Rig Veda 1.64.9: Mandala 1, Sukta 64, Mantra 9
Sukta 1.64
- Rishi
- Nodha Gautama
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
रोदसी आ वदता गणश्रियो नृषाचः शूराः शवसाहिमन्यवः । आ वन्धुरेष्वमतिर्न दर्शता विद्युन्न तस्थौ मरुतो रथेषु वः ॥
ródasī́ íti ā́ vadata gaṇa-śriyó nṛ-sā́caḥ śūrā́ḥ śávasā́hi-manyavaḥ | ā́ vandhúreṣv amátiḥ ná darśatā́ vidyút ná tasthau maruto rátheṣu vaḥ ||
„Himmel und Erde!“ — so ruft hervor, o ruhmreiche Schar, menschennahe Gefährten, Helden, schlangenwild an Kraft. Auf euren Wagen steht sichtbar die unermessliche Macht wie ein Blitz; o Maruts, sie hat in den Gestellen eurer Streitwagen ihren Stand genommen.
Word by Word
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (Heaven and Earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्म (आ-वदत) / (उपमान-आधार) संबोधनार्थेRoot रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व-समास ‘द्यावा-पृथिवी’)
- आ
- towards, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आ-)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वदत
- speak!, proclaim!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot वद्
- गणश्रियः
- glorious in their troop/hostNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वदत) / विशेषण (मरुतः)Root गण-श्री (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- नृसाचः
- attending/associating with menAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वदत) / विशेषण (मरुतः)Root नृ-साच् (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- शूराः
- heroesNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वदत) / विशेषण (मरुतः)Root शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- शवसा
- with might, by strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहिमन्यवः
- having serpent-slaying wrath / wrath against the serpentNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वदत) / विशेषण (मरुतः)Root अहि-मन्यु (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- into, ontoIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आ-)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वन्धुरेषु
- on the seats/benches (of the chariot)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot वन्धुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमतिः
- an irresistible force/impulseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (तस्थौ) / उपमान-प्रयोगेRoot अ-मतिः (प्रातिपदिक; ‘unthinking/irresistible impulse’ in Vedic)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-निपात (‘like’)Root न (निपात)
- दर्शता
- visible, splendid to seeAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अमतिः इति विशेषणम्) / वैदिके नपुंसक-प्रयोगोऽपिRole विशेषणRoot दर्शत (प्रातिपदिक)
- विद्युत्
- lightningNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole उपमानRoot विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-निपात (‘like’)Root न (निपात)
- तस्थौ
- stood, took positionVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot स्था
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (तस्थौ—समूहवाचक-एकवचनक्रिया) / संबोधनार्थेRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथेषु
- in/on the chariotsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) / वैदिके दत्तिवाचक-प्रयोगोऽपिRole सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): रोदसी | आ | वदत | गणश्रियः | नृसाचः | शूराः | शवसा | अहिमन्यवः || आ | वन्धुरेषु | अमतिः | न | दर्शता | विद्युत् | न | तस्थौ | मरुतः | रथेषु | वः || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) रोदसी आ → रोदसी॒ आ (स्वर-सन्धि/पदसीमा, दीर्घः न भवति) (2) गणश्रियः नृसाचः: विसर्गः परे नकारे ‘ः’ यथावत् (3) वन्धुरेषु अमतिः → वन्धुरेष्व॒मति॒ः (इको यणचि: उ+अ → व् + अ; ‘षु’ + ‘अ’ = ‘ष्व’) (4) विद्युत् न → विद्युन् न (त् + न → न्न; वैदिक-पाठे ‘विद्युन्न’) (5) मरुतः रथेषु → मरुतो रथेषु (विसर्गस्य ओ-आदेशः परे रकारे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The glorious troop calls out ‘Heaven and Earth!’—companions of men, heroes, serpent-fierce. On their chariots a visible, immeasurable power stands like lightning in the car-frames.
Inner meaning
The cry ‘rodasī’ signals the opening of the two worlds—higher mind (heaven) and physical/vital base (earth)—into a conscious relation. The Maruts are nṛṣācaḥ: powers that move with and within the human journey, not remote divinities. Their heroism is the courage to confront the serpent-force (ahi) of constriction. The ‘immeasurable power’ (amatiḥ) becomes darśatā—visible—when it takes its station in the ‘chariots’ (ratha), i.e., in the organized instruments of action and movement of consciousness. Lightning is the sudden flash of intuition/illumination that reveals the force at work.
Universal truth
Spiritual power becomes effective when it is embodied in organized vehicles of life and mind; illumination must take its seat in action to transform both heavenward aspiration and earthly nature.
Themes
epiphany, companions of humanity, cosmic framing, lightning as visible power
The seer
- Rishi
- Nodha Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.64.7, RV 1.64.8, RV 1.64.10
Family tradition
Gautama vision often stresses embodiment: divine forces must ‘take station’ in the human instrument to effect change.
Significance
The seer frames the Maruts as mediators between the two worlds, making vast power visible and workable in the chariot of life.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- gaṇaśriyaḥ (glorious troop), nṛṣācaḥ (companions of men), śūrāḥ (heroes), ahimanyavaḥ (serpent-fierce)
- Related deities
- Indra, Dyaus, Pṛthivī, Rudra
Cosmic role
Link heaven and earth through storm-force and lightning; establish dynamic communication between worlds.
Inner power
Embodied dynamism: the descent of vast impetus into the organized instruments of action, producing flashes of intuition.
In ritual
Where it is used
Śrauta praises in Marut hymns; also suitable for invocations to harmonize ‘heaven and earth’ in sacrificial action.
