Rig Veda 2.34.13: Mandala 2, Sukta 34, Mantra 13
Sukta 2.34
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Maruts/Rudras
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
ते क्षोणीभिररुणेभिर्नाञ्जिभी रुद्रा ऋतस्य सदनेषु वावृधुः । निमेघमाना अत्येन पाजसा सुश्चन्द्रं वर्णं दधिरे सुपेशसम् ॥
té kṣoṇī́bhir aruṇébhir nā́ñjibhī rudrā́ ṛtásya sádanēṣu vāvṛdhuḥ | niméghamānā́ átyena pā́jasā suścandrám várṇaṃ dadhire supéśasam ||
Sie, die Rudras (Maruts), mit rötlichen Erdweiten und leuchtendem Schmuck, wachsen in den Sitzen der Wahrheit (ṛta). Donnernd herab, mit der Kraft pferdgleicher Energie, legen sie eine strahlende, wohlgefügte Gestalt an — Schönheit geordneter Macht.
Word by Word
- ते
- they (those)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (रुद्राः इत्यस्य विशेषण-सम्बन्धः)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षोणीभिः
- with/using (their) chariots/vehiclesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot क्षोणी- (स्त्री)
- अरुणेभिः
- ruddy, tawnyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम् (क्षोणीभिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role करणRoot अरुण-
- नाञ्जिभिः
- with harnesses/bridlesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot नाञ्जि- (स्त्री; ‘नाञ्जि’ = लगाम/अङ्कुश/रेणुका?; RV-प्रयोगः ‘harness/bridle’)
- रुद्राः
- the RudrasNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot रुद्र-
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (सदनेषु इत्यस्य षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root ऋत-
- सदनेषु
- in the seats/dwellingsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot सदन-
- वावृधुः
- have grown/strengthenedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ = रुद्राः)Root √वृध् (वर्धने)
- निमेघमानाः
- raining down, pouringParticipleपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्, वर्तमानकालिकः शतृ (कर्तरि)Role कर्तृ (रुद्राः; विशेषणम्)Root नि- + √मिह्/√मेह् (सिञ्चने/वर्षणे; ‘to rain, to sprinkle’) → मेघमान (शतृ-प्रत्यय)
- अत्येन
- with a steed/horseNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करणRoot अत्य- (पुं; ‘steed, horse’)
- पाजसा
- with might/forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करणRoot पाजस्- (नपुं; ‘strength, might, brilliance’)
- सुश्चन्द्रम्
- very bright, fair-shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (वर्णम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (दधिरे इत्यस्य)Root सु- + चन्द्र-
- वर्णम्
- color, appearanceNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वर्ण-
- दधिरे
- have assumed/put onVerbलिट् आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ = रुद्राः)Root √धा (धारणे/स्थापने) — (दधिरे = आत्मनेपद-रूपम्)
- सुपेशसम्
- well-adorned, of beautiful formAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (वर्णम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (वर्णम् सह)Root सु- + पेशस्- (नपुं; ‘form, adornment, beauty’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते | क्षोणीभिः | अरुणेभिः | नाञ्जिभिः | रुद्राः | ऋतस्य | सदनेषु | वावृधुः || निमेघमानाः | अत्येन | पाजसा | सु-चन्द्रम् | वर्णम् | दधिरे | सु-पेशसम् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) अरुणेभिः + नाञ्जिभिः → अरुणेभिर्नाञ्जिभिः (विसर्ग/र्-आदेशः)
- (2) रुद्राः + ऋतस्य → रुद्रा ऋतस्य (आः + ऋ → आ ऋ; पदान्त-दीर्घः, संहितायां ‘आ’ स्थिरः)
- (3) सुश्चन्द्रम् = सु + चन्द्रम् (उपसर्ग-समास/सन्धि)
- (4) सुपेशसम् = सु + पेशसम्
- (5) निमेघमाना अत्येन → निमेघमाना अत्येन (स्वर-संहितायां दीर्घ/प्लुत-प्रभावः; व्यञ्जन-सन्धि न विशेषः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Rudras (Maruts), with ruddy earth-spaces and bright ornaments, grow in the seats of ṛta. Thundering down with the power of a steed, they assume a shining, well-fashioned form.
