Rig Veda 7.59.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 59, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.59
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ओ षु घृष्विराधसो यातनान्धांसि पीतये । इमा वो हव्या मरुतो ररे हि कं मो ष्वन्यत्र गन्तन ॥
ó ṣú ghṛ́ṣvirādhaso yā́tanāndhā́ṃsi pītáye | imā́ vo havyā́ maruto raré hí kaṃ mó ṣv anyátra gantana ||
هَلُمّوا الآن، يا ذوي الثروة المتّقدة؛ اطردوا الظلماتِ لتتمّ الشُّربة. هذه القرابينُ مُهَيَّأةٌ لكم، يا ماروت؛ فَلِمَ تذهبون إلى غيرِ هنا؟
Word by Word
- ओ
- O! / indeedIndeclinableexclamatory particleRoot ओ (particle)
- षु
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableenclitic emphatic particleRoot षु (particle)
- घृ॑ष्वि
- rushing, impetuousAdjectivemasculine vocative pluralRole (address)Root घृष्वि- (prātipadika)
- राधसः
- gifts, bountiesNounneuter nominative/accusative plural (Vedic: -as for -āṃsi)Role KarmaRoot राधस्- (prātipadika)
- यातन
- go, come, proceedVerbimperative, 2nd person plural, parasmaipadaRole (to the addressed) KartāRoot या (dhātu) + त (imperative)
- अन्धांसि
- darknesses, obscuritiesNounneuter accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot अन्ध- (prātipadika)
- पीतये
- for drinkingNounfeminine dative singularRole SampradānaRoot पीति- (prātipadika) < पा (dhātu)
- इमा
- thesePronounfeminine accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot इदम् (sarvanāman)
- वः
- of you / yourPronoungenitive plural (enclitic)Role (possessor/related)Root युष्मद् (pronoun)
- हव्या
- oblations, offeringsNounneuter accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot हव्य- (prātipadika)
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounmasculine vocative pluralRole (address)Root मरुत्- (prātipadika)
- ररे
- has given / has grantedVerbperfect (Vedic), 3rd person singular, ātmanepadaRole KartāRoot रा (dhātu) / रा- (to give) → ररे
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinablecausal/emphatic particleRoot हि (particle)
- कम्
- whom? / anyonePronounmasculine/neuter accusative singularRole KarmaRoot क (interrog./indef. pronoun)
- मः
- to me / for mePronoundative/genitive singular (enclitic Vedic form)Role Sampradāna (if dative) / (possessor if gen.)Root अस्मद् (pronoun)
- षु
- indeedIndeclinableenclitic emphatic particleRoot षु (particle)
- अन्यत्र
- elsewhereIndeclinableadverbRole Adhikaraṇa (locative sense)Root अन्यत्र (avyaya)
- गन्तन
- go, comeVerbimperative, 2nd person plural, parasmaipada (Vedic injunctive/imperative form)Role (to the addressed) KartāRoot गम् (dhātu) + त (imperative)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (main points): (1) घृ॑ष्विराधसः → घृ॑ष्वि + राधसः (no further internal sandhi; vocative adj. + acc.pl. neut. ‘gifts’)
- (2) या॒तनान्धां॑सि → यातन + अन्धांसि (n + a → nā by external sandhi)
- (3) इ॒मा वो॑ → इमा + वः (enclitic pronoun)
- (4) कं॒ मो → कम् + मः (anusvāra before m; Vedic enclitic form मः)
- (5) ष्व१॒॑न्यत्र॑ → षु + अन्यत्र (u + a → va/’v’ glide in saṃhitā spelling: ष्वन्यत्र)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts, radiant and wealthy in splendor, are invited to come, drive away darkness, and accept the Soma-drinking; the offerings are prepared for them, so they should not go elsewhere.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the Marut-powers (dynamic forces of the Divine in the life-force) to rush into the inner sacrifice, scatter the obscuring subconscient ‘darknesses’ (andhāṃsi), and make possible the true ‘drinking’ (pītaye)—the inward assimilation of Soma, i.e., delight and luminous energy. The insistence ‘do not go elsewhere’ is the will to hold the descending powers steadily in one’s field of sādhanā rather than letting the consciousness disperse into outward movements.
Universal truth
Illumination and joy are not gained by passive waiting but by invoking and retaining the higher dynamic energies that actively disperse obscurity; sustained receptivity keeps the descending help from being lost to distraction.
Themes
invitation, darkness removal, Soma delight
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1 (Agni hymns of Vasiṣṭha), RV 7.33 (Vasiṣṭha and the rivers; symbolic passage), RV 7.59 (this Marut sequence)
Family tradition
Seer-family of Maṇḍala 7; hymns often express disciplined aspiration, protection by the Truth (ṛta), and the guidance of inner Fire under divine powers.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s voice is steady and priestly: he ‘holds’ the gods in the sacrifice—psychologically, he stabilizes the descent of higher forces and insists on their constant presence for purification and victory over obscurity.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- ghṛṣvi-rādhasaḥ (blazing in riches), ṛbhukṣa/vasavaḥ (luminous good powers, allied with the Vasus), storm-host (śardhaḥ)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Soma, Vasus
Cosmic role
They are the atmospheric powers that accompany Indra, breaking the cover and releasing the rains/lights; they regulate energetic movements between heaven and earth.
