Rig Veda 1.85.7: Mandala 1, Sukta 85, Mantra 7
Sukta 1.85
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Marutās
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
तेऽवर्धन्त स्वतवसो महित्वना नाकं तस्थुरुरु चक्रिरे सदः । विष्णुर्यद्धावद्वृषणं मदच्युतं वयो न सीदन्नधि बर्हिषि प्रिये ॥
té ’vardhanta svátavaso mahitvánā nā́kaṃ tasthur urú cakrire sádaḥ | víṣṇur yád dhā́vad vṛ́ṣaṇaṃ madacyútam váyo ná sī́dann ádhi bárhiṣi priyé ||
ये अपनी ताकत से बड़े हो गए, अपनी महत्व से। वो आसमान में रहते हैं और उनका स्थान बड़ा है। जब विष्णु ने उस बैल को चलाया, जो अपनी खुशी से कभी नहीं गिरता, वो प्राणी जैसी शक्तियाँ उस प्यारी कुशा पर आ बैठी।
Word by Word
- ते
- they (those)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवर्धन्त
- grew, increasedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root वृध्
- स्वतवसः
- self-strong, of their own mightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (ते इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot स्वतवस् (प्रातिपदिक; स्व- + तवस् ‘strength’)
- महित्वना
- by greatness, through majestyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot महित्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; महित्व ‘greatness’)
- नाकम्
- heaven, the firmamentNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot नाक (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्थुः
- stood, took their standVerbलिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root स्था
- उरु
- wide, broadAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (कर्मरूपेण; ‘wide’ as object/extent)Role KarmaRoot उरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्रिरे
- they made, fashionedVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root कृ
- सदः
- seat, session; (ritual) assembly/placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विष्णुः
- ViṣṇuNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- when; that (insofar as)Relative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (यदा/यत्-सम्बन्धः; ‘when/that which’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धावत्
- ran, rushedVerbलङ्/इम्पर्फेक्ट (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root धाव्
- वृषणम्
- the bull; the vigorous oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वृषण (प्रातिपदिक)
- मदच्युतम्
- dripping/flowing with exhilaration (soma-rapture)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (वृषणम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot मदच्युत (प्रातिपदिक; मद ‘intoxication/rapture’ + च्युत ‘fallen/flowing’)
- वयः
- a bird (lit. winged creature)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/सादृश्येRoot न (अव्यय)
- सीदन्
- sitting down, settlingVerb (participle)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (विष्णुः इति कर्तरि)Role KartāRoot सद्
- अधि
- upon, onIndeclinableअधिकरणे/उपरिRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रिये
- dear, belovedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (बर्हिषि इति विशेषणम्)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते । अवर्धन्त । स्वतवसः । महित्वना । नाकम् । तस्थुः । उरु । चक्रिरे । सदः । विष्णुः । यत् । धावत् । वृषणम् । मदच्युतम् । वयः । न । सीदन् । अधि । बर्हिषि । प्रिये । विशेष-सन्धयः: (1) ते॑ऽवर्धन्त = ते + अवर्धन्त (स्वर-सन्धि/अवग्रह)
- (2) तस्थुरुरु = तस्थुः + उरु (विसर्ग-लोपः; उकारादौ)
- (3) चक्रिरे सदः = चक्रिरे + सदः (पदसन्धिः; विशेषपरिवर्तनं न)
- (4) विष्णुर्यत् = विष्णुः + यत् (विसर्गः → र्)
- (5) यद्धावत् = यत् + धावत् (त् + ध → द्ध)
- (6) वयो न = वयः + न (विसर्ग-लोपः; पदान्ते)
- (7) सीदन्नधि = सीदन् + अधि (न् + अ → न्न)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts, self-powered, grew vast, stood in heaven, and made wide their seat. When Vishnu set the impetuous Bull in motion, they settled like birds upon the beloved sacred grass.
Inner meaning
These forces of dynamic life, relying on their own divine potency (svatavas), expand into greatness and take their station in the higher consciousness (nāka). They create a wide inner ‘seat’—a stable field for action in wideness. Viṣṇu, the power of all-pervading stride, sets the ‘Bull’ (vṛṣaṇam)—the forward-driving force of ecstasy (madacyuta, “not falling from the rapture”)—into motion: the expansive movement of consciousness that carries the energies into their right place. Then the Maruts settle ‘like birds’ (vayo na): freely, naturally, without strain, upon the beloved barhis—our prepared inner ground of offering.
Universal truth
When consciousness widens and is pervaded by the Divine, our energies find their true station and rest; right action then proceeds from a stable wideness and an unfailing inner joy.
