Rig Veda 5.56.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 56, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.56
- Rishi
- Atri — probable for RV 5.56
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
उत्तिष्ठ नूनमेषां स्तोमैः समुक्षितानाम् । मरुतां पुरुतममपूर्व्यं गवां सर्गमिव ह्वये ॥
úttiṣṭha nū́nam eṣā́ṃ stómaiḥ sámukṣitānām | marútāṃ purutámam ápūrvyaṃ gavā́ṃ sárgam iva hvaye ||
บัดนี้จงลุกขึ้นพร้อมกับเหล่าผู้ถูกปลุกเร้าด้วยบทสรรเสริญอย่างเต็มเปี่ยม. ข้าพเจ้าขออัญเชิญมารุต(Maruts) ผู้ไพบูลย์ยิ่งและไม่เคยมีมาก่อน—ดุจการปล่อยฝูงโคออกสู่ที่โล่ง เป็นกระแสแห่งแสงสว่างที่พรั่งพรู.
Word by Word
- उत्ति॑ष्ठ
- rise up; stand forthVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (आज्ञा; कर्ता = त्वम्)Root स्था (√स्था)
- नूनम्
- now; indeedIndeclinableकाल/निश्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot नूनम् (अव्यय)
- एषाम्
- of thesePronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन, (पुं./नपुं.)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमैः
- with hymns/praisesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- समुक्षितानाम्
- of those well-sprinkled/strengthened (by offerings); well-invigoratedParticiple (Adjectival)षष्ठी, बहुवचन; (विशेषण) पुं./नपुं. (मरुताम् इत्यस्य)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive; qualifying “मरुताम्”)Root सम्-उक्ष् (√उक्ष्) → समुक्षित (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
- मरुताम्
- of the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुतमम्
- the very many; the most abundantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (स्तुत्य/ह्वेय-वस्तु)Role कर्म (ह्वये इत्यस्य)Root पुरु + तम (तमत्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
- अपूर्व्यम्
- unprecedented; not former; wondrousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (पुरुतमम् इत्यस्य विशेषण)Role कर्म (ह्वये इत्यस्य; qualifying the object)Root अ-पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास/निषेध)
- गवाम्
- of cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- सर्गम्
- a driving forth; a rush/stream; a releaseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (इव-उपमानस्य; ह्वये इत्यस्य कर्मस्य उपमा)Root सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like; asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक अव्ययRoot इव (अव्यय)
- ह्वये
- I call; I invokeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (कर्तृ = अहम्; कर्म = पुरुतमम् अपूर्व्यम् …)Root ह्वा (√ह्वा)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठ-समाधान (Sandhi resolution): (1) उत्ति॑ष्ठ = उत् + तिष्ठ (उद्-उपसर्ग + √स्था का लोट् रूप ‘तिष्ठ’)
- (2) नूनमे॑षाम् = नूनम् + एषाम् (अं + ए → मे)
- (3) स्तोमै॒: समु॑क्षितानाम् = स्तोमैः + समुक्षितानाम् (विसर्गः/ः पदान्ते)
- (4) गवां॒ सर्ग॑मिव = गवाम् + सर्गम् + इव (म् + स → म्; सर्गम् इव पृथक् पद). उच्चारण-चिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित) मूल संहितापाठानुसार
- पदरूप यहाँ पदविभागानुसार दिए गए हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Rise up now with these (Maruts) who are invigorated by hymns. I call the Maruts—most abundant and unprecedented—like the releasing of cows (a herd) into motion.
Inner meaning
Agni (or the inner leader addressed implicitly through the hymn’s flow) is urged to ‘rise’—to intensify the inner flame—because the Marut powers are already ‘samukṣitā’ (well nourished) by stoma (hymns). The call is for an unprecedented plenitude (purutamam apūrvyaṃ): not a habitual energy, but a new, higher dynamism. ‘Gavāṃ sargam’ is a key Aurobindonian symbol: the release of the cows is the release of rays of knowledge and luminous energies into the open field of consciousness, flooding the system with light and force.
Universal truth
When aspiration and praise have sufficiently prepared the inner being, a new and abundant release of light becomes possible—an outpouring that feels unprecedented and liberating.
Themes
awakening, invocation, release of light, plenitude of powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.40, RV 5.44–5.46, RV 5.52–5.60
Family tradition
The Ātreyas repeatedly employ the ‘release of the cows’ motif as the recovery of light and knowledge through divine aid and mantra.
Significance
Atri’s spiritual emphasis here is readiness: once powers are nourished by stoma, the inner being can command a new, abundant descent and release of illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- purutamam (most abundant), apūrvya (unprecedented/new), stoma-samukṣita (strengthened by hymns) (implied)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Soma
Cosmic role
They bring multiplicity of energies, renew the movement, and support the victorious advance of consciousness.
