Rig Veda 8.20.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 20, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.20
- Rishi
- Sobharī Kāṇva
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
वि द्वीपानि पापतन्तिष्ठद्दुच्छुनोभे युजन्त रोदसी । प्र धन्वान्यैरत शुभ्रखादयो यदेजथ स्वभानवः ॥
ví dvīpā́ni pā́patan tíṣṭhad ducchúnobhé yujanta ródasī | prá dhánvāny airata śubhra-khādayo yád éjatha sva-bhānavaḥ ||
Gdy się unosicie, krainy rozpościerają się szeroko; nawet to, co stoi, drży pod waszym gwałtownym natarciem; zaprzęgacie oba światy razem. Pędzicie przed siebie otwarte przestrzenie, o jasno tnący, gdy drżycie w swojej samolśniącej mocy.
Word by Word
- वि
- apart, asunder, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot वि (उपसर्ग) / अव्यय
- द्वीपानि
- islands; (lit.) two-waters/landmassesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
- पापतन्ति
- they fly/fall, they dartVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRoot पत् (पतति) धातु
- तिष्ठत्
- standing; stayingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); प्रथमा; एकवचन; (पुं/नपुं) — संदर्भानुसारRole Kartā (सहायक/विशेषणरूपेण)Root स्था (तिष्ठति) धातु
- दुच्छुनोभे
- both (things) of ill-omen/evil distressAdjective (dual)द्विवचन; (उभे = नपुंसक/स्त्री प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचन) — समास/संयोगRole KarmaRoot दुच्छुन (प्रातिपदिक) + उभ (उभौ)
- युजन्ते
- they yoke; they joinVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRoot युज् (युनक्ति/युञ्जते) धातु
- रोदसी
- the two worlds: Heaven and EarthNoun (dual fixed)स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिक द्विवचन-शब्द); प्रथमा/द्वितीया; द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व: द्यावा-पृथिवी)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग) / अव्यय
- धन्वानि
- wastes, deserts, dry tractsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot धन्वन्/धन्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऐरत
- he/it set in motion; impelled; stirredVerbलुङ् (अorist/इम्पर्फेक्ट-प्रायः वैदिक); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRoot ईर्/इर् (ईरयति/ईरते) धातु
- शुभ्रखादयः
- the bright-biting/bright-devouring ones (epithet)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शुभ्रखादि (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास: शुभ्र + खादि)
- यत्
- when; that whichPronoun/Conjunctionनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- एजथ
- you move; you tremble; you stirVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचनRoot इज्/एज् (एजति) धातु
- स्वभानवः
- self-luminous ones; having their own radianceNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्वभानु (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + भानु)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: वि द्वी॒पानि॒ पाप॑त॒न्तिष्ठ॑द्दु॒च्छुनो॒भे यु॑जन्त॒ रोद॑सी । प्र धन्वा॑न्यैरत शुभ्रखादयो॒ यदेज॑थ स्वभानवः ॥ पद-विच्छेद (मुख्य): वि | द्वीपानि | पापतन्ति | तिष्ठत् | दुच्छुनोभे | युजन्ते | रोदसी | प्र | धन्वानि | ऐरत | शुभ्रखादयः | यत् | एजथ | स्वभानवः । सन्धि-निर्णय: (1) पापतन्तिष्ठत् = पापतन्ति + तिष्ठत् (इ + त् → इ त्; संहितायां संयोग-लोप/समासवत् संधि)
- (2) धन्वान्यैरत = धन्वानि + ऐरत (इ + ऐ → यै)
- (3) यदेजथ = यत् + एजथ (त् + ए → दे; जश्त्व/सवर्णदीर्घ-प्रभावः वैदिक-प्रयोगे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When the Maruts surge, the lands are flung apart, even what stands is shaken by their hard onset; they yoke the two worlds. They drive forth the open spaces, the bright-cleaving ones, when they tremble in self-luminous power.
Inner meaning
The Marut-forces break the fixed partitions (dvīpāni) of the consciousness—separations between parts of nature—and shake even entrenched habits (tiṣṭhat) by their ‘hard onset’ (ducchunā). They ‘yoke the two worlds’ (rodasī): the inner and outer, the mental and vital, heaven and earth within us, bringing them into a single harness for the work. Their self-luminous vibration (svabhānavaḥ) opens the ‘wide spaces’ (dhanvāni): inner freedom, breadth, and unobstructed movement for the soul.
Universal truth
True progress is not gentle adjustment alone: it includes a force that breaks rigid partitions and unites higher and lower powers into a single, widened field of action.
Themes
cosmic-shaking, integration, expansion, breaking-inertia
The seer
- Rishi
- Sobharī Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.20.2, Rig Veda 8.20.3, Rig Veda 8.20.5, Rig Veda 8.20.6
Family tradition
The Kāṇva temperament often stresses energetic transformation: breaking partitions, yoking worlds, and opening the Vast through dynamic powers.
Significance
Sobharī describes the phenomenology of inner change: how intensified energies reorganize the whole field—division to unity, constriction to wideness.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- śubhrakhādayaḥ (bright-cleaving), svabhānavaḥ (self-luminous)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Vishnu, Rudra
Cosmic role
They are cosmic movers who shake the settled worlds, open spaces, and bind heaven and earth into a workable harmony for the gods’ action.
