Verses 1, 2, 3
तन्नु वो॑चाम रभ॒साय॒ जन्म॑ने॒ पूर्वं॑ महि॒त्वं वृ॑ष॒भस्य॑ के॒तवे॑ । ऐ॒धेव॒ याम॑न्मरुतस्तुविष्वणो यु॒धेव॑ शक्रास्तवि॒षाणि॑ कर्तन ॥
tánnú vocāma rabhasā́ya jánmane pū́rvam mahitvám vṛṣabhásya ketáve ǀ aidhéva yā́manmarutastuviṣvaṇo yudhéva śakrāstaviṣā́ṇi kartana ǁ
नित्यं॒ न सू॒नुं मधु॒ बिभ्र॑त॒ उप॒ क्रीळं॑ति क्री॒ळा वि॒दथे॑षु॒ घृष्व॑यः । नक्षं॑ति रु॒द्रा अव॑सा नम॒स्विनं॒ न म॑र्धंति॒ स्वत॑वसो हवि॒ष्कृतं॑ ॥
nítyam ná sūnúm mádhu bíbhrata úpa krī́ḷanti krīḷā́ vidátheṣu ghṛ́ṣvayaḥ ǀ nákṣanti rudrā́ ávasā namasvínam ná mardhanti svátavaso haviṣkṛ́tam ǁ
यस्मा॒ ऊमा॑सो अ॒मृता॒ अरा॑सत रा॒यस्पोषं॑ च ह॒विषा॑ ददा॒शुषे॑ । उ॒क्षंत्य॑स्मै म॒रुतो॑ हि॒ता इ॑व पु॒रू रजां॑सि॒ पय॑सा मयो॒भुवः॑ ॥
yásmā ū́māso amṛ́tā árāsata rāyáspóṣam ca havíṣā dadāśúṣe ǀ ukṣántyasmai marúto hitā́ iva purū́ rájāṃsi páyasā mayobhúvaḥ ǁ
We begin our journey into Sūkta 166 by invoking the Maruts, the fierce, youthful storm-gods who accompany Indra. The Ṛṣi calls upon their dynamic, overwhelming energy, comparing their unstoppable advance to a battle charge or a blazing fire in the forest. They are not merely destructive forces of nature; they are divine energies that shower abundance upon the sincere worshipper. In the second and third verses, the intimate yet awe-inspiring relationship between the Maruts and their devotee is revealed. They approach the giver of oblations just as affectionate parents tend to a newborn infant, showering the realms with sweet, life-giving rain. The Ṛṣi establishes that those who offer sacred praise and butter-offerings are never forgotten by these self-luminous, self-fortified deities.
Verse 1: Now let us proclaim the ancient greatness of the roaring Bull of heaven, for his glorious birth; as if by blazing fire in their charge, or as in battle, do you, O powerful Maruts, forge your mighty weapons.
Verse 2: Like holding a precious newborn child, they sport playfully in their gatherings with fearless daring. These Rudras approach the reverent worshipper with grace; self-powered, they never fail the maker of oblations.
Verse 3: To the mortal who makes offerings, the immortal protectors have granted an increase of wealth. These Maruts, bringers of refreshment, moisten the many vast regions with their life-giving waters.
Sāyaṇa interprets these opening verses through the lens of ritual sacrifice, where the Maruts are pleased by ghee and bestow physical cattle and rain. Sri Aurobindo and esoteric commentators see the 'storm' as the descent of spiritual energy (tapas) that shatters inner psychological blockages and brings down the 'rain' of higher divine bliss (ānanda).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वृषभस्य | vṛṣabhasya | of the bull, the vigorous one (referring to the Maruts or their leader) |
| केतवे | ketave | for the banner, sign, or awakening intelligence |
| तुविष्वणः | tuviṣvaṇaḥ | loud-roaring, tumultuous |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| नित्यम् | nityam | constant, eternal, or intimate like a child born of one's own self |
| घृष्वयः | ghṛṣvayaḥ | bold, audacious, vigorous |
| स्वतवसः | svatavasaḥ | self-strong, powerful by their own inherent might |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऊमासः | ūmāsaḥ | helpers, protectors, guardians |
| रायस्पोषम् | rāyaspoṣam | thriving wealth, nourishment of riches |
| मयोजुभः | mayobhuvaḥ | bringing delight, creating bliss or healing |
Picture a sudden, majestic monsoon storm rolling over the dry plains: the distant roaring of thunder (tuviṣvaṇaḥ) brings sudden life to the parched earth, just like affectionate parents nurturing a child.
