Rig Veda 7.57.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 57, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.57
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Marutāḥ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
निचेतारो हि मरुतो गृणन्तं प्रणेतारो यजमानस्य मन्म । अस्माकमद्य विदथेषु बर्हिरा वीतये सदत पिप्रियाणाः ॥
nicetā́ro hí marúto gṛṇántaṃ praṇetā́ro yajámānasya mánma | asmā́kam adyá vidátheṣu bárhir ā́ vītáye sadata pipriyāṇā́ḥ ||
মৰুতসকল নিশ্চয়েই বিচক্ষণ পথপ্ৰদৰ্শ; গীত গোৱা যজমানৰ মননক তেওঁলোকে আগবঢ়ায়। আজি আমাৰ বিদথসমূহত বৰ্হিস্ (পবিত্ৰ আসন)-ত উপভোগৰ বাবে বহক, আমাৰ প্ৰতি প্ৰীত হৈ।
Word by Word
- नि-चेतारः
- the perceivers/observers (downward/within), i.e., vigilant onesNoun (agent noun)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot चेतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √चित् ‘to perceive/notice’ से) + नि- (उपसर्ग)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि (निपात)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृणन्तम्
- (him) praising/singingParticiple (present active)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot √गॄ/गृ (गिर्/गृण्) ‘to sing/praise’ → गृणत् (वर्त. कृदन्त)
- प्र-णेतारः
- leaders, guidesNoun (agent noun)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नेतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √नी ‘to lead’ से) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
- यजमानस्य
- of the sacrificerNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root यजमान (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् ‘to sacrifice’ से)
- मन्म
- thought, intention, hymn/mental resolveNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मन्मन्/मन्म (प्रातिपदिक; √मन् ‘to think’ से)
- अस्माकम्
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी; बहुवचन (सर्वनाम)Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (time)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- वि-दथेषु
- in the assemblies/ritual gatheringsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (locus)Root विदथ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘assembly/ritual session’) + वि- (उपसर्ग/प्रवृत्तिनिर्देशक)
- बर्हिः
- the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (as subject of ‘सदत’)Root बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, toIndeclinableआगमन/आह्वानार्थक अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वीतये
- for the feast/reception (of the gods)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole Sampradāna (purpose/for)Root वीति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘enjoyment/feasting, reception’)
- सदत
- let them sit; may they take their seatVerbविधिलिङ् (आज्ञार्थ/विध्यर्थ); मध्यम? नहीं—प्रयोगतः 3rd person plural injunctive/imperative sense; परस्मैपद; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √सद् ‘to sit’ (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ् रूप: सदत)
- पिप्रिया-णाः
- being pleased, well-disposed, gratifiedParticiple (stative/perfect participle)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (qualifier of Maruts)Root √प्री ‘to please/satisfy’ → पिप्रियाण (परिपूर्ण/आत्मनेपदी कृदन्त; reduplicated perfect-type participle)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): नि॒चे॒तारो॒ हि म॒रुतो॑ गृ॒णन्तं॑ → नि-चेतारः + हि + मरुतः + गृणन्तम्
- प्रणे॒तारो॒ यज॑मानस्य॒ मन्म॑ → प्र-णेतारः + यजमानस्य + मन्म
- अ॒स्माक॑म॒द्य वि॒दथे॑षु ब॒र्हिरा वी॒तये॑ → अस्माकम् + अद्य + विदथेषु + बर्हिः + आ + वीतये
- सदत पिप्रिया॒णाः → सदत + पिप्रियाणाः
- (उदात्त/स्वरित चिह्न मूलपाठानुसार; पदरूप सामान्यतः अनुदात्त-रहित रूप में दिए गए हैं।)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts are discerning; they lead forward the thought of the sacrificer who sings. Today in our assemblies, sit on our sacred seat for your enjoyment, delighting in us.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are not blind impulses; they are ‘nicetāraḥ’—discerning forces that can educate and refine the life-nature. They become ‘praṇetāraḥ’ of the yajamāna’s manma: they lead the intention, the formed thought-will of the seeker. When invoked, they take their seat on the barhis—symbolically, on the prepared foundation of the being (purified nerves, steady breath, receptive mind). ‘For your enjoyment’ is the divine enjoyment of a right offering: energies delight in moving according to truth, and the seeker feels supported, guided, and inwardly companioned.
Universal truth
Energy becomes a guide when it is made conscious and consecrated. The ‘seat’ for higher forces is a prepared inner foundation—attention, purity, and steadiness—without which impulses remain chaotic.
Themes
invitation to the gods, guidance of thought, inner seating of powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.56.24 (inner hero and crossing), RV 7.57.1 (honeyed Marut-name), RV 7.35 (peace and harmony)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s method is to make the rite an inner pedagogy: powers are invited as teachers and leaders of the sacrificer’s consciousness.
Significance
This verse gives a practical psychology of invocation: prepare the seat (barhis), offer the thought (manma), and allow the higher energies to lead (praṇetāraḥ).
The deity
- Devata
- Marutāḥ
- Epithets
- nicetāraḥ (discerning), praṇetāraḥ (leaders), pipriyāṇāḥ (delighting)
- Related deities
- Agni (seat/altar of will), Indra (illumined leadership), Bṛhaspati (guidance of thought)
Cosmic role
Guiding powers in the mid-world; they marshal movements and accompany the forward march of the sacrifice.
Inner power
Discernment within energy; guidance of aspiration; capacity to ‘sit’—to stabilize rather than merely rush.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invitation (āvāhana-like) within Marut praise: asking them to sit on the barhis in the vidatha.
