Commentary on the Rig Veda

HYMN 6

The third hymn in the second Section, beginning with yunjanti has ten Riks. The Rishi, metre and the deity are to be taken as before. In this hymn, the deities of six Riks from the fourth onwards beginning with ā daha, are Maruts. Of these, two Riks viļucit and indreņa, have Maruts as the deities as well as Indra. All this is mentioned in the commentary of Sayana, illustrated from the anukramarikā (Index). In this spiritual interpretation, we do not elaborate upon the application in ritual. It is just hinted at wherever necessary.

This is the first Rik.

1. yunjanti bradhnamaruşam carantam pari tasthușah, rocante rocanā divi.
   yunjanti bradhnam aruşam carantam pari tasthuşaḥ rocante rocanā divi.

bradhnam great; aruşam shining; carantam moving (not stationary); pari all round; tasthuşaḥ standing ; yunjanti yoke; divi in heaven; rocanā shining lights; rocante gleam.

First we have given only the word meaning. The meaning following the purport will be given. Before that it is necessary to consider a little the explanation of the earlier commentators so that the coherence of the purport to be given may be easily understood.

bradhnaḥ: this is among the synonyms of the term great. Instead of saying bradhna great, Sayana’s explanation has it as āditya, Sun. Everywhere generally, Sayana first gives the literal meaning and then goes on to expound the purport according to the context or gives another meaning. Thus for example, in bradhnasya mahato agneḥ, of the great Agni (3.7.5), bradhnam mahāntam babhrum asvam, the great tawny horse (7.44.3), adhi bradhnasya vistſtasya (asmanaḥ) upari, on the spread-out stone (8.4.13), udyad bradhnasya vistapam mahat (adityasya) sthānam, vast station of the Sun (8.58.7), bradhno yāmaḥ, mahān rathaḥ, large carriage, huge chariot (10.20.9). In the last illustration the term qualified yāma is there in the mantra itself. In this one Rik and elsewhere at times the term bradhna is related to Aditya in the commentary of Sayana. It is done on the strength of the line in the Brāhmaṇa, “the great Aditya, flaming Agni and moving Vayu”. In the anukramapikā this is said to be a mantra to Indra. Then how can the line from the Brāhmana fit in with this? It is held that it is Indra who is there in the form of Aditya, Agni and Vayu.

bradhnam: various are the alternates suggested for derivation. The na termination to the root bandhu by the sutra of Unadi; some say that bandh becomes bradh.

aruşam : derived from the root ruş meaning violence, it denotes non-violent Agni, says Sayana. But in several places his commentary has it as shining. Skandaswami derives from the root rus with the prefix ā, meaning to gleam; ā shortens to a and sa becomes şa. All commentators generally accept everywhere the sense of shining for the term arusa.

tasthuşaḥ: Following the commentary of Sayana the case is changed and the term is taken as nominative plural, tasthivāmsaḥ. It is apposite.

Let us consider the meaning in brief. By joining the yoke and the yoke-bearers, they make the chariot harnessed. And the chariot is large and shining. It is moving, signifying the chariot. The eternal ones of shining wisdom, fixed there, make ready the moving chariot. When the chariot is thus made ready, the lustrous high stations or worlds in the heaven are seen gleaming. The pur-port according to the inner sense will be given later.

Tr. They yoke the broad and shining car, they who stand around it as it moves ; the luminous lights (worlds) gleam in heaven.

This is the second Rik.

2. yunjantyasya kāmyā hari vipaksasā rathe, soņā dhsspū nsvāhasā.
   yunjanti asya kāmyā hari iti vi’ paksasā rathe sonā dhssnū iti ns’vāhasā.

asya his (Indra’s); hari horses (accusative); tathe to the chariot spoken of before, broad, etc; yunjanti they yoke, they join to the chariot; who? They who stand around as said before (the eternal ones of shining wisdom stationed in the heaven); of what kind are the horses? kāmyā charming or desirable ; there are four other adjectives ; vipaksasā of different sides, left and right-of the chariot, that are yoked on either side of the chariot ; sopā deep red; dhrşņū vehement; novāhasa carrying the God of leading power (the term ns denotes the male, divine or human; it indicates strength).

