Verses 1, 2, 3
इ॒मा रु॒द्राय॑ त॒वसे॑ कप॒र्दिने॑ क्ष॒यद्वी॑राय॒ प्र भ॑रामहे म॒तीः । यथा॒ शमस॑द्द्वि॒पदे॒ चतु॑ष्पदे॒ विश्वं॑ पु॒ष्टं ग्रामे॑ अ॒स्मिन्न॑नातु॒रं ॥
imā́ rudrā́ya taváse kapardíne kṣayádvīrāya prá bharāmahe matī́ḥ ǀ yáthā śámásaddvipáde cátuṣpade víśvam puṣṭám grā́me asmínnanāturám ǁ
मृ॒ळा नो॑ रुद्रो॒त नो॒ मय॑स्कृधि क्ष॒यद्वी॑राय॒ नम॑सा विधेम ते । यच्छं च॒ योश्च॒ मनु॑राये॒जे पि॒ता तद॑श्याम॒ तव॑ रुद्र॒ प्रणी॑तिषु ॥
mṛḷā́ no rudrotá no máyaskṛdhi kṣayádvīrāya námasā vidhema te ǀ yácchám ca yóśca mánurāyejé pitā́ tádaśyāma táva rudra práṇītiṣu ǁ
अ॒श्याम॑ ते सुम॒तिं दे॑वय॒ज्यया॑ क्ष॒यद्वी॑रस्य॒ तव॑ रुद्र मीढ्वः । सु॒म्ना॒यन्निद्विशो॑ अ॒स्माक॒मा च॒रारि॑ष्टवीरा जुहवाम ते ह॒विः ॥
aśyā́ma te sumatím devayajyáyā kṣayádvīrasya táva rudra mīḍhvaḥ ǀ sumnāyánnídvíśo asmā́kamā́ carā́riṣṭavīrā juhavāma te havíḥ ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi approaches Rudra—the tempestuous, powerful deity—with a deep mixture of awe, reverence, and earnest supplication. We are invited to witness the poet offering up his sacred thoughts and mantras like a rich oblation, desiring nothing less than complete protection and well-being for all living creatures, both two-legged and four-legged. Rudra is addressed as 'kapardin,' the braided-haired one, and 'kṣayadvīra,' the ruler of heroes, emphasizing his sovereign power over life and death. The poet yearns to attain that supreme, healing peace ('śam' and 'yoḥ') which the ancient ancestor Manu once secured through sacred worship. The tone here is remarkably tender yet profoundly respectful. The Ṛṣi acknowledges that Rudra possesses both the destructive storm and the soothing balm. By praying for 'ariṣṭavīrāḥ'—families and communities whose heroes remain unharmed—the poet bridges the gap between cosmic awe and domestic stability. It is an appeal for divine grace that transforms raw, terrifying power into a life-giving stream of divine benevolence.
Verse 1: We bring forward these thoughts to the mighty, braided-haired Rudra, ruler of heroes, so that there may be well-being for our two-footed and four-footed creatures, and that everything in this village may be nourished and free from illness.
Verse 2: Be gracious to us, O Rudra, and grant us joy; with homage we would worship you, the ruler of heroes. May we attain that peace and healing which Manu, our father, worshipped to receive, under your divine guidance.
Verse 3: May we attain your benevolent grace through divine worship, O bounteous Rudra, ruler of heroes. Seeking your favor, walk among our communities, and may we pour our oblations to you with our heroes unharmed.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'kṣayadvīra' as one who destroys evil men or rules over brave men. Modern commentators like Sri Aurobindo often view Rudra in these verses as the fierce psychological force that breaks down our lower nature to clear the path for divine bliss ('śam' and 'yoḥ').
