{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/sbe32/sbe3221.htm","path":"hin/sbe32/sbe3221.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe32/sbe3221.htm","text":"Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32), by Max M\u00fcller, [1891]\n1. For the manly host, the joyful, the wise, for the Maruts bring thou, O Nodhas 1, a pure offering 2. I prepare songs, like as a handy priest 3, wise in his mind, prepares the water, mighty at sacrifices.\n2. They are born, the tall bulls of Dyu 1 (heaven), the manly youths 2 of Rudra, the divine, the blameless, pure, and bright like suns; scattering raindrops, full of terrible designs, like giants 3.\n3. The youthful Rudras, they who never grow old, the slayers of the demon 1, have grown irresistible like mountains. They throw down with their strength all beings, even the strongest, on earth and in heaven.\n4. They deck themselves with glittering ornaments 1 for a marvellous show; on their chests they fastened gold (chains) for beauty 2; the spears on their shoulders pound to pieces 3; they were born together by themselves 4, the men of Dyu.\n5. They who confer power 1, the roarers 2, the devourers of foes, they made winds and lightnings by their powers. The shakers milk the heavenly udders (clouds), they sprinkle the earth all round with milk (rain).\n6. The bounteous 1 Maruts pour forth 2 water, mighty at sacrifices, the fat milk (of the clouds). They seem to lead 3 about the powerful horse, the cloud, to make it rain; they milk the thundering, unceasing spring 4\n7. Mighty they are, powerful, of beautiful splendour, strong in themselves 1 like mountains, (yet) swiftly gliding along;\u2014you chew up forests, like wild elephants 2, when you have assumed your powers among the red flames 3.\n8. Like lions they roar, the wise Maruts, they are handsome like gazelles 1, the all-knowing. By night 2 with their spotted deer (rain-clouds) and with their spears (lightnings) they rouse the companions together, they whose ire through strength is like the ire of serpents.\n9. You who march in companies, the friends of man, heroes, whose ire through strength is like the ire of serpents 1, salute heaven and earth 2! On the seats on your chariots, O Maruts, the lightning stands, visible like light 3.\n10. All-knowing, surrounded with wealth, endowed with powers, singers 1, men of endless prowess armed with strong rings 2, they, the archers, have taken the arrow in their fists.\n11. The Maruts who with the golden tires of their wheels increase the rain, stir up the clouds like wanderers on the road. They are brisk, indefatigable 1, they move by themselves; they throw down what is firm, the Maruts with their brilliant spears make (everything) to reel 2.\n12. We invoke with prayer 1 the offspring of Rudra, the brisk, the pure, the worshipful 2, the active. Cling 3 for happiness-sake to the strong company of the Maruts, the chasers of the sky 4, the powerful, the impetuous 5.\n13. The mortal whom ye, Maruts, protected, he indeed surpasses people in strength through your protection. He carries off booty with his horses,\ntreasures with his men; he acquires honourable 1 wisdom, and he prospers 2.\n14. Give, O Maruts, to our lords strength glorious, invincible in battle, brilliant, wealth-acquiring, praiseworthy, known to all men 1. Let us foster our kith and kin during a hundred winters.\n15. Will 1 you then, O Maruts, grant unto us wealth, durable, rich in men, defying all onslaughts 2?\u2014wealth a hundred and a thousand-fold, always increasing?\u2014May he who is rich in prayers 3 (the host of the Maruts) come early and soon!