Rig Veda 1.85.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 85, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.85
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
त उक्षितासो महिमानमाशत दिवि रुद्रासो अधि चक्रिरे सदः । अर्चन्तो अर्कं जनयन्त इन्द्रियमधि श्रियो दधिरे पृश्निमातरः ॥
tá ukṣitā́so mahimā́nam āśata diví rudrā́so ádhi cakriré sádaḥ | árcanto arkáṃ jánayanta indriyám ádhi śríyo dadhire pṛ́śnimātaraḥ ||
Mereka yang gagah itu mencapai kebesaran mereka; para Rudra menegakkan singgahsana mereka di langit. Sambil melagukan, mereka melahirkan madah yang menyala dan menumbuhkan daya penguasaan; pada diri mereka mereka sarungkan segala seri—anak-anak Pr̥śni, Sang Ibu-Force yang perkasa.
Word by Word
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्षितासः
- sprinkled, anointedAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (भूतकर्मणि/कृत-प्रत्यय ‘-त’)Role कर्तृRoot उक्षिता- (कृदन्त; √उक्ष् ‘सिञ्च्/वर्ष्/सेचने’)
- महिमानम्
- greatness, majestyNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot महिमन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आशत
- they attained/reachedVerbलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमा पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √अश् (व्याप्तौ/प्रापणे)
- दिवि
- in heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot द्यौ/दिव्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रासः
- the RudrasNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot रुद्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- upon, overIndeclinableअव्ययम् (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद-निपात)Role अधिकरण-सम्बन्धेRoot अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- चक्रिरे
- they have made/establishedVerbलिट् (आत्मनेपदम्), प्रथमा पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √कृ (करणे)
- सदः
- seat, session; assembly-placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (वैदिके ‘सदः’ रूपम्)Role कर्मRoot सदस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्चन्तः
- praising, singingVerb (participle)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot √अर्च् (पूजायाम्/स्तुतौ)
- अर्कम्
- hymn, chantNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अर्क- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनयन्तः
- producing, generatingVerb (participle)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः ‘जनय-’Role कर्तृRoot √जन् (जनने) [णिच्]
- इन्द्रियम्
- power, vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot इन्द्रिय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- uponIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकरण-सम्बन्धेRoot अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- श्रियः
- splendors, gloriesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (वैदिके ‘श्रियः’ = ‘श्रियो’)Role कर्मRoot श्री- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधिरे
- they have placed/assumedVerbलिट् (आत्मनेपदम्), प्रथमा पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √धा (धारणे)
- पृश्निमातरः
- (they) whose mother is PṛśniNoun (compound epithet)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (बहुव्रीहिः/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ‘whose mother is Pṛśni’)Role कर्तृRoot पृश्नि-मातर् (समासः; पृश्नि- + मातृ)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते उक्षितासः महिमानम् आशत | दिवि रुद्रासः अधि चक्रिरे सदः | अर्चन्तः अर्कम् जनयन्तः इन्द्रियम् अधि श्रियः दधिरे पृश्निमातरः || 1) त उक्षितासो → ते उक्षितासः (तद्-प्रथमा बहु + उक्षितासः)
- 2) महिमानमाशत → महिमानम् आशत (म् + आ)
- 3) दिवि रुद्रासो अधि → दिवि रुद्रासः अधि (ओ/ः वैदिक-संहिता-रूपभेद)
- 4) चक्रिरे सदः: ‘सदः’ वैदिके नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन-रूपम् (सदसम् इत्यर्थे)
- 5) अर्चन्तो अर्कं → अर्चन्तः अर्कम् (ओ/ः, ं/म् संहिता-रूपभेद)
- 6) जनयन्त इन्द्रियमधि → जनयन्तः इन्द्रियम् अधि
- 7) श्रियो दधिरे → श्रियः दधिरे (ओ/ः वैदिक-रूपभेद)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The vigorous Maruts attained greatness; the Rudras made their seat in heaven. Singing, they produce the flaming hymn and generate mastery-power; they assume splendours—children of Pr̥śni, the Mother.
Inner meaning
When the dynamic forces are purified (ukṣitāsaḥ = vigorous, grown), they reach their true magnitude. They establish their ‘seat in heaven’—the life-force becomes stationed in the higher mind, no longer scattered in lower impulses. Their chant (arcantaḥ) brings forth the arka—mantric flame of inspiration—and generates indriya, the power of mastery and right command of energies. They clothe themselves in śrī—splendour, harmony, auspiciousness—because they are born of Pr̥śni, the vast Mother-force (prakṛti in her luminous potency).
Universal truth
Power becomes truly effective when it is uplifted and seated in higher consciousness. Then speech turns into mantra (arka), and energy becomes mastery (indriya) crowned with harmony (śrī).
Themes
Marut empowerment, luminous chant, splendour (śrī), heavenly establishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.85.1, RV 1.84.19-20 (Indra’s increase and help)
Family tradition
Gautama’s insight links force to higher station: Marut energy becomes mastery and splendour when seated in ‘heaven’.
Significance
The seer describes a key yogic move: uplift the vital powers into the illumined mind; then speech becomes mantra and life becomes radiant order.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (Rudras), children of Pr̥śni
- Epithets
- ukṣitāsaḥ (vigorous), rudrāsaḥ (Rudra-powers), pṛśnimātaraḥ (Pr̥śni-mothered)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Agni, Aditi/Pr̥śni (Mother principle)
Cosmic role
Establishers of a heavenly seat; generators of hymnic fire and heroic power; bearers of splendour.
Inner power
Elevated prāṇa that becomes mastery (indriya) and luminous expression (arka).
