Hymn to the Maruts

Rigveda I.39 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) addressed to the Maruts, the storm-gods and sons of Rudra, who shake the mountains, scatter the forests, and ride out as a host in dappled chariots. It is one of the 1,028 hymns of the Rigveda organized within Maṇḍala 1, the first of ten books. The ṛṣi (seer) to whom this hymn is attributed and its precise liturgical context are recorded in the traditional Śākalya Anukramaṇī; the hymn itself names the seer Kaṇva.

The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas and one of the oldest surviving religious texts in the world, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in the Vedic Sanskrit of the Indus-Sarasvatī region. Its hymns were preserved through oral transmission across millennia before being committed to writing. This is a Good Works Translation produced for the Good Works Library from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.

1. When from afar you thus hurl forth your splendor like a flame — by whose will, Maruts, in whose form do you go, to whom, O shakers?

2. Let your weapons be firm for driving off foes, and strong for holding steady; let your might be the most praiseworthy — not the might of the deceitful mortal.

3. When indeed, O heroes, you strike down what is firm and roll along what is heavy, you scatter the trees of the earth and the recesses of the mountains.

4. No enemy of yours has ever been found, in heaven or on earth, O devourers of foes. Let your might, O sons of Rudra, stand ever allied — never to be overcome.

5. They make the mountains tremble, they tear apart the forest trees. Advance, O Maruts, like ones wildly exultant, O gods, with your whole host.

6. You have yoked the dappled mares to your chariots; the ruddy steed draws as the outrunner. Even the earth has hearkened to your coming; men have grown afraid.

7. Quickly, O Rudras, we choose your protection for our offspring. Come now to us with your help, as before you came thus to Kaṇva when he was afraid.

8. O Maruts, whoever it is — sent by you or sent by a mortal — the monstrous one who approaches us, drive him away with strength, with power, with your own aid.

9. For, O very-worshipful, wise ones, you gave undividedly to Kaṇva. Come to us, O Maruts, with your undivided help, as the lightnings come with the rain.

10. You bear undivided power, O bounteous ones; undivided is your strength, O shakers. Against the hater of the seer, O Maruts full of wrath, loose your arrow as against an enemy.

Translator's note: several words resist certainty. "asāmi" (vv. 9–10), rendered "undivided/whole," is a rare and disputed term; "abhva" (v. 8), rendered "monstrous one," denotes a formless or monstrous being, its exact sense uncertain; "praṣṭiḥ" (v. 6), rendered "outrunner," names one particular horse of the team, position unclear.

Colophon

Rigveda I.39 is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation rendered verse by verse from the Sanskrit text printed below. Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation.

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Source Text: ṛgveda I.39

pra yad itthā parāvataḥ śocir na mānam asyatha |
kasya kratvā marutaḥ kasya varpasā kaṁ yātha kaṁ ha dhūtayaḥ || 1 ||

sthirā vaḥ santv āyudhā parāṇude vīḻū uta pratiṣkabhe |
yuṣmākam astu taviṣī panīyasī mā martyasya māyinaḥ || 2 ||

parā ha yat sthiraṁ hatha naro vartayathā guru |
vi yāthana vaninaḥ pṛthivyā vy āśāḥ parvatānām || 3 ||

nahi vaḥ śatrur vivide adhi dyavi na bhūmyāṁ riśādasaḥ |
yuṣmākam astu taviṣī tanā yujā rudrāso nū cid ādhṛṣe || 4 ||

pra vepayanti parvatān vi viñcanti vanaspatīn |
pro ārata maruto durmadā iva devāsaḥ sarvayā viśā || 5 ||

upo ratheṣu pṛṣatīr ayugdhvam praṣṭir vahati rohitaḥ |
ā vo yāmāya pṛthivī cid aśrod abībhayanta mānuṣāḥ || 6 ||

ā vo makṣū tanāya kaṁ rudrā avo vṛṇīmahe |
gantā nūnaṁ no 'vasā yathā puretthā kaṇvāya bibhyuṣe || 7 ||

yuṣmeṣito maruto martyeṣita ā yo no abhva īṣate |
vi taṁ yuyota śavasā vy ojasā vi yuṣmākābhir ūtibhiḥ || 8 ||

asāmi hi prayajyavaḥ kaṇvaṁ dada pracetasaḥ |
asāmibhir maruta ā na ūtibhir gantā vṛṣṭiṁ na vidyutaḥ || 9 ||

asāmy ojo bibhṛthā sudānavo 'sāmi dhūtayaḥ śavaḥ |
ṛṣidviṣe marutaḥ parimanyava iṣuṁ na sṛjata dviṣam || 10 ||

Source Colophon

Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).