नि॒चे॒तारो॒ हि म॒रुतो॑ गृ॒णन्तं॑ प्रणे॒तारो॒ यज॑मानस्य॒ मन्म॑ । अ॒स्माक॑म॒द्य वि॒दथे॑षु ब॒र्हिरा वी॒तये॑ सदत पिप्रिया॒णाः ॥
नि॒चे॒तारः॑ । हि । म॒रुतः॑ । गृ॒णन्त॑म् । प्रऽने॒तारः॑ । यज॑मानस्य । मन्म॑ । अ॒स्माक॑म् । अ॒द्य । वि॒दथे॑षु । ब॒र्हिः । आ । वी॒तये॑ । स॒द॒त॒ । पि॒प्रि॒या॒णाः ॥
nicetāraḥ | hi | marutaḥ | gṛṇantam | pra-netāraḥ | yajamānasya | manma | asmākam | adya | vidatheṣu | barhiḥ | ā | vītaye | sadata | pipriyāṇāḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Instructional and invitatory; balanced cadence suitable for ‘guides’ and ‘seating’.
Centers scattered energy; evokes a sense of being guided and accompanied; stabilizes attention.
- निचेतारः (nicetāraḥ)
- Literal: discerning, attentive. Symbolic: Conscious, discriminating energies that can guide rather than disturb
- प्रणेतारः (praṇetāraḥ)
- Literal: leaders, conductors. Symbolic: Forces that carry the will forward along the right path
- गृणन्तम् (gṛṇantam)
- Literal: the singer/praiser. Symbolic: The aspiring soul that articulates inner truth (mantra-utterance)
- यजमानस्य (yajamānasya)
- Literal: of the sacrificer. Symbolic: The practitioner offering life and works in the inner yajña
- मन्म (manma)
- Literal: thought, intention, formed mind. Symbolic: Mantric will-thought; the shaped aspiration seeking realization
- विदथेषु (vidatheṣu)
- Literal: in assemblies/rites. Symbolic: Inner gatherings of faculties; moments of concentrated practice
- बर्हिः (barhiḥ)
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: Prepared foundation of receptivity; purified vital basis for descent
- आ वीतये (ā vītaye)
- Literal: for enjoyment/feasting. Symbolic: For divine participation—energies tasting the offering in harmony
- पिप्रिया॒णाः (pipriyāṇāḥ)
- Literal: taking delight, pleased. Symbolic: Higher forces consenting; inner nature rejoicing in right movement
Invitation (āvāhana) style verse: seating the Maruts on barhis in Soma-related liturgies; also applicable as a general Marut-stuti in communal rites (vidatha)
At the point of welcoming the deities to the sacrificial seat and affirming their guidance of the sacrificer’s intention.
Recitation while mentally ‘seating’ the invoked powers; offering hospitality through mantra and oblation.
Use before meditation or chanting practice: ‘prepare the seat’ (posture, breath, attention), then invite guiding energies to lead the mind.
nicetāraḥ: ni-√cit ‘to notice, perceive, understand’ → ‘discerning/attentive ones’, marking Maruts not merely as storm but as intelligent forces. pra-netāraḥ: pra-√nī ‘to lead forth’—they lead the yajamāna’s manma (man- ‘think’, manma ‘thought-form/intent’). barhis as ‘seat’ becomes psychologically the prepared inner ground (receptive consciousness) on which powers ‘sit’ (√sad).
guided aspiration (manma led forward), yajña as inner discipline, divine presence established in the prepared ground (barhis)
Maruts embody the dynamic execution of ṛta—right movement, right timing, right pressure.
The ‘manma’ must be true (aligned to the soul) for guidance to be effective.
Descent/arrival: powers ‘sit’ upon the prepared seat—symbol of manifestation of higher forces into the human field.
Yoga of the Veda: invocation as a method to educate and lead the inner faculties.
Wind = prāṇa/energy; barhis = purified vital base; assembly = coordinated faculties in concentration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘divine troop as guides of the sacrifice’ mythologem: the Maruts are not only invoked but installed on the barhis, becoming leaders of the yajamāna’s inspired intention (manma). Psychologically, the life-forces become disciplined intelligences that steer aspiration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The semantic pairing of song (gṛṇantam) and thought (manma) reflects an Indo-European poetics where praise-speech is a force that effects divine presence. The root √nī ‘lead’ is widespread IE (cf. Latin dūcere is different; but the notion of leading/bringing is a common inherited ritual verb-set).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi positions the Maruts as collaborators in inner progress: the human offers (barhis, vidatha, praise), and the Maruts respond by ‘leading’ the thought forward—an explicit pedagogy of divine energies shaping the practitioner’s intention.
Invite discerning energy to lead thought: shift from mental pushing to guided movement; establish a prepared inner seat.
Ājñā (guidance/discernment) supported by Maṇipūra (energy)
Begin with 1–2 minutes of quiet diaphragmatic breathing; on inhalation feel ‘ā’ (inviting), on exhalation feel ‘sadata’ (settling).
Receptive alertness—calm, guided, quietly joyful.
Before japa: straighten posture (barhis), clarify intention (manma), then chant as an invitation for higher guidance rather than as self-driven effort.
Tri-svara; keep a gentle lift on ‘nicetāraḥ’ and ‘praṇetāraḥ’; settle tone on ‘sadata’.
Make the first half declarative (they are guides), the second half invitatory (sit today…); end with a soft satisfaction on ‘pipriyāṇāḥ’.
nicetāraḥ: ‘ce’ clear; avoid ‘chi’, gṛṇantam: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṇ, praṇetāraḥ: retroflex ṇ; long āḥ at end with visarga, vidatheṣu: dental d; ‘the’ aspirated, barhiḥ: ‘rh’ cluster; final visarga light, pipriyāṇāḥ: ‘priy’ cluster; long āṇāḥ
Inviting, composed, slightly softened; clarity over volume.
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