Rig Veda 1.85.10: Mandala 1, Sukta 85, Mantra 10
Sukta 1.85
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Marutās
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ऊर्ध्वं नुनुद्रेऽवतं त ओजसा दादृहाणं चिद्बिभिदुर्वि पर्वतम् । धमन्तो वाणं मरुतः सुदानवो मदे सोमस्य रण्यानि चक्रिरे ॥
ūrdhváṃ nunudre ’vatáṃ te ójasā dādṛhāṇáṃ cid bibhidur ví párvatam | dhámanto vāṇáṃ marútaḥ sudā́navo máde sómasya raṇyā́ni cakrire ||
తమ ఓజస్సుతో వారు క్రిందికి నొక్కే శక్తిని పైకి తోసివేశారు; దృఢంగా నిలిచిన పర్వతాన్నికూడా చీల్చారు. తమ గర్జనను ఊదుతూ, సుదానవులైన మరుతులు, సోమ-మదంలో, రణానందాలనూ యుద్ధహర్షాలనూ నిర్మించారు—ధర్మ్య సంగ్రామంలో ఉల్లసించే వీరశక్తులు.
Word by Word
- ऊर्ध्वम्
- upwards, aloftAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role KarmaRoot ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपातःRoot नु (निपात)
- नुनुद्रे
- they have thrust/pushedVerbलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot नुद् (धातु)
- अवताम्
- the downward (slope), the descentNounपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे? द्वितीया एकवचनम् (वेदे ‘अवत’ = अवत्/अवतं)Role KarmaRoot अवत (प्रातिपदिक) < अव (उपसर्ग) + √तॄ/√तॄ? (व्युत्पत्तिः ‘अव-त’ = downward slope/declivity)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- ओजसा
- with strength, by mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दादृहाणम्
- (even) the firm/steadfast oneParticiple (Adjective)शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः (परस्मैपदीय-आत्मनेपदीय भावः), नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot √दृंह्/दृह् (धातु) → दादृहाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअवधारणार्थक-निपातःRoot चित् (निपात)
- बिभिदुः
- they have split, they brokeVerbलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot भिद् (धातु)
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinableउपसर्गः (भिद्-क्रियायाम्)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पर्वतम्
- mountainNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
- धमन्तः
- blowingParticipleशतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः, पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot धम् (धातु) → धमन्त् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- वाणम्
- roar, soundNounपुंलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे? द्वितीया एकवचनम् (RV: ‘वाण’ = voice/roar)Role KarmaRoot वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदानवः
- bountiful, good-givingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सु-दानु (प्रातिपदिक) अथवा सु + दान (देय/दानशील) (बहुव्रीहिः)
- मदे
- in intoxication, in exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे? सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- रण्यानि
- delights, pleasuresNoun/Adjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्रिरे
- they have made, they fashionedVerbलिट् (आत्मनेपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot कृ (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): ऊर्ध्वम् | नु | नुनुद्रे | अवतम् | तत् | ओजसा | दादृहाणम् | चित् | बिभिदुः | वि | पर्वतम् || धमन्तः | वाणम् | मरुतः | सुदानवः | मदे | सोमस्य | रण्यानि | चक्रिरे || 1) ‘नुनुद्रेऽवतम्’ = नुनुद्रे + अवतम् (अ + अ → ’अ, अवग्रहः)
- 2) ‘त ओजसा’ = तत् + ओजसा (तद्-स्य त् लोपः/सन्धिः; पदे ‘त’ रूपम्)
- 3) ‘चि॑द्बिभिदुः’ = चित् + बिभिदुः (त् + ब् → द्ब्)
- 4) ‘मद॑े सोम॑स्य’ सामान्यः पदसन्धिः (ए + स → ए स)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts drove upward the force that pressed downward; they split even a firm mountain. Blowing their cry, the bountiful Maruts, in Soma’s ecstasy, fashioned delights and battle-joys.
Inner meaning
The ‘downward-pressing force’ is the gravitation of tamas and subconscient habit that pulls consciousness down. The Maruts are the ascending impulsions that reverse this drag and open what is closed. The ‘mountain’ is a massive fixation—hard formations in the nature (rigid mind, hardened vital, inert body). Their ‘cry’ is the mantra-force and inspired breath that shakes the inner atmosphere. Supported by Soma (divine Ananda), their action becomes not grim struggle but a joyful, exultant right battle—energies that rejoice in overcoming.
Universal truth
Spiritual effort succeeds when force is joined with joy. The powers that uplift us do not merely fight darkness; they convert struggle into a luminous delight of progress.
Themes
Ascent vs. descent, Breaking obstruction, Soma-inspired dynamism
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.85.8, RV 1.85.11, RV 1.85.12
Family tradition
Visionary hymns where dynamic gods assist the seer’s ascent and the opening of inner ‘springs’ and ‘rays’.
Significance
This verse shows the Aurobindonian key: the gods are psychological powers—Maruts as uplift; Soma as bliss—working together to break fixed resistance.
The deity
- Devata
- Marutās (Soma as supporting power)
- Epithets
- sudānavah (bountiful), dhamantaḥ (blowing)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Agni, Rudra
Cosmic role
Storm-forces that rend clouds/mountains and bring rains; companions of Indra; movers of the mid-world.
