Rig Veda 8.71.9: Mandala 8, Sukta 71, Mantra 9
Sukta 8.71
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Shanta (peace)
स नो वस्व उप मास्यूर्जो नपान्माहिनस्य । सखे वसो जरितृभ्यः ॥
sá no vásva úpa māsi ū́rjo napān mā́hinasya | sákhē vaso jaritṛ́bhyaḥ ||
स नः वस्व् उप मा असि, ऊर्जो नपात् माहिनस्य; सखे वसो जरितृभ्यः।
Word by Word
- स
- he/that (referring to the deity)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिकः)Role सम्बोधन/निर्देश (अन्वय-सम्बन्धः)Root तद् (स-आदेशः)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिकः)Role सम्बन्ध (possessive)Root अस्मद्
- वस्वः
- O Vasu (wealth-giver / one of the Vasus)Nounसम्बोधन एकवचनम् (वसो इति रूपम्; पदे वस्वः)Role सम्बोधनRoot वसु
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role क्रियाविशेषण (निकटता/उपगमन)Root उप
- मासि
- in the monthNounसप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरण (काल-अधिकरण)Root मास
- ऊर्जः
- of strength / of nourishmentNounषष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot ऊर्ज्
- नपात्
- O offspring/descendant (epithet: ‘son of…’)Nounसम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot नपात्
- माहिनस्य
- of the mighty one / of greatnessAdjective (used as genitive qualifier)षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (विशेषण-सम्बन्धः)Root माहिन (प्रातिपदिकम्; मह्/महि-सम्बद्धः)
- सखे
- O friendNounसम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot सखि
- वसो
- O Vasu / O wealthy oneNounसम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot वसु
- जरितृभ्यः
- to the praisers / bardsNoun (agent)चतुर्थी बहुवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot जरितृ (√जर् ‘to praise’ + तृ)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसनम्): स | नः | वस्वः | उप | मासि | ऊर्जः | नपात् | माहिनस्य | सखे | वसो | जरितृभ्यः । 1) ‘मास्यूर्जो’ = ‘मासि ऊर्जः’ (इ-उ स्वर-सन्धिः: इ + ऊ → यू; लिखितरूपे मासि + ऊर्जः → मास्यूर्जः)
- 2) ‘नपा॒न्माहि॑नस्य’ = ‘नपात् माहिनस्य’ (त् + म् संयोगः; पदे त् अवशिष्टः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Vasu, the Offspring of Nourishment (Ūrjo Napāt), mighty in greatness, is invited to come; he is asked to be a friend to the praising singers.
Inner meaning
Agni as Ūrjo Napāt—the child of the sustaining Power (ūrj)—is invoked to draw near to the aspirant. This is the fire born of inner nourishment (right food of consciousness), bringing strength and increase. As ‘friend’ (sakhe) he becomes an intimate guide to the mantras and affirmations (jaritṛbhyaḥ), supporting the soul’s growth.
Universal truth
The divine force becomes most effective when it is not only worshipped but befriended—made intimate through constant affirmation; then it nourishes and magnifies life from within.
Themes
invitation, friendship-with-deity, greatness, priestly-praise
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.71.6, Rig Veda 8.71.7, Rig Veda 8.71.8, Rig Veda 8.71.10
Significance
The seer frames Agni not only as priest and protector but as ‘friend’—a hallmark of inner practice where the divine presence becomes constant companionship.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Ūrjo Napāt; addressed as Vasu)
- Epithets
- Vasu, Ūrjo Napāt, Bright one (vaso), Friend (sakhe)
- Related deities
- Soma (nourishing delight), Aśvins (helpers), Pūṣan (guide/nourisher)
Cosmic role
Sustaining fire-energy that supports life and sacrifice; a form of Agni connected with nourishment and increase.