Verses 4, 5, 6
आ ये रजां॑सि॒ तवि॑षीभि॒रव्य॑त॒ प्र व॒ एवा॑सः॒ स्वय॑तासो अध्रजन् । भयं॑ते॒ विश्वा॒ भुव॑नानि ह॒र्म्या चि॒त्रो वो॒ यामः॒ प्रय॑तास्वृ॒ष्टिषु॑ ॥
ā́ yé rájāṃsi táviṣībhirávyata prá va évāsaḥ sváyatāso adhrajan ǀ bháyante víśvā bhúvanāni harmyā́ citró vo yā́maḥ práyatāsvṛṣṭíṣu ǁ
यत्त्वे॒षया॑मा न॒दयं॑त॒ पर्व॑तान्दि॒वो वा॑ पृ॒ष्ठं नर्या॒ अचु॑च्यवुः । विश्वो॑ वो॒ अज्म॑न्भयते॒ वन॒स्पती॑ रथी॒यंती॑व॒ प्र जि॑हीत॒ ओष॑धिः ॥
yáttveṣáyāmā nadáyanta párvatāndivó vā pṛṣṭhám náryā ácucyavuḥ ǀ víśvo vo ájmanbhayate vánaspátī rathīyántīva prá jihīta óṣadhiḥ ǁ
यू॒यं न॑ उग्रा मरुतः सुचे॒तुनारि॑ष्टग्रामाः सुम॒तिं पि॑पर्तन । यत्रा॑ वो दि॒द्युद्रद॑ति॒ क्रिवि॑र्दती रि॒णाति॑ प॒श्वः सुधि॑तेव ब॒र्हणा॑ ॥
yūyám na ugrā marutaḥ sucetúnā́riṣṭagrāmāḥ sumatím pipartana ǀ yátrā vo didyúdrádati krívirdatī riṇā́ti paśváḥ súdhiteva barháṇā ǁ
When the Maruts march, nothing remains static. The fourth and fifth verses describe the cosmic terror and awe inspired by their movement. They clothe the intermediate spaces with their brilliant might; the very heavens, the stable mountains, and all earthly dwellings tremble at their passage. Trees seem to run like charioteers, and plants bow down before the fury of their approach. Yet, in the midst of this cosmic upheaval, the Ṛṣi turns to prayer in verse six. He begs these fierce, faultless companions not to turn their wrath upon the devotee, but instead to guide the community toward a gracious state of mind, even when their flashing lightning-spears strike down targets with deadly precision.
Verse 4: You who clothe the spaces with your blazing powers, forth burst your self-guided movements. All worlds and sturdy houses tremble; wondrous is your motion when your lances are brandished.
Verse 5: When your violent motion causes the mountains to resound, or when you shake the very ridge of heaven, O heroes, every forest trembles at your coming, and the plants step aside as if driven in chariots.
Verse 6: O formidable Maruts, whose company is unbroken by fault, lead us safely with your clear wisdom into a state of blessed grace, even where your lightning strikes, tooth-fanged and tearing, scattering cattle with mighty force.
