Rig Veda 7.57.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 57, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.57
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Marutāḥ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
नैतावदन्ये मरुतो यथेमे भ्राजन्ते रुक्मैरायुधैस्तनूभिः । आ रोदसी विश्वपिशः पिशानाः समानमञ्ज्यञ्जते शुभे कम् ॥
náitā́vad anyé marúto yáthéme bhrā́jante rukmáir ā́yudhais tanū́bhiḥ | ā́ ródasī viśvá-piśaḥ piśānā́ḥ samānám añjí añjate śubhé kám ||
मरुत देवता में कोई दूसरा इतना नहीं चमकता जितना यह चमक रहे हैं। यह सोने जैसे चमक रहे हैं, अपने हथियार और अपनी ताकत से। यह हर तरह की शकल बना सकते हैं। यह दुनिया को एक ही तरह से सजाते हैं, ताकि सब खुश दिखे।
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (indeclinable negation)Root न
- एतावत्
- so much; to this extentAdjective/Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (adverbial use: ‘so much/so far’)Root एतावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्ये
- othersAdjective/Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as; just asIndeclinableउपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्ययम्Root यथा
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- भ्राजन्ते
- shine; blazeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root भ्राज् (धातु)
- रुक्मैः
- with golden ornaments; with goldNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot रुक्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयुधैः
- with weaponsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
- तनूभिः
- with (their) bodies; with formsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- unto; up toIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम् (आ- ‘towards, up to’)Root आ
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा द्विवचनम् (here: द्वितीया द्विवचनम् as goal with ‘आ’)Role KarmaRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्यावापृथिव्यौ’)
- विश्वपिशः
- all-adorned; adorned in every wayAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot विश्वपिश् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहिः)
- पिशानाः
- adorning; decoratingParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पिश् (धातु) → पिशान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, शानच्/आनच्; ‘adorning’)
- समानम्
- the same; one and the sameAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot समान (प्रातिपदिक)
- अञ्जि
- ointment; unguentNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Vedic form; object of the verb)Role KarmaRoot अञ्जि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ointment, unguent’)
- अञ्जते
- anoint themselves; smearVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root अञ्ज् (धातु)
- शुभे
- in beauty; in splendorNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- कम्
- something; (some) one/thing (enclitic)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (enclitic interrog./indef.; Vedic usage)Role KarmaRoot क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: न + एतावत् + अन्ये + मरुतः + यथा + इमे + भ्राजन्ते + रुक्मैः + आयुधैः + तनूभिः । आ + रोदसी + विश्वपिशः + पिशानाः + समानम् + अञ्जि + अञ्जते + शुभे + कम् ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) नैतावद् = न + एतावत् (स्वर-सन्धि/स्वरदीर्घः: अ + ए → ऐ)
- (2) यथेमे = यथा + इमे (आ + इ → ए)
- (3) रुक्मैरायुधैः = रुक्मैः + आयुधैः (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः: ः + अ → र् + आ; RV-पाठे ‘रुक्मैर्’)
- (4) आयुधैस्तनूभिः = आयुधैः + तनूभिः (विसर्गः + त → स्त)
- (5) अञ्ज्यञ्जते = अञ्जि + अञ्जते (इ + अ → य्-अ; यण्-सन्धिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
These Maruts surpass all others: they blaze with golden ornaments, with weapons, and with their own embodied powers. Shaping all forms, they adorn both heaven and earth with one shared beauty, for a radiant delight.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are the many dynamic powers of the Divine Force (prāṇic-mental energies) that act together in the inner sacrifice. Their “gold” is the luminous substance of awakened consciousness; their “weapons” are discriminating, forceful movements that cut through inertia and falsehood. They “fashion every form” by organizing the seeker’s nature—mind, life, and body—into a single harmony, making the higher and lower planes (rodasī) correspond in one beauty (śubha) and joy (kam).
Universal truth
When the higher impulsions of truth-force become coordinated, they illumine and re-form the whole personality. True power is not chaotic intensity but a unified, radiant harmony that beautifies both inner and outer life.
Themes
divine splendour, force against obstruction, cosmic beautification
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vāsiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.1, Rig Veda 7.2, Rig Veda 7.57, Rig Veda 7.58
Family tradition
Saptarṣi of the Vasiṣṭha line; Mandala 7 is the principal family book of the Vasiṣṭhas.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s vision emphasizes ṛta (right order) made effective in life: the harmonizing of powers, the establishment of truth-consciousness, and the secure guidance of the divine forces in the human journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Marutāḥ
- Epithets
- viśvapiśaḥ (fashioners of all forms), śucayaḥ (pure), pāvakāḥ (purifiers), naraḥ (heroes)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Soma, Rudra
Cosmic role
Storm and lightning powers that accompany Indra; they energize the atmosphere, release rains, and uphold cosmic dynamism.
Inner power
Coordinated life-forces and mental energies that break inertia, purify motives, intensify aspiration, and establish luminous harmony across planes of being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Stotra praising the Maruts’ splendour and power; supports their invocation as allies in overcoming obstacles during Soma pressing and communal rites
नैताव॑द॒न्ये म॒रुतो॒ यथे॒मे भ्राज॑न्ते रु॒क्मैरायु॑धैस्त॒नूभि॑: । आ रोद॑सी विश्व॒पिश॑: पिशा॒नाः स॑मा॒नम॒ञ्ज्य॑ञ्जते शु॒भे कम् ॥
न । ए॒ताव॑त् । अ॒न्ये । म॒रुतः॑ । यथा॑ । इ॒मे । भ्राज॑न्ते । रु॒क्मैः । आयु॑धैः । त॒नूभिः॑ । आ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । वि॒श्व॒ऽपिशः॑ । पि॒शा॒नाः । स॒मा॒नम् । अ॒ञ्जि । अ॒ञ्ज॒ते॒ । शु॒भे । कम् ॥
na | etāvat | anye | marutaḥ | yathā | ime | bhrājante | rukmaiḥ | āyudhaiḥ | tanūbhiḥ | ā | rodasī iti | viśva-piśaḥ | piśānāḥ | samānam | añji | añjate | śubhe | kam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Driving, expansive, and martial; suitable for collective powers and forward surge.
