Rig Veda 7.56.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 56, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.56
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
नकिर्ह्येषां जनूंषि वेद ते अङ्ग विद्रे मिथो जनित्रम् ॥
nákir hy èṣāṁ janū́ṁṣi véda té aṅgá vidré mithó janítram ||
Ninguém, em verdade, conhece seus nascimentos; e contudo, ó amigo, eles conhecem mutuamente o seu engendramento. No mistério nascem, mas movem-se em saber recíproco e concórdia.
Word by Word
- नकिः
- no one, noneIndeclinableनिपात/सर्वनामिक-अव्यय; अव्ययत्वात् विभक्ति-लिङ्ग-वचन-रहितम्Role (निषेध/प्रमाण-सीमा सूचक)Root नकिस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *ne-kʷis ‘not anyone’
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableअव्यय; वाक्य-सम्बन्धक/हेतौRoot हि (निपात)
- एषाम्
- of these / of themPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (सर्वलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः; अत्र सामान्यतः पुं.)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of them’)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जनूंषि
- births, origins, lineagesNounप्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म (वेद ‘knows’—what is known)Root जनु (नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक; ‘birth, lineage’)
- वेद
- knowsVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √विद् (विदँ ज्ञाने) — परस्मैपद; परिपूर्ण-प्रयोगे ‘वेद’ = परोक्ष-परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट (लिट्) वर्तमानार्थे
- ते
- theyPronounप्रथमा बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (वेद—‘they know’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अङ्ग
- pray, indeed (vocative particle)Indeclinableअव्यय; संबोधन-प्रेरक/अनुनयार्थकRoot अङ्ग (निपात/सम्बोधन-प्रयोगः)
- विद्रे
- the two know / have come to knowVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथम/मध्यम? (वेदिके ‘-re’ सामान्यतः 3rd dual Ātmanepada), द्विवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √विद् (विदँ ज्ञाने) — आत्मनेपद; ‘विद्रे’ = लिट् (परफेक्ट) 3rd dual (Vedic) / archaic dual perfect ending -re
- मिथः
- mutually, from one anotherIndeclinableअव्यय; परस्परार्थेRole (परस्पर-सम्बन्ध सूचक)Root मिथस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- जनित्रम्
- the begetting/parentage, originNounद्वितीया एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म (विद्रे—what the two know)Root जनित्र (नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक; ‘begetting, procreation; begetter/parentage’) < √जन्
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: नकि॒र्ह्ये॑षां ज॒नूंषि॒ वेद॒ ते अ॒ङ्ग वि॑द्रे मि॒थो ज॒नित्र॑म् ॥ Sandhi resolution: नकि॒र् + हि + एषाम् → नकिः हि एषाम् (विसर्गः ‘र्’ रूपेण; हि-आदौ ‘र्’ लोप/विसर्ग-परिवर्तनः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
No one knows their births; yet, O friend, they know each other’s begetting—these powers arise in mystery but move in mutual knowledge.
Inner meaning
The Maruts are not products of the surface mind; their origin is hidden in the supraphysical (or deep) planes—therefore ‘none knows their births.’ Yet among themselves they possess intrinsic concord: each power recognizes the other’s source and function. In yoga, higher forces descend with an inherent harmony; they do not clash like ego-driven impulses. The mantra points to a secret genesis of divine energies and their spontaneous solidarity—an important sign for discernment: what is truly from the higher order carries mutual knowledge and collective rhythm.
Universal truth
What is born from a deeper truth may be mysterious to the intellect, but it manifests as harmony, coordination, and mutual recognition. Unity is the signature of a higher origin.
Themes
mystery-of-birth, Marut-cohesion, occult-origins, mutual-knowledge
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.56.1 (Marut host), RV 7.57–7.58 (Marut praise)
Family tradition
A seerly tradition emphasizing ṛta as harmony among powers; Vasiṣṭha frequently contrasts human limitation with divine self-knowledge.
Significance
Teaches discernment: higher powers are recognized less by intellectual genealogy and more by their spontaneous unity and right relation.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- mysterious-born (implied), mutual-knowing (vidre mithaḥ), collective-force (sa-nīḷa motif continuing)
- Related deities
- Rudra, Indra, Bṛhaspati (as lord of right word/ordering; thematic)
Cosmic role
A coordinated host acting in the mid-world to support illumination and enforce right order.
