Rig Veda 7.15.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 15, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.15
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
स नो वेदो अमात्यमग्नी रक्षतु विश्वतः । उतास्मान्पात्वंहसः ॥
sá no védo amā́tyam agnī́ rakṣatu viśvátas | utā́smān pā́tv áṃhasaḥ ||
अग्नि सब जानता है, इसलिए हम उसे कहते हैं कि हमारे साथियों की रक्षा करे। चारों तरफ से उनकी हिफाजत करे। और हमें भी दुख और गलती से बचा के रखे।
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (स-आदेशः) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्धे) / चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदानार्थे) बहुवचन-एन्क्लिटिकःRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- वेदः
- the knower; (here) the wise oneNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot विद् (धातु) → वेद (नाम/कृदन्त-आधारित प्रातिपदिक) अथवा √विद्-सम्बद्धः
- अमात्यम्
- the unfriendly/hostile one (enemy)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक) < अ- + मात्य (मन्/मा-सम्बद्धः) ‘अन्याय्यः/अपरिचितः’ इत्यर्थे; वैदिके ‘असहाय/अमित्र’ इत्यपि
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- रक्षतु
- may (he) protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root √रक्ष् (रक्षँ पालने)
- विश्वतः
- from all sides; on all sidesIndeclinableअव्ययम् (दिशा/पर्यायः): ‘सर्वतः’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्ययीभाव/तसिल्)
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे निपातःRole (सम्बन्धक)Root उत (निपात)
- अस्मान्
- usPronounद्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- पातु
- may (he) protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root √पा (पा रक्षणे)
- अंहसः
- from distress/sin/evilNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी (अपादान) एकवचनम् (वैदिके -सः)Role ApādānaRoot अंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: “स नो वेदो अमात्यमग्नी रक्षतु विश्वतः । उतास्मान्पात्वंहसः ॥”। पदच्छेदः: सः | नः | वेदः | अमात्यम् | अग्निः | रक्षतु | विश्वतः | उत | अस्मान् | पातु | अंहसः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) अमात्यम् + अग्निः → अमात्यमग्निः (म् + अ → म्-अ, संहिता-लेखनम्)। (2) उत + अस्मान् → उतास्मान् (अ + अ → आ)। (3) पातु + अंहसः → पात्वंहसः (उ + अ → व, तथा अंहसः-शब्दे अनुस्वारः)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Agni, the knower, guard our loyal companion from every side, and protect us from anguish (aṃhas).
Inner meaning
Agni as vedaḥ (the knower—illumined will) protects the amātya (the inner companion: faithful mental-vital helper aligned to truth, or the supportive powers gathered around the flame). He guards the sādhaka from all-sided disturbances (viśvataḥ) and from aṃhas—inner crookedness, error, sin, distress—everything that bends the movement away from ṛta.
Universal truth
When the will is united with knowledge, it becomes a protective presence: it safeguards our inner allies and keeps us from the pathways of suffering born of ignorance and wrong movement.
Themes
Protection hymn, Agni as knower, Removal of distress
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.15, RV 7.86, RV 7.88
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s hymns often frame Agni as the guardian-priest who keeps the sacrificer in the path of ṛta and wards off hostile forces.
Significance
Emphasizes the practical psychology of sādhanā: protection, right companionship of inner powers, and removal of aṃhas (the inner cause of suffering).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vedaḥ (Knower), Rakṣitṛ (Protector—implicit)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (guard of ṛta), Indra (slayer of obstructions), Rudra (protector-healer)
Cosmic role
Guardian of the sacrifice; purifier; mediator who repels hostile forces and maintains the right working of the rite.
Inner power
Protective flame of discernment: the capacity to detect wrong movements early and restore alignment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective Agni-stuti within iṣṭi/soma sequences; also suitable for daily agnihotra intention of protection.
