Sukta 167

Mantra 1

सहस्रं त इन्द्रोतयो नः सहस्रमिषो हरिवो गूर्ततमाः । सहस्रं रायो मादयध्यै सहस्रिण उप नो यन्तु वाजाः ॥

A thousand are your helps for us, O Indra; a thousand your nourishings, O lord of the tawny steeds, most eager to be invoked. A thousand are the plenitudes of delight for our ecstasy; may the thousandfold powers of accomplishment come near to us.

Mantra 2

आ नोऽवोभिर्मरुतो यान्त्वच्छा ज्येष्ठेभिर्वा बृहद्दिवैः सुमायाः । अध यदेषां नियुतः परमाः समुद्रस्य चिद्धनयन्त पारे ॥

Come to us, O Maruts, with your helps—whether with the eldest, the vast-shining ones of good skill. For when their highest yoked energies win even at the farther shore of the ocean, then their power is proven: let it arrive here for our journey.

Mantra 3

मिम्यक्ष येषु सुधिता घृताची हिरण्यनिर्णिगुपरा न ऋष्टिः । गुहा चरन्ती मनुषो न योषा सभावती विदथ्येव सं वाक् ॥

In whom the well-set, ghee-bright (power) glitters—like a spear with golden sheen and upper edge; moving hidden, like a woman among men, their word gathers together, assembly-bearing, as in a solemn session.

Mantra 4

परा शुभ्रा अयासो यव्या साधारण्येव मरुतो मिमिक्षुः । न रोदसी अप नुदन्त घोरा जुषन्त वृधं सख्याय देवाः ॥

Far-shining, untiring, ever-youthful, the Maruts mingle their force as if in a common accord. They do not thrust away the two worlds; formidable, the gods delight in the growth that makes for friendship.

Mantra 5

जोषद्यदीमसुर्या सचध्यै विषितस्तुका रोदसी नृमणाः । आ सूर्येव विधतो रथं गात्त्वेषप्रतीका नभसो नेत्या ॥

When the sovereign power consents to accompany them, the two worlds, eager for manhood, with bright-tufted splendours, move. Like the Sun, it goes to the worshipper’s chariot—its form blazing—moving through the heaven’s spaces.

Mantra 6

आस्थापयन्त युवतिं युवानः शुभे निमिश्लां विदथेषु पज्राम् । अर्को यद्वो मरुतो हविष्मान्गायद्गाथं सुतसोमो दुवस्यन् ॥

The young ones set up the young maiden—bright, swift—within the gatherings. When the hymn, bearing offering, sings for you, O Maruts, when the pressed Soma chants the chant in service, then the powers are firmly installed in us.

Mantra 7

प्र तं विवक्मि वक्म्यो य एषां मरुतां महिमा सत्यो अस्ति । सचा यदीं वृषमणा अहंयुः स्थिरा चिज्जनीर्वहते सुभागाः ॥

I bring forward for utterance that One, the truly speakable—he whose greatness is the real Truth of these Maruts. When he moves with them, the bull-minded and self-driven power, even the firm-established energies are carried forward, made fortunate in their share.

Mantra 8

पान्ति मित्रावरुणाववद्याच्चयत ईमर्यमो अप्रशस्तान् । उत च्यवन्ते अच्युता ध्रुवाणि वावृध ईं मरुतो दातिवारः ॥

Mitra and Varuṇa guard them from the fault; Aryaman gathers them, the unreproached. And even the unshaken fixed things are set in motion; the Maruts grow, rich in the giving.

Mantra 9

नही नु वो मरुतो अन्त्यस्मे आरात्ताच्चिच्छवसो अन्तमापुः । ते धृष्णुना शवसा शूशुवांसोऽर्णो न द्वेषो धृषता परि ष्ठुः ॥

Never indeed, O Maruts, have you come to the end of your force for us, not even from far away. Growing keen by daring strength, you stand around hostility as a flood around an obstacle, pressing it back.

Mantra 10

वयमद्येन्द्रस्य प्रेष्ठा वयं श्वो वोचेमहि समर्ये । वयं पुरा महि च नो अनु द्यून्तन्न ऋभुक्षा नरामनु ष्यात् ॥

We today are Indra’s most dear; tomorrow too we would speak forth in the battle-press. We have been so before, and may it be for us through the days: may that be ours under the guidance of the strong-shaping power among men.

Mantra 11

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

This is your hymn, O Maruts; this is the word of the inspirer, the one worthy of honour. By this come for our embodied being and our wideness; may we find this effective strength that gives swiftly and enduringly.