The imagery of plants 'stepping aside like charioteers' is a poetic personification. Sāyaṇa explains it as vegetation bending low under violent winds; psychological commentators view it as lower ego-structures bowing before the onslaught of higher divine purification.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| तविषीभिः | taviṣībhiḥ | with might, strengths, or energetic displays |
| स्वयतासः | svayatāsaḥ | self-directed, moving freely by their own accord |
| ऋष्टिषु | ṛṣṭiṣu | with spears, lances |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| त्वेषयामा | tveṣayāmā | having brilliant, violent, or impetuous motion |
| नर्याः | naryāḥ | manly, heroic, leading men |
| वनस्पतिः | vanaspatiḥ | lord of the forest, trees |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अरिष्टग्रामाः | ariṣṭagrāmāḥ | whose troop is unhurt, whose assembly remains unbroken |
| दिद्युत् | didyut | lightning missile, heavenly weapon |
| बर्हणा | barhaṇā | by vastness, by mighty power |
Imagine an earthquake where the trees themselves appear to leap out of the way of charging chariots—the sheer, unbridled kinetic energy of nature.
Verses 7, 8, 9, 10
प्र स्कं॒भदे॑ष्णा अनव॒भ्ररा॑धसोऽलातृ॒णासो॑ वि॒दथे॑षु॒ सुष्टु॑ताः । अर्चं॑त्य॒र्कं म॑दि॒रस्य॑ पी॒तये॑ वि॒दुर्वी॒रस्य॑ प्रथ॒मानि॒ पौंस्या॑ ॥
prá skambhádeṣṇā anavabhrárādhaso’lātṛṇā́so vidátheṣu súṣṭutāḥ ǀ árcantyarkám madirásya pītáye vidúrvīrásya prathamā́ni páuṃsyā ǁ
श॒तभु॑जिभि॒स्तम॒भिह्रु॑तेर॒घात्पू॒र्भी र॑क्षता मरुतो॒ यमाव॑त । जनं॒ यमु॑ग्रास्तवसो विरप्शिनः पा॒थना॒ शंसा॒त्तन॑यस्य पु॒ष्टिषु॑ ॥
śatábhujibhistámabhíhruteraghā́tpūrbhī́ rakṣatā maruto yámā́vata ǀ jánam yámugrāstavaso virapśinaḥ pāthánā śáṃsāttánayasya puṣṭíṣu ǁ
विश्वा॑नि भ॒द्रा म॑रुतो॒ रथे॑षु वो मिथ॒स्पृध्ये॑व तवि॒षाण्याहि॑ता । अंसे॒ष्वा वः॒ प्रप॑थेषु खा॒दयोऽक्षो॑ वश्च॒क्रा स॒मया॒ वि वा॑वृते ॥
víśvāni bhadrā́ maruto rátheṣu vo mithaspṛ́dhyeva taviṣā́ṇyā́hitā ǀ áṃseṣvā́ vaḥ prápatheṣu khādáyó’kṣo vaścakrā́ samáyā ví vāvṛte ǁ
भूरी॑णि भ॒द्रा नर्ये॑षु बा॒हुषु॒ वक्षः॑सु रु॒क्मा र॑भ॒सासो॑ अं॒जयः॑ । अंसे॒ष्वेताः॑ प॒विषु॑ क्षु॒रा अधि॒ वयो॒ न प॒क्षान्व्यनु॒ श्रियो॑ धिरे ॥
bhū́rīṇi bhadrā́ náryeṣu bāhúṣu vákṣaḥsu rukmā́ rabhasā́so añjáyaḥ ǀ áṃseṣvétāḥ pavíṣu kṣurā́ ádhi váyo ná pakṣā́nvyánu śríyo dhire ǁ
Now the Ṛṣi turns his gaze to the dazzling physical adornments of the Maruts. They are givers of unshakeable gifts, flawless in bounty, unassailable, and perpetually praised in sacrificial gatherings. They sing the sacred song to drink the intoxicating Soma, fully knowing the heroic deeds of old. In verses eight through ten, a vivid portrait of their divine armor is painted. They are protected by hundred-fold fortresses against deceit and harm. On their chariots lie all auspicious treasures; on their shoulders rest flashing ornaments, rings on their arms, golden breastplates (rukmaḥ), and razors or sharp spikes on their wheels, shining like the wings of majestic birds soaring across the sky.