Inner meaning
The Maruts as Rudras are fierce purifiers: they grow “in the seats of ṛta”—in the established domains of truth-order within us (right discernment, right law of action). Their ‘ruddy earth-spaces’ suggest the vital-physical field suffused with dawn-like energy, no longer inert. Their ornaments (nāñjibhī) are inner formations—disciplines, luminous qualities—that beautify force. ‘Thundering down’ is the decisive descent of power that breaks tamas and falsehood. ‘Steed-force’ (atyena pājasā) is the swift pranic energy harnessed to truth. The result is suścandra varṇa, a shining complexion of consciousness: a well-shaped (supeśasam) ordered power—beauty born of right force, not chaos.
Universal truth
Energy becomes truly beautiful and effective when it is formed by truth-order. Purification is not suppression but a descent of power that reshapes life into luminous, well-crafted action.
Themes
Rudra-Marut purification, Truth-order stabilization, Luminous form of power
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (Bhārgava)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.23 (Bṛhaspati), RV 2.33 (Rudra), RV 2.34
Family tradition
Bhārgava seers frequently emphasize ṛta as the seat where divine powers grow and become effective in human nature.
Significance
The seer frames Rudra/Marut force as a necessary purifier that must be established in ṛta—power without truth-order is not the Vedic aim.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts as Rudras
- Epithets
- rudrāḥ, ṛtasya sadaneṣu vāvṛdhuḥ (grow in ṛta’s seats), atyena pājasā (steed-might), supeśasa (well-formed)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Storm and thunder powers that uphold ṛta by destroying disorder and renewing the worlds with rain/energy.
Inner power
Transformative descent that purifies the vital-physical, brings disciplined strength, and shapes luminous embodiment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut śastra/stotra in Soma ritual contexts; praising Maruts’ power to uphold ṛta.
ते क्षो॒णीभि॑ररु॒णेभि॒र्नाञ्जिभी॑ रु॒द्रा ऋ॒तस्य॒ सद॑नेषु वावृधुः । नि॒मेघ॑माना॒ अत्ये॑न॒ पाज॑सा सुश्च॒न्द्रं वर्णं॑ दधिरे सु॒पेश॑सम् ॥
ते । क्षो॒णीभिः॑ । अरु॒णेभिः॑ । न । अ॒ञ्जिऽभिः॑ । रु॒द्राः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । सद॑नेषु । व॒वृ॒धुः॒ । नि॒ऽमेघ॑मानाः । अत्ये॑न । पाज॑सा । सुऽच॒न्द्रम् । वर्ण॑म् । द॒धि॒रे॒ । सु॒ऽपेश॑सम् ॥
te | kṣoṇībhiḥ | aruṇebhiḥ | na | añji-bhiḥ | rudrāḥ | ṛtasya | sadaneṣu | vavṛdhuḥ | ni--meghamānāḥ | atyena | pājasā | su-candram | varṇam | dadhire | su-peśasam
44
4 x ~11
Strong downward accents and compact compounds; a ‘thunder-step’ feel.
Invokes forceful purification; stabilizes will and gives a sense of armored clarity.
