Rig Veda 2.34.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 34, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.34
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
द्यावो न स्तृभिश्चितयन्त खादिनो व्यभ्रिया न द्युतयन्त वृष्टयः । रुद्रो यद्वो मरुतो रुक्मवक्षसो वृषाजनि पृश्न्याः शुक्र ऊधनि ॥
dyā́vo ná stṛ́bhiś citayanta khādíno vy-abhriyā́ ná dyutayanta vṛṣṭáyaḥ | rudró yád vo maruto rukma-vakṣaso vṛ́ṣā́jani pṛ́śnyāḥ śukrá ū́dhani ||
Como o próprio céu com seus pilares, eles erguem a sua força; como nuvens dispersas, as chuvas lampejam. Quando Rudra, o Touro, vos gerou, ó Maruts de peitos dourados, no úbere luminoso de Pṛśni, ele verteu em vós a seiva fulgurante do vigor.
Word by Word
- द्यावः
- the heavensNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/निपातRoot न
- स्तृभिः
- with/like splinters (chips)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तृ’ = स्तरण/तृण/काष्ठादि-खण्ड)
- चितयन्त
- they notice/observe; they perceiveVerbलट्; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot चित् (चितयति)
- खादिनः
- biting/gnawing; devouringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot खादिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘खाद्’ धातु-निष्पन्न)
- वि
- apart; forthIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot वि
- अभ्रियाः
- cloudsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अभ्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/निपातRoot न
- द्योतयन्त
- they shine; they flashVerbलट्; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot द्युत् (द्योतयति)
- वृष्टयः
- rains; rain-showersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रः
- RudraNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whenIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/काल-निपात (यदा-अर्थे)Root यद्
- वः
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी; बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद्
- मरुतः
- O MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole SambodhanaRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुक्मवक्षसः
- having golden (ornamented) chestsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole SambodhanaRoot रुक्म-वक्षस् (समास; रुक्म + वक्षस्)
- वृषा
- the bull; the strong oneNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot वृषन्/वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजनि
- was born; came to beVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट); प्रथमा; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole KartāRoot जन्
- पृश्न्याः
- of Pṛśni (the mother of the Maruts)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot पृश्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुक्रः
- bright; shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊधनि
- in the udderNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot ऊधन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): द्यावः | न | स्तृभिः | चितयन्त | खादिनः | वि | अभ्रियाः | न | द्योतयन्त | वृष्टयः | रुद्रः | यत् | वः | मरुतः | रुक्मवक्षसः | वृषा | अजनि | पृश्न्याः | शुक्रः | ऊधनि । 1) ‘व्य१॒॑भ्रिया॒’ = ‘वि + अभ्रियाः’ (उपसर्ग ‘वि’ + नाम ‘अभ्रि’ प्रथमा बहु)
- 2) ‘यद्वो’ = ‘यत् + वः’ (त् + व् संयोग; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- 3) ‘वृषाज॑नि’ = ‘वृषा + अजनि’ (स्वर-संहितायां संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
They build up their might like heaven with pillars; like scattered clouds the rains flash. When Rudra begot you, O Maruts with golden breasts, in Pṛśni’s bright udder, he poured luminous strength into you.
Inner meaning
The Maruts establish supports (‘pillars’) in the inner heaven—stable structures of consciousness upon which higher light can rest. Their flashing rains are descents of energizing inspiration that fertilize the mind and life. Rudra, the intense divine Force, generates these powers in Pṛśni—the broad, variegated universal Nature—whose ‘bright udder’ is the luminous matrix of manifestation. The ‘sap’ is ojas/tejas: a radiant vigor that makes the life-force an instrument of the soul rather than of desire.
Universal truth
True strength is not mere aggression; it is a structured, heaven-supported power that receives luminous energy from the deeper source and distributes it as nourishing inspiration.
Themes
Divine genealogy (Rudra–Pṛśni–Maruts), Luminous rain as inner outpouring, Formation of force, Nature as nurturing matrix
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada Bhārgava
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.23, RV 2.24, RV 2.33, RV 2.34
Family tradition
Bhrigu lineage with strong emphasis on inner kindling and the right ordering (ṛta) of forces.
Significance
The seer frames Marut-power not as chaos but as a heaven-supported architecture of force—an important Aurobindonian theme: dynamic energy must be founded on higher consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (with Rudra and Pṛśni in the mythic frame)
- Epithets
- rukmavakṣasaḥ (golden-breasted), vṛṣṭayaḥ (rain-bringers, flashing), khādinaḥ (strong/biting, forceful)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Pṛśni, Indra, Parjanya
Cosmic role
They uphold the mid-world between heaven and earth, distribute waters and rains, and serve as Rudra’s host assisting Indra’s victories.
Inner power
They channel Rudra’s transformative intensity into luminous vigor and disciplined energy in the aspirant’s nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Recited in Marut and Rudra-associated sections of Soma rites; also as protective/strengthening invocation.
द्यावो॒ न स्तृभि॑श्चितयन्त खा॒दिनो॒ व्य१॒॑भ्रिया॒ न द्यु॑तयन्त वृ॒ष्टय॑: । रु॒द्रो यद्वो॑ मरुतो रुक्मवक्षसो॒ वृषाज॑नि॒ पृश्न्या॑: शु॒क्र ऊध॑नि ॥
द्यावः॑ । न । स्तृऽभिः॑ । चि॒त॒य॒न्त॒ । खा॒दिनः॑ । वि । अ॒भ्रियाः॑ । न । द्यु॒त॒य॒न्त॒ । वृ॒ष्टयः॑ । रु॒द्रः । यत् । वः॒ । म॒रु॒तः॒ । रु॒क्म॒ऽव॒क्ष॒सः॒ । वृषा॑ । अज॑नि । पृश्न्याः॑ । शु॒क्रे । ऊध॑नि ॥
dyāvaḥ | na | stṛ-bhiḥ | citayanta | khādinaḥ | vi | abhriyāḥ | na | dyutayanta | vṛṣṭayaḥ | rudraḥ | yat | vaḥ | marutaḥ | rukma-vakṣasaḥ | vṛṣā | ajani | pṛśnyāḥ | śukre | ūdhani
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Architectonic and expansive, alternating building/heaping images with flashes—supports a sense of ‘constructed power’ and sudden illumination.