Verse 7: They whose gifts are unshakable, whose bounty is flawless, unbeatable, well-praised in sacred gatherings—they sing the hymn to drink the exhilarating Soma, knowing the primordial heroic deeds of the Hero.
Verse 8: Protect with a hundredfold fortresses from deceit and misfortune, O Maruts, the man whom you favor. Guard that mortal, O formidable, vigorous, and overflowing lords, in the growth of his progeny.
Verse 9: All auspicious things are placed upon your chariots, as if competing in rivalry; ornaments rest upon your shoulders, and upon your travels your axles and wheels spin outward in all directions.
Verse 10: Abundant auspicious treasures rest on their manly arms; golden breastplates and brilliant adornments gleam upon their chests. On their shoulders sit the ornaments, and upon their tires sharp blades like feathers upon the wings of birds.
Tradition views these descriptions as literal reflections of Vedic martial gear combined with celestial phenomena. Modern scholars note how the poet anthropomorphizes the storm clouds—lightning becomes their spear, thunder their roar, and the sunlit edges of clouds become their golden ornaments (rukmaḥ).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्कम्भदेष्णाः | skambhadeṣṇāḥ | whose gifts stand firm as pillars |
| अनावभ्रराधसः | anavabhrarādhasaḥ | whose munificence is faultless and unblemished |
| पौंस्या | pauṃsyā | manly exploits, heroic acts of power |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शतभुजिभिः | śatabhujibhiḥ | with hundred-armed or hundred-pillared protections/forts |
| अभिह्रुतेः | abhihruteḥ | from treachery, deceit, or crookedness |
| विरप्शिनः | virapśinaḥ | abundant, overflowing, bursting with sap/might |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मिथस्पृध्येव | mithaspṛdhyeva | as if vying or competing with one another |
| खादयः | khādayaḥ | rings, bracelets, or neck-ornaments |
| विववृते | vi vāvṛte | rolls apart, spins fully outward |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रुक्माः | rukmāḥ | radiant gold ornaments, breastplates |
| अञ्जयः | añjayaḥ | decorations, anointings, shining adornments |
| पक्षान् | pakṣān | wings, sides like bird feathers |
Visualize a legion of golden warriors riding flashing chariots through the clouds, their breastplates gleaming like lightning and their wheel-rims sharp as eagle wings.
Verses 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
म॒हांतो॑ म॒ह्ना वि॒भ्वो॒३॒॑ विभू॑तयो दूरे॒दृशो॒ ये दि॒व्या इ॑व॒ स्तृभिः॑ । मं॒द्राः सु॑जि॒ह्वाः स्वरि॑तार आ॒सभिः॒ संमि॑श्ला॒ इंद्रे॑ म॒रुतः॑ परि॒ष्टुभः॑ ॥
mahā́nto mahnā́ vibhvó víbhūtayo dūredṛ́śo yé divyā́ iva stṛ́bhiḥ ǀ mandrā́ḥ sujihvā́ḥ sváritāra āsábhiḥ sámmiślā índre marútaḥ pariṣṭúbhaḥ ǁ
तद्वः॑ सुजाता मरुतो महित्व॒नं दी॒र्घं वो॑ दा॒त्रमदि॑तेरिव व्र॒तं । इंद्र॑श्च॒न त्यज॑सा॒ वि ह्रु॑णाति॒ तज्जना॑य॒ यस्मै॑ सु॒कृते॒ अरा॑ध्वं ॥
tádvaḥ sujātā maruto mahitvanám dīrghám vo dātrámáditeriva vratám ǀ índraścaná tyájasā ví hruṇāti tájjánāya yásmai sukṛ́te árādhvam ǁ
तद्वो॑ जामि॒त्वं म॑रुतः॒ परे॑ यु॒गे पु॒रू यच्छंस॑ममृतास॒ आव॑त । अ॒या धि॒या मन॑वे श्रु॒ष्टिमाव्या॑ सा॒कं नरो॑ दं॒सनै॒रा चि॑कित्रिरे ॥
tádvo jāmitvám marutaḥ páre yugé purū́ yáccháṃsamamṛtāsa ā́vata ǀ ayā́ dhiyā́ mánave śruṣṭímā́vyā sākám náro daṃsánairā́ cikitrire ǁ
येन॑ दी॒र्घं म॑रुतः शू॒शवा॑म यु॒ष्माके॑न॒ परी॑णसा तुरासः । आ यत्त॒तन॑न्वृ॒जने॒ जना॑स ए॒भिर्य॒ज्ञेभि॒स्तद॒भीष्टि॑मश्यां ॥
yéna dīrghám marutaḥ śūśávāma yuṣmā́kena párīṇasā turāsaḥ ǀ ā́ yáttatánanvṛjáne jánāsa ebhíryajñébhistádabhī́ṣṭimaśyām ǁ