\nThis hymn is ascribed to Nodhas, of the family of Gotama. No verse of this hymn occurs in SV., VS., AV.; but verse 6 = TS. III, 1, 11, 7.\nNote 1. The first line is addressed by the poet to himself.\nNote 2. Suvrikt\u00ed is generally explained by a hymn of praise, and it cannot be denied that in this place, as in most others, that meaning would be quite satisfactory. Etymologically, however, suvrikt\u00ed means the cleaning and trimming of the grass on which, as on a small altar, the oblation is offered: cf. vriktabarhis, I, 38, 1, note 2, page 84. Hence, although the same word might be metaphorically applied to a carefully trimmed, pure, and holy hymn of praise, yet wherever in the Veda the primary meaning is applicable, it seems safer to retain it: cf. III, 61, 5; VI, 11, 5.\nProf. Roth, in the M\u00e9langes Asiatiques, vii, p. 612, calls the derivation, which he himself discovered, a 'Columbus-Egg.' He derives suvrikti from su + rikti, and translates it by excellent praise. He supports the insertion of v, by the analogy of su-v-ita, for su-ita. This derivation is certainly very ingenious, but there are some difficulties which have still to be accounted for. That the substantive rikti does not occur by itself would not be fatal, because other words in the Veda occur as uttarapadas only. But there is the compound n\u00e1movrikti in X, 131, 2, which shows that vrikti existed as a substantive, though it is true that the V\u00e2gasaneyins (X, 32) read namaukti instead. Taitt. S. I, 8, 21; Taitt. Br. II, 6, 1, 3; and Ath. V. XX, 125, 2, have all namovrikti. There is also the compound sv\u00e1vrikti in RV. X, 21, 1. Are these to be separated from su-vrikti, and ought we not to take into consideration also the Zend hvarsta, as pointed out by M. Darmesteter (Ormazd,\np. 10, note), meaning well performed, perfect in a liturgical sense?\nNote 3. Ap\u00e1s, with the accent on the last syllable, is the accusative plural of ap, water, and it is so explained by S\u00e2yana. He translates: 'I show forth these hymns of praise, like water, i. e. everywhere, as Parganya sends down rain at once in every place.' Benfey explains: 'I make these hymns smooth like water, i. e. so that they run smooth like water.' He compares \u1fe5\u03c5\u03b8\u03bc\u03cc\u03c2, as derived from \u1fe5\u03ad\u03c9. Ludwig translates: Als ein kunstfertiger das werk im geiste, auch geschickt mit der hand mach ich sch\u00f6n die in der opferversammlungen m\u00e4chtig wirkenden lieder.' I thought formerly that we ought either to change the accent, and read \u00e1pah, or the last vowel, and read ap\u00e2\u00b4h. In the former case the meaning would be, 'As one wise in mind and clever performs his work, so do I compose these hymns.' In the second case we should translate: 'Like a workman, wise in mind and handy, I put together these hymns.'\nStill there is one point which has hitherto been overlooked by all translators, namely, that ap\u00e1h vid\u00e1theshu \u00e2bh\u00favah, occurring in the first and sixth verses, ought to be taken in the same sense in both passages. Now ap\u00e1h vid\u00e1theshu \u00e2bh\u00favah seems to mean water efficacious at sacrifices. In the sixth verse I now translate: 'The bounteous Maruts pour down water, mighty or efficacious at sacrifices, the fat milk (of the clouds).' Hence in the first verse I should now like to translate: 'I prepare my songs, like as a handy priest, wise in his mind, prepares the water mighty or efficacious at sacrifices.' Roth assigns to vid\u00e1tha a too exclusively political meaning. Vid\u00e1tha may be an assembly, a public meeting, a witenagemot, or an \u1f10\u03ba\u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03c3\u03af\u03b1, but public meetings at that time had always a religious character, so that vid\u00e1tha must often be translated by sacrifice.