Rig Veda 1.87.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 87, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.87
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Marutaḥ
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Vira (heroism)
प्रैषामज्मेषु विथुरेव रेजते भूमिर्यामेषु यद्ध युञ्जते शुभे । ते क्रीळयो धुनयो भ्राजदृष्टयः स्वयं महित्वं पनयन्त धूतयः ॥
práiṣām ájmeṣu vithurévā rejate bhū́mir yā́meṣu yád dha yuñjáte śubhé | té krī́ḷayo dhúnayo bhrā́jadṛṣṭayaḥ svayáṃ mahitváṃ panayanta dhū́tayaḥ ||
അവരുടെ പാഞ്ഞോടലുകളിൽ ഭൂമി വിറയ്ക്കുന്നു—കുലുക്കപ്പെട്ടതുപോലെ—അവർ തങ്ങളുടെ ഗതികളിൽ സത്യമായി ശുഭകർമ്മത്തിനായി തങ്ങളെ യോജിപ്പിക്കുമ്പോൾ. കളിമയവും ഗർജ്ജനസ്വഭാവവും മിന്നുന്ന കുന്തങ്ങളുമുള്ള ആ ധൂതഗതിശീലർ തങ്ങളുടെ തന്നെ ശക്തിയാൽ തങ്ങളുടെ മഹത്വം പ്രകടമാക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग) अथवा प्र (अव्यय)
- एषाम्
- of these (them)Pronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अज्मेषु
- in the courses/paths (marches)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अज्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विथुर
- trembling, unsteadyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot विथुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- रेजते
- shakes, tremblesVerbलट् (वर्त्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √रेज् (रेजते)
- भूमिः
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यामेषु
- in the marches/advancesNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot याम (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- when/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धक)Role सम्बन्ध/उपपदRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot ह
- युञ्जते
- they yoke, they harnessVerbलट् (वर्त्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √युज् (युञ्जते)
- शुभे
- for/in splendor, in beauty (auspiciousness)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अथवा दत्तिवे/सप्तमी—वेदे चल)Role अधिकारण (लक्ष्य/उद्देश्य-भाव)Root शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- क्रीळयः
- players, sportersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (अप्पोज़िशन)Root क्रीळि/क्रीळा (प्रातिपदिक)
- धुनयः
- shakers, stormersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (अप्पोज़िशन)Root धुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- भ्राजदृष्टयः
- having shining spears/looks (bright-lanced)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot भ्राजत्-दृष्टि (कृदन्त-समास; √भ्राज् + दृष्टि)
- स्वयम्
- of themselves, spontaneouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot स्वयम्
- महित्वम्
- greatness, mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot महित्व (प्रातिपदिक; महत्-भाव)
- पनयन्त
- they displayed/manifested, made knownVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत/इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (वैदिक-लोप: पनयन्त = पनयन्/पनयन्ति-समकक्ष)Role क्रियाRoot √पन्/पण् (पनयति)
- धूतयः
- the shakers, the impetuous onesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (अप्पोज़िशन)Root धूति (प्रातिपदिक; √धू ‘to shake’ से)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): प्र | एषाम् | अज्मेषु | विथुर् | इव | रेजते | भूमिः | यामेषु | यत् | ह | युञ्जते | शुभे || ते | क्रीळयः | धुनयः | भ्राजदृष्टयः | स्वयम् | महित्वम् | पनयन्त | धूतयः । 1) प्रैषाम् = प्र + एषाम् (स्वर-सन्धि: अ/आ + ए → ऐ). 2) विथुरेव = विथुर् + इव (र् + इ → रे; ‘विथुर्’ का पदान्त र्). 3) रेजते भूमिः: विसर्ग/पदविराम से पृथक्. 4) यद्ध = यत् + ह (त् + ह → द्ध). 5) भ्राज॑दृष्टयः: ‘भ्राजत्’ (वर्तमान कृदन्त) + ‘दृष्टि’ का समास
- पदान्त त् + द् → द्द (लिखित रूप में दृष्टयः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In their rushings the earth quivers; when in their courses they yoke themselves for splendid work. Playful, thundering, with flashing spears, they make their greatness felt by their own power—impetuous movers.
Inner meaning
When the Marut-forces surge, the ‘earth’—the physical consciousness and habitual stability—trembles; transformation shakes the settled base. Their ‘yoking’ is the harnessing of energies to a divine purpose (śubha karma). Their thunder is the shock that breaks tamas; their flashing spears are incisive illuminations and forceful discriminations that pierce the coverer. They reveal greatness not by outer supports but by inherent spiritual force awakened in the being.
Universal truth
Growth often begins as a shaking of the old ground. When energies are yoked to a higher work, disruption becomes a purposeful liberation, and inner power manifests as clarity and decisive movement.
Themes
storm-dynamism, yoking-of-powers, divine-play, transformation-of-nature
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.85, RV 1.86, RV 1.87
Family tradition
Gautama vision frequently couples force with discernment—here the shaking is not chaos but a yoking to śubha (the good, the beautiful, the true).
Significance
The rishi depicts a psychology of transformation: the base consciousness trembles when higher forces descend and are harnessed—an early map of inner upheaval leading to greater order.
The deity
- Devata
- Marutaḥ
- Epithets
- krīḻayaḥ (playful), dhunayaḥ (thundering), bhrājadṛṣṭayaḥ (flashing-speared), dhūtayaḥ (impetuous)
- Related deities
- Indra (as the decisive slayer of Vṛtra), Agni (leader of inner sacrifice)
Cosmic role
They shake the worlds, drive the storm, and assist in releasing waters and light by breaking obstructions.
