Rig Veda 6.8.7: Mandala 6, Sukta 8, Mantra 7
Sukta 6.8
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अदब्धेभिस्तव गोपाभिरिष्टेऽस्माकं पाहि त्रिषधस्थ सूरीन् । रक्षा च नो ददुषां शर्धो अग्ने वैश्वानर प्र च तारीः स्तवानः ॥
adábdhebhiḥ táva gopā́bhir iṣṭe 'smā́kaṃ pāhi tri-sádastha sūrī́n | rákṣā ca no dadúṣāṃ śárdho agne vaiśvā́nara prá ca tārīḥ stavā́naḥ ||
Mit deinen untrüglichen Hütern, o Ersehnter, schütze unsere Sūrya — die lichtvollen Führer; o Triṣadhastha, der du drei Sitze hast, bewahre sie. Behüte auch unsere Schar der Geber; o Agni Vaiśvānara, gepriesen, trage uns hinüber und weiter, jenseits der feindlichen Übergänge.
Word by Word
- अदब्धेभिः
- with unharming (unassailable)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अदब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; a-दब्ध, √दभ् ‘to harm/deceive’)
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (त्वद्-)
- गोपाभिः
- with protectors/guardsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot गोपा (प्रातिपदिक; गो + पा ‘protector of cows/guard’)
- इष्टे
- O worshipped one / O desired oneAdjective (vocative epithet)सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इष्ट (कृदन्त; √यज् ‘to worship/sacrifice’ > इष्ट ‘worshipped/desired’)
- अस्माकम्
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- पाहि
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √पा (पिबति/पाति) ‘to protect’
- त्रिषधस्थ
- O having a threefold seat/abodeAdjective (vocative epithet)सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot त्रिषधस्थ (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + षध/सध ‘seat/abode’ + -स्थ)
- सूरीन्
- the patrons/benefactors (sūris)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- रक्ष
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √रक्ष् ‘to protect/guard’
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRole सम्बन्धRoot च
- नः
- us / ourPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role कर्मRoot अस्मद् (एनद्-आदेश ‘नः’)
- ददुषाम्
- of the givers (of those who have given)Participle (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot ददुष् (कृदन्त; √दा ‘to give’ > परिपूर्ण/भूत कृदन्त ‘having given’)
- शर्धः
- the troop/band (host)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शर्धस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वैश्वानर
- O VaiśvānaraNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वैश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘belonging to all men’)
- प्र
- forth / forwardPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्गRole सम्बन्धRoot प्र
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRole सम्बन्धRoot च
- तारीः
- carry across! / help (us) cross!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; वैदिक रूप ‘तारीः’Role क्रियाRoot √तॄ (तरति) ‘to cross over, carry across’
- स्तवानः
- being praised / while being praisedParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root स्तु (कृदन्त; √स्तु ‘to praise’ > स्तवान ‘being praised/praising’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अदब्धेभिः तव गोपाभिः इष्टे । अस्माकम् पाहि त्रिषधस्थ सूरीन् । रक्षा च नः ददुषाम् शर्धः अग्ने वैश्वानर प्र च तारीः स्तवानः ॥ 1) इष्टेऽस्माकम् = इष्टे + अस्माकम् (ए/ओ + अ → एऽ)
- 2) गोपाभिरिष्टे = गोपाभिः + इष्टे (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + इ → र्)
- 3) अग्ने वैश्वानर = अग्ने + वैश्वानर (सन्धि नहीं; संबोधन-द्वय)
- 4) प्र च = उपसर्ग + अव्यय समुच्चय
The meaning
Outer meaning
With Agni’s unfailing guardians, the worshipper asks protection for their sūrīs (leaders), and for the company of givers; Agni Vaiśvānara, praised, is asked to carry them across and forward beyond dangers.
Inner meaning
The inner Fire has “guardians” (gopāḥ): protective luminous forces—discernment, calm, aspiration, and the vigilant will—that do not fail (adabdha). The sūrīs are the illumined leaders within and without: the clearer faculties that can guide the being. “Triṣadhastha” (three-seated) indicates Agni’s presence in three worlds/levels (physical-vital-mental, or earth-mid-heaven), hence his capacity to protect integrally. The “company of givers” (daduṣām śardhaḥ) are the generous movements that offer themselves to the work; they too must be guarded. Finally, Agni is the ferryman across hostile crossings: he leads consciousness beyond inner attacks, doubts, and resistances into a safer, wider state.
Universal truth
Protection is not mere defense; it is guided transition. When the inner will is supported by unfailing safeguards and illumined leadership, one can cross crises and move forward into a larger life.
Themes
Protection, Guidance, Crossing over, Community of givers
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.9 (protection), RV 6.16 (purification and guarding), RV 6.8.1-6
Family tradition
Protective Agni hymns emphasizing guardianship, guidance, and safe passage for the sacrificer and their community.
Significance
The seer closes with a classic yogic petition: protect the illumined leadership and the self-giving forces, and carry the being across hostile transitions—Agni as guide through inner passages.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Epithets
- Vaiśvānara, triṣadhastha, iṣṭa (desired), protector with gopāḥ
- Related deities
- Mitra-Varuṇa (guardianship/ṛta), Indra (overcoming hostile forces), Sarasvatī (guiding inspiration)
Cosmic role
Guardian of the rite and ferryman across dangers; present in multiple worlds, ensuring continuity of the sacrificial journey.
Inner power
Protective will and guiding flame that safeguards illumined faculties and leads the being across resistance into progressive states.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective invocation at the close of Agni praise; suitable as a benediction in rites for safe passage and communal wellbeing.
