Rig Veda 2.34.9: Mandala 2, Sukta 34, Mantra 9
Sukta 2.34
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Vira (heroism)
यो नो मरुतो वृकताति मर्त्यो रिपुर्दधे वसवो रक्षता रिषः । वर्तयत तपुषा चक्रियाभि तमव रुद्रा अशसो हन्तना वधः ॥
yó no maruto vṛká-tāti martyó ripúr dadhé vasavo rákṣatā riṣáḥ | vartáyata váp uṣā cakriyā́bhí tám áva rudrā aśáso hantana vádhaḥ ||
मरुत देवता, अगर कोई दुश्मन हमारे पे वार करे, उसे रोकना। वो बुरी तरह से हमारे पीछे पड़े हो तो, उस्से बचाओ। उसकी ताकत को वापस करो, उसे जला दो। रुद्र देवता, उस झूठा आदमी को मारो जो लोगों को मारता है।
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी (gen.)/चतुर्थी (dat.) बहुवचन-रूपम् (enclitic ‘नः’)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृकतायति
- acts like a wolf; rages/behaves rapaciouslyVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्र.पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot वृकताय (धातु/denom. from वृकता ‘wolfishness, rapacity’)
- मर्त्यः
- a mortalNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- रिपुः
- an enemyNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधे
- has set/placed; has establishedVerbलिट्/परिपूर्ण-भूत (perfect), आत्मनेपदम्, प्र.पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot धा (धातु)
- वसवः
- O VasusNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक; Maruts as ‘Vasus’)
- रक्षत
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot रक्ष् (धातु)
- रिषः
- from harm/injuryNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी/षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (Vedic form) — ‘from harm’Role ApādānaRoot रिष्/रिष (प्रातिपदिक ‘harm, injury’)
- वर्तयत
- turn away; drive offVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot वृत्/वर्त् (धातु; causative वर्तय-)
- तपुषा
- with heat/fiery powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root च (निपात)
- चक्रियाभिः
- with (your) active powers/energiesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot चक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक; ‘active powers/works’, from √कृ with reduplication; Vedic feminine)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अव
- down; awayIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अव (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- रुद्राः
- O RudrasNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक; Maruts as Rudras)
- अशसः
- the evil intent/curseNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (Vedic ending -as) / or नपुंसक-सम्भव; here objectRole KarmaRoot अशस् (प्रातिपदिक ‘ill-will, curse, evil speech’)
- हन्तन
- smite! slay!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot हन् (धातु)
- वधः
- the slaying; the deadly blowNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (appositional to अशसः / or as object ‘slaughter’)Role KarmaRoot वध (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): मरुतो → मरुतः (voc. pl.)
- वसवो → वसवः (voc. pl.)
- रक्षता → रक्षत (imper. 2pl)
- रुद्रा → रुद्राः (voc. pl.). Phrase boundary: ‘वर्तयत तपुषा चक्रियाभिः’ = ‘drive (him) away with heat and with (your) active powers’. ‘तमव’ = ‘तम् + अव’ (pronoun + particle)
The meaning
Outer meaning
If any mortal enemy sets a wolfish assault against us, the Maruts (Vasus) should protect us from harm. They should turn him back by their formed power and burning force; the Rudras should strike down the untrue assailant.
Inner meaning
The ‘mortal enemy’ is the lower nature’s hostile formation—habits, doubts, impulses—that attacks like a wolf (vṛkatāti): predatory, sudden, tearing at the gains of consciousness. The Maruts as Vasus are asked to guard the established lights/treasures of the being. Their vapuṣā cakriyābhi—powers made into effective formations—represent organized spiritual force, not chaotic emotion. With tapas (burning ardor) they repel the assault and strike down the aśasaḥ—falsehood, untruth, crooked suggestion—especially the ‘slayer’ (vadhaḥ) that kills aspiration and joy.
Universal truth
In inner growth, hostile movements arise that seek to devour progress. Protection is not mere shielding: it is the transformation of energy into disciplined power and the decisive rejection of falsehood.
Themes
Protection prayer, Reversal of hostile forces, Truth-defense, Apotropaic smiting
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (later attribution)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.33 (to Rudra), RV 2.34.10
Family tradition
The Book 2 seer repeatedly asks for both uplift and protection: the path requires force and also defense against regression.
Significance
This is a classic inner-battle verse: the gods are invoked as powers of rejection (apohana) and purification, aligning with Aurobindo’s reading of Vritra-like resistances as psychological obscurations.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (addressed also as Vasus, Rudras)
- Epithets
- Vasus (bright/wealth-bearing ones), Rudras (fierce purifiers)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra, Agni
Cosmic role
They protect the cosmic order by breaking hostile forces and restoring movement; companions of Indra in the victory over the coverer.
