Rig Veda 7.3.8: Mandala 7, Sukta 3, Mantra 8
Sukta 7.3
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
या वा ते सन्ति दाशुषे अधृष्टा गिरो वा याभिर्नृवतीरुरुष्याः । ताभिर्नः सूनो सहसो नि पाहि स्मत्सूरीञ्जरितॄञ्जातवेदः ॥
yā́ vā te sánti dāśúṣe ádhṛṣṭā gíro vā yā́bhir nṛ-vátīr uruṣyā́ḥ | tā́bhir naḥ sū́no sahaso ní pāhi smát sūrī́n jaritṝ́n jāta-vedaḥ ||
अग्नि, तुम्हारी जो भी शक्ति है, वो दान देने वाले के लिए है। तुम्हारी वही शक्ति हमे भी रक्षा करे। तुम जो शब्द बोलते हो, उनसे हिम्मत वाले लोग बड़े काम करते हैं। जातवेदस, तुम उन लोगों को भी बचाओ जो भगवान के गुण गाते हैं। उन्हे कोई बुरा हाथ नहीं लगा सके।
Word by Word
- या
- which (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सम्बन्ध-निर्देशः) अथवा यद्-सम्बन्धिनीRole Adhikaraṇa (सम्बन्ध-निर्देशः) / विशेषण-सम्बन्धःRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्Root वा (निपात)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/अधिकारः)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्ति
- areVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root अस् (धातु)
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper/giverNoun (participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot दाश्वस्/दाशुष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दाश् ‘to give, worship’)
- अधृष्टाः
- unassailed, unharmedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (गिरः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root अधृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; a- + √धृष् ‘to dare/assail’)
- गिरः
- songs, hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्Root वा (निपात)
- याभिः
- with whichPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नृवतीः
- manly, heroic (rich in men)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (गिरः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root नृवत् (प्रातिपदिक; नृ ‘man’ + वत्)
- उरुष्याः
- you protectVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (परस्मैपदम्)Root उरुष्य (धातु/देववाचक-क्रिया; √उरुष्/उरु- ‘to protect, make wide/safe’)
- ताभिः
- with thosePronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SambandhaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूनो
- O sonNounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहसः
- of might/strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, in; firmlyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (अवरोह/अन्तः-स्थापनार्थः)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पाहि
- protectVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root पा (धातु)
- स्मत्
- from usPronounपञ्चमी एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम्)Role ApādānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूरीन्
- patrons, chiefsNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- जरितॄन्
- singers, praisersNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √जृ/√जर् ‘to praise’)
- जातवेदः
- O Jātavedas (Agni)Noun (deity-epithet)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘knower of births’ = अग्नि)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): या वा ते सन्ति दाशुषे अधृष्टा गिरो वा याभिः नृवतीः उरुष्याः । ताभिः नः सूनो सहसः नि पाहि स्मत् सूरीन् जरितॄन् जातवेदः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) याभिर्नृवतीः → याभिः + नृवतीः (विसर्ग/र्-आदेशः, RV-संहिता-प्रयोगः) । (2) ताभिर्नः → ताभिः + नः (विसर्ग/र्-आदेशः) । (3) स्मत्सूरीन् → स्मत् + सूरीन् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: त् + स् → त्स्) । (4) जरितॄञ्जातवेदः → जरितॄन् + जातवेदः (न् + ज् → ञ्ज्) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni has invincible utterances for the giver; by those speech-forces he widens and protects the manly energies. With those, he is asked to guard the worshippers—leaders and singers.
Inner meaning
Agni holds within him unconquerable mantric powers (adhṛṣṭā giro) that support the soul who gives himself (dāśuṣe). These are not mere words but forces of consciousness that widen (uruṣyāḥ) the noble energies (nṛvatīḥ)—courage, initiative, right striving. The prayer asks Agni to protect both the inner ‘leaders’ (sūrīḥ—illumined faculties that guide) and the ‘singers’ (jaritṛ—our expressive aspiration), so that the higher movements are not harmed or displaced by lower impulses.
Universal truth
True speech is a power: when aligned with the inner fire of sincerity, it strengthens and safeguards the best forces in us and preserves right guidance on the path.
Themes
Mantra-power, Protection of seers, Wideness, Invincibility
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.3.1-11 (hymn context), RV 7.18 (Vasiṣṭha’s broader cycle)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns emphasize the efficacy of mantra (giraḥ) as living force when joined to Agni’s will.
Significance
The seer highlights protected expansion: growth must be guarded by invincible truth-speech and inner fire so that illumination is not lost in the vital.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Jātavedas; Sahaso sūnu)
- Epithets
- Jātavedas, Sahaso sūnu, Pāvaka (in adjacent verse)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of mantra), Indra (illumination and victory), Sarasvatī (inspired speech)
Cosmic role
Bearer of mantra-force; awakener and protector of heroic energies needed for the divine work.
Inner power
Truth-speech united with will—an inner vibration that clears, strengthens, and shields the higher faculties.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise within soma-less iṣṭi / daily fire rites; also protective recitation for the yajamāna and ṛtvij.