Builds energized concentration; evokes a sense of many forces moving in one cadence, helping the listener feel ‘gathered’ and empowered.
- मरुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: storm-gods, Maruts. Symbolic: plural dynamic powers of the Divine Force; energies that purify, strengthen, and illumine the being
- भ्राजन्ते (bhrājante)
- Literal: they shine, blaze. Symbolic: radiance of awakened consciousness; luminous manifestation of truth-force
- रुक्मैः (rukmaiḥ)
- Literal: with gold, golden ornaments. Symbolic: supramental/illumined light-substance; splendour of clarified consciousness
- आयुधैः (āyudhaiḥ)
- Literal: with weapons. Symbolic: powers of discernment and decisive force that break resistance and false formations
- तनूभिः (tanūbhiḥ)
- Literal: with bodies, embodied forms. Symbolic: operative powers in mind-life-body; the divine energies taking concrete expression
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: higher mind and embodied nature; inner and outer planes to be harmonized
- विश्वपिशः (viśvapiśaḥ)
- Literal: fashioning all forms. Symbolic: shaping all movements of nature into true forms aligned with ṛta
- अञ्ज्यञ्जते (añjy añjate)
- Literal: they anoint/adorn. Symbolic: infuse beauty and right order into the being; consecration of nature
- शुभे (śubhe)
- Literal: in beauty, auspiciousness. Symbolic: harmony of truth; luminous order in the nature
- कम् (kam)
- Literal: joy, delight. Symbolic: ānanda as the seal of true formation
Stotra praising the Maruts’ splendour and power; supports their invocation as allies in overcoming obstacles during Soma pressing and communal rites
Marut and Indra-Marut praises within Soma and other śrauta sequences; also as general stuti (hymn of praise).
Recitation to invoke the Maruts’ protecting and energizing presence; offering of oblations with praise.
Use as a meditation-invocation for harmonizing scattered energies and aligning outer action with inner light; suitable before work or collective endeavors.
bhrājante from √bhrāj ‘shine, blaze’ (IE poetic ‘radiance’ lexeme). rukma ‘golden ornament’ functions as ‘luminous form’ rather than mere jewelry. āyudha from ā-√yudh/√yudh ‘to fight’ → instruments that combat obstruction (inner adverse forces). viśva-piś: √piś ‘form, shape, adorn’—the Maruts as ‘all-fashioners’ who impose a single beauty (samānam…añji) on both worlds, suggesting harmonization of higher and lower nature.
harmonization of Heaven and Earth (integration of higher/lower consciousness), beauty as a sign of r̥ta (ordered perfection)
The Maruts ‘adorn’ both worlds with one beauty—an image of ṛta establishing a single law across planes.
Truth as formative power (viśvapiśaḥ): right seeing becomes right shaping.
Formation of ordered worlds and ordered personality through luminous energies.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindonian): cosmic powers as psychological faculties evolving toward supramental harmony.
Lightning = sudden illuminations; storm-winds = sweeping purification and intensification; gold = stabilized spiritual light; heaven/earth = higher mind and embodied nature brought into correspondence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘radiant war-band’ mythologem: the Maruts appear as a shining troop with golden gear and weapons, who ‘adorn’ the cosmos. Psychologically, the awakened forces not only battle but also beautify—bringing a single harmony to mind (heaven) and life/body (earth).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The radiance vocabulary (√bhrāj) and the ornamental ‘gold’ trope are common IE praise strategies for divine warriors. The formulaic dual rodasī is an inherited cosmological frame; the verb √piś ‘shape/adorn’ aligns with an IE theme of gods as ‘fashioners’ imposing form on the world.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet’s praise emphasizes not petition but recognition: by declaring ‘none are like these,’ the r̥ṣi intensifies the Maruts’ presence. The implied exchange is that such acknowledgement draws their shaping force to establish beauty (śubha) and joy (kám) in the sacrificer’s worlds.
Unify and illumine the life-forces; invite a collective harmony of energies under a higher intention.
Anāhata (harmonizing force) and Ājñā (luminous direction)
Moderate rhythmic breathing (4–4 or 6–6) while sensing ‘golden light’ spreading through the chest and head.
Energized widening with luminous clarity; coordinated will.
Before chanting, gather attention in the heart; on ‘rodasī’ feel above-and-below aligning; end by resting in ‘kam’—quiet joy after the surge.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā; preserve udātta peaks on key verbs like bhrājante and injunctive/adornment phrases.
Keep the cadence of Triṣṭubh: slight lift on udātta syllables, avoid flattening the final pāda; let caesura breathe naturally mid-pāda.
Hold retroflex ṭ/ḍ in etāvat and rodasī clearly, Articulate conjuncts: viśva-piśaḥ (don’t drop ś), Keep length: āyudhaiḥ (long ā), tanūbhiḥ (long ū), Pronounce añjy añjate with clear palatal ñ and jya cluster
Bright, resonant, forward-placed tone; energetic but controlled.
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