Rig Veda 8.20.23: Mandala 8, Sukta 20, Mantra 23
Sukta 8.20
- Rishi
- Sobharī Kāṇva
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Vira (heroism)
मरुतो मारुतस्य न आ भेषजस्य वहता सुदानवः । यूयं सखायः सप्तयः ॥
marúto mārútasya na ā́ bheṣajásya vahatā su-dānavaḥ | yūyáṃ sakhāyaḥ saptáyaḥ ||
O Marutowie, przynieście nam uzdrawiającą moc, która należy do siły Marutów; o szczodrzy, którzy jesteście towarzyszami w dziele, siedmiokrotni w waszych energiach, wprowadźcie ten lek w nasze istnienie.
Word by Word
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मारुतस्य
- of the Marut / Marut-born (i.e., belonging to the Maruts)Adjective (genitival qualifier)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root मारुत (विशेषण/सम्बन्ध-प्रातिपदिक < मरुत्)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान (beneficiary; ‘for us/our’)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- आ
- hither; forth; toIndeclinableउपसर्ग (directional/intensifying)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भेषजस्य
- of the remedy / medicineNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
- वहता
- carry (you two) / bring (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √वह् (वहति)
- सुदानवः
- good-givers; bountiful onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition to मरुतः)Root सुदानु (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + दानु ‘giving’)
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounप्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- सखायः
- friends; companionsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition to यूयम्)Root सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सप्तयः
- the sevenfold band / the ‘sevens’ (epithet of the Maruts)Noun/Adjective (Vedic epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition; epithet)Root सप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic ‘company/host’, lit. ‘sevenfold/with seven’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: मरुतः | मारुतस्य | नः | आ | भेषजस्य | वहत | सुदानवः | यूयम् | सखायः | सप्तयः । 1) ‘वहता’ = √वह् लोट् मध्यमपुरुष-द्विवचन (पदपाठे प्रायः ‘वहत’ इति), मन्त्रपाठे दीर्घ ‘आ’ (वहता) छन्दो/वैदिक-प्रयोगः। 2) ‘मारुतस्य’ षष्ठी-एकवचनः ‘मरुत्’सम्बन्धविशेषणम्। 3) ‘नः’ एन्क्लिटिक षष्ठी-बहुवचनः ‘अस्मद्’। 4) ‘सप्तयः’ वैदिक-प्रयोगः
- मरुतां विशेषण/समूहवाचकः (सप्ति-प्रातिपदिक) प्रथमा-बहुवचनः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts are asked to bring a healing remedy belonging to the Marut-power. They are generous, comrades, sevenfold in energies, to carry the medicine to the worshipper.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks the Marut-host to carry into the being a specific ‘bheṣaja’—a remedial force that heals the disorder of the nervous-vital nature. ‘Marutasya bheṣajam’ is the cure that comes from rightly ordered energy: courage that removes anxiety, rhythmic prāṇa that repairs agitation, and luminous enthusiasm that restores forward movement in the yoga. ‘Saptayaḥ’ points to a complete set of energies—integral dynamisms acting together rather than fragmented impulses.
Universal truth
True healing is not only suppression of symptoms but a re-harmonizing of the life-force through higher-order energies. When our inner forces become comrades in the work, the whole system becomes medicine to itself.
Themes
healing, protection, sevenfold powers, divine companionship
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.20.22, Rig Veda 8.20.24, Rig Veda 8.20.25, Rig Veda 8.20.26
Significance
The seer emphasizes healing as a spiritual-energetic restoration: the Maruts are invoked not merely for outer protection but for inner remedy and right functioning of the life-force.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- su-dānavaḥ (generous), sakhāyaḥ (comrades), saptayaḥ (sevenfold)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra, Aśvins (healers)
Cosmic role
They distribute force and protection; as Indra’s allies they help break obstruction and renew movement.
Inner power
Therapeutic dynamism—energies that cleanse agitation, strengthen nerves, and restore harmonious action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Healing/protective invocation; Maruts as bearers of bheṣaja (remedy) in rites seeking restoration of balance and removal of affliction.