Inner power
A fresh and abundant dynamism that releases luminous knowledge (go/rays) and energizes right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Stotra-invocation to Maruts after praise has ‘nourished’ them; suitable in Soma praise sequences
उत्ति॑ष्ठ नू॒नमे॑षां॒ स्तोमै॒: समु॑क्षितानाम् । म॒रुतां॑ पुरु॒तम॒मपू॑र्व्यं॒ गवां॒ सर्ग॑मिव ह्वये ॥
उत् । ति॒ष्ठ॒ । नू॒नम् । ए॒षा॒म् । स्तोमैः॑ । सम्ऽउ॑क्षितानाम् । म॒रुता॑म् । पु॒रु॒ऽतम॑म् । अपू॑र्व्यम् । गवा॑म् । सर्ग॑म्ऽइव । ह्वये ॥
ut | tiṣṭha | nūnam | eṣām | stomaiḥ | sam-ukṣitānām | marutām | puru-tamam | apūrvyam | gavām | sargam-iva | hvaye
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4 x ~11 syllables
Uplifting imperative opening (ut tiṣṭha) followed by expansive release imagery
Elicits a rising in posture and breath; then a widening and ‘opening’ sensation, supporting inner release.
- उत्तिष्ठ (ut tiṣṭha)
- Literal: rise up. Symbolic: Awaken and intensify the inner fire/will; take the higher stance
- स्तोमैः (stomaiḥ)
- Literal: by hymns. Symbolic: Mantric formations that nourish and strengthen inner powers
- समुक्षितानाम् (samukṣitānām)
- Literal: well-invigorated, well-nourished. Symbolic: Energies matured by practice; prepared for descent/action
- मरुताम् (marutām)
- Literal: the Maruts. Symbolic: Dynamic life-powers aiding transformation
- पुरुतमम् (purutamam)
- Literal: most abundant. Symbolic: Plenitude of force; multiplicity harmonized into richness
- अपूर्व्यम् (apūrvyaṃ)
- Literal: unprecedented, new. Symbolic: A new grade of consciousness-force, not old habit-energy
- गवाम् (gavām)
- Literal: of cows. Symbolic: Rays of light/knowledge
- सर्गम् (sargam)
- Literal: release, outflow, letting loose. Symbolic: Liberation of light into the mind and life; opening of blocked streams
Summoning and energizing formula; stoma as strengthening medium. Often placed where the priest ‘raises’ the rite and calls the Marut host into active participation.
After a cycle of hymns, at the moment of calling for active descent and result
Āvāhana (inviting) and energizing presence through praise; preparing for offerings
Use as a morning ‘activation’ mantra: rise into the day with a call for new, abundant force and a release of clear understanding.
úttiṣṭha: ud-√sthā ‘stand up, arise’—inner awakening. sám-ukṣita: sam + √ukṣ ‘sprinkle/strengthen’ (also ‘grow strong’)—‘well-invigorated’; hymns as nourishment. purutáma: superlative of puru ‘many’—‘most manifold’. ápūrvya: a- ‘not’ + pūrvya ‘former’—‘unprecedented’. sárga: ‘sending forth, release’ from √sṛj ‘let go, emit’; the ‘cows’ (gāvaḥ) in inner reading are rays/knowledges released from confinement.
stoma as energizing speech, release of light-knowledges (go as rays), novel revelation (apūrvyam)
Marut dynamism supports Ṛta by renewing and widening the movement of life toward truth.
The ‘unprecedented’ indicates truth’s capacity to manifest as ever-new realization, not repetition.
Sarga (outflow) as a creative release—light and force pouring into the field of becoming.
Integral Veda: mantra-praise as tapas that prepares descent; release of ‘cows’ as liberation of knowledge-rays.
morning (suggested by ‘rise up now’)
Rising = awakening of will; herd release = opening of luminous perceptions; winds = prāṇic dynamism distributing light through the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘release of the cows’ transposed into Marut invocation: the Maruts are called like an outpouring of liberated rays. Mythically, cows are freed from enclosure; psychologically, knowledges and energies long held back are released into the conscious field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sṛj ‘release/send’ is part of an inherited emission metaphor (release of waters/cattle/light). The superlative purutáma exemplifies archaic intensification strategies typical of early Indo-European praise poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi ‘raises’ the rite (úttiṣṭha) and acknowledges that the gods are strengthened by hymns (samukṣita). The exchange is explicit: human stoma energizes; Marut descent answers as a liberated flood of force and knowledge.
Awaken inner fire and invite a new, abundant descent; visualize rays of knowledge being released.
maṇipūra (rise/activation) and ājñā (release of light/clarity)
Inhale with ‘ut tiṣṭha’ feeling the spine lengthen; exhale with ‘gavāṃ sargam’ imagining rays streaming through the forehead and heart
Uplifted readiness and luminous expansion
Stand or sit tall; chant once to ‘rise’; then repeat softly 9–27 times, visualizing a sealed inner gate opening and streams of light (go) moving freely into thought, speech, and action.
Rigvedic accents; give strong udatta lift to the imperative ‘ut tiṣṭha’; maintain flowing cadence through ‘gavāṃ sargam iva’.
Begin with a clear upward command; keep the middle steady and nourished; let the final simile ‘sargam iva hvaye’ open and widen in tone.
ut tiṣṭha: dental ‘t’, retroflex ṣṭh in tiṣṭha, samukṣitānām: ‘kṣ’ conjunct crisp; long ā in -nām, apūrvyaṃ: long ū; ‘rv’ cluster clear, hvaye: aspirated ‘hv’ (not ‘hway’), final ‘e’ clear
Uplifting, bright, slightly expansive on the final phrase
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