Verses 1, 2, 3
प्र ये शुंभं॑ते॒ जन॑यो॒ न सप्त॑यो॒ याम॑न्रु॒द्रस्य॑ सू॒नवः॑ सु॒दंस॑सः । रोद॑सी॒ हि म॒रुत॑श्चक्रि॒रे वृ॒धे मदं॑ति वी॒रा वि॒दथे॑षु॒ घृष्व॑यः ॥
prá yé śúmbhante jánayo ná sáptayo yā́manrudrásya sūnávaḥ sudáṃsasaḥ ǀ ródasī hí marútaścakriré vṛdhé mádanti vīrā́ vidátheṣu ghṛ́ṣvayaḥ ǁ
त उ॑क्षि॒तासो॑ महि॒मान॑माशत दि॒वि रु॒द्रासो॒ अधि॑ चक्रिरे॒ सदः॑ । अर्चं॑तो अ॒र्कं ज॒नयं॑त इंद्रि॒यमधि॒ श्रियो॑ दधिरे॒ पृश्नि॑मातरः ॥
tá ukṣitā́so mahimā́namāśata diví rudrā́so ádhi cakrire sádaḥ ǀ árcanto arkám janáyanta indriyámádhi śríyo dadhire pṛ́śnimātaraḥ ǁ
गोमा॑तरो॒ यच्छु॒भयं॑ते अं॒जिभि॑स्त॒नूषु॑ शु॒भ्रा द॑धिरे वि॒रुक्म॑तः । बाधं॑ते॒ विश्व॑मभिमा॒तिन॒मप॒ वर्त्मा॑न्येषा॒मनु॑ रीयते घृ॒तं ॥
gómātaro yácchubháyante añjíbhistanū́ṣu śubhrā́ dadhire virúkmataḥ ǀ bā́dhante víśvamabhimātínamápa vártmānyeṣāmánu rīyate ghṛtám ǁ
As we enter this Sūkta dedicated to the Maruts—the storm-gods and companions of Indra—we are immediately struck by their radiant and fierce majesty. The Ṛṣi describes them shining forth like noble steeds or brilliant brides, the mighty sons of Rudra. They are creators of their own growth, filling the heavens and the earth with dynamic energy and divine celebration. In the second and third verses, their ascent into the divine realms is marked by intense inner praise and the generation of supreme spiritual force (indriya). Born of the spotted cow, Pṛśni, they adorn their bodies with sparkling ornaments and cascading streams of light. Where they tread, every hostile obstruction is shattered, and the path is bathed in sacred, flowing ghṛta—clarified butter or the luminous stream of divine grace.
Verse 1: Like brilliant steeds or noble youths, the mighty and resourceful sons of Rudra shine forth in their movement; they have made heaven and earth for growth, and as fearless heroes, they rejoice in the assemblies of the wise.
Verse 2: Exalted by their growth, they attained supreme greatness and established their seat in the highest heaven. Singing the sacred chant and generating divine power, the sons of Pṛśni have arrayed themselves in supreme splendor.
Verse 3: Having the spotted cow as mother, when they adorn themselves with shining ornaments upon their bodies, they ward off every hostile adversary, and streaming ghṛta follows closely upon their path.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रुद्रस्य | rudrasya | of Rudra, the fierce and roaring deity |
| सूनवः | sūnavaḥ | sons, offspring |
| मरुतः | marutaḥ | the Maruts, storm-deities |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| महिमानम् | mahimānam | greatness, majesty |
| पृश्निमातरः | pṛśni-mātaraḥ | having Pṛśni (the spotted storm-cloud or earth) as their mother |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गोमातातरः | go-mātaraḥ | whose mother is the cow (Pṛśni) |
| घृतम् | ghṛtam | clarified butter, luminous divine fluid |
Visualize a troop of royal youths adorned in gold and jewels riding swift horses across the sky, leaving a trail of glowing oil and scattering all darkness in their wake.
