Rig Veda 8.7.32: Mandala 8, Sukta 7, Mantra 32
Sukta 8.7
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Devata
- Agni with Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सहो षु णो वज्रहस्तैः कण्वासो अग्निं मरुद्भिः । स्तुषे हिरण्यवाशीभिः ॥
sahó ṣú no vájra-hastaiḥ káṇvāsó agním marúdbhiḥ | stúṣe híraṇya-vāśībhiḥ ||
हम कण्व लोग अग्नि की स्तुति करते हैं, मरुत के साथ। यह लोग बहुत ताकतवर हैं, हाथ में वज्र लिए हैं। उनकी आवाज़ सोना जैसी चमकती है।
Word by Word
- सहो
- strength, mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सहस्- (प्रातिपदिक) / सह् (धातु, ‘सहने’)
- षु
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (प्रयोग-बलवर्धक/अनुनासिक) — ‘indeed, surely’Root षु (निपात) अव्यय
- णः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: णः = नः)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्- (सर्वनाम)
- वज्रहस्तैः
- with the thunderbolt-handed (ones)Adjective (used substantively) / Noun-compoundपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot वज्र-हस्त- (समास: वज्रः हस्ते यस्य)
- कण्वासः
- the Kaṇvas (seers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot कण्व- (गोत्र/ऋषिनाम)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अग्नि-
- मरुद्भिः
- with the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मरुत्-
- स्तुषे
- I praiseVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot स्तु (धातु ‘स्तुतौ’)
- हिरण्यवाशीभिः
- with golden praises / with golden-voiced hymnsNoun (instrumental plural) / Compoundस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वाशी-), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot हिरण्य-वाशी- (समास; वाशी- ‘स्तुति/वाक्’ इत्यर्थे वैदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (वैदिक): स॒हः । षु । णः । वज्र॑हस्तैः । कण्वा॑सः । अ॒ग्निम् । म॒रुद्भिः । स्तु॒षे । हिर॑ण्यवाशीभिः । 1) ‘णः’ वैदिक-प्रयोगः = ‘नः’ (अस्मद्-षष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचनस्य एन्क्लिटिक रूप). 2) ‘सहो’ इति संहितायां ‘सहः’ (नपुंसक) + पदान्त-ओकार (प्रगृह्य/पदपाठ-परम्परा) इव दृश्यते
- अर्थतः ‘सहः/सहस्’ = बलम्. 3) ‘वज्रहस्तैः’ तथा ‘हिरण्यवाशीभिः’ समासपदानि
The meaning
Outer meaning
We, the Kāṇvas, praise Agni together with the Maruts, the strong thunderbolt-handed ones, with voices bright as gold.
Inner meaning
The seer-family affirms a central synthesis: Agni (divine will and inner priest) is praised in companionship with the Maruts (dynamic life-forces). The “vajra-handed” suggests irresistible force that breaks resistance; the “golden-voiced” hymn indicates a speech illumined by truth and joy, not merely sound but a luminous vibration that builds the inner sacrifice.
Universal truth
Transformation requires both steady will (Agni) and energized, purified force (Maruts); when aspiration becomes luminous speech, it actively shapes consciousness.
Themes
Agni-Marut unity, shattering obstruction, inspired speech
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇvas (collective)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.7.30–34, RV 1.36 (Kāṇva Agni invocations, broadly)
Family tradition
A collective utterance of the Kāṇva line, emphasizing communal sādhanā: the clan as a symbolic ‘inner community’ of faculties united in praise.
Significance
Marks the integrative move: not only calling for help, but establishing the inner ritual where will (Agni) and force (Maruts) act together.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Maruts)
- Epithets
- hotṛ (implied), inner priest (psychological), leader of the sacrifice
- Related deities
- Maruts, Indra, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Agni mediates between human and divine, kindles the offering, and carries it to the gods; with Maruts he intensifies movement in the mid-world and prepares Indra’s victories.
Inner power
Aspiring will that organizes the nature; with Maruts, it becomes powerful, swift, and purifying.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni and Marut praise in Soma-yajña sequences; also general Agni-stuti at kindling
स॒हो षु णो॒ वज्र॑हस्तै॒: कण्वा॑सो अ॒ग्निं म॒रुद्भि॑: । स्तु॒षे हिर॑ण्यवाशीभिः ॥
स॒हो इति॑ । सु । नः॒ । वज्र॑ऽहस्तैः । कण्वा॑सः । अ॒ग्निम् । म॒रुत्ऽभिः॑ । स्तु॒षे । हिर॑ण्यऽवाशीभिः ॥
saho iti | su | naḥ | vajra-hastaiḥ | kaṇvāsaḥ | agnim | marut-bhiḥ | stuṣe | hiraṇya-vāśībhiḥ
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4 × ~11
Strong, marching cadence; celebratory and expansive with a bright sonic sheen (hiraṇya imagery).
