Rig Veda 1.85.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 85, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.85
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्र ये शुम्भन्ते जनयो न सप्तयो यामन्रुद्रस्य सूनवः सुदंससः । रोदसी हि मरुतश्चक्रिरे वृधे मदन्ति वीरा विदथेषु घृष्वयः ॥
prá yé śúmbhante jánayo ná saptáyo yā́man rudrásya sū́navaḥ sudáṃsasaḥ | ródasī hí marútaś cakriré vṛdhé mádanti vīrā́ vidáthēṣu ghṛ́ṣvayaḥ ||
मरुत देवता आगे बढ़ते हैं। यह रुद्र के बेटे हैं, बहुत तेज़। यह दुनिया को बनाते हैं और बढ़ाते हैं। इनमें बहुत ताकत है, जैसे घोड़े दौड़ते हैं। यह सबसे मिलके खुश होते हैं।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasargaRoot प्र (upasarga)
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma)
- शुम्भन्ते
- they adorn themselves / shineVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot शुभ्
- जनयः
- womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (उपमान-वाक्ये)Root जनय् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातःRoot न
- सप्तयः
- mares (swift ones)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (उपमान-वाक्ये)Root सप्ति (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- यामन्
- in the course/going, on the journeyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यामन् (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रस्य
- of RudraNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूनवः
- sonsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to ये)Root सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदंससः
- of good might/deeds, very powerfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषणम् to सूनवः/ये)Root सु-दंसस् (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, द्विवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; द्यावापृथिव्यौ)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातःRoot हि
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्रिरे
- they have made / fashionedVerbलिट् (परोक्षे), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot कृ
- वृधे
- for growth, for strengtheningKṛdantaचतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजनार्थे)Role Sampradāna (purpose)Root वृध् (inf./dat. from verbal noun वृधि/वृध)
- मदन्ति
- they rejoice, exultVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot मद्
- वीराः
- heroesNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to मरुतः)Root वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- विदथेषु
- in the assemblies/ritesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- घृष्वयः
- impetuous, ardentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषणम् to मरुतः/वीराः)Root घृष्वि/घृष्वय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘impetuous, ardent’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: प्र | ये | शुम्भन्ते | जनयः | न | सप्तयः | यामन् | रुद्रस्य | सूनवः | सुदंससः || रोदसी | हि | मरुतः | चक्रिरे | वृधे | मदन्ति | वीराः | विदथेषु | घृष्वयः || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) यामन् + रुद्रस्य → यामन् रुद्रस्य (सन्धि न; पदान्त-न् स्थिर)
- (2) सू॒नव॑: सु॒दंस॑सः → सूनवः सुदंससः (विसर्गः पदान्ते; संहितायां प्रायः ‘ः’ + ‘स’ इत्यत्र जिह्वामूलीय/उपध्मानीय-प्रवृत्तिः न, साधारणतः ‘ः’ ध्वन्यात्मकः)
- (3) मरुतः + चक्रिरे → मरुतश्चक्रिरे (ः + च → श्च)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts move forward, adorning themselves like women, swift like coursers—Rudra’s sons of perfect strength. They fashioned the two worlds for growth; the heroes rejoice in assemblies, vehement in their ardour.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are the storm-gods as inner dynamic life-forces: impetuous energies that purify and propel the ascent. They ‘adorn’ themselves—energies become beautifully ordered and luminous when yoked to the divine aim. As Rudra’s sons, they carry the fierce force of evolutionary transformation. They ‘fashion the two worlds’—they build and widen the inner heaven and earth: the mental and vital-physical fields, for growth (vṛdhe). In the assemblies (vidatheṣu), i.e., in gatherings of faculties within us, these heroic forces exult, making the being ardent and effective.
Universal truth
Transformation needs force as well as light. When dynamic energies are disciplined and made luminous, they become builders of a larger inner world and collaborators in collective progress.
Themes
Marut host, dynamic evolution, assembly/vidatha, ardour and shining
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.85.2, RV 1.84 (Indra-focused, with allied powers)
Family tradition
Gautama’s Marut hymns often emphasize disciplined force—energies that build worlds and aid Indra/Agni in the inner conquest.
Significance
The seer recognizes that spiritual life requires a purified vital: the Maruts are not chaos but a luminous, rhythmically organized impetus for growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (Rudra’s sons)
- Epithets
- sudaṃsasaḥ (of perfect power/skill), vīrāḥ (heroes), ghṛṣvayaḥ (vehement/ardent)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni, Parjanya
Cosmic role
Storm-host that accompanies Indra; shaker of worlds; bringers of rain and movement; restorers of vitality in nature and sacrifice.