The first Rik spoke of harnessing the broad and shining car of Indra. This one speaks of the yoking to the car the charming, vehement, power-carrying horses of Indra. In both the action is done by those of shining wisdom constantly residing in heaven, standing around. When the foreground is thus ready, Indra himself manifests—this is said in the third. What does he do in manifesting?

Tr. They yoke his desirable bright horses that stand on either side to the car, deep-red, vehement, carrying the Power.

This is the third Rik.

3. ketum kļņvanna ketave peso maryā apeśase, samuşadbhirajāyathāh.
   ketum kļņvan aketave peśaḥ maryāḥ apeśase sam uşať bhiḥ ajāyathāḥ.

maryāḥ O strong one; thou aketave for him without knowledge (dative in the sense of ’for the sake of’) ketum knowledge kļņvan creating ; apeśase for him without form ; peśaḥ form (creating); sam gathering; uşadbhiḥ with the rays of the dawn of knowledge ; ajāyathāḥ are born. That is, thou art born with the collective rise of the aides, the divine rays of knowledge.

maryāḥ: words denoting strength are generally derived from roots meaning hurting. The term dakşa is taken in the sense of strength from dams, dams or damsay, so they say. Because he brings death to the enemies, he is the powerful, strong. In “He is the will, he is Strength" (1.77.3), Sayana’s comment also supports this meaning. It is to be noted that the term. marya to indicate strength has been used hundreds of times elsewhere. Here marya is the vocative to Indra. When the car is ready and the horses yoked to it, and the divine rays of knowledge rise together, Indra is manifest. The meaning is that pleased he became visible to the eye of the Rishi. He himself gives that vision to the Rishi. That is why it is said ketum kļņvan, making knowledge. ketu is the eye of knowledge born of inner understanding. This inner sight of knowledge obtained by the grace of Indra will not alone suffice to remain steadily in the divine vision. Some sort of receptacle is needed for such a divine revelation. But that cannot be this earthly body. Just as the outer body is the basis for the outer eye, so too for the inner eye of knowledge an appropriate body becomes necessary for its base. And that body is normally mixed, submerged, concealed, in the inert material consciousness in the physical body of man and hence unmanifest. It is that subtle body perceivable by the divine vision, indicated by the term rūpa that Indra manifests in coming to light—this is the meaning.

Tr. O strong one, making vision of knowledge for him who had it not, and form, for what had no form, thou art born with the rays of the dawn of knowledge.

This must be noted here; ratha is a special movement, divine, broad and bright. This is presided over by Indra. The horses yoked to it are also shining ones, especially vehicles of power. It is generally possible in the Rik Samhita to grasp the innate nature of the horses of Indra by the words describing their qualities. These are-be it noted-special powers of inner sight, divine manifestations of knowledge. Indra’s horses are also described in 2.11.6: “We laud thy steeds, intuitive rays of Surya”, “intuitive rays”, “dwellers in luminous heaven”. Both of these are first brought together by the mantra, the word proceeding from the heart of the Rishi and are then yoked to the car presided over by Indra. That is why Indra’s horses are lauded in many mantras as yoked by the Word: “Destroyer of Vritra, mount thy car, thy steeds are yoked by the Word” (1.84.3); “These friendly horses that are yoked by Word I harness by Word” (3.35.4); “Bring hither, O powerful, steeds yoked by the Word, our comrade, renowned by our chants, fond of chant” (8.2.27). There are other such mantras also by which not merely the innate nature of the steeds of Indra-covert or overt-is established, but it is also made known that the word from the heart of the Rishi, the mantra denoted by the term brahma, was the sole means to obtain the riches of divine sight and the like through the grace of the steeds of Indra.

Now after the appearance of Indra, the help of the Maruts is sought for in his work. The Maruts are particular gods who set a divine pace to the mental movements of fierce speed and brilliance. What is said before, that the illumined mind is the domain of Indra, is to be kept in mind. When the intellect of the perfected Rishi enters there, his faculties are reborn therein. This is the second birth of the Maruts in man, the individual. The first birth is like the other Gods in the collective creation for their own function. This rebirth of the Maruts follows the birth of Indra. That is why the legion of the Maruts are celebrated in the Veda as having Indra as the eldest.

