Sukta 165

Mantra 1

कया शुभा सवयसः सनीळाः समान्या मरुतः सं मिमिक्षुः । कया मती कुत एतास एतेऽर्चन्ति शुष्मं वृषणो वसूया ॥

By what splendid harmony—being of one age and one home—have the Maruts mingled together? By what inspired thought, from where have these come, that they chant their force, virile in power, desiring the true wealth of being?

Mantra 2

कस्य ब्रह्माणि जुजुषुर्युवानः को अध्वरे मरुत आ ववर्त । श्येनाँ इव ध्रजतो अन्तरिक्षे केन महा मनसा रीरमाम ॥

Whose sacred formulations have the youthful ones embraced? Who has turned the Maruts toward the offering-work? Like falcons flashing through the midspace—by what vast mind shall we draw near and delight them?

Mantra 3

कुतस्त्वमिन्द्र माहिनः सन्नेको यासि सत्पते किं त इत्था । सं पृच्छसे समराणः शुभानैर्वोचेस्तन्नो हरिवो यत्ते अस्मे ॥

From where do you come, O Indra of might, that you go alone, O lord of the true? Why do you question thus, coming with your splendid ones? Speak to us, O Harivan, what you intend for us here.

Mantra 4

ब्रह्माणि मे मतयः शं सुतासः शुष्म इयर्ति प्रभृतो मे अद्रिः । आ शासते प्रति हर्यन्त्युक्थेमा हरी वहतस्ता नो अच्छ ॥

My inspired words, my thoughts, are for the good; the pressed Soma is ready, and my force rises—my stone is uplifted. The hymns call; they answer with delight. Let the two tawny steeds bring you here to us.

Mantra 5

अतो वयमन्तमेभिर्युजानाः स्वक्षत्रेभिस्तन्वः शुम्भमानाः । महोभिरेताँ उप युज्महे न्विन्द्र स्वधामनु हि नो बभूथ ॥

Therefore we, yoked with these nearest powers, adorning our being by their own lordly strength, join ourselves to them by their greatnesses. O Indra, follow your own law of being—for you have indeed become for us.

Mantra 6

क्व स्या वो मरुतः स्वधासीद्यन्मामेकं समधत्ताहिहत्ये । अहं ह्युग्रस्तविषस्तुविष्मान्विश्वस्य शत्रोरनमं वधस्नैः ॥

Where then was your self-law, O Maruts, when you set me alone against the slaying of the Serpent? For I—fierce, strong, most puissant—bowed down every foe of all by my weapons of execution.

Mantra 7

भूरि चकर्थ युज्येभिरस्मे समानेभिर्वृषभ पौंस्येभिः । भूरीणि हि कृणवामा शविष्ठेन्द्र क्रत्वा मरुतो यद्वशाम ॥

O Bull of force, thou hast wrought much for us by thy harnessed powers, by thy equal and kindred manhoods. For we too would accomplish many things—O most puissant Indra—by the will of the Maruts and by the power of conscious intention, whenever we are moved to mastery.

Mantra 8

वधीं वृत्रं मरुत इन्द्रियेण स्वेन भामेन तविषो बभूवान् । अहमेता मनवे विश्वश्चन्द्राः सुगा अपश्चकर वज्रबाहुः ॥

I slew the Coverer, O Maruts, by my own Indra-force; by my own shining I became the vehement. I, the arm that bears the thunder, made these waters for man—universal in their light—easy to move upon, paths of a glad advance.

Mantra 9

अनुत्तमा ते मघवन्नकिर्नु न त्वावाँ अस्ति देवता विदानः । न जायमानो नशते न जातो यानि करिष्या कृणुहि प्रवृद्ध ॥

Unsurpassed is thy greatness, O bountiful one; none at all, no god who knows, is equal to thee. Neither one being born nor one already born can reach the things thou shalt do—do thou them, O ever-increasing in power.

Mantra 10

एकस्य चिन्मे विभ्वस्त्वोजो या नु दधृष्वान्कृणवै मनीषा । अहं ह्युग्रो मरुतो विदानो यानि च्यवमिन्द्र इदीश एषाम् ॥

Even of one alone let there be for me the all-pervading might, so that with daring I may fashion my thought. For I am indeed the fierce one, O Maruts, knowing; whatever I set in motion—Indra alone is the lord over these.

Mantra 11

अमन्दन्मा मरुतः स्तोमो अत्र यन्मे नरः श्रुत्यं ब्रह्म चक्र । इन्द्राय वृष्णे सुमखाय मह्यं सख्ये सखायस्तन्वे तनूभिः ॥

The Maruts have gladdened me here with the chant, when the heroes fashioned for me the hearing-worthy Word. For Indra the Bull, for the fair-faced, for me—friends in friendship—they came with their bodies to my embodied being.

Mantra 12

एवेदेते प्रति मा रोचमाना अनेद्यः श्रव एषो दधानाः । संचक्ष्या मरुतश्चन्द्रवर्णा अच्छान्त मे छदयाथा च नूनम् ॥

Thus indeed these, shining towards me, bear an unblemished fame and this impulsion. Having looked upon me together, O Maruts of moon-bright hue, you have come near; and now you cover me—protecting and encompassing.

Mantra 13

को न्वत्र मरुतो मामहे वः प्र यातन सखीँरच्छा सखायः । मन्मानि चित्रा अपिवातयन्त एषां भूत नवेदा म ऋतानाम् ॥

Who here, O Maruts, is there that can magnify you? Go forth, O friends, towards your comrades. Waft my many-coloured thoughts; become for me the new-knowers of the truths of Rita.

Mantra 14

आ यद्दुवस्याद्दुवसे न कारुरस्माञ्चक्रे मान्यस्य मेधा । ओ षु वर्त्त मरुतो विप्रमच्छेमा ब्रह्माणि जरिता वो अर्चत् ॥

When the singer would serve for service, the intelligence of the worthy has fashioned us (an instrument). Turn then, O Maruts, towards the inspired seer; the praiser has uttered to you these word-powers.

Mantra 15

एष वः स्तोमो मरुत इयं गीर्मान्दार्यस्य मान्यस्य कारोः । एषा यासीष्ट तन्वे वयां विद्यामेषं वृजनं जीरदानुम् ॥

This is your chant, O Maruts; this is the song of the praiser, of the worthy Māndārya. Come with this to our embodied being, so that we may know this vigorous host—swift in giving—this plenitude of force.