Inner power
Catalysts of change: they disturb fixed patterns, pierce obscurity, and energize the being toward luminous action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut stotra within Soma-related rites; also protective invocations during storm/uncertainty metaphors.
प्रैषा॒मज्मे॑षु विथु॒रेव॑ रेजते॒ भूमि॒र्यामे॑षु॒ यद्ध॑ यु॒ञ्जते॑ शु॒भे । ते क्री॒ळयो॒ धुन॑यो॒ भ्राज॑दृष्टयः स्व॒यं म॑हि॒त्वं प॑नयन्त॒ धूत॑यः ॥
प्र । ए॒षा॒म् । अज्मे॑षु । वि॒थु॒राऽइ॑व । रे॒ज॒ते॒ । भूमिः॑ । यामे॑षु । यत् । ह॒ । यु॒ञ्जते॑ । शु॒भे । ते । क्री॒ळयः॒ । धुन॑यः । भ्राज॑त्ऽऋष्टयः । स्व॒यम् । म॒हि॒ऽत्वम् । प॒न॒य॒न्त॒ । धूत॑यः ॥
pra | eṣām | ajmeṣu | vithurāiva | rejate | bhūmiḥ | yāmeṣu | yat | ha | yuñjate | śubhe | te | krīḷayaḥ | dhunayaḥ | bhrājat-ṛṣṭayaḥ | svayam | mahi-tvam | panayanta | dhūtayaḥ
48
4 × ~12 syllables
Turbulent yet measured; long lines convey rolling thunder and sustained momentum.
Produces a felt vibration in the body; supports cathartic release of inertia and a mobilized steadiness afterward.
- अज्मेषु (ajmeṣu)
- Literal: in rushings, impetuous movements. Symbolic: surges of transformative prāṇa
- भूमिः (bhūmiḥ)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: physical consciousness; the base nature that resists change
- यामेषु (yāmeṣu)
- Literal: courses, journeys. Symbolic: stages of inner progress; regulated movements in sādhanā
- युञ्जते (yuñjate)
- Literal: they yoke/harness. Symbolic: disciplining energies for the divine work
- शुभे (śubhe)
- Literal: for the splendid/auspicious. Symbolic: work of purification and illumination
- धुनयः (dhunayaḥ)
- Literal: thundering, shaking. Symbolic: forces that shake off inertia and falsehood
- भ्राजदृष्टयः (bhrājadṛṣṭayaḥ)
- Literal: with shining spears. Symbolic: luminous penetrations of insight/will
- धूतयः (dhūtayaḥ)
- Literal: impetuous movers. Symbolic: swift energies of progress once liberated
Describes the Maruts’ approach and action; ritually, intensifies the invocation; inwardly, signals that when these forces are yoked, even the ‘earth’ (physical nature) is transformed and shaken into readiness.
When seeking force to overcome obstacles and to ‘yoke’ energies for successful rite and victory.
Recitation as energizing praise; aligns participants with vigorous, truth-serving action.
Helpful during periods of stagnation: chant to accept the ‘shaking’ of old habits and consciously harness energy to a chosen discipline.
√ ‘yoke’ (PIE *yeug-, cf. Latin iugum, English yoke). √ ‘shake’ (IE shaking lexemes common). ‘spear’ is Vedic martial imagery for a ray/force; bhrāj ‘shine’ from √ (to gleam).
yoking forces for śubha (the good/splendid work), transformation of the physical basis (bhūmi) under higher power, spontaneity and mastery (krīḷā as divine play)
Yoking ‘for śubha’ indicates energies placed under ṛta rather than ego-impulse.
Flashing spear = truth’s penetration; greatness established by inherent power (svayam).
World-shaping through vibration: shaking precedes re-ordering.
Yoga of transformation: disturbance as a stage in reconstitution of the being under higher force.
monsoon (suggested)
Trembling earth = body-nature reacting to descending force; thunder = mantra-force breaking tamas; lightning = sudden insight cutting through confusion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The yoking of the storm-host that makes earth tremble: the arrival of divine dynamism that shakes the established order to refashion it. Inwardly, when higher energies are harnessed for the ‘śubha’ work, the bodily/physical nature quivers and is compelled to change.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ is a clear PIE inheritance (*yeug-). The verse’s participial/epithet style (agent nouns: dhunayaḥ, dhūtayaḥ) is typical of archaic IE poetics—stacked descriptors to build a living presence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses the Maruts as self-manifesting powers: they ‘display’ greatness by their own nature. The human role is to call and provide the ‘śubha’ aim; the divine role is to supply irresistible transformative force.
Consciously allow the ‘trembling’ of old patterns; then yoke the awakened energy to one clear intention aligned with truth.
mūlādhāra (earth-base trembling) to maṇipūra (harnessed force)
Kapalabhāti (mild, if appropriate) followed by long exhale chanting to convert agitation into directed power.
Activated tapas moving toward ordered will.
If restlessness arises, do not suppress; observe it as ‘bhūmi rejate’. After 3 recitations, choose one śubha act (truthful speech, disciplined work) and commit it as the yoking.
Maintain clear pitch contrasts; emphasize udātta on action-words (rejate, yuñjate) for kinetic clarity; keep final cadences steady to avoid breath collapse.
Let the first pāda carry a slight tremor in voice (not wobble in pitch, but energized resonance), then firm up on ‘yuñjate śubhe’.
: articulate ‘th’ (aspirated) distinctly from ‘t’., : soft ‘j’ (palatal) not ‘z’., : ‘dṛ’ with vocalic ṛ; keep ṣṭ in dṛṣṭayaḥ crisp., : long ū sustained lightly.
Strong, percussive consonants; grounded resonance.
5
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