeat the refrain as a protective seal.
From vulnerability to guarded clarity; sattvic steadiness.
Before speech/action, pause and ask: ‘Is this straight (ṛju) or crooked (druḥ)?’ Offer the movement to Varuṇa–Mitra; repeat the refrain to reinforce alignment.
Exact svara requires the accented Saṃhitā for RV 8.47; maintain Vedic accent discipline especially through the refrain.
Keep the refrain consistent each repetition; avoid speeding up—let it function as a ‘seal’.
varuṇa: retroflex ṇ, mitra: clear dental t, ādityā: long ā and ty cluster, druhaḥ: aspirated ‘dh’ absent—use ‘dru-’ with clear r, anehasaḥ: articulate ‘ne-ha-’ distinctly
Protective, even, and clear; refrain slightly softer but unwavering.
3
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