Rig Veda 6.71.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 71, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.71
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Bhayankara
अदब्धेभिः सवितः पायुभिष्ट्वं शिवेभिरद्य परि पाहि नो गयम् । हिरण्यजिह्वः सुविताय नव्यसे रक्षा माकिर्नो अघशंस ईशत ॥
adábdhebhiḥ savitaḥ pāyúbhiṣ ṭváṃ śivébhir adyá pári pāhi no gáyam | híraṇyajihvaḥ suvitā́ya návyase rákṣā mā́kir no aghaśáṃsa īśata ||
सवितर देवता, तुम अपनी रक्षा में रखना। तुम्हारी ज़बान सोने जैसी है। हमें नया सुख दो। कोई बुरा इंसान हम पर हाथ ना मार सके।
Word by Word
- अदब्धेभिः
- with unharming / uninjurable (protectors)Adjectiveपुं/नपुं/स्त्री (त्रिलिङ्ग), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अदब्ध (प्रा॰; a-दब्ध, √दभ् ‘to harm/deceive’)
- सवितः
- O SavitarNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सवितृ (प्रा॰)
- पायुभिः
- with protectors / guardiansNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot पायु (प्रा॰)
- त्वम्
- thouPronounउत्तम-पुरुषार्थे (2nd person reference), प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- शिवेभिः
- with auspicious (ones/powers)Adjectiveत्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot शिव (प्रा॰)
- अद्य
- today / nowIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRole अधिकारण (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- परि
- around; completelyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पाहि
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √पा (पालने)
- नः
- us / for us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’)Role सम्प्रदान (हितार्थे) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- गयम्
- life; vital power (gaya)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गय (प्रा॰)
- हिरण्यजिह्वः
- golden-tonguedAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (स्तुत्य-विशेषणम्)Root हिरण्य-जिह्व (समासः: कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि; ‘golden-tongued’)
- सुविताय
- for welfare / good fortuneNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुवित (प्रा॰; सु+वित ‘good finding/prosperity’)
- नव्यसे
- for the newer / ever-new (welfare)Adjectiveपुं/नपुं, चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (विशेषणम्)Root नव्य (प्रा॰)
- रक्ष
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √रक्ष् (पालने)
- माकिः
- lest anyone / no oneIndeclinableनिषेधार्थ-अव्ययRoot मा + किः (निषेध-अव्यय; ‘not anyone’)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’)Role कर्मRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अघशंसः
- the evil-tongued / malign oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (ईशत्-क्रियायाः)Root अघ-शंस (समासः; ‘evil-speaking/evil-praising’)
- ईशत
- may (he) not have power / may (he) not ruleVerbलङ्/इम्पर्फेक्ट (प्रार्थनायाम्/निषेध-पर्याये), तृतीय-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √ईश् (ऐश्वर्ये ‘to rule, have power’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अदब्धेभिः | सवितः | पायुभिः | त्वम् | शिवेभिः | अद्य | परि | पाहि | नः | गयम् || हिरण्यजिह्वः | सुविताय | नव्यसे | रक्ष | माकिः | नः | अघशंसः | ईशत || 1) पायुभिः + त्वम् → पायुभिष्ट्वम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: भिः + त्)
- 2) शिवेभिः + अद्य → शिवेभिरद्य (विसर्ग/रुत्व-आदेश: भिः + अ-)
- 3) पाहि + नः → पाहि नो (ओ-आदेश/गुण: नः परतः स्वर)
- 4) माकिः + नः → माकिर्नो (रुत्व/रेफ-सन्धि; नः → नो)
- 5) अघशंसः + ईशत → अघशंस ईशत (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते स्वरारम्भे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Savitar is asked to protect with unfailing and benevolent guardians; to guard our life; golden-tongued, for new well-being, protect us so no ill-wisher dominates.
