Rig Veda 2.7.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 7, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.7
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Bhayankara
मा नो अरातिरीशत देवस्य मर्त्यस्य च । पर्षि तस्या उत द्विषः ॥
mā́ no arā́tir īśata devásya mártyasya ca | párṣi tásyā uta dvíṣaḥ ||
ದೇವನಿಂದಾಗಲಿ ಮರ್ಥ್ಯನಿಂದಾಗಲಿ—ಯಾವುದೇ ಅರಾದಿ (ವೈರ/ಅಭಾವಜನ್ಯ ದಬ್ಬಾಳಿಕೆ) ನಮ್ಮ ಮೇಲೆ ಆಳಬಾರದು. ನೀನು ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಅದರಿಂದ ಪಾರುಮಾಡು; ಮತ್ತು ದ್ವಿಷಃ—ದ್ವೇಷಿಸುವವರಿಂದಲೂ—ಪಾರುಮಾಡು.
Word by Word
- मा
- not; do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)Root मा (निषेध) / mā́
- नः
- to/for us; of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (enclitic ‘nas’: gen./dat. pl.)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- अरातिः
- harm; hostility; mischiefNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot अराति- (प्रातिपदिक) < a-rāti (non-giving, harm)
- ईशत
- may (it) rule/prevail overVerbलोट् (विधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थे injunctive-like Vedic use), प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot ईश्
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root देव-
- मर्त्यस्य
- of the mortalNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root मर्त्य-
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च
- पर्षि
- carry across; save; protectVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot पॄ (पॄ/पृ) ‘to carry over, bring across, save’
- तस्याः
- from that (harm/hostility)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Apādāna (source: ‘from that/her’ in sense ‘from it’)Root तद्
- उत
- and also; moreoverIndeclinableअव्यय (also, moreover; and)Root उत
- द्विषः
- from the enemy; from the haterNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Vedic: ‘of the enemy/hater’; also interpretable as abl. sg. in some readings)Role ApādānaRoot द्विष् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक: द्विष् → द्विष्- ‘hater, enemy’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: मा | नः | अरातिः | ईशत | देवस्य | मर्त्यस्य | च | पर्षि | तस्याः | उत | द्विषः । 1) ‘नो॒’ = नः (enclitic pronoun). 2) ‘अरातिः’ + ‘ईशत’ shows no external sandhi change (hiatus tolerated in Vedic recitation). 3) ‘तस्या॑’ = तस्याः (gen./abl. sg. fem. of तद्)
- final visarga is often not written in saṃhitā orthography with accent marks. 4) ‘द्विषः’ is a Vedic gen./abl.-like form ‘of/from the hater’
- interpreted here with the verb पर्षि in an ablatival sense ‘save us from …’
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer that hostile want/wrong mastery (arāti) not rule over us, whether coming from divine or human sources; Agni is asked to carry us beyond it and beyond enemies/haters.
Inner meaning
Arāti is the inner adversary: division, insufficiency, and perverse control that obstructs the sacrifice. It can arise as pressure from ‘deva’ (cosmic forces/impulses that overwhelm) or ‘martyā’ (human/egoic movements). The seeker asks Agni to ‘ferry across’ (parṣi) beyond these limiting powers and beyond dviṣaḥ—the hostile formations in consciousness (resentment, denial, self-sabotage, outer opposition).
Universal truth
Freedom requires crossing beyond both inner deficiency and hostile reactions. The transforming will can lead us past limitation and enmity into a larger, protected movement of life.
Themes
Protection from hostility, Crossing beyond obstacles, Inner overcoming
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.7.6, Rig Veda 2.7.7, Rig Veda 2.7.8
Family tradition
Protective Agni hymns: Agni not only gives light/wealth but guards the sacrifice from adverse forces.
Significance
The seer recognizes mixed forces acting on the path and seeks Agni’s leadership to cross beyond obstruction—an early psychology of resistance.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- tārayitṛ (ferrier, implied by parṣi), rakṣohā (protector, thematic), purohita (leader in front, thematic)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra-type resistances), Mitra-Varuṇa (order and law), Sarasvatī (right speech against confusion)
Cosmic role
Guardian and purifier; carries the sacrificer across dangers; burns hostile formations and restores right order.
Inner power
Protective will and discerning flame that rejects wrong mastery and establishes sovereign alignment with truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective petition within Agni worship; used to avert hostile influences during rites.
