Rig Veda 1.37.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 37, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.37
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ये पृषतीभिॠष्टिभिः साकं वाशीभिरञ्जिभिः । अजायन्त स्वभानवः ॥
yé pṛ́ṣatībhi ṛṣṭíbhiḥ sā́kaṃ vā́śībhi añjíbhiḥ | ájāyanta svábhānavaḥ ||
मरुत देवता पैदा हुए अपने घोड़ों के साथ। उनके पास भाले हैं जो चमक रहे हैं। वो अपनी आवाज़ से गुजते हैं। वो खुद से चमक रहे हैं, अंदर से रोशनी है।
Word by Word
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika) → य-
- पृषतीभिः
- with the dappled (mares)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot पृषती (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; ‘spotted mare/antelope’)
- ऋष्टिभिः
- with spearsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot ऋष्टि (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; ‘spear, lance’)
- साकम्
- together, in companyIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot साकम् (avyaya)
- वाशीभिः
- with knives/axesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot वाशी (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; ‘knife, adze/axe’)
- अञ्जिभिः
- with ornaments/equipmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot अञ्जि (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; ‘ornament, equipment; (also) ointment/unguent’)
- अजायन्त
- were born / aroseVerbलुङ् (अorist), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया) —Root जन् (धातु) ‘to be born, arise’
- स्वभानवः
- the self-radiant onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot स्वभानु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘self-luminous, having own radiance’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ये | पृषतीभिः | ऋष्टिभिः | साकम् | वाशीभिः | अञ्जिभिः | अजायन्त | स्वभानवः || 1) संहितायाम् ‘पृष॑तीभिॠ॒ष्टिभि॑ः’ इति: पृषतीभिः + ऋष्टिभिः → पृषतीभिर्-ऋष्टिभिः (विसर्ग/रेफ-सन्धिः; ऋ-आदौ ‘भिः’ अन्त्य ‘ः’ → ‘र्’). 2) ‘वाशी॑भिर॒ञ्जिभि॑ः’ इति: वाशीभिः + अञ्जिभिः → वाशीभिर्-अञ्जिभिः (तथैव ‘भिः’ + अ-आदिः). 3) उच्चारणचिह्नाः (॑, ॒) ऋग्वैदिकस्वर-चिह्नाः
- पदरूपाणि अपरिवर्तितानि।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts are described as born with speckled steeds and lances, with shining adornments and vibrant cries—self-luminous.
Inner meaning
The “speckled steeds” are dynamic vital energies with many mixed currents, now harnessed to the divine movement. The “lances” are piercing powers of force and discernment that strike through obstruction. Their “adornments” are luminous qualities—courage, clarity, swiftness—while their cries are mantric vibrations that awaken the atmosphere of the being. ‘Self-luminous’ indicates these energies carry their own light: when rightly born in us, they do not depend on external stimulus but arise from inner truth-force.
Universal truth
Transformed life-energy becomes a luminous ally: it carries force, discernment, and joy, and can be self-sustaining when rooted in inner truth rather than outer excitement.
Themes
birth of the Maruts, martial luminosity, collective divine energies
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇva-pravara)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.37.1, RV 1.37.3, RV 1.37.4
Family tradition
Kaṇva vision often depicts the birth (ajāyanta) of divine powers within the human system through mantra and offering.
Significance
The seer emphasizes ‘right birth’ of energies: the vital can be reborn as self-luminous helpers rather than mixed, driven impulses.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- svabhānu (self-luminous), ṛṣṭimat (lance-bearing), pṛṣatīyukta (speckled-steeded—implied)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra
Cosmic role
Forces of storm and movement that accompany the release of rain/light; they prepare the field for Indra’s victory.
Inner power
Converted prāṇa: swift energies, courageous drive, and piercing clarity that support inner breakthroughs.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise-description (stuti) within Marut hymn; supports invitation and strengthening of Marut powers in soma contexts.
ये पृष॑तीभिॠ॒ष्टिभि॑: सा॒कं वाशी॑भिर॒ञ्जिभि॑: । अजा॑यन्त॒ स्वभा॑नवः ॥
ये । पृष॑तीभिः । ऋ॒ष्टिऽभिः॑ । सा॒कम् । वाशी॑भिः । अ॒ञ्जिऽभिः॑ । अजा॑यन्त । स्वऽभा॑नवः ॥
ye | pṛṣatībhiḥ | ṛṣṭi-bhiḥ | sākam | vāśībhiḥ | añji-bhiḥ | ajāyanta | sva-bhānavaḥ
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3 × 8 syllables
Compact and vivid; image-packed strokes.
