Rig Veda 8.71.8: Mandala 8, Sukta 71, Mantra 8
Sukta 8.71
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अग्ने माकिष्टे देवस्य रातिमदेवो युयोत । त्वमीशिषे वसूनाम् ॥
agne mā́kiṣ ṭe devásya rātím ádevo yuyota | tvám ī́śiṣe vásūnām ||
अग्नि, कोई बुरा इंसान तुम्हारी भगवान की देन को हमसे दूर मत जाने दो। तुम ही असली मालिक हो धन और सम्पन्नता का।
Word by Word
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (address)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Voc. sg.)Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध)
- किः
- anyone (someone)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nom. sg.); एन्क्लिटिक ‘किः’ = ‘कश्चित्’Role कर्तृ (युयोत्-क्रियायाः)Root किम्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी-एकवचन (Gen. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (देवस्य/रातिम् इत्यस्य)Root त्वद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the god / divineNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन (Gen. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (रातिम् इत्यस्य)Root देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रातिम्
- gift, bountyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Acc. sg.)Role कर्म (युयोत्-क्रियायाः)Root राति- (प्रातिपदिक; √रा/√रद् ‘to give’ से दान/भेट)
- अदेवः
- the ungodly one / non-divine (hostile)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nom. sg.)Role कर्तृ (युयोत्-क्रियायाः)Root अ- + देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- युयोत्
- let (him) keep away / may (he) not depriveVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √यु (यु- ‘to separate, keep away’), लोट्/आज्ञार्थे
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा-एकवचन (Nom. sg.)Role कर्तृ (ईशिषे-क्रियायाः)Root युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईशिषे
- you rule / you have masteryVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; 2 पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √ईश् (to own, rule)
- वसूनाम्
- of riches / of goodsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Gen. pl.)Role सम्बन्ध (ईशिषे इत्यस्य)Root वसु- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अग्ने | मा | किः | ते | देवस्य | रातिम् | अदेवः | युयोत् | त्वम् | ईशिषे | वसूनाम् । सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) माकिः = मा + किः (निषेध ‘मा’ + एन्क्लिटिक ‘किः’ = ‘कश्चित्/कोऽपि’). (2) रातिमदेवो = रातिम् + अदेवः
- म् + अ → म (अनुस्वार/मकार-लोप-प्रकारेण संधि), तथा ‘अदेवः’ पदान्ते विसर्गः पदसंहितायां ‘ओ’ (अदेवो) इति वैदिक-प्रयोगः. (3) युयोत । त्वम्—पदविरामेण सन्धि न।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is asked that no ungodly being push away the god’s gift; Agni is the lord/master of the riches (vasūnām).
Inner meaning
The divine Will safeguards the descent of grace (devasya rāti) in the sadhaka. ‘Adeva’ is any unillumined force—ego, doubt, desire—that tries to divert or reject the true gift. Agni, as master of the inner riches, governs the right distribution and assimilation of powers and delights (vasu).
Universal truth
Genuine spiritual help can be obstructed by unillumined parts of our nature; steadfast inner fire preserves the gift and makes it effective.
Themes
guarding-the-gift, lordship, anti-obstruction, divine-wealth
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.71.6, Rig Veda 8.71.7, Rig Veda 8.71.9, Rig Veda 8.71.10
Significance
The seer-voice highlights a key yogic law: grace descends, but must be protected from the ‘adeva’ in us; Agni is invoked as the inner steward of spiritual wealth.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Lord of riches (vasūnām īśiṣe)
- Related deities
- Vasus (as powers of abundance), Soma (delight), Indra (illumined force)
Cosmic role
Distributor of divine gifts through sacrifice; purifier ensuring offerings reach the gods and return as boons.
