Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

The Stormy Dialogue between Indra and the Maruts

Act 1

The Celestial Mystery of the Maruts

Verses 1, 2

Verse 1

कया॑ शु॒भा सव॑यसः॒ सनी॑ळाः समा॒न्या म॒रुतः॒ सं मि॑मिक्षुः । कया॑ म॒ती कुत॒ एता॑स ए॒तेऽर्चं॑ति॒ शुष्मं॒ वृष॑णो वसू॒या ॥

káyā śubhā́ sávayasaḥ sánīḷāḥ samānyā́ marútaḥ sám mimikṣuḥ ǀ káyā matī́ kúta étāsa eté’rcanti śúṣmam vṛ́ṣaṇo vasūyā́ ǁ

Verse 2

कस्य॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि जुजुषु॒र्युवा॑नः॒ को अ॑ध्व॒रे म॒रुत॒ आ व॑वर्त । श्ये॒नाँ इ॑व॒ ध्रज॑तो अं॒तरि॑क्षे॒ केन॑ म॒हा मन॑सा रीरमाम ॥

kásya bráhmāṇi jujuṣuryúvānaḥ kó adhvaré marúta ā́ vavarta ǀ śyenā́m̐ iva dhrájato antárikṣe kéna mahā́ mánasā rīramāma ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Sūkta opens with a breath of wonder and mystery. The Ṛṣi Agastya or a seer of his lineage gazes into the vast mid-regions of the atmosphere and beholds the Maruts—the flashing storm-gods—descending in all their youthful splendor. They are 'of the same age' (savayasaḥ) and 'share the same nest' (sanīḷāḥ), moving with a unified, breathtaking harmony like hawks sweeping across the sky. But a profound question arrests the seer's gaze: By what pure radiance, by what inner impulse have these brilliant divinities come together? Whose sacred chants have touched them, and who has invoked them to turn toward this earthly sacrifice? The seer is caught in the sublime tension between human ritual and cosmic majesty, wondering by what vastness of mind these turbulent deities can be anchored and gladdened here.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: By what radiant light do these youthful storm-gods, sharing one nest and equal in age, mingle together? By what inner wisdom and from where do these roaring ones come forth, singing in unison their fiery strength, seeking the treasures of life?

Verse 2: Whose sacred prayers have these youths enjoyed? Who has turned the Maruts toward the ritual like hawks sweeping through the mid-air? By what great mind shall we bring them to rest?

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

The narrative directly follows the text's inquiry into the origin of the Maruts' motion. Traditional commentators like Sāyaṇa see this as an introductory marvel, while Sri Aurobindo interprets the Maruts as powers of thought and vital energy descending from the higher mental realms into human consciousness.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
कयाkayāby what (instrumental feminine)
शुभाśubhāby splendor or beauty
सवयसःsavayasaḥof the same age, youthful companions
सनीळाःsanīḷāḥsharing the same nest or abode
मरुतःmarutaḥthe Maruts, storm-gods
शुष्मम्śuṣmamenergy, vigor, roaring force

Verse 2

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
कस्यkasyawhose?
ब्रह्माणिbrahmāṇisacred formulas, prayers
जुजुषुःjujuṣuḥhave enjoyed, delighted in
श्येनाँ इवśyenām̐ ivalike hawks or eagles
अन्तरिक्षेantarikṣein the atmosphere or mid-space
मनसाmanasāby mind, intent, consciousness
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a flock of golden hawks plunging through thunderclouds at dawn—this is the sudden, dazzling arrival of the Maruts into the ritual space.

