Hymn to the Maruts
Rigveda X.77 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 10 of the Rigveda, one of the 1,028 hymns organized within the ten books of the oldest Veda. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in Vedic Sanskrit and preserved through oral transmission across millennia.
This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
As the Maruts thunder down their rain from the cloud, so too shall I pour forth blessings with my voice. The offerings of a poet who sees clearly are no less than those borne with hands of fire. I have sung their praise as one might praise the Shaper, he who is full with the Maruts—I have sung them worthy of soma, even as one praises the fair for their comeliness.
In their brightness, the young lords have adorned themselves through the long watches of night, even as they made the Shaper rich in Maruts. Heaven’s sons take their stations like fleet antelope; like the sons of Aditi, they have grown in strength as colts fresh from the field.
They stretch beyond the heavens of their own power, and beyond the bounds of earth as well, as the sun breaks beyond the clouds. They stir wonder like heroes of great stature, leaping skyward like young men who guard the wanderer.
At your coming, the earth itself seems to slacken, as if resting upon waters, or stepping with uncertain foot. Yet near at hand is a rite full of every good thing—set for you. Like bringers of joy in the holy work, draw nigh to those who fix their thoughts on you.
With your reins—or with rays—you are like steeds yoked to the chariot’s beam, like flame at dawn casting forth its light, like falcons bright in their own glory, watchful of the wayfarer. At your rising, ye are as water birds loosing drops round about.
When ye hasten from afar, O Maruts, ye come as those who know the great store of treasures kept unseen, the wealth to be made manifest, O fair ones. Keep afar all spite and wrath, even from far away.
The child of Manu, who, like Agni rising at the rite, shall serve the Maruts when the song is lifted up—he shall win strong life, teeming with noble sons. Let the gods set him beneath their guard.
For they are the ready helpers, meet to receive the gift at the altar, bringers of fortune under the name of the Ādityas. Let them uphold our breath of song, as a swift horse outstrips the chariots, taking joy in the march of their mighty host and in the rite itself.
Colophon
This hymn is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated independently from the Sanskrit. Reference translations consulted during original translation are to be documented during audit.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ṛgveda X.77
Sanskrit source text from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
abhrapruṣo na vācā pruṣā vasu haviṣmanto na yajñā vijānuṣaḥ |
sumārutaṁ na brahmāṇam arhase gaṇam astoṣy eṣāṁ na śobhase || 1 ||
śriye maryāso añjīm̐r akṛṇvata sumārutaṁ na pūrvīr ati kṣapaḥ |
divas putrāsa etā na yetira ādityāsas te akrā na vāvṛdhuḥ || 2 ||
pra ye divaḥ pṛthivyā na barhaṇā tmanā riricre abhrān na sūryaḥ |
pājasvanto na vīrāḥ panasyavo riśādaso na maryā abhidyavaḥ || 3 ||
yuṣmākam budhne apāṁ na yāmani vithuryati na mahī śratharyati |
viśvapsur yajño arvāg ayaṁ su vaḥ prayasvanto na satrāca ā gata || 4 ||
yūyaṁ dhūrṣu prayujo na raśmibhir jyotiṣmanto na bhāsā vyuṣṭiṣu |
śyenāso na svayaśaso riśādasaḥ pravāso na prasitāsaḥ paripruṣaḥ || 5 ||
pra yad vahadhve marutaḥ parākād yūyam mahaḥ saṁvaraṇasya vasvaḥ |
vidānāso vasavo rādhyasyārāc cid dveṣaḥ sanutar yuyota || 6 ||
ya udṛci yajñe adhvareṣṭhā marudbhyo na mānuṣo dadāśat |
revat sa vayo dadhate suvīraṁ sa devānām api gopīthe astu || 7 ||
te hi yajñeṣu yajñiyāsa ūmā ādityena nāmnā śambhaviṣṭhāḥ |
te no 'vantu rathatūr manīṣām mahaś ca yāmann adhvare cakānāḥ || 8 ||
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).
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