Rig Veda 7.56.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 56, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.56
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Marutaḥ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
उग्रं व ओजः स्थिरा शवांस्यधा मरुद्भिर्गणस्तुविष्मान् ॥
ugráṃ va ójaḥ sthirā́ śávāṃsy ádhā marúdbhir gaṇás túviṣmān ||
Groźna jest wasza energia, stałe wasze moce potęgi; wtedy z Marutami zastęp staje się przytłaczająco silny.
Word by Word
- उग्रम्
- fierce, mightyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावेन ‘ओजः’ इत्यस्य)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (possessive: ‘your’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ओजः
- strength, vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (वाक्यस्य विषयः)Root ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्थिरा
- firm, steadfastAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (शवांसि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावेन ‘शवांसि’ इत्यस्य)Root स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
- शवांसि
- powers, strengthsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (समुच्चित-विषयः)Root शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधा
- then; indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRole (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय-निपातः)Root अधा (निपात)
- मरुद्भिः
- with the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/करण (सहभावः: ‘with the Maruts’)Root मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- गणः
- troop, hostNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषयRoot गण (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुविष्मान्
- very mighty, powerfully strongAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (गणः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावेन ‘गणः’ इत्यस्य)Root तुविष्मन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उग्रम् | वः | ओजः | स्थिरा | शवांसि | अधा | मरुद्भिः | गणः | तुविष्मान् । 1) ‘व॒ ओज॑:’ = ‘वः ओजः’ (वः इत्यस्य एन्क्लिटिक-रूपेण विसर्गादि न; संहितायां ‘व’ इव दृश्यते)
- 2) ‘मरुद्भिः’ = मरुत् + भिस् (तृतीया-बहुवचन; त् + भ → द्भ्)
- 3) ‘शवांस्यधा’ = ‘शवांसि अधा’ (इ + अ → य्; संहितायां ‘शवांस्यधा’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Fierce is your energy, firm your powers of might; then with the Maruts the troop becomes overwhelmingly strong.
Inner meaning
The Maruts embody ugra ojas—intense catalytic energy—and sthirā śavāṃsi—stable capacities of force. This is the yogic requirement: not merely intensity, but stability. When these are present, the gaṇa (the assembled host of faculties/energies) becomes tuviṣmān—able to overpower resistance and accomplish the work. The verse describes the alchemy of transformation: rajas is not suppressed but made firm (sthira), so it serves the soul’s purpose.
Universal truth
Power is effective when it is both intense and stable; then the collective of one’s faculties becomes invincible against obstacles.
Themes
collective divine powers, stabilized strength, inner warrior-energy
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.56, RV 7.18 (Vasiṣṭha and victory/protection themes; attribution traditional)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha emphasizes ‘firm power’—strength that is stable and right-ordered, a key to sustained realization.
Significance
This is a concise formula for inner mastery: intensity (ugra ojas) plus stability (sthirā śavāṃsi) yields victorious integration (gaṇa tuviṣmān).
The deity
- Devata
- Marutaḥ
- Epithets
- ugra (fierce), tuviṣmān (overpowering)
- Related deities
- Indra (victory over Vṛtra), Agni (will that leads the sacrifice)
Cosmic role
They intensify and stabilize the atmospheric powers; allies in overcoming obstruction.
Inner power
Stabilized tapas in the vital; power to forge unity among faculties and make them victorious.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut praise in Śrauta rites for strength and victory; supportive in contexts seeking overcoming of obstacles.
उ॒ग्रं व॒ ओज॑: स्थि॒रा शवां॒स्यधा॑ म॒रुद्भि॑र्ग॒णस्तुवि॑ष्मान् ॥
उ॒ग्रम् । वः॒ । ओजः॑ । स्थि॒रा । शवां॑सि । अध॑ । म॒रुत्ऽभिः॑ । ग॒णः । तुवि॑ष्मान् ॥
ugram | vaḥ | ojaḥ | sthirā | śavāṃsi | adha | marut-bhiḥ | gaṇaḥ | tuviṣmān
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Strong, emphatic, ‘hammer-like’ assertions balanced by steadiness.
Builds confidence and solidity; evokes a felt sense of ‘firm power’ in the body and breath.
