Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32): Vedic Hymns: V, 54. To the M... | Internet Sacred Text Archive

MANDALA V, HYMN 54.

ASHTAKA IV, ADHYÂYA 3, VARGA 14-16.

To the Maruts (the Storm-gods).

1. You have fashioned 1 this speech for the brilliant Marut-host which shakes the mountains: celebrate then the great manhood in honour of that host who praises the warm milk (of the sacrifice), and sacrifices on the height of heaven 2, whose glory is brilliant.

2. O Maruts, your powerful men (came) forth searching for water, invigorating, harnessing their horses, swarming around. When they aim with the lightning, Trita shouts, and the waters murmur, running around on their course.

3. These Maruts are men brilliant with lightning, they shoot with thunderbolts, they blaze with the wind, they shake the mountains, and suddenly, when wishing to give water 1, they whirl the hail; they have thundering strength, they are robust, they are ever-powerful.

4. When you drive forth 1 the nights, O Rudras, the days, O powerful men, the sky, the mists, ye shakers, the plains, like ships, and the strongholds, O Maruts, you suffer nowhere.

5. That strength of yours, O Maruts, that greatness extended far as the sun extends its daily course, when you, like your deer on their march, went down to the (western) mountain with untouched splendour 1

6. Your host, O Maruts, shone forth when, O sages, you strip, like a caterpillar, the waving tree 1

[paragraph continues] Conduct then, O friends, our service 2 to a good end, as the eye conducts the man in walking.

7. That man, O Maruts, is not overpowered, he is not killed, he does not fail, he does not shake, he does not drop, his goods do not perish, nor his protections, if you lead him rightly, whether he be a seer or a king.

8. The men with their steeds, like conquerors of clans, like Aryaman (Mitra and Varuna) 1, the Maruts, carrying waterskins 2, fill the well; when the strong ones roar, they moisten the earth with the juice of sweetness 3.

9. When the Maruts come forth this earth bows, the heaven bows, the paths in the sky bow, and the cloud-mountains with their quickening rain.

10. When you rejoice at sunrise, O Maruts, toiling together 1, men of Svar (sun-light), men of Dyu (heaven), your horses never tire in running, and you quickly reach the end of your journey.

11. On your shoulders are the spears, on your feet rings, on your chests golden chains, O Maruts, on your chariot gems; fiery lightnings in your fists, and golden headbands tied round your heads 1.

12. O Maruts, you shake the red apple 1 from the firmament, whose splendour no enemy 2 can touch; the hamlets bowed when the Maruts blazed, and the pious people (the Maruts) intoned their far-reaching shout.