Rig Veda 2.34.6: Mandala 2, Sukta 34, Mantra 6
Sukta 2.34
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ नो ब्रह्माणि मरुतः समन्यवो नरां न शंसः सवनानि गन्तन । अश्वामिव पिप्यत धेनुमूधनि कर्ता धियं जरित्रे वाजपेशसम् ॥
ā́ no bráhmāṇi marutaḥ sa-manyavo narā́ṃ ná śáṃsaḥ sávanāni gantana | aśvā́m iva pipyata dhenúm ū́dhani kártā dhíyaṃ jaritré vā́ja-peśasam ||
আমাৰ ব্ৰহ্মসমূহলৈ আহক, হে এক-উদ্যম মৰুতগণ; নৰবীৰৰ প্ৰশংসাৰ দৰে সৱন-নিষ্পেষণসমূহলৈ আহক। ঘোঁৰাৰ দৰে ধেনুৰ স্তনত পূৰ্ণ কৰক; গায়কৰ বাবে বল-সমৃদ্ধ, বাজ-ঐশ্বৰ্যৰে গঠিত ধী (প্ৰজ্ঞা) নিৰ্মাণ কৰক।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root अस्मद्
- ब्रह्माणि
- sacred formulations, hymnsNounप्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म (object of ‘गन्तन’ = come to)Root ब्रह्मन् (न.)
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounसम्बोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बोधन (addressed)Root मरुत् (पु.)
- समन्यवः
- O like-minded/with one wrath (united in spirit)Adjective (used substantively)सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बोधन (epithet of Maruts)Root समन्यु (पु.)
- नराम्
- of menNounषष्ठी, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बन्धRoot नर (पु.)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न (निपात) / na
- शंसः
- praise, eulogyNounप्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्ता (of implied ‘is/comes’ as predicate-noun) / appositionRoot शंस (पु.)
- सवनानि
- pressings, Soma-ritesNounप्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म (object of ‘गन्तन’ = come to)Root सवन (न.)
- गन्तन
- come!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; वैदिक रूप (2pl impv)Root गम्
- अश्वाम्
- a horseNounद्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (वैदिक: -ām acc.sg.)Role कर्म (object of ‘पिप्यत’)Root अश्व (पु.)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot इव
- पिप्यत
- make swell, fill, refreshVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; causative/strengthen-sense in Vedic usageRoot प्यै / पि (प्यायते)
- धेनुम्
- the milch-cowNounद्वितीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्म (object of ‘पिप्यत’)Root धेनु (स्त्री.)
- ऊधनि
- at/in the udderNounसप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole अधिकरण (locus)Root ऊधन् (न.)
- कर्ता
- maker, doerNoun (agent) / epithetप्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्ता (agent: ‘maker’)Root कृ (कृञ्) → कर्तृ (agent-noun)
- धियम्
- thought, insight, hymn-visionNounद्वितीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्म (what is made/produced)Root धि (स्त्री.)
- जरित्रे
- for the singer/praiserNounचतुर्थी, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्प्रदान (recipient)Root जरितृ (पु.)
- वाजपेशसम्
- rich in prize/strength, splendid with gainAdjectiveद्वितीया, एकवचन, (पुं./नपुं.)—here agreeing with ‘धियम्’ by sense as qualifying epithetRole कर्म-विशेषणRoot वाज-पेशस् (समास; वाज ‘prize/strength’ + पेशस् ‘adornment/beauty’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: आ + नः (no change)
- ब्रह्मा॑णि (pl. of ब्रह्मन्) + मरुतः (voc./nom.pl.)
- समन्यवो = समन्यवः (Vedic nom/voc.pl. -o for -aḥ)
- न॒रां = नराम् (gen.pl.)