The fourth Rik deals with this very topic. We have thus spoken of the birth of the Maruts following the view of the ancients. Actually, however, it is the rebirth of the god-aspiring Rishis themselves for the attainment of divinity.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ādaha svadhā manu punargarbhatvamerire, dadhānā nāma yajñiyam.
   āt aha svadhām anu punaḥ garbha’tvam ā’irire dadhānāḥ nāma yajñiyam.

ādaha afterwards alone (āt and aha, particles in the sense of afterwards and certainty, respectively); svadhām anu according to the law of self-holding (svadhā self-holding); punaḥ garbhatvam embryonic birth again; erire came to; who ? Rishis aspiring for the gods (by signification); of what kind? yaj ñiyam sacrificial; nāma Name (denoting the personality of the godhead, the particular designation); dadhānāḥ bearing.

svadhām: the power that is capable of holding one’s own nature. In the Veda the law that sustains or promotes the self-nature of all the various existences is denoted by the term svadhā.

erire: the form in perfect tense of the root ir denoting movement, prefixed by ā.

The birth of the Maruts is only after the manifestation of Indra.’ We have said earlier how it is the rebirth. Here it is stated that their birth is according to the law of their self-sustaining. And for this obtaining of the rebirth, the holding of the Name becomes the means-the secret, sacred God-signifying Name which is appropriate to the activity of Sacrifice in the form of consecration, selfless and done for the sake of God.

Tr. And after, according to their law of self-holding, they again came to embryonic birth bearing the sacrificial Name.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. viļu cidārujatnubhirguhā cidindra vahnibhiḥ, avinda usriyā anu.
   viļu cit ārujatnubhiḥ guhā cit indra vahni’bhiḥ avindaḥ usriyāḥ anu.

indra O Indra; viļucit though strong (places like mountain); ārujatnubhiḥ breakers; guhācit though in cave (in secret place); vahnibhiḥ bearers (with those of divine birth, helpers, capable of bearing Thee); usriyāḥ cows; anu following; avindaḥ has obtained.

viļuḥ: derived from viļayate in the sense of suppressing, it is among the synonyms of strength.

ārujatnubhiḥ: ruja in the sense of breaking prefixed by ā and having the termination ktnu of the auņādika class; the form is instrumental plural.

guhā : the substitute ā for the seventh case.

usriyāḥ: ustāḥ rays derived from vaști in the sense of lustre (ṣ becomes s). From vasati, says Sayana. The cows of the rays of knowledge are called usriyāḥ.

We are told of the activity of the seers of light, on obtaining a rebirth in the superhuman world as described in an earlier Mantra, in helping Indra to reach the cows stolen by the Panis and kept secure in the cave of the mountain. Also told are their capacity to break the material Inconscient signified by the term mountain (parvata) and the power to enter the hiding place obscure with darkness, denoted by the term cave (guhā) and bear Indra and his emanations therein. If it be asked how did they obtain such powers, it is narrated further on that being born under the governing influence of Indra, they seeking the Godhead, waited upon the divine Inspiration attainable, by the Grace of Indra, for the work to be done; and hence their greatness.

Tr. O Indra, by those who break even the strong places and who carry even to the secret places, thou hast traced and found the luminous cows. Thus ends the eleventh group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. devayanto yathā matimacchā vidadvasum giraḥ, mahāmanūşata śrutam.
   deva’vantaḥ yathā matim accha vidaťvasum giraḥ mahām anūşata frutām.

devayantaḥ seers desiring the Godhead; mahām great; srutam perceivable by the divine inspiration, Indra; anūşata have lauded (having heard the divine word). He gives, an illustration. giraḥ uttering, chanters; vidadvasum finding the riches; matim Indra the thinker; accha to his face; yathā as they praise on getting the wealth, even so.

devayantaḥ: desiring the gods for themselves.

matim: though the word has the meaning of intelligence, yet by courtesy it connotes Indra the knower. Thus do the words, praises, connote those who praise.

vidadvasum: one who has wealth, riches that know or make it known-the causal sense is included-indicate or procure ’Intelligence’, Indra to oneself. vasu means wealth, riches. And being of the nature of knowledge it has the capacity to signify Indra.

anūşata: from nū to praise, aorist first personal plural, absence of ’guna’ substitute is Vedic and so also the ātmanepada.

