Rig Veda 7.43.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 43, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.43
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
एवा नो अग्ने विक्ष्वा दशस्य त्वया वयं सहसावन्नास्क्राः । राया युजा सधमादो अरिष्टा यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
evā́ no agne vikṣvā́ daśasya tváyā vayáṁ sahasāvann ā́skrāḥ | rāyā́ yujā́ sadhámādo áriṣṭā yūyáṁ pāta svastíbhíḥ sadā́ naḥ ||
هكذا يا أَغني، أَظْهِرْ رِضاكَ في أوساطِ أقوامِنا؛ فبكَ، أيُّها الجبّار، نَصيرُ غيرَ مُصابينَ ولا مُتَزَعزِعين. مُقترنينَ بالغِنى، في لذّةٍ مشتركة، سالمين—يا أيّتها القُوى، احفَظونا دائمًا بتناغُماتِ السَّلامةِ والخير.
Word by Word
- एवा
- thus, just soIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root एव (निपात) + आ (प्रगृह्य/निपात) → एवा
- नः
- to us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = our/to us)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- विक्ष्वा
- among the clans/settlementsIndeclinableअव्यय; ‘among the clans/settlements’ (विक्षु) + आ (प्रगृह्य)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot वि + क्षु (धातु ‘क्षु/क्षव्’ ‘to be active/move’; RV-प्रयोग) → विक्षु (लोक/जन) + आ (अव्यय) → विक्ष्वा
- दशस्य
- show favour; be graciousVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole Kartā (अग्नि) / क्रियाRoot दशस्य (धातु) / दशस्यति (Denom.)
- त्वया
- by you / with youPronounतृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot युष्मद्
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद्
- सहसावन्
- O mighty oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सहसावन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘possessing might’)
- आ
- hither; untoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- स्क्राः
- come/advanceVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (वेदिक रूप)Role Kartā (अग्नि) / क्रियाRoot स्कृ (धातु; ‘to go/stride/press on’; RV-रूप) → स्क्राः
- राया
- with wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (RV), तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot राय् / राय (प्रातिपदिक)
- युजा
- as yoked (companion); joinedAdjective (kṛdanta)तृतीया एकवचन (सह/साकं-भावे), ‘as a yoked companion’Role KaraṇaRoot युज् (धातु) → युज्/युज्- (कृदन्त ‘yoked/companion’) → युज्/युजा
- सधमादः
- (as) fellow-feaster; sharer in the common riteNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā/विशेष्य (वयम्… सधमादः)Root सधमाद (प्रातिपदिक; ‘common feast/pressing’)
- अरिष्टाः
- unharmed; uninjuredAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (वयम् के विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (वयम्)Root अ-रिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; ‘unharmed, uninjured’)
- यूयम्
- you (all)Pronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्
- पात
- protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole Kartā (यूयम्) / क्रियाRoot पा (धातु ‘to protect’) → पात
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with blessings/welfareNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (काल)Root सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = us)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): एवा | नः | अग्ने | विक्ष्वा | दशस्य | त्वया | वयम् | सहसावन् | आ | स्क्राः || राया | युजा | सधमादः | अरिष्टाः | यूयम् | पात | स्वस्तिभिः | सदा | नः || 1) ‘विक्ष्वा’ = ‘विक्षु’ (लोक/कुलेषु) + प्रगृह्य ‘आ’
- संहितायां ‘विक्षु आ’ → ‘विक्ष्वा’. 2) ‘नास्क्राः’ को ‘आ स्क्राः’ (आ + √स्कृ, लोट्) इति पदच्छेदः
- संहितायां ‘…वन् आस्क्राः’ → ‘…वन्नास्क्राः’ (नकारागमः/सन्धि-समायोजन).
- सरल संधि. 4) उच्चारण-चिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित) मूलपाठानुसार
- यहाँ पद-विश्लेषण में रूप-निर्णय पर बल
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Agni, show favor among our peoples; with you, strong one, we become unharmed and unshaken. Joined with wealth, in common delight, intact—may you Powers guard us always with well-being.
Inner meaning
Agni is asked to manifest his grace within the ‘clans’ or parts of our being (vikṣu): mind, life, body—so the whole nature is harmonized. With the strong will (sahasāvān) leading, we become āskrāḥ—unshaken, not slipping from the path under stress. Joined with rāyā (plenitude), we enter sadhāmāda: the shared delight where all inner powers participate without conflict. The closing ‘yūyam pāta svastibhiḥ’ extends the request to the assisting powers: guard the being with swasti—harmonies of well-being, right arrangement, fortunate flow—so the transformation remains ariṣṭa (uninjured/intact).
Universal truth
Grace must pervade all parts of life, not only the meditative mind. When the will is aligned with higher plenitude, inner harmony becomes protection; well-being is the natural shield of an integrated consciousness.
Themes
Agni as protector, Collective harmony, Spiritual wealth (rayi), Benediction
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.43.2, RV 7.43.3, RV 7.43.4
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha frequently closes sequences with protection and swasti—signaling that right order must be maintained in life and community (outer/inner).
Significance
He insists the divine work be durable: not a momentary illumination but an intact, guarded state sustained ‘always’ (sadā).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with assisting Powers)
- Epithets
- sahasāvān (strong), protector with svasti, leader in vikṣu
- Related deities
- Vasus (plenitude), Ādityas (protection and wideness), Indra (defense and strength)
Cosmic role
Agni sustains the sacrifice across time, guarding its continuity and ensuring the offerings culminate in right results.
