Rig Veda Sukta 66
Mandala 6Sukta 6611 Mantras

Sukta 66

Sukta 6.66

Rishi

Bharadvāja (Book 6 family attribution)

Devata

Marut-gaṇa (with Pṛśni as their mother in the hymn’s imagery)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Este himno alaba a la hueste de los Maruts como los hijos feroces y radiantes de Rudra —dioses de la tormenta cuyo ímpetu arrollador sacude y, por así decir, «uncen» los dos mundos, cielo y tierra. Mediante la imagen de Pṛśni como la Vaca-madre abundante, el poeta evoca su nacimiento y nutrición, y su esencia luminosa liberada en beneficio de los mortales. El propósito de la sukta es a la vez laudatorio e invitatorio: atraer a los Maruts al sacrificio para que su fuerza, su protección y su impulso victorioso fortalezcan al adorador.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 6.66

Mantras

Mantra 1

वपुर्नु तच्चिकितुषे चिदस्तु समानं नाम धेनु पत्यमानम् । मर्तेष्वन्यद्दोहसे पीपाय सकृच्छुक्रं दुदुहे पृश्निरूधः ॥

Que incluso para el conocedor sea conocida esta forma: uno y el mismo nombre, la Vaca nutricia que gobierna. Pero entre los mortales se hincha para otro ordeño; una vez ha ordeñado la esencia luminosa: Pṛśni, la Madre, su ubre de abundancia.

Mantra 2

ये अग्नयो न शोशुचन्निधाना द्विर्यत्त्रिर्मरुतो वावृधन्त । अरेणवो हिरण्ययास एषां साकं नृम्णैः पौंस्येभिश्च भूवन् ॥

Esos Maruts, que arden como fuegos cuando son encendidos—creciendo dos veces, creciendo tres veces. Sin mancha son, de fulgor dorado; junto con bríos varoniles y potencias viriles, juntos llegan a ser y se afirman.

Mantra 3

रुद्रस्य ये मीळ्हुषः सन्ति पुत्रा याँश्चो नु दाधृविर्भरध्यै । विदे हि माता महो मही षा सेत्पृश्निः सुभ्वे गर्भमाधात् ॥

Los que son hijos de Rudra, dadores de rico incremento—los que ahora Dādhṛvi presenta para que los llevemos: pues se conoce a su Madre, la Grande, la Vasta Grandeza; Pṛśni, en verdad, puso el embrión en el bello seno.

Mantra 4

न य ईषन्ते जनुषोऽया न्वन्तः सन्तोऽवद्यानि पुनानाः । निर्यद्दुह्रे शुचयोऽनु जोषमनु श्रिया तन्वमुक्षमाणाः ॥

No vacilan desde su nacimiento ni se desvían; siendo, purifican lo censurable. Cuando los puros ordeñan, lo hacen en gozosa aceptación; sobre su propio cuerpo derraman el esplendor, acrecentándolo.

Mantra 5

मक्षू न येषु दोहसे चिदया आ नाम धृष्णु मारुतं दधानाः । न ये स्तौना अयासो मह्ना नू चित्सुदानुरव यासदुग्रान् ॥

Rápidos — aquellos entre quienes, aun en el ordeño, no hay extravío — sostienen en su propio nombre la impetuosa fuerza de los Maruts. No son débiles en la alabanza, ni menguados en grandeza; aun el dador generoso se inclina ante los feroces.

Mantra 6

त इदुग्राः शवसा धृष्णुषेणा उभे युजन्त रोदसी सुमेके । अध स्मैषु रोदसी स्वशोचिरामवत्सु तस्थौ न रोकः ॥

Estos feroces, con fuerza, con huestes audaces, uncen los dos mundos, bien trabados. Entonces, entre esos dos mundos, el resplandor auto-luminoso se asienta en los poderosos, como una morada brillante.

Mantra 7

अनेनो वो मरुतो यामो अस्त्वनश्वश्चिद्यमजत्यरथीः । अनवसो अनभीशू रजस्तूर्वि रोदसी पथ्या याति साधन् ॥

Que sea ininterrumpido vuestro curso, oh Maruts: aun sin caballos impulsa, aun sin carro. Sin riendas, sin látigo va el que atraviesa el espacio intermedio; abre un camino entre los dos mundos, cumpliendo su obra.

Mantra 8

नास्य वर्ता न तरुता न्वस्ति मरुतो यमवथ वाजसातौ । तोके वा गोषु तनये यमप्सु स व्रजं दर्ता पार्ये अध द्योः ॥

Para él no hay retroceso ni quien lo venza, oh Maruts—a aquel a quien auxiliáis en la conquista de la Vāja, en la victoria por la plenitud. Ya sea en el niño, en las vacas, en la prole o en las aguas—rompe el cercado, aun en el confín lejano, bajo el cielo.

Mantra 9

प्र चित्रमर्कं गृणते तुराय मारुताय स्वतवसे भरध्वम् । ये सहांसि सहसा सहन्ते रेजते अग्ने पृथिवी मखेभ्यः ॥

Haced avanzar el himno brillante para el veloz, para el poder marútico de fuerza propia. Ellos que, con fuerza, soportan las resistencias—oh Agni, la Tierra tiembla ante sus sacrificios.