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रुद्राय | rudrāya | to Rudra, the howling or roaring god of storm and healing |
| कपर्दिने | kapardine | to the braided-haired one |
| क्षयद्वीराय | kṣayadvīrāya | to the lord or ruler of heroes |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मृळा | mṛḷā | be gracious, be merciful |
| मयस्कृधि | mayaskṛdhi | make joy, create refreshment |
| नमसा | namasā | with bow, with homage or reverence |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुमतिम् | sumatim | good mind, benevolent grace, favor |
| मीढ्वः | mīḍhvaḥ | O bounteous, showerer of gifts |
| अरिष्टवीराः | ariṣṭavīrāḥ | having unharmed or uninjured heroes/sons |
Picture a terrified villager watching a fierce lightning storm approach, yet respectfully laying out sweet milk and grain at the doorstep, knowing the storm god holds both the lightning that strikes and the rain that heals.
Verses 4, 5, 6
त्वे॒षं व॒यं रु॒द्रं य॑ज्ञ॒साधं॑ वं॒कुं क॒विमव॑से॒ नि ह्व॑यामहे । आ॒रे अ॒स्मद्दैव्यं॒ हेळो॑ अस्यतु सुम॒तिमिद्व॒यम॒स्या वृ॑णीमहे ॥
tveṣám vayám rudrám yajñasā́dham vaṅkúm kavímávase ní hvayāmahe ǀ āré asmáddáivyam héḷo asyatu sumatímídvayámasyā́ vṛṇīmahe ǁ
दि॒वो व॑रा॒हम॑रु॒षं क॑प॒र्दिनं॑ त्वे॒षं रू॒पं नम॑सा॒ नि ह्व॑यामहे । हस्ते॒ बिभ्र॑द्भेष॒जा वार्या॑णि॒ शर्म॒ वर्म॑ च्छ॒र्दिर॒स्मभ्यं॑ यंसत् ॥
divó varāhámaruṣám kapardínam tveṣám rūpám námasā ní hvayāmahe ǀ háste bíbhradbheṣajā́ vā́ryāṇi śárma várma cchardírasmábhyam yaṃsat ǁ
इ॒दं पि॒त्रे म॒रुता॑मुच्यते॒ वचः॑ स्वा॒दोः स्वादी॑यो रु॒द्राय॒ वर्ध॑नं । रास्वा॑ च नो अमृत मर्त॒भोज॑नं॒ त्मने॑ तो॒काय॒ तन॑याय मृळ ॥
idám pitré marútāmucyate vácaḥ svādóḥ svā́dīyo rudrā́ya várdhanam ǀ rā́svā ca no amṛta martabhójanam tmáne tokā́ya tánayāya mṛḷa ǁ
As the Sūkta progresses, the imagery shifts into grand cosmic visions. The Ṛṣi invokes Rudra as a dynamic, swift-moving sage ('vanku kavim') who fulfills the sacrifice. In verse 5, one of the most striking metaphors in the Rigveda appears: Rudra is called 'divo varāhaḥ'—the Boar of heaven, ruddy and golden, bearing celestial medicines in his hands. This zoomorphic imagery portrays a primordial power that digs up hidden treasures of healing and protection ('śarma varma chardiḥ'—shelter, armor, and a safe refuge). In verse 6, the hymn becomes deeply personal. The poet describes his words as sweet nectar, sweeter than the sweetest, dedicated to the 'Father of the Maruts.' He begs for mortal sustenance not just for himself, but for his offspring and descendants ('tmane tokāya tanayāya'). It is a plea that connects the vast cosmic architecture of the universe down to the simple hearth and home of the worshipper.
Verse 4: We invoke for our aid this brilliant Rudra, who accomplishes the sacrifice, swift and wise. May he thrust far away from us divine wrath, and may we choose his benevolent grace.
Verse 5: With homage we invoke the ruddy Boar of heaven, the braided-haired, brilliant form, who holds in his hand all desirable healing remedies, and who grants us shelter, armor, and a safe refuge.
