Rig Veda 10.77.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 77, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.77
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यूयं धूर्षु प्रयुजो न रश्मिभिर्ज्योतिष्मन्तो न भासा व्युष्टिषु । श्येनासो न स्वयशसो रिशादसः प्रवासो न प्रसितासः परिप्रुषः ॥
yūyáṃ dhū́rṣu pra-yújo ná raśmíbhir jyótiṣmanto ná bhā́sā vyùṣṭiṣu | śyenā́so ná svayáśaso riśā́dasaḥ pravā́so ná pra-sitāsaḥ pari-prúṣaḥ ||
मरुत देवता गाड़ी में जुड़े हैं, जैसे सूरज की किरण होती है। सुबह की रोशनी में चमकते हैं। बाज़ की तरह तेज़ हैं, अपनी शान खुद बनाते हैं। बुराई को खा जाते हैं। दूर तक जाते हैं, अपना काम करते हैं। अपनी बारिश चारों तरफ बहा देते हैं।
Word by Word
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धूर्षु
- on the yokes / in the yoke-placesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot धूर् (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रयुजः
- yoked forth, harnessedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (युष्मद्-सम्बन्धि)Role कर्तृRoot प्र-युज् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √युज् ‘योजने’)
- न
- likeParticleउपमा/निदर्शन-अव्ययRoot न
- रश्मिभिः
- with reins / raysNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot रश्मि (पुं-प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्योतिष्मन्तः
- radiant, possessing lightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ज्योतिष्मन्त् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ज्योतिस् + मन्त्)
- न
- likeParticleउपमा-अव्ययRoot न
- भासा
- with radiance / by lightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot भासा (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक; ‘प्रभा/दीप्ति’)
- व्युष्टिषु
- at dawns / in the breakings of dayNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot व्युष्टि (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक; ‘उषः-प्रकाश/प्रभात’)
- श्येनासः
- hawks, falconsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot श्येन (पुं-प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeParticleउपमा-अव्ययRoot न
- स्वयशसः
- self-glorious, of their own fameAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot स्व-यशस् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- रिशादसः
- harm-devouring, destroyers of injury/foesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot रिशादस् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ‘हानि/क्षति’ + अद्)
- प्रवासः
- going forth, setting outAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot प्र-वास (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वस् ‘निवासे/वसने’)
- न
- likeParticleउपमा-अव्ययRoot न
- प्रसितासः
- sent forth, launchedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot प्र-सित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सि/√सि॒ ‘प्रेषणे/क्षेपे’ → ‘प्रेषित’)
- परिप्रुषः
- sprinkling all around / streaming aboutAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot परि-प्रुष् (कृदन्त/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; √प्रुष् ‘सिञ्चने/स्पर्शे’)
Sandhi Notes
- सन्धि-विच्छेद (पदच्छेद): यूयम् | धूर्षु | प्रयुजः | न | रश्मिभिः | ज्योतिष्मन्तः | न | भासा | व्युष्टिषु || श्येनासः | न | स्वयशसः | रिशादसः | प्रवासः | न | प्रसितासः | परिप्रुषः । 1) रश्मिभिः + ज्योतिष्मन्तः → रश्मिभिर्ज्योतिष्मन्तः (विसर्ग/र्-सन्धि). 2) अन्यत्र स्पष्ट बाह्य-सन्धि विशेषः न
- छन्दोऽनुसारं पदान्त-दीर्घ/ह्रस्व व उच्चारण-भेद सम्भव।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts, yoked to their rush of movement, shine like rays in the dawns; like self-glorious falcons they devour harm; like far-rangers released on their course they scatter showers in all directions.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are the dynamic life-powers (prāṇic-vital and nervous energies) when they are harnessed to the soul’s impulsion (dhūḥsu, the inner drives of movement). They become ‘rays’—forces of illumination in repeated dawnings of consciousness (vyuṣṭiṣu). As ‘falcons’ they are swift ascenders of the being, carrying the will upward and tearing away hostile formations (riśādasaḥ, eaters of injury). Their ‘showers’ are the descents of force, clarity, courage, and refreshing prāṇa that spread through the system, breaking rigidity and opening the inner sky.
Universal truth
When the energies of action are yoked to a higher intention, they turn luminous, remove inner harm, and distribute renewing force throughout life; illumination is not static—its dawns recur as movements of awakened energy.
Themes
Maruts as rays and falcons, Awakening (dawnings), Disciplined force, Protective destruction of obstruction
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.77 (sūkta context)
Significance
The anonymity fits a late-maṇḍala style where the emphasis is less on lineage and more on the experiential formation: the seer is a ‘function’ of vision—here, the perception of the Maruts as illumined, protective inner forces.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- jyotiṣmantaḥ (luminous), riśādasaḥ (devourers of harm), pravāsaḥ (far-ranging), prasitāsaḥ (released/impelled), svayaśasaḥ (self-glorious)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Uṣas, Ādityas
Cosmic role
Storm and movement powers that accompany Indra; they break obstructions, release waters, and widen the mid-world.
