Rig Veda 8.20.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 20, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.20
- Rishi
- Sobharī Kāṇva
- Devata
- Maruts/Rudras
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वीळुपविभिर्मरुत ऋभुक्षण आ रुद्रासः सुदीतिभिः । इषा नो अद्या गता पुरुस्पृहो यज्ञमा सोभरीयवः ॥
vīḷupaví-bhir maruta ṛbhukṣaṇa ā rudrāsaḥ sudīti-bhiḥ | iṣā́ no adyā́ gatā puru-spṛho yajñám ā sobharī-yavaḥ ||
ហៃម៉ារុតទាំងឡាយ ដែលមានកម្លាំងក្នុងក្រុមរបស់អ្នក ហៃរុទ្រទាំងឡាយដែលមានប្រាជ្ញាភ្លឺស្វាង សូមចូលមកថ្ងៃនេះជាមួយនឹងអំណាចនៃការកើនឡើងសម្រាប់ពួកយើង ដោយប្រាថ្នានូវការសម្រេចច្រើនយ៉ាង សូមចូលមកកាន់ការបូជារបស់យើង ហៃកូនចៅរបស់សោភរី ចូលមកកាន់ការបូជាក្នុងដែនចិត្ត។
Word by Word
- वीळुपविभिः
- with (their) वीळुपवि- (strong/impetuous) [powers/means]Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot वीळुपवि- (प्रातिपदिक; मरुत्-सम्बद्ध विशेषण)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋभुक्षणाः
- skilled/clever (Rbhukṣaṇa-)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot ऋभुक्षण- (प्रातिपदिक; मरुत्-विशेषण)
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्गः (गमनार्थे) / निपातःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- रुद्रासः
- the Rudras (Rudra-like ones)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (मरुतां विशेषणरूपेण)Root रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदीतिभिः
- with good splendours / bright powersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot सु-दीति- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good brightness/splendour’)
- इषा
- with refreshment/strengthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (वेदिक-प्रयोगः; साधारणतः ‘इषया’)Role करणRoot इष्/इषा- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘refreshment, strength, nourishment’)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्य
- today; nowIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययम्Role अधिकरण (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- गताः
- having come; arrivedVerb (participial)क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (मरुतः/रुद्रासः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (गमनक्रियायाः)Root गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
- पुरुस्पृहः
- much-desiring; eagerAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (मरुतः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root पुरु-स्पृह- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘much-desiring/keen’)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- unto; toIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आ-गमन/आ-प्राप्त्यर्थे)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सोभरीयवः
- the Sobhariyas (Sobhari’s descendants/affiliated seers)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ/सम्बोधन-सम्बन्ध (स्तोत्रकार-समूहः)Root सोभरीय- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘of/descended from Sobhari’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): वीळुपविभिः मरुतः ऋभुक्षणाः आ रुद्रासः सुदीतिभिः । इषा नः अद्य गताः पुरुस्पृहः यज्ञम् आ सोभरीयवः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) इषा + नः → इषा नो (ओ-आदेशः)
- (2) नः + अद्य → नो अद्य (एन्क्लिटिक-प्रयोगः; संधिः लेख्यते)
- (3) यज्ञम् + आ → यज्ञमा (म् + आ → मा; परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-लोप-प्रकारः पदपाठे ‘यज्ञम् आ’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts—Rudra-like storm-gods—are invoked to come in close-knit companies, with bright powers, bringing increase and many desired boons to the sacrifice of the seer Sobharī.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are the dynamic, purifying life-forces (prāṇic-vital energies) that move in disciplined “bands” within the being. When they arrive with sudīti (clear, bright discernment), they intensify aspiration (iṣā) and bring a many-sided fulfillment (puru-spṛhaḥ) to the inner yajña—our conscious offering of thoughts, impulses, and works to the Divine. “Children of Sobharī” hints at a lineage of inner practice: these forces respond to a sincere, gathered will rather than scattered desire.
Universal truth
Transformation requires organized energies: illumination is not only a quiet insight but also a coordinated surge of forces that increase capacity, widen aspiration, and carry the offering toward fulfillment.
Themes
invocation, illumined-thought, increase-and-nourishment, sacrificial-entry
The seer
- Rishi
- Sobharī Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.20.1, Rig Veda 8.20.3, Rig Veda 8.20.4, Rig Veda 8.20.5, Rig Veda 8.20.6
Family tradition
Kāṇva seers are noted for hymns of dynamic realization—invoking powers that perfect the inner sacrifice through force, clarity, and wideness.
Significance
Sobharī’s voice emphasizes the disciplined arrival of powerful inner energies: the yogic necessity of gathering forces into an ordered movement toward the yajña within.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (as Rudras)
- Epithets
- ṛbhukṣaṇa (skillful/strong, well-formed in power), rudrāsaḥ (Rudra-powers), sudītibhiḥ (bright in discernment), puru-spṛhaḥ (many-aspiring)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni, Vishnu
Cosmic role
They are the storm-host that accompanies the great gods, breaking inertia, releasing the waters/lights, and establishing movement in the worlds.
Inner power
Courageous, clarifying, and purifying prāṇa—energies that enforce sincerity, intensity, and forward motion in sādhanā.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut-invocations within Soma and other śrauta offerings; also recited to call protective and strengthening powers.