Quickly evokes a living presence; energizes imagination and prāṇa simultaneously.
- पृषतीभिः (pṛṣatībhiḥ)
- Literal: with speckled (mares/steeds). Symbolic: multi-toned vital energies—diverse impulses unified for a higher movement
- ऋष्टिभिः (ṛṣṭibhiḥ)
- Literal: with lances/spears. Symbolic: piercing force of will and discrimination that breaks resistance
- वाशीभिः (vāśībhiḥ)
- Literal: with cries/roars. Symbolic: vibratory calls that awaken prāṇa and clear the inner atmosphere
- अञ्जिभिः (añjibhiḥ)
- Literal: with adornments/ointments, shining gear. Symbolic: luminous qualities and refined energies that ‘anoint’ the life-force
- अजायन्त (ajāyanta)
- Literal: were born/arose. Symbolic: a true emergence in consciousness—not fabricated, but generated by the sacrifice
- स्वभानवः (svabhānavaḥ)
- Literal: self-luminous. Symbolic: energies that carry inherent light—sattvic-prāṇic forces aligned with truth
Used to invoke the Maruts with their martial and luminous attributes in Soma praise-sequences; supports the energizing and protective phase of the rite.
After initial invocation, to ‘define’ the powers being called and make the rite’s intention precise.
Recitation as descriptive offering—‘feeding’ the gods with clear naming of their powers.
Use when needing disciplined energy: before exercise-as-sādhana, focused work, or confronting a habitual obstruction.
pṛ́ṣatī- ‘speckled (mare)’ from pṛṣat ‘speckled, dappled’. ṛṣṭi- ‘spear’ (weapon lexeme of archaic poetry). vā́śī- ‘cry/roar’ from √vāś ‘to bellow/roar’. añjí- ‘ornament/adornment; anointing’ from √añj ‘to anoint, smear; to make bright’ → hence ‘adorned/brightened’. svá-bhānu- ‘self + light’ (bhānu ‘beam’ from √bhā ‘shine’).
self-luminosity of consciousness, many-in-one powers (gaṇa), force as instrument of ṛta
The Maruts’ ordered host and equipped movement suggests force organized by ṛta rather than scattered impulse.
Self-luminous energies indicate satya’s capacity to sustain action from within.
Birth of powers: creation advances by the emergence of equipped forces (steeds, weapons, adornments) from the unformed.
Psychological Veda; later yoga idea of prāṇa-śakti becoming sattvic and illumined.
monsoon (symbolic association)
Speckled steeds = complex prāṇic currents; lance/lightning = sudden penetrating insight-force; roar = awakening vibration in the subtle body.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany/birth of the Maruts as a fully armed and radiant host—steeds, spears, thunder-cries—typical of the storm-warrior mythic complex that supports the victory of light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhānu ‘beam’ (√bhā ‘shine’) reflects a widespread IE ‘shine/light’ semantic field used for divinity. Weapon and chariot imagery belongs to an inherited heroic diction shared across Indo-European traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi identifies and ‘names’ the Maruts’ attributes, stabilizing their presence through precise epithets. The devatā are approached as self-luminous allies whose energy can be internalized as conscious force.
Feel the ‘birth’ of right energy: invite prāṇa to become self-luminous and disciplined.
manipura (navel)
Kapalabhāti (mild) or energizing breath for 30–60 strokes, then calm recitation; end with 1 minute of stillness.
Luminous dynamism—energy that is bright, not restless.
When an impulse arises, do not suppress; ‘arm’ it with clarity (ṛṣṭi) and direct it toward a chosen truth-action. Let the mantra remind you that energy can be born already carrying light.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita; keep a slight lift on svabhānavaḥ to mark the culminating epithet.
Maintain even 8-syllable pacing per pāda; avoid rushing the consonant clusters (ṛṣṭi-, svabh-).
ṛ in ṛṣṭibhiḥ is a syllabic ‘ri’ with retroflex quality, not ‘rish’., Differentiate ś in pṛṣatī- from ṣ in ṛṣṭi- (two different sibilants)., In svabhānavaḥ, keep bh aspirated and long ā sustained.
Clear, bright, slightly uplifted; image-evoking.
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