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut hymn recitation within śrauta praise cycles
त उ॑क्षि॒तासो॑ महि॒मान॑माशत दि॒वि रु॒द्रासो॒ अधि॑ चक्रिरे॒ सद॑: । अर्च॑न्तो अ॒र्कं ज॒नय॑न्त इन्द्रि॒यमधि॒ श्रियो॑ दधिरे॒ पृश्नि॑मातरः ॥
ते । उ॒क्षि॒तासः॑ । म॒हि॒मान॑म् । आ॒श॒त॒ । दि॒वि । रु॒द्रासः॑ । अधि॑ । च॒क्रि॒रे॒ । सदः॑ । अर्च॑न्तः । अ॒र्कम् । ज॒नय॑न्तः । इ॒न्द्रि॒यम् । अधि॑ । श्रियः॑ । द॒धि॒रे॒ । पृश्नि॑ऽमातरः ॥
te | ukṣitāsaḥ | mahimānam | āśata | divi | rudrāsaḥ | adhi | cakrire | sadaḥ | arcantaḥ | arkam | janayantaḥ | indriyam | adhi | śriyaḥ | dadhire | pṛśni-mātaraḥ
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Ascending movement: from attainment to establishment to generation; each pāda feels like a step upward.
Creates a sense of uplift and empowerment; speech feels ‘brightened’ by arka imagery.
- उक्षितासः (ukṣitāsaḥ)
- Literal: grown, vigorous, strengthened. Symbolic: purified and matured life-energies
- महिमानम् (mahimānam)
- Literal: greatness. Symbolic: true magnitude of force when aligned with higher consciousness
- दिवि (divi)
- Literal: in heaven. Symbolic: in the higher mind/illumined consciousness
- सदः (sadaḥ)
- Literal: seat, abode. Symbolic: stable stationing of force in the higher plane
- अर्कम् (arkam)
- Literal: flaming hymn; ray-like chant. Symbolic: mantric inspiration; luminous speech-force
- इन्द्रियम् (indriyam)
- Literal: power, vigor, mastery. Symbolic: capacity for sovereign self-command and effective action
- श्रियो (śriyaḥ)
- Literal: splendours, prosperities. Symbolic: harmonious radiance; auspicious integration of powers
- पृश्निमातरः (pṛśnimātaraḥ)
- Literal: having Pr̥śni as mother. Symbolic: born of the vast Mother-force; energies rooted in luminous prakṛti
Marut praise to establish their ‘seat’ and call their energizing mastery into the rite.
To invoke Maruts for strength, splendour, and support of the rite; especially when seeking energetic uplift and victorious power.
Chanting/praise (arcana) with offerings; inviting Maruts to take their seat and energize the sacrifice.
Use before speaking/teaching or creative work: to turn speech into ‘arka’ (luminous utterance) and energy into mastery with harmony.
ukṣitá from √ukṣ: beyond ‘sprinkle’, RV uses it for ‘strengthened, bullish’ vitality. arká from √arc ‘shine/sing’ indicates luminous speech that is itself a force. indriyá is ‘belonging to Indra’ → capacity to rule/overcome. śrī is radiance-harmony; √dhṛ ‘hold’ indicates stable embodiment of splendour.
birth of indriya (mastery-power), speech as light-force (arka)
The ‘seat in heaven’ indicates stabilization in ṛta—force no longer chaotic.
Arka as truth-speech: speech that carries light rather than opinion.
Generation of power and splendour through chant—creation by vibration (mantra).
Mantra-yoga / integral psychology: speech-force (vāk) as creative; prāṇa uplifted to higher mind.
Sky = higher mind; storm-force = awakened prāṇa; splendour = harmonized energy-body; arka = solar-like ray of inspired speech.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘heavenly enthronement of the storm-host’ and the ‘birth of mastery’ through luminous chant. Mythically, the Maruts take their seat in heaven; psychologically, the dynamic energies are stabilized in the higher mind, generating indriya (capacity to govern the lower nature).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan ‘beget’ is PIE *ǵenh₁- (cf. Greek genos, Latin genus). √dhṛ ‘hold’ aligns with PIE *dher- (hold; cf. English ‘’ cognate sense across IE). The semantic pairing of ‘shine/sing’ in √arc reflects archaic IE linkage between light and praise-poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s chant (arc) is not description but generation: by luminous speech he participates in ‘bringing to birth’ the Marut-indriya within the rite and within himself; the Maruts reciprocate by establishing splendour (śrī) and mastery.
Uplift prāṇa into higher mind; cultivate luminous speech and sovereign self-command.
Vishuddha (speech)
Nadi-śodhana 6–12 rounds, then chant softly to feel ‘arka’ as a bright vibration in the throat and head.
Clear, elevated, masterful calm; energy seated above rather than scattered below.
Before chanting, gather energy at the navel; lift attention to the brow/crown (‘divi’). Chant as if installing the force on a throne in the mind. After chanting, speak only what is true, necessary, and luminous—training indriya and śrī together.
Tri-svara; keep ‘diví’ and ‘sádaḥ’ clearly articulated; allow the chant to ‘rise’ in pitch-feel across pādas while maintaining Vedic accents.
Emphasize the progression: attainment (āśata) → seat (cakrire sadaḥ) → generation (janayanta) → splendour (śriyaḥ dadhire).
ukṣitāsaḥ: ‘kṣ’ crisp; long ā, mahimānam: nasal ‘m’ continuity; long ā, cakrire: roll ‘r’ lightly; keep ‘re’ clear, arcantaḥ: ‘c’ unaspirated; final visarga, indriyam: ‘ndr’ cluster clear, pṛśnimātaraḥ: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ‘ṣṇ’ distinct
Clear, elevated, resonant; slightly brighter timbre to evoke ‘arka’ (luminous chant).
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