Rig Veda 5.4.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 4, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.4
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अस्माकमग्ने अध्वरं जुषस्व सहसः सूनो त्रिषधस्थ हव्यम् । वयं देवेषु सुकृतः स्याम शर्मणा नस्त्रिवरूथेन पाहि ॥
asmā́kam agne adhvaráṃ juṣasva sáhasaḥ sūno triṣádhastha havyám | vayáṃ devéṣu sukṛ́taḥ syāma śármaṇā nas trívārūthena pāhi ||
โอ อัคนี โปรดยินดีรับหนทางแห่งยัญของเราเถิด—โอ บุตรแห่งพละกำลัง (สหส) ผู้สถิตในที่นั่งสามชั้น—โปรดรับเครื่องบูชานี้ (หวิส) ด้วยเถิด. ขอให้เราทั้งหลายเป็นผู้กระทำความดีท่ามกลางเหล่าเทพ; โปรดคุ้มครองเราด้วยความสงบของท่าน ด้วยที่กำบังสามประการของท่าน.
Word by Word
- अस्माकम्
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root अस्मद्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- अध्वरम्
- sacrifice / riteNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अध्वर
- जुषस्व
- take pleasure in / acceptVerbलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root जुष्
- सहसः
- of might / of strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot सहस्
- सूनो
- O sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सूनु
- त्रिषधस्थ
- O three-seated / having three stationsAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot त्रि-षध-स्थ (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास; स्थ = √स्था)
- हव्यम्
- the oblation (to be offered)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव्य
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद्
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव
- सुकृतः
- well-doing / of good deedsAdjective (Kṛdanta)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root सु-कृत (कृदन्त; कृत = √कृ, past participle) प्रयुक्तः बहुवचन-प्रथमा
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root अस्
- शर्मणा
- with protection / with comfortNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचनRole करणRoot शर्मन्
- नः
- for us / of usPronoun (enclitic)षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Gen./Dat.), बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान (recipient) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- त्रिवरूथेन
- with threefold protectionNoun (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचनRole करणRoot त्रि-वरूथ (समास; वरूथ = shelter/defence)
- पाहि
- protectVerbलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root पा
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): अस्माकम् + अग्ने + अध्वरम् + जुषस्व + सहसः + सूनो + त्रिषधस्थ + हव्यम् । वयम् + देवेषु + सुकृतः + स्याम + शर्मणा + नः + त्रिवरूथेन + पाहि ॥ Notable: (1) अस्माकम्-अग्ने → अस्माक॑मग्ने (m + a → ma). (2) नः त्रिवरूथेन → नस्त्रिवरूथेन (visarga/ḥ before t assimilates in saṃhitā). Accents as in saṃhitā text
- analysis given on resolved padas
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is asked to accept the sacrifice and oblation. The worshippers pray to be doers of good among the gods and to be protected by Agni’s peace and threefold shelter.
Inner meaning
The inner Fire is invoked to ‘enjoy’ (juṣ-) our disciplined path of offering (adhvara) and to take its seat in the triple foundation of our nature. By aligning our works with the gods (higher powers), we become ‘sukṛta’—right-doers in consciousness. Agni’s śarma (peace) and trivarūtha (threefold protection) guard the body-life-mind so transformation can proceed without relapse into lower movements.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires a consenting divine Will, right works in harmony with higher truths, and a stable threefold protection that secures the mind, life, and body in peace.
Themes
acceptance of sacrifice, threefold protection, right action (sukṛta), inner peace
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.4.7, RV 5.4.9, RV 5.4.10, RV 5.4.11
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns often frame sacrifice as a conscious path (adhvara) and seek protection for the embodied journey.
Significance
Atri’s vision emphasizes the practical yoga of right works under Agni’s guidance—becoming sukṛta among the gods (higher powers).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Sahasaḥ Sūnu (Son of Force), Triṣadhastha (Triple-seated)
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ (the gods collectively), Indra, Varuṇa-Mitra (peace/order aspects)
Cosmic role
The divine priest-power that establishes the sacrifice across the three worlds and maintains protective order.
Inner power
Tapas-born will that stabilizes the instruments and turns action into a means of illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni acceptance verses in soma-sacrifice sequences; general offering acceptance
अ॒स्माक॑मग्ने अध्व॒रं जु॑षस्व॒ सह॑सः सूनो त्रिषधस्थ ह॒व्यम् । व॒यं दे॒वेषु॑ सु॒कृत॑: स्याम॒ शर्म॑णा नस्त्रि॒वरू॑थेन पाहि ॥
अ॒स्माक॑म् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । अ॒ध्व॒रम् । जु॒ष॒स्व॒ । सह॑सः । सू॒नो॒ इति॑ । त्रि॒ऽस॒ध॒स्थ॒ । ह॒व्यम् । व॒यम् । दे॒वेषु॑ । सु॒ऽकृतः॑ । स्या॒म॒ । शर्म॑णा । नः॒ । त्रि॒ऽवरू॑थेन । पा॒हि॒ ॥
asmākam | agne | adhvaram | juṣasva | sahasaḥ | sūno iti | tri-sadhastha | havyam | vayam | deveṣu | su-kṛtaḥ | syāma | śarmaṇā | naḥ | tri-varūthena | pāhi
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Commanding yet balanced; suitable for petition and protection formulas.