मरु॑तो॒ मारु॑तस्य न॒ आ भे॑ष॒जस्य॑ वहता सुदानवः । यू॒यं स॑खायः सप्तयः ॥
मरु॑तः । मारु॑तस्य । नः॒ । आ । भे॒ष॒जस्य॑ । व॒ह॒त॒ । सु॒ऽदा॒न॒वः॒ । यू॒यम् । स॒खा॒यः॒ । स॒प्त॒यः॒ ॥
marutaḥ | mārutasya | naḥ | ā | bheṣajasya | vahata | su-dānavaḥ | yūyam | sakhāyaḥ | saptayaḥ
33
3 pādas (appears shorter; possibly a truncated/variant form in this hymn)
Compact, medicinal ‘carrying’ rhythm—directive and practical.
Gives a sense of remedy being ‘brought in’; supports confidence and bodily ease.
- भेषज (bheṣaja)
- Literal: medicine, remedy. Symbolic: restorative force of harmony; psychic-vital healing power
- मारुतस्य (mārutasya)
- Literal: belonging to the Maruts. Symbolic: healing through uplifted prāṇa and courageous dynamism
- वहत (vahata)
- Literal: carry, bring. Symbolic: convey into embodied consciousness; make operative
- सुदानवः (su-dānavaḥ)
- Literal: generous givers. Symbolic: powers that freely bestow strength and joy
- सखायः (sakhāyaḥ)
- Literal: friends, comrades. Symbolic: inner alliance of divine and human will in sadhana
- सप्तयः (saptayaḥ)
- Literal: sevenfold. Symbolic: integral completeness; coordinated powers in multiple planes
Healing/protective invocation; Maruts as bearers of bheṣaja (remedy) in rites seeking restoration of balance and removal of affliction.
Recited in Marut offerings and protective/healing intentions during Soma rites or ancillary rites seeking vigor and well-being.
Invitation and request for ‘bheṣaja’—a blessing of health and right energy.
Use for anxiety, fatigue, or scattered energy: as a mantra of nervous-system harmonization and courage.
√vah ‘to carry, convey’ (vehicular movement of force). bheṣajá- ‘remedy’ (traditional derivations vary; functionally ‘that which removes distress’). sakhā- ‘companion’ from √sac ‘to accompany, adhere’ (cf. sacate). saptá ‘seven’ as a Vedic completeness-number (often linking to seven rays, seven breaths, seven measures).
healing as restoration of ṛta within the body, sevenfold completeness (saptá), friendship with cosmic powers (sakhāyaḥ)
Health is alignment of energies to Ṛta; the Maruts carry that alignment into the embodied field.
The remedy is ‘of the Marut’—a truth-force of right dynamism rather than mere palliative relief.
Sustaining the created being by renewing its functional energies.
Psychological Veda (Aurobindo/Kashyap-style): deities as inner powers.
Wind that carries clouds = prāṇa carrying restorative vibrations through nāḍīs; storm-clearing = removal of congestion and tamas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘the gods as bearers of the remedy’: the Maruts transport healing potency. Inwardly, the storm-powers purge congestion and restore free movement (vāta/prāṇa), making the system receptive to illumination and right rhythm.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ continues PIE *weǵʰ- ‘to convey/transport’ (cf. Latin vehō). This supports the Vedic idea of deities as ‘carriers’ of powers/substances—energies are movable, transmissible, and can be ‘brought’ into the human field.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer appeals to the Maruts as sakhāyaḥ—co-workers rather than distant patrons. The exchange is collaborative: the human calls and offers the field (attention/rite), the Maruts bring the operative healing force that re-establishes inner order.
Receive the ‘Marut remedy’ as rhythmic, luminous prāṇa repairing agitation and fatigue.
Manipura (energization) and Vishuddha (clearing the breath-current)
Nadi-śodhana (alternate nostril) gently for 5–7 rounds, then chant once per exhale.
Restorative clarity; energized calm.
Feel the breath as the Maruts ‘carrying’ medicine through the spine and nerves; mentally offer scattered impulses into a single sevenfold harmony of energies.
Not specified; chant with clear udātta lifts on marutaḥ / vahata and a settling cadence at pāda ends.
Emphasize: marutaḥ… bheṣajasya… vahata; and the closing: yūyaṃ sakhāyaḥ saptayaḥ.
bheṣajasya: ‘ṣa’ retroflex; keep ‘bhe-ṣa-ja’ distinct, mārutasya: long ā in mā-, sudānavaḥ: long ā; v as soft ‘va’, saptayaḥ: ‘pta’ cluster clean, not ‘sap-tai’
Warm, healing, steady resonance (mid-range chest voice).
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