Verses 1, 2, 3
य॒ज्ञाय॑ज्ञा वः सम॒ना तु॑तु॒र्वणि॒र्धियं॑धियं वो देव॒या उ॑ दधिध्वे । आ वो॒ऽर्वाचः॑ सुवि॒ताय॒ रोद॑स्योर्म॒हे व॑वृत्या॒मव॑से सुवृ॒क्तिभिः॑ ॥
yajñā́yajñā vaḥ samanā́ tuturváṇirdhíyaṃdhiyam vo devayā́ u dadhidhve ǀ ā́ vo’rvā́caḥ suvitā́ya ródasyormahé vavṛtyāmávase suvṛktíbhiḥ ǁ
व॒व्रासो॒ न ये स्व॒जाः स्वत॑वस॒ इषं॒ स्व॑रभि॒जायं॑त॒ धूत॑यः । स॒ह॒स्रिया॑सो अ॒पां नोर्मय॑ आ॒सा गावो॒ वंद्या॑सो॒ नोक्षणः॑ ॥
vavrā́so ná yé svajā́ḥ svátavasa íṣam svárabhijā́yanta dhū́tayaḥ ǀ sahasríyāso apā́m nórmáya āsā́ gā́vo vándyāso nókṣáṇaḥ ǁ
सोमा॑सो॒ न ये सु॒तास्तृ॒प्तांश॑वो हृ॒त्सु पी॒तासो॑ दु॒वसो॒ नास॑ते । ऐषा॒मंसे॑षु रं॒भिणी॑व रारभे॒ हस्ते॑षु खा॒दिश्च॑ कृ॒तिश्च॒ सं द॑धे ॥
sómāso ná yé sutā́stṛptā́ṃśavo hṛtsú pītā́so duváso nā́sate ǀ áiṣāmáṃseṣu rambhíṇīva rārabhe hásteṣu khādíśca kṛtíśca sám dadhe ǁ
The Sūkta opens with a grand, reverent summoning. The Ṛṣi recognizes that the Maruts—the tempestuous, lightning-bearing deities of the storm—deserve continuous, meticulous worship at every single sacrifice. They are urged to turn their golden-charioted presence toward the earthly worshippers, bringing peace, protection, and boundless vigor. The imagery shifts instantly to nature in its most dynamic majesty: the Maruts are self-born, self-powered, shaking the heavens with the force of mountain springs and ocean waves. They are praised like surging rivers or fierce bulls, their wild power untamed yet fundamentally life-giving. Moving deeper into the poetic vision, the Ṛṣi compares the Maruts to freshly pressed Soma drops, intoxicating and vibrant, absorbed directly into the hearts of the worshippers. On their shoulders, ornaments like lightning-flashes gleam, while in their hands they hold weapons—the khādi (bracelets/rings) and the kṛti (daggers/swords). This paints a striking portrait of divine warriors who combine celestial grace with unstoppable military might, descending into the ritual arena not to destroy, but to empower and elevate the human consciousness.
Verse 1: At every single sacrifice, with clear hymns and devoted prayers, we draw your divine presence toward us; may you, O Maruts, turn your boundless grace and protection from the heavens down to our earthly ritual.
Verse 2: Self-born and self-fortified, these shakers of worlds burst forth with boundless light and strength; they rush onward like great ocean waves, formidable and revered like mighty bulls.
Verse 3: Like pressed Soma juices invigorating the heart, they sit close to us in splendor; upon their shoulders gleam radiant ornaments, and in their hands, bracelets and daggers flash together.
Sāyaṇa interprets these opening verses through a ritualistic lens, viewing the Maruts as presiding deities of wind and rain who bring physical abundance. Sri Aurobindo and esoteric commentators see them as the mental powers (thought-forces) that break down rigid mental barriers, bringing the lightning of higher illumination into the human heart.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| यज्ञायज्ञ | yajñāyajña | at every sacrifice, ritual by ritual |
| तुतुर्वणिः | tuturvaṇiḥ | overcoming, victorious, zealous |
| देवयाः | devayāḥ | seeking the gods, divine-minded |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्वजाः | svajāḥ | self-born, spontaneously existent |
| धूतयः | dhūtayaḥ | shakers, agitators (the Maruts) |
| सहस्रियासः | sahasriyāsaḥ | thousandfold, possessed of immense power |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सोमासः | somāsaḥ | Soma-drops, exhilarating essences |
| रम्भिणीव | rambhiṇīva | like supporting pillars or shining ornaments |
| खादिः | khādiḥ | ring, anklet, or bracelet |
Picture a squadron of shining cavalry charging through glittering rain, holding golden rings and glowing with the intoxicating energy of pure Soma.