Inner power
Dynamic energies that energize aspiration, clear tamas, and distribute descending force; they make the system capable of sustained tapas and swift progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut hymns in Soma-yajña/Indra-related offerings (general Śrauta usage)
यू॒यं धू॒र्षु प्र॒युजो॒ न र॒श्मिभि॒र्ज्योति॑ष्मन्तो॒ न भा॒सा व्यु॑ष्टिषु । श्ये॒नासो॒ न स्वय॑शसो रि॒शाद॑सः प्र॒वासो॒ न प्रसि॑तासः परि॒प्रुष॑: ॥
यू॒यम् । धूः॒ऽसु । प्र॒ऽयुजः॑ । न । र॒श्मिऽभिः॑ । ज्योति॑ष्मन्तः । न । भा॒सा । विऽउ॑ष्टिषु । श्ये॒नासः॑ । न । स्वऽय॑शसः । रि॒शाद॑सः । प्र॒वासः॑ । न । प्रऽसि॑तासः । प॒रि॒ऽप्रुषः॑ ॥
yūyam | dhūḥ-su | pra-yujaḥ | na | raśmi-bhiḥ | jyotiṣmantaḥ | na | bhāsā | vi-uṣṭiṣu | śyenāsaḥ | na | sva-yaśasaḥ | riśādasaḥ | pravāsaḥ | na | pra-sitāsaḥ | pari-pruṣaḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (Triṣṭubh norm; exact count may vary with sandhi resolution)
Driving, martial cadence with forward surge—well-suited to Marut movement imagery.
Energizes the chest and breath; produces a ‘charging’ feeling, supporting courage and clearing heaviness.
- धूर्षु (dhūrṣu)
- Literal: in the impulsions/drives. Symbolic: inner urges of movement; life-force currents to be disciplined and directed
- प्रयुजः (prayujaḥ)
- Literal: yoked/put to the yoke. Symbolic: energies harnessed to the inner sacrifice; coordinated faculties
- रश्मिभिः (raśmibhiḥ)
- Literal: with rays/reins. Symbolic: threads of light/knowledge that also ‘rein in’ and guide the forces
- ज्योतिष्मन्तः (jyotiṣmantaḥ)
- Literal: luminous. Symbolic: illumined energies; prāṇa lit by mind/soul-light
- व्युष्टिषु (vyuṣṭiṣu)
- Literal: in the dawns. Symbolic: successive awakenings; openings of consciousness (Uṣas principle)
- श्येनासः (śyenāsaḥ)
- Literal: falcons. Symbolic: swift ascending powers; carriers of the will and perception upward
- स्वयशसः (svayaśasaḥ)
- Literal: self-glorious. Symbolic: self-luminous energies aligned with the divine impulsion, not ego-display
- रिशादसः (riśādasaḥ)
- Literal: devourers of harm. Symbolic: forces that consume hostile suggestions, fear, inertia
- परिप्रुषः (paripruṣaḥ)
- Literal: scattering showers all around. Symbolic: diffusion of refreshing force/joy/clarity through the whole being
Marut praise emphasizing their luminous, swift, and protective action at the ‘dawns’—moments of opening in the rite and consciousness.
During praise-invocation sequences (stotra/śastra contexts depending on recension); also as ancillary Marut praise alongside Indra
Recitation to invite and align with the Marut host; strengthening the rite’s ‘movement’ and protection
Use as an energizing mantra before work/effort or during lethargy—visualize luminous currents spreading through the body and mind.
raśmi: ‘ray’ and ‘rein’ (semantic bridge: line/cord), enabling a layered image of light and harnessing. vyuṣṭi: from vi-√uṣ ‘to dawn forth’. śyena: ‘falcon’, a common Vedic symbol for swift ascent and seizure (also Soma-bringer in other contexts). pra-yuj: √yuj ‘yoke’ with pra- ‘forward’—disciplined harnessing of energies.
Harnessed energies (yuj) as yoga-discipline, Protection by removal of harm, Dawn as awakening of consciousness
Maruts represent right, forceful movement that restores order by breaking coverers and distributing the ‘waters’.
Truth-light expressed as rays in the dawns—illumination guiding action.
Release and distribution—showers/waters as creative outflow once obstruction is removed.
Proto-yogic/Vedantic psychological symbolism (Sri Aurobindo line): deities as powers of consciousness.
dawn (vyuṣṭi)
Dawn = awakening; rays = thoughts of light; falcon = swift ascent of will; showers = descent of force/refreshment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Maruts as radiant, harnessed rays and falcons who scatter showers: mythically storm-light and swift flight; psychologically disciplined energies that seize and carry the awakening, removing harm and distributing force through the whole being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The yoking motif (√yuj) is deeply Indo-European (Latin iugum ‘yoke’), here applied to inner energies. Dawn imagery (√uṣ) is likewise an Indo-European poetic staple, indexing awakening and renewal.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- By naming them ‘yoked’ and ‘luminous in the dawns’, the rishi aligns human discipline with divine movement; the hymn functions as an invitation for these powers to act as protectors and distributors of awakened force in the sacrificer.
Harnessing life-energy to aspiration: feel the breath as ‘rays’ guided by inner will; invoke protective clarity that consumes harmful impulses.
Anāhata to Viśuddha axis (breath-force rising into clear expression)
Moderate kapalabhāti-like cleansing (gentle) followed by steady ujjāyī; synchronize recitation with exhale to ‘scatter showers’.
Activated, luminous vigilance (tapas with clarity).
Before chanting, set intention: ‘Let my energies be yoked to truth.’ While chanting, visualize dawn-light spreading through the nerves; after chanting, sit and feel a cool, pervasive descent (paripruṣaḥ).
Use standard Rigvedic accenting as per śākhā; key udātta on principal vocatives/verbs; maintain svarita falls on combined accents (exact svara requires pada-svara notation).
Lift the voice slightly on udātta syllables; avoid flattening compounds like jyotiṣmanto; keep caesura after first pāda for Triṣṭubh swing.
: retroflex (dhūrṣu), not dental, : pronounce vyuṣ- with clear ‘uṣ’, : ‘śye’ as palatal ś + ye, : short i in ri-, and ‘śā’ long ā
Clear, forward, slightly forceful; avoid shouting—aim for bright resonance.
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