Rig Veda 1.64.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 64, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.64
- Rishi
- Nodha Gautama
- Devata
- Maruts/Rudras
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
युवानो रुद्रा अजरा अभोग्घनो ववक्षुरध्रिगावः पर्वता इव । दृळ्हा चिद्विश्वा भुवनानि पार्थिवा प्र च्यावयन्ति दिव्यानि मज्मना ॥
yúvāno rudrā́ ajárā abhoggháno vavakṣúr ádhri-gāvaḥ párvatā iva | dṛḷhā́ cid víśvā bhúvanāni pārthivā́ prá cyāvayanti divyā́ni májmanā ||
ये रुद्र के नौजवान रूप हैं जो कभी बूढ़े नहीं होते। इनकी ताकत कभी कम नहीं होती, पहाड़ जैसी पक्की है। इनकी महत्व से ज़मीन भी हिल उठती है और आसमान की दुनिया भी अपनी जगह से हिल जाती है।
Word by Word
- युवानः
- youngAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root युवन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्राः
- the Rudras (Maruts)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot रुद्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजराः
- unaging, undecayingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root अ-जर- (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- अभोग्घनः
- slaying (all) enjoyment/comfort; destroying pleasures (of foes)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root अ-भोग-घ्न- (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + भोग + √हन् ‘to strike/kill’ > घ्न ‘slaying’)
- ववक्षुः
- have grown strong / have waxedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्ष); प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ=रुद्राः)Root √वक्ष्/√वह् (वेद. ‘to grow strong, to wax; to carry’), परोक्ष-परिपूर्ण (reduplicated perfect) आधार
- अध्रिगावः
- having firm/unyielding ‘cows’ (i.e., steeds/teams); with steadfast teamsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root अध्रि-गाव- (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय: ‘अध्रि’ + ‘गाव’)
- पर्वताः
- mountainsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole उपमान (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root पर्वत- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-सूचकRoot इव (निपात)
- दृळ्हाः
- firm, solidAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (भुवनानि-विशेषण)Role विशेषण (कर्म-सम्बन्धी)Root दृळ्ह- (प्रातिपदिक; √दृंह्/√दृढ् ‘to make firm’)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययRole अवधारण/अपि-अर्थRoot चित् (निपात)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (भुवनानि-विशेषण)Role विशेषण (कर्म-सम्बन्धी)Root विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनानि
- worlds, beings/realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्म (यत् प्रच्यावयन्ति)Root भुवन- (प्रातिपदिक; √भू ‘to be’)
- पार्थिवा
- earthly, terrestrialAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (भुवनानि-विशेषण)Role विशेषण (कर्म-सम्बन्धी)Root पार्थिव- (प्रातिपदिक; पृथिवी-सम्बन्धी)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (प्रच्यावयन्ति)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- च्यावयन्ति
- they set in motion, shake, dislodgeVerbलट्; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ=रुद्राः; कर्म=भुवनानि)Root √च्यु (to move, fall, dislodge) + णिच् (causative) → च्यावयति
- दिव्यानि
- heavenly, divineAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (मज्मना-विशेष्य/कर्म-सम्बन्धी; ‘दिव्यानि’ = ‘heavenly (powers/acts)’)Role क्रियाविशेषण/साधन-भाव (अर्थतः ‘दिव्येन’)Root दिव्य- (प्रातिपदिक; दिव् ‘heaven’)
- मज्मना
- by (their) might, with greatnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot मज्मन्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘might, greatness’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): युवानः रुद्राः अजराः अभोग्घनः ववक्षुः अध्रिगावः | पर्वताः इव | दृळ्हाः चित् विश्वा भुवनानि पार्थिवा प्र च्यावयन्ति दिव्यानि मज्मना || 1) अभो॒ग्घनो॑ → अभोग्घनः (अ-भोग-घ्नः; ‘घ्न’ < √हन्, वेदिक-रूप). 2) ववक्षुः = लिट्-रूप (reduplicated perfect) of √वक्ष्/√वह् (वेद. ‘to wax strong’). 3) अध्रिगावः: समास-रूप
- ‘गावः’ (nom.pl.) with पूर्वपद ‘अध्रि-’ (firm/unyielding). 4) दृळ्हा चिद् → दृळ्हाः चित् (visarga before c-; RV orthography varies). 5) प्रच्यावयन्ति → प्र + च्यावयन्ति (उपसर्ग-योग). 6) Accent marks are preserved from saṃhitā
- pada-text typically removes saṃhitā sandhi but retains lexical forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
They are young Rudras, unaging, tireless in the enjoyment of force; firm like mountains. By their greatness they shake even the firm earthly dwellings and set the divine worlds in motion.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are the eternally youthful energies of transformation—Rudra-forces that do not decay because they draw from the inexhaustible source above the mind. “Unwearied in enjoyment” suggests a vital power purified into delight of right action (ānanda in force), not fatigue-bound desire. “Mountain-like” indicates steady bases of consciousness (adhri) that hold the descent. Their greatness moves both the ‘earthly habitations’ (fixed habits, embodied formations) and the ‘divine worlds’ (higher planes/inner domains), meaning they reorder the whole system of the being—physical inertia and even settled mental-spiritual arrangements—so that a new harmony can be established.