- शंस॒: = शंसः (visarga)
- गन्तन is Vedic 2pl imperative of √गम्
- अश्वा॑मिव = अश्वाम् + इव (Vedic acc.sg. -ām)
- धे॒नुमूध॑नि = धेनुम् + ऊधनि
- धियं॑ = धियम्
- जरि॒त्रे unchanged
- वाज॑पेशसम् is a tatpuruṣa compound used adjectivally
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts, of one ardor, are invited to come to our sacred formulations and to the Soma-pressings as heroic praise. They are asked to fill the milch-cow at the udder (as one fills a mare) and to fashion for the singer an inspired thought rich in force.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the Maruts—powers of dynamic life-energy and purifying storm-force—toward the inner sacrifice (brahmāṇi; savanāni). Their “one ardor” is the unified tapas that can intensify aspiration. The “cow” is the luminous source of knowledge in the consciousness; to “fill the udder” is to make the inner streams of insight abundant. The Maruts are asked to shape (kartā) the dhi (inspired intelligence) in the jaritṛ (the aspiring utterer), so that thought becomes vājapeśas—textured with victorious energies and effective power for action.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires not only peace and understanding but also purified force. When aspiration invites higher energies into the discipline of practice, knowledge becomes abundant and thought turns into effective power that can transform life.
Themes
Invocation to Soma pressings, Gift of inspired thought, Inner nourishment, Empowerment of the singer
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (Āṅgiras-related tradition often associated with the Bhārgavas in later reckoning)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.34, RV 2.23, RV 2.35, RV 2.36
Family tradition
Gṛtsamada hymns (RV 2.1–2.43) emphasize the forging of inner power through Agni and the allied gods; here the Maruts are invoked as intensifiers of the sacrifice and shapers of inspired thought.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s vision often moves from invocation to inner formation: the gods are not merely asked for gifts but for the shaping of dhi—right seeing and effective will. This stanza is quintessentially Aurobindonian: the Maruts are requested to ‘make’ the thought-force in the aspirant.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- samanyavaḥ (one-ardored), nārāṃ na (like heroes)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Storm-hosts of Rudra who accompany Indra; they break stagnation, clear obstructions, and set the worlds in motion through pressure and rhythm.
Inner power
Uplifting prāṇic dynamism and purifying tapas that converts raw vital energy into disciplined force supportive of illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (savana) with Marut invocation; also used in Indra-Marut contexts
आ नो॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि मरुतः समन्यवो न॒रां न शंस॒: सव॑नानि गन्तन । अश्वा॑मिव पिप्यत धे॒नुमूध॑नि॒ कर्ता॒ धियं॑ जरि॒त्रे वाज॑पेशसम् ॥
आ । नः॒ । ब्रह्मा॑णि । म॒रु॒तः॒ । स॒ऽम॒न्य॒वः॒ । न॒राम् । न । शंसः॑ । सव॑नानि । ग॒न्त॒न॒ । अश्वा॑म्ऽइव । पि॒प्य॒त॒ । धे॒नुम् । ऊध॑नि । कर्ता॑ । धिय॑म् । ज॒रि॒त्रे । वाज॑ऽपेशसम् ॥
ā | naḥ | brahmāṇi | marutaḥ | sa-manyavaḥ | narām | na | śaṃsaḥ | savanāni | gantana | aśvām-iva | pipyata | dhenum | ūdhani | kartā | dhiyam | jaritre | vāja-peśasam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, martial cadence suited to invocatory force and dynamic prayer.
Builds energetic uplift and resolve; supports the sense of ‘calling down’ power and shaping inner will.