Verses 4, 5, 6
अव॒ स्वयु॑क्ता दि॒व आ वृथा॑ ययु॒रम॑र्त्याः॒ कश॑या चोदत॒ त्मना॑ । अ॒रे॒णव॑स्तुविजा॒ता अ॑चुच्यवुर्दृ॒ळ्हानि॑ चिन्म॒रुतो॒ भ्राज॑दृष्टयः ॥
áva sváyuktā divá ā́ vṛ́thā yayurámartyāḥ káśayā codata tmánā ǀ areṇávastuvijātā́ acucyavurdṛḷhā́ni cinmarúto bhrā́jadṛṣṭayaḥ ǁ
को वो॒ऽंतर्म॑रुत ऋष्टिविद्युतो॒ रेज॑ति॒ त्मना॒ हन्वे॑व जि॒ह्वया॑ । ध॒न्व॒च्युत॑ इ॒षां न याम॑नि पुरु॒प्रैषा॑ अह॒न्यो॒३॒॑ नैत॑शः ॥
kó vo’ntármaruta ṛṣṭividyuto réjati tmánā hánveva jihváyā ǀ dhanvacyúta iṣā́m ná yā́mani purupráiṣā ahanyó náitaśaḥ ǁ
क्व॑ स्विद॒स्य रज॑सो म॒हस्परं॒ क्वाव॑रं मरुतो॒ यस्मि॑न्नाय॒य । यच्च्या॒वय॑थ विथु॒रेव॒ संहि॑तं॒ व्यद्रि॑णा पतथ त्वे॒षम॑र्ण॒वं ॥
kvá svidasyá rájaso maháspáram kvā́varam maruto yásminnāyayá ǀ yáccyāváyatha vithuréva sáṃhitam vyádriṇā patatha tveṣámarṇavám ǁ
The rhythm accelerates as the Maruts harness their chariots directly from the high heavens. Driven by an inner, sovereign will (tmanā) and urged on as if by a divine whip, these immortal beings charge across the sky without leaving a trace of dust. Their birth is mysterious and vast (tuvi-jātāḥ), and their strike is so powerful that even the most immovable, rigid mountains and structures of the cosmos tremble before them. They are the masters of the lightning-spear, wielding brilliance that cuts through the darkest ignorance. The Ṛṣi then poses an intimate, awestruck question: 'Who among you, O Maruts, vibrates within, your lightning-spears flashing like a tongue darting from a roaring mouth?' Their movement across the landscape is compared to the rushing of the divine wind or the headlong gallop of a swift celestial steed. They transcend ordinary spatial boundaries; the Ṛṣi asks from where, exactly, their vast realm extends—from the highest spaces to the lowest depths—and how they manage to shake and splinter the tightly packed cosmic waters with their thunderous stones (adri).
Verse 4: Self-yoked from the heavens they speed forth at will, urging themselves onward by their own inner power; dustless and vastly born, these lightning-speared Maruts shatter even the most unshakable things.
Verse 5: Who among you, O Maruts, vibrates deep within with lightning-spears, like a tongue moving within the jaws? They sweep across the earth like rushing streams, swift and uncontainable as a champion steed.
Verse 6: Where, O Maruts, is the uttermost height or the lowest depth of this vast realm from which you have traveled? You shake what is firmly joined as if it were fragile, striking the roaring ocean with your stone.
The translation adopts standard philological consensus while retaining the dynamic cosmic imagery. Commentators emphasize that the 'stone' (adri) wielded by the Maruts is the thunderbolt or cloud-splitting Vajra, symbolizing the force that breaks open closed clouds to release life-giving rain.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अमर्त्याः | amartyāḥ | immortal ones |
| अरेणवः | areṇavaḥ | dustless, leaving no trace |
| भ्राजदृष्टयः | bhrājadṛṣṭayaḥ | possessing lightning-bright spears |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋष्टिविद्युतः | ṛṣṭividyutaḥ | having lightning for spears |
| धन्वच्युतः | dhanvacyutaḥ | sweeping across the desert or bow-like curves |
| एतशः | etaśaḥ | the brilliant steed (often of the sun) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रजसः | rajasaḥ | of space, atmosphere, or realm |
| विथुराइव | vithurāiva | like things tottering or unsteady |
| अर्णवम् | arṇavam | ocean, surging flood |
Imagine an earthquake in the clouds—mountains cracking open, lightning bolts flashing like fiery tongues across an infinite sky.