Inner power
Purifying dynamism; courageous life-force that supports illumination and breaks tamas/inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut-stotra in śrauta rites (often allied with Indra)
प्र ये शुम्भ॑न्ते॒ जन॑यो॒ न सप्त॑यो॒ याम॑न्रु॒द्रस्य॑ सू॒नव॑: सु॒दंस॑सः । रोद॑सी॒ हि म॒रुत॑श्चक्रि॒रे वृ॒धे मद॑न्ति वी॒रा वि॒दथे॑षु॒ घृष्व॑यः ॥
प्र । ये । शुम्भ॑न्ते । जन॑यः । न । सप्त॑यः । याम॑न् । रु॒द्रस्य॑ । सू॒नवः॑ । सु॒ऽदंस॑सः । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । हि । म॒रुतः॑ । च॒क्रि॒रे । वृ॒धे । मद॑न्ति । वी॒राः । वि॒दथे॑षु । घृष्व॑यः ॥
pra | ye | śumbhante | janayaḥ | na | saptayaḥ | yāman | rudrasya | sūnavaḥ | su-daṃsasaḥ | rodasī | hi | marutaḥ | cakrire | vṛdhe | madanti | vīrāḥ | vidatheṣu | ghṛṣvayaḥ
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4 × ~11
Rapid, marching cadence; imagery of forward motion; suited to invoking energetic forces.
Invigorates the vital; awakens courage and momentum; can feel like an inner ‘wind’ clearing stagnation.
- मरुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: Maruts (storm-gods). Symbolic: dynamic life-forces; powers that energize and purify the being
- रुद्रस्य सूनवः (rudrasya sūnavaḥ)
- Literal: sons of Rudra. Symbolic: forces of intense evolutionary transformation
- शुम्भन्ते (śumbhante)
- Literal: adorn themselves. Symbolic: energies becoming harmonized, luminous, rightly formed
- जनयो न (janayo na)
- Literal: like women. Symbolic: radiant shaping powers; beauty and order in force
- सप्तयः (saptayaḥ)
- Literal: swift coursers. Symbolic: rapid vital energies yoked to progress
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: inner mental and physical-vital domains to be widened
- वृधे (vṛdhe)
- Literal: for growth. Symbolic: evolutionary increase of consciousness
- घृष्वयः (ghṛṣvayaḥ)
- Literal: vehement, ardent. Symbolic: fiery intensity required to break inertia
Marut-invocation in Soma rites; calling the dynamic host that supports Indra’s victory and the widening of the field (ródasī).
During praises to Maruts for strength, rain, and support of Indra; in gatherings/vidatha contexts of communal worship.
Recitation with offerings and collective chant; calling the Marut host to participate.
Use when lethargy or fear blocks practice: invoke disciplined energy; then channel it into steady action (study, japa, service).
Marut imagery hinges on √śubh (shine/adorn) and √ghṛṣ (ardent friction/flare) suggesting forces born of pressure and motion. ródasī ‘two worlds’ is a fixed dual; psychologically it can denote the paired field of consciousness (higher mind/heaven) and embodiment (earth/life) which the Maruts ‘fashion for growth’ (vṛdhé).
vṛddhi (growth/increase) as expansion of consciousness, ródasī as cosmic duality integrated by force
‘Adorning’ and ‘fashioning the worlds’ implies energies shaped by ṛta rather than impulsive passion.
True force expresses itself as effective building, not destructive turbulence.
Formation of ‘two worlds’ as ongoing creation—inner cosmos built by dynamic powers.
Aurobindonian: Maruts as life-powers assisting the ascent and descent, preparing the instrument for higher light.
Monsoon/storm-season symbolism (implicit)
Wind/storm = cleansing dynamism; thunder = awakening shock; sky/earth = mind/body domains widened for growth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘storm-host as world-shapers’: the Maruts, as Rudra’s sons, expand and fashion the two worlds for growth. Mythically they are the troop that accompanies the hero-god; psychologically they are the intensifying energies that widen consciousness and prepare victory.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṛ ‘make’ is PIE *kwer-/*ker- (make/do; broad IE reflexes). √vṛdh ‘grow’ relates to IE growth roots (cf. English ‘worth’ is not direct; but Vedic vṛddhi is archaic). The dual ródasī reflects an old Indo-European poetic cosmology of paired realms.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi celebrates and thereby ‘aligns’ with the Marut energies: praise is a tuning of the inner field to their rhythm. The Maruts respond by increasing the field of action (ródasī) and by bringing ecstatic force (mad) into the ritual-assembly (vidatha).
Transmute raw drive into luminous, orderly energy; invite the ‘Marut host’ to support courageous progress.
Manipura (power)
Strong, rhythmic breathing (bhastrikā-lite) for 30–60 seconds, then quiet sitting to feel the energized clarity.
Alert, courageous, dynamically calm (force without agitation).
Before action, call the Maruts: feel a collective surge of prāṇa rising through the spine; then ‘adorn’ it—steady it with mantra and right intention; offer the energy to Indra/Agni (illumination and will).
Tri-svara; maintain brisk articulation to match Marut momentum; keep long vowels (e.g., rodasī) fully long despite speed.
Let the first pāda surge forward; emphasize ‘rudrasya sūnavaḥ’; pause cleanly after ‘sudaṃsasaḥ’.
śumbhante: ‘śu’ palatal sibilant clear, janayo: ‘ja’ soft; avoid ‘za’, saptayo: ‘pt’ cluster crisp, rudrasya: ‘dr’ cluster clear, rodasī: long ī at end, vidatheṣu: retroflex ‘ṣ’ at end; ‘th’ aspirated
Bright, ringing, slightly forceful but controlled; avoid shouting—aim for ‘storm’ precision.
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