Rig Veda 1.85.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 85, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.85
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
वि ये भ्राजन्ते सुमखास ऋष्टिभिः प्रच्यावयन्तो अच्युता चिदोजसा । मनोजुवो यन्मरुतो रथेष्वा वृषव्रातासः पृषतीरयुग्ध्वम् ॥
ví yé bhrā́jante súmakhāsa ṛṣṭíbhīḥ prá cyāváyanto acyútā cid ójasā | manójavo yán maruto rathéṣv ā́ vṛ́ṣavrātāsaḥ pṛ́ṣatīr áyugdhvam ||
जे सुमुख (सुंदर-मुख) मरुत आपल्या ऋष्टि (भाले) घेऊन तेजाने झळकतात, ते आपल्या ओजाने अचलालाही हलवितात. हे मरुतांनो, जेव्हा तुम्ही मनोजव (मन-वेगवान) होऊन रथांवर पृषती (चित्तेदार) अश्वांना जुंपता, तेव्हा तुम्ही वृषव्रात (वृषभ-समूह) प्रमाणे, अजेय संकल्पाने येता.
Word by Word
- वि
- apart, forth (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भ्राजन्ते
- shine, gleamVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot भ्राज्
- सुमखासः
- having good rites/offerings; well-worshippingAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to ये) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot सु-मख (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋष्टिभिः
- with spears/lancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ऋष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forward (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- च्यावयन्तः
- causing to move/shake; dislodgingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to मरुतः) / Kriyā-viśeṣaṇaRoot च्यावय् (च्यु + णिच्)
- अच्युताः
- the unshaken/immovable (ones)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अ-च्युत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; च्यु + क्त, नञ्)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्यय (अपि/एव-अर्थे)Root चित् (अव्यय)
- ओजसा
- by strength, with mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनोजुवः
- swift as thoughtAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to मरुतः) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot मनस्-जु (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- when; thatIndeclinable/Relativeअव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे (यदा/यत् = ‘when/that’), सम्बन्धसूचकRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुतः
- the Maruts (storm-gods)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथेषु
- on/in the chariotsNounपुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- unto, to (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग)
- वृषव्रातासः
- bull-like in their troop/host; mighty-bandedAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to मरुतः) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot वृष-व्रात (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- पृषतीः
- dappled (mares)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot पृषती (प्रातिपदिक)
- अयुग्ध्वम्
- you yoked, harnessedVerbलुङ् (आग्मेन्ट-रहितः वैदिक-आओरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole Kartā (यूयम् = मरुतः)Root युज्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): वि | ये | भ्राजन्ते | सुमखासः | ऋष्टिभिः | प्र | च्यावयन्तः | अच्युताः | चित् | ओजसा | मनोजुवः | यत् | मरुतः | रथेषु | आ | वृषव्रातासः | पृषतीः | अयुग्ध्वम् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) ऋष्टिभिः प्र → ऋष्टिभिःप्र (विसर्ग/पदसन्धि-रहित संहिता-लेखन) (2) च्यावयन्तो अच्युताः → च्यावयन्तोऽच्युताः (ओ + अ = ओऽ) (3) रथेषु आ → रथेष्वा (उ + आ = वा) (4) वृषव्रातासः पृषतीः → वृषव्रातासःपृषतीः (विसर्ग-सन्धि संहितायाम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts blaze with spears, shaking even the unshakable by their strength. Mind-swift, on their chariots they yoked the dappled steeds and came as a bull-host.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are the impetuous yet luminous powers that make transformation possible by shaking fixed inertia (“even the unshakable”). Their spears are sharp discriminations and decisive forces that pierce tamas. ‘Mind-swift’ indicates that these energies are guided by a higher mental impulsion, not blind passion. The ‘dappled steeds’ are mixed vital powers harnessed and disciplined to the divine movement; as a ‘bull-host’ they embody irresistible will-force that charges through resistance.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires forces that can unsettle entrenched habits and rigidities; when vitality is yoked to a higher mind, it becomes an invincible instrument of change.
Themes
force and dynamism, overcoming rigidity, yoking energies, Marut weaponry
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.85.1, RV 1.85.2, RV 1.85.3, RV 1.85.5
Family tradition
Seer-poet lineage emphasizing the awakening of energetic gods (Maruts/Indra) as inner allies for breaking obstruction and establishing wideness.
Significance
Gotama’s vision here highlights the necessity of a divinely-governed dynamism: the spiritual life is not only peace but also force that can move what seems immovable.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- sumakhāsaḥ (fair-faced/beautiful-jawed), manojuvaḥ (mind-swift), vṛṣavrātāsaḥ (bull-host)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra, Vāyu
Cosmic role
Companions of Indra, storm-host that shakes the worlds and releases the waters; energizers of the atmosphere.
Inner power
Transformative dynamism: the power to dislodge rigidity, to harness vital forces, and to arrive as a collective will aligned to illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Marut invocations in Soma rites; praise to summon force and protection.