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
In this final act, the Ṛṣi elevates our vision to the cosmic grandeur of the Maruts. They are vast, self-manifesting, visible even from afar like starry constellations in the night sky. They are sweet-tongued singers who intimately mingle with Indra himself in mutual praise and jubilation. Concluding the hymn, the poet appeals to their ancient kinship (jāmitvam) across ages. He asks that this sacred bond protect humanity, ensuring that the praises offered by the seer Māndārya bring lasting vigor, spiritual sustenance, and a flourishing life for both the worshipper and his community.
Verse 11: Great are they in magnitude, all-pervading, self-manifesting, visible from afar like heavenly bodies set with stars. Delightful, sweet-voiced singers with their mouths, they are intimately mingled with Indra, joining in his songs of praise.
Verse 12: Such is your lofty greatness, O well-born Maruts, and long-enduring is your gift, like the inviolable law of Aditi. Not even Indra, by his mighty force, turns away from the welfare of the mortal for whom you have made sacrifice.
Verse 13: Such is your kinship, O Maruts, from ages past, whereby you have cherished many a hymn of praise. With this devotion, you have favored Manu, and together the heroes have truly made themselves known through their mighty works.
Verse 14: By this your all-embracing bounty, O swift Maruts, may we long chant our praises. May the people spread forth in the field of action, and through these very sacrifices may I attain my deepest aspiration.
Verse 15: This is our song of praise to you, O Maruts, this is the utterance of Māndārya, son of Mānya. May this prayer reach your body with refreshment, and may we attain invigorating sustenance that flows with life.
The mention of specific seers like Māndārya grounds the Sūkta in a historical lineage of Vedic families. Sāyaṇa explains the 'kinship' (jāmitvam) as an ancient family alliance between the Maruts and the ancestral sacrificers, while spiritual commentators view it as the eternal bridge between the human soul and cosmic intelligence.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| विभूतयः | vibhūtayaḥ | manifestations of glory, all-pervading powers |
| दूरेदृशः | dūredṛśaḥ | visible from afar |
| सम्मिश्लाः | sammiślāḥ | intimately united, mixed, or mingling closely |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| महित्वनम् | mahitvanam | greatness, majesty |
| व्रतम् | vratam | sacred law, divine ordinance, established commitment |
| त्यजसा | tyajasā | by power, abandonment, or force |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| जामित्वम् | jāmitvam | relationship, kinship, brotherhood |
| शंसम् | śaṃsam | praise, invocation, blessing |
| दंसनैः | daṃsanaiḥ | by wondrous deeds, marvels of power |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| परीणसा | parīṇasā | with encompassing help, abundance, or surrounding grace |
| वृजने | vṛjane | in the field of contest, settlement, or sacrificial arena |
| अभिष्टिम् | abhīṣṭim | goal, desired attainment |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मान्दार्यस्य | māndāryasya | belonging to the seer Māndārya |
| जीरदानुम् | jīradānum | yielding swift refreshment, life-giving, quick-streaming |
| वृजनम् | vṛjanam | strength, fold, or enclosed sanctuary of power |
Think of an eternal treaty carved in the starry night sky—a pact of friendship between humanity and the storm-gods that endures across generations.