\nNote 1. It is difficult to say in passages like this, whether Dyu should be taken as heaven or as a personified deity. When the Maruts are called Rudr\u00e1sya m\u00e1ry\u00e2h, the boys of\n[paragraph continues] Rudra (VII, 56, 1), the personification is always preserved. Hence if the same beings are called Div\u00e1h m\u00e1ry\u00e2h, this too, I think, should be translated the boys of Dyu (III, 54, 13; V, 59, 6), not the sons of heaven. The bulls of Dyu is a more primitive and more vigorous expression for what we should call the fertilising winds of heaven.\nNote 2. M\u00e1rya is a male, particularly a young male, a young man, a bridegroom (I, 115, 2; III, 33, 10; IV, 20, 5; V, 61, 4, with v\u00eera).\nThe Maruts have grown strong like well-grown manly youths. See also V, 59, 3.\nV, 59, 5. m\u00e1ry\u00e2h-iva su-vr\u00eddhah vavridhuh n\u00e1rah.\nThe men have grown strong like well-grown stallions.\nIn some passages it has simply the meaning of man:\nI, 91, 13. m\u00e1ryah-iva sv\u00e9 oky\u1ebd.\nLike a man in his own house.\nNote 3. The simile, like giants, is not quite clear. S\u00e1tvan means a strong man, but it seems intended here to convey the idea of supernatural strength. Benfey translates, 'like brave warriors;' Wilson, 'like evil spirits.' Ghor\u00e1varpas is an adjective belonging to the Maruts rather than to the giants, and may mean of awful aspect, I, 19, 5, or of cruel mind; cf. I, 39, 1, note 2.\nNote 1. Abhog-gh\u00e1nah, the slayers of the demon, are the slayers of the clouds, viz. of such clouds as do not yield rain. Abhog, not nurturing, seems to be a name of the rainless cloud, like N\u00e1muki (na-muk, not delivering rain), the name of another demon, killed by Indra; see Benfey, Glossar, s. v. The cloud which sends rain is called bhugm\u00e1n:\nVIII, 50, 2. gir\u00edh n\u00e1 bhugm\u00e2\u00b4 magh\u00e1vat-su pinvate.\nLike a feeding cloud he showers his gifts on the worshippers.\nNote 1. The ornaments of the Maruts are best described V, 54, 11:\n\u00e1mseshu vah risht\u00e1yah pat-s\u00fa kh\u00e2d\u00e1yah v\u00e1kshah-su rukm\u00e2\u00b4h.\nOn your shoulders are the spears, on your feet rings, on your chests gold ornaments. See also I, 166, 10, &c.\nRukm\u00e1 as a masc. plur. is frequently used for ornaments which are worn on the breast by the Maruts. The Maruts are actually called rukm\u00e1vakshasah, gold-breasted (II, 34, 2; V, 55, 1; 57, 5). In the \u00c2sval. Srauta-s\u00fbtra IX, 4, rukma is mentioned as an ornament to be given to the Hotri priest; it is said to be round.\nNote 2. V\u00e1pushe and subh\u00e9, as parallel expressions, occur also VI, 63, 6. Cf. Delbr\u00fcck, K. Z. xviii, 96.\nNote 3. N\u00ed mimrikshur does not occur again in the Rig-veda, and Roth has suggested to read n\u00ed mimikshur instead; see ni + marg. He does not, however, give our passage under myak, but under mraksh, and this seems indeed preferable. No doubt, there is ample analogy for mimikshuh, and the meaning would be, their spears stick firm to their shoulders. But as the MSS. give mimrikshuh, and as it is possible to find a meaning for this, I do not propose to alter the text. The question is only, what does mimrikshuh mean? Mraksh means to grind, to rub, and Roth proposes to render our passage by 'the spears rub together on our shoulders.' The objections to this translation are the preposition ni, and the active voice of the verb. I take mraksh in the sense of grinding, pounding, destroying, which is likewise appropriate to mraksha-kr\u00edtvan (VIII, 61, 10), and tuvi-mraksh\u00e1 (VI, 18, 2), and I translate, 'the spears on their shoulders pound to pieces.'