Sukta 66
Sukta 6.66
Bharadvāja (Book 6 family attribution)
Marut-gaṇa (with Pṛśni as their mother in the hymn’s imagery)
Triṣṭubh
अयं सूक्तो मरुद्गणं स्तौति—रुद्रस्य घोरान् दीप्तिमतः पुत्रान्, येषां वेगः स्वर्गं च पृथिवीं च कम्पयति, उभे अपि रोदसी युङ्क्ते इव। पृष्णेः पयस्विन्याः गोमातरः प्रतिमया तेषां जन्म पोषणं च स्मार्यते, तथा मर्त्यानां हिताय तेषां तेजोमयः सारो विमुक्त इव वर्ण्यते। सूक्तस्य प्रयोजनं स्तुत्याह्वानरूपम्—यज्ञं प्रति मरुतोऽनयितुं, येन तेषां बलं रक्षणं च जयप्रेरणा च यजमानं समर्थयेयुः।
Mantras
Mantra 1
वपुर्नु तच्चिकितुषे चिदस्तु समानं नाम धेनु पत्यमानम् । मर्तेष्वन्यद्दोहसे पीपाय सकृच्छुक्रं दुदुहे पृश्निरूधः ॥
तत् वपुः नु चिकीटुषेऽपि ज्ञातम् अस्तु—समानं नाम, पत्यमानां पोषयित्रीं धेनुम्। मर्तेषु तु अन्यस्मै दोहसे पीपाय; सकृत् शुक्रम् दुदुहे—पृश्निः माता, प्रचुर-ऊधः।
Mantra 2
ये अग्नयो न शोशुचन्निधाना द्विर्यत्त्रिर्मरुतो वावृधन्त । अरेणवो हिरण्ययास एषां साकं नृम्णैः पौंस्येभिश्च भूवन् ॥
येऽग्नय इव निधाना शोशुचन्ति ते मरुतो द्विर्यत्त्रिर्वावृधन्त। अरेणवो हिरण्यवर्णा एते, साकं नृम्णैः पौंस्यैश्च सह सम्भूय तिष्ठन्ति।
Mantra 3
रुद्रस्य ये मीळ्हुषः सन्ति पुत्रा याँश्चो नु दाधृविर्भरध्यै । विदे हि माता महो मही षा सेत्पृश्निः सुभ्वे गर्भमाधात् ॥
रुद्रस्य ये मीळ्हुषः सन्ति पुत्रा यांश्च नु दाधृविर्भरध्यै पुरो नयति। विदे हि माता महो मही षा; सेत्पृश्निः शुभ्वे गर्भमाधात्।
Mantra 4
न य ईषन्ते जनुषोऽया न्वन्तः सन्तोऽवद्यानि पुनानाः । निर्यद्दुह्रे शुचयोऽनु जोषमनु श्रिया तन्वमुक्षमाणाः ॥
न ते जनुषोऽयात् ईषन्ते न्वन्तः; सन्तः अवद्यानि पुनानाः। निर्यद्दुह्रे शुचयोऽनु जोषम्, अनु श्रिया तन्वमुत्सिञ्चन्तो वर्धयन्ति।
Mantra 5
मक्षू न येषु दोहसे चिदया आ नाम धृष्णु मारुतं दधानाः । न ये स्तौना अयासो मह्ना नू चित्सुदानुरव यासदुग्रान् ॥
मक्षू न येषु दोहसे चिदया आ नाम धृष्णु मारुतं दधानाः । न ये स्तौना अयासो मह्ना नू चित्सुदानुरव यासदुग्रान् ॥
Mantra 6
त इदुग्राः शवसा धृष्णुषेणा उभे युजन्त रोदसी सुमेके । अध स्मैषु रोदसी स्वशोचिरामवत्सु तस्थौ न रोकः ॥
त इदुग्राः शवसा धृष्णुषेणा उभे युजन्त रोदसी सुमेके । अध स्मैषु रोदसी स्वशोचिरामवत्सु तस्थौ न रोकः ॥
Mantra 7
अनेनो वो मरुतो यामो अस्त्वनश्वश्चिद्यमजत्यरथीः । अनवसो अनभीशू रजस्तूर्वि रोदसी पथ्या याति साधन् ॥
अनेनो वो मरुतो यामो अस्त्वनश्वश्चिद्यमजत्यरथीः । अनवसो अनभीशू रजस्तूर्वि रोदसी पथ्या याति साधन् ॥
Mantra 8
नास्य वर्ता न तरुता न्वस्ति मरुतो यमवथ वाजसातौ । तोके वा गोषु तनये यमप्सु स व्रजं दर्ता पार्ये अध द्योः ॥
हे मरुतः, यं यूयं वाजसातौ अवथ, तस्य न वर्ता न तरुता न्वस्ति। तोके वा गोषु तनये यमप्सु—स द्योः अधः पार्येऽपि व्रजं दर्ता।
Mantra 9
प्र चित्रमर्कं गृणते तुराय मारुताय स्वतवसे भरध्वम् । ये सहांसि सहसा सहन्ते रेजते अग्ने पृथिवी मखेभ्यः ॥
तु॒राय॒ मारु॑ताय॒ स्वत॑वसे गृण॒ते प्र चि॒त्रम॒र्कं भरध्वम्। ये सहां॑सि॒ सह॑सा॒ सह॑न्ते—अग्ने, म॒खेभ्य॑ः पृथि॒वी रेज॑ते।
Mantra 10
त्विषीमन्तो अध्वरस्येव दिद्युत्तृषुच्यवसो जुह्वो नाग्नेः । अर्चत्रयो धुनयो न वीरा भ्राजज्जन्मानो मरुतो अधृष्टाः ॥
अध्व॒रस्ये॑व दि॒द्युत् त्विषी॑मन्तः, तृ॒षु॒च्यव॑सो जु॒ह्वो॒ नाग्नेः इव मरुतः। अ॒र्चत्र॑यो धुन॑यो न वी॒राः; भ्राज॑ज्जन्मानो म॒रुतो॒ऽधृ॑ष्टाः।
Mantra 11
तं वृधन्तं मारुतं भ्राजदृष्टिं रुद्रस्य सूनुं हवसा विवासे । दिवः शर्धाय शुचयो मनीषा गिरयो नाप उग्रा अस्पृध्रन् ॥
तं वर्धमानं मारुतं भ्राजदृष्टिं रुद्रस्य सूनुं हवसा विवासे। दिवः शर्धाय शुचयो मनीषा; गिरयो नाप उग्रा अस्पृध्रन्॥
Inside Sukta 66
How it unfolds
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
ubhe yujanta rodasī
rudrasya sūnum
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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