Verses 4, 5, 6
वि ये भ्राजं॑ते॒ सुम॑खास ऋ॒ष्टिभिः॑ प्रच्या॒वयं॑तो॒ अच्यु॑ता चि॒दोज॑सा । म॒नो॒जुवो॒ यन्म॑रुतो॒ रथे॒ष्वा वृष॑व्रातासः॒ पृष॑ती॒रयु॑ग्ध्वं ॥
ví yé bhrā́jante súmakhāsa ṛṣṭíbhiḥ pracyāváyanto ácyutā cidójasā ǀ manojúvo yánmaruto rátheṣvā́ vṛ́ṣavrātāsaḥ pṛ́ṣatīráyugdhvam ǁ
प्र यद्रथे॑षु॒ पृष॑ती॒रयु॑ग्ध्वं॒ वाजे॒ अद्रिं॑ मरुतो रं॒हयं॑तः । उ॒तारु॒षस्य॒ वि ष्यं॑ति॒ धारा॒श्चर्मे॑वो॒दभि॒र्व्युं॑दंति॒ भूम॑ ॥
prá yádrátheṣu pṛ́ṣatīráyugdhvam vā́je ádrim maruto raṃháyantaḥ ǀ utā́ruṣásya ví ṣyanti dhā́rāścármevodábhirvyúndanti bhū́ma ǁ
आ वो॑ वहंतु॒ सप्त॑यो रघु॒ष्यदो॑ रघु॒पत्वा॑नः॒ प्र जि॑गात बा॒हुभिः॑ । सीद॒ता ब॒र्हिरु॒रु वः॒ सद॑स्कृ॒तं मा॒दय॑ध्वं मरुतो॒ मध्वो॒ अंध॑सः ॥
ā́ vo vahantu sáptayo raghuṣyádo raghupátvānaḥ prá jigāta bāhúbhiḥ ǀ sī́datā́ barhírurú vaḥ sádaskṛtám mādáyadhvam maruto mádhvo ándhasaḥ ǁ
The momentum intensifies as the Maruts ready their swift chariots and spotted steeds (pṛṣatīḥ). Armed with flashing spears (ṛṣṭi), they possess the power to move even immovable things through sheer spiritual energy and the velocity of thought. Their movement is a cosmic rush that shatters stagnation. As they harness their steeds and urge forward the thunderous mountain-crushers, the red steed of the storm pours down torrential streams. The earth is soaked as if sprinkled from a dripping skin, bringing fertile life to the soil. The Ṛṣi warmly invites them to descend upon the sacred grass (barhiṣ) to partake of the intoxicating Soma offering.
Verse 4: With their spears they shine brilliantly, mighty in valor, moving even the unmoving by their force. Swift as thought, O Maruts, you have yoked your spotted mares to your chariots, you whose hosts are filled with surging vigor.
Verse 5: When you yoke the spotted mares to your chariots, driving forward the thunderbolt in the battle-clash, the streams of the red steed flow forth, and like a leather skin with waters, you drench the earth.
Verse 6: May your swift-gliding, fast-flying steeds bear you hither. Advance with your strong arms, take your seat upon the broad sacred grass prepared for you, and rejoice, O Maruts, in the sweet Soma draught.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋष्टिभिः | ṛṣṭibhiḥ | with spears or lances |
| मनोजुवः | manaḥ-juvaḥ | swift as the mind |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अद्रिम् | adrim | stone, mountain, or thunderbolt |
| भूमि | bhūma | the earth, ground |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सप्तयः | saptayaḥ | swift steeds |
| बर्हिः | barhiḥ | sacred strewn grass for ritual seating |
Picture a sudden, violent summer thunderstorm breaking over parched land, soaking the earth completely and turning dust into fertile green life.
Verses 7, 8, 9
ते॑ऽवर्धंत॒ स्वत॑वसो महित्व॒ना नाकं॑ त॒स्थुरु॒रु च॑क्रिरे॒ सदः॑ । विष्णु॒र्यद्धाव॒द्वृष॑णं मद॒च्युतं॒ वयो॒ न सी॑द॒न्नधि॑ ब॒र्हिषि॑ प्रि॒ये ॥
té’vardhanta svátavaso mahitvanā́ nā́kam tasthúrurú cakrire sádaḥ ǀ víṣṇuryáddhā́vadvṛ́ṣaṇam madacyútam váyo ná sīdannádhi barhíṣi priyé ǁ
शूरा॑ इ॒वेद्युयु॑धयो॒ न जग्म॑यः श्रव॒स्यवो॒ न पृत॑नासु येतिरे । भयं॑ते॒ विश्वा॒ भुव॑ना म॒रुद्भ्यो॒ राजा॑न इव त्वे॒षसं॑दृशो॒ नरः॑ ॥
śū́rā ivédyúyudhayo ná jágmayaḥ śravasyávo ná pṛ́tanāsu yetire ǀ bháyante víśvā bhúvanā marúdbhyo rā́jāna iva tveṣásaṃdṛśo náraḥ ǁ
त्वष्टा॒ यद्वज्रं॒ सुकृ॑तं हिर॒ण्ययं॑ स॒हस्र॑भृष्टिं॒ स्वपा॒ अव॑र्तयत् । ध॒त्त इंद्रो॒ नर्यपां॑सि॒ कर्त॒वेऽह॑न्वृ॒त्रं निर॒पामौ॑ब्जदर्ण॒वं ॥
tváṣṭā yádvájram súkṛtam hiraṇyáyam sahásrabhṛṣṭim svápā ávartayat ǀ dhattá índro náryápāṃsi kártavé’hanvṛtrám nírapā́maubjadarṇavám ǁ
Through their inherent self-sustaining power (svatavas), the Maruts grow in majesty until they touch the vault of heaven, establishing a vast and radiant abode. Here, Viṣṇu joins and assists them in their dynamic cosmic dance. All created worlds tremble before their terrifying splendor, viewing them like sovereign kings glowing with fiery energy. Then the narrative shifts to Tvaṣṭṛ, the divine artisan who crafts the golden, thousand-edged vajra (thunderbolt). With this supreme weapon, Indra shatters Vṛtra and releases the pent-up cosmic oceans, breaking open the celestial reservoirs.
