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Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

The Storm-Triumphant and the Lightning Bride: The Maruts of Maṇḍala 1, Sūkta 167

📜 11 Verses

Act 1

Act I: Invoking the Thousandfold Bounty of the Storm

Verses 1, 2

Verse 1

स॒हस्रं॑ त इंद्रो॒तयो॑ नः स॒हस्र॒मिषो॑ हरिवो गू॒र्तत॑माः । स॒हस्रं॒ रायो॑ माद॒यध्यै॑ सह॒स्रिण॒ उप॑ नो यंतु॒ वाजाः॑ ॥

sahásram ta indrotáyo naḥ sahásramíṣo harivo gūrtátamāḥ ǀ sahásram rā́yo mādayádhyai sahasríṇa úpa no yantu vā́jāḥ ǁ

Verse 2

आ नोऽवो॑भिर्म॒रुतो॑ यां॒त्वच्छा॒ ज्येष्ठे॑भिर्वा बृ॒हद्दि॑वैः सुमा॒याः । अध॒ यदे॑षां नि॒युतः॑ पर॒माः स॑मु॒द्रस्य॑ चिद्ध॒नयं॑त पा॒रे ॥

ā́ nó’vobhirmarúto yāntvácchā jyéṣṭhebhirvā bṛháddivaiḥ sumāyā́ḥ ǀ ádha yádeṣām niyútaḥ paramā́ḥ samudrásya ciddhanáyanta pāré ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi opens the floodgates of prayer, demanding and invoking a thousandfold abundance from Indra and the Maruts. The Maruts are addressed as the storm-gods equipped with supreme creative powers and majestic horses, capable of crossing even the formidable ocean's furthest shores. This act sets the stage for a grand spiritual descent, where divine forces are petitioned to pour out physical, mental, and spiritual vigor upon the seeker.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: O Indra, grant us a thousandfold help and a thousandfold refreshment, O Lord of the Bay Steeds, ye who are most eager to hear our call; may a thousandfold treasures be ours to gladden us, and let thousand-bearing boons come unto us from all sides.

Verse 2: May the Maruts come toward us with their highest assistances, radiant and sublime in their vast heavenly light, they whose supreme harnessed teams speed even across the far side of the great ocean.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa interprets 'sahasram' literally as numerical thousands of cows and horses, whereas Sri Aurobindo and modern esoteric commentators view these numbers as symbols of infinite spiritual plenitude and divine illumination.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सहस्रम्	sahasram	thousand, a thousandfold abundance
इन्द्र	indra	O Indra, supreme lord of divine power
हरिवः	harivaḥ	possessing bay steeds
वाजः	vājaḥ	vigor, strength, prize, or boon

Verse 2

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
मरुतः	marutaḥ	the Maruts, storm-gods of dynamic vital force
सुमायाः	sumāyāḥ	possessing excellent creative wisdom or wondrous magic
समुद्रस्य	samudrasya	of the ocean or the great gathering of waters

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a fleet of golden chariots crossing a roaring ocean at sunset, carrying unlimited crates of jewels and grain directly to your doorstep.

Act 2

Act II: The Golden-Adorned Bride of the Storms

Verses 3, 4, 5

Verse 3

मि॒म्यक्ष॒ येषु॒ सुधि॑ता घृ॒ताची॒ हिर॑ण्यनिर्णि॒गुप॑रा॒ न ऋ॒ष्टिः । गुहा॒ चरं॑ती॒ मनु॑षो॒ न योषा॑ स॒भाव॑ती विद॒थ्ये॑व॒ सं वाक् ॥

mimyákṣa yéṣu súdhitā ghṛtā́cī híraṇyanirṇigúparā ná ṛṣṭíḥ ǀ gúhā cárantī mánuṣo ná yóṣā sabhā́vatī vidathyéva sám vā́k ǁ

Verse 4

परा॑ शु॒भ्रा अ॒यासो॑ य॒व्या सा॑धार॒ण्येव॑ म॒रुतो॑ मिमिक्षुः । न रो॑द॒सी अप॑ नुदंत घो॒रा जु॒षंत॒ वृधं॑ स॒ख्याय॑ दे॒वाः ॥

párā śubhrā́ ayā́so yavyā́ sādhāraṇyéva marúto mimikṣuḥ ǀ ná rodasī́ ápa nudanta ghorā́ juṣánta vṛ́dham sakhyā́ya devā́ḥ ǁ