Creates steadiness plus brightness; helpful when energy is scattered—brings it under a higher order.
- द्यावः (dyāvaḥ)
- Literal: heavens. Symbolic: higher mind/illumined consciousness
- स्तृभिः (stṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: pillars, supports. Symbolic: inner stabilizers—principles, disciplines, and truths that uphold consciousness
- चितयन्त (citayanta)
- Literal: they pile up/build. Symbolic: they construct and consolidate power for the ascent
- अभ्रियाः (abhriyāḥ)
- Literal: clouds. Symbolic: formations in mind-life that can conceal or carry rain of inspiration
- वृष्टयः (vṛṣṭayaḥ)
- Literal: rains. Symbolic: descents of force, grace, and fruitful intuition
- रुद्रः (rudraḥ)
- Literal: Rudra. Symbolic: the fierce purifier; divine force that compels transformation
- रुक्मवक्षसः (rukmavakṣasaḥ)
- Literal: golden-breasted. Symbolic: heart-center filled with luminous power and noble ardor
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: procreative might; irresistible spiritual potency
- पृश्न्याः (pṛśnyāḥ)
- Literal: of Pṛśni. Symbolic: of the many-colored, wide Nature—matrix of manifested energies
- शुक्रे ऊधनि (śukre ūdhani)
- Literal: in the bright udder. Symbolic: luminous source-field from which energies are fed into the being
Soma-yajña praise: energizing the Marut host as allies of the rite and of Indra’s victorious illumination
When calling storm-powers and Rudra’s host for strength, rain/abundance, and protection of the rite.
Chant with offerings; symbolically ‘establishing pillars’ of the sacrifice and inviting the rains of power.
Use for stabilizing intense energy: before pranayama or disciplined work; invoke ‘pillars of heaven’—posture, breath, and truthfulness.
: from √cit ‘to perceive, arrange, pile up’ → formation/intensification. : from √khād ‘to bite, devour’ → ‘cleaving’ force. : from √dyut ‘to shine, flash’. : ‘rain’ (< √vṛṣ ‘to rain, to pour’). : ‘gold ornament’ (brightness), vakṣas ‘breast/chest’. /vṛṣā: ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to pour, be potent’—links rain/potency/virility. : ‘speckled’ (also a cosmic mother of Maruts); psychologically Nature’s variegated substance; ū́dhar ‘udder’ as source of nourishing essence.
cosmic support/order (dyauḥ + stṛbhiḥ), luminous nourishment (śukra, ū́dhar), generation of powers (Rudra as source)
Heaven’s pillars symbolize ordered supports of ṛta; the Maruts act as executors of that order in the vital world.
The ‘bright udder’ indicates satya’s luminous substance feeding the powers.
Generation of divine energies from Rudra through Pṛśni (Nature) into the manifested play; descent as rain of force.
Vedic psychological cosmology: Nature (Pṛśni) as field of forces; Rudra as transformative Tapas.
rainy/monsoon imagery (suggestive)
Sky = higher mind; pillars = inner disciplines and truths; clouds = mental formations; rain = descent of energizing intuition; lightning = sudden illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The birth of the Maruts from Rudra in the ‘bright udder’ of Pṛśni: a mythic encoding of how fierce purifying power (Rudra) precipitates dynamic hosts (Maruts) within the luminous substance of Nature, yielding rains/energies that flash forth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The vṛṣ-/vṛṣā complex unites ‘rain/pouring’ and ‘bull potency’, a common IE poetic linkage of storm and virility. Dyut ‘shine’ belongs to an inherited light-vocabulary (cf. cognate ideas across IE traditions of lightning brilliance).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer situates the Maruts within a cosmic lineage to legitimate their authority in the inner work: as children of Rudra, their fierce interventions are not chaos but a right, luminous outflow from Nature’s own udder—supporting the aspirant’s formation of strength and clarity.
Establish ‘pillars’—upright spine, steady gaze, steady intention; then receive the ‘rain’ of force into the heart and navel.
Manipura (ojas/tejas) and Anahata (golden-breasted—luminous heart-force)
Sama-vṛtti (equal breathing) 4–4–4–4 for a few rounds, then chant softly to invite steady power.
Ordered dynamism—energy held in luminous discipline.
Before chanting, set a clear sankalpa (truthful aim). Chant 6 or 12 times; after, sit and feel a ‘feeding’ from above into the chest and belly, letting scattered impulses align.
Vedic udatta/anudatta/svarita; keep the melodic lift on dyāvo and rudro; avoid flattening compound accents.
Let the first pāda feel expansive (sky/pillars), second pāda quicken (flashes), third and fourth become solemn (birth-source imagery).
: retroflex ṛ, not ‘stribhi’, : bhry cluster—keep ‘bhri’ together, : rukma as ‘ruk-ma’; kṣa clear in vakṣa, : palatal śn cluster; do not simplify to ‘prishniya’, : long ū in ūdhani; aspirate dh
Clear and resonant; broaden vowels in the ‘heaven/pillars’ images, brighten tone on ‘śukra’.
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