Inner meaning
The path needs protection from distortions and hostile forces (aghaśaṃsa—inner negation, doubt, false speech, hostile impulses). Savitṛ’s ‘unfailing guardians’ are steady illuminations and laws of right movement that do not err (adabdha). ‘Gayam’ (life-force/household-life) becomes the prāṇic and vital basis of sādhanā; it must be encompassed (pari pāhi) so the sacrifice can proceed. ‘Golden-tongued’ indicates a luminous Word—truth-speaking inspiration that brings ‘suvitā’ (good going, right felicity) ever new (navyase).
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires not only aspiration but protection: truthful guidance and benevolent disciplines guard life-energy from inner sabotage and outer negativity.
Themes
Divine protection, Guardians and auspicious powers, Speech as power, Defense against hostile forces
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.71.1, RV 6.71.2, RV 6.71.4
Family tradition
Aṅgirasa discipline of truth-guided action; protection and right impulsion are recurring needs on the path.
Significance
This is a protective mantra in the Bharadvāja Savitṛ cycle: it frames yoga as guarded transformation—life-force secured so illumination can act.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (Savitar)
- Epithets
- adabdha-pāyu (unfailing guardian), śiva (benevolent), hiraṇyajihva (golden-tongued)
- Related deities
- Mitra (protective harmony), Varuṇa (law), Agni (inner guardian fire), Indra (slayer of obstruction)
Cosmic role
Protector and right-director of beings; sustainer of auspicious movement through the day and through life-cycles.
Inner power
Luminous discernment and protective order that prevents hostile forces (inner/outer) from gaining mastery; renewal of well-being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective invocation to Savitṛ in daily recitation; also suitable in rites seeking safety, well-being, and warding of hostile influences.
अद॑ब्धेभिः सवितः पा॒युभि॒ष्ट्वं शि॒वेभि॑र॒द्य परि॑ पाहि नो॒ गय॑म् । हिर॑ण्यजिह्वः सुवि॒ताय॒ नव्य॑से॒ रक्षा॒ माकि॑र्नो अ॒घशं॑स ईशत ॥
अद॑ब्धेभिः । स॒वि॒त॒रिति॑ । प॒युऽभिः॑ । त्वम् । शि॒वेभिः॑ । अ॒द्य । परि॑ । पा॒हि॒ । नः॒ । गय॑म् । हिर॑ण्यऽजिह्वः । सु॒वि॒ताय॑ । नव्य॑से । रक्ष॑ । माकिः॑ । नः॒ । अ॒घऽशं॑सः । ई॒श॒त॒ ॥
adabdhebhiḥ | savitariti | payu-bhiḥ | tvam | śivebhiḥ | adya | pari | pāhi | naḥ | gayam | hiraṇya-jihvaḥ | suvitāya | navyase | rakṣa | mākiḥ | naḥ | agha-śaṃsaḥ | īśata
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4 pādas of 11 syllables
Protective and insistent; repeated imperatives (pāhi, rakṣā) create a guarding cadence.
Builds a felt boundary and confidence; steadies the prāṇa and quiets intrusive thoughts.
- अदब्धेभिः (adabdhebhiḥ)
- Literal: uninjured, unfailing. Symbolic: infallible protections—steady lights and laws that do not lapse
- पायुभिः (pāyubhiḥ)
- Literal: guardians, protectors. Symbolic: powers of vigilance in consciousness preventing leakage and distortion
- शिवेभिः (śivebhiḥ)
- Literal: auspicious, benevolent. Symbolic: harmonizing forces that protect by healing and right arrangement
- परि पाहि (pari pāhi)
- Literal: encompass and protect. Symbolic: create a luminous boundary; integral safeguarding of the being
- गयम् (gayam)
- Literal: life, vital existence, household-life. Symbolic: life-force/prāṇa-vital basis that must be kept pure for yoga
- हिरण्यजिह्वः (hiraṇyajihvaḥ)
- Literal: golden-tongued. Symbolic: luminous Word/inspiration; truth-speech that guides
- सुविताय (suvitāya)
- Literal: for good going, well-being. Symbolic: right movement and felicity in the path
- नव्यसे (navyase)
- Literal: for the newer. Symbolic: ever-renewed progress; fresh dawns of guidance
- अघशंसः (aghaśaṃsaḥ)
- Literal: one who speaks ill, ill-wisher. Symbolic: inner hostile voice—negation, self-sabotage, false suggestion
Protective prayer to Savitar, suitable for transitions (dawn/evening) and for safeguarding the sacrificer’s ‘gaya’ during rites; apotropaic usage.