Verse 7: They grew through their own native might, reaching the vault of heaven, and they fashioned a vast and spacious dwelling. When Viṣṇu helped them, causing the Soma-dripping bull to move, they sat down like soaring birds upon the dear sacred grass.
Verse 8: Like heroic warriors in combat, like eager seekers of glory pressing into battle, all created worlds tremble before the Maruts, who are like kings blazing with terrifying radiance.
Verse 9: When Tvaṣṭṛ forged the well-made, golden, thousand-pointed thunderbolt and made it spin, Indra took it to perform his manly deeds, and he smote Vṛtra, releasing the surging waters.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्वतवसः | sva-tavasaḥ | self-strong, mighty through own power |
| विष्णुः | viṣṇuḥ | Viṣṇu, the all-pervading deity |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शूराः | śūrāḥ | heroes, warriors |
| पृतनासु | pṛtanāsu | in battles, skirmishes |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वज्रम् | vajram | thunderbolt, diamond weapon |
| वृत्रम् | vṛtram | Vṛtra, the obstructer/dragon of drought |
Imagine a master blacksmith forging a weapon of pure gold lightning, which the king of gods wields to split open a mountain blocking a rushing river.
Verses 10, 11, 12
ऊ॒र्ध्वं नु॑नुद्रेऽव॒तं त ओज॑सा दादृहा॒णं चि॑द्बिभिदु॒र्वि पर्व॑तं । धमं॑तो वा॒णं म॒रुतः॑ सु॒दान॑वो॒ मदे॒ सोम॑स्य॒ रण्या॑नि चक्रिरे ॥
ūrdhvám nunudre’vatám tá ójasā dādṛhāṇám cidbibhidurví párvatam ǀ dhámanto vāṇám marútaḥ sudā́navo máde sómasya ráṇyāni cakrire ǁ
जि॒ह्मं नु॑नुद्रेऽव॒तं तया॑ दि॒शासिं॑च॒न्नुत्सं॒ गोत॑माय तृ॒ष्णजे॑ । आ ग॑च्छंती॒मव॑सा चि॒त्रभा॑नवः॒ कामं॒ विप्र॑स्य तर्पयंत॒ धाम॑भिः ॥
jihmám nunudre’vatám táyā diśā́siñcannútsam gótamāya tṛṣṇáje ǀ ā́ gacchantīmávasā citrábhānavaḥ kā́mam víprasya tarpayanta dhā́mabhiḥ ǁ
या वः॒ शर्म॑ शशमा॒नाय॒ संति॑ त्रि॒धातू॑नि दा॒शुषे॑ यच्छ॒ताधि॑ । अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ तानि॑ मरुतो॒ वि यं॑त र॒यिं नो॑ धत्त वृषणः सु॒वीरं॑ ॥
yā́ vaḥ śárma śaśamānā́ya sánti tridhā́tūni dāśúṣe yacchatā́dhi ǀ asmábhyam tā́ni maruto ví yanta rayím no dhatta vṛṣaṇaḥ suvī́ram ǁ
In the final act, the Maruts demonstrate their profound benevolence. With overwhelming force, they thrust upward the hidden subterranean spring and split the stubborn mountain. Blowing upon their wind-pipes like musicians, they fill the Soma-rite with joyous celebration. Miraculously, they tilt the subterranean water-shaft toward the thirsty sage Gotama, quenching his thirst and rewarding his devotion. The hymn concludes with a heartfelt plea for their triply-established shelter and heroic protection, sealing the bond between the divine storm-gods and the devoted seeker.
Verse 10: With their force they thrust upward the hidden well; even the firm mountain they split asunder. Blowing upon their wind-pipes like musicians, the generous Maruts created festive joys in the exhilaration of Soma.
Verse 11: They tilted the slanted water-well in that direction, streaming forth a spring for thirsty Gotama. Coming near with their grace, radiant with multicolored light, they satisfied the deepest desires of the seer through their divine manifestations.
Verse 12: Whatever threefold shelters belong to you, O Maruts, bestow them upon the worshipper who pours the oblation. Extend those protections to us, and grant us, O mighty ones, abundant wealth accompanied by noble heroes.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अवतम | avatam | water-spring, well |
| पर्वतम् | parvatam | mountain, rock |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गोतमाय | gotamāya | for the sage Gotama |
| तृष्णजे | tṛṣṇa-je | to the thirsty one |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शर्म | śarma | shelter, refuge, protection |
| त्रिधातूनि | tri-dhātūni | threefold, of three layers or elements |
Picture a dry desert well suddenly gushing with sweet, cool water directly at the feet of a thirsty sage, bringing instant relief and boundless joy.