अद॑ब्धेभि॒स्तव॑ गो॒पाभि॑रिष्टे॒ऽस्माकं॑ पाहि त्रिषधस्थ सू॒रीन् । रक्षा॑ च नो द॒दुषां॒ शर्धो॑ अग्ने॒ वैश्वा॑नर॒ प्र च॑ तारी॒: स्तवा॑नः ॥
अद॑ब्धेभिः । तव॑ । गो॒पाभिः॑ । इ॒ष्टे॒ । अ॒स्माक॑म् । पा॒हि॒ । त्रि॒ऽस॒द॒स्थ॒ । सू॒रीन् । रक्ष॑ । च॒ । नः॒ । द॒दुषा॑म् । शर्धः॑ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वैश्वा॑नर । प्र । च॒ । ता॒रीः॒ । स्तवा॑नः ॥
adabdhebhiḥ | tava | gopābhiḥ | iṣṭe | asmākam | pāhi | tri-sadastha | sūrīn | rakṣa | ca | naḥ | daduṣām | śardhaḥ | agne | vaiśvānara | pra | ca | tārīḥ | stavānaḥ
44
4×11; imperative/protective tone
Protective firmness with a concluding forward thrust (‘pra ca tārīḥ’).
Creates reassurance and mobilizes confidence; gives a felt sense of being ‘carried’ safely through difficulty.
- अदब्धेभिः (adabdhebhih)
- Literal: unfooled, uninjured, unfailing. Symbolic: reliable protective powers of consciousness
- गोपाभिः (gopābhih)
- Literal: guardians, protectors. Symbolic: inner safeguards—discernment, vigilance, steady aspiration
- इष्टे (iṣṭe)
- Literal: desired, worshipped. Symbolic: the chosen divine power one turns to repeatedly
- त्रिषधस्थ (triṣadhastha)
- Literal: having three seats. Symbolic: present in three levels/worlds; integral protection across mind-life-body
- सूरीन् (sūrīn)
- Literal: lords, leaders, patrons. Symbolic: illumined guiding faculties; inner leaders of progress
- ददुषाम् (daduṣām)
- Literal: of the givers. Symbolic: self-offering movements; generous energies that sustain the sacrifice
- शर्धः (śardhaḥ)
- Literal: company, host. Symbolic: collective of allied inner forces; community of seekers
- प्र च तारीः (pra ca tārīḥ)
- Literal: carry across and forward. Symbolic: lead beyond crisis into progressive widening; transcend hostile passages
- स्तवानः (stavānaḥ)
- Literal: being praised. Symbolic: maintained by remembrance and mantra—relationship of invocation
Protective prayer for patrons and sacrificers; ‘carry across’ formula used in rites seeking safe passage through dangers and successful completion of sacrificial journey.
At transitions in ritual sequences; when seeking protection for patrons/participants and success of the rite.
Recitation with concluding offering; prayer for guarding and safe crossing.
Use as a protection mantra before travel, major life changes, or when facing inner turbulence; also as a closing chant after meditation.
tri-sadastha encodes Agni’s presence across three realms (earth, mid, heaven) and thus his ability to mediate crossings. √tṛ ‘to cross’ is central to Vedic soteriology: passage over danger/ignorance. gopā again: protection of illuminations.
protection of knowledge (gopā), three worlds/threefold being (tri-sadastha), tarana (crossing over ignorance)
‘Guardians’ uphold ṛta by preventing hostile disorder in the journey of the sacrifice/consciousness.
Protection of sūrīs implies safeguarding truth-guidance within the being.
Progressive crossing (tāraṇa): movement from limitation to wider being under divine guidance.
Integral yogic approach: protection of the instrument and progressive passage across inner obstacles.
Crossing = transition through crisis; guardians = vigilant faculties; three seats = threefold embodiment of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘Agni as ferryman and protector’: with invincible guardians he protects the leaders and the offering community, and he ‘carries across’ (√tṛ) the perilous passages. Inner sense: safe transition across states of darkness/conflict by the triple-seated flame present in all planes.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tṛ ‘cross over’ has clear Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan tar-) and fits an IE-wide motif of salvation as ‘crossing’ (rivers, straits, thresholds). The compound tri-sadastha shows productive compounding typical of early Indo-European poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Agni’s protective retinue (gopāḥ) and triple presence to guard both the inner ‘leaders’ (sūrīḥ as guiding faculties) and the collective offering-force (dadúṣām śárdhaḥ). Praise (stavānaḥ) is the human act; ‘carrying across’ and protection are the divine return.
Invoke protective vigilance and guidance; feel Agni as a three-level presence guarding mind, life, and body, and carrying you across a current of disturbance.
muladhara (grounding protection)
Slow exhale-dominant breathing (e.g., 4 in / 6 out) while repeating ‘pāhi…rakṣā…tārīḥ’ mentally.
Protected calm with forward aspiration.
At the end of practice, review the day’s likely ‘crossings’ (difficult moments); offer them to Agni; commit to one act of generosity (dāna/inner giving) to strengthen the ‘daduṣām śardhaḥ’ within.
Observe udātta on key protection verbs (pāhi, rakṣā, tārīḥ) and epithets (triṣadhastha, vaiśvānara); keep svarita gentle to preserve shānta rasa.
Slightly lengthen ‘pāhi’ and ‘rakṣā’ for protective emphasis; deliver ‘pra ca tārīḥ’ with a forward lift to convey onward movement.
Triṣadhastha: articulate retroflex ṣ and cluster dh-sth clearly (tri-ṣa-dha-stha), Gopābhih: keep long ā and bh aspiration, Śardhaḥ: clear ś, and final ḥ audible but light
Warm, sheltering, even; avoid sharp attack—let it feel like a protective mantle.
3
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.