Energizes the chest and breath; gives confident uplift and collective strength.
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, inner flame of aspiration, leader of the yajña
- मरुद्भिः (marudbhiḥ)
- Literal: with the Maruts. Symbolic: with dynamic powers that support and expand the will
- वज्रहस्तैः (vajra-hastaiḥ)
- Literal: with thunderbolt in hand. Symbolic: force that breaks obstruction; decisive spiritual power
- सहो (saho)
- Literal: strength, force. Symbolic: inner endurance and effective energy
- हिरण्यवाशीभिः (hiraṇya-vāśībhiḥ)
- Literal: with golden voices. Symbolic: truth-illumined mantra-vibration; luminous expression of consciousness
- स्तुषे (stuṣe)
- Literal: I/We praise. Symbolic: active offering of speech-energy to awaken the deity within
Agni-Māruta praise in Soma liturgy: kindling the will (Agni) and energizing it with the Marut host for victorious progress.
At kindling/praise moments where force and protection are invoked alongside the sacrificial fire.
Stotra/śastra-style praise accompanying offerings into fire.
Chant before meditation or work as a ‘power-up’ mantra: kindle will and call supportive energies for disciplined action.
vajrá ‘thunderbolt’ from √vaj/√vajr semantic field ‘hard/strong’; Agní from √ag ‘to drive’ (and ‘to be sharp/active’), the force that leads and kindles. √stu ‘praise’. hiraṇya as luminous gold; vāśī related to sound/cry (√vāś ‘to bellow/cry’), here refined to bright inspired utterance.
mantra as luminous speech (hiraṇya-vāśī), integration of will (Agni) and life-force (Maruts)
Agni establishes Ṛta in the human instrument; Maruts provide the dynamic movement to execute it.
Golden voice symbolizes speech aligned with satyam—mantra as truth-vibration.
Fire as first awakener; winds as expanders—together they build the field for manifestation.
Vedic yoga / integral symbolism
dawn-to-day transition (Agni kindling symbolism)
Fire = will; wind = prāṇa-force; lightning = sudden decisive illumination; gold = supramental/illumined clarity in speech and mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The conjoint hymn of Agni and the Maruts: Fire (will) is praised together with the storm-host (dynamic energies) who bear the shattering power. Innerly, it is the union of steady flame (Agni) and vigorous life-force (Maruts) expressed through luminous mantra-voice.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- agni- has Indo-Iranian parallels (Av. ātar ‘fire’ is different lexeme, but the sacral centrality is shared). The ‘thunderbolt-in-hand’ epithet corresponds to widespread IE storm-god formulae (weapon-in-hand as a poetic invariant).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Kāṇvas offer ‘golden voice’—speech made luminous and fit—to call down and stabilize Agni with the Maruts. The r̥ṣi’s role is to shape vibration (mantra) that harmonizes will and energy into a single instrument for r̥ta.
Kindle the inner flame and invite supportive prāṇic forces; feel mantra as ‘golden voice’ vibrating in the heart and throat.
vishuddha (mantra/voice)
Moderate ujjāyī-like gentle constriction (optional) to enrich resonance; inhale feeling Agni rise, exhale offering the phrase ‘stuṣe’.
From inertia to luminous, capable readiness; speech and will become aligned.
Begin with a few minutes of silent attention at the navel/heart (Agni), then chant, sensing winds (Maruts) fanning the flame; end in stillness with the feeling of ‘hiraṇya’ clarity in the mind.
Rigvedic accents as per tradition; keep compounds clean (vajra-hastaiḥ, hiraṇya-vāśībhiḥ).
Padapāṭha pacing: saho | su | naḥ | vajra-hastaiḥ | kaṇvāsaḥ | agnim | marud-bhiḥ | stuṣe | hiraṇya-vāśībhiḥ.
vajra: v is labiodental; jra cluster quick, hastaiḥ: ai diphthong; final ḥ light, kaṇvāsaḥ: retroflex ṇ; long ā; final ḥ, marudbhiḥ: keep d+bhiḥ junction clear, hiraṇya: retroflex ṇy cluster smooth, vāśībhiḥ: long ā; ś palatal; bh + iḥ clear
Bright, resonant, confident; let ‘hiraṇya’ feel luminous in tone.
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