Rig Veda 1.76.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 76, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.76
- Rishi
- Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Vira (heroism)
प्र सु विश्वान्रक्षसो धक्ष्यग्ने भवा यज्ञानामभिशस्तिपावा । अथा वह सोमपतिं हरिभ्यामातिथ्यमस्मै चकृमा सुदाव्ने ॥
prá sú viśvā́n rákṣaso dhákṣy agne bhávā yajñā́nām abhiśastipā́vā | áthā vaha sómapatiṃ háribhyām ātíthyam asmai cakṛma sudā́vne ||
अग्नि, सारी बुरी ताकतें जला दे। तू हमारी पूजा की रक्षा कर, कोई बुरा हमारे काम में न आए। फिर सोम देव को ला उसके घोड़े ले के। हमने उसके लिए खाना तैयार किया है, वो बहुत दाता है।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- सु
- well, thoroughlyIndeclinableupasarga/particle (intensifier)Root सु (upasarga/avyaya)
- विश्वान्
- allAdjectivemasculine accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot विश्व (sarva-viśeṣaṇa)
- रक्षसः
- demonic beings, harmful spiritsNounneuter accusative plural (Vedic form; = रक्षांसि)Role KarmaRoot रक्षस्
- धक्षि
- burnVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada (Vedic injunctive/imperative usage)Root दह्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounmasculine vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot अग्नि
- भव
- become, beVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot भू
- यज्ञानाम्
- of the sacrificesNounmasculine genitive pluralRole Śeṣa (genitive relation)Root यज्ञ
- अभिशस्तिपाव
- O protector/purifier from imprecationAdjective (epithet)masculine vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot अभिशस्ति-पाव (समास: अभिशस्ति + पाव < √पू ‘to purify/protect’)
- अथ
- thenIndeclinableconjunctive particleRoot अथ
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root आ (upasarga)
- वह
- bring, conveyVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot वह्
- सोमपतिम्
- the lord of SomaNounmasculine accusative singularRole KarmaRoot सोम-पति (समास)
- हरिभ्याम्
- with the two bay steedsNounmasculine instrumental dualRole KaraṇaRoot हरि
- आतिथ्यम्
- hospitality, guest-offeringNounneuter accusative singularRole KarmaRoot आतिथ्य
- अस्मै
- to himPronoundative singularRole SampradānaRoot अयम् (idam-pronoun)
- चकृम
- we have done/madeVerbperfect, 1st person plural, parasmaipada (Vedic: चकृमा/चकृम)Root कृ
- सुदाव्ने
- to the good giver (generous one)Adjective (epithet)masculine dative singularRole SampradānaRoot सु-दावन् (समास; दावन् ‘giver’)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padapāṭha-style segmentation: प्र | सु | विश्वान् | रक्षसः | धक्षि | अग्ने | भव | यज्ञानाम् | अभिशस्तिपाव | अथ | आ | वह | सोमपतिम् | हरिभ्याम् | आतिथ्यम् | अस्मै | चकृम(=चकृमा) | सुदाव्ने
- Key sandhi: (1) विश्वान् + रक्षसः: final -न् before r- (no change in Devanagari here)
- (2) धक्ष्यग्ने → धक्षि + अग्ने (i + a → ya in saṃhitā)
- (3) व॑ह॒ सोम॑पतिम्: no internal sandhi change
- (4) हरिभ्यामातिथ्यम् → हरिभ्याम् + आतिथ्यम् (म् + आ- with saṃhitā coalescence)
- (5) चकृमा → chandas allows shortened ending: चकृम
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is asked to burn away all rakṣasas (harmful beings), to be a purifier and protector of the sacrifices; then he is asked to bring the Soma-lord (often Indra) with tawny horses, for whom hospitality has been prepared.
