Rig Veda 8.71.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 71, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.71
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्वं रयिं पुरुवीरमग्ने दाशुषे मर्ताय । प्र णो नय वस्यो अच्छ ॥
tváṃ rayíṃ puruvī́ram ágne dāśúṣe mártāya | prá no naya vásyo áccha ||
Tú, oh Agni, das al mortal que ofrece la plenitud de riqueza, rica en muchas fuerzas heroicas; condúcenos adelante hacia el bien más excelente.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- youPronounपुंलिङ्ग/सर्वलिङ्ग-प्रयोग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रयिम्
- wealth, treasureNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रयि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुवीरम्
- rich in heroes / having many heroesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (रयिम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणत्वेन)Root पुरुवीर- (प्रातिपदिक; पुरु + वीर)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (प्रथमा-सम्बोधन); एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper / to the giver (offerer)Participle (perfect/active, Vedic) used as nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दाश्वस्- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दाश्/दश् ‘to worship, offer’)
- मर्ताय
- to a mortalNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मर्त- (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग-भावRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- नः
- usPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया-रूप (एन्क्लिटिक); बहुवचन; अत्र ‘अस्मान्/अस्माकम्’—प्रयोगः (क्रियायाः सह ‘us’)Role कर्मRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नय
- lead (you lead)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यम?—न, अत्र द्वितीय-पुरुषः; एकवचन; परस्मैपदमRole क्रियाRoot √नी (नयति) + (आज्ञार्थे लोट्)
- वस्यः
- to the better (good) [path/state]Adjective used substantivelyनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (गन्तव्यं ‘better (state/way)’)Role कर्म (गन्तव्य-रूपेण)Root वस्यस्- (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण)
- अच्छ
- towardsIndeclinableअव्यय; गत्यर्थे ‘towards’Root अच्छ (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वम् | रयिम् | पुरुवीरम् | अग्ने | दाशुषे | मर्ताय | प्र | नः | नय | वस्यः | अच्छ । (1) ‘प्र णो नय’ इत्यत्र संहितायां ‘प्र’ + ‘नः’ → ‘प्र णो’ (नः-एन्क्लिटिकस्य ओ-आदेशः/स्वर-समायोजनः वैदिकपाठे दृश्यते)
- (2) ‘वस्यः अच्छ’ इत्यत्र संहितायां ‘वस्यो अच्छ’ (अन्त्य ‘ः’ + ‘अ’ → ‘ो’ इति वैदिक-संधि/विसर्ग-परिवर्तनः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni grants to the mortal sacrificer a plenitude (rayi) rich in many heroic powers and leads the worshippers forward to a better, happier state.
Inner meaning
Agni as the awakened divine Will in us answers sincere offering (dāśuṣe) by pouring a “wealth” of inner capacities—clarities, energies, courageous forces (puru-vīra)—and by guiding the consciousness progressively (pra…naya) toward a higher, more harmonious condition (vasyaḥ).
Universal truth
When aspiration is steady and self-giving is real, the inner Fire responds by increasing our resources of strength and knowledge and by leading life forward into a more excellent mode of being.
Themes
guidance, heroic-force, spiritual-prosperity, inner-ascent
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.71.7, Rig Veda 8.71.8, Rig Veda 8.71.9, Rig Veda 8.71.10
Significance
The anonymity itself suits the psychological reading: the ‘seer’ is the awakened inner witness in any practitioner; the mantra functions as a universal formula of aspiration—offer, receive increase of power, and be led forward.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Agni, Leader of the sacrifice (yajñasya netā, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator between human aspiration and divine powers; kindles the rite, carries offerings, opens paths to the gods.
Inner power
The flame of will and discernment that converts desire into aspiration and leads the being toward a higher harmony.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / general Agni-invocation within Soma and non-Soma rites (hymnic usage)
त्वं र॒यिं पु॑रु॒वीर॒मग्ने॑ दा॒शुषे॒ मर्ता॑य । प्र णो॑ नय॒ वस्यो॒ अच्छ॑ ॥
त्वम् । र॒यिम् । पु॒रु॒ऽवीर॑म् । अग्ने॑ । दा॒शुषे॑ । मर्ता॑य । प्र । नः॒ । न॒य॒ । वस्यः॑ । अच्छ॑ ॥
tvam | rayim | puru-vīram | agne | dāśuṣe | martāya | pra | naḥ | naya | vasyaḥ | accha
Anuṣṭubh (probable for RV 8.71.6 based on short pādas and cadence)
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4 pādas × ~8 syllables (approx.)