Inner power
Stewardship of energies—right assimilation of spiritual force; protection of grace from egoic distortion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-invocation for safeguarding offerings and their fruits
अग्ने॒ माकि॑ष्टे दे॒वस्य॑ रा॒तिमदे॑वो युयोत । त्वमी॑शिषे॒ वसू॑नाम् ॥
अग्ने॑ । माकिः॑ । ते॒ । दे॒वस्य॑ । रा॒तिम् । अदे॑वः । यु॒यो॒त॒ । त्वम् । ई॒शि॒षे॒ । वसू॑नाम् ॥
agne | mākiḥ | te | devasya | rātim | adevaḥ | yuyota | tvam | īśiṣe | vasūnām
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4 × ~8 syllables (approx.)
Crisp negation (‘mākiṣ’) followed by affirmation of sovereignty (‘tvam īśiṣe’).
Instills firmness against inner sabotage and confidence in the governing divine Will.
- रा॒तिम् (rātim)
- Literal: gift, giving. Symbolic: Grace, true help, descent of power/knowledge
- देवस्य (devasya)
- Literal: of the god/divine. Symbolic: From the divine consciousness, not from ego or desire
- अदेवः (adevaḥ)
- Literal: non-divine, ungodly. Symbolic: Egoistic nature, hostile impulses, obscurity that rejects truth
- युयोत (yuyota)
- Literal: push away, drive off. Symbolic: Deflection/repulsion of grace; inner sabotage
- वसू॑नाम् (vasūnām)
- Literal: of the Vasus/wealths. Symbolic: Powers of substance, joy, right functioning energies
Protection of the sacrificial ‘gift’ (rāti) from obstructing forces; affirmation of Agni’s lordship over prosperity in the rite.
When seeking uninterrupted flow of boons; to avert inimical influences during rite
Recite with protective intent; oblation to stabilize Agni’s presence
Before receiving guidance/initiations/inner experiences: pray that no egoic twist deflect the gift; cultivate receptivity and humility.
rāti ‘gift’ from √rā ‘to give, grant’. adeva ‘non-divine’ marks forces opposed to the deva-nature (light, harmony). īśiṣe from √īś ‘to rule’. vásu ‘good, wealth, substance’; vasu-plural ‘riches/powers’ also resonates with the class of deities Vasus.
deva vs adeva (luminous order vs obscuring disorder), right possession and distribution of powers (vasūnām)
The ‘gift’ belongs to ṛta; adeva is the distortion that breaks right order. Agni restores alignment.
True gift is truth-bearing force; Agni ensures it is not replaced by counterfeit satisfactions.
Right distribution of powers in the evolving being; spiritual wealth as organized energies.
Aurobindonian: grace must be received by purified instrument; Agni as purifier and organizer.
Fire = purifier; ‘gift’ = descending light/force; ‘adeva’ = smoke/soot of ego obscuring flame.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The safeguarding of divine rāti against the adeva: the mythic scene is the protection of the god’s gift from demonic interference; psychologically, it is the preservation of received inner grace from forces that would dislodge it (doubt, inertia, egoism).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The deva/adeva opposition reflects an inherited Indo-Iranian religious polarity (daēva in Iranian becomes negative, while deva remains positive in Vedic). √īś ‘rule’ and the possessive genitive vasūnām show stable archaic governance/possession syntax.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Agni’s sovereignty: since Agni is lord of the vasus, only he can ensure the continuity of the divine gift in the human vessel; the human role is vigilance and alignment, voiced as a prohibitive prayer.
Receptivity to grace without ego-appropriation; invoke Agni as guardian of the gift.
anahata
Quiet inhalation feeling ‘rāti’ descend; exhalation offering ‘adeva’ impulses into the flame.
Protected receptivity—open but discerning.
When a helpful force comes (insight, peace, energy), repeat the mantra 9 times, then sit silently to ‘let it settle’ without mental interference.
Maintain clarity on ‘mākiṣ’ (strong prohibition) and uplift on ‘tvam’ (affirmation).
Slight pause after ‘agne’; keep ‘rātim’ clean; emphasize long ī in ‘īśiṣe’.
mākiṣ: long ā; final ṣ crisp, rātim: long ā, adevaḥ: short a-, dental d, visarga, yuyota: yu-yo-ta with clear y glide, vasūnām: long ū and long ām nasalized
Firm, protective, yet reverent; avoid aggression—aim for unwavering guardianship.
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