Rig Veda 5.52.13: Mandala 5, Sukta 52, Mantra 13
Sukta 5.52
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
य ऋष्वा ऋष्टिविद्युतः कवयः सन्ति वेधसः । तमृषे मारुतं गणं नमस्या रमया गिरा ॥
ya ṛ́ṣvā ṛ́ṣṭi-vidyutaḥ kaváyaḥ sánti védhasaḥ | tám ṛṣe mārútam gáṇaṃ namasyā́ ramáyā girā́ ||
Die hoch Erhabenen, speerblitzend, Dichter und weise Ordner — o Rishi, jener Marut-Gana erweise Verehrung und erfreue sie mit frohgemutem Wort.
Word by Word
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- ऋष्वाः
- lofty, exaltedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (ये इति सह विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot ऋष्व (adj. prātipadika)
- ऋष्टिविद्युतः
- having spear-like flashes (gleaming like spears)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (ये इति सह)Role KartāRoot ऋष्टि-विद्युत् (tatpuruṣa/karmadhāraya compound; prātipadika)
- कवयः
- seers, poetsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot कवि (prātipadika)
- सन्ति
- areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root अस् (धातु)
- वेधसः
- wise ones, inspired sagesNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (कवयः इत्यस्य समनाधिकरणम्)Role KartāRoot वेधस् (prātipadika)
- तम्
- that (him/it)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- ऋषे
- to the seerNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (सम्प्रदानार्थे)Role SampradānaRoot ऋषि (prātipadika)
- मारुतम्
- Marut-host’s, belonging to the MarutsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (गणम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot मारुत (adj. prātipadika; ‘of the Maruts’)
- गणम्
- troop, hostNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot गण (prātipadika)
- नमस्या
- reverently, with homageKṛdanta (indeclinable use)अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (स्तुत्य/नमनीय-भावः; ‘having to be bowed to’ → ‘with reverence’)Root नमस् (prātipadika) + य (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय; gerundive/absolutive-like Vedic form used adverbially)
- रमया
- with a pleasingAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम् (गिरा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KaraṇaRoot रम (prātipadika; ‘delightful/pleasing’)
- गिरा
- speech, hymnNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot गिर् (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): ये | ऋष्वाः | ऋष्टिविद्युतः | कवयः | सन्ति | वेधसः || तम् | ऋषे | मारुतम् | गणम् | नमस्या | रमया | गिरा || 1) य ऋष्वा → ये ऋष्वाः (यः/ये + ऋष्वाः; plural relative pronoun required by सन्ति)
- 2) तमृषे → तम् ऋषे (म् + ऋ → मृ in saṃhitā)
- 3) नमस्या is a Vedic kṛdanta-form used adverbially (‘in a way fit for bowing’ → ‘reverently’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts are lofty, spear-flashing, seers and wise ordainers; O seer, worship that Marut-host and delight them with a pleasing word.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are not merely storm-gods but luminous executors of the divine intention: high-reaching (ṛṣvāḥ), armed with a piercing force of discrimination (ṛṣṭi-vidyut), themselves ‘kavayaḥ’—seer-energies that arrange the movements of life according to truth (vedhasaḥ). The mantra instructs the sādhaka: approach these powers with reverence (namasyā) and with a glad, consenting vibration of speech (ramayā girā), for the inner forces respond to the right tone of aspiration.
Universal truth
Higher capacities awaken and cooperate when we meet them with humility, clarity, and a joyful affirmation rather than strain or doubt.
Themes
Homage, Seerhood, Ordered wisdom, Mantra-delight
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.52 (Maruts), RV 5.43–5.45 (Agni-centered invocations)
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns often show the disciplined use of mantra (gīr) to summon and order inner powers.
Significance
Atri as ‘ṛṣi’ here models the right relationship between seer and forces: reverence + inspired utterance that delights and stabilizes the godheads in us.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- ṛṣvāḥ, ṛṣṭi-vidyutaḥ, kavayaḥ, vedhasaḥ, gaṇa (host)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Rudra
Cosmic role
Allied to Indra in the battle for the waters/light; they organize the storm-force that releases hidden abundance.