Act 2

Indra Confronts His Companions

Verses 3, 4, 5

Verse 3

कुत॒स्त्वमिं॑द्र॒ माहि॑नः॒ सन्नेको॑ यासि सत्पते॒ किं त॑ इ॒त्था । सं पृ॑च्छसे समरा॒णः शु॑भा॒नैर्वो॒चेस्तन्नो॑ हरिवो॒ यत्ते॑ अ॒स्मे ॥

kútastvámindra mā́hinaḥ sánnéko yāsi satpate kím ta itthā́ ǀ sám pṛcchase samarāṇáḥ śubhānáirvocéstánno harivo yátte asmé ǁ

Verse 4

ब्रह्मा॑णि मे म॒तयः॒ शं सु॒तासः॒ शुष्म॑ इयर्ति॒ प्रभृ॑तो मे॒ अद्रिः॑ । आ शा॑सते॒ प्रति॑ हर्यंत्यु॒क्थेमा हरी॑ वहत॒स्ता नो॒ अच्छ॑ ॥

bráhmāṇi me matáyaḥ śám sutā́saḥ śúṣma iyarti prábhṛto me ádriḥ ǀ ā́ śāsate práti haryantyukthémā́ hárī vahatastā́ no áccha ǁ

Verse 5

अतो॑ व॒यमं॑त॒मेभि॑र्युजा॒नाः स्वक्ष॑त्रेभिस्त॒न्वः१॒॑ शुंभ॑मानाः । महो॑भि॒रेताँ॒ उप॑ युज्महे॒ न्विंद्र॑ स्व॒धामनु॒ हि नो॑ ब॒भूथ॑ ॥

áto vayámantamébhiryujānā́ḥ svákṣatrebhistanváḥ śúmbhamānāḥ ǀ máhobhirétām̐ úpa yujmahe nvíndra svadhā́mánu hí no babhū́tha ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Suddenly, the dynamic shifts. Indra steps forward, majestic and formidable, confronting the Maruts. Why do you, great and mighty as you are, travel alone, O Lord of Truth? What is this sudden estrangement? Indra demands an explanation for their independent movement, questioning why they have come to parley in this manner. The Maruts immediately answer through their representative or collective voice, defending their divine sovereignty. They declare that their prayers, pressed soma juices, and surging energies are fully alive; their hymns and flashing horses rise up to meet Indra. They affirm their divine right: they join with him in virtue of their own innate power (svakṣatra), because Indra by his very nature has ever been united with them.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 3: Why, O Indra, though so vast and majestic, do you move all alone, Lord of True Beings? What means this? You question us as we approach in alliance. Tell us, O holder of the bay steeds, what you hold for us.

Verse 4: My sacred prayers, my mind's illuminations, and the pressed juices bring joy; my pressing-stone surges with vigor. These hymns desire you, and my bay steeds bear them swiftly toward you.

Verse 5: Therefore, we yoke ourselves with you by our closest bonds, adorning our bodies with our own self-rule, and we harness our great energies alongside you, O Indra, for you have ever been our inherent companion.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

This act contains dramatic dialogue characteristic of the Saṁvāda sūktas. Sāyaṇa interprets the dialogue as a celestial dispute over ritual honors, while Aurobindo sees it as a psychological negotiation between the sovereign illumined mind (Indra) and the ascending life-powers (Maruts).

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 3

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
इंद्रindraIndra, king of gods
माहिनःmāhinaḥvast, majestic, great
सत्पतेsatpatelord of truth or of beings
हरिवःharivaḥpossessor of bay steeds

Verse 4

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
ब्रह्माणिbrahmāṇiprayers, formulations of truth
मतयःmatayaḥthoughts, insights
सुतासःsutāsaḥpressed soma juices
अद्रिःadriḥpressing-stone

Verse 5

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
स्वक्षत्रेभिःsvakṣatrebhiḥby their own self-rule or power
तन्वःtanvaḥbodies, forms
शुंभमानाःśumbhamānāḥbeautifying, adorning
स्वधाम्svadhāmnative law, inherent nature
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture two mighty champions meeting at the crossroads, testing each other's strength before realizing they are brothers-in-arms.