- ugram
- Literal: fierce, intense. Symbolic: high tapas; catalytic force for change
- ojas
- Literal: vigor, energy. Symbolic: concentrated spiritual-vital power
- sthirā
- Literal: firm, stable. Symbolic: steadfastness; capacity to hold force without dispersion
- śavāṃsi
- Literal: powers, mights, strengths. Symbolic: operative capacities of the nature (mind-life-body) made strong
- gaṇaḥ
- Literal: troop, host, collective. Symbolic: the gathered faculties/energies acting in unity
- tuviṣmān
- Literal: very strong, overwhelmingly powerful. Symbolic: victorious integrated force; mastery over resistance
Soma-yajña praise to reinforce Marut-force; used where Maruts are invoked as a collective ‘gaṇa’.
When invoking decisive strength—before competitive/combative undertakings or symbolic ‘battle’ against obstruction in ritual intent.
Recitation to consolidate force; offerings aligned to Maruts/Indra for victory and protection.
Chant as a ‘stability + power’ mantra before demanding tasks; use to prevent energetic dispersion and strengthen resolve.
ojas ‘vigor’ (noun of power; often contrasted with tejas ‘radiance’ but here aligned with ugra); sthira (√sthā ‘stand’, PIE *steh₂-) ‘steady’; śavas (strength, might; semantic field of ‘impulse-power’) possibly linked to √śū/√śav ‘to impel/be strong’; gaṇa ‘group’ (√gaṇ ‘to count, group’); tuviṣmant ‘possessing tuviṣ’ (tuvi ‘much, great’ + iṣ ‘force/impulse’ from √iṣ ‘to impel, send forth’). Psychological justification: sthira śavāṃsi indicates not raw excitement but stabilized capacities—necessary for inner battle and sustained ascent.
stability (sthira) as basis for power, collective potency (gaṇa), dynamic force (iṣ/tuviṣ)
Stable powers (sthirā) indicate force aligned with ṛta—effective, not chaotic.
Truth-power expresses as ojas that is steady and unified; not impulsive reaction.
Consolidation of forces into an integrated host capable of overcoming resistance.
Yoga psychology: integration of prāṇa and will; transformation of rajas into steady śakti.
Storm intensity = tapas; firmness = stabilized prāṇa; troop = integrated faculties acting as one.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘host becomes invincible’ mythic motif: when the Maruts gather, their combined force is exponentially intensified (gaṇaḥ tuviṣmān). Inner sense: dispersed impulses are organized into a single disciplined power, enabling decisive breakthroughs.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sthira from √sthā (PIE *steh₂-) shows the common IE metaphor of ‘standing’ = ‘stability’. √iṣ ‘impel’ (in tuviṣ-) aligns with an IE theme of divine ‘impulse’ as a driving force in battle and inspiration.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi describes the Maruts’ qualities as a performative strengthening: naming their steadiness and might invites that steadiness into the aspirant’s own faculties, turning the inner ‘gaṇa’ into an effective instrument of ṛta.
Stabilize intense energy; gather scattered forces into a unified host (gaṇa).
Maṇipūra (ojas) with Mūlādhāra (sthiratā/grounding)
Grounding breath: slow inhale, slightly longer exhale; optionally gentle kumbhaka to ‘hold’ energy steady (only if trained).
Firm, energized equanimity; power without restlessness.
On each repetition, feel energy rise (ugram ojas) and then settle into steadiness (sthirā); visualize your faculties forming a single disciplined troop that moves as one.
Use a Vedic svara edition for exact udatta/anudatta/svarita; keep emphatic rises on ojaḥ, sthirā, śavāṃsi, tuviṣmān.
Deliver ugram va ojaḥ as a strong opening; slightly broaden on sthirā śavāṃsi to embody stability; conclude with tuviṣmān with decisive closure.
ugraṃ: final anusvāra nasalized, vaḥ: visarga as soft echo after ‘va’, ojaḥ: final visarga audible but light, sthirā: cluster ‘sth’ (s + th) not ‘st’; long ā, śavāṃsi: palatal ś; long ā; nasal ṃ, adha: short a’s; clear dh aspirate, marudbhir: articulate dbh cluster gently, gaṇaḥ: retroflex ṇ; visarga, tuviṣmān: keep ‘ṣm’ cluster; long ā
Firm, resonant, grounded; avoid rushing to preserve sthira quality.
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.
