Rig Veda 2.34.7: Mandala 2, Sukta 34, Mantra 7
Sukta 2.34
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Maruts
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
तं नो दात मरुतो वाजिनं रथ आपानं ब्रह्म चितयद्दिवेदिवे । इषं स्तोतृभ्यो वृजनेषु कारवे सनिं मेधामरिष्टं दुष्टरं सहः ॥
táṃ no dāta maruto vā́jinaṃ rátha āpā́naṃ bráhma citáyad divé-dive | íṣaṃ stotṛ́bhyo vṛjáneṣu kāráve saníṃ medhā́m áriṣṭaṃ dúṣṭaraṃ sáhaḥ ||
ہمیں وہ دو، اے ماروت: طاقت لے جانے والا رتھ، سہارا دینے والا گھونٹ، اور وہ الہامی کلام جو روز بروز جگائے۔ گانے والوں کو جدوجہد میں دو، جیتنے والی، نقصان نہ پہنچنے والی عقل، اور جس پر قابو پانا مشکل ہو۔
Word by Word
- तम्
- him/that (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग?; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दात
- let (him) giveVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: दात = ददातु)Role (क्रिया)Root दा (दाने)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे/वाक्ये कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः)Role KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजिनम्
- prize-winning, swift, bringing bootyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथम्
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- आपानम्
- draught/drink; refreshing drink (soma-like)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आ-पान (प्रातिपदिक; आ + √पा ‘पाने’ से)
- ब्रह्म
- sacred formulation, hymn/prayerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चितयत्
- he/it makes (one) notice; prompts; sets in motionVerbलट्, परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root चित्/चेत् (चेतने) / √चित् (बोधने) (वैदिक caus./denom.)
- दिवे-दिवे
- day by dayNoun (reduplicated phrase)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत् पुनरुक्ति)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक: दिवस् ‘day’)
- इषम्
- refreshment, nourishment, strengthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इष्/इषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोतृभ्यः
- to the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तु ‘स्तुतौ’)
- वृजनेषु
- in the contests/battlesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot वृजन (प्रातिपदिक)
- कारवे
- to the singer/poetNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot कारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सनिम्
- gain, winning, acquisitionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सनि (प्रातिपदिक; √सन्/सन् ‘लाभे/प्राप्तौ’)
- मेधाम्
- wisdom, intelligence, inspired skillNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरिष्टम्
- unharmed, uninjured, safeAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुष्टरम्
- harder to overcome; difficult to crossAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot दुष् + तर (प्रातिपदिक; √तॄ ‘तरणे’ से तुलनात्मक)
- सहः
- might, power, victorious forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): (1) ‘रथ॑ आपा॒नम्’ = रथम् + आपानम् (m → anusvāra before vowel in saṃhitā)
- (2) ‘चितय॑द्दि॒वेदि॑वे’ = चितयत् + दिवे-दिवे (final -t before voiced d often shown as -d in saṃhitā)
- (3) ‘मे॒धामरि॑ष्टम्’ = मेधाम् + अरिष्टम् (m + vowel)
- Other words largely appear in padapāṭha-like segmentation
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer asks the Maruts to give a force-bearing chariot, a sustaining draught, and an inspired word that awakens daily; also to give impulse, winning, unhurt intelligence, and invincible strength to singers in struggles.
Inner meaning
The ‘chariot’ is the organized vehicle of the being—body-life-mind yoked for the journey; vājina indicates it is charged with victorious energy. The ‘āpāna’ is the sustaining intake—inner refreshment that steadies prāṇa and mind. ‘Brahma citayat dive-dive’ is the inspired Word that awakens consciousness repeatedly, renewing perception each day (each cycle of practice). In the inner battle (vṛjaneṣu), the Maruts grant iṣ (impulsion of force), sani (the gaining of the goal), medhā (discriminative intelligence) unharmed by confusion, and duṣṭaraṃ sahaḥ—strength that crosses what is difficult to cross (resistances).
Universal truth
A complete spiritual equipment is needed: a steady vehicle, nourishing energy, renewing inspiration, and resilient intelligence. With these, the practitioner can meet life’s struggles without inner injury and convert effort into attainment.
Themes
Boon-request, Victory and attainment, Protection of intelligence, Daily renewal of inspiration
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (Āṅgiras-related tradition in later attributions)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.1, RV 2.23, RV 2.33-2.34
Family tradition
In Book 2, Gṛtsamada repeatedly asks for divine formation of the human instrument—here a full set of inner ‘boons’ for the yoga of works and knowledge.
Significance
The rishi’s emphasis is practical and psychological: not merely protection, but daily awakening (citayat dive-dive) and the building of an invincible inner capacity.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts
- Epithets
- dātāraḥ (givers), Rudriyas (Rudra-born, implied in the hymn context)
- Related deities
- Indra, Rudra, Bhaga, Agni
Cosmic role
They propel the evolutionary movement, intensify aspiration, and support Indra’s victory over the coverer by supplying force and rhythm.
