Rig Veda 8.75.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 75, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.75
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Likely Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उत नो देव देवाँ अच्छा वोचो विदुष्टरः । श्रद्विश्वा वार्या कृधि ॥
utá no deva devā́ṃ ácchā voco vidúṣṭaraḥ | śrád viśvā vā́ryā kṛdhi ||
देवी, तुम देवियों को बुलाओ। तुम सबसे ज़्यादा जानते हो। हमारे लिए बात करो। हमारे अंदर श्रद्धा डालो। इससे हमें सारे अच्छी चीज़ें मिलेंगी।
Word by Word
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableनिपात (समुच्चय/अन्वर्थ)Root उत (निपात)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessive relation)Root अस्मद्
- देव
- O godNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देव-
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव-
- अच्छ
- towards; toIndeclinableगत्यर्थक अव्यय (towards)Root अच्छ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वोचः
- speak; callVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot वच्
- विदुष्टरः
- O more knowing; most discerningAdjective (comparative, vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) रूपRole सम्बोधन (देवस्य विशेषणम्)Root विद्वस्- (विद् √विद् ‘to know’) + तर (तुलनार्थ)
- श्रत्
- with faith; trulyIndeclinableनिपात; ‘श्रद्धा/सत्यता’ बोधक, प्रायः ‘श्रद्धत्स्व’/‘श्रद्धा’ अर्थेRoot श्रत् (निपात; Vedic form of श्रद्धा/श्रद्धत्स्वर्थ)
- विश्वा
- allAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (विश्वानि) — वैदिके ‘विश्वा’ रूपम्Role कर्म (कृधि इत्यस्य)Root विश्व-
- वार्या
- desirable boons; choice giftsNoun/Adjective (substantive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (वार्याणि) — वैदिके ‘वार्या’ रूपम्Role कर्म (विश्वा इत्यनेन सह)Root वार्य- (वृ/वर् ‘to choose’ → ‘choice, desirable’)
- कृधि
- make; grantVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot कृ
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): उत | नः | देव | देवान् | अच्छ | वोचः | विदुष्टरः | श्रत् | विश्वा | वार्या | कृधि । 1) ‘अच्छा’ इति संहितायाम् अव्ययम् ‘अच्छ’ (towards) + पदान्त ‘आ’ दीर्घत्व-प्रयोगः (वैदिक-उच्चारण/पदपाठ-परम्परा)
- पदपाठे सामान्यतः ‘अच्छ’ इति। 2) ‘श्रद्विश्वा’ = ‘श्रत्’ + ‘विश्वा’ (त् + व् संयोगः; संहितायां तदेकपदवत् दृश्यते)। 3) ‘वार्या’ RV-वैदिकरूपेण नपुंसक द्वितीया बहुवचनस्य (वार्याणि) संक्षिप्तरूपः
- ‘विश्वा’ अपि (विश्वानि) इत्यस्य वैदिकरूपः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is asked to speak to the gods and call them near; being most knowing, he should establish faith so that all desirable treasures may be attained.
Inner meaning
Agni as inner priest becomes the mediator-voice: the inspired will that can ‘speak’ upward—translate human aspiration into a language the higher powers answer. ‘Faith’ (śrad) is not belief but a soul-consent and confident openness that allows the descent of vāryā—true desirable riches (light, force, joy). When Agni establishes śraddhā, the being becomes receptive and the treasures become practicable, not merely imagined.
Universal truth
When aspiration is voiced from an awakened will and supported by inner faith, higher powers respond and the soul’s true riches become attainable.
Themes
inviting the gods, faith-formation, Agni as mediator of speech
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.75.1, Rig Veda 8.75.3, Rig Veda 8.75.4
Family tradition
Likely within Mandala 8’s Kāṇva-style invocatory sequences; not securely assigned.
Significance
Highlights the Vedic psychology of śraddhā: realization depends on a receptive consent established by the inner fire, not on external rite alone.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- deva (divine power), viduṣṭara (best knower), summoner of the gods (implied)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (word/illumination), Sarasvatī (inspiration), Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Invokes and conducts the gods to the sacrifice; establishes the right relation between human and divine.