\nNote 4. The idea that the Maruts owe everything, if not their birth, at least their strength (sv\u00e1-tavasah, sv\u00e1-bh\u00e2navah, sva-sr\u00edtah), to themselves is of frequent occurrence in these hymns. See verse 7, note I.\nNote 1. They are themselves compared to kings (I, 85, 8), and called \u00ees\u00e2n\u00e1, lords (I, 87, 4).\nNote 2. Dh\u00fani is connected with root dhvan, to dun or\nto din. S\u00e2yana explains it by bending or shaking, and Benfey, too, translates it by Ersch\u00fctterer. Roth gives the right meaning.\nNote 1. I translate sud\u00e2\u00b4navah by bounteous, or good givers, for, if we have to choose between the two meanings of bounteous or endowed with liquid drops or dew, the former is the more appropriate in most passages. We might, of course, admit two words, one meaning, possessed of good water, the other, bounteous; the former derived from d\u00e2\u00b4nu, neuter, water, or rain, the other from d\u00e2n\u00fa, giving. It cannot be denied, for instance, that whenever the Maruts are called sud\u00e2\u00b4navah, the meaning, possessed of good rain, would be applicable: I, 40, 1; 44, 14; 64, 6; 85, 10; II, 34, 8; III, 26, 5; V, 52, 5; 53, 6; 57, 5; VIII, 20, 18; X, 78, 5; I, 15, 2; 23, 9; 39, 10. Yet, even in these passages, while sud\u00e2\u00b4navah in the sense of possessed of good rain is possible throughout, that of good giver would sometimes be preferable, for instance, I, 15, 2, as compared with I, 15, 3. Though sud\u00e2\u00b4nu, in the sense of possessed of good water, sounds as strange as would suvrishti in the sense of possessed of good rain, or sumegha, possessed of good clouds, yet it is difficult to separate sud\u00e2\u00b4navah and g\u00eer\u00e1d\u00e2navah, both epithets of the Maruts.\nWhen the same word is applied to Indra, VII, 31, 2; X, 23, 6; to Vishnu, VIII, 25, 12; to the Asvins, I, 112, 11; to Mitra and Varuna, V, 62, 9; to Indra and Varuna, IV. 41, 8, the meaning of giver of good rain might still seem natural. But with Agni, VI, 2, 4; the \u00c2dityas, V, 67, 4; VIII, 18, 12; 19, 34; 67, 16; the Vasus, I, 106, 1; X, 66, 12; the Visve, X, 65, 11, such an epithet would not be appropriate, while sud\u00e2\u00b4navah, in the sense of bounteous givers, is applicable to all. The objection that d\u00e2nu, giver, does not occur in the Veda, is of no force, for many words occur at the end of compounds only, and we shall see passages where sud\u00e2\u00b4nu must be translated by good giver. Nor would the accent of d\u00e2n\u00fa, giver, be an obstacle, considering that the author of the Un\u00e2di-s\u00fbtras had no Vedic\nauthority to guide him in the determination of the accent of d\u00e2n\u00fa. Several words in nu have the accent on the first syllable. But one might go even a step further, and find a more appropriate meaning for sud\u00e2\u00b4nu by identifying it with the Zend hud\u00e2nu, which means, not a good giver, but a good knower, wise. True, this root d\u00e2, to know, does not occur in the ordinary Sanskrit; and H\u00fcbschmann (Ein Zoroastrisches Lied, 1872, p. 48) tries to prove that the root d\u00e2, to know, does not exist in Zend either. But even thus we might have the derivation in Sanskrit and Zend, while the root was kept alive in Greek only (\u03b4\u03ac\u03b7\u03bc\u03b9, \u03b4\u03ac\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2). This, however, is only a conjecture; what is certain is this, that apart from the passages where sud\u00e2\u00b4nu is thus applied to various deities, in the sense of bounteous or wise, it also occurs as applied to the sacrificer, where it can only mean giver. This is clear from the following passages:\nI, 47, 8. su-kr\u00edte su-d\u00e2\u00b4nave.