Rig Veda 1.88.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 88, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.88
- Rishi
- Gautama
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
तेऽरुणेभिर्वरमा पिशङ्गैः शुभे कं यान्ति रथतूर्भिरश्वैः । रुक्मो न चित्रः स्वधितीवान्पव्या रथस्य जङ्घनन्त भूम ॥
té ’ruṇébhir váramā́ piśáṅgaiḥ śubhé káṃ yānti rathatū́rbhir áśvaiḥ | rukmó ná citráḥ svadhítīvān pavyā́ ráthasya jaṅghananta bhū́ma ||
मरुत देवता अपने रंग-बिरंगे घोड़ों के साथ अच्छे स्थान पर जा रहे हैं। उनके रथ बहुत तेज़ हैं, जैसे कोई चमकदार गेहना हो। उनके रथ के पहिए ज़मीन पर टकराते हैं और रास्ते को साफ करते हैं।
Word by Word
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अरुणेभिः
- with/ by the ruddy (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरम्
- choice boon / desirable (goal)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वर (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- पिशङ्गैः
- with the tawny/variegated (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पिशङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुभे
- in/at splendor, auspiciousnessNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- कम्
- whom/what (object)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot क (किम्-प्रश्न/अनिर्दिष्ट-प्रातिपदिक; यहाँ अनिर्दिष्ट/अव्यक्त-वस्तु)
- यान्ति
- they go, they proceedVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot या (धातु)
- रथतूर्भिः
- with the chariot-impelling/ chariot-speeding (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot रथतूरि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रथ-तूरि’ = रथ-प्रेरक/रथ-वेगवान्)
- अश्वैः
- with horsesNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुक्मः
- the golden ornament / goldNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot रुक्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातःRoot न (निपात)
- चित्रः
- bright, variegated, wondrousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वधितीवान्
- axe-bearing, having an axeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot स्वधिति-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; स्वधिति = कुलिश/कुठार/कुऱ्हाड़ी, -वत् = युक्त)
- पव्या
- the felly (rim)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot पव्या (प्रातिपदिक; ‘felloe/रथचक्र-परिधि/धार’)
- रथस्य
- of the chariotNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जङ्घनन्त
- they stride/step along, they move rapidlyVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप: -न्त)Root जङ्घन्/जङ्घ् (धातु; वेदिक ‘to stride/step, move quickly’; reduplicated present-stem)
- भूम
- be! / may it be! (benedictive/exhortation)Verbलोट्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय (वेदिक injunctive/imperative usage), मध्यमपुरुष?; व्यवहारतः आशीर्वचन ‘भव’ (एकवचन) का वेदिक रूपRoot भू (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-निरसन (मुख्य): १) ते॑ऽरु॒णेभिः → ते + अरुणेभिः (अ + अ = ’अवग्रह’)
- २) वर॒मा → वरम् + आ (म् + आ → मा; अनुस्वार/मकार-संधि)
- ३) पि॒शङ्गै॑: → पिशङ्गैः (विसर्ग-लोप/पाठभेद)
- ४) रथ॒तूर्भि॒रश्वै॑: → रथतूर्भिः + अश्वैः (ः + अ → र्; विसर्ग-संधि)
- ५) स्वधि॑तीवान्प॒व्या → स्वधितीवान् + पव्या (न् + प् → न्प्)
- ६) जङ्घनन्त॒ भूम॑ → जङ्घनन्त + भूम (पद-सीमा पर)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts go to the fair goal with ruddy and tawny powers, with swift horses; like a bright ornament and like one bearing an axe, the chariot’s fellies strike the earth, pressing it down.
Inner meaning
The Marut forces move toward the ‘beautiful goal’—a purified state of being—carrying red/tawny energies (aruna/piśaṅga: vital heat and golden light blended). Their speed is the rapid coordination of prāṇa in right action. The ‘axe-bearer’ image signals the power to cut through knots of resistance and false formations. The chariot-wheels striking the earth represent higher dynamism impacting the dense physical/subconscient nature, compelling it to yield and be reshaped.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is not only ascent; it must also act upon the densest layers of habit and inertia. Illumined energy must ‘strike the ground’ until resistance is transformed.
Themes
divine chariot, overcoming resistance, splendour and force
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.88.1-4
Family tradition
Gautama vision often highlights the disciplined movement of forces toward a goal and their capacity to break resistance.
Significance
The seer describes the Maruts not as chaotic storm but as purposeful energies: beautiful in radiance, sharp in discernment, effective upon the ‘earth’ of embodied nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- aruṇa (ruddy), piśaṅga (tawny), rukma (golden-ornamented), svadhitīvān (axe-bearing power)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra
Cosmic role
Forces of storm and movement that clear the way for rain and light; allies in the gods’ battle against obstruction.
Inner power
Transformative dynamism that both ascends toward the goal and descends upon the dense nature to reshape it through repeated pressure and decisive discrimination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise of Marut procession; used as part of Marut invocations in Śrauta contexts.
