Rig Veda 5.87.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 87, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.87
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्र ये जाता महिना ये च नु स्वयं प्र विद्मना ब्रुवत एवयामरुत् । क्रत्वा तद्वो मरुतो नाधृषे शवो दाना मह्ना तदेषामधृष्टासो नाद्रयः ॥
prá ye jātā́ mahínā ye ca nú svayáṃ prá vidmánā brúvata evayā́marut | krátvā tád vo maruto nā́dhṛṣe śávo dānā́ mahnā́ tád eṣām ádhṛṣṭāso nā́drayaḥ ||
यह लोग बड़े बन के पैदा हुए हैं। खुद ही अपनी बड़ाई करते हैं, क्योंकि इन्हे पता है। मरुत लोग, तुम्हारी इच्छा और ताकत से कोई तुम्हे रोक नहीं सकता। यह इतना देते हैं, इसलिए बड़े हैं। पत्थर जैसे पक्के खड़े रहते हैं, कोई इन्हे हिला नहीं सकता।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga/particleRoot प्र
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounmasc. nom. pl.Role KartāRoot यद्
- जाताः
- bornParticiplemasc. nom. pl.; past passive participle (kta)Role KartāRoot जन्
- महिना
- by greatness, by mightNouninstr. sg. (common/masc.)Role KaraṇaRoot महिन्/महिमन्
- ये
- whoPronounmasc. nom. pl.Role KartāRoot यद्
- च
- andIndeclinableconjunctionRoot च
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableparticleRoot नु
- स्वयम्
- of themselvesIndeclinableadverbRoot स्वयम्
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableupasarga/particleRoot प्र
- विद्मना
- by knowledge, with insightNouninstr. sg. neut.Role KaraṇaRoot विद्मन् (from √विद्)
- ब्रुवतः
- (of) speaking, while speakingVerbpres. act. participle; masc. gen. sg. (used adverbially/with eva)Role Kartā (participle referring to the Maruts)Root ब्रू
- एवयाम
- O Evayām (epithet/name)Noun/epithetvoc. sg. (masc.)Role SambodhanaRoot एवयाम
- मरुत्
- O MarutNounvoc. sg. (masc.)Role SambodhanaRoot मरुत्
- क्रत्वा
- by resolve, by power of willNouninstr. sg. masc.Role KaraṇaRoot क्रतु
- तत्
- thatPronounacc. sg. neut.Role KarmaRoot तद्
- वः
- to you / of youPronoungen./dat. pl. encliticRole Sampradāna (to/for you) / Śeṣa (of you)Root युष्मद्
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounvoc. pl. (masc.)Role SambodhanaRoot मरुत्
- नाधृषे
- for the unassailable, for the not-to-be-daredAdjectivedat. sg. (masc./neut.)Role Sampradāna (as purpose/goal: ‘for the unassailable’)Root नाधृष (na+ā+√धृष)
- शवः
- might, strengthNounnom./acc. sg. neut.Role Kartā/Karma (context: ‘might’ as possessed/manifest)Root शवस्
- दानाः
- gifts, givingsNounnom. pl. fem.Role KartāRoot दान
- मह्ना
- by greatness, by magnitudeNouninstr. sg. (neut./masc.); Vedic formRole KaraṇaRoot महन्/मह्न्
- तत्
- thatPronounnom./acc. sg. neut.Role Kartā/Karma (resumptive ‘that’)Root तद्
- एषाम्
- of these (of them)Pronoungen. pl. (masc./neut.)Role ŚeṣaRoot एतद्
- अधृष्टासः
- undared, unassailedAdjectivenom. pl. masc.Role KartāRoot अधृष्ट (a+√धृष)
- न
- like, asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot न
- अद्रयः
- rocks, mountainsNounnom. pl. masc.Role KartāRoot अद्रि
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padapāṭha-style segmentation: (1) जाता म॑हिना → जाताः + महिना (visarga before voiced m becomes o/vanishes in saṃhitā)
- (2) ब्रु॒वत॑ एव॒याम॑रुत् → ब्रुवतः + एवयाम् + मरुत् (word-boundary restored; vocative compound in saṃhitā)
- (3) क्रत्वा॒ तद्वो॑ → क्रत्वा + तत् + वः (tad + vo with sandhi)
- (4) मरुतो॒ नाधृषे॒ → मरुतः + नाधृषे (voc. pl. restored)
- (5) दा॒ना म॒ह्ना → दानाः + मह्ना (final -āḥ before m in saṃhitā)
- (6) तदे॑षा॒मधृ॑ष्टासो॒ → तत् + एषाम् + अधृष्टासः (tad+eṣām → tadeṣām; final -as before n/voiced in saṃhitā gives -o etc.). Accents retained as given in saṃhitā
- pada forms shown without explicit accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
Forward are those born in greatness and who even now proclaim it by their knowledge, O Maruts. By will is your irresistible might; by greatness in giving is theirs—unassailed, like stones, they stand.