\nTo him who acts well and gives well.\nVII, 96, 4. gani-y\u00e1ntah n\u00fa \u00e1gravah putri-y\u00e1ntah su-d\u00e2\u00b4navah, s\u00e1rasvantam hav\u00e2mahe.\nWe, being unmarried, and wishing for wives and wishing for sons, offering sacrifices, call now upon Sarasvat.\nVIII, 103, 7. su-d\u00e2\u00b4navah deva-y\u00e1vah.\nOffering sacrifices, and longing for the gods. Cf. X, 172, 2; 3; VI, 16, 8.\nIV, 4, 7. s\u00e1h \u00edt agne astu su-bh\u00e1gah su-d\u00e2\u00b4nuh y\u00e1h tv\u00e2 n\u00edtyena hav\u00edsh\u00e2 y\u00e1h uktha\u00edh p\u00edpr\u00eeshati.\nO Agni, let the liberal sacrificer be happy, who wishes to please thee by perpetual offerings and hymns. See also VI, 16, 8; 68, 5; X, 172, 2, 3.\nIt must be confessed that even the meaning of d\u00e2\u00b4nu is by no means quite clear. It is clear enough where it means demon, II, 11, 18; 12, 11; IV, 30, 7; X, 120, 6, the seven demons. In I, 32, 9; III, 30, 8, d\u00e2\u00b4nu, demon, is applied to the mother of Vritra, the dark cloud. From this d\u00e2\u00b4nu we have the derivative d\u00e2nav\u00e1, meaning again demon. Why the demons, conquered by Indra, were called d\u00e2\u00b4nu, is not clear, unless they were conceived originally as dark clouds, like D\u00e2nu, the mother of Indra. D\u00e2nu might mean wise,\nor even powerful, for this meaning also is ascribed to d\u00e2n\u00fa by the author of the Un\u00e2di-s\u00fbtras. If the latter meaning is authentic, and not only deduced ex post from the name of D\u00e2nu and D\u00e2nava, it might throw light on the Celtic d\u00e1na, fortis, from which Zeuss derives the name of the Danube.\nSometimes d\u00e2\u00b4nu, as a neuter, is explained as Soma:\nX, 43, 7. \u00e2\u00b4pah n\u00e1 s\u00edndhum abh\u00ed y\u00e1t sam-\u00e1ksharan s\u00f3m\u00e2sah \u00edndram kuly\u00e2\u00b4h-iva hrad\u00e1m, v\u00e1rdhanti v\u00edpr\u00e2h m\u00e1hah asya s\u00e1dane y\u00e1vam n\u00e1 vrisht\u00edh divy\u00e9na d\u00e2\u00b4nun\u00e2.\nWhen the Somas run together to Indra, like water to the river, like channels to the lake, then the priests increase his greatness in the sanctuary, as rain the corn, by the heavenly Soma-juice, or by heavenly moisture.\nIn the next verse g\u00eer\u00e1d\u00e2nu is explained as the sacrificer whose Soma is always alive, always ready.\nIn VI, 50, 13, however, d\u00e2\u00b4nu p\u00e1prih is doubtful. As an epithet to Ap\u00e2\u00b4m n\u00e1p\u00e2t, it may mean he who wishes for Soma, or he who grants Soma; but in neither case is there any tangible sense, unless Soma is taken as a name of the fertilising rain or dew. Again, VIII, 25, 5, Mitra and Varuna are called sripr\u00e1-d\u00e2n\u00fb, which may mean possessed of flowing rain. And in the next verse, s\u00e1m y\u00e2\u00b4 d\u00e2\u00b4n\u00fbni yem\u00e1thuh may be rendered by Mitra and Varuna, who brought together rain.\nThe fact that Mitra-Varunau and the Asvins are called d\u00e2\u00b4nunasp\u00e1t\u00ee does not throw much more light on the subject, and the one passage where d\u00e2\u00b4nu occurs as a feminine, I, 54, 7, d\u00e2\u00b4nuh asmai \u00fapar\u00e2 pinvate div\u00e1h, may be translated by rain pours forth for him, below the sky, but the translation is by no means certain.