Rig Veda 1.64.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 64, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.64
- Rishi
- Nodha Gautama
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ते जज्ञिरे दिव ऋष्वास उक्षणो रुद्रस्य मर्या असुरा अरेपसः । पावकासः शुचयः सूर्या इव सत्वानो न द्रप्सिनो घोरवर्पसः ॥
té jajñire divá ṛṣvā́sa ukṣáṇo rudrásya már yā ásurā arepásaḥ | pāvakā́saḥ śúcayaḥ sū́ryā iva sátvāno ná drapsíno ghóravarpasaḥ ||
ये शक्तियाँ आसमान से पैदा हुई हैं। ये बहुत ऊँची हैं, बैल जैसी ताकत रखती हैं। ये रुद्र के नौजवान वीर हैं, साँस की शक्ति के मालिक, बिल्कुल साफ और दाग-मुक्त। इनकी चमक सूरज जैसी है, ये चमकते हुए बूँदें जैसी हैं। इनका रूप देख के डर लगता है।
Word by Word
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जज्ञिरे
- were born / came into beingVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Root √जन् (जनि॒ँ प्रादुर्भावे)
- दिवः
- from heaven / of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: द्यौ/दिव्)
- ऋष्वासः
- lofty, exaltedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot ऋष्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्षणः
- bullsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot उक्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रस्य
- of RudraNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्याः
- young men, heroesNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot मर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- असुराः
- mighty ones (Asuras = powerful beings)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरेपसः
- spotless, faultlessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अ-रेपस् (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- पावकासः
- purifyingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुचयः
- bright, pureAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्याः
- suns (sun-like ones)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययम्Root इव
- सत्वानः
- strong ones, vigorous beingsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सत्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/निषेध-अव्ययम् (अत्र उपमार्थे)Root न
- द्रप्सिनः
- drop-bearing; having shining dropsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot द्रप्सिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- घोरवर्पसः
- of terrible form/appearanceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot घोर-वर्पस् (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): ते | जज्ञिरे | दिवः | ऋष्वासः | उक्षणः | रुद्रस्य | मर्याः | असुराः | अरेपसः || पावकासः | शुचयः | सूर्याः | इव | सत्वानः | न | द्रप्सिनः | घोरवर्पसः || Notes: (1) दिव ऋष्वासः → दिवः ऋष्वासः (visarga before vowel in saṃhitā). (2) रुद्रस्य मर्याः: simple juxtaposition (genitive + nominative). (3) सूर्याः इव: hiatus retained in pada. (4) सत्वानो न: saṃhitā shows long o before n
- pada gives सत्वानः | न. (5) घोरवर्पसः is a tatpuruṣa compound ‘ghora’ + ‘varpas’ (form/appearance). Accents in the input are saṃhitā accents
- pada here is given without marking udātta/anudātta separately
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts are said to be born from Heaven: tall, bull-like, youthful heroes of Rudra, powerful and stainless—pure and bright like suns, dense with force like shining drops, terrible in form.
Inner meaning
In Aurobindonian symbolism the Maruts are storm-powers of the dynamic Life-force (prāṇa) acting under Rudra’s fierce purifying divinity. “Born from Heaven” indicates their origin in higher consciousness, descending to energize the embodied being. Their “bull-like” strength is the virile push of tapas; their “asunāḥ/asurāḥ” mastery is lordship of breath-force and will. “Without stain” points to a prāṇa purified of desire and distortion, becoming a clear instrument for the soul’s sacrifice. “Like suns” signals illuminations that accompany the surge of force; “gleaming drops” are condensed flashes of truth-energy (tejas) that strike and transform resistant formations.
Universal truth
True transformation requires not only quiet illumination but also a pure, forceful, fearless energy that descends from higher mind, cleanses the vital nature, and breaks inertia. When life-energy is aligned with truth, it becomes radiant, concentrated, and capable of decisive change.
Themes
divine birth, purity and brightness, Rudra-Marut relation, luminous force in fierce forms
The seer
- Rishi
- Nodha Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.61, Rig Veda 1.62, Rig Veda 1.63, Rig Veda 1.65
Family tradition
Angirasa-linked seer-line emphasizing the inner sacrifice (yajña) and the ascent through illumination and force.
Significance
Nodha’s vision often joins luminous knowledge with dynamic power: the Maruts as allies who make the being ready for Indra’s illumination and Agni’s offering by purifying and energizing the vital.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (Rudra’s sons/companions)
- Epithets
- ṛṣvāsaḥ (lofty), ukṣaṇaḥ (bull-like), maryāḥ (young heroes), asurāḥ (lords of force), arepasaḥ (stainless), pāvakāsaḥ (purifying), śucayaḥ (bright), ghoravarpasaḥ (formidable)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Storm-gods who marshal winds, lightning, and the forward-driving energies that clear obstructions and release the waters/light.
Inner power
Purified prāṇic shakti: the aggressive, cleansing, truth-aligned life-force that breaks subconscient resistance and supports higher illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut and Indra-Marut praises within Soma-yajña sequences; also recited in invocations for strength and protection.
ते ज॑ज्ञिरे दि॒व ऋ॒ष्वास॑ उ॒क्षणो॑ रु॒द्रस्य॒ मर्या॒ असु॑रा अरे॒पस॑: । पा॒व॒कास॒: शुच॑य॒: सूर्या॑ इव॒ सत्वा॑नो॒ न द्र॒प्सिनो॑ घो॒रव॑र्पसः ॥
ते । ज॒ज्ञि॒रे॒ । दि॒वः । ऋ॒ष्वासः॑ । उ॒क्षणः॑ । रु॒द्रस्य॑ । मर्या॑ । असु॑राः । अ॒रे॒पसः॑ । पा॒व॒कासः॒ । शुच॑यः । सूर्याः॑ऽइव । सत्वा॑नः । न । द्र॒प्सिनः॑ । घो॒रऽव॑र्पसः ॥
te | jajñire | divaḥ | ṛṣvāsaḥ | ukṣaṇaḥ | rudrasya | maryā | asurāḥ | arepasaḥ | pāvakāsaḥ | śucayaḥ | sūryāḥ-iva | satvānaḥ | na | drapsinaḥ | ghora-varpasaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Driving, martial cadence with forward thrust; suited to heroic and forceful invocation.