Compact, forward-driving cadence; suited to injunction and movement (pra…naya).
Creates a sense of steady advance—an inner marching rhythm that supports resolve and progressive aspiration.
- अग्ने (agne)
- Literal: O Agni, fire. Symbolic: Divine Will/inner flame that leads the yoga and transforms nature
- रयिम् (rayim)
- Literal: wealth, plenitude. Symbolic: Inner riches: capacities of consciousness, abundance of force, knowledge, joy
- पुरुवीरम् (puru-vīram)
- Literal: having many heroes/powers. Symbolic: Multiplicity of victorious energies: courage, endurance, luminous faculties
- दा॒शुषे (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver/offerer. Symbolic: The aspirant who offers ego-will into the inner sacrifice
- प्र नः नय (pra naḥ naya)
- Literal: lead us forward. Symbolic: Progressive guidance of the inner being from lower to higher formation
- वस्यः (vasyaḥ)
- Literal: more excellent, better. Symbolic: A higher poise of consciousness—wider, happier, more true
Guidance and prosperity petition; Agni as leader (netṛ) toward higher good, typical of invocations at the start/renewal of offerings.
At kindling/invoking Agni and at moments of seeking prosperity and right guidance in the rite
Offering with ghee/oblations while reciting to invite Agni’s leading power
Use as a daily ‘forward-leading’ prayer before meditation/work: offer the day’s intention, ask for increase of inner strength, and guidance toward the best outcome.
vīra ‘hero, man of force’ from √vīr/semantic ‘strength’. √nī ‘to lead’ is a central Vedic guidance verb. vásu ‘good, excellent’ yields comparative vásyas, indicating progressive ascent (inner evolution).
progressive ascent toward the better (vasyas), heroic energies as inner faculties (puru-vīra rayi)
Agni leads the human movement into ṛta by aligning will with the true law of things (vasyaḥ).
The ‘better state’ is a truer poise of consciousness where intention and truth coincide.
Agni as the first awakener who builds the worlds within—forming powers (‘heroes’) in the human instrument.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yogic reading (Aurobindo: Agni as soul-force guiding evolution of consciousness)
Fire = aspiration and transforming will; ‘wealth’ = gathered forces of consciousness; ‘forward leading’ = evolutionary ascent of awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the divine leader who bestows ‘many-hero’ wealth: the mythic Fire leads the clan to prosperity; psychologically, the inner flame organizes multiple courageous faculties (vīrāḥ) and conducts the being toward a higher, truer condition.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √nī ‘lead’ continues PIE *neiH- ‘to lead’ (cf. Latin nītor?; more securely: Sanskrit naya ~ Avestan nāiia- ‘lead’). vīra relates to the IE ‘man/hero’ semantic field (cf. Latin vir).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The sacrificer (dāśuṣ) receives rayi as Agni’s return, but the deeper request is leadership ‘toward the better’. The relationship is pedagogic and salvific: Agni does not only give; he conducts transformation.
Offer the day’s ego-movements into the heart-flame; invoke Agni to increase inner resources and lead the mind toward the ‘better’ poise.
anahata
Nadi shodhana (gentle) followed by a brief breath-retention with the felt inner flame in the chest
Upward-leading concentration with steady will (saṅkalpa) and quiet confidence.
Begin with a simple inner offering: ‘All my energies to the Truth.’ Then repeat the mantra 9/27 times, feeling a forward pull toward clarity and right action.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita as per Ṛgvedic recitation; key lifts often on vocatives (agne) and imperatives (naya).
Sustain the udatta with a clear rise; let svarita fall-glide; keep anudatta unraised—avoid flattening the imperative ‘naya’.
tvaṃ: nasalize ‘ṃ’ clearly, puru-vīram: keep long ī in vī-, dāśuṣe: retroflex ṣ, and long ū, vasyaḥ: visarga lightly aspirated before pause, accha: double ‘cch’ aspirated, not ‘acha’
Bright, steady, forward-leaning tone; not harsh—firm like a guiding command.
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