\nD\u00e2\u00b4nukitra, applied to the dawn, the water of the clouds, and the three worlds (V, 59, 8; 31, 6; I, 174, 7), means most likely bright with dew or rain; and d\u00e2\u00b4numat v\u00e1su, the treasure conquered by Indra from the clouds, can be translated by the treasure of rain. Taking all the evidence together, we can hardly doubt that d\u00e2\u00b4nu existed in the sense of liquid, rain, dew, and also Soma; yet it is equally certain that d\u00e2\u00b4nu existed in the sense of giver, if not of gift, and that from this, in certain passages, at all events,\nsud\u00e2\u00b4nu must be derived, as a synonym of sud\u00e2\u00b4van, sud\u00e2\u00b4man, &c.\nSpiegel admits two words d\u00e2nu in the Veda and Avesta, the one meaning enemy, the other river. Darmesteter (Ormazd, p. 220) takes d\u00e2nu as a cloud, water, or river. Ludwig translates sud\u00e2nu by possessed of excellent gifts.\nNote 2. I thought formerly that pinvanti was here construed with two accusatives, in the sense of 'they fill the water (with) fat milk.'\nCf. VI, 63, 8. dhen\u00fam nah \u00edsham pinvatam \u00e1sakr\u00e2m.\nYou filled our cow (with) constant food.\nSimilarly duh, to milk, to extract, is construed with two accusatives: Pan. I, 4, 51. gam dogdhi payah, he milks the cow milk.\nRV. IX, 107, 5. duh\u00e2n\u00e1h \u00fb\u00b4dhah divy\u00e1m m\u00e1dhu priy\u00e1m.\nMilking the heavenly udder (and extracting from it) the precious sweet, i. e. the rain.\nBut I now prefer to translate pinvanti ap\u00e1h by they pour out water, and I take p\u00e1yah ghrit\u00e1vat as a description of the water, namely, the fat milk of the clouds. After that parenthesis, vid\u00e1theshu \u00e2bh\u00favah is again an epithet of ap\u00e1h, as it was in the first verse.\nNote 3. The leading about of the clouds is intended, like the leading about of horses, to tame them, and make them obedient to the wishes of their riders, the Maruts. \u00c1tyah v\u00e2g\u00ee\u00b4 is a strong horse, possibly a stallion; but this horse is here meant to signify the clouds. Thus we read:\nV, 83, 6. div\u00e1h nah vrisht\u00edm marutah rar\u00eedhvam pr\u00e1 pinvata vr\u00edshnah \u00e1svasya dh\u00e2\u00b4r\u00e2h.\nGive us, O Maruts, the rain of heaven, pour forth the streams of the stallion (the cloud).\nIn the original the simile is quite clear, and no one required to be told that the \u00e1tyah v\u00e2g\u00ee\u00b4 was meant for the cloud. V\u00e2g\u00edn by itself means a horse, as I, 66, 2; 69, 3. v\u00e2g\u00ee\u00b4 n\u00e1 pr\u00eet\u00e1h, like a favourite horse; I, 116, 6. paidv\u00e1h v\u00e2g\u00ee\u00b4, the horse of Pedu. But being derived from v\u00e2\u00b4ga, strength, v\u00e2g\u00edn retained always something of its etymological meaning, and was therefore easily and naturally transferred to the cloud, the giver of strength, the source\nof food. Even without the n\u00e1, i. e. as if, the simile would have been understood in Sanskrit, while in English it is hardly intelligible without a commentary. Benfey discovers some additional idea in support of the poet's comparison: 'Ich bin kein Pferdekenner,' he says, 'aber ich glaube bemerkt zu haben, dass man Pferde, welche rasch gelaufen sind, zum Uriniren zu bewegen sucht. So lassen hier die Maruts die durch ihren Sturm rasch fortgetriebenen Wolken Wasser herab str\u00f6men.'\nNote 4. \u00datsa, well, is meant again for cloud, though we should hardly be justified in classing it as a name of cloud, because the original meaning of \u00fatsa, spring, is really retained, as much as that of avat\u00e1, well, in I, 85, 10-11. The adjectives stan\u00e1yantam and \u00e1kshitam seem more applicable to cloud, yet they may be applied also to a spring. Y\u00e2ska derives utsa from ut-sar, to go forth; ut-sad, to go out; ut-syand, to well out; or from ud, to wet. In V, 32, 2, the wells shut up by the seasons are identified with the udder of the cloud.