Rig Veda 5.53.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 53, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.53
- Rishi
- Atri — commonly associated with Mandala 5 hymns
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ऐतान्रथेषु तस्थुषः कः शुश्राव कथा ययुः । कस्मै सस्रुः सुदासे अन्वापय इळाभिर्वृष्टयः सह ॥
áitān ratheṣu tasthúṣaḥ káḥ śuśrāva kathā́ yayuḥ | kásmai sasruḥ sudā́se ánv ā́paya iḷā́bhir vṛṣṭáyaḥ sahá ||
Mereka ini yang berdiri di atas kereta-kereta perang—siapa yang pernah mendengar tentang mereka, dan bagaimana mereka bergerak? Kepada siapa mereka berlari maju? Mengikuti Sudāsa, air-air dengan daya pemelihara, hujan-hujan bersama-sama, mengalir deras.
Word by Word
- एतान्
- these (them)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रथेषु
- on/in the chariotsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्थुषः
- of those who have stood / who are standingParticiple (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (परफेक्ट-स्थाणु/तस्थिवस्-प्रकारः) — ‘standing’Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root स्था (धातु) → तस्थुष् (परस्मैपदी परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट कृदन्त-आधार)
- कः
- who?Pronoun (interrogative)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शुश्राव
- has heardVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot श्रु (धातु)
- कथा
- how? / in what manner?Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (प्रश्नार्थे) अथवा अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः ‘how’Role अधिकारण/प्रकार (प्रश्न-प्रकार)Root कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
- ययुः
- they have goneVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot या (धातु)
- कस्मै
- for whom?Pronoun (interrogative)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सस्रुः
- they have flowed / runVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot सृ (धातु)
- सुदासे
- to SudāsProper Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुदास (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपपद/क्रियाविशेषणRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- आपयः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (आपः), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot आप्/आपस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘water’)
- इळाभिः
- with refreshment/Idā-offerings (nourishing draughts)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot इळा (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्टयः
- rainsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सह
- together, along withIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/सहकारRoot सह (अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): एतान् | रथेषु | तस्थुषः | कः | शुश्राव | कथा | ययुः | कस्मै | सस्रुः | सुदासे | अनु | आपयः | इळाभिः | वृष्टयः | सह । मुख्य-सन्धि: (1) ऐतान् → एतान् (एतान् इति; दीर्घ-ए/ऐ लेखन-परम्परा) । (2) ऐतान् रथे॑षु: अन्त्य-न् + र- आरम्भः
- संधि-परिवर्तनं न, केवलं पदसंयोगः। (3) तस्थुष॒: कः → तस्थुषः कः (विसर्गः पदान्ते) । (4) कस्मै॑ सस्रुः → कस्मै सस्रुः (स्वर-चिह्न-भेदः; संधि-परिवर्तनं न) । (5) सुदासे॒ अन्वा॒पयः → सुदासे अनु आपयः (अनु + आपयः; पाठे ‘अन्वा-’ इति संहितायां उकारस्य वकारादेशः: अनु + आपयः → अन्वापयः) । (6) इळा॑भिर्वृ॒ष्टय॑: → इळाभिः वृष्टयः (विसर्ग/र्-आदेशः: इळाभिः + वृष्टयः → इळाभिर्वृष्टयः) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet marvels at the Maruts standing on their chariots: who has heard of them, how they moved, to whom they rushed? Following Sudāsa, the waters with nourishing powers and the rains together stream out.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are perceived as swift formations of divine Force mounted on ‘chariots’—organized movements of energy. The questions express the mind’s awe before supraphysical workings: their modes are not easily grasped by ordinary hearing. “Sudāsa” (su-dāsa, ‘good servant/good giver’) can be read as the well-disposed human instrument or the soul that serves the Truth; when the being aligns with this right servitorship, the ‘waters’ (āpaḥ)—streams of consciousness and inspiration—flow with iḻā (nourishment/refreshment), and the ‘rains’ (vṛṣṭayaḥ) descend as collective influxes of force and clarity.
Universal truth
Higher help often arrives in ways the surface mind cannot predict. When a person becomes a sincere servant of the good (sudāsa), supportive currents—insight, nourishment, renewal—begin to flow in coordinated abundance.
Themes
Arrival of Maruts, Rain-descent, Rhetorical wonder, Patron-alignment (Sudāsa)
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.53.1-11, RV 5.52, RV 5.54
Family tradition
Atraya hymns often show a seer’s astonishment before the swift, many-sided operations of the gods—especially Maruts as dynamic helpers of Indra.
Significance
Atri here trains the consciousness to move from bewildered wonder (“who has heard?”) to receptivity: recognize the divine Force by its fruits—release of waters and rains (inspiration and descent).
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- rathastha (standing on chariots, implied), swift-moving (yayuḥ), releasers of rains (vṛṣṭi)
- Related deities
- Indra, Parjanya, Agni
Cosmic role
They accompany Indra, stir the atmosphere, and bring coordinated rains—cosmic increase and purification.
Inner power
They mobilize the inner energies so that inspiration (waters) and descent (rains) follow the right soul-direction (Sudāsa principle).
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut hymn recitation in Soma-related rites and rain/increase invocations.