Inner power
Nourishing strength—steady vitality that supports mantra, devotion, and growth; friendly guidance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invitation (āvāhana) to Agni for support and friendship toward the praising priests
स नो॒ वस्व॒ उप॑ मा॒स्यूर्जो॑ नपा॒न्माहि॑नस्य । सखे॑ वसो जरि॒तृभ्य॑: ॥
सः । नः॒ । वस्वः॑ । उप॑ । मा॒सि॒ । ऊर्जः॑ । नपा॑त् । माहि॑नस्य । सखे॑ । व॒सो॒ इति॑ । ज॒रि॒तृऽभ्यः॑ ॥
saḥ | naḥ | vasvaḥ | upa | māsi | ūrjaḥ | napāt | māhinasya | sakhe | vaso iti | jaritṛ-bhyaḥ
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4 × ~8 syllables (approx.)
Invitational and intimate; vocatives and ‘sakhe’ soften the cadence.
Generates closeness and warmth; supports bhakti-like friendliness toward the inner Fire.
- वस्वः (vasvaḥ)
- Literal: O Vasu (bright/wealthy one). Symbolic: Power of abundance: stable luminous energy in the being
- ऊर्जः नपात् (ūrjaḥ napāt)
- Literal: offspring of nourishment/strength. Symbolic: Fire born from inner sustenance—right energies that feed aspiration
- माहिनस्य (māhinasya)
- Literal: of greatness/might. Symbolic: Vastness of force when aligned with the Divine
- सखे (sakhe)
- Literal: friend. Symbolic: Intimate companion-power guiding daily life and practice
- जरितृभ्यः (jaritṛbhyaḥ)
- Literal: to the singers/praisers. Symbolic: To the affirming consciousness that forms mantra-thoughts and steady remembrance
Invitation (āvāhana-like) for Agni’s friendly presence to the praising priests; strengthens communal bond between hymn and deity.
At moments of calling Agni near; when seeking strength (ūrj) for the rite and the chanters
Calling Agni to the altar; offering nourishment (ghee) symbolically feeding the flame
Use when energy is low: invoke the ‘offspring of nourishment’ to restore steady vitality and friendly inner support.
mahín ‘great’ (PIE *megʰ-) yields māhina ‘greatness, might’. jaritṛ from √jar ‘to sing/praise’ (Vedic). The repeated vocatives vasu/vasva emphasize Agni as bearer and friend of powers/wealth.
sakhya (divine friendship as inner intimacy with the power), mahiman (greatness) as expansive consciousness
Nourishment (ūrj) is ordered force; Agni as its child maintains right functioning and growth in ṛta.
Friendship with the divine presence stabilizes truth in daily life, not only in ritual moments.
From nourishment arises fire; from fire arises growth of worlds—inner and outer.
Integral yoga: divine force as intimate companion, not distant object of worship.
Nourishment = right intake (impressions, food, prāṇa, thoughts); offspring of nourishment = a steady flame produced by pure inputs and right rhythm.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Divine friendship and arrival: Agni is invoked to ‘come near’ as Vasu and friend. Mythically, the god approaches the rite; psychologically, the inner fire becomes an intimate ally to the aspiring consciousness, supporting speech and affirmation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mah- ‘great’ reflects PIE *megʰ- (cf. Latin magnus, Greek mégas). The vocative sakhē ‘friend’ aligns with the inherited social vocabulary of alliance, central to IE poetic-religious reciprocity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks not only gifts but companionship: Agni is asked to be ‘sakhā’ to jaritṛs. The exchange is affective and functional—praise sustains the god’s manifestation; the god sustains the singers’ inspired capacity and collective strength.
Cultivate a friendly relation with the inner fire; feel it as a youthful, nourishing presence near the heart/solar plexus.
manipura
Gentle bhastrikā-lite (very mild) or 3 rounds of kapalabhati (soft) to awaken ūrj, then quiet sitting with mantra repetition.
Warm, supported vitality; devotional intimacy.
Repeat 21 times before japa/study. After chanting, offer a simple intention: ‘Be my friend in right speech and right force.’
Keep vocatives (vasvaḥ, sakhe) slightly uplifted; maintain even svara flow to preserve intimacy.
Do not clip ‘ūrjo’; sustain long ūr-. Slight pause after ‘napāt’.
ūrjaḥ: long ūr-, visarga at end, napāt: retroflex ṭ crisp, māhinasya: long ā, aspirate h lightly, jaritṛbhyaḥ: retroflex ṛ, cluster bhy pronounced clearly
Warm, inviting, intimate—like calling a trusted companion.
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