Verse 5

जोष॒द्यदी॑मसु॒र्या॑ स॒चध्यै॒ विषि॑तस्तुका रोद॒सी नृ॒मणाः॑ । आ सू॒र्येव॑ विध॒तो रथं॑ गात्त्वे॒षप्र॑तीका॒ नभ॑सो॒ नेत्या ॥

jóṣadyádīmasuryā́ sacádhyai víṣitastukā rodasī́ nṛmáṇāḥ ǀ ā́ sūryéva vidható rátham gāttveṣápratīkā nábhaso nétyā́ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Here the Sūkta takes a deeply dramatic and allegorical turn, introducing a mysterious female figure—often interpreted as Rodasī or a personified lightning flash—who dwells secretly among the Maruts like a brilliant maiden adorned in gold. She clings to their chariot with dynamic energy, unshakable and fierce, matching the terror and beauty of the storm. The Ṛṣi portrays this divine union of the Maruts and the radiant maiden as an unstoppable force that shakes the earth and heaven alike, yet fosters profound spiritual growth.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 3: Among them rests the sharply pointed lightning lance, well-arrayed, shining with golden ornaments, moving secretly like a young maiden of the household, eloquent and radiant as speech in an assembly.

Verse 4: Radiant, tireless, and youthful, the Maruts mingle together as if in a common stream; they do not push away heaven and earth in their terror, but these fearful gods welcome the growing seeker into holy friendship.

Verse 5: Mindful of men, with loose-flowing locks, she desired to unite with their divine essence; brilliant in aspect like the sun, she came forth to their chariot like an apparition from the clouds.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Yāska and Sāyaṇa identify the female figure primarily as Rodasī (the personification of the mid-region or heaven-and-earth). Aurobindo sees her as the embodiment of rapturous Supramental Delight (Ānanda) wedded to dynamic life-energies.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 3

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
हिरण्यनिर्निक्	hiraṇya-nirnik	adorned with gold
ऋष्टिः	ṛṣṭiḥ	spear, lance, or lightning shaft
वाक्	vāk	speech, word, divine utterance

Verse 4

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
शुभ्राः	śubhrāḥ	bright, radiant, pure
रोदसी	rodasī	heaven and earth
सख्याय	sakhyāya	for friendship, alliance

Verse 5

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
नृमणाः	nṛ-manāḥ	mindful or benevolent toward men
सूर्या इव	sūryā iva	like the female sun or radiant solar light
नभसः	nabhasaḥ	from the mist, cloud, or sky

🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine a fearless queen riding a chariot through a swirling thunderstorm, her golden hair and garments streaming like lightning against dark clouds.

Act 3

Act III: The Chariot of Glory and Eternal Praise

Verses 6, 7, 8

Verse 6

आस्था॑पयंत युव॒तिं युवा॑नः शु॒भे निमि॑श्लां वि॒दथे॑षु प॒ज्रां । अ॒र्को यद्वो॑ मरुतो ह॒विष्मा॒न्गाय॑द्गा॒थं सु॒तसो॑मो दुव॒स्यन् ॥

ā́sthāpayanta yuvatím yúvānaḥ śubhé nímiślām vidátheṣu pajrā́m ǀ arkó yádvo maruto havíṣmāngā́yadgāthám sutásomo duvasyán ǁ

Verse 7

प्र तं वि॑वक्मि॒ वक्म्यो॒ य ए॑षां म॒रुतां॑ महि॒मा स॒त्यो अस्ति॑ । सचा॒ यदीं॒ वृष॑मणा अहं॒युः स्थि॒रा चि॒ज्जनी॒र्वह॑ते सुभा॒गाः ॥

prá tám vivakmi vákmyo yá eṣām marútām mahimā́ satyó ásti ǀ sácā yádīm vṛ́ṣamaṇā ahaṃyúḥ sthirā́ cijjánīrváhate subhāgā́ḥ ǁ

Verse 8

पांति॑ मि॒त्रावरु॑णावव॒द्याच्चय॑त ईमर्य॒मो अप्र॑शस्तान् । उ॒त च्य॑वंते॒ अच्यु॑ता ध्रु॒वाणि॑ वावृ॒ध ईं॑ मरुतो॒ दाति॑वारः ॥

pā́nti mitrā́váruṇāvavadyā́ccáyata īmaryamó ápraśastān ǀ utá cyavante ácyutā dhruvā́ṇi vāvṛdhá īm maruto dā́tivāraḥ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The youthful Maruts proudly seat this radiant maiden upon their chariot for beauty and triumph during sacred gatherings. The Ṛṣi exalts the unshakeable greatness of the Marut host, whose glory is real and abiding, protected by Mitra and Varuṇa. Even what is fixed and unmoving begins to tremble before their vast, dynamic momentum, yet their gifts remain lavish for those who praise them.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 6: The youths placed the firm, close-embraced maiden upon their chariot for glory in the sacrificial gatherings, while the soma-pressing singer hymns their praises with an oblation.