Verse 6: This sweeter-than-sweet praise is spoken to the Father of the Maruts, a song of growing reverence for Rudra. Grant us mortal sustenance, O Immortal One, and be gracious to ourselves, our children, and our descendants.
Yāska, in the Nirukta, explains 'varāha' here as deriving from 'varam rohati' (one who traverses excellent spaces or ascends). Traditional commentators emphasize that the 'medicines' held in Rudra's hand are both physical cures for disease and spiritual remedies for existential suffering.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| त्वेषम् | tveṣam | brilliant, vehement, glowing |
| यज्ञसाधम् | yajñasādham | accomplishing or fulfilling the sacrifice |
| हेळः | heḷaḥ | anger, wrath, displeasure |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वराहम् | varāham | boar (here a powerful epithet of majesty and digging/unearthing) |
| अरुषम् | aruṣam | red, ruddy, shining |
| भेषजा | bheṣajā | remedies, medicines, healing herbs |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पित्रे मरुताम् | pitre marutām | to the father of the Maruts (storm gods) |
| अमृत | amṛta | O immortal one |
| तोकाय तनयाय | tokāya tanayāya | to offspring and descendants |
Imagine a mighty golden boar plunging its tusks into the earth of heaven to unearth glowing roots of medicine, handing them directly to you to wear as armor against sorrow.
Verses 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
मा नो॑ म॒हांत॑मु॒त मा नो॑ अर्भ॒कं मा न॒ उक्षं॑तमु॒त मा न॑ उक्षि॒तं । मा नो॑ वधीः पि॒तरं॒ मोत मा॒तरं॒ मा नः॑ प्रि॒यास्त॒न्वो॑ रुद्र रीरिषः ॥
mā́ no mahā́ntamutá mā́ no arbhakám mā́ na úkṣantamutá mā́ na ukṣitám ǀ mā́ no vadhīḥ pitáram mótá mātáram mā́ naḥ priyā́stanvó rudra rīriṣaḥ ǁ
मा न॑स्तो॒के तन॑ये॒ मा न॑ आ॒यौ मा नो॒ गोषु॒ मा नो॒ अश्वे॑षु रीरिषः । वी॒रान्मा नो॑ रुद्र भामि॒तो व॑धीर्ह॒विष्मं॑तः॒ सद॒मित्त्वा॑ हवामहे ॥
mā́ nastoké tánaye mā́ na āyáu mā́ no góṣu mā́ no áśveṣu rīriṣaḥ ǀ vīrā́nmā́ no rudra bhāmitó vadhīrhavíṣmantaḥ sádamíttvā havāmahe ǁ
उप॑ ते॒ स्तोमा॑न्पशु॒पा इ॒वाक॑रं॒ रास्वा॑ पितर्मरुतां सु॒म्नम॒स्मे । भ॒द्रा हि ते॑ सुम॒तिर्मृ॑ळ॒यत्त॒माथा॑ व॒यमव॒ इत्ते॑ वृणीमहे ॥
úpa te stómānpaśupā́ ivā́karam rā́svā pitarmarutām sumnámasmé ǀ bhadrā́ hí te sumatírmṛḷayáttamā́thā vayámáva ítte vṛṇīmahe ǁ
आ॒रे ते॑ गो॒घ्नमु॒त पू॑रुष॒घ्नं क्षय॑द्वीर सु॒म्नम॒स्मे ते॑ अस्तु । मृ॒ळा च॑ नो॒ अधि॑ च ब्रूहि दे॒वाधा॑ च नः॒ शर्म॑ यच्छ द्वि॒बर्हाः॑ ॥
āré te goghnámutá pūruṣaghnám kṣáyadvīra sumnámasmé te astu ǀ mṛḷā́ ca no ádhi ca brūhi devā́dhā ca naḥ śárma yaccha dvibárhāḥ ǁ
अवो॑चाम॒ नमो॑ अस्मा अव॒स्यवः॑ शृ॒णोतु॑ नो॒ हवं॑ रु॒द्रो म॒रुत्वा॑न् । तन्नो॑ मि॒त्रो वरु॑णो मामहंता॒मदि॑तिः॒ सिंधुः॑ पृथि॒वी उ॒त द्यौः ॥
ávocāma námo asmā avasyávaḥ śṛṇótu no hávam rudró marútvān ǀ tánno mitró váruṇo māmahantāmáditiḥ síndhuḥ pṛthivī́ utá dyáuḥ ǁ
