Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32): Vedic Hymns: I, 38. To the M... | Internet Sacred Text Archive

MANDALA I, HYMN 38.

ASHTAKA I, ADHYÂYA 3, VARGA 15-17.

To the Maruts (The Storm-gods).

1. What then now? When 1 will you take (us) as a dear father takes his son by both hands, O ye gods, for whom the sacred grass has been trimmed 2?

2. Where now? On what errand of yours are you going, in heaven, not on earth 1? Where are your cows sporting?

3. Where are your newest favours 1, O Maruts? Where the blessings? Where all delights?

4. If you, sons of Prisni, were mortals, and your praiser an immortal 1,—

5. Then never 1 should your praiser be unwelcome, like a deer in pasture grass 2, nor should he go on the path of Yama 3.

6. Let not one sin 1 after another, difficult to be conquered, overcome us; may it depart 2 together with greed.

7. Truly they are terrible and powerful; even to the desert the Rudriyas bring rain that is never dried up 1.

8. The lightning lows like a cow, it follows as a mother follows after her young, when the shower (of the Maruts) has been let loose 1.

9. Even by day the Maruts create darkness with the water-bearing cloud 1, when they drench the earth.

10. Then from the shouting of the Maruts over the whole space of the earth 1, men reeled forward.

11. Maruts on your strong-hoofed never-wearying 3

steeds 1 go after those bright ones (the clouds), which are still locked up 2.

12. May your fellies be strong, the chariots, and their horses, may your reins 1 be well-fashioned.

13. Speak forth for ever with thy voice to praise the Lord of prayer 1, Agni, who is like a friend 2, the bright one.

14. Fashion a hymn in thy mouth! Expand like the cloud 1! Sing a song of praise.

15. Worship the host of the Maruts, the terrible. . the glorious, the musical 1. May they be magnified here among us 2.

NOTES.

This hymn is ascribed to Kanva, the son of Ghora. The metre is Gâyatrî throughout. Several verses, however, end in a spondee instead of the usual iambus. No attempt should be made to improve such verses by conjecture, for they are clearly meant to end in spondees. Thus in verses 2, 7, 8, and 9, all the three pâdas alike have their final spondee. In verse 7, the ionicus a minore is with an evident intention repeated thrice. No verse of the hymn occurs in SV., VS., AV.; but verse 8 = TS. III, 1, 11, 5; verse 9 = TS. II, 4, 8, 1.

Verse 1.