Act 3

The Pride of the Vṛtra Slayer

Verses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Verse 6

क्व१॒॑ स्या वो॑ मरुतः स्व॒धासी॒द्यन्मामेकं॑ स॒मध॑त्ताहि॒हत्ये॑ । अ॒हं ह्यू१॒॑ग्रस्त॑वि॒षस्तुवि॑ष्मा॒न्विश्व॑स्य॒ शत्रो॒रन॑मं वध॒स्नैः ॥

kvá syā́ vo marutaḥ svadhā́sīdyánmā́mékam samádhattāhihátye ǀ ahám hyū́grástaviṣástúviṣmānvíśvasya śátroránamam vadhasnáiḥ ǁ

Verse 7

भूरि॑ चकर्थ॒ युज्ये॑भिर॒स्मे स॑मा॒नेभि॑र्वृषभ॒ पौंस्ये॑भिः । भूरी॑णि॒ हि कृ॒णवा॑मा शवि॒ष्ठेंद्र॒ क्रत्वा॑ मरुतो॒ यद्वशा॑म ॥

bhū́ri cakartha yújyebhirasmé samānébhirvṛṣabha páuṃsyebhiḥ ǀ bhū́rīṇi hí kṛṇávāmā śaviṣṭhéndra krátvā maruto yádváśāma ǁ

Verse 8

वधीं॑ वृ॒त्रं म॑रुत इंद्रि॒येण॒ स्वेन॒ भामे॑न तवि॒षो ब॑भू॒वान् । अ॒हमे॒ता मन॑वे वि॒श्वश्चं॑द्राः सु॒गा अ॒पश्च॑कर॒ वज्र॑बाहुः ॥

vádhīm vṛtrám maruta indriyéṇa svéna bhā́mena taviṣó babhūvā́n ǀ ahámetā́ mánave viśváścandrāḥ sugā́ apáścakara vájrabāhuḥ ǁ

Verse 9

अनु॑त्त॒मा ते॑ मघव॒न्नकि॒र्नु न त्वावाँ॑ अस्ति दे॒वता॒ विदा॑नः । न जाय॑मानो॒ नश॑ते॒ न जा॒तो यानि॑ करि॒ष्या कृ॑णु॒हि प्र॑वृद्ध ॥

ánuttamā́ te maghavannákirnú ná tvā́vām̐ asti devátā vídānaḥ ǀ ná jā́yamāno náśate ná jātó yā́ni kariṣyā́ kṛṇuhí pravṛddha ǁ

Verse 10

एक॑स्य चिन्मे वि॒भ्व१॒॑स्त्वोजो॒ या नु द॑धृ॒ष्वान्कृ॒णवै॑ मनी॒षा । अ॒हं ह्यू१॒॑ग्रो म॑रुतो॒ विदा॑नो॒ यानि॒ च्यव॒मिंद्र॒ इदी॑श एषां ॥

ékasya cinme vibhvástvójo yā́ nú dadhṛṣvā́nkṛṇávai manīṣā́ ǀ ahám hyū́gró maruto vídāno yā́ni cyávamíndra ídīśa eṣām ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Indra responds with fierce pride, recounting his solitary heroism. Where was your native energy, he asks, when you left me alone during the slaying of Vṛtra? I, fierce, potent, and overflowing with might, struck down every enemy with my thunderbolt! The Maruts, far from being cowed, remind Indra of their shared past achievements and the grand deeds they can yet accomplish together through unified will (kratu). Indra acknowledges their immense worth, reaffirming that no one equals him, yet recognizing that true cosmic sovereignty operates through the dynamic interplay of divine forces. He asserts that his growing might knows no rival, past or future.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 6: Where was that natural power of yours, O Maruts, when you left me all alone in the slaying of Vṛtra? For I indeed am fierce, powerful, and intensely strong; with my weapons I crushed every enemy.

Verse 7: Much have you accomplished alongside me, O bull-like Maruts, with the same heroic powers. Indeed, O most mighty Indra, we shall fashion yet greater deeds according to our shared will.

Verse 8: I slew Vṛtra, O Maruts, through my own divine might and fierce heat, becoming supreme. With thunderbolt in hand, I made these waters all-radiant and easy to cross for Manu.