रोद॑सी॒ आ व॑दता गणश्रियो॒ नृषा॑चः शूरा॒: शव॒साहि॑मन्यवः । आ व॒न्धुरे॑ष्व॒मति॒र्न द॑र्श॒ता वि॒द्युन्न त॑स्थौ मरुतो॒ रथे॑षु वः ॥
रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । आ । व॒द॒त॒ । ग॒ण॒ऽश्रि॒यः॒ । नृऽसा॑चः । शूराः॑ । शव॑सा । अहि॑ऽमन्यवः । आ । व॒न्धुरे॑षु । अ॒मतिः॑ । न । द॒र्श॒ता । वि॒द्युत् । न । त॒स्थौ॒ । म॒रु॒तः॒ । रथे॑षु । वः॒ ॥
rodasī iti | ā | vadata | gaṇa-śriyaḥ | nṛ-sācaḥ | śūrāḥ | śavasā | ahi-manyavaḥ | ā | vandhureṣu | amatiḥ | na | darśatā | vidyut | na | tasthau | marutaḥ | ratheṣu | vaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Declarative and vivid; strong imagery supported by steady beat.
Creates a sense of manifestation—power ‘taking its seat’—and awakens receptivity to sudden flashes of insight.
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth (the two worlds). Symbolic: higher mind and embodied nature brought into conscious union
- गणश्रियः (gaṇaśriyaḥ)
- Literal: glorious troop. Symbolic: collective energies of transformation acting in harmony
- नृषाचः (nṛṣācaḥ)
- Literal: moving with men/companions of men. Symbolic: divine forces active in human nature and evolution
- शूराः (śūrāḥ)
- Literal: heroes. Symbolic: courageous powers overcoming fear and inertia
- अहिमन्यवः (ahimanyavaḥ)
- Literal: serpent-fierce. Symbolic: force that attacks constriction/covering (ahi/vṛtra principle)
- अमतिः (amatiḥ)
- Literal: immeasurable power/impulsion (also ‘unthinking’ in other contexts). Symbolic: vast, supra-mental impetus beyond ordinary measure
- दर्शता (darśatā)
- Literal: visible, to be seen. Symbolic: becoming conscious and manifest in the instrument
- विद्युत् (vidyut)
- Literal: lightning. Symbolic: sudden illumination/intuition
- रथेषु (ratheṣu)
- Literal: in chariots. Symbolic: organized movement of the being; life-instruments carrying consciousness
- वन्धुरेषु (vandhureṣu)
- Literal: in the chariot-frames. Symbolic: support-structures of action; stable embodiment of force
Chariot-epiphany verse: invites the Maruts to manifest visibly in the rite; supports protection and the expansion of the sacrificer’s field between Heaven and Earth.
At moments emphasizing the Maruts’ chariot and lightning—calling their presence into the rite’s ‘vehicle’.
Recitation during offerings; visualization of the troop arriving and taking station.
Before action or decision-making: meditate on bringing higher clarity (heaven) into practical execution (earth).
rodasī dual ‘Heaven and Earth’ (from √rud/rod? traditional term for the two worlds). amati here as a-mati ‘immeasurable’ (a- privative + mati ‘measure/thought’ from √man ‘think’), hence vast force of mind/energy. √sthā (tasthau) PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’ (cf. Eng. stand).
manifestation (darśata), immeasurable power (amati as vastness), mediation between Heaven and Earth
The right order is the harmonious traffic between higher and lower; Maruts enforce this by making power visible and effective.
darśatā—truth must be seen/realized, not merely believed.
Embodiment of vast force in structured movement; manifestation through vehicles (ratha).
Integral manifestation: descent/ascent interplay; union of higher consciousness with life.
storm season (symbolic)
A flash of intuitive light reveals the vast impetus of transformation seated within the structures of one’s life and action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The visible stationing of lightning-power upon the Maruts’ chariots within the Heaven-Earth frame: a theophany where cosmic force becomes perceptible and operative for humans.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā (tasthau) is PIE *steh₂- (stand). The Heaven-and-Earth dual (rodasī) corresponds to widespread IE cosmological pairing (Sky/Earth dyad) foundational in Indo-European mythic grammar.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Maruts are nṛ-sāc—powers that consent to accompany human striving. The r̥ṣi calls them to ‘speak forth’ and to become darśata (visible), i.e., to make their help concretely felt in the embodied life between Heaven and Earth.
Unite ‘heaven and earth’ within: bring higher clarity into the body and daily action; invite lightning-like intuition to take a stable seat.
ājñā (lightning insight) grounding into mūlādhāra (earth support)
Alternate-nostril (nāḍī-śodhana) to balance the two ‘worlds’, then quiet inhalation holds to receive flashes.
Balanced wideness with readiness for intuitive descent.
Chant softly, then contemplate two bands—sky above, earth below—joining at the heart; visualize a luminous force settling into the ‘frame’ of your chosen action-plan.
Tri-svara; give clear udātta lift on rodasī and vidyut; keep cadence steady through imagery clauses.
Pause after ‘rodasī iti’ sense; keep ‘vidyun na tasthau’ as a compact, vivid unit.
rodasī: long ī at end, gaṇaśriyo: palatal śr cluster—do not simplify, nṛṣācaḥ: vocalic ṛ; ṣā long ā, vandhureṣu: aspirated dh; retroflex ṣ, amatiḥ: short a-; dental t, vidyun: final n lightly articulated
Clear and luminous; slightly heightened resonance on ‘vidyut’.
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