Rig Veda 5.87.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 87, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.87
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स्वनो न वोऽमवान्रेजयद्वृषा त्वेषो ययिस्तविष एवयामरुत् । येना सहन्त ऋञ्जत स्वरोचिषः स्थारश्मानो हिरण्ययाः स्वायुधास इष्मिणः ॥
svanó ná vo’má-vān rejayád vṛ́ṣā tveṣó yayís taviṣá evayā́marut | yénā sáhanta ṛ́ñjata svá-rociṣaḥ sthā́-raśmāno hiraṇyáyāḥ svā́yudhāsa iṣmíṇaḥ ||
स्वनो न वोऽमवान् रेजयद्वृषा त्वेषो ययिस्तविष एवयाम मरुत्। येन सहन्त ऋञ्जत स्वरोचिषः स्थारश्मानो हिरण्ययाः स्वायुधास इष्मिणः॥
Word by Word
- स्वनः
- the roar/sound; or ‘our/us’ (depending on padapāṭha tradition)Noun/Pronoun (contextual)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? प्रथमा एकवचन (स्वनः = ‘ध्वनिः/गर्जनः’); वैकल्पिक व्याख्या: ‘नः’ = अस्मद्-षष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन ‘हमारा/हमें’Role Kartā (यदि ‘स्वनः’ = गर्जनः) / सम्बन्ध (यदि ‘नः’ = अस्माकम्)Root स्वन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्वन’ = ध्वनि/गर्जन) अथवा ‘स्व’ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + नः
- न
- like/asIndeclinableनिपातRoot न
- वः
- of you / to youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role Sampradāna/सम्बन्ध (contextual)Root युष्मद्
- अमावान्
- mighty, powerfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण कर्तृपदस्य)Root अमावन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अमा’ + वन्) शक्तिमान्/बलवान्
- रेजयत्
- shook, made trembleVerbलङ्/लिट्-प्रायः? (वैदिक) 3rd sg. परस्मैपद; अर्थतः ‘कम्पयत्/रेजित’Role KriyāRoot √रेज् (रेजँ कम्पने) / √रिज्?
- वृषा
- the bull (i.e., the strong one)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (रेजयत् का कर्ता)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) / वृष (बलवान्, वृषभ-स्वरूप)
- त्वेषः
- fierce, blazingAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (वृषा का विशेषण/समनाम)Root त्वेष (प्रातिपदिक; तेजस्/उग्रता)
- ययिः
- swift-goer, impetuousNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (त्वेषः/वृषा का विशेषण)Root ययि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘य’ गत्यर्थ-सम्बद्ध, ‘गन्ता/वेगवान्’)
- तविषः
- of strength, of mightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? (वैदिक) षष्ठी एकवचन ‘तविषः’ = ‘बलस्य/शक्तेः’Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root तविष (प्रातिपदिक; बल/शक्ति)
- एव
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातRoot एव
- याम
- course, going, pathNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन (याम् = ‘गमनम्/मार्गम्’)Role KarmaRoot √या (या गतौ) / ‘याम’ (प्रातिपदिक; मार्ग/गमन)
- मरुत्
- O MarutNounपुंलिङ्ग सम्बोधन एकवचन (वैदिक voc.)Role सम्बोधनRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- येन
- by whichPronounतृतीया एकवचन (नपुंसक/पुं) ‘by which/with which’Role KaraṇaRoot यद्
- सहन्त
- overpowering, conqueringVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ) पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन ‘सहन्तः’ (पदपाठे विसर्गः) = ‘overpowering’Role Kartā (ये का विशेषण)Root √सह् (सहँ अभिभवे)
- ऋञ्जत
- they drove/urged, set in motionVerbलङ् 3rd pl. परस्मैपद (वैदिक) ‘they set in motion/they directed’Role KriyāRoot √ऋञ्ज् (ऋञ्जँ रञ्जने/प्रसारणे; वैदिक ‘ऋञ्जति’ = ‘ऋजुं करोति/प्रेरयति’)
- स्वरोचिषः
- self-luminous, shining by themselvesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (ये का विशेषण)Root स्व-रोचिस् (समास; रोचिस् = तेजस्)
- स्थारश्मानः
- having firm reins/rays (steady-reined/steady-rayed)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (ये का विशेषण)Root स्था-रश्मन् (समास; रश्मन् = रश्मि/रेणु/किरण/रेशा)
- हिरण्ययाः
- goldenAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (ये का विशेषण)Root हिरण्यय (प्रातिपदिक; हिरण्य- + य)
- स्वायुधासः
- having their own weapons, well-armedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (ये का विशेषण)Root स्व-आयुध (समास; आयुध = शस्त्र)
- इष्मिणः
- impetuous, strong, vigorousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (ये का विशेषण)Root इष्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक; इष्म = वेग/बल/उत्साह) अथवा इष्मिन् = ‘बलवान्’
Sandhi Notes
- मुख्य सन्धि-विच्छेद: (1) वोऽमावान् = वः + अमावान् (अः + अ → ’अ, अवग्रह)
- (2) ययिस्तविषः = ययिः + तविषः (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि)
- (3) एवयामरुत् = एव + याम् + मरुत् (पदपाठे ‘एव | याम् | मरुत्’)
- (4) सहन्त ऋञ्जत = सहन्तः + ऋञ्जत (पदपाठे विसर्गः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Like a resounding sound, your powerful Bull shakes all; fierce, rushing, mighty, O Maruts. By that power you prevail and blaze forth, self-luminous; with firm golden rays, self-armed, impelling—powers of concentrated energy.