This is the meaning of the Mantra. As the chanters wait, with their lauds, upon Indra with his divine riches leading to his glories, so too the seers of light who have attained a fresh birth, lovers of Indra, acquiring the power of hearing from Indra worship him who is perceived by hearing the Divine Word of inspiration. Now follows the laud, in collectivity, of the Maruts, in the form of hosts, whose help was immensely useful in the breaking of mountain, etc.- the Maruts, who though principally presiding over the vital domains, are devoted to forceful action, ablaze with the strength and lustre of Indra.

Tr. The seekers of Godhead lauded the great God heard as the singers chant in front Indra finding the riches.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. indreņa sam hi díkşase sanjagmāno abibhyuşā, mandū samā navarcasa.
   indreņa sam hi dşkşase sam’jagmānaḥ abibhyuşā, mandū iti samāna’ varcasā.

O company of Maruts! You indrepa coming together with Indra, that is corresponding to him or adapted to him ; sandskşase hi art seen well; with Indra of what kind ? abibhyuşā without fear, you both-Indra and the host of Maruts; mandu rapturous; samānavarcasā equal in splendour (are).

dṛkṣase: Vedic present in the sense of imperative, according to Sayana. Present tense, passive form in the commentary of Skandasvamin. This is right, he is seen directly.

mandū: this form is derived from the root mand in the sense of pleasing.

abibhyuşā: perfect participle of bhi. The other is vaidic.

Tr. For you are seen with Indra, moving with the fearless God, rapturous are you both and equal in splendour.

Thus by the sight of the host of Maruts joined to Indra and equal in splendour with him, the Rishi receives a special light and preparing the sacrifice he chants the Rik with force. This is being said in the next.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. anavadyairabhidyubhirmakhaḥ sahasvadarcati, ganairindrasya kāmyaiḥ.
   anavadyaiḥ abhidyu’bhiḥ makhaḥ sahasvat arcati ganaiḥ indrasya kā myaiḥ.

makhaḥ the sacrificer (who does it, who spells out, -- does the sacrifice); arcayati lauds, utters the Rik; sahasvat forcefully, making it potent (lauds); being of what kind ? ganaiḥ accompanied by the host of Maruts (the meaning is that they are in their company either because of their grace or because of their possessing them), hosts of what kind ? anavadyaiḥ faultless, that is pure white (this spotlessness is becoming of the Maruts who are helping Indra the lord of the domain of the illumined mind, the mental energies that have become divinised and thus re-born), again abhidyubhiḥ those whose light, signified by the word dyu, is spread around the sacrificer; and again, indrasya kāmyaiḥ those desired by Indra, dear to him.

The derivation of the special terms has been given in the very exposition of the meaning, making it easy to follow the purport.

Tr. Accompanied by the desirable faultless hosts of Indra, whose light is all around, the sacrificer chants forcefully the Rik. Chanting confidently, his means of laudation obtained by the grace of Indra with the host of Maruts, the seer-sacrificer prays in the next Rik for the presence of Indra everywhere.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. ataḥ parijmannāgahi divo vā rocanādadhi, samasmințñjate giraḥ.
   ataḥ pari’jman ā gahi divaḥ vā rocanāt adhi sam asmin sñiate giraḥ.

parijman one who goes around,-the form is of the root aj with the preposition pari and termination manin-o all-pervading, is the meaning, O Indra, ataḥ to us from the midspace, the Antariksha, āgahi come; divo vā or from the heaven; rocanādadhi or from the luminous world still higher, come (as he is all-pervading, Indra’s advent with the glories of each station promotes the divine’s increase in the seer); asmin in this my inner sacrifice (this Madhucchandas); giraḥ praises, words of Mantra; samțñjate makes them accomplished, brighter.

Tr. Thence, O all-pervading, come or from the heaven or from the luminous world. Here he brightens the words.