Themes
Nature-praise (innerized), Ascent and establishment in the higher planes, Divine pervasion (Vishnu) enabling wideness, Consecrated receptivity (barhis as inner field)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.85.6, RV 1.85.8, RV 1.85.9
Family tradition
Marut hymn culminating in wideness and stable station in ‘heaven’; integrates Viṣṇu’s pervasion/stride as the cosmic condition for the Marut-force to settle rightly.
Significance
Shows the yogic completion of force: energies expand, ascend, and then rest on a beloved prepared ground, moved by Viṣṇu’s pervading action and sustained by unfailing Ananda.
The deity
- Devata
- Marutās (with Viṣṇu as supporting cosmic power)
- Epithets
- svatavasaḥ (self-powered), mahitvanā (great)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Soma, Rudra
Cosmic role
Maruts establish themselves in the heaven and widen their seat; Viṣṇu sets the cosmic motion of the Bull-force that carries and stabilizes them.
Inner power
Maruts: expansive, self-sustaining dynamism that can take station in higher consciousness. Viṣṇu: pervading wideness and the ‘stride’ that opens planes; initiator of the forward movement of ecstatic force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Seating of Maruts on barhis; hymn segment that affirms their exalted station; Viṣṇu reference aligns with cosmic support for the rite.
ते॑ऽवर्धन्त॒ स्वत॑वसो महित्व॒ना नाकं॑ त॒स्थुरु॒रु च॑क्रिरे॒ सद॑: । विष्णु॒र्यद्धाव॒द्वृष॑णं मद॒च्युतं॒ वयो॒ न सी॑द॒न्नधि॑ ब॒र्हिषि॑ प्रि॒ये ॥
ते । अ॒व॒र्ध॒न्त॒ । स्वऽत॑वसः । म॒हि॒ऽत्व॒ना । आ । नाक॑म् । त॒स्थुः । उ॒रु । च॒क्रि॒रे॒ । सदः॑ । विष्णुः॑ । यत् । ह॒ । आव॑त् । वृष॑णम् । म॒द॒ऽच्युत॑म् । वयः॑ । न । स्द॒न् । अधि॑ । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । प्रि॒ये ॥
te | avardhanta | sva-tavasaḥ | mahi-tvanā | ā | nākam | tasthuḥ | uru | cakrire | sadaḥ | viṣṇuḥ | yat | ha | āvat | vṛṣaṇam | mada-cyutam | vayaḥ | na | sdan | adhi | barhiṣi | priye
11
4 × 11; expansive lines with ‘uru’ and stationing verbs (tasthuḥ, cakrire, sīdann)
Widening cadence; less percussive, more स्थापत्य-like (architectonic) stability.
Induces spaciousness and uplift; helps the listener feel ‘stationed’ in a higher poise after earlier dynamism.
- स्वतवसः (svatavasaḥ)
- Literal: self-powered. Symbolic: energies sustained by the divine within, not by ego effort
- महित्वना (mahitvanā)
- Literal: by greatness. Symbolic: wideness and largeness of consciousness
- नाकम् (nākaṃ)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: higher mind/illumined plane; luminous consciousness
- उरु सदः (uru sadaḥ)
- Literal: wide seat. Symbolic: vast inner foundation; spacious poise for divine action
- विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ)
- Literal: Vishnu. Symbolic: all-pervading consciousness; the stride that measures and opens the worlds
- वृषणम् (vṛṣaṇam)
- Literal: the Bull. Symbolic: impetuous spiritual force, masterful will/energy of ascent
- मदच्युतम् (madacyutam)
- Literal: not falling from ecstasy/intoxication. Symbolic: unfailing Ananda that does not lapse into depression or inertia
- वयो न (vayo na)
- Literal: like birds. Symbolic: free, natural settling of energies when the field is prepared
Marut-invocation within Soma sacrifice sequences (e.g., Agniṣṭoma): strengthening the ‘storm-powers’ allied to Indra; also applicable in offerings seeking wideness, protection, and victorious force.
During Marut invocations within Soma rites; also in recitations emphasizing wideness and divine establishment.
Praise that ‘establishes’ the deity in the rite and in the sacrificer’s field; acknowledging Viṣṇu’s pervading support.
Use after vigorous practice (prāṇāyāma/asana/work) to settle energy into a wide, stable awareness; invoke Viṣṇu’s pervasion to prevent relapse from joy into fatigue.