Inner meaning
The Marut-force is compared to a mighty Bull (vṛṣā): the virile, creative, irresistible energy of divine life-force that can shake fixed formations in the nature. Their ‘sound’ (svana) is not mere noise but the mantric vibration of force that reorders the being. By this tapas they conquer and ‘flush into brightness’ (ṛñjata) becoming self-luminous (svarociṣaḥ): consciousness begins to shine by itself rather than borrowing light from outer stimuli. Their ‘firm rays’ (sthāraśmānaḥ), ‘golden’ (hiraṇyayāḥ), and ‘self-armed’ (svāyudhāsaḥ) indicate intrinsic faculties of protection and discrimination; ‘impelling’ (iṣmiṇaḥ) shows forward drive in right action.
Universal truth
True power is vibrational and luminous: it shakes inertia, defeats inner opposition, and turns the being toward self-sustaining clarity. When force is yoked to light, it becomes both protective and progressive.
Themes
storm-roar, radiance, invincible-force
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (probable, Atri-family attribution for RV 5.87)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- RV 5.2 (Agni as inner leader, Atri family), RV 5.59 (Marut motifs, different hymn)
Family tradition
Atri hymns frequently use vivid images (bull, gold, rays) to express inner illumination and force.
Significance
The Atri vision here emphasizes the conversion of raw force into self-luminous power—an important step in integral transformation: energy becomes light-bearing and self-protecting.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- vṛṣā (bull-like), tveṣa (fierce), taviṣa (mighty), svarociṣaḥ (self-luminous), hiraṇyayāḥ (golden)
- Related deities
- Indra, Sūrya (golden rays motif), Agni
Cosmic role
They shake the worlds with thunder and bring luminous rains; they empower Indra’s victories and keep the cosmic movement vigorous.
Inner power
Transmuting dynamism: force that becomes light, courage, and steady radiance; awakener of inner ‘rays’ of knowledge.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Marut and Marut praises in Soma ceremonies; general protective invocation
स्व॒नो न वोऽम॑वान्रेजय॒द्वृषा॑ त्वे॒षो य॒यिस्त॑वि॒ष ए॑व॒याम॑रुत् । येना॒ सह॑न्त ऋ॒ञ्जत॒ स्वरो॑चिष॒: स्थार॑श्मानो हिर॒ण्यया॑: स्वायु॒धास॑ इ॒ष्मिण॑: ॥
स्व॒नः । न । वः॒ । अम॑ऽवान् । रे॒ज॒य॒त् । वृषा॑ । त्वे॒षः । य॒यिः । त॒वि॒षः । ए॒व॒याम॑रुत् । येन॑ । सह॑न्तः । ऋ॒ञ्जत॑ । स्वऽरो॑चिषः । स्थाःऽर॑श्मानः । हि॒र॒ण्ययाः॑ । सु॒ऽआ॒यु॒धासः॑ । इ॒ष्मिणः॑ ॥
svanaḥ | na | vaḥ | ama-vān | rejayat | vṛṣā | tveṣaḥ | yayiḥ | taviṣaḥ | evayāmarut | yena | sahantaḥ | ṛñjata | sva-rociṣaḥ | sthāḥ-raśmānaḥ | hiraṇyayāḥ | su-āyudhāsaḥ | iṣmiṇaḥ
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4 × ~11
Strong percussive openings (svano na...) with accelerating feel, matching ‘rushing’ energy.
Elicits vigor and confidence; can awaken prāṇic heat while keeping it luminous if chanted with steady breath.