Inner meaning
Agni, the inner flame of will, is urged to consume all ‘rakṣasas’—not merely demons, but obscuring impulses: doubt, depression, inertia, falsehood, and hostile suggestions that attack the inner work. As ‘abhiśastipāvā’ he purifies the sacrifice from assault: he keeps aspiration clean, protects the offering of energies from being diverted into egoistic or tamasic channels. Once purification is active, Agni can ‘bring’ the Soma-lord—Indra as the illumined mind and master of Soma-delight—drawn by ‘haris’, the tawny horses symbolizing dynamic life-forces disciplined to carry illumination. The prepared ‘ātithya’ is the inner hospitality: a receptive, consecrated field ready to receive higher joy and power without distortion.
Universal truth
True joy and illumination enter securely only after purification: when hostile and chaotic forces are burned away, the higher consciousness can be invited and received as a welcomed guest in the prepared heart.
Themes
battle of light and darkness, protection of yajña, invitation of Soma-lord, purification before illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.76, Rig Veda 1.77
Family tradition
A seer-line that repeatedly couples purification (Agni) with the arrival of illumined power (Indra/Soma), mapping an inner sequence of sādhanā.
Significance
The mantra encodes a psychological order: first burn the obstructors, then invoke the lord of delight/illumination—an integral discipline rather than mere exorcism.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (primary); Soma-pati (invited, typically Indra)
- Epithets
- Dhakṣi (burner), Abhiśasti-pāvā (protector-purifier), Vahā (carrier/bring-bringer, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Maruts (implied by Indra’s dynamism)
Cosmic role
Agni as purifier and guardian of yajña; as messenger who brings the gods. Soma-pati/Indra as receiver of Soma and giver of victory over obstruction.
Inner power
Agni: discerning fire that consumes false formations. Indra-as-Soma-pati: illumined mind that releases delight and strength once the field is purified.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/purificatory verse within an Agni-centered śrauta sequence; preparation to welcome Indra at Soma-pressing
प्र सु विश्वा॑न्र॒क्षसो॒ धक्ष्य॑ग्ने॒ भवा॑ य॒ज्ञाना॑मभिशस्ति॒पावा॑ । अथा व॑ह॒ सोम॑पतिं॒ हरि॑भ्यामाति॒थ्यम॑स्मै चकृमा सु॒दाव्ने॑ ॥
प्र । सु । विश्वा॑न् । र॒क्षसः॑ । धक्षि॑ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । भव॑ । य॒ज्ञाना॑म् । अ॒भि॒श॒स्ति॒ऽपावा॑ । अथ॑ । आ । व॒ह॒ । सोम॑ऽपतिम् । हरि॑ऽभ्याम् । आ॒ति॒थ्यम् । अ॒स्मै॒ । च॒कृ॒म॒ । सु॒ऽदाव्ने॑ ॥
pra | su | viśvān | rakṣasaḥ | dhakṣi | agne | bhava | yajñānām | abhiśasti-pāvā | atha | ā | vaha | soma-patim | hari-bhyām | ātithyam | asmai | cakṛma | su-dāvne
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
More forceful and martial than 1.76.2; strong imperative beats (‘pra su… dhakṣi’).
Energizes the will to reject and burn obstruction; then shifts into an inviting cadence for the descent of illumined delight.
- रक्षसः (rakṣasaḥ)
- Literal: harmful beings, demons. Symbolic: forces of obscuration and distortion attacking the inner work
- धक्षि (dhakṣi)
- Literal: burn. Symbolic: transformative consumption by the psychic fire; purification through conscious force
- अभिशस्तिपावा (abhiśasti-pāvā)
- Literal: purifier from hostile assault/curse. Symbolic: protective discernment and cleansing that guards aspiration from adverse formations
- सोमपतिम् (somapatim)
- Literal: lord of Soma. Symbolic: master of divine delight; often Indra as receiver and wielder of Soma-consciousness
- हरिभ्याम् (haribhyām)
- Literal: with two tawny steeds. Symbolic: paired dynamic energies (prāṇa-forces) yoked to carry illumination
- आतिथ्यम् (ātithyam)
- Literal: hospitality. Symbolic: inner receptivity and prepared offering-field for descent of higher powers
- सुदाव्ने (sudāvne)
- Literal: to the good giver. Symbolic: the divine power that bestows increase of light, force, and delight
Protective and purificatory function of Agni before the Soma-invitation; sequencing typical of Soma-yajña: remove obstructions, then invite the Soma-lord to the prepared offering.
