Rig Veda 1.86.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 86, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.86
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Marutās
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
यज्ञैर्वा यज्ञवाहसो विप्रस्य वा मतीनाम् । मरुतः शृणुता हवम् ॥
yajñáir vā yajñavāhaso víprasya vā matīnā́m | marútaḥ śṛṇutā́ hávam ||
যজ্ঞবাহস হে যজ্ঞ-বহনকাৰীসকল, যজ্ঞসমূহৰ দ্বাৰাই হওক বা ঋষিৰ প্ৰেৰিত মতি-চিন্তাসমূহৰ দ্বাৰাই হওক—হে মৰুতগণ, আমাৰ আহ্বান শুনা।
Word by Word
- यज्ञैः
- by/with sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- यज्ञवाहसः
- the sacrifice-bearers (Maruts)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन/कर्तृ (सन्दर्भतः मरुतः)Root यज्ञ-वाहस् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समासः)
- विप्रस्य
- of the inspired sageNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- मतीनाम्
- of the thoughts/prayersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मती (प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप)Role सम्बोधनRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शृणुत
- hear!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यम-पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot श्रु (धातु)
- हवम्
- the invocation/callNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यज्ञैः | वा | यज्ञवाहसः | विप्रस्य | वा | मतीनाम् | मरुतः | शृणुत | हवम् || 1) यज्ञैः + वा → यज्ञैर्वा (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः परे घोषवर्णे ‘व’). 2) यज्ञवाहसः + विप्रस्य → यज्ञवाहसो विप्रस्य (अः + व्/घोषे परे ‘ओ’ (गुण/सवर्णदीर्घ-सन्धि) रूपः). 3) मतीनाम् | मरुतः—पदविरामः
- संहितायां ‘म्’ परे ‘म’ इत्यादि अनुनासिक-स्पर्श-साम्यं सम्भवति, परन्तु पदपाठे पृथक्। 4) शृणुता (संहितापाठ) = शृणुत (लोट्) + आ (प्लुत/प्रगृह्य-प्रवृत्ति/छन्दोऽनुरोधः)
- पदपाठानुसारं शृणुत इति ग्रहणम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whether by sacrifices, O bearers of the sacrifice, or by the seer’s inspired thoughts—O Maruts, hear the call.
Inner meaning
The Maruts respond not only to outer rite (yajña) but to the inner sacrifice of consciousness: the vipra’s matī (illumined thought, inspired intention). The mantra teaches equivalence: outer offering and inner offering converge when the will is sincere and the thought is luminous; the dynamic powers then ‘hear’—i.e., become active in the being.
Universal truth
True invocation is effective when action and intention align; higher forces answer both disciplined practice and sincere inspired aspiration.
Themes
Invocation, Sacrifice as inner offering, Hearing and response of the gods
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.86, RV 1.87
Family tradition
Gautama line emphasizes the effective word (vāc) and inspired thought (matī) as instruments of realization.
Significance
Positions the inner yajña as primary: the Maruts are invoked through both rite and revelation-thought, aligning with Aurobindo/Kashyap’s psychological sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Marutās
- Epithets
- yajñavāhasaḥ, ṛbhukṣāḥ (skillful/strong), śubhrāsaḥ (bright)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Soma
Cosmic role
Mobilize and carry the sacrificial energies through the mid-world; make the atmosphere receptive.
Inner power
Translate aspiration into force; amplify and purify the seeker’s intentions so they become effective offerings.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut praise within Soma-yajña cycles; also general invocation in recitation sequences.
य॒ज्ञैर्वा॑ यज्ञवाहसो॒ विप्र॑स्य वा मती॒नाम् । मरु॑तः शृणु॒ता हव॑म् ॥
य॒ज्ञैः । वा॒ । य॒ज्ञ॒ऽवा॒ह॒सः॒ । विप्र॑स्य । वा॒ । म॒ती॒नाम् । मरु॑तः । शृ॒णु॒त । हव॑म् ॥
yajñaiḥ | vā | yajña-vāhasaḥ | viprasya | vā | matīnām | marutaḥ | śṛṇuta | havam
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3×8
Invocatory and persuasive; balanced clauses (‘whether…or…’) create a measured insistence.