Verses 7, 8, 9, 10
सा॒तिर्न वोऽम॑वती॒ स्व॑र्वती त्वे॒षा विपा॑का मरुतः॒ पिपि॑ष्वती । भ॒द्रा वो॑ रा॒तिः पृ॑ण॒तो न दक्षि॑णा पृथु॒ज्रयी॑ असु॒र्ये॑व॒ जंज॑ती ॥
sātírná vó’mavatī svárvatī tveṣā́ vípākā marutaḥ pípiṣvatī ǀ bhadrā́ vo rātíḥ pṛṇató ná dákṣiṇā pṛthujráyī asuryéva jáñjatī ǁ
प्रति॑ ष्टोभंति॒ सिंध॑वः प॒विभ्यो॒ यद॒भ्रियां॒ वाच॑मुदी॒रयं॑ति । अव॑ स्मयंत वि॒द्युतः॑ पृथि॒व्यां यदी॑ घृ॒तं म॒रुतः॑ प्रुष्णु॒वंति॑ ॥
práti ṣṭobhanti síndhavaḥ pavíbhyo yádabhríyām vā́camudīráyanti ǀ áva smayanta vidyútaḥ pṛthivyā́m yádī ghṛtám marútaḥ pruṣṇuvánti ǁ
असू॑त॒ पृश्नि॑र्मह॒ते रणा॑य त्वे॒षम॒यासां॑ म॒रुता॒मनी॑कं । ते स॑प्स॒रासो॑ऽजनयं॒ताभ्व॒मादित्स्व॒धामि॑षि॒रां पर्य॑पश्यन् ॥
ásūta pṛ́śnirmahaté ráṇāya tveṣámayā́sām marútāmánīkam ǀ té sapsarā́so’janayantā́bhvamā́dítsvadhā́miṣirā́m páryapaśyan 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
As the storm reaches its crescendo, the gift of the Maruts is revealed in all its splendor. Their bounty is full of vigor and celestial light (sātir na vo 'mavatī svarvatī), accompanied by fierce heat and torrential productivity, flowing like a generous dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gift) given by a wealthy patron. Nature responds directly to their descent: the rivers sing in praise (stobhanti sindhavaḥ) as the Maruts release the heavy, rain-laden clouds, while flashes of lightning seem to smile across the smiling, refreshed earth. The genesis of this magnificent host is then revealed: Pṛśni, the cosmic spotted cow (representing the starry night sky or primordial infinite space), gave birth to this brilliant array for a mighty battle of light and life. Clothed in supreme energy, they perceived their true divine law (svadhā) from the very beginning. The Sūkta concludes with the Ṛṣi—Māndārya, son of Mānya—offering his heartfelt, perfectly crafted hymn as an eternal praise-offering (stoma). He prays that this divine song may secure for him and his lineage a prosperous, dynamic shelter filled with inexhaustible sustenance (jīradānu).
Verse 7: Your gift, O Maruts, is full of power and solar light, fierce and intensely productive; your bounty is like the generous reward of a liberal giver, wide-ranging and alive with divine energy.
Verse 8: The rivers chant in response to your whirling wheels when you unleash the cloud-born voice; the lightnings smile down upon the earth when you sprinkle your sacred, life-giving moisture.
Verse 9: Pṛśni brought forth this brilliant host of Maruts for a mighty cosmic struggle; self-luminous and marvelous, they arose, and at once beheld their own dynamic, sustaining law.
Verse 10: This hymn of praise, O Maruts, is from Māndārya, the son of Mānya; may it reach you for the protection of our bodies, and may we attain rich, ever-flowing, life-sustaining abundance.
The mention of Pṛśni as the mother of the Maruts is a core mythological motif in the Ṛgveda, frequently interpreted by ritualists as the earth or cloud-cow, and by spiritual exegetes as the boundless intermediate space (antarikṣa) from which illumined thoughts are born.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अमवती | amavatī | possessing vigorous strength or raw power |
| स्वर्वती | svarvatī | possessing light, heavenly, solar |
| पृथुज्रयी | pṛthujrayī | wide-coursing, spreading far and wide |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पविभ्यः | pavibhyaḥ | from the rims of the chariot wheels |
| अभ्रियाम् | abhriyām | cloud-born, belonging to the storm clouds |
| प्रुष्णुवन्ति | pruṣṇuvanti | sprinkle, moisten, wet |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पृश्निः | pṛśniḥ | the dappled cosmic cow, mother of the Maruts |
| सप्सरासः | sapsarāsaḥ | gliding beautifully, moving swiftly |
| अभ्वम् | abhvam | marvellous, monster-like power, vast wonder |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मान्दार्यस्य | māndāryasya | of Māndārya (the poet/seer) |
| जीरदानुम् | jīradānum | yielding life, quick-flowing, life-giving |
| वृजनम् | vṛjanam | enclosure, dwelling place, strength |
Visualize a parched, dry earth suddenly smiling as golden lightning flashes, dark rivers sing with joy, and cool rain pours down from the cosmic mother Pṛśni's udder.