स नो॒ वेदो॑ अ॒मात्य॑म॒ग्नी र॑क्षतु वि॒श्वत॑: । उ॒तास्मान्पा॒त्वंह॑सः ॥
सः । नः॒ । वेदः॑ । अ॒मात्य॑म् । अ॒ग्निः । र॒क्ष॒तु॒ । वि॒श्वतः॑ । उ॒त । अ॒स्मान् । पा॒तु॒ । अंह॑सः ॥
saḥ | naḥ | vedaḥ | amātyam | agniḥ | rakṣatu | viśvataḥ | uta | asmān | pātu | aṃhasaḥ
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3 × 8
Clear petitionary cadence; balanced clauses suitable for protective invocation.
Stabilizes the nervous-vital field; evokes a sense of being ‘covered’ by a vigilant warmth.
- वेदः (vedaḥ)
- Literal: knower/one who knows. Symbolic: Agni as illumined discernment in the will; the guiding intelligence of aspiration
- अमात्यम् (amātyam)
- Literal: companion/assistant/minister. Symbolic: the faithful inner helper—supporting faculties aligned to the soul’s aim; also the cooperative powers of nature made loyal to the sacrifice
- रक्षतु (rakṣatu)
- Literal: may he protect. Symbolic: the guarding force of conscious vigilance
- विश्वतः (viśvataḥ)
- Literal: from all sides. Symbolic: protection across all planes—physical, vital, mental, and from external influences
- अंहसः (aṃhasaḥ)
- Literal: distress, sin, narrowness. Symbolic: error, falsehood, inner suffering produced by deviation from ṛta
Protective (rakṣa) use; recited for safeguarding the sacrificer and the rite from obstruction and aṃhas
Before or during offerings when seeking safeguarding of the rite and the sacrificer; at beginnings of undertakings.
Offering with a prayer for all-sided protection and removal of aṃhas.
As a protective mantra before travel, important conversations, or when facing inner turbulence—invoke discerning will to guard from error.
veda: from √vid ‘know/see’ (PIE *weyd-). amātya: ‘helper, companion’ (often ‘minister’ later); analyzable as a-mātya ‘not to be left aside’? (uncertain); functionally ‘one who is with (us)’. aṃhas: ‘narrowness, distress, sin’ possibly from √aṃh ‘to press, constrict’ → psychological constriction.
Knowledge as protection (veda → rakṣa), Aṃhas as constriction/ignorance, Universal guardianship (viśvatas)
Protection from aṃhas is protection of ṛta in the individual movement.
Agni as vedaḥ ensures truth-guided action rather than impulse.
Sustaining creation through guardianship—order maintained against forces of dissolution.
Ethico-spiritual Vedic psychology (ṛta vs anṛta).
Fire = vigilant consciousness; ‘all sides’ = all layers of being and environmental influences; aṃhas = shadowy constriction in the subconscient/vital.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as guardian against aṃhas: the fire is not only carrier of offerings but a protective intelligence that wards off constriction and harm. Inwardly, awakened discernment prevents relapse into ignorance and inner suffering.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- veda continues PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’, showing the archaic equation of knowledge with vision. The semantic of aṃhas as ‘narrowness’ parallels Indo-European metaphor mapping evil/sin to constriction and right-being to openness.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on Agni as an intimate ally (amātya) rather than a remote god: protection is requested as a constant surrounding presence, implying sustained inner vigilance and guidance.
Invoke the ‘knowing will’ to guard the mind from drift and the vital from impulse; feel a protective perimeter of awareness.
Maṇipūra (will) / Anāhata (protective warmth)
4-4 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 4) with the thought ‘rakṣatu’ on exhale—releasing aṃhas.
Protected recollection; ethical clarity; steady aspiration.
When temptation or confusion arises, repeat the mantra softly; identify the ‘amātya’ within—your best aligned helper—and place it under Agni’s guardianship.
Vedic accents as transmitted; emphasize clarity on ‘rakṣatu’ and ‘pātu’ without force.
Let the cadence mark the two petitions: (1) rakṣatu viśvataḥ (2) pātu aṃhasaḥ.
sa no: keep ‘no’ nasalized lightly, vedaḥ: soft ‘da’, visarga audible but gentle, amātyam: long ā; ‘ty’ cluster clean, viśvataḥ: dental ‘t’, visarga at end, aṃhasaḥ: anusvāra ‘aṃ’ nasal; aspirate ‘ha’ clearly
Soft but firm, like a protective vow.
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