Inner power
Dynamic courage, prāṇic uplift, and clarifying pressure that turns struggle into progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut offerings within Soma rites; also general invocations for strength in yajña
तं नो॑ दात मरुतो वा॒जिनं॒ रथ॑ आपा॒नं ब्रह्म॑ चि॒तय॑द्दि॒वेदि॑वे । इषं॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ वृ॒जने॑षु का॒रवे॑ स॒निं मे॒धामरि॑ष्टं दु॒ष्टरं॒ सह॑: ॥
तम् । नः॒ । दा॒त॒ । म॒रु॒तः॒ । वा॒जिन॑म् । रथे॑ । आ॒पा॒नम् । ब्रह्म॑ । चि॒तय॑त् । दि॒वेऽदि॑वे । इष॑म् । स्तो॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । वृ॒जने॑षु । का॒रवे॑ । स॒निम् । मे॒धाम् । अरि॑ष्टम् । दु॒स्तर॑म् । सहः॑ ॥
tam | naḥ | dāta | marutaḥ | vājinam | rathe | āpānam | brahma | citayat | dive--dive | iṣam | stotṛ-bhyaḥ | vṛjaneṣu | kārave | sanim | medhām | ariṣṭam | dustaram | sahaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Strong, even propulsion with room for emphatic nouns (ratha, brahma, medhā, sahaḥ).
Instills confidence and readiness; supports a ‘daily awakening’ mood—fresh, alert, forward.
- vājinaṃ ratha
- Literal: force-bearing chariot. Symbolic: integrated psycho-physical instrument energized for the path
- āpānam
- Literal: a sustaining draught. Symbolic: inner nourishment; stabilizing breath/energy that supports practice
- brahma citayat
- Literal: inspired word that awakens. Symbolic: mantric illumination that repeatedly kindles awareness
- dive-dive
- Literal: day by day. Symbolic: cyclic renewal of consciousness; steady sādhanā
- vṛjaneṣu
- Literal: in struggles, battles. Symbolic: inner conflict with inertia, desire, doubt, obscurity
- iṣam
- Literal: impulse, refreshment. Symbolic: forward urge of the soul-force and prāṇa under guidance
- sanim
- Literal: winning, gain. Symbolic: attainment of the sought light/power
- medhām ariṣṭām
- Literal: intelligence unhurt. Symbolic: clear discernment not wounded by passion or confusion
- duṣṭaraṃ sahaḥ
- Literal: strength hard to overcome. Symbolic: invincible endurance that crosses resistances
Boon-request at Soma rite: asks for vāja-force, sustaining essence, renewed brahman, and invincible strength for the ‘vṛjana’ (contest)
At points where assistance and protection for the sacrificer are requested
Recitation accompanying oblation and invitation for divine aid in ‘battle’ (outer/inner)
Chant before demanding work or during periods of inner conflict; use as an affirmation for resilience and clear discernment.
: ‘drink’ (ā + √pā ‘to drink’) → sustaining intake; psychologically replenishing essence. : ‘impulse, refreshment’ (often from √iṣ ‘to impel, be strong’). : ‘struggle, conflict, enclosure’ (semantic of tightness/contest). : from √san ‘to gain, win’. : intelligence/retentive wisdom (root debated; often linked to measuring/appropriating). : a- ‘not’ + riṣṭa (< √riṣ ‘to harm’) → unharmed. : dus- ‘hard’ + √tṛ ‘to cross’ → hard to pass; : strength, might (√sah ‘to be able, prevail’).
renewed inspiration (brahman day by day), inner battle (vṛjana), invincible strength (sahas)
The ‘chariot’ imagery suggests r̥ta-yāna: movement aligned with right order rather than impulsive desire.
Brahma that awakens daily is Satya entering mind as recurring illumination.
Daily renewal indicates ongoing creation—consciousness re-manifests higher order repeatedly.
Integral/psychological Veda: gods as powers shaping faculties (medhā, iṣ, sahaḥ).
dawn-to-day cycle implied by dive-dive
Chariot = embodied instrument; drink = prāṇic/psychic replenishment; day-cycle = repeated awakening of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gift of the divine chariot and invincible strength for the battle: mythically the gods equip the seeker; psychologically the Maruts provide the means (vehicle of force), sustenance, and intact intelligence to win the inner contest.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pā ‘drink’ and √tṛ ‘cross’ have clear IE cognate networks (crossing/overcoming as a universal metaphor). The ‘chariot of victory’ is a common IE heroic-sacral trope, retooled here for inner attainment.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames the Maruts as patrons of the singer-community (stotṛ, kāru) in the struggle: he requests not outer spoils but capacities—impulse (iṣ), winning (sani), unhurt intelligence (medhā), and hard-to-surpass strength (sahas)—so the human instrument can sustain the path of ṛta.
Build the inner ‘vehicle’: align body, breath, mind; invite daily awakening of inspired speech/thought.
Manipura (sahaḥ), Vishuddha (brahma/word), Ajna (medhā)
Nadi-shodhana 6–6 or 6–3–6 to steady ‘āpāna’; then silent repetition of ‘brahma citayat’ with gentle breath awareness.
Alert steadiness—quiet power ready for action.
Before chanting, set an intention: ‘May my instrument become a vājina ratha.’ After chanting, sit 3–5 minutes; notice a fresh, daily-new perception; resolve one concrete action from that clarity.
Vedic accents as per śākhā; keep lift on key gifts (vājinaṃ, āpānam, brahma) and on climactic ‘duṣṭaraṃ sahaḥ’.
Phrase in three offerings: (1) ratha (2) āpānam (3) brahma; then a second wave of gifts (iṣ, sani, medhā, sahaḥ).
(vājinaṃ): long ā; nasal ‘ṃ’, (āpānam): long ā; clear p, (citayat): soft ‘c’, not ‘ch’, (vṛjaneṣu): vocalic ṛ, (duṣṭaram): retroflex ṣṭ
Steady, confident, not rushed; let the cadence feel like a chariot’s measured drive.
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.
