Rig Veda 1.20.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 20, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.20
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Collective: Indra-Maruts and Ādityas
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
सं वो मदासो अग्मतेन्द्रेण च मरुत्वता । आदित्येभिश्च राजभिः ॥
sáṃ vo madā́so agmaténdreṇa ca marútvatā | ādityébhiś ca rājábhiḥ ||
Moga raptur kegembiraanmu berhimpun bersama—dengan Indra dan daya yang dipenuhi Marut, serta dengan para Āditya yang bersifat rajani; moga sukacita para dewa yang seirama berhimpun dalam diri kami sebagai satu gerak pengangkatan.
Word by Word
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात; अव्ययRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वः
- of you (your)Pronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदासः
- joys; exhilarations (raptures)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (of the verb ‘अग्मत’)Root मद (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मद’ = exhilaration/joy/intoxication)
- अग्मत
- has come; cameVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √गम् (गच्छति) + अङ् (aorist)
- इन्द्रेण
- with IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot इन्द्र (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (अव्यय)
- मरुत्वता
- accompanied by the MarutsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रेण इति सह विशेषणम्)Role करणRoot मरुत्वन्त् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ‘having the Maruts’/‘accompanied by Maruts’)
- आदित्येभिः
- with the ĀdityasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot आदित्य (देवगण-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (अव्यय)
- राजभिः
- with the kings (royal ones)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सम् | वः | मदासः | अग्मत | इन्द्रेण | च | मरुत्वता | आदित्येभिः | च | राजभिः । 1) ‘सं’ = ‘सम्’ (अनुस्वार-परिवर्तन/पद-रूप)
- 2) ‘वो’ = ‘वः’ (वेदिके पदान्त-विसर्गस्य ओ-आदेशः/प्रगृह्य-प्रयोगः)
- 3) ‘अग्मत’ = √गम्-लुङ् (अङ्-आगमयुक्तः प्राचीन-एओरिस्ट-रूपः)
- 4) ‘अग्मतेन्द्रेण’ इत्यत्र संहितायां ‘अग्मत’ + ‘इन्द्रेण’ (स्वर-संहितामात्रम्; रूपपरिवर्तनं न)
- 5) ‘आदित्येभिः’ + ‘च’ (विसर्गादि-सन्धिः न)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May your raptures (madāsaḥ) come together with Indra and the Marut-possessing power, and with the royal Ādityas.
Inner meaning
A call for the converging of divine joys/energies within the seeker: Indra (illumined mind), Maruts (storm-forces of dynamic prāṇa and aspiring impulses), and Ādityas (luminous sovereign principles—truth, wideness, law). The mantra seeks an inner syncretism: not scattered ecstasies, but a unified uplift where multiple god-powers harmonize into one movement of consciousness.
Universal truth
Wholeness arises when illumination, dynamic force, and ethical-cosmic law align; joy becomes stable when the powers are integrated.
Themes
Divine assembly, Indra-Maruts alliance, Ādityas sovereignty
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.20.1-6 (collective movement)
Family tradition
Kāṇva invocations often assemble multiple deities as a single operative harmony—suggesting integral realization rather than one-sided attainment.
Significance
The seer prays for a coordinated descent: illumination (Indra), force (Maruts), and law/truth (Ādityas) to unite as one joy-power in the practitioner.
The deity
- Devata
- Collective: Indra–Maruts and Ādityas
- Epithets
- Indra: Vṛtrahan, Maghavan, Maruts: Rudriyāsaḥ (storm-born), Śubhrāsaḥ (bright), Ādityas: Rājānaḥ (kings), Ṛtāvṛdhaḥ (increasers of ṛta)
- Related deities
- Agni (as priest of integration), Soma (as bliss that becomes stable when integrated)
Cosmic role
Indra breaks obstruction and brings light; Maruts energize and purify the atmosphere; Ādityas uphold cosmic law, wideness, and truth—together ensuring a complete divine functioning.
Inner power
A harmonized triad: clear seeing (Indra), energetic impetus (Maruts), and ethical-spiritual governance (Ādityas) producing stable gladness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Collective invocation in soma/yajña context to invite allied deities and their ‘madā’ (inspired rapture).
