VIII, 94. To the Maruts (the Storm-gods)

Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32), by Max Müller, [1891], at sacred-texts.com

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MANDALA VIII, HYMN 94.

ASHTAKA VI, ADHYÂYA 6, VARGA 28-29.

To the Maruts (the Storm-gods).

1. The cow, wishing for glory, the mother of the bounteous Maruts, sends forth her milk; the two horses 1 have been harnessed to the chariots,—

2. She in whose lap 1 all gods observe their duties, sun and moon (also), that they may be seen;

3. Therefore all our friends 1, the singers, invite the Maruts always, to drink (our) Soma.

4. This Soma here has been prepared, the Maruts drink of it, the Asvins also drink of the lord (Soma) 1.

5. Mitra, Aryaman, Varuna drink of the Soma which is continually 1 clarified, dwelling in three abodes 2, procuring offspring.

6. May Indra also rejoice to his satisfaction in this pressed juice, mixed with milk, like a Hotri 1 at the morning-sacrifice.

7. Did the brilliant lords flare up? Endowed with pure strength they rush, like water, through their enemies.

8. Shall I now choose the favour of you, the great gods, who by yourselves shine forth marvellously,

9. The Maruts, who, when going to drink Soma, spread out the whole earth and the lights of heaven 1.

10. I call now them who are endowed with pure strength, you, O Maruts, from heaven, that you may drink the Soma here;

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11. I call now those Maruts who hold heaven and earth asunder, that they may drink the Soma here;

12. I call now that manly company of the Maruts, dwelling in the mountains, that they may drink the Soma here.

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NOTES.

Ascribed to Bindu or Pûtadaksha. Metre, Gâyatrî. Verse 1 = SV. I, 149; verse 4 = SV. I, 174; II, 1135; verse 5. = SV. II, 1136; verse 6 = SV. II, 1137. The whole hymn can easily be divided into trikas.

Verse 1.

Note 1. I adopt Ludwig's correction of the Pada, changing váhnih to váhnî iti, though it interrupts somewhat the connection between the first and second verses. Still it seems as impossible to change Prisni, the mother of the Maruts, into a cart-horse as into a sucking-calf. This we should have to do, if we took dhayati in its usual sense of sucking. Still dhayati means to suck, not to suckle. The commentary to the SV. explains vahnih as vodhrî, the driver.

Verse 2.

Note 1. I should prefer to take upásthe in the sense of proximity, which, as in the case of vrikshopasthe, may be translated by shadow, or protection.

Verse 3.

Note 1. I cannot believe that we can take aryá â´ in our passage as aryé â´, and translate it with Pischel (Z. D. M. G. XL, p. 125) by 'our singers among the Aryas.' With the plural kârávah we should expect aryéshu â´, not aryé â´; sec also Bergaigne, III, 287; II, 218. Pâda a and b are galita, see VI, 45, 33.

Verse 4.

Note 1. Svarâg seems to be meant for Soma as lord, not as brilliant.

Verse 5.

Note 1. Tánâ is generally explained by ûrnâstukanirmita dasâpavitra; see also Bergaigne, I, 179.

Note 2. The three abodes are either the morning. noon,

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and evening sacrifices, or the three Soma-vessels, the Dronakalasa, Âdhavanîya, and Pûtabhrit.

Verse 6.

Note 1. I do not see why hótâ-iva should not mean 'like the priest,' for the priest also rejoices in the libation; see Arthasamgraha, ed. Thibaut, pp. 10 and 20. Ludwig prefers to take hótâ for Agni, fire.

Verse 9.

Note 1. See note to I, 6, 9, and 10, note 1.