Rig Veda 1.39.8: Mandala 1, Sukta 39, Mantra 8
Sukta 1.39
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Bhayankara
युष्मेषितो मरुतो मर्त्येषित आ यो नो अभ्व ईषते । वि तं युयोत शवसा व्योजसा वि युष्माकाभिरूतिभिः ॥
yuṣméṣito maruto mártyeṣita ā́ yó no ábhva ī́ṣate | ví táṃ yuyota śávasā vy ójasā ví yuṣmā́kābhir ūtíbhiḥ ||
Seja ele instigado por vós, ó Maruts, ou instigado por um mortal — quem quer que nos oprima com vasta força hostil, separai-o de nós por vosso poder, por vossa força, por vossos próprios auxílios salvadores.
Word by Word
- युष्मेषितः
- impelled by you (i.e., by you all)Adjective (participial)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘इषित’ + युष्मद्-समास/तत्पुरुष ‘युष्म-ईषित’Role विशेषणम् (कर्तृपदस्य) / सम्बोधनसंबन्धःRoot युष्मद् + इषित (√इष् ‘प्रेरणे’)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (वाक्यस्य मुख्यकर्ता) / सम्बोधनार्थेऽपि (हे मरुतः)Root मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्येषितः
- impelled by mortalsAdjective (participial)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; ‘मर्त्य-ईषित’ (तत्पुरुष) = ‘मर्त्यैः/मर्त्येन इषितः’Role विशेषणम् (मरुतः) / करण-सम्बन्धःRoot मर्त्य + इषित (√इष् ‘प्रेरणे’)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातःRole क्रियाविशेषणम् (आ-गमन/आ-प्राप्ति)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (ईषते इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक) ‘our/of us’Role सम्बन्ध (अभ्वः इत्यस्य) / षष्ठी-सम्बन्धःRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अभ्वः
- the harmful one; calamity/foeNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (ईषते इत्यस्य) अथवा विषयः (यः…अभ्वः)Root अभ्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘भयानक/हानिकर/विपत्ति’)
- ईषते
- strives/presses on (against)Verbलट् (वर्तमाने) प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √ईष् (ईषते) ‘प्रयत्ने/आकाङ्क्षायाम्/आक्रमणे’ (आत्मनेपदी)
- वि
- apart, awayIndeclinableउपसर्गःRole क्रियाविशेषणम् (वियोग/विभाग)Root वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- तम्
- him/that (foe/calamity)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (युयोत इत्यस्य)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- युयोत
- drive away, ward offVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (आज्ञा); कर्तृ = मरुतःRoot √यु (युनक्ति/युयोति) ‘वियोगे/निवारणे’
- शवसा
- by (your) mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करण (युयोत—केन?)Root शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्योजसा
- by (your) surpassing strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; उपसर्गपूर्वकं ‘व्य्-ओजस्’ = ‘विशेषेण ओजसा’Role करण (युयोत—केन?)Root वि + ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, awayIndeclinableउपसर्गःRole क्रियाविशेषणम्Root वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- युष्माकाभिः
- with yourPronoun (possessive use)स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम् (युष्माक-आभिः) ‘by your…’Role करण (ऊतिभिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्) अथवा करणसम्बन्धःRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- ऊतिभिः
- helps, protectionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करण (युयोत—केन?)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: युष्मेषितः | मरुतः | मर्त्येषितः | आ | यः | नः | अभ्वः | ईषते | वि | तम् | युयोत | शवसा | व्योजसा | वि | युष्माकाभिः | ऊतिभिः । मुख्यसन्धयः: (1) युष्मा + इषितः → युष्मेषितः (आ + इ = ए)
- (2) मर्त्य + इषितः → मर्त्येषितः (आ + इ = ए)
- (3) वि + ओजसा → व्योजसा (इ + ओ = यो; ‘व्य्’ रूप)
- (4) युष्माका + आभिः → युष्माकाभिः (आ + आ = आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whether impelled by you, Maruts, or by a mortal, whoever attacks us with vast force—separate him from us by your might, strength, and helps.
Inner meaning
Not all impulses are divine even when they wear the mask of energy. Forces may be ‘yuṣmeṣita’ (moved by higher powers) or ‘martyeṣita’ (moved by egoistic human will). Any vast hostile pressure (abhvaḥ) that seeks to overwhelm the sādhanā—outer or inner—must be disjoined from the seeker by the Maruts’ separating power: discernment-force (vy ojasā) and dynamic might (śavasā) acting through their protective interventions (ūtibhiḥ).
Universal truth
Discernment and protection are needed to distinguish divine impetus from ego-driven force; hostile pressures must be separated from the path, not merely fought blindly.
Themes
warding off hostility, discernment, divine protection
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.39, RV 1.37
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns frequently include the psychology of conflict: distinguishing true divine impulsion from lower drives and invoking force for protection.
Significance
Kaṇva articulates a key yogic discernment: not every surge is sacred; protection includes separation from misleading impulses and hostile formations.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- ūtayaḥ (helpers—by function), śavatī (mighty—by function), ojasvin (strong—by function)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra), Rudra, Agni
Cosmic role
Guardians of the journey, clearing hostile forces and supporting Indra’s victory; they regulate storms and protect the sacrificer.
Inner power
Protective discernment-in-force: the ability to cut away intrusive formations and maintain the integrity of aspiration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective verse within Marut hymns; used to ward off hostile forces affecting the rite or sacrificer.