Mantra 10

त्विषीमन्तो अध्वरस्येव दिद्युत्तृषुच्यवसो जुह्वो नाग्नेः । अर्चत्रयो धुनयो न वीरा भ्राजज्जन्मानो मरुतो अधृष्टाः ॥

Llenos de fuerza fulgurante, como el rayo del rito sacrificial, los Maruts—inquietos en sus rápidos impulsos—son como las lenguas de fuego de Agni. Cantores del canto, tumultuosos como guerreros heroicos; nacidos en el resplandor, los Maruts son inconquistables.

Mantra 11

तं वृधन्तं मारुतं भ्राजदृष्टिं रुद्रस्य सूनुं हवसा विवासे । दिवः शर्धाय शुचयो मनीषा गिरयो नाप उग्रा अस्पृध्रन् ॥

A ese Marut que crece, de lanza fulgurante, hijo de Rudra, lo venero con el clamor de la invocación devota. Para la luminosa hueste del cielo mi pensamiento se purifica; como montañas, como aguas feroces, avanzan en una contienda irresistible.

Inside Sukta 66

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The hymn opens with the striking image of Pṛśni as the abundant Cow-mother whose ‘bright essence’ is milked out—hinting at the Maruts’ origin and nourishment.

  2. Development

    Praise expands to the Maruts’ collective might, their disciplined hosts, and their ability to bind the cosmic realms; their brilliance and force are repeatedly emphasized as both fearsome and beneficent.

  3. Climax

    A peak revelation appears in the vision of the Maruts ‘yoking the two worlds’ and the self-luminous splendor standing among the mighty—cosmic power made present in the troop.

  4. Where it settles

    The poet culminates in direct worship of the growing Marut-power, Rudra’s son(s), with purified thought, depicting them as mountains and fierce waters pressing forward—ending in confident, reverent affirmation.

The deity: Marut-gaṇa

  • In the VedaThe Maruts are a roaring, many-formed host: youthful, bright-speared, swift as winds, flashing with lightning, and accompanied by rain; they are repeatedly called Rudra’s sons and are pictured as a cohesive troop moving in splendid formation.
  • Cosmic functionThey animate the midspace (antarikṣa) as storm and wind, release rain, drive away obstruction, and dynamically connect heaven and earth—‘yoking’ the two worlds through their motion and thunderous force.
  • Inner significanceThey symbolize the surge of prāṇa and collective will: disciplined, many-powered energies that purify thought, break inertia, and carry aspiration forward with courage and luminous clarity.

The seer

  • Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)Bharadvāja gotra; Bārhaspatya (descendant/line connected with Bṛhaspati) · Principal seer associated with much of Mandala 6, renowned for powerful, concrete imagery and for hymns that integrate ritual precision with cosmic vision (especially to Indra, Agni, and the Maruts).

Famous verses

pṛśnir ūdhaḥ
Verse 6.66.1Sets the hymn’s foundational symbolism: Pṛśni as the ruling, nurturing Cow whose ‘bright essence’ is released—an origin-image for the Maruts and a statement of hidden form becoming knowable.Read verse 6.66.1 →
ubhe yujanta rodasī
Verse 6.66.6Expresses the Maruts’ signature cosmic act—‘yoking’ heaven and earth—and portrays their inherent radiance as a standing splendor within the mighty host.Read verse 6.66.6 →
rudrasya sūnum
Verse 6.66.11The closing worship: the Maruts as Rudra’s sons with shining spears, approached by aspiration; it seals the hymn with purified intent and the image of irresistible forward drive.Read verse 6.66.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Fierce and protective troop (gaṇa/śardha)
  • Shining spears and radiant brilliance
  • Roaring thunder and swift movement
  • World-joining power (yoking heaven and earth)
  • Rain-bringing, life-quickening force
  • Rudra’s sons; born/nourished through Pṛśni imagery

Also by this seer

  • Rig Veda Mandala 6 (many hymns attributed to the Bharadvāja family)
  • Marut and Indra-Marut hymns in Book 6 (family corpus)
  • Agni hymns central to Bharadvāja ritual-poetic style

The rite, step by step

  • Establish Agni and recite opening praise to invite the Marut-host as a unified troop.
  • Offer ghee with Marut epithets (ugrāḥ, dhṛṣṇuṣeṇāḥ, śucayaḥ) to ‘seat’ them in the rite.
  • Chant verses describing their cosmic action (yoking the two worlds, radiant stand) to align the sacrifice with their movement.
  • Request protection, force, and unobstructed advance; reaffirm their kinship with Rudra and their beneficence to the worshipper.
  • Conclude with an explicit act of worship/adoration (havasā vivāse) and a final strengthening praise of their irresistible advance.

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya) into Agni
  • Soma libation (where the rite includes Soma)
  • Optional: oblations with Marut names/gaṇa-epithets (as per śrauta practice)

Frequently Asked Questions

They are a fierce but beneficent troop of storm-deities—Rudra’s sons—described as radiant, spear-bearing, roaring in thunder, and moving together with disciplined power.

Pṛśni is used as a vivid maternal image: an abundant Cow whose ‘bright essence’ is milked out, symbolizing the Maruts’ birth/nourishment and the life-giving release of power (like rain and vitality) for mortals.

It means the Maruts dynamically connect heaven and earth through their storm-force—making the cosmic realms act in concert and bringing down energizing, rain-bearing power into the human sphere.

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