Rig Veda 3.13.6: Mandala 3, Sukta 13, Mantra 6
Sukta 3.13
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
उत नो ब्रह्मन्नविष उक्थेषु देवहूतमः । शं नः शोचा मरुद्वृधोऽग्ने सहस्रसातमः ॥
utá no bráhman aviṣa uktheṣú deva-hūtámaḥ | śáṃ naḥ śocā marúd-vṛdho ’gne sahasra-sā́tamaḥ ||
Et protège-nous, ô Brahman, dans les hymnes : Agni, le plus puissant pour appeler les dieux. Brille pour notre paix et notre bien; ô accroisseur des Maruts, ô conquérant de mille gains, déploie en nous la flamme victorieuse.
Word by Word
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत (avyaya)
- नः
- of us, ourPronoungenitive plural (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (possessor)Root अस्मद्
- ब्रह्मन्
- O priest of sacred speech / O BrāhmanNounvocative singular (neuter)Role सम्बोधनRoot ब्रह्मन्
- अविषः
- protect (us)Verbaorist, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada (injunctive/aoristic: ‘didst protect / protect!’)Role क्रियाRoot अव् (अवते) / अव (protect)
- उक्थेषु
- in the hymns/recitationsNounlocative plural (neuter)Role अधिकरणRoot उक्थ
- देवहूतमः
- most invoked by the gods / most calledAdjective (superlative epithet)nominative singular masculineRole विशेषण (of Agni)Root देव-हूतम (देव + हू ‘to call’ + तमप्)
- शम्
- auspiciously; for welfareIndeclinablebenedictive particleRoot शम् (avyaya)
- नः
- to us, for usPronoundative plural (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- शोचा
- shine; blazeVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole क्रियाRoot शुच् (शोचति ‘to shine, blaze’)
- मरुद्वृधः
- O increaser of the Maruts / who strengthens the MarutsAdjective/epithetvocative singular masculine (Vedic: -ः used for voc.)Role सम्बोधन (of Agni)Root मरुत्-वृध (मरुत् + वृध् ‘to grow/increase’)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounvocative singular masculineRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- सहस्रसातमः
- O most bestowing thousandfold gains / most winning thousandsAdjective (superlative epithet)vocative singular masculine (agreeing with अग्ने)Role सम्बोधन-विशेषणRoot सहस्र-सातम (सहस्र ‘thousand’ + साति/सात ‘winning, gaining’ + तमप्)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved Vedic sandhi: (1) ब्रह्म॑न्नविष → ब्रह्मन् + अविषः (final -न् + initial vowel; written with gemination in saṃhitā). (2) शं न॑: → शम् + नः (anusvāra before dental). (3) म॒रुद्वृ॒धोऽग्ने॑ → मरुद्वृधः + अग्ने (visarga before vowel becomes ’o and avagraha). Accent marks are retained as in the given saṃhitā text
- pada-forms shown without explicit accent notation
The meaning
Outer meaning
Protect our sacred word in the hymns, O Agni, best caller of the gods. Shine for our peace; increaser of the Maruts, winner of a thousand gains.
Inner meaning
The brahman here is the mantric formulation and the soul’s formative word-power. Agni is asked to guard it from distortion, inertia, or hostile vibrations—so the uktheṣu (in utterances) remain effective channels. As devahūtama (best invoker), Agni awakens the higher powers (devas) within the psyche. ‘Increaser of the Maruts’ means he strengthens the dynamic life-forces (Maruts as powers of the life-energy and nervous force) so they support, not disturb, the ascent. ‘Winner of a thousand gains’ points to abundant spiritual acquisitions—repeated victories over resistance through steady flame.
Universal truth
Speech and intention shape consciousness. When guarded by clarity and sincerity, they call forth higher powers; the same force can transform restless energies into allies and multiply inner gains.
Themes
Protection of mantra, Agni as invoker, Marut-force increase, Abundant victory
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina line)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 3.13, Rig Veda 3.53 (Viśvāmitra-associated themes of power and protection)
Family tradition
A tradition emphasizing the efficacy of brahman (mantric force) and the disciplined transformation of life-energies (Marut powers).
Significance
The seer asks not merely for outer boons but for protection of the mantra itself—indicating a yogic concern for purity of channel and right invocation.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- devahūtama (best invoker), marudvṛdha (increaser of Maruts), sahasrasātama (winner of thousand gains)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Indra, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Invoker and conductor of divine forces; purifier of speech; energizer of storm-powers that move the worlds.
Inner power
Protective clarity in speech and aspiration; capacity to summon higher states; ability to convert restless energies into victorious dynamism.
In ritual
Where it is used
Recitation to safeguard brahman/uktha in a soma rite; also protective use around formal chant/śastra.