Verse 9: None is supreme above you, O Maghavan, nor is there any like you among the gods; neither one who is being born nor one already born can equal you. Accomplish whatever you will, O ever-growing one!

Verse 10: Let my single might be all-pervading, whatever I, the bold one, shall fashion by my thought. I indeed am fierce, O Maruts, knowing all that is to be shaken; yet Indra alone is lord over all these things.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

This heart of the hymn balances divine ego and cooperative cosmic order (ṛta). Sāyaṇa explains the verses as a recounting of historical mythology (the Vṛtra slaughter), while spiritual commentaries view it as the soul's realization that individual divine energies must surrender to the supreme central Will.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 6

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
स्वधाsvadhānative power, habit, law
अहिहत्येahihatyein the slaughter of Vṛtra the serpent
तुविष्मान्tuviṣmānexceedingly strong
वधस्नैःvadhasnaiḥwith striking weapons

Verse 7

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
वृषभvṛṣabhabull, powerful one
पौंस्येभिःpauṃsyebhiḥby heroic acts, manly vigor
शविष्ठśaviṣṭhamost strong, most vigorous
क्रत्वाkratvāby will, mental resolve

Verse 8

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
वधीम्vadhīmI slew
इन्द्रियेणindriyeṇaby indra-power, vigor
विश्वचन्द्राःviśva-candrāḥall-shining, gleaming everywhere
वज्रबाहुःvajra-bāhuḥthunderbolt-armed

Verse 9

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
मघऽवन्magha-vanbountiful one, Indra
देवाताdevatāamong the gods
प्रवृद्धpra-vṛddhagreatly increased, supreme

Verse 10

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
विभुvibhuall-pervading, vast
ओजःojaḥstrength, vitality
दधृष्वान्dadhṛṣvānbold, daring
ईशेīśerules, is master of
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a lion standing over his conquered domain, roaring his triumph while his pride surrounds him in fierce, supportive solidarity.

Act 4

Reconciliation and Eternal Friendship

Verses 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Verse 11

अमं॑दन्मा मरुतः॒ स्तोमो॒ अत्र॒ यन्मे॑ नरः॒ श्रुत्यं॒ ब्रह्म॑ च॒क्र । इंद्रा॑य॒ वृष्णे॒ सुम॑खाय॒ मह्यं॒ सख्ये॒ सखा॑यस्त॒न्वे॑ त॒नूभिः॑ ॥

ámandanmā marutaḥ stómo átra yánme naraḥ śrútyam bráhma cakrá ǀ índrāya vṛ́ṣṇe súmakhāya máhyam sákhye sákhāyastanvé tanū́bhiḥ ǁ

Verse 12

ए॒वेदे॒ते प्रति॑ मा॒ रोच॑माना॒ अने॑द्यः॒ श्रव॒ एषो॒ दधा॑नाः । सं॒चक्ष्या॑ मरुतश्चं॒द्रव॑र्णा॒ अच्छां॑त मे छ॒दया॑था च नू॒नं ॥

evédeté práti mā rócamānā ánedyaḥ śráva éṣo dádhānāḥ ǀ saṃcákṣyā marutaścandrávarṇā ácchānta me chadáyāthā ca nūnám ǁ

Verse 13

को न्वत्र॑ मरुतो मामहे वः॒ प्र या॑तन॒ सखीँ॒रच्छा॑ सखायः । मन्मा॑नि चित्रा अपिवा॒तयं॑त ए॒षां भू॑त॒ नवे॑दा म ऋ॒तानां॑ ॥

kó nvátra maruto māmahe vaḥ prá yātana sákhīm̐rácchā sakhāyaḥ ǀ mánmāni citrā apivātáyanta eṣā́m bhūta návedā ma ṛtā́nām ǁ

Verse 14

आ यद्दु॑व॒स्याद्दु॒वसे॒ न का॒रुर॒स्माञ्च॒क्रे मा॒न्यस्य॑ मे॒धा । ओ षु व॑र्त्त मरुतो॒ विप्र॒मच्छे॒मा ब्रह्मा॑णि जरि॒ता वो॑ अर्चत् ॥

