Who is mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड in Rig Veda?

 

The Rig Vedic rishis left a riddle by narrating the birth of mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड, the eighth son of Aditi, the mother of Gods.

Rig Veda 10.72.8

अष्टौ पुत्रासो अदितेर्ये जातास्तन्वस्परि । देवाँ उप प्रैत्सप्तभिः परा मार्ताण्डमास्यत् ॥

English translation:

Eight are the sons of Aditi, which were born from her body. With seven she went forth to the gods. She cast away the one stemming from a dead egg.

 

Rig Veda 10.72.9

 

सप्तभिः पुत्रैरदितिरुप प्रैत्पूर्व्यं युगम् । प्रजायै मृत्यवे त्वत्पुनर्मार्ताण्डमाभरत् ॥

 

English translation:

 With seven sons Aditi went forth to the place of ancient gods.  She came back for the sake of a dead egg (mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड), which is left in cycle of birth and death.

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The eighth son of Aditi was described as mārtāṇḍa - मार्ताण्ड (mrita anda – dead egg), which can be interpreted as a soul in a suspended animation, but not really dead.

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I)    The mother of mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड is none other than Aditi, the mother of Gods and who is described both as Nirguna/formless as well as Saguna/with form BRAHMAN.  And, thus, Aditi is the mother of every human being.

 

In other words, every Human being is a mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड, a soul in a suspended animation, but not really dead.

 

This DIVINITY will remain hidden in every Human being, till the attention is turned INWARDS.

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II)       The knowledge of the DIVINITY, to be searched in the human being is described as SUPREME TREASURE, hidden in a secret cave.

Rig Veda 2.24.7

ऋतावानः प्रतिचक्ष्यानृता पुनरात आ तस्थुः कवयो महस्पथः ।

ते बाहुभ्यां धमितमग्निमश्मनि नकिः षो अस्त्यरणो जहुर्हि तम् ॥
 

English translation:

“They who travel towards the goal and attain that treasure of the Panis, the supreme treasure hidden in the secret cave, they, having the knowledge and perceiving the falsehoods, rise up again thither whence they came and enter into that world. Possessed of the truth, beholding the falsehoods they, seers, rise up again into the great path,”

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III)      We should remember that purifying one's mind, adherence to TRUTH , following one's dharma - non-shirking off one’s duties, parallel to sAdhana, are sine qua non in spiritual practice.

IV) Even Ramayana says through Shri Rama to adhere to TRUTH and follow one’s DHARMA.

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The rishis of Rig Veda gave a subtle hint to every Human being to search for mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड,  within oneself.