Key terms: (1) tavas/tavasáḥ ‘strength, impulsion’ from √tū/√tav ‘to be strong, to swell with power’; sva-tavasáḥ indicates energies that carry their own impetus (not borrowed). (2) mahitvánā from mahát ‘great, vast’ (PIE *meǵh2- ‘great’) + -tva abstract; denotes the principle of wideness as a power of consciousness. (3) nā́ka ‘heaven, vault’ possibly from √nañc/√nak ‘to reach’ (semantic: attained height); in Vedic often the overhead plane. (4) sádaḥ from √sad ‘to sit’ → ‘seat, session’; here an established station of consciousness. (5) víṣṇu from √viṣ ‘to pervade’ (semantic field: all-pervasion/stride); Vishnu’s act is to open and measure wideness. (6) vṛ́ṣan ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, to be virile/strong’; symbolically the raining/impelling power. (7) mada-cyutá: mada ‘rapture, intoxication, ecstasy of Soma/force’ + cyuta from √cyu ‘to fall, slip’; ‘unslipping from ecstasy’ = stable intensification. (8) barhís ‘sacrificial grass’ from √bṛh ‘to grow, become great’ (formal resemblance supports symbolic ‘expanse/bed’ prepared for descent of powers).
Bṛhat/Uru (wideness as a condition for Truth-consciousness), R̥ta (right ordering implied by ‘taking station’ in heaven), Mada (ecstatic intensification as stable power)
The Maruts ‘take station’ in heaven and widen the seat: ṛta becomes a stable order in higher consciousness rather than a temporary surge.
Self-powered energies reflect a truer source than ego-driven striving; ‘madacyuta’ indicates truth of delight that does not collapse.
Viṣṇu’s stride setting the Bull in motion suggests the cosmic measurement/opening of worlds; the widening seat is the creation of a stable inner world.
Integral Vedāntic reading: Viṣṇu as pervading consciousness; Maruts as executive life-powers established in higher mind.
Sky = higher consciousness; bull = driving spiritual force; birds = free settled energies; barhis = prepared receptive foundation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘establishment in heaven’ of the Maruts and the widening of their ‘seat’ is a mythic pattern of the storm-host taking cosmic station; Vishnu’s impelling of the Bull (vṛṣan) functions as the enabling cosmic stride that opens the wide realm (uru) for the gods’ action. Inner sense: the dynamic life-forces, once empowered, ascend and stabilise in the higher mind; pervading consciousness (Vishnu) sets the divine force in motion so the energies can rest upon the prepared inner altar (barhis) for right action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mahát ‘great’ reflects PIE *meǵh2- (cf. Gk. μέγας, Lat. magnus); the semantic of ‘great/wide’ is central to Indo-European sacral poetics (the ‘wide world’). √sad ‘sit’ (sádaḥ) aligns with PIE *sed- (Lat. sedēre, Eng. sit), preserving the inherited metaphor: ‘to sit’ = ‘to establish/occupy a sanctioned place’. vṛ́ṣan from √vṛṣ (virility/rain-force) parallels Indo-European storm imagery where the bull embodies thunderous potency.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s stance is not mere praise but a request for conscious alignment: the Maruts are asked (implicitly through depiction) to take their seat upon the ‘beloved barhis’—the human being’s prepared receptivity—so their self-powered force can act within the sacrificer. The reciprocity (dakṣiṇā logic) is: the human offers a rightly ordered inner field (barhis/ṛta), and the gods respond by widening the consciousness (uru) and stabilising the energies in the overhead plane (nāka).
Wideness and establishment: feel energies rise to ‘heaven’ (above-head awareness) and then settle into a calm heart-ground.
Sahasrāra/Ājñā (nāka—higher station) integrating into Anāhata (beloved seat)
After chanting, pause-breath (natural kumbhaka) for a few seconds, sensing wideness; then gentle exhale to ‘alight’ like a bird onto the heart-space.
Spacious, stationed awareness with unfailing quiet joy.
Chant 3 or 7 times after any energizing practice. On ‘uru’ consciously widen the awareness; on ‘sīdann’ let the energy settle without effort. Remember ‘madacyuta’ as a resolve: do not fall from quiet delight.
Sustained Triṣṭubh with widening feel: keep pitch steady and open; observe udatta peaks on mahitvanā, nākaṃ, uru, viṣṇuḥ, vṛṣaṇam, barhiṣi (per markings).
Do not rush: give space to ‘uru’ and ‘nākaṃ tasthuḥ’. Let ‘madacyutam’ be voiced as a single confident unit (no emotional droop).
: ‘sva-ta-va-saḥ’ (clear v), : ‘ma-hi-tva-nā’ (tv cluster), : ‘nā-kaṃ’ (anusvāra), : ‘viṣ-ṇur yad dhā-vad’ (retroflex ṣṇ), : ‘ma-da-cyu-tam’ (cyu), : ‘va-yo na’ (distinct)
Open, spacious, and settled; end each pāda with a gentle release into silence.
3
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