या वा॑ ते॒ सन्ति॑ दा॒शुषे॒ अधृ॑ष्टा॒ गिरो॑ वा॒ याभि॑र्नृ॒वती॑रुरु॒ष्याः । ताभि॑र्नः सूनो सहसो॒ नि पा॑हि॒ स्मत्सू॒रीञ्ज॑रि॒तॄञ्जा॑तवेदः ॥
याः । वा॒ । ते॒ । सन्ति॑ । दा॒शुषे॑ । अधृ॑ष्टाः । गिरः॑ । वा॒ । याभिः॑ । नृ॒ऽवतीः॑ । उ॒रु॒ष्याः । ताभिः॑ । नः॒ । सू॒नो॒ इति॑ । स॒ह॒सः॒ । नि । पा॒हि॒ । स्मत् । सू॒रीन् । ज॒रि॒तॄन् । जा॒त॒ऽवे॒दः॒ ॥
yāḥ | vā | te | santi | dāśuṣe | adhṛṣṭāḥ | giraḥ | vā | yābhiḥ | nṛ-vatīḥ | uruṣyāḥ | tābh iḥ | naḥ | sūno iti | sahasaḥ | ni | pāhi | smat | sūrīn | jaritṝn | jāta-vedaḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Expansive yet firm; suitable for ‘uru’ (widening) and protective resolve.
Elicits confidence in speech and steadiness in aspiration; supports clear vocalization and inner listening.
- अधृष्टाः गिरः (adhṛṣṭā giraḥ)
- Literal: invincible utterances. Symbolic: mantric speech-powers that cannot be overcome by falsehood or inertia
- दाशुषे (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver. Symbolic: to the one who offers the self and energies into the yogic sacrifice
- नृवतीः (nṛvatīḥ)
- Literal: manful, heroic (energies). Symbolic: courageous life-forces disciplined by the soul
- उरुष्याः (uruṣyāḥ)
- Literal: you widen and protect. Symbolic: you expand consciousness and provide safe passage for growth
- सहसो सूनो (sahaso sūno)
- Literal: son of strength. Symbolic: Agni born of tapas—concentrated force in the being
- सूरीन् (sūrīn)
- Literal: illumined leaders. Symbolic: inner guiding lights—discerning intelligence and higher will
- जरितॄन् (jaritṝn)
- Literal: singers/praisers. Symbolic: the expressive soul-force that calls and affirms the divine
- जातवेदः (jātavedas)
- Literal: knower of all births. Symbolic: the fire-consciousness that knows the movements of our becoming and can set them right
Protective invocation for patrons (dāśuṣ) and the ritual community (sūrī/jaritṛ); used where the efficacy of mantra-speech is foregrounded.
During stotra/śastra praise segments or at kindling when invoking Agni’s protective power.
Recitation to strengthen the rite and protect the officiants/patron.
Use as a ‘speech mantra’ before important communication: align words with inner truth and invoke protection for discernment and aspiration.
: from √gṛ/√gir ‘to call, sing’ → speech as power. : from √uru ‘wide’ + causative/protective sense ‘make wide/save’ → wideness as safety (Rita’s spaciousness). : jāta ‘born’ + veda ‘knowing’ from √vid ‘know’ → omniscient fire-principle knowing all manifestations.
Vāc as force (giraḥ) shaping reality, Uru (wideness) as a sign of truth-order and safety, Continuity of becoming (jāta-vedaḥ)
Invincible utterance is speech aligned with ṛta; it protects the heroic energies that serve the right order.
Speech becomes unconquerable when it carries satya—truth-substance, not opinion.
Vāc as formative power that widens the inner world and preserves its guiding lights.
Mantra-śakti emphasis consonant with Aurobindo’s view of Vedic speech as effective consciousness-force.
Fire = will; sound = consciousness-vibration; widening space = expansion of mind and heart without loss of protection.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Invincible speech as divine protection: Agni possesses unassailable ‘giraḥ’ that create wideness and safety. Inner sense: mantra and awakened fire together form a protective field for the illumined faculties and the aspiring voice.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid ‘know’ (veda) is strongly IE (cf. Greek oîda, English wit). The semantic pairing of ‘wide’ (uru) with safety echoes an IE poetic trope where spaciousness equals well-being.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Agni’s own stock of ‘invincible utterances’, implying that true mantra originates in the deity’s power and is lent to the human singer; the human community is protected insofar as it participates in that divine speech.
Unifying speech, thought, and will: let words arise from the psychic flame rather than reaction.
Viśuddha (speech-truth) supported by Manipura (will)
Slow exhale chanting; feel vibration in throat and chest; pause after each pāda to ‘hear’ the inner echo.
Mantric concentration—speech as force, not narration.
Before speaking, inwardly offer the impulse into Agni; speak only what widens and protects the noble energies in self and others.
Follow accent marks; keep ‘adhṛ́ṣṭā́ gíraḥ’ with clear lift on udatta; avoid dragging consonant clusters.
Mark the caesura after the first pāda; emphasize ‘uruṣyāḥ’ as the widening turn.
: pronounce dhṛ with vocalic ṛ; keep ṣṭ cluster crisp., : vocalic ṛ in nṛ; long ī at end., : long ū; not overemphasized., : pronounce ‘jāta-vedaḥ’ with clear t and dental d.
Clear, articulate, slightly uplifting; let the sound feel ‘invincible’—steady and unbroken.
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