Inner meaning
The Marut powers are ‘born in greatness’ (mahinā): they arise when the being contacts a larger consciousness. They proclaim themselves by ‘vidmanā’—a knowing that is self-evident, not argued. Their strength is ‘nādhṛṣe śavaḥ’—unassailable force—because it is guided by ‘kratu’ (effective will/intelligence). Their giving (dānā) is vast: they pour energies, courage, wideness into the seeker. ‘Like stones’ (nādrayaḥ) indicates immovable steadiness: dynamic force that is nonetheless founded on a firm base—energy without instability.
Universal truth
True power is irresistible when it is intelligent will and generous largeness; the most dynamic forces become stable when founded on knowledge and right intention.
Themes
power-and-knowledge, divine-host, steadfast-foundation
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 5.87 (Maruts), RV 5.55 (Maruts—steadfast power motifs)
Family tradition
Marut seers emphasize collective force, courage, and the steady foundation behind dynamic action.
Significance
The verse defines spiritual force: knowledge-born, will-directed, generous, and unassailable—dynamic yet rock-founded.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- mahinā-jātāḥ (born in greatness), adhṛṣṭāsaḥ (unassailed)
- Related deities
- Indra, Viṣṇu, Agni
Cosmic role
They are the steadfast storm-hosts that uphold the cosmic battle for light; they stabilize and empower the forward movement.
Inner power
Disciplined vital-mental energies that act by kratu (effective will) and vidman (inner knowing), giving strength and stability to the seeker.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut praise within Indra-Soma cycles; strengthening and protection invocations
प्र ये जा॒ता म॑हि॒ना ये च॒ नु स्व॒यं प्र वि॒द्मना॑ ब्रु॒वत॑ एव॒याम॑रुत् । क्रत्वा॒ तद्वो॑ मरुतो॒ नाधृषे॒ शवो॑ दा॒ना म॒ह्ना तदे॑षा॒मधृ॑ष्टासो॒ नाद्र॑यः ॥
प्र । ये । जा॒ताः । म॒हि॒ना । ये । च॒ । नु । स्व॒यम् । प्र । वि॒द्मना॑ । ब्रु॒वते॑ । ए॒व॒याम॑रुत् । क्रत्वा॑ । तत् । वः॒ । म॒रु॒तः॒ । न । आ॒ऽधृषे॑ । शवः॑ । दा॒ना । म॒ह्ना । तत् । ए॒षा॒म् । अधृ॑ष्टासः । न । अद्र॑यः ॥
pra | ye | jātāḥ | mahinā | ye | ca | nu | svayam | pra | vidmanā | bruvate | evayāmarut | kratvā | tat | vaḥ | marutaḥ | na | ādhṛṣe | śavaḥ | dānā | mahnā | tat | eṣām | adhṛṣṭāsaḥ | na | adrayaḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Assertive and declarative; balances surge (‘pra’) with firm closure (‘nādrayaḥ’).
Instills confidence and steadiness; supports ‘unassailable’ inner posture.