सं वो॒ मदा॑सो अग्म॒तेन्द्रे॑ण च म॒रुत्व॑ता । आ॒दि॒त्येभि॑श्च॒ राज॑भिः ॥
सम् । वः॒ । मदा॑सः । अ॒ग्म॒त॒ । इन्द्रे॑ण । च॒ । म॒रुत्व॑ता । आ॒दि॒त्येभिः॑ । च॒ । राज॑ऽभिः ॥
sam | vaḥ | madāsaḥ | agmata | indreṇa | ca | marutvatā | ādityebhiḥ | ca | rāja-bhiḥ
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3×8
Invocatory and assembling; the syntax ‘saṃ… agmat’ naturally gathers momentum.
Creates a felt convergence in the chest and head—useful for ‘collecting’ scattered energies.
- मदा॑सः (madāsaḥ)
- Literal: raptures, exhilarations. Symbolic: uplifted energies of delight and inspired force in sādhanā
- सम् (sam)
- Literal: together, in union. Symbolic: integration; convergence into a single coherent consciousness
- मरुत्वता (marutvatā)
- Literal: with the Maruts. Symbolic: with the dynamic life-forces that purify and propel aspiration
- आदित्येभिः (ādityebhiḥ)
- Literal: with the Ādityas. Symbolic: with the powers of truth, vastness, and right law (ṛta/satya guardians)
- राजभिः (rāja-bhiḥ)
- Literal: with the kings. Symbolic: sovereign governing principles in the being—inner law that stabilizes joy
Assemblage-invocation in Soma setting: calling multiple divine groups to a unified participation; supports the notion of a coordinated descent of powers into the rite.
When summoning supportive powers for successful rite and inner uplift; at moments of transition/assembly of offerings.
Recitation as an invitation for the deities’ joyous powers to unite and enter the rite.
A centering mantra before group meditation or challenging action: call scattered energies into one aligned joy with clarity, force, and truth.
madá- from √mad ‘be glad, intoxicated’ → rapture; inner sense: uplift of consciousness by soma-like delight. marútvat- ‘possessing Maruts’ indicates Indra’s force allied with dynamic energies. ādityá- sons of Aditi (unboundedness), guardians of law; rājá- ‘king’ (PIE *h₃rḗǵs) indicates sovereignty/order.
Unity of powers (sam), Sovereignty of R̥ta (Ādityas as rājānaḥ), Ananda/rapture (mada)
Ādityas as guardians of ṛta; ‘sam’ indicates harmonization into right order.
Ādityas’ ‘royal’ nature implies governance by truth rather than impulse.
Integration of cosmic powers within the human microcosm—many gods as one functioning.
Integral Yoga orientation: synthesis of powers rather than exclusive devotion.
midday (Āditya association, symbolic)
Winds = prāṇic movements; sun-kings = governing truth; lightning = sudden illumination; together they form a stable inner climate of joy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The assembling of divine raptures with Indra-Maruts and the royal Ādityas: a mythic convocation of pantheonic powers. Innerly, it is the integration of force (Indra/Maruts) with law and wideness (Ādityas/Aditi) into a single harmonious exaltation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rājá- continues PIE *h₃rḗǵs ‘king’ (Lat. rēx), reflecting the IE sacral-politico-cosmic metaphor of sovereignty as order. √mad has Indo-Iranian prominence for ecstatic elevation (Avestan mad- parallels), showing a shared ritual-psychological lexicon.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi requests convergence (sam) rather than isolated boons: he aims at coordinated action of multiple godheads within the sacrificer. The devatās are invoked as a collective ecology of powers—joy, force, and law—forming a stable ascent toward truth-consciousness.
Collect and harmonize: bring delight, force, and truth into one aligned current.
anāhata (harmonization) with ājñā (clarity/governance).
moderate coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min). Inhale: ‘sam’ (gather). Exhale: offer to Indra–Maruts–Ādityas as one power.
Integrated uplift—calm power.
When emotions scatter, chant once per breath for 12 breaths; feel the ‘host’ of impulses become an organized army under a luminous kingly law.
Accents as marked: मदा॑सो, इन्द्रे॑ण, मरुत्व॑ता, आदित्येभि॑श्च. Keep udatta crisp on deity-names.
Let ‘saṃ vo’ be a clear gathering call; avoid rushing the conjuncts in आदित्येभिश्च.
मदा॑सो: ‘ma-dā-so’ long ā., मरुत्वता: ‘ma-rut-va-tā’ with clear ‘tv’., राजभिः: ‘rā-ja-bhiḥ’ long ā; bh voiced aspirate.
Warm, assembling, slightly expansive; not aggressive.
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