ā́ yádduvasyā́dduváse ná kārúrasmā́ñcakré mānyásya medhā́ ǀ ó ṣú vartta maruto vípramácchemā́ bráhmāṇi jaritā́ vo arcat ǁ

Verse 15

ए॒ष वः॒ स्तोमो॑ मरुत इ॒यं गीर्मां॑दा॒र्यस्य॑ मा॒न्यस्य॑ का॒रोः । एषा या॑सीष्ट त॒न्वे॑ व॒यां वि॒द्यामे॒षं वृ॒जनं॑ जी॒रदा॑नुं ॥

eṣá vaḥ stómo maruta iyám gī́rmāndāryásya mānyásya kāróḥ ǀ éṣā́ yāsīṣṭa tanvé vayā́m vidyā́meṣám vṛjánam jīrádānum ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The tension dissolves into sweet harmony and joyous celebration. The Maruts' hymn of praise gladdens Indra, for the mortal seers—the sons of Mānyas (Agastya's lineage)—have crafted a sublime, resonant prayer. Indra embraces them as dear friends, calling upon them to draw near with all their shining, moon-bright forms. The sūkta concludes with a prayer for the renewal of life: may this praise bring abundant vigor, dynamic energy, and flowing streams of grace to the sacrificer and his community, sealing an eternal bond between gods and humanity.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 11: This praise has gladdened me, O Maruts, which you, heroes, have fashioned as a renowned prayer for me—for Indra, the bull, the joyous one, as friends uniting with friend through our very bodies.

Verse 12: Thus shining forth toward me, faultless, bearing radiant light and sustaining refreshment, moon-bright in color, O Maruts, you have pleased me; now fulfill my heart's desire.

Verse 13: Who here among you, O Maruts, magnifies me? Drive forth toward my friends! Breathing forth wondrous thoughts, prove yourselves knowers of my cosmic truths.

Verse 14: As a devoted singer honors the divine with service, so has the wisdom of Mānya created this for us. Turn quickly, O Maruts, toward the inspired seer, and may the singer chant your hymns.

Verse 15: This is your praise, O Maruts, this is the song of the singer Māndārya, son of Mānya. May it reach you for our welfare, and may we attain refreshing vigor and dynamic, life-giving abundance.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

The final verses seal the reconciliation through the attribution of the hymn to the sage Māndārya of the Mānya (Agastya) family. Sāyaṇa notes this as a signature of authorship, while spiritual commentators see it as the harmonious integration of human aspiration with divine grace.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 11

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
अमन्दत्amandatgladdened, exhilarated
श्रुत्यम्śrutyamrenowned, worthy of being heard
सुमखायsu-makhāyavery joyous or bountiful
सख्येsakhyein friendship

Verse 12

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
रोचमानाःrocamānāḥshining, gleaming
अनेद्यःanedyaḥfaultless, blameless
चन्द्रवर्णाःcandra-varṇāḥmoon-colored, shining like gold or silver
अच्छान्तacchāntahave pleased, are agreeable

Verse 13

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
ममहेmamahemagnifies, honors
मन्मानिmanmānithoughts, prayers
अपिवातयन्तःapi-vātayantaḥbreathing forth, wafting
नवेदाःnavedāḥconscious of, knowers

Verse 14

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
दुवस्यात्duvasyātwould worship or serve
कारुःkāruḥsinger, poet
मान्यस्यmānyasyaof Mānya (Agastya's descendant)
विप्रम्vipraminspired seer, sage

Verse 15

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
स्तोमःstomaḥpraise, hymn of adoration
मान्दार्यस्यmāndāryasyabelonging to Māndārya
तन्वेtanvefor the body, for our well-being
जीरदानुम्jīra-dānumyielding quick life, life-giving
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture old comrades embracing after a fierce debate, raising cups of glowing nectar under a newly cleared sky where rainbows bridge the earth and heaven.