\nNote 1. Sv\u00e1tavas means really having their own independent strength, a strength not derived from the support of others. The yet which I have added in brackets seems to have been in the poet's mind, though it is not expressed. In I, 87, 4, the Maruts are called sva-sr\u00edt, going by themselves, i. e. moving freely, independently, wherever they list. See I, 64, 4, note 4.\nNote 2. Mrig\u00e2\u00b4h hast\u00ednah, wild animals with a hand or a trunk, must be meant for elephants, although it has been doubted whether the poets of the Veda were acquainted with that animal. Hast\u00edn is the received name for elephant in the later Sanskrit, and it is hardly applicable to any other animal. If they are said to eat the forests, this may be understood in the sense of crushing or chewing, as well as of eating.\nNote 3. The chief difficulty of the last sentence has been pointed out in B. and R.'s Dictionary, s. v. \u00e2\u00b4run\u00ee. \u00c2run\u00ee does not occur again in the whole of the Rig-veda. If we take it with S\u00e2yana as a various reading of arun\u00ee\u00b4, then. the\n[paragraph continues] Arun\u00ee\u00b4s could only be the ruddy cows of the dawn or of. Indra, with whom the Maruts, in this passage, can have no concern. Nor would it be intelligible why they should be called \u00e2\u00b4run\u00ee in this one place only. If, as suggested by B. and R., the original text had been yad\u00e2\u00b4 aru\u00f1\u00ee\u00b4shu, it would be difficult to understand how so simple a reading could have been corrupted.\nAnother difficulty is the verb \u00e1yugdhvam, which is not found again in the Rig-veda together with t\u00e1vish\u00ee. T\u00e1vish\u00ee, vigour, is construed with dh\u00e2, to take strength, V, 32, 2. adhatth\u00e2h; V, 55, 2. dadhidhve; X, 102, 8. adhatta; also with vas, IV, 16, 14; with pat, X, 113, 5, &c. But it is not likely that to put vigour into the cows could be expressed in Sanskrit by 'you join vigour in the cows.' If t\u00e1vish\u00ee must be taken in the sense which it seems always to possess, viz. vigour, it would be least objectionable to translate, 'when you joined vigour, i. e. when you assumed vigour, while being among the \u00c2run\u00ees.' The \u00c2run\u00ees being the cows of the dawn, \u00e2\u00b4run\u00eeshu might simply mean in the morning. Considering, however, that the Maruts are said to eat up forests, \u00e2\u00b4run\u00ee in this place, is best taken in the sense of red flames, viz. of fire or forest-fire (d\u00e2v\u00e2gni), so that the sense would be, 'When you, Storms, assume vigour among the flames, you eat up forests, like elephants.' Benfey: 'Wenn mit den rothen eure Kraft ihr angeschirrt. Die rothen sind die Antilopen, das Vehikel der Maruts, wegen der Schnelligkeit derselben.'\nNote 1. As pis\u00e1 does not occur again in the Rig-veda, and as S\u00e2yana, without attempting any etymological arguments, simply gives it as a name of deer, it seems best to adopt that sense till something better can be discovered. Sup\u00eds, too, does not occur again. In VII, 18, 2, p\u00eds is explained by gold, &c.; VII, 57, 3, the Maruts are called visvap\u00eds.\nNote 2. Ksh\u00e1pah can only be the accusative plural, used in a temporal sense. It is so used in the expression ksh\u00e1pah usr\u00e1h ka, by night and by day, lit. nights and days (VII, 15, 8). In VI, 52, 15, we find ksh\u00e1pah usr\u00e2\u00b4h in the same sense.