मा नो॒ अरा॑तिरीशत दे॒वस्य॒ मर्त्य॑स्य च । पर्षि॒ तस्या॑ उ॒त द्वि॒षः ॥
मा । नः॒ । अरा॑तिः । ई॒श॒त॒ । दे॒वस्य॑ । मर्त्य॑स्य । च॒ । पर्षि॑ । तस्याः॑ । उ॒त । द्वि॒षः ॥
mā | naḥ | arātiḥ | īśata | devasya | martyasya | ca | parṣi | tasyāḥ | uta | dviṣaḥ
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3×8
Apotropaic (protective) and firm; negation ‘mā’ sets a strong boundary.
Creates resolve and protection; helps cut anxiety and establish inner sovereignty.
- अरा॑ति (arāti)
- Literal: want, niggardliness, hostility. Symbolic: inner deficiency and wrong mastery; obstructing force that withholds light/joy
- ईशत (īśata)
- Literal: may it rule/master. Symbolic: usurpation of consciousness by lower control patterns
- देवस्य (devasya)
- Literal: of the god/divine. Symbolic: pressure of cosmic forces when not harmonized (even ‘divine’ energies misapplied)
- मर्त्यस्य (martyasya)
- Literal: of the mortal. Symbolic: egoic, habitual, ignorant movements
- पर्षि (parṣi)
- Literal: carry across, ferry. Symbolic: lead beyond limitation; transition to a higher state
- द्विषः (dviṣaḥ)
- Literal: haters, enemies. Symbolic: hostile formations—inner and outer opposition to growth
Apotropaic/protective prayer within Agni hymn; safeguarding the sacrificer and rite from hostility and obstruction
When seeking protection from inimical forces before/after offerings; also suitable as a general rakṣā-prayer.
Recitation with oblation for protection; mental ‘fencing’ of the rite.
Use when facing inner negativity or social hostility: chant to disengage from reactive patterns and re-center in the flame of will.
arāti denotes harm/hostility and especially ‘niggardliness’—a refusal of right giving; inwardly it is the contraction that blocks plenitude. √īś ‘to rule’ frames the problem as domination by adverse power. √pṛ/√par ‘to cross’ (párṣi) evokes the common Vedic motif of being ‘carried over’ obstacles—psychologically, a passage beyond limiting forces and hostile movements.
Opposition to ṛta (arāti as disorder/withholding), Transition beyond obstruction (crossing over)
Arāti is anṛta-like usurpation; Agni restores ṛta by right mastery of energies.
Crossing beyond hatred aligns with satya: non-reactive truth-force rather than ego-defense.
Evolutionary crossing: from constriction (want/hostility) to widened being under divine governance.
Yoga of transformation: dealing with resistance (Vṛtra-like covering) through will and purification.
night-to-dawn transition (protective crossing motif)
Crossing a river = moving from lower to higher consciousness; fire-ring = psychic protection; hostility = obscuring vibrations in the vital.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘crossing beyond hostility’ mythologem: the deity is asked to ferry the sacrificer past arāti and dviṣ. Inwardly, this is the passage from constriction and opposition into the free flow of ṛta and plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √īś ‘rule/own’ continues an Indo-European semantic field of mastery/possession; √par ‘cross’ resonates with widespread IE imagery of fording/crossing as salvation (a structural mythic metaphor rather than a single lexical inheritance).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts Agni with protective sovereignty: not merely to give boons, but to prevent adverse mastery and to lead the community beyond hostility. The devatā becomes the inner guide across crisis—transforming opposition into a traversed stage of growth.
Identify arāti as a specific pattern (scarcity, resentment, control). Offer it to Agni; feel a crossing into wideness.
Manipura (sovereignty) with protective aura around Anahata
Forceful but controlled exhale on ‘mā’ (release intrusion), then long inhale; finish with steady exhale on ‘parṣi’ (crossing).
Firm, protected, widened.
When hostility arises, do not argue inwardly. Repeat the mantra, feel Agni in the navel/heart, and choose one non-reactive action that restores order.
Strong initial prohibition ‘mā’ with clear udātta where marked; keep the second half steady and resolute on ‘parṣi’.
Avoid emotional strain; firmness without aggression. Pause at |; keep ‘parṣi tasyā uta dviṣaḥ’ as one decisive movement.
mā: long ā, arātiḥ: retroflex ṭ? (here ‘t’ dental); keep long ā; final ḥ light, īśata: long ī; ś palatal, parṣi: retroflex ṣ; ‘r’ tapped, dviṣaḥ: dv cluster clear; retroflex ṣ; final ḥ light
Low, steady, protective; slightly stronger volume than contemplative verses.
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