ते॑ऽरु॒णेभि॒र्वर॒मा पि॒शङ्गै॑: शु॒भे कं या॑न्ति रथ॒तूर्भि॒रश्वै॑: । रु॒क्मो न चि॒त्रः स्वधि॑तीवान्प॒व्या रथ॑स्य जङ्घनन्त॒ भूम॑ ॥
ते । अ॒रु॒णेभिः॑ । वर॑म् । आ । पि॒शङ्गैः॑ । शु॒भे । कम् । या॒न्ति॒ । र॒थ॒तूःऽभिः॑ । अश्वैः॑ । रु॒क्मः । न । चि॒त्रः । स्वधि॑तिऽवान् । प॒व्या । रथ॑स्य । ज॒ङ्घ॒न॒न्त॒ । भूम॑ ॥
te | aruṇebhiḥ | varam | ā | piśaṅgaiḥ | śubhe | kam | yānti | rathatūḥ-bhiḥ | aśvaiḥ | rukmaḥ | na | citraḥ | svadhiti-vān | pavyā | rathasya | jaṅghananta | bhūma
44
4×11 (approx.)
Rolling wheel-like rhythm; strong percussive consonants mirror ‘striking the earth’.
Builds determination; supports the sense of rhythmic insistence—practice that repeatedly impacts resistance.
- aruṇebhiḥ
- Literal: ruddy, red. Symbolic: vital heat, dawn-like energy of awakening
- piśaṅgaiḥ
- Literal: tawny, golden-brown. Symbolic: golden light mixed with life-energy; mature radiance
- śubhe kam varam
- Literal: to the beautiful good goal. Symbolic: the desirable inner attainment—harmonious perfection
- rathatūrbhiḥ aśvaiḥ
- Literal: with horses swift in chariot-rush. Symbolic: accelerated life-forces yoked to a single movement
- rukmaḥ
- Literal: gold ornament. Symbolic: luminous beauty of perfected energy
- svadhitīvān
- Literal: axe-bearing. Symbolic: power of discernment and decisive cutting through obstruction
- pavyā rathasya
- Literal: fellies/rims of the chariot wheel. Symbolic: rhythmic cycles of force; repetitive impacts of practice
- jaṅghananta bhūma
- Literal: they strike/beat the earth. Symbolic: pressure on the physical/subconscient to transform
Praise of Marut-vehicles and their irresistible advance; supports the ‘driving away’ of obstacles before offering
During descriptive stotras that establish the deity’s powers before offerings.
Recitation accompanying visualization of the Maruts’ approach and their forceful clearing.
Helpful when confronting inertia, procrastination, or entrenched patterns; chant to invoke decisive forward motion and ‘cutting’ clarity.
‘ruddy’ (dawn/storm hue). ‘tawny’ suggests mixed light. (rukma) ‘gold ornament’ from √/√ ‘shine’ semantic field. ‘axe’ (decisive cutter) possibly from su- + dhā ‘to place’ (instrument fixed well) in later analysis; functionally ‘cutter’. is intensive/frequentative of √/√? (traditional: a frequentative ‘to strike repeatedly’).
discrimination as ‘axe’, descent into the bodily base (bhūma) to transform it
The ‘goal’ (varam) is reached by right movement; wheels imply cyclical ṛta—order through rhythm.
Transformation of ‘earth’ (physical plane) by higher dynamism; descent of force into matter.
Integral transformation motif: higher energies act upon the physical/subconscient.
dawn-like coloration (suggestive)
Colors = gradations of awakened energy; wheels = rhythm of sadhana; earth = body/subconscient; horses = vital drives.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Maruts’ chariot-advance: their coloured energies rush to the auspicious goal; the wheels strike the earth. Inner sense: higher forces descend into the embodied nature and hammer it into readiness, cutting through resistance with discriminating power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The colour-epithets and chariot formula belong to common Indo-European poetics of the divine war-band. While specific lexemes vary, the inherited imagery of storm gods riding and shaking earth is widely paralleled.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses and affirms the Maruts’ irresistible movement; by naming their qualities (colour, speed, cutting force), he aligns his own lower ‘earth’ with their transformative impact.
Bring illumined force into the body; repeatedly press awareness into habitual resistance until it yields.
Muladhara (earth) transformed by Manipura (fire/drive)
Rhythmic breathing with a firm exhale (e.g., 6-in/6-out) synchronized to the ‘wheel’ cadence; keep jaw and throat relaxed.
Firm, embodied resolve.
On each pāda, feel movement toward the ‘beautiful goal’; on the final image, place awareness in the legs/feet/pelvis and let the mantra’s rhythm ‘strike’ tamas into wakefulness—without aggression, with steady insistence.
Keep strong udatta on te and key descriptors; allow the cadence to ‘roll’ through the pādas like wheels.
Highlight aruṇebhiḥ, piśaṅgaiḥ, śubhe, rathatūrbhiḥ, rukmaḥ, svadhitīvān, pavyā, jaṅghananta.
aruṇebhiḥ: retroflex ṇ in aruṇa, piśaṅgaiḥ: palatal ś; nasal ṅ before g, rathatūrbhiḥ: long ū; keep bh cluster clear, svadhitīvān: dh + i; long ī; vān nasalized lightly, jaṅghananta: ṅgh conjunct; do not simplify to ‘jangan’
Percussive clarity with steady resonance; feel ‘weight’ on the final words.
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