Inner power
Steadfast will, protective warmth, and harmonizing force that integrates the being into safe delight.
In ritual
Where it is used
Closing protective refrain of the opening sequence; blessing for the sacrificers and their community
ए॒वा नो॑ अग्ने वि॒क्ष्वा द॑शस्य॒ त्वया॑ व॒यं स॑हसाव॒न्नास्क्रा॑: । रा॒या यु॒जा स॑ध॒मादो॒ अरि॑ष्टा यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
ए॒व । नः॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वि॒क्षु । आ । द॒श॒स्य॒ । त्वया॑ । व॒यम् । स॒ह॒सा॒ऽव॒न् । आस्क्राः॑ । रा॒या । यु॒जा । स॒ध॒ऽमादः॑ । अरि॑ष्टाः । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
eva | naḥ | agne | vikṣu | ā | daśasya | tvayā | vayam | sahasāvan | āskrāḥ | rāyā | yujā | sadha-mādaḥ | ariṣṭāḥ | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Concluding, stabilizing cadence; strong declarative movement with a protective benediction close.
Grounds the energy raised earlier; leaves a felt sense of safety, steadiness, and cohesion.
- विक्षु (vikṣu)
- Literal: in the settlements/clans. Symbolic: in the divisions of our nature; the many parts of the being
- दशस्य (daśasya)
- Literal: show favor, be gracious. Symbolic: active divine approval: opening of help and right conditions
- सहसावन् (sahasāvān)
- Literal: possessing force. Symbolic: Agni as power of will and endurance
- आस्क्राः (āskrāḥ)
- Literal: unshaken, not slipping. Symbolic: steadfastness; stability against vital/mental disturbance
- रायाः (rāyā)
- Literal: wealth, plenitude. Symbolic: inner abundance: force, light, joy, capacity
- सधमादः (sadhāmādaḥ)
- Literal: common enjoyment/delight. Symbolic: harmonized delight of the integrated being; shared ānanda
- अरिष्टाः (ariṣṭāḥ)
- Literal: uninjured, intact. Symbolic: protected integrity of the sādhanā and its gains
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-beings, auspiciousnesses. Symbolic: harmonies of right arrangement; protective coherence
Concluding benediction of the hymn: request for grace in the community and for ongoing protection (svasti) through communion (sadhāmāda).
At the end of an invocation cluster to seal the rite with protection and auspiciousness.
Benediction for integrity and swasti; reaffirmation of Agni’s favor.
Use as a daily protection-and-integration mantra after meditation, before entering work/social life; to carry the ‘inner fire’ into all parts (vikṣu).
√daś ‘favour/honour’ marks grace as a reciprocal recognition. ariṣṭá ‘unhurt’ (a- + √riṣ) is a common Vedic protective term. sadhámāda (sadha- ‘together’ + māda ‘delight/intoxication’) indicates communal divine joy as an inner state. vikṣu (viś ‘clan’) can be read psychologically as ‘distributed life-parts’ needing Agni’s harmonizing presence.
Grace/favour (daśasya), Communion-delight (sadhāmāda), Svasti (well-being), Integrity (ariṣṭa)
Swasti is ṛta in lived form—right arrangement that prevents ‘injury’ to the work.
Steadfastness (āskrāḥ) embodies truth as consistency, not mere insight.
Sustaining and protecting the formed light/force so it can manifest stably in life.
Integral transformation: realization must be safeguarded in the whole nature and collective life (vikṣu).
Fire = steady will; settlements = parts of the being; swasti = balanced functioning; intactness (ariṣṭa) = protected nervous/vital system and stable mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the communal protector and harmonizer: present among the vikṣu (clans/parts), he makes the collective intact (ariṣṭa) and unshaken (āskrāḥ), enabling participation in sadhāmāda, the shared divine delight. The mythic pattern is ‘fire establishes unity and immunity’.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pā ‘protect’ (pāta) is PIE *peh₂- (cf. Latin pāstor). viś ‘clan’ is an Indo-Iranian social term with parallels in Avestan (vīs ‘clan, settlement’). The privative a- in ariṣṭa is inherited IE negation morphology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for Agni’s grace within the human multiplicity (vikṣu) so that, ‘with thee’, the community becomes stable and unharmed. The devatā’s gift is not only protection but admission into sadhāmāda—reciprocal communion where human offering is met by divine joy and sustaining well-being (svasti).
Integrate the inner fire into all life-activities; affirm steadiness and protection of gains.
Maṇipūra (steadfast will) stabilized into Mūlādhāra (grounded safety) and expanded to Anāhata (harmonious delight).
4-4-6 breathing: inhale 4 (gather Agni), hold 4 (āskrāḥ steadiness), exhale 6 (spread swasti through the body).
Grounded calm, resilient confidence.
After meditation, repeat 3 times while scanning the body from head to feet, placing ‘svasti’ as harmony in each part; then set an intention to carry the flame into speech and action.
Rigvedic accenting per śākhā; keep emphasis on vocative ‘agne’ and protective ‘pāta svastibhiḥ’.
Slightly lengthen ‘sahasāvann’ and ‘āskrāḥ’ to embody steadiness; soften into blessing on ‘svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ’.
vikṣv ā: pronounce kṣ as a single cluster; avoid inserting extra vowel., sahasāvann: double n; keep long ā., āskrāḥ: long ā; cluster skr., svastibhiḥ: clear dental s+t; do not pronounce as ‘swasti’ with v-w confusion; keep v as labiodental.
Warm, grounded, blessing-like; sustained vowels; gentle firmness.
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