At dawn or before travel/undertakings; also at moments of vulnerability (illness, anxiety, transitions).
Recitation as rakṣā (protective) prayer; may accompany ācamana/saṅkalpa in later practice (non-Vedic but practical).
Use as a ‘psychic protection’ chant before meditation, sleep, or difficult conversations to prevent inner negativity from taking over.
a-dabdha ‘unharmed/undeceived’ from √dabh ‘to injure, deceive’ signals inviolable protection. pāyu is a guardian power (from √pā ‘protect’). su-viti is ‘good going’ (viti from √i ‘go’)—a path-condition of consciousness. hiranya-jihva ‘golden-tongued’ marks Savitar as luminous speech/command: the divine Word that sets right movement. agha-śaṃsa is the hostile vibration of ill-speech/ill-will; psychologically, forces of negation that seek to dominate.
protection of life-force (gaya), purity of speech vs ill-speech (agha-śaṃsa), ever-new well-being (navya suvitā)
Protection is ṛta’s function in the individual—keeping energies aligned and preventing hostile deviation.
Golden tongue = truth-word that illumines and protects by clarity.
Renewal (navyase): creation is continuous, requiring ongoing protection and fresh guidance.
Vedic psychology of rakṣā: safeguarding prāṇa and mind so higher impulsion can act.
today/now (adya) with solar protection implied
Sun’s protective light = vigilant awareness; golden speech = illumined mantra-force; encompassing = aura of conscious protection.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of the solar impeller as protector: Savitar surrounds life with unfailing guardians and wards off hostile intention. Innerly, it is the safeguarding of the vital being (gaya) so the seeker can pursue ‘ever-new’ right movement (suvitā) without being seized by negating forces (agha-śaṃsa).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pā ‘protect’ corresponds to PIE *peh₂- ‘to guard, pasture’ (cf. Latin pāstor). √īś ‘rule’ is Indo-Iranian; the prohibitive mā́ is a classic inherited particle used to negate imperatives across Indo-European (cf. Greek mḗ).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests immediate, enclosing protection (‘pari pāhi’)—a close, intimate guardianship. The Devata’s gift is not only safety but the condition for progress: the protected life-force can move on the ‘good path’ (suvitā) and resist hostile speech/intent that would otherwise govern the consciousness.
Establish a protective field of luminous awareness around the life-force; invoke truth-speech to silence the inner ill-wisher.
Maṇipūra (prāṇic protection) and Viśuddha (truthful expression/inner word).
Box-breath 4-4-4-4 while mentally repeating ‘pari pāhi’; feel a boundary of light forming with each retention.
Protected composure; vigilant peace.
Chant slowly; then observe any ‘aghaśaṃsa’ thoughts. Name them, do not argue; return to the sense of Savitṛ’s benevolent guardians holding the space.
Triṣṭubh with emphatic imperatives; raise udatta clearly on verbs of protection (pāhi, rakṣā) as per accenting tradition.
Keep ‘mākir no’ tightly connected (don’t separate); give weight to ‘adabdhébhih’ and ‘hiraṇyajihvaḥ’.
adabdhebhiḥ: keep dbdh cluster articulated, not swallowed, pāyubhiṣ ṭvam: retroflex ṭ in ṭvam, clear sandhi, pari pāhi: roll r lightly, long ā in pāhi, hiraṇyajihvaḥ: retroflex ṇ; jihvā with clear hv, aghaśaṃsa: gh voiced, ś palatal, anusvāra before s
Soft but firm; protective, mantra-like steadiness.
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