वि ये भ्राज॑न्ते॒ सुम॑खास ऋ॒ष्टिभि॑: प्रच्या॒वय॑न्तो॒ अच्यु॑ता चि॒दोज॑सा । म॒नो॒जुवो॒ यन्म॑रुतो॒ रथे॒ष्वा वृष॑व्रातास॒: पृष॑ती॒रयु॑ग्ध्वम् ॥
वि । ये । भ्राज॑न्ते । सुऽम॑खासः । ऋ॒ष्टिऽभिः॑ । प्र॒ऽच्य॒वय॑न्तः । अच्यु॑ता । चि॒त् । ओज॑सा । म॒नः॒ऽजुवः॑ । यत् । म॒रु॒तः॒ । रथे॑षु । आ । वृष॑ऽव्रातासः । पृष॑तीः । अयु॑ग्ध्वम् ॥
vi | ye | bhrājante | su-makhāsaḥ | ṛṣṭi-bhiḥ | pra-cyavayantaḥ | acyutā | cit | ojasā | manaḥ-juvaḥ | yat | marutaḥ | ratheṣu | ā | vṛṣa-vrātāsaḥ | pṛṣatīḥ | ayugdhvam
11
4 × 11 with strong forward cadence; typical Marut Triṣṭubh with emphatic openings (vi ye...)
Percussive and propulsive; suitable for ‘shaking’ imagery and martial arrival.
Builds heat and courage; stimulates decisive movement in the will and clears mental sluggishness.
- ऋष्टिभिः (ṛṣṭibhiḥ)
- Literal: with spears. Symbolic: piercing powers of discernment and decisive force cutting through obscurity
- अच्युता (acyutā)
- Literal: the unshakable. Symbolic: fixed inertia, hardened formations of habit, subconscious rigidity
- ओजसा (ojasā)
- Literal: by force/vigor. Symbolic: concentrated soul-force in action; effective energy
- मनोजुवः (mano-juvaḥ)
- Literal: mind-swift. Symbolic: vital energies moved by illumined mind, not by impulse alone
- रथेषु (ratheṣu)
- Literal: on chariots. Symbolic: organized vehicles of action; structured capacities of the being
- पृषतीः (pṛṣatīḥ)
- Literal: dappled (steeds). Symbolic: mixed vital forces (variegated energies) harnessed to right movement
- वृषव्रातासः (vṛṣavrātāsaḥ)
- Literal: bull-host. Symbolic: collective irresistible will; charging power of transformation
Invocation of Marut force for breaking inertia and mobilizing energies in the sacrificial work and inner sādhanā.
During offerings seeking victory, removal of obstacles, and strengthening of the yajamāna’s force.
Recitation to invite the Maruts’ host and affirm their ojas (power).
As a pre-practice energizer when facing procrastination, fear, or entrenched habits—chant to ‘shake the unshakable’ within.
√bhrāj ‘shine/blaze’ gives the lightning-like Maruts. √cyu ‘move/dislodge’ shows their capacity to shake fixed formations (acyuta). mano-ju ‘mind-speed’ indicates supravital rapidity—movement as thought-force. √yuj ‘yoke’ (PIE *yeug-) encodes disciplined harnessing of energies.
breaking inertia (acyuta dislodged), thought-force speed (manojava)
The Maruts’ ojas enforces right movement by dislodging formations that prevent ṛta from acting in the life.
‘Mind-swift’ indicates satya-guided dynamism—energy obeying a truer perception.
A repeated Vedic motif: the gods’ motion and shock open the hidden, releasing new flows of consciousness.
Integral-psychological reading: gods as powers; chariot/steeds as faculties yoked to a higher governance.
Lightning-spears = flashes of decisive illumination; shaking = disruption of inertia; horses = vital energies; chariot = organized action-body.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘storm-host that shakes the immovable’: Maruts as agents who break fixed obstruction. Psychologically this is the shattering of hardened habits/inertia by a disciplined, mind-swift force harnessed to the chariot of action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj ‘yoke’ is PIE *yeug- (Latin iugum, English yoke). mano- ‘mind’ is PIE *men-. The opposition acyuta (unmoved) vs cyāvayantaḥ (dislodging) is a classic archaic antithetical construction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi calls not merely for protection but for transformative shock: the Maruts are invited to dislodge what seems ‘immovable’ in the human nature, by bringing their mind-speed and yoked dynamism into the work.
Invoke disciplined dynamism: let illumined will pierce inertia; harness mixed energies to a single intention.
Maṇipūra (will/ojas) with support from Ājñā (mind-guidance)
Brisk, even breathing for 12–24 cycles; then chant on a steady exhale, feeling ‘spears’ of attention cut distraction.
Forceful clarity (tejas) without anger; alert and guided vitality.
Before chanting, name one ‘acyuta’ habit. On each repetition, feel a clean inner shock that loosens it; then ‘yoke the steeds’ by choosing one simple right action to do immediately after japa.
Follow Śākala accenting: marked udatta (॑) should rise cleanly; keep pitch stable across each pāda; avoid dragging consonant clusters.
Lift on bhrāj́ante, sumákhāsaḥ, ṛṣṭíbhīḥ, ojásā, mano-júvo, marúto, vṛ́ṣavrātāsaḥ, pṛ́ṣatīḥ (per accent marks).
ऋष्टिभिः: ‘ṛṣ-ṭi-bhiḥ’ (retroflex ṣṭ), प्रच्यावयन्तः: ‘pra-cyā-va-yan-taḥ’ (clear cy), अच्युता: ‘a-cyu-tā’ (cyu), मनोजुवः: ‘ma-no-ju-vaḥ’ (not ‘joo’), पृषतीः: ‘pṛ-ṣa-tīḥ’ (vocalic ṛ)
Crisp, martial, and bright; keep the throat relaxed to avoid harshness.
7
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
