Rig Veda 6.48.20: Mandala 6, Sukta 48, Mantra 20
Sukta 6.48
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
वामी वामस्य धूतयः प्रणीतिरस्तु सूनृता । देवस्य वा मरुतो मर्त्यस्य वेजानस्य प्रयज्यवः ॥
vāmī vā́masya dhūtáyaḥ prá-nītir astu sū-nṛ́tā | devásya vā maruto martyásya vejā́nasya prayajyavaḥ ||
O Maruts, mögen die antreibenden Regungen des Vāma (des Wonnevollen) für uns rechte Führung und wahre, lichtvolle Rede sein — sei es in der göttlichen Natur oder im Sterblichen, der vorwärts drängt; o Opferwürdige, bekräftigt dies.
Word by Word
- वामी
- you two gracious/pleasant onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग? प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचन (Vedic form; used as dual addressing two)Role सम्बोधन (address; outside kāraka) / or Kartā if taken as subjectRoot वाम (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *u̯eh₂m- ‘प्रिय/वाम’ (etym. uncertain)
- वामस्य
- of the gracious one / of you (honorific)Noun/Adjective (genitive)पुं/नपुं? षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
- धूतयः
- the shakings/stirrings; the impellingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (if construed as subject of an implied verb) / or appositionRoot धू (धातु) → धूत (कृदन्त, PPP) → धूति (स्त्री) / or धूति- (f.) ‘shaking, stirring’
- प्रणीतिः
- guidance; leading forthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (subject of अस्तु)Root नी (धातु) + प्र-; noun from √नी ‘to lead’ → प्रणीतिः (f.)
- अस्तु
- let it be / may it beVerbलोट् (imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, 3rd person singularRole (verbal predicate)Root अस् (धातु) ‘to be’
- सूनृता
- good/true speech; gracious truthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन (predicate-nominative to प्रणीतिः)Role (predicate complement)Root सु- + नृ (प्रातिपदिक) → सूनृता (f.) ‘good speech, truth’
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive ‘or’)Role (connector)Root वा (avyaya)
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग सम्बोधन/प्रथमा बहुवचन (Vedic: vocative = nominative-form common)Role सम्बोधन (address)Root मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्यस्य
- of the mortalNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वेजानस्य
- of the vigorous/impetuous oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root वेजान (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic epithet, from √विज्/√वेज् ‘to hasten, be lively’)
- प्रयज्यवः
- O offering-devoted ones / O worshipful onesAdjective (vocative plural) / Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग सम्बोधन बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (address to Maruts)Root प्र- + यज् (धातु) → प्रयज्य (kṛdanta/adj. ‘devoted to offering’) + वस्/व (possessive suffix) → प्रयज्यव-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic): वामी | वामस्य | धूतयः | प्रणीति: | अस्तु | सूनृता | देवस्य | वा | मरुतः | मर्त्यस्य | वेजानस्य | प्रयज्यवः । प्रमुख संधि: (1) प्रणीति: + अस्तु → प्रणीति(र्)स्तु (visarga/रेफ sandhi: इः + अ → इर् + अ)
- (2) देवस्य वा: no sandhi (particle)
- (3) मरुतो मर्त्यस्य: ओ + म- hiatus retained in saṃhitā as written (Vedic)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to the Maruts: may the impelling movements of delight be for us a right leading and true speech—whether belonging to the god or to the mortal who strives forward; O worthy of offering, confirm it.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are the dynamic life-powers that storm through the being to clear, uplift, and energize. The mantra asks that these ‘movements’ (dhūtayaḥ) of inner delight (vāmasya) become a right guidance (praṇīti) and a luminous truthful speech (sūnṛtā). Whether the impulse arises from the divine nature in us or from the aspiring mortal effort, may the Maruts purify, align, and make it effective—so our expression becomes truth-bearing rather than ego-driven.
Universal truth
When life-energy is purified and harmonized, it becomes a force of right direction and true expression. Dynamic power must be yoked to truth and guidance.
Themes
inspired speech, guidance, dynamic force, marut-energy
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 6.48 (Maruts section)
Significance
The verse reflects a yogic concern: not merely power, but power guided—life-force converted into right leading and truth-speech.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- Prayajyavaḥ (worthy of offering), Vṛtrahan-like (contextual), Swift impellers (implicit)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra, Agni, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Forces of atmospheric dynamism; companions of Indra; breakers of obstruction; bring rain and widen paths.
Inner power
Awakening prāṇa-shakti that purifies, intensifies aspiration, and drives truthful expression.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut offerings (soma/oblations) for vigor, protection, and right impulsion; supportive in Indra-Marut rites.