Inner power
Dynamic life-energy made divine: they purify, intensify aspiration, shatter inertia, and drive out obscuring formations so Soma-delight can be received.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut-Soma offering within Soma-yajña sequences (general Marut invocations)
ओ षु घृ॑ष्विराधसो या॒तनान्धां॑सि पी॒तये॑ । इ॒मा वो॑ ह॒व्या म॑रुतो र॒रे हि कं॒ मो ष्व१॒॑न्यत्र॑ गन्तन ॥
ओ इति॑ । सु । घृ॒ष्वि॒ऽरा॒ध॒सः॒ । या॒तन॑ । अन्धां॑सि । पी॒तये॑ । इ॒मा । वः॒ । ह॒व्या । म॒रु॒तः॒ । र॒रे । हि । क॒म् । मो इति॑ । सु । अ॒न्यत्र॑ । ग॒न्त॒न॒ ॥
o iti | su | ghṛṣvi-rādhasaḥ | yātana | andhāṃsi | pītaye | imā | vaḥ | havyā | marutaḥ | rare | hi | kam | mo iti | su | anyatra | gantana
32
4 pādas × ~8 syllables (compressed, imperative cadence)
Quick, directive, hymn-like insistence with short commands
Creates urgency and focus—useful for cutting through tamas and gathering the forces inward.
- घृष्विराधसः (ghṛṣvirādhasaḥ)
- Literal: having blazing/ardent riches. Symbolic: powers full of luminous force and effective energy for transformation
- अन्धांसि (andhāṃsi)
- Literal: darknesses. Symbolic: ignorance, subconscient obscurations, depressive coverings
- पीतये (pītaye)
- Literal: for drinking. Symbolic: inner assimilation of Soma—drinking delight/force into the being
- हव्या (havyā)
- Literal: offerings. Symbolic: aspiration, self-giving, energies placed into the psychic-fire
- मरुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: Maruts. Symbolic: storm-forces of the Divine: purifying, energizing, breaking inertia
- अन्यत्र (anyatra)
- Literal: elsewhere. Symbolic: dispersion of consciousness into lower attractions or outwardness
Direct invitation at Soma drinking; apotropaic removal of ‘darkness’ to enable the rite’s inner fruition.
During Soma pressing/offerings when inviting Maruts to partake and aid Indraic victory
Āvāhana (invocation), offering (havis), urging acceptance and protection
A pre-meditation invocation to dispel mental heaviness and call in energizing clarity before japa or breathwork.
andhas- ‘darkness’ (plural) as obscuring principle. ghṛṣvi- ‘glowing, blazing’ from √ghṛṣ ‘to rub, blaze’ (fire produced by friction; hence ardent brilliance). rādhas- ‘bounty’ from √rādh semantic field of success and gift; here ‘riches’ as plenitude of force. The rhetorical ‘why elsewhere?’ is a common Vedic invitation strategy reinforcing divine presence.
removal of obscuration to allow delight/knowledge, presence of divine powers as condition for right enjoyment (pīti)
Driving away ‘andhāṃsi’ restores ṛta in the field of consciousness.
Truth is experienced as luminous force that does not ‘go elsewhere’ when held by steady aspiration.
Release of light/joy through removal of coverings—an archetypal Vedic creation motif.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo-Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness.
Dawn-to-morning transition (darkness being driven away)
Monsoon imagery implicit (Maruts as storm powers)
A surge of prāṇic-divine force dispersing inner gloom so the ‘nectar’ of delight can be inwardly received.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘driving away darkness’ mythologem paired with Soma drinking: the Maruts are asked to remove andhāṃsi so the pīti (drinking/joy) can occur. Inner sense: the dynamic powers clear obscurations in the mind-vital so the nectar of consciousness can be received.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The polarity light/dark is an IE poetic constant; the plural ‘darknesses’ is a typical archaic way to denote multiple layers of obscuration. The imperative invitation and the rhetorical question are conventional inherited hymn strategies.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi claims the gods through prepared offerings and asks for a specific inner work (removing darkness). The relationship is immediate and practical: their presence is not abstract but operational—clearing obscuration so the sacrificial joy can be realized.
Invoke dynamic divine forces to clear obscurity and prepare for inner ananda (Soma) reception.
Maṇipūra (will/force) with support to Anāhata (expansive breath and courage)
3 rounds: inhale ‘ā’ (invocation), exhale with a firm intention ‘yātana andhāṃsi’ (drive out darkness); then quiet inhalations to ‘pītaye’ (receive).
From tamasic heaviness to rajaso-sattvic clarity and uplift
Use when dullness, doubt, or dispersion appears; repeat with a steady inner command, then sit silently to ‘drink’ the resulting clarity/joy.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per Rigvedic accent; key lifts often on imperatives (yātana) and vocatives (maruto).
Keep vocatives clear (maruto); do not flatten enclitics (vo, naḥ). Maintain a slight rise on udatta-marked syllables where indicated in accented text.
ṣu: retroflex ṣ, short u, ghṛṣvi: pronounce ghṛ with vocalic ṛ; keep ṣv cluster crisp, andhāṃsi: nasalization on āṃ, pītaye: long ī; dental t, anyatra: clear palatal ny
Bright, commanding, forward resonance
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