Inner power
Dynamic illumination that breaks rigidity, integrates higher and lower nature, and creates inner spaciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut praise in śrauta liturgy; supportive in rites for strength, clearing obstacles, and harmonizing domains (heaven/earth).
वि द्वी॒पानि॒ पाप॑त॒न्तिष्ठ॑द्दु॒च्छुनो॒भे यु॑जन्त॒ रोद॑सी । प्र धन्वा॑न्यैरत शुभ्रखादयो॒ यदेज॑थ स्वभानवः ॥
वि । द्वी॒पानि॑ । पाप॑तन् । तिष्ठ॑त् । दु॒च्छुना॑ । उ॒भे इति॑ । यु॒ज॒न्त॒ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । प्र । धन्वा॑नि । ऐ॒र॒त॒ । शु॒भ्र॒ऽखा॒द॒यः॒ । यत् । एज॑थ । स्व॒ऽभा॒न॒वः॒ ॥
vi | dvīpāni | pāpatan | tiṣṭhat | ducchunā | ubhe iti | yujanta | rodasī iti | pra | dhanvāni | airata | śubhra-khādayaḥ | yat | ejatha | sva-bhānavaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Surging, wave-like momentum with emphatic caesurae—mimics shaking and widening.
Produces a felt ‘opening’ in the breath-space; energizes and disperses mental congestion.
- द्वीपानि (dvīpāni)
- Literal: islands/lands/regions. Symbolic: Separated domains of consciousness; divided parts of the being
- तिष्ठत् (tiṣṭhat)
- Literal: standing, fixed. Symbolic: Ingrained formations, fixed habits, hardened structures
- दुच्छुना (ducchunā)
- Literal: with hard onset/violent rush. Symbolic: Forceful pressure that dislodges resistance
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: Higher and lower nature; mind and life/body brought into union
- धन्वानि (dhanvāni)
- Literal: open spaces, expanses. Symbolic: Widened inner freedom; unobstructed field for consciousness
- शुभ्रखादयः (śubhrakhādayaḥ)
- Literal: bright-cleaving. Symbolic: Forces that cut through obscurity with luminous power
- स्वभानवः (svabhānavaḥ)
- Literal: self-luminous. Symbolic: Intrinsic radiance of awakened energies; light from within
Descriptive praise supporting the call; used to intensify the sense of Marut-force in the Soma rite and its psychological counterpart—breaking inertia and uniting planes.
During Marut stotras or when invoking storm-powers as allies in the Soma sacrifice.
Stuti describing their effects; accompanies oblation and inner intention to remove rigidity.
Use when feeling stuck or compartmentalized—chant to catalyze integration (mind-life-body alignment) and inner spaciousness.
√pat 'fly, fall' (PIE *pet-), √yuj 'yoke' (PIE *yeug-), √ej 'tremble' (PIE *h₁eǵ-? tremble/shake set), √īr/īray 'set in motion' (causative). Symbolically: the Marut-vibration (ej) breaks rigidities (tiṣṭhat), expands the inner field (vi... dhanvāni), and yokes heaven-earth (rodasī) i.e., unites higher and lower consciousness under Rita.
union of Heaven and Earth (integration of higher/lower), Rita as yoking (yuj) of worlds, Tapas as vibratory pressure (ej)
‘Yoking the two worlds’ is ṛta as integration—right relation between higher and lower planes.
Self-luminous (svabhānu) suggests truth-light not borrowed from outer supports.
Creation as widening spaces and organizing planes into a single harness for divine action.
Vedic psychological cosmology: worlds as states of consciousness that must be yoked for integral realization.
Lands/islands = separated inner regions; storm = transformative pressure; open spaces = freedom and wideness; trembling light = awakening vibration of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The storm-host that 'yokes Heaven and Earth' while shaking the worlds—an archetype of divine force that both disrupts obstruction and restores a higher integration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj (yoke) directly continues PIE *yeug- (Latin iugum, English yoke). √pat continues PIE *pet- (Greek pétomai 'fly'). These inherited roots support the Indo-European poetic formula of 'yoking the two worlds' under divine action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi magnifies the devatā’s cosmic function to invite that same function inward: as they yoke the worlds outside, so may they yoke the divided planes within the seeker.
Break inner compartmentalization; consciously ‘yoke’ higher intention with lower instruments (mind-life-body).
Ājñā (integration) + Anāhata (harmonizing)
Breath with a gentle ‘shake’ release: inhale steadily, exhale with a soft vibrating hum for 6–9 rounds, feeling inner spaces open.
Expansive, reorganizing awareness—dynamic unity.
Notice where life is divided (dvīpāni). Offer those parts into one harness (rodasī yujanta). Allow luminous force to cleave through fixed formations without violence to the person—only to the obscurity.
Use a rising udatta energy on verbs of motion (pāpatan, yujanta, airata) and a luminous lift on śubhrakhādayaḥ, svabhānavaḥ; exact svara per śākhā notation.
Let caesura fall clearly after strong action-words; keep rodasī as a pivot-word with a slightly broadened tone.
dvīpāni: keep long ī., pāpatan: articulate double p cleanly., roda-sī: keep long ī at end., śubhrakhādayaḥ: śubh-ra-khā-; avoid collapsing consonant cluster.
Vibrant, wave-like, with clear consonants to convey ‘cleaving’.
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