Inner power
The inspired will that knows how to call higher faculties; awakens śraddhā as a force of receptivity and perseverance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Devatāhvāna (calling the gods) within soma/agneya contexts (general)
उ॒त नो॑ देव दे॒वाँ अच्छा॑ वोचो वि॒दुष्ट॑रः । श्रद्विश्वा॒ वार्या॑ कृधि ॥
उ॒त । नः॒ । दे॒व॒ । दे॒वान् । अच्छ॑ । वो॒चः॒ । वि॒दुःऽत॑रः । श्रत् । विश्वा॑ । वार्या॑ । कृ॒धि॒ ॥
uta | naḥ | deva | devān | accha | vocaḥ | viduḥ-taraḥ | śrat | viśvā | vāryā | kṛdhi
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4 × ~8 syllables
Conversational-invocatory, quick and clear.
Builds a sense of calling and response; supports inner confidence and openness.
- वोचः (vocaḥ)
- Literal: speak!. Symbolic: articulate aspiration; mantra-voice that opens communication with higher planes
- देवान् अच्छ (devān acchā)
- Literal: to the gods, hither/near. Symbolic: bringing higher faculties/powers into proximity of the human consciousness
- विदुष्टरः (viduṣṭaraḥ)
- Literal: more knowing, best knowing. Symbolic: Agni’s discriminating knowledge in action—right invocation, right timing
- श्रत् (śrat) / श्रद्धा
- Literal: faith, trust. Symbolic: inner assent of the soul; receptive certainty that allows realization
- वार्या (vāryā)
- Literal: choice/desirable treasures. Symbolic: true attainments: illumination, strength, harmony, delight
- कृधि (kṛdhi)
- Literal: make, establish. Symbolic: fix firmly in the nature; make faith a stable power
Standard function: Agni as messenger invites the other devatās to the sacrifice; also a psychological instruction to open the being to multiple divine powers.
After establishing Agni, before/while inviting other deities to the session.
Recitation to invoke deities; strengthening śraddhā in the yajamāna.
Use before group meditation: recite to ‘call near’ higher qualities (clarity, peace, strength) and to stabilize confidence in practice.
√vac 'speak' (PIE *wekʷ-; cf. Latin vox). √vid 'know' (PIE *weyd-; cf. English wit). śrat/śraddhā relates to √śrad 'to have faith/assent' + √dhā 'place' in the broader formation; here śrat as faith/credence. vārya- from √vṛ 'choose' (PIE *wel- 'to choose, wish'; cf. English 'will').
śrat/faith as effective assent, vārya as chosen goods (spiritual treasures), knowledge (viduṣṭaraḥ)
Right calling (acchā vocaḥ) is rita in speech—invocation aligned with truth.
Faith is established toward ‘all vāryā’—true goods, not deceptive desires.
Speech as a creative bridge; invocation brings latent powers into manifest operation.
Vedic mantra-yoga: speech + faith as instruments of transformation (Aurobindo’s emphasis on Vāc and śraddhā).
Fire as will; sound as formative vibration; gods as higher functions approaching the human field when called rightly.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as divine herald who calls the gods to the offering; the inner correlate is the will-flame organizing the descent/arrival of higher powers into the human field through right speech and faith.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid (know) and √vac (speak) are strongly IE and central to hymn diction; the collocation of knowing + speaking encodes the archaic idea that true speech proceeds from knowledge/vision.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts Agni with intermediation: 'speak to the gods.' The requested return is śrat—an inner stability of assent—so that vārya (true desirable riches) can be realized as states of being, not mere objects.
Practice ‘invocatory speech’: inwardly address the higher consciousness, then rest in receptive faith.
Viśuddha (mantric speech) with support of Anāhata (faith as heart-consent)
Soft ujjāyī (very mild) while chanting to steady voice and attention.
Receptive aspiration—quiet calling followed by listening silence.
Chant once aloud, then once mentally. After ‘śrad viśvā vāryā kṛdhi’, sit 1–2 minutes feeling trust in the process, releasing doubt into the flame.
Chant with even Anuṣṭubh pacing; apply correct Vedic accents from a marked source when available.
Give a slight lift on ‘devān acchā’ (calling near), and a settling emphasis on ‘śrad… kṛdhi’ (establish faith).
: double ‘cch’—ac-chā, not ‘a-chā’, : retroflex ṣ in -ṣṭa-, keep cluster clear, : pronounce śrat with crisp dental t; avoid ‘shrad’ as English ‘d’, : long ā; roll gently into -ryā without inserting extra vowel
Warm, inviting, prayerful but steady.
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