In this hymn primarily devoted to Indra there follows at the end explicit praise of Indra.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. to mã sātimimahe dino Đã bārthioặdadhi ; indram maho vā rajasaḥ.
    itaḥ vā sālim imahe divaḥ vā pārthivāt adhi; indram mahaḥ vā rajasaḥ.

ito vā from the earth close to us or ; sātim what is to be obtained, enjoyed, attained; imahe we desire; what is to be attained is Indra himself; indram we desire Indra as to be attained. As he wields his supremacy over all the three worlds he is attainable either here, pārthivadadhi ; divo vā or from the earthly heaven; maho rajaso vā or from the great mid-world, we desire the Indra to be attained.

Tr. From here or from the earthly heavens or from the great mid-world we desire Indra for our getting.

We have commented upon the hymn commencing with Tunjanta. According to the Anukra-manikā, the Riks commented upon are two to Indra and Maruts, four to Maruts, and four to Indra. The sequential connection of the Riks in this hymn of ten Riks has been shown. This hymn pregnant with mystic import has turned out to be of dry meaning in the method of exposition according to the line of gross interpretation. We do not seek to examine that purport. But we have something to say here.

There is much secret here that has been deliberately placed deep by the seer. This illustrates powerfully what we stated earlier in the Introduction regarding the secret of the seers. We said: “This mystery was known to the Rishis and to their disciples who had obtained initiation from the great Rishis, their teachers, were instructed in the inner sacrifice by means of inner purification, etc.” Familiar words like cow, horse, ray, etc. symbolic or of double meaning rise no difficulty to us here. Even so the lines themselves are sufficient to speak out that the secret has been patently and deliberately placed in this hymn.

He says in the first Rik “They yoke”. Who? The subject is not mentioned. The terms ‘around’, ’standers’ though taken by change of cases are only adjectival: it is simply left to the understanding of the inner sacrificer or for educating the student, without stating the nature of the qualified. “Moving’: here too what? That is not mentioned. In the second Rik too the subject is left to be inferred, but it is easier than in the first. In the third with what ‘rays of knowledge of the Dawn’ is the birth of Indra ? That is not said. In the fourth who came ’to the embryonic birth?? In the fifth, by means of which ’breakers’, ‘carriers’ is the gain of cows by Indra ? In the sixth, who are those ’desirous of God’ who adored “the great one heard’? In the seventh, who is addressed ‘seen along with Indra’ ’of like splendour’? Even in the eighth, it is not said explicitly who are the ’hosts dear to Indra’. In the ninth who is invited, ’who goes everywhere? It is only in the tenth that it is said explicitly that ’we desire Indra.’

We would say that the answer to all this had been intentionally concealed and guarded by the great seer Madhucchandas of direct realisation, the knower of what to say. And yet hints have been scattered here and there in the Riks, covertly or overtly. It is by examining them and basing upon the conclusions arrived at by the ancients regarding the identity of the Gods, that works like Bșhad Devatā, Anukramarikā, etc. were started. In many places, even among the ancients, there is difference of opinion or doubt or controversy in fixing the identity of the Gods. This is to be pondered over. The time lag between different ages of the original seers of the Mantras and the later authors of the Aphorisms of Srauta and Kalpa is the very cause for the controversy on subjects like the Gods.

Primarily the Mantras relate to the inner sacrifice. It is no wonder that those who set out to expound the significance with a view to their use in the outer ritual, and that too the later ones, came to decide upon the Gods expounded in the Mantras from the most superficial viewpoint. That is why when we consider the meaning of the Mantras generally-especially in the context of the inner sacrifice—we see no congruity between the meaning of the Mantras and the Deity as stated by those like Katyayana. This incongruity becomes patent in this very hymn of ’yuñjanti’, in mantras like ’devayantaḥ’. Even though we follow, as far as we are able, to the extent possible, the author of the Anukramaņikā only in fixing the identity of the Gods, we openly dissent in inappropriate situations. Hence, in this explanation of the inner sense, following the interpretation of Sri Aurobindo, we do not accept the Maruts as the deities in the Mantra ’devayantaḥ’. Similarly in verse ‘ataḥ parijman’ it is not the host of Maruts that is called. All the rest has been said in the commentary.

Thus ends the twelfth Group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.