Rig Veda 1.39.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 39, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.39
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
प्र यदित्था परावतः शोचिर्न मानमस्यथ । कस्य क्रत्वा मरुतः कस्य वर्पसा कं याथ कं ह धूतयः ॥
prá yád itthā̀ parāvátaḥ śócīr ná mānám ásyatha | kásya krátvā marutaḥ kásya várpasā káṃ yātha káṃ ha dhūtayaḥ ||
Cuando irrumpís así desde los espacios lejanos, como una llama que pone en marcha vuestra fuerza,— ¿por la voluntad de quién, oh Maruts, por qué forma radiante avanzáis? ¿a quién buscáis, oh sacudidores de los mundos?
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- यदि
- ifIndeclinableconditional particleRoot यदि
- इत्था
- thus, in this wayIndeclinablemanner-adverbRoot इत्था
- परावतः
- from afar, from a distant placeNounf.; ablative singular (परावतः)Role ApādānaRoot परावत् (prātipadika)
- शोचिः
- flame, blaze, radianceNounn.; nominative/accusative singularRole KarmaRoot शोचिस् (prātipadika)
- न
- like, asIndeclinablenegation/comparison particle (here: ‘like/as’)Root न
- मानम्
- measure; (by extension) standard, magnitudeNounm./n.; accusative singularRole KarmaRoot मान (prātipadika)
- अस्यथ
- you throw, cast, hurlVerbpresent; 2nd person plural; parasmaipadaRole KartāRoot अस्/अस्य (dhātu: अस्यति)
- कस्य
- of whom? of which?Pronounm./n.; genitive singularRoot क (interrogative pronominal stem)
- क्रत्वा
- by what resolve/power/plan?Nounm.; instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot क्रतु (prātipadika)
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounm.; vocative plural (also formally = nom. pl.)Role SambodhanaRoot मरुत् (prātipadika)
- कस्य
- of whom? of which?Pronounm./n.; genitive singularRoot क (interrogative pronominal stem)
- वर्पसा
- by what form/beauty/splendour?Nounn.; instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot वर्पस् (prātipadika)
- कम्
- whom? which (one)?Pronounm.; accusative singularRole KarmaRoot क (interrogative pronominal stem)
- याथ
- you goVerbpresent; 2nd person plural; parasmaipadaRole KartāRoot या (dhātu)
- कम्
- whom? which (one)?Pronounm.; accusative singularRole KarmaRoot क (interrogative pronominal stem)
- ह
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableenclitic particle (emphasis/indeed)Root ह
- धूतयः
- O shakers/stirrers (epithet of the Maruts)Nounf.; vocative plural (also formally = nom. pl.)Role SambodhanaRoot धूति (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution: प्र यदि॒त्था प॑रा॒वत॑: → प्र | यदि | इत्था | परावतः
- शो॒चिर्न → शोचिः | न
- (No further external sandhi requiring split; interrogatives remain separate: कस्य क्रत्वा, कस्य वर्पसा, कं याथ, कं ह.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks: when the Maruts rush from far spaces and hurl their might like flame, by whose will and by whose radiant form do they go, whom do they seek—O shakers?
Inner meaning
The seer observes the sudden uprising of inner forces (Maruts) from the ‘far’ or subliminal ranges (parāvataḥ). Their surge is like a flame: a rapid kindling of will and nervous power. The question ‘by whose kratu?’ points to the governing divine intention—these energies must be aligned to the higher Mind (Indra) and the soul’s will, not to ego impulse. ‘Whom do you seek?’ becomes a discriminating inquiry: are my energies running after desire, or seeking the Divine aim?
Universal truth
Power is not enough; energy must be governed by a higher will and directed toward the true object, otherwise it becomes mere turbulence.
Themes
arrival-theophany, divine agency questioned, storm-force as conscious will
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.39.2, RV 1.39.3, RV 1.39.4
Family tradition
The Kāṇva hymns often interrogate the movement of the gods to reveal inner law—turning praise into self-knowledge and right orientation.
Significance
Kaṇva models a yogic discernment: he does not only summon force; he questions its source and aim so that the inner energies serve Ṛta.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- dhūtayaḥ (shakers), tveṣa (fierce, implied), Rudra’s hosts (contextual)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra, Agni
Cosmic role
They rush across the midspace, stirring clouds and waters, supporting Indra’s victory and the release of life-giving rains.
Inner power
Awakening prāṇa that breaks old formations; dynamic impulses that, when aligned, become instruments of illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise/invocation of Maruts in soma-related sequences; also as a request for guidance of their movement.
