Rig Veda 1.40.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 40, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.40
- Devata
- Marut
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्वामिद्धि सहसस्पुत्र मर्त्य उपब्रूते धने हिते । सुवीर्यं मरुत आ स्वश्व्यं दधीत यो व आचके ॥
tvā́m íd dhi sáhasas-putra mártya upabrūté dháne hité | su-vī́ryaṃ maruta ā́ svaśvyaṃ dádhīta yó va ācaké ||
ដ្បិតវាជាអ្នក ហៃបុត្រនៃកម្លាំង ដែលមនុស្សហៅនៅពេលដែលគោលដៅគឺជាការទទួលបាន។ ហៃម៉ារុតទាំងឡាយ នរណាដែលបានមករកអ្នក បានដាក់ទុកក្នុងខ្លួនគេនូវកម្លាំងវីរភាព និងការគ្រប់គ្រងសត្វសេះដោយត្រឹមត្រូវ - ថាមពលដែលបានហ្វឹកហ្វឺនសម្រាប់ការធ្វើដំណើរ។
Word by Word
- त्वाम्
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (पुं.)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातःRoot इत् (निपात)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableनिपातःRoot हि (निपात)
- सहसः
- of might/strengthNounषष्ठी-एकवचनम् (नपुं.)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुत्र
- O sonNounसम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (पुं.)Role सम्बोधनRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्यः
- a mortalNounप्रथमा-एकवचनम् (पुं.)Role कर्तृRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपब्रूते
- addresses, speaks toVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्र.पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot ब्रू (धातु) उप-उपसर्ग
- धने
- in/for wealthNounसप्तमी-एकवचनम् (नपुं.)Role अधिकरणRoot धन (प्रातिपदिक)
- हिते
- set/aimed (there), beneficialAdjectiveसप्तमी-एकवचनम् (नपुं.), धने इति विशेषणम्Role अधिकरण (विशेषण-भावेन)Root हित (कृदन्त; √धा/√हि?; here adjectival ‘placed/appointed, beneficial’)
- सुवीर्यम्
- good hero-power, valorNounद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (नपुं.)Role कर्मRoot सु-वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounसम्बोधन-बहुवचनम् (पुं.)Role सम्बोधनRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, unto; (intensifier)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (दधा- इत्यस्य सह)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्वश्व्यम्
- good-horsedness, fine horsesNounद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (नपुं.)Role कर्मRoot सु-अश्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having good horses’)
- दधीत
- should place/put, should bestowVerbविधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधि), परस्मैपदम्, प्र.पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot धा (धातु)
- यः
- whoPronounप्रथमा-एकवचनम् (पुं.)Role कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आचके
- has perceived/recognized; has sought (you)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपदम्, प्र.पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot क (धातु; Vedic perfect with ā-: आ-चके)
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेदः (पदक्रमानुसार): त्वामिद्धि → त्वाम् + इत् + हि
- सहसस्पुत्र → सहसः + पुत्र
- उपब्रूते (उप- + ब्रूते)
- धने हिते (हिते = धने इति सप्तमी-एकवचनस्य विशेषणम्)
- सुवीर्यं मरुत आ स्वश्व्यं → सुवीर्यम् + मरुतः + आ + स्वश्व्यम्
- दधी॑त यो व आचके → दधीत् + यः + वः + आचके. (स्वरचिह्नाः पाठे यथास्थानं; पदविश्लेषणे रूपनिर्णयः स्वरात् स्वतंत्रः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
It is you, O son of Strength, whom the mortal calls upon for gain. O Maruts, one who has approached you stores within himself heroic power and good mastery of steeds.
Inner meaning
The ‘son of strength’ indicates a divine-born power in the human—invoked when the seeker aims at the true ‘wealth’ (dhana) of being. Approaching the Maruts means consenting to the discipline of dynamic energies. Then ‘suvīrya’ (true heroism) is established inwardly: courage, endurance, and victorious initiative. ‘Svaśvya’ is not literal horses but right mastery of the vital forces—energies trained to carry consciousness forward without being thrown by desire, fear, or haste.
Universal truth
When we turn to higher powers for true attainment, we must also accept training of our energies. Real success is inner heroism and disciplined force of action.
Themes
aspiration-for-force, inner-discipline, Marut-energy
The seer
Significance
The seer highlights the Vedic method: invoke the divine, then embody it as trained energy and courage—yoga as transformation, not mere prayer.
The deity
- Devata
- Marut(s)
- Epithets
- suvīrya-dātāraḥ (givers of true heroism, implied), śūra-sakhāyaḥ (companions of the hero, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra (implied by ‘son of strength’), Agni, Brahmaṇaspati
Cosmic role
Energizers and purifiers who accompany Indra; movers of the mid-region; breakers of stagnation.
Inner power
They build courageous, disciplined prāṇa—turning raw impulse into obedient force for the soul’s intention.
In ritual
Where it is used
Part of the Brahmaṇaspati/Indra-Marut hymn sequence; used to affirm the fruit of invoking the Maruts.