Builds inner intensity and uplift; evokes a surge of energy and purification, like a controlled storm moving through the chest and breath.
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: from Heaven. Symbolic: from higher consciousness; supramental/overmental origin of forces
- ऋष्वासः (ṛṣvāsaḥ)
- Literal: lofty, tall. Symbolic: uplifted energies aspiring upward; elevated life-force
- उक्षणः (ukṣaṇaḥ)
- Literal: bulls. Symbolic: virile strength of tapas; fertilizing power of force
- रुद्रस्य मर्या (rudrasya maryā)
- Literal: young men/heroes of Rudra. Symbolic: dynamic powers serving the fierce purifier; energies that cut through falsehood
- असुराः (asurāḥ)
- Literal: lords/mighty ones. Symbolic: mastery of prāṇa and will (not ‘demons’ here); sovereign force
- अरेपसः (arepasaḥ)
- Literal: stainless, without blemish. Symbolic: purified vital nature; force free from desire-stain
- पावकासः (pāvakāsaḥ)
- Literal: purifying, flaming-clear. Symbolic: inner cleansing fire within the life-force
- शुचयः (śucayaḥ)
- Literal: bright, pure. Symbolic: clarity of consciousness; transparent energy
- सूर्याः इव (sūryā iva)
- Literal: like suns. Symbolic: illumining powers; rays of knowledge accompanying force
- द्रप्सिनः (drapsinaḥ)
- Literal: like shining drops. Symbolic: condensed flashes of truth-energy; luminous impacts
- घोरवर्पसः (ghoravarpasaḥ)
- Literal: terrible in form. Symbolic: awe-inspiring intensity that destroys resistance
Recited to invoke the Maruts’ purifying and strengthening descent in Soma offerings; supports protection and luminous force in the yajña.
During stotra/śastra praising storm-powers; when calling for energizing forces and obstacle-clearing.
Recitation/chant to invite Marut-force, support offerings, and strengthen the sacrificer’s ‘inner army’.
Use as a mantra of ‘purified power’: before demanding work, during lethargy, or when needing courageous clarity without agitation.
diváḥ ‘from div’ (√div ‘shine’) frames origin in luminosity. ukṣaṇaḥ ‘bull-like’ from ukṣan, tied to potency and increase; symbolically the force that fertilizes consciousness. asurāḥ in early RV from asu ‘breath, life-force’ + -ra, hence ‘possessors of asu’; later ‘demon’ is secondary. pāvaka from √pū ‘to purify/clarify’. drapsa ‘drop’ (bright bead) often marks condensed luminous essence (Soma-like brilliance).
purification (pū/pāvaka), luminous origin (div), vital force (asu/asura in archaic sense)
Maruts act as executors of Ṛta by violently correcting inertia and restoring the right movement of energies.
Stainlessness (arepasaḥ) hints at satya in the vital—force that does not distort truth.
Descent of higher powers (‘from Heaven’) into manifested life to intensify, purify, and illumine.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent/descent, purification of vital, collaboration of powers.
unspecified
monsoon/storm season (suggestive, not explicit)
Sky/Sun = higher mind and illumination; drops/lightning-like brilliance = concentrated truth-impulses; storm-force = purifying prāṇa-shakti.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The celestial birth of the storm-host: the Maruts emerge ‘from Heaven’ as Rudra’s youthful warriors—pure yet formidable. The mythic action is epiphany: luminous powers take fierce embodiment to act in the worlds.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan (jajñire) continues PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’ (cf. Greek gen-, Latin gen-). div (diváḥ) aligns with PIE *diw- ‘sky/day’ (cf. Latin diēs, Greek Zeus < *di̯ēus). The semantic field shows inherited Indo-European sky-luminosity theology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi establishes legitimacy and trust: these powers are ‘arepas’ (unstained) and ‘pāvaka’ (purifying), hence safe allies for inner transformation despite their ghora aspect; the hymn reassures the seeker that fierce force can be luminously guided.
Invoke purified life-force that serves illumination; feel a descent from above into breath and chest, cleansing and strengthening.
Anāhata (heart/chest) and Maṇipūra (will/force)
Rhythmic ujjāyī-like breathing or 4-4-6 (inhale-hold-exhale) while sensing ‘stainless force’ filling the prāṇa.
Dynamic stillness: energetic, luminous, collected (not restless).
Before chanting, offer agitation into Agni (inner will). Chant with upright spine; after chanting, sit quietly and let the ‘sun-like’ clarity settle in the mind while force steadies in the vital.
Vedic svara per śākhā tradition; observe udatta peaks on key invocatory words (e.g., diváḥ/śúciyaḥ/sū́ryāḥ-iva) with svarita falls; keep anudatta grounding between accents.
Let each Triṣṭubh pāda rise to one main udatta summit, then resolve; avoid flattening the second half of each pāda.
Keep retroflex clarity: ṛṣvāsaḥ (ṛ-ṣvā-), Distinguish ś/ṣ: śucayaḥ (śu-), arepasaḥ (saḥ), Hold long vowels: sūryā iva (sū- ryā), Cluster care: ghoravarpasaḥ (gho-ra-var-pa-saḥ)
Bright, steady, slightly forceful; chest-resonant without shouting.
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