Creates a sense of guarded strength—like a rhythmic ‘shield’ around the listener.
- अध्वर (adhvara)
- Literal: sacrifice/ritual path. Symbolic: the inner path of offering; disciplined journey of transformation
- जुषस्व (juṣasva)
- Literal: take delight/accept. Symbolic: divine consent; the Fire’s glad participation in our effort
- सहसः सूनु (sahasaḥ sūnu)
- Literal: son of might. Symbolic: will born of tapas/force; energetic divine puissance in the seeker
- त्रिषदस्थ (triṣadhastha)
- Literal: abiding in triple seat. Symbolic: established in three worlds/three instruments—mind, life, body (or earth-atmosphere-heaven) harmonized
- सुकृत (sukṛta)
- Literal: doer of good/right. Symbolic: one whose actions are shaped by ṛta; consecrated works
- शर्मन् (śarman)
- Literal: peace, shelter. Symbolic: inner calm and secure wideness that supports growth
- त्रिवरूथ (trivarūtha)
- Literal: threefold protection. Symbolic: guarding of thought, vital, physical; or protection in waking-dream-sleep integration
Acceptance formula (juṣasva) for oblation in Agni rites; prayer for śarman/varūtha as safeguarding of the sacrificer across the ‘three seats’ of life.
At the moment of offering/oblation; also as protective prayer before or after rites.
Invite Agni to accept; conclude with request for protection (pāhi).
Before important work or practice: chant to consecrate action, ask for steadiness and protection of mind-life-body.
adhvara- often analyzed as a-dhvara ‘unbroken/undeviating’ (folk-etymology) and associated with correctness of rite; inwardly, the continuous offering-movement. tri-sadhastha- ‘having three seats’ (tri + sadhastha from √sad ‘sit’) → Agni’s establishment across planes. śarman- ‘shelter, peace’ (cf. √śṛ ‘to protect’ in sense-field) and varūtha- ‘enclosure/defense’ (from √vṛ ‘to cover, enclose’) → protection as covering of consciousness.
ṛta as right action (sukṛta) among the gods, threefold being/worlds (tri), peace (śarman) as divine condition
Sukṛta = action aligned to ṛta; Agni ensures right ordering across the triple world.
Peace (śarman) as the stable atmosphere where truth can act without distortion.
Triple-seat suggests manifestation of the One power in three planes; integration as a creative act.
Integral yoga psychology: right works (karma) as sacrifice leading to inner security and growth.
evening or morning offering (general)
Triple fire = threefold inner energies; shelter = psychic protection; acceptance = resonance between human aspiration and divine force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as ‘triple-seated’ guardian who accepts the offering and provides a threefold shelter; mythically, the fire pervades the three realms and protects the sacrificer’s journey.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sad ‘sit’ in sadhastha reflects PIE *sed- ‘sit’ (Latin sedēre). √vṛ ‘cover’ in varūtha reflects PIE *wer- ‘cover, enclose’ (broadly attested). The optative syāma (‘may we be’) shows inherited Indo-European modal wishing constructions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks not only boons but a status: ‘may we be sukṛta among the gods’—a participation in divine order. Agni’s role is to accept the offering and to guard the seeker’s threefold nature with peace and protective covering.
Consecrate action; feel Agni seated in the triple instrument; invoke peace and protective wideness.
Maṇipūra (will/action) with support from Anāhata (peace)
4-pāda breathing: inhale (pāda 1), hold gently (pāda 2), exhale (pāda 3), rest (pāda 4) while feeling ‘trivarūtha’ as a shield.
Steady, protected, action-ready quietude.
Mentally offer the day’s actions into the inner fire; then visualize a threefold luminous guard: clear mind, calm vital, strong body.
Triṣṭubh; keep udātta prominence on vocatives and imperatives (agne, juṣasva, pāhi).
Let ‘juṣasva’ carry a clear rising intention; soften into ‘śarmaṇā’ with a calming fall.
: articulate ‘ṣa’ retroflex; avoid ‘trisadastha’., : keep visarga audible before sūno in careful recitation., : long ū (rū) sustained.
Protective, even, slightly deeper tone on ‘pāhi’.
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