Builds confidence that both practice and inspiration are heard; steadies the mind in a single call.
- यज्ञैः (yajñaiḥ)
- Literal: by sacrifices. Symbolic: Outer and inner acts of offering: disciplined practice, self-giving
- यज्ञवाहसः (yajñavāhasaḥ)
- Literal: bearers/carriers of the sacrifice. Symbolic: Forces that carry the offering upward and bring response downward
- विप्रस्य (viprasya)
- Literal: of the seer, inspired one. Symbolic: The illumined mind capable of true seeing
- मतीनाम् (matīnām)
- Literal: of thoughts, intentions. Symbolic: Inspired formations of consciousness; mantra-thought as offering
- हवम् (havam)
- Literal: call, invocation. Symbolic: The soul’s summons; concentrated aspiration
- शृणुत (śṛṇuta)
- Literal: hear!. Symbolic: Become present and operative; respond in consciousness
Direct invitation in ritual: the Maruts are called through both formal yajña and inner manas/mati—affirming that right thought is itself an offering.
When inviting Maruts to attend and carry the offering; especially before/with oblations and praise.
Calling the devatā to ‘hear’ and participate; accompaniment to offering and stotra.
Use when unsure whether one’s practice is ‘enough’: offer both disciplined effort and sincere aspiration; then call the higher Force to respond.
yajñá from √yaj ‘to worship, sacrifice’ (PIE *h1yeh2g- ‘worship’). viprá from √vip ‘to tremble, be inspired’ (inspired poet). matí from √man ‘think’ (PIE *men-). √śru ‘hear’ from PIE *ḱleu-.
Mantra as effective call (havam), Unity of outer yajña and inner mati
Right order is maintained when thought (matī) and act (yajña) are harmonized.
Truth-power responds to sincerity in both inner and outer offering.
Mantra-thought as creative force shaping the inner world.
Mantra-śakti orientation; integral yajña as inner discipline.
unspecified
unspecified
Wind = movement of prāṇa and dynamic force carrying intention upward; roar = awakened energy responding to invocation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hearing of the call’ by the gods: divine response to sacrifice and inspired thought. Inner sense: aspiration can be carried by outer act (yajña) or inner illumination (mati); both are valid vehicles that summon the Maruts.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- matí from √man continues PIE *men- (mind/thought), showing the deep antiquity of ‘thought as power’. śṛṇutā from √śru continues PIE *ḱleu- (hear/fame), tying invocation and ‘hearing’ to archaic poetic exchange.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asserts a twofold reciprocity: he offers both deed (yajña) and insight (mati). The Maruts are asked to ‘hear’—i.e., to enter the exchange and bring their force into the human field.
Unite outer discipline with inner inspiration: ‘By my practice and by my illumined intention, hear me.’
Inhale gently on the ‘whether…or…’ clauses; exhale with a clear, decisive ‘śṛṇutā havam’ to embody the call.
Sincere aspiration with confident expectancy.
Before meditation, recall two offerings: (1) your steady effort, (2) your best inner intention. Offer both, then pause in silence as if ‘listening for the Maruts’ response’ in the form of increased clarity and energy.
Standard Vedic accents; emphasize imperative ‘śṛṇutā’ with clear udatta lift; keep ‘havam’ clean and open.
Maintain even pacing across the two alternatives; do not rush ‘viprasya vā matīnām’. Land firmly on ‘marutaḥ śṛṇutā havam’.
yajñaiḥ: nasal ‘ñ’ before ‘aiḥ’, do not say ‘yag-nai’, yajñavāhasaḥ: split yajña-vāhasaḥ, keep ‘vā’ long, viprasya: crisp ‘pr’ cluster, matīnām: long ‘ī’ and long ‘ā’, śṛṇutā: vocalic ‘ṛ’ as syllabic ‘r̥’
Inviting, attentive, slightly insistent on the imperative.
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