Inner power
Protective courage, purifying wrath against falsehood, and disciplined force that repels hostile suggestions.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective recitation within yajña; apotropaic function in Soma/Marut rites
यो नो॑ मरुतो वृ॒कता॑ति॒ मर्त्यो॑ रि॒पुर्द॒धे व॑सवो॒ रक्ष॑ता रि॒षः । व॒र्तय॑त॒ तपु॑षा च॒क्रिया॒भि तमव॑ रुद्रा अ॒शसो॑ हन्तना॒ वध॑: ॥
यः । नः॒ । म॒रु॒तः॒ । वृ॒कऽता॑ति । मर्त्यः॑ । रि॒पुः । द॒धे । व॒स॒वः॒ । रक्ष॑त । रि॒षः । व॒र्तय॑त । वपु॑षा । च॒क्रिया॑ । अ॒भि । तम् । अव॑ । रु॒द्राः॒ । अ॒शसः॑ । ह॒न्त॒न॒ । वध॒रिति॑ ॥
yaḥ | naḥ | marutaḥ | vṛka-tāti | martyaḥ | ripuḥ | dadhe | vasavaḥ | rakṣata | riṣaḥ | vartayata | vapuṣā | cakriyā | abhi | tam | ava | rudrāḥ | aśasaḥ | hantana | vadhariti
44
4 × ~11
Sharper, more percussive; suited to warning and command (rakṣatā, vartayata, hantanā).
Creates a protective field; strengthens the will to reject intrusive thoughts/energies.
- vṛkatāti
- Literal: wolfish assault. Symbolic: predatory vital attack—craving, fear, destructive impulse
- martyah ripuḥ
- Literal: mortal enemy. Symbolic: egoic lower nature and its hostile formations
- vasavo rakṣatā
- Literal: O Vasus, protect. Symbolic: guardianship of inner riches (clarity, peace, strength)
- riṣaḥ
- Literal: harm, injury. Symbolic: damage to faith, clarity, and continuity of practice
- vartayata
- Literal: turn back. Symbolic: repulse and reverse the movement; refuse entry
- tapuṣā
- Literal: by burning heat. Symbolic: purifying tapas that consumes obscurity
- cakriyābhi (śakti)
- Literal: by formed/constructed powers. Symbolic: organized spiritual energies; effective inner formations
- rudrāḥ
- Literal: Rudras. Symbolic: fierce purifiers—decisive force of truth
- aśasaḥ
- Literal: untrue, not-right. Symbolic: falsehood, crooked thought, denial of the higher
- vadhaḥ
- Literal: slayer. Symbolic: that which kills aspiration—depressive, destructive suggestion
Apotropaic protection within Soma rite and daily recitation: turning back hostility and safeguarding the sacrificer’s progress
When seeking protection from hostile forces, illness, or adversaries during sacrifice
Recited as a turning-back (nivartana) prayer with offering to Rudra/Maruts
Use as a protective chant during anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or when facing hostility; pair with mindful boundary-setting.
: ‘wolf’ (predatory) + tāti ‘going/attack’ (from √tan/√tā semantic of stretching/advancing; Vedic formation indicates ‘assault’). ripu: enemy (inner/outer). rakṣ: √rakṣ ‘to protect’. riṣ: √riṣ ‘to harm’. vartay: causative of √vṛt ‘to turn’. vapu: ‘form, embodied appearance/power’. cakriya: ‘made/formed’ (from √kṛ), emphasizing effective shaping. a-śaṃsa: ‘without true praise/word’—aligned to falsehood/anti-ṛta.
truth vs. untruth (aśasa as anti-ṛta), protective guardianship (rakṣ), tapas as purifying force
The Maruts defend r̥ta by repelling aśasaḥ (untruth).
Truth-force acts as protection; falsehood is the real enemy.
Purification as a prerequisite for further manifestation of light.
Ethic of truth-force (Satya-Tapas) consistent with later Upanishadic valorization of satyam and tapas.
night/uncertainty implied by attack (symbolic)
Wolf = devouring impulses; storm = aggressive purification; heat = concentrated austerity that burns impurity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The divine host as protectors who repel the predatory ‘wolf-attack’: mythically the storm-gods smite enemies; psychologically they defend the seeker against intrusive forces of falsehood and regression that prey upon the light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The wolf (vṛka) is a strong IE mythic marker of predation/outsider threat. Turning-back (√vṛt) and protection (√rakṣ) are part of a common sacral idiom of warding in archaic Indo-European prayer.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts the Maruts with guardianship of the right movement: they are invoked as Vasus (preservers of true riches) and Rudras (fierce purifiers) to maintain the aspirant’s integrity against aśasa (untruth) and to restore the path by reversal (vartay-).
Practice inner rejection: identify the ‘wolfish’ movement and turn it back with calm force; affirm truth.
Manipura (protective will) and Ajna (discernment of aśasaḥ)
Short, steady exhale emphasis (e.g., 4-in / 6-out) while mentally repeating ‘vartayata… tapuṣā’; avoid aggressive hyperventilation.
Fierce clarity—calm but uncompromising.
Name the intrusive movement without drama; feel a ring of force around the body; invoke tapas as a clean flame in the navel; end by affirming one truthful perception that replaces the aśasaḥ suggestion.
Accents intensify on protective imperatives (rakṣatā, vartayata, hantanā).
Chant pāda 1 with controlled urgency; pāda 2 as a firm shield; pādas 3–4 as decisive strike—do not shout, keep force contained.
(vṛkatāti): vocalic ṛ; long ā, (rakṣatā): kṣ cluster, (tapuṣā): retroflex ṣ, (cakriyābhi): clear ‘kri’, (aśasaḥ): ś, not s
Firm, resonant, slightly lower register; clipped consonants for command.
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