After establishing fire, before/while inviting major deities (especially Indra)
Apotropaic (warding) recitation; then invitation (āvahana) of Soma-pati
Use as a ‘clearing’ mantra before meditation: mentally offer resistances into Agni, then invite clarity and joy (Indra/Soma) to enter.
rakṣas (from √rakṣ ‘to guard/protect’ but in RV as ‘harmful night-power/obstruction’) denotes perverting protectors—forces that ‘guard’ ignorance. √dah ‘burn’ is the classic Vedic purification action of Agni: psychologically the consuming of false formations. soma-pati: ‘master of soma’ points to the power that governs delight/immortalizing rasa; often Indra, but functionally the sovereign of Soma-energy. hari ‘tawny’ also implies luminous dynamic energies; yoked powers of ascent.
purification (pāvana), obstruction vs light (rakṣas), hospitality to the divine (ātithya), Soma as delight/immortality-force
Rakṣasic forces are anti-ṛta (disordering); Agni restores right order by burning distortion.
Protection from ‘abhiśasti’ preserves truth of aspiration and intention.
The descent of Soma-pati after purification mirrors manifestation: first separation from chaos, then emergence of delight and power.
Integral-psychological Vedic symbolism: hostile forces as subconscient formations; gods as functional powers.
Fire = tapas and purification; horses = vital energies disciplined for the divine journey; Soma = nectar of consciousness received after cleansing.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘clearing of the sacrifice from rakṣas’ so the Soma-lord may arrive: a ritualized combat where Agni burns obstruction and then ushers in the sovereign power of Soma (illumined delight). In inner terms: first purification of the subconscient resistances, then reception of higher joy-force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dah ‘burn’ corresponds to PIE *dʰegʷʰ- ‘burn’ (cf. English ‘day’ is different, but Slavic cognate sets exist; Indo-Iranian has strong continuity). √vah ‘carry’ (ā vaha) continues PIE *weǵʰ- ‘convey’ (cf. Latin vehere). √kṛ (cakṛma) reflects PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘do, make’ (Indo-Iranian kṛ). These are core IE poetic verbs for sacrifice: burn, carry, make.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests Agni’s fierce cleansing and guardianship, acknowledging that human offering requires divine protection to be effective. Having prepared ātithya, the rishi asks Agni to mediate the arrival of Soma’s sovereign—showing a chain of reciprocity: human preparation → Agni’s purification → divine descent of Soma-power.
Offer obstructing thoughts/impulses into the inner fire; then invite illumined mind and bliss to descend and stabilize.
Maṇipūra (purifying fire) moving toward Anāhata (receptive hospitality)
Kapalabhati (gentle, 30–60 strokes) or brisk exhalations to ‘burn’ tamas, followed by slow breathing to receive (4-4-6).
Clear, protected, dynamically open; readiness for higher joy.
Name the ‘rakṣasas’ as inner patterns (fear, doubt, craving). With each recitation, feel them offered into Agni. After the shift ‘athā vaha…’, rest in receptivity and invite a bright, quiet Indra-like clarity with a subtle sweetness (Soma).
Tri-svara with strong udātta on imperatives (‘pra’, ‘dhakṣi’, ‘bhavā’) as marked; maintain clear svarita glides where indicated.
Give extra clarity to consonant clusters in ‘rakṣaso’ and ‘abhiśasti-’; keep caesura at ‘|’ to mark the transition from burning to inviting.
rakṣasaḥ: retroflex ‘ṣ’, do not soften to ‘s’., dhakṣi: aspirated ‘dh’, crisp ‘kṣ’., abhiśasti: ‘ś’ palatal; keep short vowels light., somapatim: clear ‘pa’ not ‘pā’., haribhyām: ‘bh’ aspirated; long ‘āṃ’ nasalized lightly.
Bright, cutting clarity in first half; warmer, inviting tone in second half.
3
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