- brahmāṇi
- Literal: sacred formulations, hymns. Symbolic: mantric thought-forms that organize consciousness for the inner sacrifice
- marutaḥ
- Literal: Maruts, storm-gods. Symbolic: dynamic forces of prāṇa and tapas that purify, energize, and widen the being
- samanyavaḥ
- Literal: of one ardor. Symbolic: unified aspiration; concentrated tapas without dispersion
- savanāni
- Literal: pressings (Soma pressings). Symbolic: moments of inner extraction/pressing of delight and truth from experience
- śaṃsaḥ
- Literal: praise/recital. Symbolic: the soul’s affirmation that calls down higher powers
- dhenum / ūdhani
- Literal: cow / udder. Symbolic: luminous knowledge-source and its yielding abundance in the mind
- aśvām iva
- Literal: like a mare. Symbolic: vital force made fruitful and full for the journey/work
- dhiyam
- Literal: thought, inspired intelligence (dhi). Symbolic: seer-intuition that can carry truth into expression
- vājapeśasam
- Literal: shaped with vāja (force/prize). Symbolic: thought clothed in victorious energy—effective, transformative cognition
Direct invitation to the Soma pressings; request for inspired speech (brahman) and fashioned vision (dhī) for the jaritṛ (singer)
During Soma-yajña sequences where Maruts are invited to partake and empower the rite
Recitation during offering/pressing to attract the Marut host and strengthen the sacrificer’s intent
Use as a pre-meditation invocation for energizing practice: call in disciplined force before japa, study, or inner work.
(pl. brahmāṇi): from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’—the expanding word of inspiration. : from √su ‘to press (Soma)’—pressings as inner extraction of delight. : from √dhī ‘to think, perceive’—inspired thought/vision. : agent from √kṛ ‘to make’. : polyvalent ‘prize/food/strength’; rooted in vigor/plenitude; here ‘force-substance’ shaping thought (peśas ‘form, adornment’).
brahman as expanded inspired word, dhī as vision-intelligence, vāja as plenitude of force
Mantra (brahmāṇi) is the r̥ta-form that aligns human speech/thought with cosmic order.
Dhi as truth-seeing intelligence—Satya entering mind as inspired formulation.
‘Milking’ the waters/udder suggests manifestation of hidden plenitudes into the mental world.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): ascent of consciousness via mantra and dynamic powers; also resonant with Sāṃkhya-like purification of prāṇa.
unspecified
monsoon/storm imagery (implicit)
Storm = upheaval that clears inertia; milk = luminous knowledge; horse/mare = vital energy made fruitful; pressing = extracting delight/truth from experience.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gods ‘filling the cow at the udder’ and ‘fashioning dhī’: mythic nourishment becomes the inner act of increasing the yield of consciousness and forming inspired intelligence, so the human word can carry force (vāja).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bṛh ‘expand’ (brahman) aligns with IE notions of swelling/growing power in sacred speech; √kṛ ‘make’ is a fundamental IE verb (cf. Latin creare). The horse/cow imagery for energy and nourishment is widely IE and central to Vedic poetic grammar.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Explicit reciprocity: the rishi offers brahman (inspired word) and calls them to the savanas; the Maruts are asked to respond by increasing inner yield (pipya-) and granting a shaped dhī to the singer—i.e., divine empowerment of human expression and realization.
Invite disciplined life-force to fill the ‘udder’ of insight; ask for the shaping of dhi into effective thought-power.
Manipura (force/will) and Ajna (dhi/illumination)
Moderate ujjayi or rhythmic 4-4 breathing while mentally repeating key phrases (ā no… gantana / kartā dhiyam)
Energized concentration—forceful quietude rather than passive calm.
Begin with aspiration in the heart, then feel a widening in the chest and shoulders (Marut-space). Offer restlessness into the ‘pressing’; end by holding a single luminous intention (dhi) and letting it become vājapeśas—effective in action.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita per RV śākhā; key lifts often on invocatory words (ā, marutaḥ, gantana) and on action-verbs (pipyata, kartā).
Keep invocatory ‘ā no…’ bright; slightly emphasize verb endings that carry the call/formation (gantana, pipyata, kartā).
(brahmāṇi): long ā; retroflex ṇ, (samanyavo): clear ny cluster, (śaṃsaḥ): nasalized ‘ṃ’, (pipyata): double ‘py’ clean, not ‘piy’, νού (dhenum): dh aspirated; long ū in ūdhani
Clear, ringing, slightly forceful; avoid heaviness—aim for wind-like brightness.
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