त्वामिद्धि स॑हसस्पुत्र॒ मर्त्य॑ उपब्रू॒ते धने॑ हि॒ते । सु॒वीर्यं॑ मरुत॒ आ स्वश्व्यं॒ दधी॑त॒ यो व॑ आच॒के ॥
त्वाम् । इत् । हि । स॒ह॒सः॒ । पु॒त्र॒ । मर्त्यः॑ । उ॒प॒ऽब्रू॒ते । धने॑ । हि॒ते । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् । म॒रु॒तः॒ । आ । सु॒ऽअश्व्य॑म् । दधी॑त । यः । वः॒ । आ॒ऽच॒क्रे ॥
tvām | it | hi | sahasaḥ | putra | martyaḥ | upa-brūte | dhane | hite | su-vīryam | marutaḥ | ā | su-aśvyam | dadhīta | yaḥ | vaḥ | ācakre
Likely Gāyatrī (continuing the short, swift cadence of the hymn)
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3×8 syllables (probable)
Compact, instructive, forward-moving.
Builds confidence and steadiness; supports resolve and disciplined action.
- सहसः पुत्र (sahasaḥ putra)
- Literal: son of strength. Symbolic: divine-born power (often Indra-like) awakening in the seeker
- मर्त्यः (martyaḥ)
- Literal: mortal. Symbolic: human consciousness under limitation seeking the higher
- धन (dhana)
- Literal: wealth, gain. Symbolic: spiritual riches: light, force, wideness, fulfillment
- हित (hita)
- Literal: set/placed, intended good. Symbolic: right aim, true benefit aligned with the soul
- सुवीर्यम् (suvīryam)
- Literal: good heroism. Symbolic: courageous, steadfast soul-force in evolution
- स्वश्व्यम् (svaśvyaṃ)
- Literal: good/own horsemanship. Symbolic: right mastery of vital energies (aśva = force of action)
- आचक्रे (ācakre)
- Literal: has approached/turned toward. Symbolic: act of consecration and alliance with the higher powers
A verse of seeking divine aid for dhana (gain) and vīrya (heroic force), suitable to recitation when strengthening the sacrificer’s intention and calling the Maruts’ energizing presence.
After the initial call, to state the benefit and establish the devotee’s relationship with the powers invoked.
Praise with promised attainment (phala-śruti-like tone).
As an affirmation for training one’s energies: before exercise, work, or sadhana requiring endurance and self-mastery.
sáhasas-putra: sahas- ‘strength, might’ (often from √sah ‘to prevail, be strong’) + putra ‘son’. upa-brūte: upa + √brū ‘to speak’ → ‘to address, invoke’. su-vīrya: vīrya from vīra ‘hero’ (< PIE *wiHrós ‘man’), semantic drift to ‘heroic power’. svaśvya: su/aśva ‘good horses’—aśva from PIE *h₁éḱwos ‘horse’; psychologically re-read as ‘steed-powers’ of movement/energy.
conversion of desire into right aim (hita), vīrya as spiritual heroism, governed energies (aśva symbolism)
Right mastery of ‘steeds’ is prāṇa aligned to Ṛta—energy moving in true rhythm.
True gain (hita) comes through alignment, not desire-driven action.
Evolutionary formation of the ‘hero’ in man through divine allies.
Integral Vedic psychology: transformation of prāṇa into instrument of the soul.
Horse = vital dynamism; horsemanship = governance of impulse; storm = awakened energies that clear and strengthen.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mortal seeker turns to the divine storm-powers for vīrya and ‘steeds’: a classic Vedic pattern where divine allies grant the effective energies for the advance and battle, not merely external goods.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The aśva/horse lexeme is a clear Indo-European inheritance (*h₁éḱwos). The semantic pairing of ‘hero’ (vīra) and ‘heroic power’ (vīrya) matches PIE-derived warrior diction used for both human and divine agency.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Invocation (upa-brūte) is presented as the turning-point: when the aim is set (hita), the divine powers respond by establishing in the seeker the needed heroic capacity and rightly harnessed energies.
Transform raw drive into disciplined force; cultivate ‘suvīrya’ (steady inner heroism).
Manipura (governance of force)
Measured breathing with emphasis on long exhale to ‘tame the steeds’; optionally combine with walking meditation to embody ‘right movement’.
Steady, capable, self-possessed dynamism.
Recall one area where energy runs wild (speech, appetite, hurry). Offer it to the Marut-force; practice one-point discipline for a set period; end by feeling ‘stored’ strength, not excitement.
Keep udatta emphasis on key invocatory words (tvām, sahasaḥ, suvīryam); let the cadence remain compact.
Do not blur consonant clusters: sahasas-putra; keep clear pause at the danda.
tvām: clear tv- cluster, sahasaḥ: aspirate ha; final ḥ as light visarga, upabrūte: long ū; retroflex ṭ in -te is dental t here (brūte), svaśvyaṃ: śv cluster; nasal ṃ at end lightly, dadhīta: aspirate dh; long ī
Firm, contained, confident.
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