- महिना (mahinā)
- Literal: by greatness. Symbolic: by largeness of consciousness; vastness that births higher energies
- विद्मना (vidmanā)
- Literal: by knowing. Symbolic: direct inner knowledge; self-evident truth-perception
- क्रत्वा (kratvā)
- Literal: by will, by intelligent resolve. Symbolic: effective will guided by insight (not mere impulse)
- नाधृषे शवः (nādhṛṣe śavaḥ)
- Literal: irresistible/unassailable might. Symbolic: force that cannot be overthrown because it is in ṛta and truth
- दानā मह्ना (dānā mahnā)
- Literal: by greatness of giving. Symbolic: generous outpouring of energies and helps from the higher powers
- अधृष्टासः (adhṛṣṭāsaḥ)
- Literal: unassailed, unconquered. Symbolic: inner powers not shaken by doubt, fear, or inertia
- अद्रयः (adrayaḥ)
- Literal: stones, rocks. Symbolic: firm foundations of being; stable supports of consciousness
Praise section (stuti) within Marut invocation: establishes their qualifications—knowledge, will, irresistible force—before petitions.
When affirming the powers’ might and seeking their support for stability and victory.
Stuti emphasizing qualities (knowing, will, giving) to attract those powers into the rite and the sacrificer.
For resilience: chant when facing pressure; cultivate ‘rock-like’ steadiness with dynamic energy under intelligent will.
/ from √vid ‘know’ (PIE *weyd-): ‘knowing’ as luminous perception. (kratu) is key Vedic term: not mere ‘ritual’ but intelligent will/plan (root sense of ‘resolve/power to do’). (dhṛṣ) ‘to attack/dare’ with negation: nā́dhṛṣe/adhṛṣṭa ‘irresistible/unassailable’. (adri) ‘stone’: symbol of firmness; inwardly the stable basis of force.
Kratu (intelligent will), Vid (luminous knowledge), unassailability of truth-force (adhṛṣṭa)
Irresistibility comes from alignment with ṛta—force that is right cannot be truly defeated.
They ‘proclaim by knowing’: truth is self-manifesting in higher energies.
Stability within dynamism: the cosmos holds storm-force upon rock-foundations.
Vedic psychology of śakti: dynamic energies become stable through knowledge and right will (Aurobindonian reading).
Monsoon symbolism (storm host)
Storm = mobilized prāṇa-shakti; rocks = stable consciousness-base; giving = energetic influx; knowing = luminous certitude.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘self-proclaiming storm-host’: Maruts are born in greatness and declare themselves by vidman (knowing). Their mythic identity is irresistible force allied with knowledge; psychologically, they are self-arising energies that make the inner being firm like stone against assault.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid ‘know’ is a classic PIE inheritance (*weyd-; cf. Latin vidēre, English ‘wit’). The pairing of knowing and force mirrors IE poetics where cognition and might co-define divine power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes the Maruts’ kratu and vidman as the grounds for trust: because their force is nādhṛṣe and their giving is mahna, they can secure the seeker. Praise functions as alignment—naming their true nature to awaken it in the human field.
Feel higher energies arise from wideness; stabilize them through intelligent will (kratu) and inner knowing (vidman).
Mūlādhāra (rock-like steadiness) supporting Maṇipūra (force) and Anāhata (generous giving)
Slow diaphragmatic breathing (6 breaths/min). On inhale: ‘mahinā’; on exhale: ‘kratu’. Then chant normally.
Steady power—dynamic readiness resting on an unmoved base.
After chanting, stand or sit immobile for 1–2 minutes, sensing ‘stone-like’ stability in the spine while allowing energy to circulate without restlessness.
Triṣṭubh with emphatic openings; highlight udātta on key terms like mahinā, vidmanā, kratvā (exact svara requires marked text).
Keep ‘pra’ crisp; let ‘nādhṛṣe śavaḥ’ be spoken with firm weight; end ‘nādrayaḥ’ with a grounded, low settling tone.
Maintain retroflex ṣ in adhṛṣṭāsaḥ and viṣṇu (if referenced nearby)., Clear aspiration in dhṛ (adhṛṣ-) and bhruvate (bruvate) if recited., Do not swallow final visarga/ḥ; keep it light but present.
Grounded, resonant, steady; less ‘stormy’ than 5.87.1, more firm.
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