The final movement of Sūkta 114 is an impassioned litany of protection. The Ṛṣi cries out in a series of deeply moving negative petitions: do not harm the elderly, do not harm the young, do not harm the growing youth or the full-grown adult, do not strike our father or our mother, and do not injure the precious forms of our own bodies. The fear of divine wrath ('bhāmitaḥ') is palpable, yet it is immediately balanced by absolute trust. The poet compares himself to a herdsman tending his cattle, bringing his songs of praise directly to the divine presence. The hymn culminates in a breathtaking universal blessing. The poet asks that Rudra's destructive arrow stay far away from cows and men, and finally, he unites all cosmic forces—Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, Sindhu, Earth, and Heaven—to hear his call alongside Rudra and the Maruts. It is a magnificent vision of cosmic harmony where the fierce storm god is integrated into the peaceful, supportive matrix of all divine powers.
Verse 7: Do not harm our elder or our young, do not harm our growing youth or our mature man. Do not slay our father or our mother, and do not injure our dear bodies, O Rudra.
Verse 8: Do not injure our little ones, our offspring, our life-span, our cows, or our horses. Do not slay our heroes in your anger, O Rudra; bearing oblations, we call upon you evermore.
Verse 9: I have brought forth my songs of praise to you like a herdsman to his cattle; grant us your grace, O father of the Maruts. For your benevolent grace is most healing, and we choose your protection alone.
Verse 10: Far away be your cow-slaying and man-slaying weapon, O ruler of heroes; let your grace be with us. Be gracious to us, speak words of blessing on our behalf, O divine, all-expanding one, and grant us shelter.
Verse 11: We have spoken our homage to him, seeking his protection; may Rudra accompanied by the Maruts hear our call. May Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, Sindhu, Earth, and Heaven magnify and confirm this for us.
Sāyaṇa highlights how the progression of verses moves from national/tribal welfare down to the safety of individual family members, showing the holistic scope of Vedic prayer. Modern scholars note the inclusion of universal deities (Mitra, Varuṇa, etc.) in the final verse as a ritual seal that harmonizes Rudra's tempestuous energy with the cosmic order (Ṛta).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| महान्तम् | mahāntam | the great one, the elder |
| अर्भकम् | arbhakam | the small one, the child |
| रीरिषः | rīriṣaḥ | do not injure, do not harm |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| तोके तनये | toke tanaye | in child and descendant |
| भामितः | bhāmitaḥ | angered, in wrath |
| हविष्मन्तः | haviṣmantaḥ | possessing oblations, offering sacrifices |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पशुपा इव | paśupā iva | like a herdsman or protector of cattle |
| मृळयत्तमः | mṛḷayattamah | most gracious, most healing |
| अवः | avaḥ | help, favor, protection |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गोघ्नम् | goghnam | slaying cattle |
| पुरुषघ्नम् | puruṣaghnam | slaying men |
| द्विबर्हाः | dvibarhāḥ | mighty, doubly great, all-encompassing |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अवस्यवः | avasyavaḥ | desiring help or protection |
| मरुत्वान् | marutvān | accompanied by the Maruts |
| ममहन्ताम् | mamahantām | may they magnify, celebrate, or confirm |
Picture a shepherd standing in the center of his flock, holding his arms out wide to shield his children, his cattle, and his elders while the great chorus of heaven (Earth, Sky, Mitra, Varuṇa) echoes his prayer.