- रुद्राः (rudrāḥ)
- Literal: Rudras. Symbolic: fierce purifying powers; transformative storm-energy
- ऋतस्य सदनेषु (ṛtasya sadaneṣu)
- Literal: in the seats of ṛta. Symbolic: stable planes/centers of right order in consciousness
- क्षोणीभिः अरुणेभिः (kṣoṇībhir aruṇebhiḥ)
- Literal: with ruddy earth-spaces. Symbolic: vital-physical field lit by awakening energy
- अञ्जिभिः (añjibhiḥ)
- Literal: with ornaments. Symbolic: inner qualities/disciplines that ‘adorn’ force
- नि-मेघमानाः (ni-meghamānāḥ)
- Literal: thundering down, clouding/raining down. Symbolic: descent of force that breaks resistance and pours energy
- अत्येन पाजसा (atyena pājasā)
- Literal: with the might of a steed. Symbolic: swift pranic drive harnessed for truth-action
- सुश्चन्द्रं वर्णम् (suścandraṃ varṇam)
- Literal: bright-shining color/form. Symbolic: luminous state of being; clarified consciousness
- सुपेशसम् (supeśasam)
- Literal: well-fashioned, well-formed. Symbolic: ordered embodiment of power; harmonious force
Marut stotra within Soma rites; supports the ‘seat of ṛta’ (ṛtasya sadana) as the stabilized field for the offering.
When seeking force for victory over obstruction and establishment of right order in the rite.
Praise + offering accompaniment; calling the host to ‘descend’ into the work.
Chant when needing disciplined energy and purification (breaking inertia, clearing emotional turbulence) while holding to ethical clarity (ṛta).
ṛta- from √ar ‘fit, join, order’ → ‘that which is rightly joined/true order’. vāvṛdhuḥ from √vṛdh (PIE *werdh- ‘grow’). pājas ‘strength, glow’ connected to brightness/force. peśas ‘form, adornment’ (related to shaping/decoration). atyá ‘steed’ signals concentrated kinetic energy; psychologically, the driven prāṇa-force harnessed to ṛta.
Ṛta as seat/abode, Growth of divine powers within ordered consciousness, Manifestation (varṇa/peśas) of inner force
Explicit: their growth is in ṛta’s seats—power is legitimate only when rooted in right order.
Shining form indicates truth-light embodied.
Renewal by descent: force comes down, reshapes the field, and reveals a luminous form.
Integral yogic cosmology: descent of force into the vital-physical to form a ‘supeśas’ embodiment.
Thunder = decisive transformative power; clouds/rain = descent of energy; ruddy glow = awakened vital; ornaments = formed qualities; steed = swift prāṇa.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Maruts as Rudras who thunder and assume a radiant form while increasing in ṛta’s seats: the mythic storm-host establishing/strengthening the domain of Truth. Inwardly, fierce energies are not chaotic; they become beautifully formed (supéśas) when they grow within ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ is PIE *werdh- (cf. English worth via semantic shifts, German werden ‘become’). √dhṛ ‘hold/put on’ is PIE *dher- ‘hold’ (cf. Greek θρόνος in extended family, English firm via related developments). These inherited roots carry the sense of stabilizing growth and assumption of form.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi observes and affirms the Maruts’ lawful placement in ṛta (ṛtasya sadaneṣu). The reciprocity is: right recognition of their ordered role invites their increase and their bestowal of well-shaped power in the human field.
Invite a controlled descent of force to purify and organize the vital-physical under truth-order (ṛta).
Maṇipūra (power) regulated by Ājñā (right seeing/ṛta)
Power-breath with restraint: inhale 4, hold 2 (feel ‘ṛta-seat’), exhale 6 (descent and shaping).
Firm, luminous, armored calm.
Before chanting, establish a clear ethical intention (ṛta). During the second hemistich, feel the force descend through the spine into action-capacity; end by imagining a ‘well-fashioned’ luminous body of will around you.
Triṣṭubh with emphatic falls on descent imagery (ni-meghamānāḥ); keep udatta prominence on deity terms (rudrāḥ, ṛtasya).
Mark a slight pause after sadaneṣu; let the second hemistich accelerate like a ‘steed’ then resolve on supeśasam.
(kṣoṇībhiḥ): keep kṣ cluster crisp; long ī., (añjibhiḥ): palatal ñ; do not nasalize into n., - (ni-meghamānāḥ): clear gh; long āḥ ending., (atyena): palatal ty; avoid ‘achyena’., (suścandram): śc cluster; keep dental d.
Firm, slightly forceful, controlled (not shouted).
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