ऐतान्रथे॑षु त॒स्थुष॒: कः शु॑श्राव क॒था य॑युः । कस्मै॑ सस्रुः सु॒दासे॒ अन्वा॒पय॒ इळा॑भिर्वृ॒ष्टय॑: स॒ह ॥
आ । ए॒तान् । रथे॑षु । त॒स्थुषः॑ । कः । शु॒श्रा॒व॒ । क॒था । य॒युः॒ । कस्मै॑ । स॒स्रुः॒ । सु॒ऽदासे॑ । अनु॑ । आ॒पयः॑ । इळा॑भिः । वृ॒ष्टयः॑ । स॒ह ॥
ā | etān | ratheṣu | tasthuṣaḥ | kaḥ | śuśrāva | kathā | yayuḥ | kasmai | sasruḥ | su-dāse | anu | āpayaḥ | iḷābhiḥ | vṛṣṭayaḥ | saha
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Interrogative, quick-turning cadence; fits wonder and swift movement imagery.
Creates alertness and openness; the questioning rhythm breaks mental rigidity and invites intuitive recognition.
- रथेषु (ratheṣu)
- Literal: on chariots. Symbolic: organized vehicles of force; structured movements of energy in the being
- कः शुश्राव (kaḥ śuśrāva)
- Literal: who has heard?. Symbolic: limits of ordinary mentality; need for inner hearing/intuitive perception
- सुदासे (sudāse)
- Literal: to/after Sudāsa. Symbolic: the rightly disposed servant-soul; the being aligned to truth and right action
- आपयः/आपः (āpayaḥ/āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: streams of consciousness, inspiration, refreshing powers
- इळाभिः (iḻābhiḥ)
- Literal: with iḻā (nourishment). Symbolic: strengthening substance of truth—support, food of the soul/mind
- वृष्टयः (vṛṣṭayaḥ)
- Literal: rains. Symbolic: descent of force and illumination from higher planes
Marut praise framing their arrival and effects (rain/waters); used to invoke their swift help for prosperity and victory—innerly, for the descent of supportive currents.
In sequences praising Maruts for release of waters/rains; also in rites seeking strength and timely rains.
Stotra/śastra praise; mentally ‘follow’ the right leader (Sudāsa) to invite the flow of āpaḥ.
Use when feeling blocked or dry: chant to invite inner flow (ideas, renewal) and outer coordination (supportive circumstances).
tasthuṣaḥ: perf. ptc. of √sthā 'stand' → established presence. śuśrāva: perf. of √śru 'hear'. yayuḥ: perf./aor. of √yā 'go'. sru (sasruḥ): √sru 'flow' (PIE *sreu- 'flow', cf. English stream). sudāsa: su- 'good' + dāsa (name), often interpreted also as 'good-giver'; here both patron and archetype of right generosity. iḷā: connected with nourishment/invocation; in inner sense, the power that forms and supports the offering and its increase.
Collective descent of force, R̥ta as ordered movement (chariot imagery), Śruti/fame as transmission
When the being aligns with ṛta (right servitorship), the cosmic waters/rains respond in ordered outflow.
True ‘hearing’ is not rumor but inner recognition of divine movement by its truth-bearing nourishment (iḻā).
Release of waters as recurrent Vedic creation motif: opening the blocked streams for growth.
Psychological Vedism moving toward Upanishadic prāṇa/āpaḥ symbolism.
rainy season motif (implied)
Waters/rains = inspiration and descent; chariots = disciplined energy-formations; following Sudāsa = aligning will to the good.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of the storm-host: Maruts appear on chariots and their coming is marked by the streaming of waters and rains. Innerly, the mythic action is the sudden manifestation of dynamic divine powers whose arrival releases supportive currents of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sru 'flow' reflects PIE *sreu- (stream/ström). √yā 'go' relates to PIE *h₁ei- 'go' (broadly). The verse’s alliterative motion-verbs (tasthuṣaḥ/yayuḥ/sasruḥ) enact the semantics of swift movement typical of Indo-European storm hymns.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi positions himself as witness and questioner, tracking the Devas’ movement and their chosen recipient. The mention of Sudāsa indicates alignment with right giving; the Devas’ rains follow the one who embodies generosity and receptivity—innerly, the being that offers rightly attracts the descending currents.
Track the ‘movement of the powers’: observe how higher energy organizes itself (chariot) and releases inspiration (waters).
Viśuddha (flow of expression) supported by Ājñā (higher guidance).
Gentle ujjāyī or 6-6 breathing while visualizing a cool stream descending on exhale.
Receptive alertness—mind questioning without skepticism, open to intuitive signs.
When confused by inner movements, do not force conceptual answers; chant, then watch for the objective sign: a real increase of clarity, nourishment, and coordinated flow in life-energy.
Maintain Vedic accents; interrogatives (kaḥ, kathā, kasmai) should be crisp without over-dramatization; keep the cadence forward-moving.
Mark the three questions distinctly (kaḥ… kathā… kasmai…) with slight separation; then let the final flow-phrase run more legato to mimic streaming waters.
aitān: ai-tān (clear diphthong ai), tasthuṣaḥ: tas-thu-ṣaḥ (retroflex ṣ), śuśrāva: śu-śrā-va (long ā), iḻābhiḥ: articulate ḻ/ḷ sound per tradition; keep vowel long ā, vṛṣṭayaḥ: vṛṣ-ṭa-yaḥ (ṭ)
Clear, bright, slightly wind-like; end with a flowing softness on the waters/rains clause.
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