Universal truth
Real growth demands energies that are both steadfast and revolutionary: stable enough to endure, powerful enough to shake entrenched habits and reconfigure the inner worlds toward a truer order.
Themes
world-shaking power, youthful immortality, force as agent of change
The seer
- Rishi
- Nodha Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.64, Rig Veda 1.65, Rig Veda 1.61
Family tradition
A seer-poet of the Gautamas; hymns often portray coordinated divine powers (Agni–Indra–Maruts) as movements in the inner yajña.
Significance
Nodha’s Marut-vision highlights the necessity of powerful life-energies to break fixed formations and prepare the being for higher illumination and right action.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts/Rudras
- Epithets
- yuvānaḥ (ever-young), ajarāḥ (unaging), parvatā iva (mountain-firm), majmanā (mighty by greatness)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Agents of upheaval and renewal: they shake established forms in earth and heaven to restore movement of Ṛta.
Inner power
Revolutionary prāṇa-shakti that renews without exhaustion, stabilizes as it transforms, and reorganizes inner planes.
In ritual
Where it is used
Recitation in praise of Maruts within Soma rites; also as supportive hymn when invoking force for victory and right ordering.
युवा॑नो रु॒द्रा अ॒जरा॑ अभो॒ग्घनो॑ वव॒क्षुरध्रि॑गाव॒: पर्व॑ता इव । दृ॒ळ्हा चि॒द्विश्वा॒ भुव॑नानि॒ पार्थि॑वा॒ प्र च्या॑वयन्ति दि॒व्यानि॑ म॒ज्मना॑ ॥
युवा॑नः । रु॒द्राः । अ॒जराः॑ । अ॒भो॒क्ऽहनः॑ । व॒व॒क्षुः । अध्रि॑ऽगावः । पर्व॑ताःऽइव । दृ॒ळ्हा । चि॒त् । विश्वा॑ । भुव॑नानि । पार्थि॑वा । प्र । च्या॒व॒य॒न्ति॒ । दि॒व्यानि॑ । म॒ज्मना॑ ॥
yuvānaḥ | rudrāḥ | ajarāḥ | abhok-hanaḥ | vavakṣuḥ | adhri-gāvaḥ | parvatāḥ-iva | dṛḷhā | cit | viśvā | bhuvanāni | pārthivā | pra | cyāvayanti | divyāni | majmanā
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Hammering, tectonic rhythm—well-suited to ‘shaking worlds’ imagery.
Elicits a sense of immovable strength coupled with surging power; supports breaking inertia and fear of change.