उ॒त नो॒ ब्रह्म॑न्नविष उ॒क्थेषु॑ देव॒हूत॑मः । शं न॑: शोचा म॒रुद्वृ॒धोऽग्ने॑ सहस्र॒सात॑मः ॥
उ॒त । नः॒ । ब्रह्म॑न् । अ॒वि॒षः॒ । उ॒क्थेषु॑ । दे॒व॒ऽहूत॑मः । शम् । नः॒ । शो॒च॒ । म॒रुत्ऽवृ॑धः । अग्ने॑ । स॒ह॒स्र॒ऽसात॑मः ॥
uta | naḥ | brahman | aviṣaḥ | uktheṣu | deva-hūtamaḥ | śam | naḥ | śoca | marut-vṛdhaḥ | agne | sahasra-sātamaḥ
48
4 x ~12
Invocatory and strengthening; strong mid-line stresses suit protection and calling.
Builds confidence and energetic steadiness; supports a sense of ‘calling down’ help.
- ब्रह्मन् (brahman)
- Literal: sacred word, prayer; also the vast. Symbolic: mantric power and soul-intention that must be protected
- अविषः (aviṣaḥ)
- Literal: protect, keep safe. Symbolic: guard the practice from falsehood, dispersion, and hostile suggestions
- उक्थेषु (uktheṣu)
- Literal: in hymns/recitations. Symbolic: in all acts of inner articulation—prayer, affirmation, mantra
- देवहूतमः (devahūtamaḥ)
- Literal: best caller of the gods. Symbolic: power that awakens higher faculties and illumined forces
- शोचा (śocā)
- Literal: shine, blaze. Symbolic: increase conscious light for peace and purification
- मरुद्वृधः (marudvṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: increaser of the Maruts. Symbolic: harmonizer and strengthener of dynamic life-energies
- सहस्रसातमः (sahasrasātamaḥ)
- Literal: most winning of a thousand (gains). Symbolic: abundant victor: repeated breakthroughs and acquisitions in sadhana
Prayer for protection of brahman (mantric efficacy) and for Agni’s shining presence as deva-hūtama; connects Agni with Maruts (dynamic powers) and with abundant victory (sahasra-sāti).
Before/within hymn recitation to ensure correct and effective invocation; also when seeking protection for the rite.
Invoke Agni as protector of mantra and caller of devas; offerings may accompany.
Before japa, teaching, public speaking, or any speech-act: ask for purity, accuracy, and beneficent force.
bráhman (neuter) from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’—the word that expands consciousness. aviṣa: injunctive/imperative from √av ‘protect, help’. ukthá from √vac/√ukth? (uktha as ‘hymn of praise’, a set recitation). deva-hūtamaḥ: superlative compound ‘best at calling the gods’ (√hve/hū ‘call, invoke’). śocā from √śuc ‘shine, burn, be bright/pure’. marút-vṛdha: vṛdh from √vṛdh ‘increase’. sahasra-sātamaḥ: sātama superlative from √san/√sā ‘win, gain’—abundance of acquisitions.
brahman as expanding word-power, invocation as summoning inner powers, abundant attainment (sahasra-sāti)
Right speech (brahman guarded) is ṛta in expression—truth-order made audible.
Protection of brahman prevents mixture with untruth or egoistic distortion.
The gods are ‘called’ by word and fire: manifestation responds to conscious invocation.
Brāhmaṇa-to-Upaniṣadic bridge: mantra as power; inner devas as faculties awakened by disciplined consciousness.
Fire = clarity/will; Wind/Maruts = dynamic prāṇa and nervous energies; their harmony yields victorious movement.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as deva-hūtamaḥ (best summoner) and marud-vṛdhaḥ (increaser of Maruts): the priest-fire calls and intensifies the allied storm-powers. Inner sense: the awakened will not only illumines but mobilizes dynamic energies for a many-sided victory.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘increase’ continues PIE *werdh- ‘grow’ (cf. English ‘worth’ is not cognate; but German werden ‘become’ is from *werdh-). bráhman from √bṛh ‘expand’ parallels archaic IE sacral language where ‘word’ is an expanding power rather than a sign.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi asks Agni to guard the brahman itself—suggesting that the efficacy of revelation must be protected from distortion. In return, Agni shines (śocā) to establish peace and calls in the gods/energies, increasing the Marut-force and granting abundant inner acquisitions.
Protect inner speech: let mantra arise from silence, not agitation; invoke Agni to keep the channel pure.
Vishuddha (speech) with support from Manipura (will)
Slow nasal breathing; pause briefly after inhale to ‘listen’ before speaking/chanting
Alert purity; dynamic calm.
If speech becomes reactive, stop; offer the impulse into the flame; resume only when the word feels ‘guarded’—clear, simple, true.
Keep crisp accent on brahman and devahūtamaḥ; observe svarita falls on compound transitions; avoid monotone on epithets.
Slightly emphasize imperatives/requests: aviṣaḥ, śocā; then give weight to epithets marudvṛdho, sahasrasātamaḥ.
brahman: ‘br’ cluster clean; final ‘n’ light., aviṣaḥ: retroflex ṣ; short aḥ at end., devahūtamaḥ: long ū; avoid ‘deva-hut…’ flattening., marudvṛdhaḥ: retroflex ṛ in vṛ; aspirate dh., sahasrasātamaḥ: keep ‘sahasra’ flowing; long ā in sā.
Firm, protective, resonant; like a steady call.
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