प्र यदि॒त्था प॑रा॒वत॑: शो॒चिर्न मान॒मस्य॑थ । कस्य॒ क्रत्वा॑ मरुत॒: कस्य॒ वर्प॑सा॒ कं या॑थ॒ कं ह॑ धूतयः ॥
प्र । यत् । इ॒त्था । प॒रा॒ऽवतः॑ । शो॒चिः । न । मान॑म् । अस्य॑थ । कस्य॑ । क्रत्वा॑ । मरुतः॑ । कस्य॑ । वर्प॑सा । कम् । या॒थ॒ । कम् । ह॒ । धू॒त॒यः॒ ॥
pra | yat | itthā | parāvataḥ | śociḥ | na | mānam | asyatha | kasya | kratvā | marutaḥ | kasya | varpasā | kam | yātha | kam | ha | dhūtayaḥ
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4 × ~11; interrogative cadence with strong initial lifts (pra yad…)
Surging and questioning—like waves of force punctuated by inquiry.
Creates alertness and discrimination; energizes while keeping the mind watchful.
- परा॒वत: (parāvataḥ)
- Literal: from far regions. Symbolic: from subliminal/inner ranges beyond surface mind
- शोचिः (śociḥ)
- Literal: flame, brightness. Symbolic: sudden ignition of aspiration/illumination
- मानम् (mānam)
- Literal: might, measure, self-esteem. Symbolic: force of self-assertion needing right governance
- क्रत्वा (kratvā)
- Literal: by will, intention. Symbolic: divine or higher intentionality directing energy
- वर्पसा (varpasā)
- Literal: by form/beauty/radiance. Symbolic: luminous formation of consciousness (right ‘shape’ of force)
- धूतयः (dhūtayaḥ)
- Literal: shakers, agitators. Symbolic: powers that shake fixed habits and inertia
Invocation/quest-formula in soma-liturgies: the priest/seer queries the arriving powers to align them with the sacrifice and to direct their force toward the yajamāna’s protection and increase.
When calling auxiliary deities to join the sacrifice and direct their powers toward the yajamāna.
Stuti with praśna (sacred questioning) to align energies with right will.
Use when feeling sudden restlessness or power-surge: chant and ask inwardly ‘by whose will is this moving?’ to reorient energy.
√as (asyath) ‘to cast/throw’ (distinct from √as ‘to be’); conveys projection of power. kratú is a central Vedic term for effective will/intelligence (not mere ‘plan’): an inner executive consciousness. varpas denotes embodied radiance/shape—often the visible splendour of gods; here it supports a psychological reading as ‘form of power’ that the energies assume in manifestation. dhū ‘shake’ frames Maruts as movers of inertia—both in nature (storm) and in the psyche (stagnation).
kratú (effective will-consciousness), manifestation from ‘beyond’ (parāvat), transformation of inertia through shaking (dhū)
The hymn implies that right movement depends on alignment with the higher ordering will (kratu) of Ṛta.
Truth is the correct aim and the correct formation (varpas) of force.
Forces emerge from hidden ranges into manifestation; the question seeks the divine pattern behind emergence.
Integral/Vedāntic psychology: subliminal energies must be governed by higher mind and soul-intent.
Storm-surge = uprising of prāṇa; flame = ignition of aspiration; far spaces = subliminal planes feeding surface life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘mysterious arrival of the storm-host from the far realm’—a theophany where the Maruts are seen as autonomous powers whose driving will (kratú) and radiant embodiment (varpas) are queried. Mythically it is the sudden onset of the Marut-company; psychologically it is the descent/irruption of higher energies into the field of the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- kratú as ‘effective force of mind’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan xratu- ‘intellect’), pointing to shared Indo-Iranian religious vocabulary. The interrogative cascade (kasya…kasya…kam…kam) is an inherited Indo-European poetic device for intensification and focus.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi stands as interpreter and director of manifestation: he does not merely praise but questions the source of their agency, seeking to yoke their movement to a beneficent aim. This is the inner discipline of aligning incoming force with conscious will (kratú) rather than letting it remain a wild surge.
Discern the source and aim of rising energies; align prāṇa with higher will (kratu).
Ājñā (governance, direction) with Maṇipūra (force)
Pause-breath inquiry: inhale (feel surge), brief hold (ask ‘kasya kratvā?’), exhale (offer movement upward).
Alert, witnessing dynamism; energy under observation.
When energy rises, do not suppress; question and offer it to the inner leader (Agni/Indra). Let the ‘radiant form’ (varpas) be a clear intention before action.
Follow marked accents; interrogatives (kasya, kam) should be clear but not over-emphasized—keep Vedic pitch accents primary.
Maintain forward flow through the questions; slight pause after each ‘kasya’ phrase to let inquiry land.
pra: crisp ‘pr’, parāvataḥ: long ā; visarga ḥ audible but light, śociḥ: ‘ś’ palatal; final ḥ light, kratvā: ‘tvā’ long ā, varpasā: ‘v’ not ‘w’; ‘rp’ cluster clean, dhūtayaḥ: long ū; ‘t’ dental; yaḥ with visarga
Bright, questioning, controlled energy; avoid theatricality.
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