- युवानः (yuvānaḥ)
- Literal: young. Symbolic: ever-fresh energies; renewal-force in sadhana
- रुद्राः (rudrāḥ)
- Literal: Rudras. Symbolic: fierce purifying powers; transformative intensity
- अजराः (ajarāḥ)
- Literal: unaging. Symbolic: force drawn from the timeless Self; not subject to depletion
- अभोक्हनः (abhogghanaḥ)
- Literal: unwearied in enjoyment. Symbolic: delight in right force; ananda in action without exhaustion
- अध्रिगावः (adhrigāvaḥ)
- Literal: with firm/unyielding strength (lit. ‘not slipping’). Symbolic: steadfast supports in consciousness; stable prāṇic carriage
- पर्वताः इव (parvatā iva)
- Literal: like mountains. Symbolic: stable inner foundations; fixed poise holding dynamic power
- भुवनानि पार्थिवा (bhuvanāni pārthivā)
- Literal: earthly worlds/dwellings. Symbolic: physical habits, subconscient grooves, embodied structures
- दिव्यानि (divyāni)
- Literal: divine (worlds). Symbolic: higher planes/inner domains of mind and spirit
- मज्मना (majmanā)
- Literal: by greatness/might. Symbolic: by the vastness of shakti; expansive power that reorders
Used to invoke disruptive-but-liberating force: to break inertia (stambha) and establish a higher order in the sacrificer’s being.
When calling Marut-force to assist Indra or to energize the sacrifice and the sacrificer.
Stotra/śastra praise; mental offering of fixed habits into the ‘shaking’ power.
For periods of stagnation: chant before practice to mobilize body and mind; use as affirmation of ‘steady revolution’ (change without collapse).
cyāvayanti from √cyu ‘move, dislodge’ indicates transformative shaking—psychologically, breaking fixed formations. majman ‘greatness’ denotes massed might/abundance (not merely physical). adhri ‘rock’ + gāvaḥ ‘cows/energies’ yields a kenning: their sustaining powers are rock-firm—stable carriers of force.
transformation through force, breaking fixed formations of ignorance, vastness (bṛhat/majman as allied sense)
The Maruts ‘move’ worlds to reestablish right movement; Ṛta is not static but a living order.
Truth demands reconfiguration of both lower and higher formations; even ‘divine worlds’ must align to a greater truth.
Cosmic renovation: forces of renewal periodically shake settled creation to allow higher manifestation.
Integral Yoga resonance: transformation of all planes (physical to higher) by descending powers.
unspecified
storm season (suggestive)
Mountains = stable inner poise; shaking earth/heaven = transformation of physical habits and mental-spiritual structures.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The storm-host as cosmic shaker: the Maruts’ advent disturbs even the ‘firm’ worlds. Mythically this is the divine force that breaks obstruction so a new r̥ta-aligned arrangement can manifest.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √cyu ‘move, shift’ has PIE parallels in the semantic field of motion/decline (though exact cognates are debated); the verse exemplifies inherited Indo-European poetics of ‘world-shaking’ storm deities (cf. thunder-god motifs across IE).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi welcomes the Maruts’ disruptive energy as necessary for inner progress: the seeker consents to the shaking of the ‘pārthiva’ (habitual, embodied structures) so the ‘divyāni’ (higher formations) can emerge.
Stabilize the witness, then invite transformative force to move what is rigid—without losing inner poise.
Maṇipūra (transformative power) with support from Mūlādhāra (stability)
Bhastrikā-light (gentle, controlled) followed by long exhale; feel ‘mountain steadiness’ beneath the surge.
Steady dynamism: calm center with powerful movement at the periphery.
Identify one ‘firm habitation’ (habit) to offer. Chant one full verse, then sit and sense what wants to shift; act on one concrete reordering after practice.
Maintain clear udatta peaks on yúvānaḥ, rudrā́ḥ, ájarāḥ, prá cyāvayanti; let svarita resolve like a ‘shake’ at cadence ends.
Each pāda should land firmly; emphasize the verbs of movement (pra cyāvayanti) with a controlled rise and decisive fall.
Consonant clusters: pra cyāvayanti (prə cyā-), Retroflex ḻ in dṛḻhā (practice slow: dṛ-ḻhā), Keep long ā: pārthivā, divyāni, majmanā
Firm, grounded, resonant; avoid breathiness to keep ‘mountain’ quality.
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