Inner power
Swift, collective intelligence in the life-force; capacity to act with luminous precision and coordinated courage.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise/homage to Maruts within Soma rites and Indra-Marut sequences
य ऋ॒ष्वा ऋ॒ष्टिवि॑द्युतः क॒वय॒: सन्ति॑ वे॒धस॑: । तमृ॑षे॒ मारु॑तं ग॒णं न॑म॒स्या र॒मया॑ गि॒रा ॥
यः । ऋ॒ष्वाः । ऋ॒ष्टिऽवि॑द्युतः । क॒वयः॑ । सन्ति॑ । वे॒धसः॑ । तम् । ऋ॒षे॒ । मारु॑तम् । ग॒णम् । न॒म॒स्य । र॒मय॑ । गि॒रा ॥
yaḥ | ṛṣvāḥ | ṛṣṭi-vidyutaḥ | kavayaḥ | santi | vedhasaḥ | tam | ṛṣe | mārutam | gaṇam | namasya | ramaya | girā
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4×11 (approx.; confirm with full pada syllabification in recitation tradition)
Heroic and articulate; strong consonantal clusters (ṛṣṭi-vidyutaḥ) give a ‘flashing’ sonic feel.
Energizes will and clarity; supports confident invocation and disciplined aspiration.
- ऋष्वाः (ṛṣvāḥ)
- Literal: lofty, high. Symbolic: uplifted energies that raise consciousness above the ordinary
- ऋष्टिविद्युतः (ṛṣṭi-vidyutaḥ)
- Literal: spear-flashing. Symbolic: penetrating illumination that cuts through obscurity; lightning-discrimination
- कवयः (kavayaḥ)
- Literal: seers/poets. Symbolic: intuitive faculties that ‘see’ truth directly
- वेधसः (vedhasaḥ)
- Literal: wise ordainers, arrangers. Symbolic: powers that set the inner movements in right order (ṛta)
- नमस्या (namasyā)
- Literal: do homage. Symbolic: ego-surrender, alignment to higher guidance
- रमया गिरा (ramayā girā)
- Literal: with a pleasing/delighting word. Symbolic: mantric speech charged with joy-faith that harmonizes the vital
Direct exhortation to worship; establishes the affective key (reverence + delight) in praise
During invitatory and laudatory sections to secure Marut support
Stuti (praise) and namas (homage) through mantra; offering accompaniment
Use as a ‘right attitude’ verse before study, work, or practice: humility + glad speech to invite coordinated energy.
kavi: from √kav/√ku ‘to see/poetically perceive’ (Vedic kavi as inspired knower). vedhas: from √vidh ‘to work, arrange, worship’ → ‘ordainer/craftsman’ of the rite and of order. namasy: denominative from namas ‘bow, reverence’ (√nam ‘to bend’). ramaya: causative of √ram ‘to delight, take pleasure’—speech that harmonizes powers.
kavi as inner seer-function, vedhas as ordering intelligence (ṛta-craft), mantra as harmonizing delight (ramaya girā)
vedhasaḥ indicates ordering of forces into right law.
kavayaḥ: truth-seeing faculties.
Divine powers shape and arrange manifestation through luminous action.
Integral psychological interpretation: deities as functional powers of consciousness.
Lightning = sudden discrimination; storm = forceful purification; wind-host = coordinated prāṇa.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Maruts as both warriors (lightning-spears) and seers/ordainers (kavayaḥ, vedhasaḥ). The mythologem fuses battle and wisdom: force is guided by vision, and vision is effective through force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The semantic pairing of poetic speech (girā) and effective power is a hallmark of Indo-European poetics (word as deed). The ‘troop/host’ (gaṇa) corresponds to the widespread IE motif of divine companies (storm-warrior bands).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi approaches the Maruts with two complementary offerings: namas (reverent submission of ego) and girā (shaped speech). The Maruts, as kavi-vedhas, respond by ordering the seeker’s energies and granting spear-like illuminations that pierce confusion.
Cultivate ‘ramayā girā’: repeat with a gentle smile in the breath; let speech become a carrier of joy-faith that invites higher energy.
Viśuddha (mantric speech) with support from Maṇipūra (heroic will)
Humming exhale (bhrāmarī-like) after chanting to ‘delight’ the inner vital; then silent listening.
From invocation to harmonized energetic uplift.
Chant 11 times; then speak one truthful intention for the day. Observe if actions become more coordinated and clear (vedhasaḥ).
Ṛgvedic accents; keep lift on ṛṣvāḥ and kavayaḥ; let the compound ṛṣṭi-vidyutaḥ be clean and unhurried.
Do not swallow consonant clusters: ṛṣ-ṭi-vi-dyu-taḥ in clear beats.
ṛ: vocalic r, not ‘ri’, ṣṭ: retroflex ṣ + ṭ cluster, vedhasaḥ: dh is aspirated; final ḥ light, namasyā: ny is palatal nasal + y glide
Clear, resonant, slightly martial yet reverent.
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