वा॒मी वा॒मस्य॑ धूतय॒: प्रणी॑तिरस्तु सू॒नृता॑ । दे॒वस्य॑ वा मरुतो॒ मर्त्य॑स्य वेजा॒नस्य॑ प्रयज्यवः ॥
वा॒मी । वा॒मस्य॑ । धू॒त॒यः॒ । प्रऽनी॑तिः । अ॒स्तु॒ । सू॒नृता॑ । दे॒वस्य॑ । वा॒ । म॒रु॒तः॒ । मर्त्य॑स्य । वे॒जा॒नस्य॑ । प्र॒ऽय॒ज्य॒वः॒ ॥
vāmī | vāmasya | dhūtayaḥ | pra-nītiḥ | astu | sūnṛtā | devasya | vā | marutaḥ | martyasya | vejānasya | pra-yajyavaḥ
44
4 × ~11 (approx.)
gusty, propulsive—mirrors Marut dynamism; then settles into affirmation.
Invigorates breath and will; clears dullness; supports confident, truthful articulation.
- म॒रुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: Maruts, storm-gods. Symbolic: purifying dynamic life-forces; energies that break inertia and support ascent
- धूतयः (dhūtayaḥ)
- Literal: shakings, impellings, stirrings. Symbolic: vital movements that dislodge tamas and propel growth
- वामस्य (vāmasya)
- Literal: of delight/pleasantness. Symbolic: ānanda-element in life-energy; joy as motive power
- प्रणीति (praṇīti)
- Literal: leading forth, guidance. Symbolic: right direction of energies under a higher will
- सूनृता (sūnṛtā)
- Literal: true/good speech. Symbolic: mantric truth-speech; expression aligned with inner truth
- वेजानस्य (vejānasya)
- Literal: of the one who speeds/strives. Symbolic: the aspirant-mortal pushing forward in sadhana
- प्रयज्यवः (prayajyavaḥ)
- Literal: fit for offering. Symbolic: powers that respond when rightly invoked and offered to
Marut invocations are common in Soma sacrifices and in rites seeking strength, rain, and victorious force; here the emphasis is on right-leading and true speech, suitable for sacrificial recitation seeking inspired utterance.
When seeking force for action, protection in conflict, and inspired speech in the rite.
Recitation with oblation; calling Marut energies to ‘lead’ the sacrificer and stabilize the spoken formula.
Before public speaking or decisive action: invoke purified energy and truthful speech; use as a ‘speech-and-force alignment’ mantra.
vāma- 'pleasant, desirable' relates to √vam/√vā 'to desire, to enjoy' (semantic cluster of delight). pra-nīti- from pra + √nī 'to lead' → guidance/bringing forward. sū-nṛtā: su- 'good' + nṛtā from √nṛt/√nar? in Vedic idiom 'truthful utterance, right speech' (often paired with r̥ta/satya). marut-: from √mar 'to shine' or 'to be strong' (etymologies debated); functionally the dynamic, impetuous powers.
Satya in speech (sūnṛtā), R̥ta as right guidance (pra-nīti), transformation of mortal nature
Praṇīti is movement aligned to Ṛta; Marut force must obey right order.
Sūnṛtā is speech that carries satyam—effective because it is true.
Vedic psychology of prāṇa transformed into mantra and right action.
monsoon (symbolic fit)
Storm = cleansing upheaval; wind = prāṇa movement; rain = descent of refreshment/joy into the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Maruts as the impulsive host who drive the movement of delight (vāma) and establish right-leading (pra-nīti) and true speech (sūnṛtā). The mythic storm-host becomes the inner life-forces that, when harmonised, produce inspired truthful utterance and forward guidance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pra- + √nī (lead) continues an Indo-European verbal preverb system (cf. Greek προ- + ἄγω type structures in function). The formulaic pairing of guidance and truth-speech reflects inherited poetic diction where correct utterance is efficacious action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer requests that the Maruts’ dynamic movements be converted into a disciplined, beneficent guidance and a truthful inspired speech—i.e., the human seeks to yoke the turbulent powers into instruments of r̥ta within the consciousness.
Invite the life-force to become a servant of truth: ‘energy that leads rightly and speaks truly’.
vishuddha
Bhastrikā (mild, short rounds) followed by quiet repetition of ‘praṇītir astu sūnṛtā’.
Energized clarity; inspired, clean expression.
Notice where energy becomes agitation or harsh speech. Offer that movement to the Marut-force; let the breath settle; speak only when the inner vibration feels ‘sūnṛtā’—true, beneficial, luminous.
Keep a lively rise on ‘dhūtayaḥ’ and ‘praṇītir’; soften on ‘sūnṛtā’ to let it glow.
Do not rush consonant clusters: dhū-ta-yaḥ, pra-ṇī-tiḥ, sū-nṛ-tā.
dh in dhūtayaḥ is aspirated; keep ū long, ṇ in praṇīti: retroflex nasal, sūnṛtā: ṛ vocalic; final ā long, maruto: keep ‘ru’ light, not ‘roo’
bright, wind-like, energized but controlled.
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