Verse 7: I proclaim aloud that true greatness of the Maruts which is real; united with them, the vigorous, aspiring minds carry forth even stable and blessed fortune.

Verse 8: Mitra and Varuṇa protect men from blame, and Aryaman guards against the unpraised; even fixed and unshakeable things are set in motion, and the Maruts wax great as grantors of treasures.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa explains the movement of 'acyutā dhruvāṇi' as physical earthquakes caused by storms; mystical interpreters view it as the shattering of rigid, dogmatic mental structures by liberating spiritual winds.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 6

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
युवतिम्	yuvatim	young maiden, youthful female
विदथेषु	vidatheṣu	in the sacrificial rites or assemblies
हविष्मान्	haviṣmān	bearing the oblation

Verse 7

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
महिमा	mahimā	greatness, majesty
सत्यः	satyaḥ	true, real, unchanging
जनीः	janīḥ	wives, females, or generative powers

Verse 8

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
मित्रावरुणौ	mitrāvaruṇau	Mitra and Varuṇa (gods of harmony and cosmic law)
अच्युता	acyutā	unshakeable, fixed things
दातिवारः	dāti-vāraḥ	bestowers of desired boons

🧠

Memory Hook

Think of an elite royal procession where a magnificent chariot carrying a glowing bride passes through cheering crowds, shifting even the heaviest stone foundations with its sheer vibrant energy.

Act 4

Act IV: The Seeker's Triumph and Eternal Song

Verses 9, 10, 11

Verse 9

न॒ही नु वो॑ मरुतो॒ अंत्य॒स्मे आ॒रात्ता॑च्चि॒च्छव॑सो॒ अंत॑मा॒पुः । ते धृ॒ष्णुना॒ शव॑सा शूशु॒वांसोऽर्णो॒ न द्वेषो॑ धृष॒ता परि॑ ष्ठुः ॥

nahī́ nú vo maruto ántyasmé ārā́ttāccicchávaso ántamāpúḥ ǀ té dhṛṣṇúnā śávasā śūśuvā́ṃsó’rṇo ná dvéṣo dhṛṣatā́ pári ṣṭhuḥ ǁ

Verse 10

व॒यम॒द्येंद्र॑स्य॒ प्रेष्ठा॑ व॒यं श्वो वो॑चेमहि सम॒र्ये । व॒यं पु॒रा महि॑ च नो॒ अनु॒ द्यून्तन्न॑ ऋभु॒क्षा न॒रामनु॑ ष्यात् ॥

vayámadyéndrasya préṣṭhā vayám śvó vocemahi samaryé ǀ vayám purā́ máhi ca no ánu dyū́ntánna ṛbhukṣā́ narā́mánu ṣyāt ǁ

Verse 11

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

In the concluding movement, the Ṛṣi declares that no one—from near or far—can rival the supreme, daring might of the Maruts, who surround obstacles like a surging flood. The poet asserts that he and his companions are the dearest friends of Indra today, tomorrow, and across all days. The Sūkta closes with a prayer that this very hymn of praise may secure enduring spiritual refreshment, living streams of energy, and complete fulfillment for the seeker's embodied life.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 9: Verily, O Maruts, none from near or even from afar has reached the limit of your power; growing strong with your daring might, you encompass hostile forces like a rushing flood.

Verse 10: May we today be Indra's dearest ones, and may we proclaim our praise tomorrow in the assembly; may we do so through all the passing days, and may Ṛbhukṣan (Indra) ever be favorable to us among men.

Verse 11: This is your hymn of praise, O Maruts, this is the utterance of Māndārya the son of Māna, the singer. May it bring refreshing grace to our bodily frame, and may we attain complete, life-bestowing sustenance and strength.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Traditional commentators highlight the attribution of the hymn to the seer Māndārya (or Māna), emphasizing the personal lineage of the chant, while spiritual commentators see 'tanve' as the physical vessel being transformed and nourished by divine breath.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 9

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
शवसः	śavasaḥ	of might, power, or energy
अर्णः	arṇaḥ	flood, wave, surging water
धृषता	dhṛṣatā	boldly, daringly, courageously

Verse 10

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
प्रेष्ठाः	preṣṭhāḥ	most dear, dearest ones
समर्ये	samarye	in battle, conflict, or sacred assembly
ऋभुक्षाः	ṛbhukṣāḥ	epithet of Indra as master craftsman or lord of the Ṛbhus

Verse 11

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
स्तोमः	stomaḥ	hymn of praise, laudation
तन्वे	tanve	for the body, for one's person or manifest form
जीरदानुम्	jīra-dānum	bestowing life, quick-flowing, life-sustaining

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a triumphant marathon runner crossing the finish line, lifting their hands to the sky as a cheering crowd surrounds them with banners of pure light.