Inner power
Collective intelligence-in-force: energies that act with mutual attunement, producing harmony rather than fragmentation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut hymn recitation within Soma rites and allied invocations
नकि॒र्ह्ये॑षां ज॒नूंषि॒ वेद॒ ते अ॒ङ्ग वि॑द्रे मि॒थो ज॒नित्र॑म् ॥
नकिः॑ । हि । ए॒षा॒म् । ज॒नूंषि॑ । वेदे॑ । ते । अ॒ङ्ग । वि॒द्रे॒ । मि॒थः । ज॒नित्र॑म् ॥
nakiḥ | hi | eṣām | janūṃṣi | vede | te | aṅga | vidre | mithaḥ | janitram
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Tight, aphoristic triṣṭubh; emphasis on negation then insight (nakiḥ… / vidre…).
Produces a contemplative clarity within energy: first humbles the intellect, then affirms a higher mutual knowing.
- नकिः (nakiḥ)
- Literal: no one. Symbolic: the surface intellect/ego cannot trace the supraphysical origin
- जनूंषि (janūṃṣi)
- Literal: births, origins. Symbolic: secret sources of powers in deeper planes of consciousness
- वेद (veda)
- Literal: knows. Symbolic: true knowledge as direct seeing; absent in the surface observer here
- विद्रे (vidre)
- Literal: they know. Symbolic: intrinsic gnosis among higher powers
- मिथः जनित्रम् (mithaḥ janitram)
- Literal: each other’s begetting. Symbolic: mutual attunement; coordinated emergence from one truth-source
Praise of Maruts’ mysterious origin in invocations seeking their coordinated aid.
When calling Maruts as coordinated allies; to emphasize their mysterious origin and harmony
Praise/recognition to invite their orderly force
Use to cultivate trust in higher guidance: when inner forces arise, test them by their harmony and mutual support rather than by mental explanation.
√vid ‘know’ from PIE *weyd- (Latin vidēre, English wit). janú- ‘birth’ from √jan ‘be born’ < PIE *ǵenh₁-. The paradox ‘unknown to all, known among themselves’ is a characteristic Vedic way of marking the supraphysical origin of divine powers.
mystery of manifestation (untraceable origin of divine powers), interrelatedness of cosmic forces, R̥ta as mutual accord among powers
Their mutual knowledge is ṛta in action—right relation among powers.
Origin in Satya is unknowable to surface mind but evident in harmony.
Hidden births of powers; manifestation from the unseen.
Vedic psychology anticipating Upaniṣadic distinction between para-vidyā (higher knowing) and apara-vidyā (surface knowing).
Cloud-hidden origins = supraphysical source; synchronized storm = coordinated life-mind energies acting as one.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hidden birth of the gods’ motif: divine powers arise from a secret source beyond ordinary knowing, yet possess intrinsic mutual recognition—an image of a self-coherent supraphysical order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid < PIE *weyd- and √jan < PIE *ǵenh₁- are direct continuations. The gnomic present/perfect flavor (veda/vidre) reflects inherited aspectual contrasts used for timeless truths in archaic IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi acknowledges epistemic humility (their origins are not known) while affirming the Maruts’ self-knowledge and cohesion; this establishes trust that these powers act in concert and can be safely invoked to align the human field with R̥ta.
Discern higher forces by harmony: feel whether emerging impulses ‘know each other’ and cooperate.
Ājñā (discernment) with Anāhata (harmonizing center)
Nadi-śodhana (alternate nostril) 6–12 rounds to cultivate inner concord
Witnessing clarity with coordinated energy (sattwic tapas)
When multiple impulses arise in practice, pause and ask: do they move in mutual knowledge (coherent, non-contradictory), or in ego-fragmentation? Welcome only what increases harmony and truth-alignment.
Vedic accents; give clear contrast between nakiḥ (negation) and vidre (affirmation).
First half with restrained tone (mystery); second half more luminous and assured (mutual knowing).
nakiḥ (final ḥ audible), janūṃṣi (long ū; anusvāra before ṣ), veda (clear dental d), aṅga (ṅg nasal), vidre (dr cluster), mithaḥ (th aspirated), janitram (ni short; tr cluster)
Clear, poised, slightly brighter in the second hemistich.
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