Inner power
Uplifting impetus, purifying breath-force, and the capacity to split hardened formations; Soma supplies delight that sustains the effort.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut praises in Soma setting; also suitable in rites asking for strength and removal of obstacles.
ऊ॒र्ध्वं नु॑नुद्रेऽव॒तं त ओज॑सा दादृहा॒णं चि॑द्बिभिदु॒र्वि पर्व॑तम् । धम॑न्तो वा॒णं म॒रुत॑: सु॒दान॑वो॒ मदे॒ सोम॑स्य॒ रण्या॑नि चक्रिरे ॥
ऊ॒र्ध्वम् । नु॒नु॒द्रे॒ । अ॒व॒तम् । ते । ओज॑सा । द॒दृ॒हा॒णम् । चि॒त् । बि॒भि॒दुः॒ । वि । पर्व॑तम् । धम॑न्तः । वा॒णम् । म॒रुतः॑ । सु॒ऽदान॑वह् । मदे॑ । सोम॑स्य । रण्या॑नि । च॒क्रि॒रे॒ ॥
ūrdhvam | nunudre | avatam | te | ojasā | dādṛhāṇam | cit | bibhiduḥ | vi | parvatam | dhamantaḥ | vāṇam | marutaḥ | su-dānavah | made | somasya | raṇyāni | cakrire
44
4×11
Upward surge in phrasing; strong breaks that mimic splitting/cleaving.
Produces lift in the chest and breath; energizes and clears heaviness.
- ऊर्ध्वम् (ūrdhvam)
- Literal: upward. Symbolic: ascent of consciousness
- अवत (avata)
- Literal: downward-pressing force/pit. Symbolic: tamas, depression, downward gravitation
- ओजस् (ojas)
- Literal: strength, vigor. Symbolic: spiritual-vital force purified for ascent
- पर्वत (parvata)
- Literal: mountain. Symbolic: hard obstruction; fixed knots in nature
- वाण (vāṇa)
- Literal: sound/cry. Symbolic: vibrational force of inspired speech and breath
- सोम मद (soma mada)
- Literal: Soma intoxication. Symbolic: ecstasy of divine bliss empowering transformation
- रण्य (raṇya)
- Literal: delightful, joyous. Symbolic: Ananda that makes right struggle victorious
Used to invoke the Maruts’ upward-driving force in Soma rites—breaking inertia and opening paths for inspired action.
When invoking force for overcoming and for Soma-inspired exultation in the rite.
Stuti invoking Maruts’ strength; Soma context indicates offering/pressing atmosphere.
For breaking depression or inertia: chant before practice; pair with breathwork and upright posture to ‘drive upward’ the energy.
ūrdhvá ‘upward’ from PIE *h1er-dh- ‘high/erect’ (cf. Eng. erect via Latin). ojas ‘vigor’ from √oj ‘be strong’. parváta ‘mountain’ from √pṛ/√parv ‘knot, joint, swelling mass’ → symbolic ‘hard mass of resistance’. dhmán- from √dham ‘blow’ (breath/wind). vā́ṇī/vāṇa ‘voice/cry’ from √vā ‘to sound’.
Tapas/Ojas (energy of ascent), Breaking of granthi (knots/rigidity) as liberation motif, Mantra as vāṇa (vibration/utterance)
Right battle (pṛtanā/raṇya) is struggle aligned with ṛta, not egoic conflict.
Truth-force manifests as the capacity to split the ‘mountain’ of false fixity.
Release through cleavage: opening the closed to allow new flow and delight.
Integral Yoga: transformation by force + bliss; ascent overcoming gravitation.
monsoon (suggestive)
Wind/breath = pranic purification; mountain = rigid samskara; Soma/moon = cooling bliss that stabilizes uplift.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The storm-host reverses the downward pull and splits the mountain—an image of opening blocked passages (often linked to releasing waters/light). Inner sense: the Maruts drive consciousness upward against the gravitation of the lower nature and break hardened structures, enabling the flow of inspired force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Lexemes for height/upward (ūrdhvá) and sitting/establishing elsewhere in the hymn belong to inherited IE spatial metaphors for spiritual ascent; √dham ‘blow’ preserves an archaic wind/breath verb shared across IE poetic diction (breath = force).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents the Maruts as agents of inner reversal: he invokes their ojas to overcome the ‘avatam’ (downward drag) in the sacrificer, so the rite becomes a practical ascent and not a mere offering.
Uplift the downward pull; split one ‘mountain’ knot by breath + mantra + joy.
anahata
brisk_energetic
Buoyant, victorious aspiration with a bright exultation (not excitement).
Begin with 9 steady breaths; on each inhale feel ‘ūrdhvam’ rising up the spine; on exhale release ‘avata’ heaviness downward and out. Chant, then sit silently, letting Soma-like sweetness spread as calm strength.
Maintain triṣṭubh energy; keep udātta peaks on ūrdhvam, ojasā, parvatam, somásya.
Slight lift in tone on ‘ūrdhvam’; strong articulation on ‘bibhidur vi parvatam’.
ūrdhvam: clear rdʰv cluster; do not drop dhv., nunudre: keep retroflex ṇ and doubled nuance., dādṛhāṇam: long ā; retroflex ḍṛ., dhamanto: aspirate dh properly., raṇyāni: retroflex ṇ; long ā.
Breath-led, resonant, uplifting; end with a joyful brightness on raṇyāni.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