यु॒ष्मेषि॑तो मरुतो॒ मर्त्ये॑षित॒ आ यो नो॒ अभ्व॒ ईष॑ते । वि तं यु॑योत॒ शव॑सा॒ व्योज॑सा॒ वि यु॒ष्माका॑भिरू॒तिभि॑: ॥
यु॒ष्माऽइ॑षि॑तः । म॒रु॒तः॒ । मर्त्य॑ऽइषितः । आ । यः । नः॒ । अभ्वः॑ । ईष॑ते । वि । तम् । यु॒यो॒त॒ । शव॑सा । वि । ओज॑सा । वि । यु॒ष्माका॑भिः । ऊ॒तिऽभिः॑ ॥
yuṣmāiṣitaḥ | marutaḥ | martya-iṣitaḥ | ā | yaḥ | naḥ | abhvaḥ | īṣate | vi | tam | yuyota | śavasā | vi | ojasā | vi | yuṣmākābhiḥ | ūti-bhiḥ
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4 x ~11; repeated ‘vi’ gives a cutting, separating rhythm.
Incisive, segmented; the triple ‘vi’ acts like mantraic ‘cuts’.
Creates psychological boundaries; strengthens resolve and clarity.
- युष्मेषितः (yuṣmeṣitaḥ)
- Literal: impelled by you. Symbolic: movement originating from higher guidance/force
- मर्त्येषितः (martyeṣitaḥ)
- Literal: impelled by a mortal. Symbolic: ego-driven impulse; lower nature’s push
- अभ्वः (abhvaḥ)
- Literal: vast, huge, formidable. Symbolic: overwhelming hostile formation; massed inertia/desire/fear
- ईषते (īṣate)
- Literal: rushes/presses upon. Symbolic: intrusive pressure on consciousness
- वि… युयोत (vi… yuyota)
- Literal: separate, disjoin. Symbolic: viveka-like separation; cutting the link between self and hostile force
- शवसा / ओजसा (śavasā / ojasā)
- Literal: might / strength. Symbolic: dynamic power and concentrated energy of the divine life-force
- ऊतिभिः (ūtibhiḥ)
- Literal: with helps. Symbolic: saving interventions; supports that restore right movement
Apotropaic (warding) formula: requesting separation of hostile forces from the sacrificer/community; also a discernment prayer distinguishing divine impulsion from mortal/ego impulsion.
In sequences requesting protection before/after offerings; whenever obstacles (antarāya) are feared.
Recitation as apotropaic separation; mental ‘fencing’ of the sacrificial space.
Use for energetic hygiene: before meditation, travel, or difficult conversations to separate from intrusive influences.
√īṣ ‘impel’ frames agency: forces can be moved by divine impulsion or by mortal impulsion (ego-driven). abhva ‘vast, formidable’ often denotes a threatening magnitude—inner reading: an overbearing impulse or darkness. √yut ‘separate’ is central to protective action: discrimination and warding. śavas and ojas distinguish dynamic might and vital strength; ūti is the gracious protective intervention.
discernment of agency (divine vs. mortal impulsion), separation/vi- as principle of discrimination, protective grace (ūti)
The Maruts restore right movement by separating the hostile from the seeker’s path.
Truth is discriminative: it distinguishes divine impulsion from mortal ego-push.
Maintenance of creation/order through protective separation of discordant forces.
Yoga of discernment (viveka) expressed in Vedic force-terms (śavas/ojas).
Storm-winds = protective prāṇa; separation = clearing of aura/field; vast hostile force = massed subconscious/collective pressure.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘warding/separation’ mythologem: hostile forces approaching the community are to be kept apart by the Maruts’ might. Inner sense: the seeker asks to distinguish and repel impulses driven by mortal ego (mártyeṣita) and to remain under divine impulsion (yuṣméṣita).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The repeated instrumental triad (śavasā…ojasā…ūtibhiḥ) is an inherited rhetorical stacking of means. The agency contrast (divine-driven vs. mortal-driven) reflects a deep Indo-European concern with right inspiration vs. destructive frenzy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts boundary-making to the Maruts: their powers become inner discriminative strength that separates the vast hostile pressure from the aspirant. The devatā is invoked as both force (śavas/ojas) and grace (ūti).
Discern and separate: ‘What in me is divine impulsion, what is ego-push?’ Then cut the hostile pressure away.
maṇipūra (will) and ājñā (discernment)
Sharp exhale ‘cut’ practice: inhale calmly, exhale briskly while mentally repeating ‘vi taṃ yuyota’; 9 rounds, then quiet sitting.
Clear, defended, and upright; a sense of inner perimeter.
Identify the ‘abhva’ pressure (fear, desire, doubt, external influence). Invoke Marut-force to disjoin it—feel it moved outside your field—then return to the central aspiration.
Let the repeated ‘vi’ be distinctly articulated with clean svarita transitions; keep udātta peaks on śavasā/ojasā for power.
Mark the contrast: yuṣmeṣito / martyeṣita—slight pause between; emphasize ‘vi taṃ yuyota’ as the operative command.
yuṣmeṣitaḥ: keep ṣm cluster clear, martyeṣita: pronounce rty as a tight cluster, abhva: bhv cluster—don’t insert extra vowel, yuyota: repeat yu-yo- with clarity
Commanding, clean-edged, not shouted; like a protective decree.
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