वी॒ळु॒प॒विभि॑र्मरुत ऋभुक्षण॒ आ रु॑द्रासः सुदी॒तिभि॑: । इ॒षा नो॑ अ॒द्या ग॑ता पुरुस्पृहो य॒ज्ञमा सो॑भरी॒यव॑: ॥
वी॒ळु॒प॒विऽभिः॑ । म॒रु॒तः॒ । ऋ॒भु॒क्ष॒णः॒ । आ । रु॒द्रा॒सः॒ । सु॒दी॒तिऽभिः॑ । इ॒षा । नः॒ । अ॒द्य । आ । ग॒त॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽस्पृ॒हः॒ । य॒ज्ञम् । आ । सो॒भ॒री॒ऽयवः॑ ॥
vīḷupavi-bhiḥ | marutaḥ | ṛbhukṣaṇaḥ | ā | rudrāsaḥ | sudīti-bhiḥ | iṣā | naḥ | adya | ā | gat a | puru-spṛhaḥ | yajñam | ā | sobharī-yavaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (with Vedic substitutions possible)
Driving, martial cadence with forward thrust—suited to invocation and summoning of force.
Energizes the chest-breath and will; supports a gathered, ascending aspiration rather than passive contemplation.
- मरुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: Maruts, storm-hosts. Symbolic: Disciplined dynamic life-forces that purify, energize, and support inner progress
- रुद्रासः (rudrāsaḥ)
- Literal: Rudras. Symbolic: Fierce purifying powers that break resistance and heal by forceful clarity
- सुदीतिभिः (sudītibhiḥ)
- Literal: with bright lights/insights. Symbolic: Clear discernment; luminous intelligence guiding energy
- इषा (iṣā)
- Literal: refreshment, nourishment, impetus, increase. Symbolic: Upward drive of aspiration; strengthening of the inner offering
- पुरुस्पृहः (puru-spṛhaḥ)
- Literal: desiring many things. Symbolic: Many-sided seeking for integral fulfillment (not mere outer wants)
- यज्ञम् (yajñam)
- Literal: sacrifice, offering. Symbolic: Inner consecration—offering of mind, life, and body to the Divine Work
Soma-yajña Marut-stotra context; calling the Maruts with dhīti (illumined thought) and iṣā (invigorating increase) to empower the rite/inner offering.
During stotra/śastra sequences or invitatory moments when the host of powers is called to the yajña.
Āvāhana (invitation), offering oblations with focused intention for strength and increase.
Use before demanding work or practice sessions to invoke coordinated energy, clarity, and perseverance; suitable as a “start-of-sādhanā” chant.
dhīti 'thought, vision' from √dhī 'to think, perceive'; iṣā from √iṣ 'to impel, invigorate' → 'nourishing impulsion/strength of increase'. rudra as 'the fierce-howling/purifying' power; ṛbhu suggests skilful fashioning (mythic artisan-quality transferred to Maruts as shapers of energies). Psychological reading: the Maruts are asked to enter the yajña with luminous discernment and growth-force, to multiply inner attainments (puru-spṛh).
Rita as right-thinking (su-dhīti) guiding force, Increase (iṣā) as inner nourishment, Collective divine energies entering the yajña
The Maruts embody ṛta as organized, rhythmic force—energies that move in right formation rather than chaotic impulse.
Sudīti signifies truth-vision guiding power; energy becomes luminous when aligned to Satya.
Increase (iṣā) as a principle of growth—expansion of capacity and release of hidden potentials.
Proto-yogic Vedic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap line): gods as inner powers and processes of consciousness.
Storm = forceful purification; bright flashes = sudden discernment; rain/increase = nourishment of aspiration and capacity in the inner being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'descent/arrival of the Rudra-host to the yajña' bringing bright dhīti and iṣā; mythically the storm-gods come to the offering, psychologically the dynamic powers enter with illumined intelligence to increase the seeker’s capacities.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √iṣ 'impel' shows the inherited idea of 'driving/urging' force; √dhī relates to cognition (PIE *dʰeh₁- 'set/put' is not direct; but Vedic dhī is an old Indo-Iranian poetic-cognition term). √gam again reflects PIE *gʷem-. The compound puru-spṛh ('much-desiring') demonstrates archaic compounding typical of Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers a prepared yajña and calls for the Maruts’ entry with su-dhīti; the devatā reciprocates by bringing iṣā (growth-force) and manifold fulfillments—an exchange of aspiration and empowerment.
Invoke coordinated life-force and lucid discernment to support the inner offering (yajña) of the day.
Anāhata (courage/breath) and Maṇipūra (will/force)
Moderate rhythmic breathing (e.g., 4-4 or 4-6) while feeling ‘bands’ of energy aligning through the torso.
Dynamic concentration—quiet center with strong forward-moving power.
Before action, inwardly ‘invite’ the Marut energies: align impulses into a single consecrated intention; let clarity (sudīti) govern intensity (śuṣma).
Vedic svara as per śākhā tradition: maintain udatta peaks on invocatory names (marutaḥ, rudrāsaḥ) with svarita falls on enclitics; exact pattern requires the pada/saṃhitā svara marks of the recitation tradition used.
Lean stress toward the invoked deity-words and power-words: marutaḥ | rudrāsaḥ | sudītibhiḥ | iṣā | yajñam.
Keep retroflex ḷ in vīḻu- distinctly (not l)., ṛ in ṛbhukṣaṇa is syllabic; avoid adding a vowel before it., Maintain long vowels: ā in ā rudrāsaḥ, ī in sudīti-., puru-spṛhaḥ: articulate spṛ (spr̥) with vocalic ṛ.
Bright, steady, and forward-projecting; avoid harshness—force with clarity.
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