- svanaḥ
- Literal: sound, roar. Symbolic: mantric vibration; dynamic resonance that moves consciousness
- vṛṣā
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: creative virile force; divine prāṇa/tapas that fertilizes and strengthens
- tveṣaḥ / taviṣaḥ
- Literal: fierce / mighty. Symbolic: intensity of tapas; concentrated force capable of transformation
- yayis
- Literal: rushing, going swiftly. Symbolic: rapid movement of energy when obstacles are removed
- ṛñjata
- Literal: they redden/brighten, flush into brightness. Symbolic: emergence of luminous consciousness; inner being kindles into light
- svarociṣaḥ
- Literal: self-luminous. Symbolic: light from within (psychic/spiritual illumination)
- sthāraśmānaḥ
- Literal: firm-rayed. Symbolic: steady rays of knowledge; stable illumination
- hiraṇyayāḥ
- Literal: golden. Symbolic: supramental/solar quality of light
- svāyudhāsaḥ
- Literal: self-armed. Symbolic: intrinsic powers of defense—discernment, courage, purity
- iṣmiṇaḥ
- Literal: impelling, driving. Symbolic: force that pushes the evolution forward
Energizing praise to invoke the Maruts’ shaking force and radiant weaponry; used where removal of obstruction and infusion of force are sought.
To intensify the rite’s force and invoke victorious brilliance
Recited as praise to strengthen the ‘bull-force’ of the gods and the sacrificer
Chant before exercise, disciplined work, or when lethargy dominates—aiming to convert agitation into clear, golden energy.
स्वन (svana) from √svan ‘resound’: thunder as vibration; psychologically the mantra-like roar that shakes inertia. वृषन् (vṛṣan) ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain/strengthen’: virile force and outpouring. √raj/√reṅj? here rejayad from √rej ‘to tremble, shake’. ऋञ्ज (ṛñj) ‘to redden/tinge’ used for dawn/fire-like flushing into radiance: inner illumination. रोचि (roci) from √ruc ‘shine’ → sva-rociṣ: self-luminous. रश्मि (raśmi) ‘ray’ indicates lines of light/force. हिरण्य (hiraṇya) ‘gold’ as solar radiance, not material metal.
vibration as transformative power, self-luminosity (sva-rociṣ), impulsion (iṣ)
Their firm rays suggest ṛta as stable illumination guiding force.
Self-luminousness (svarociṣ) is satya experienced as inner light, not borrowed belief.
From vibration (sound) to light (rays): manifestation as a progression from force to form and knowledge.
Yoga of tapas and illumination (Aurobindo’s psychological Veda).
Sound = mantra-vibration; bull = vital-creative power; rays = knowledge; lightning = sudden illumination/decisive will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘bull-force of the storm that shakes and illumines’: Maruts as a roaring power that trembles the world and turns into self-luminous radiance with golden rays and self-arms. Psychologically, awakened energetic vibration breaks fixed patterns and releases inner light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The bull-as-force image is pan-IE in heroic diction (not a single lexical cognate claim, but a shared poetic symbol). √ruc ‘shine’ belongs to the IE light lexicon (cf. Latin rutilus ‘reddish shining’ possibly related via *reuk- ‘shine’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not merely describe nature; he invokes a specific inner operation: the Maruts’ ‘svana’ is the shock that awakens, their ‘rays’ are the clarified perceptions, their ‘weapons’ are intrinsic capacities. Praise functions as activation of those capacities in the chanter.
Feel the mantra as a ‘sound-force’ that shakes tamas and then settles into a golden steady radiance in the chest and forehead.
Maṇipūra (bull-force) rising to Ājñā (self-luminous clarity)
Brisk 3 rounds of kapalabhāti (optional, if suitable), then slow nasal breathing while chanting once; end with quiet observation of inner light.
Energized illumination (tapas turning into jyoti).
Chant 3 times briskly to awaken force, then 1 time slowly to ‘goldenize’ it; sit 2 minutes noticing a steady ray-like clarity rather than restless excitement.
Svara not provided; keep a strong rhythmic stress on opening phrases (svano na vo...) and maintain triṣṭubh flow.
Avoid swallowing consonant clusters: rejayad vṛṣā; svarociṣaḥ; sthāraśmānaḥ.
rejayad: re-ja-yad (clear ‘y’), vṛṣā: vocalic ṛ + retroflex ṣ, svarociṣaḥ: sva-ro-ci-ṣaḥ (retroflex ṣ), hiraṇyayāḥ: hi-ra-ṇya-yāḥ (palatal ñy)
Resonant, chest-supported, bright; end each pāda cleanly to avoid breathlessness.
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