\n[paragraph continues] IV, 53, 7. kshap\u00e2\u00b4bhih \u00e1ha-bhih, by night and by day. I, 44, 8, the loc. plur. vy\u00fashtishu, in the mornings, is followed by ksh\u00e1pah, the acc. plur., by night, and here the genitive kshap\u00e1h would certainly be preferable, in the sense of at the brightening up of the night. The acc. plur. occurs again in I, 116, 4, where tisr\u00e1h is used as an accusative (II, 2, 2; VIII, 41, 3). Kshap\u00e1h, with the accent on the last, must be taken as a genitivus temporalis, like the German Nachts (I, 79, 6). In VIII, 19, 31. kshap\u00e1h v\u00e1stushu means at the brightening up of the night, i. e. in the morning. Thus, in III, 50, 4, Indra is called kshap\u00e2\u00b4m vast\u00e2\u00b4 ganit\u00e2\u00b4 s\u00fb\u00b4ryasya, the lighter up of nights, the parent of the sun. In VIII, 26, 3, \u00e1ti kshap\u00e1h, the genitive may be governed by \u00e1ti. In IV, 16, 19, however, the accusative ksh\u00e1pah would be more natural, nor do I see how a genitive could here be accounted for:\ndy\u00e2\u00b4vah n\u00e1 dyumna\u00edh abh\u00ed s\u00e1ntah ary\u00e1h kshap\u00e1h madema sar\u00e1dah ka p\u00fbrv\u00ee\u00b4h.\nMay we rejoice many years, overcoming our enemies as the days overcome the nights by splendour.\nThe same applies to I, 70, 4, where kshap\u00e1h occurs with the accent on the last syllable, whereas we expect ksh\u00e1pah as nom. or acc. plural. Here B. and R. in the Sanskrit Dictionary, s. v. kshap, rightly, I believe, suppose it to be a nom. plur. in spite of the accent.\nNote 1. \u00c1himanyu comes very near to Angra-mainyu; cf. Darmesteter, Ormazd, p. 94.\nNote 2. R\u00f3das\u00ee, a dual, though frequently followed by ubh\u00e9 (I, 10, 8; 33, 9; 54, 2), means heaven and earth, excluding the ant\u00e1riksha or the air between the two. Hence, if this is to be included, it has to be added: I, 73, 8. \u00e2papri-v\u00e2\u00b4n r\u00f3das\u00ee ant\u00e1riksham. Cf. V, 85, 3. We must scan r\u0306\u014dd\u0103s\u00ee\u0304. See Kuhn, Beitr\u00e4ge, vol. iv, p. 193. Should rodas\u00ee stand for rodas\u00eem, as elsewhere? She is certainly intended by what follows in the next line.\nNote 3. The comparison is not quite distinct. Amati means originally impetus, then power, e. g. V, 69, 1:\nvavridh\u00e2n\u00e2\u00b4u am\u00e1tim kshatr\u00edyasya.\nIncreasing the might of the warrior.\nBut it is most frequently used of the effulgence of the sun, (III, 38, 8; V, 45, 2; 62, 5; VII, 38, 1; 2; 45, 3.) See also V, 56, 8, where the same companion of the Maruts is called Rodas\u00ee\u00b4. The comparative particle n\u00e1 is used twice.\nNote 1. See I, 38, 14, p. 95.\nNote 2. In vr\u00edsha-kh\u00e2di the meaning of kh\u00e2di is by no means clear. S\u00e2yana evidently guesses, and proposes two meanings, weapon or food. In several passages where kh\u00e2di occurs, it seems to be an ornament rather than a weapon, yet if derived from khad, to bite, it may originally have signified some kind of weapon. Roth translates it by ring, and it is certain that these kh\u00e2dis were to be seen not only on the arms and shoulders, but likewise on the feet of the Maruts. There is a famous weapon in India, the kakra or quoit, a ring with sharp edges, which is thrown from a great distance with fatal effect. Bollensen (Orient and Occident, vol. ii, p. 46) suggests for vr\u00edshan the meaning of hole in the ear, and then translates the compound as having earrings in the hole of the ear. But vr\u00edshan does not mean the hole in the lap of the ear, nor has vrishabh\u00e1 that meaning either in the Veda or elsewhere. Wilson gives for vrishabha, not for vrishan, the meaning of orifice of the ear, but this is very different from the hole in the lap of the ear. Benfey suggests that the kh\u00e2dis were made of the teeth of wild animals, and hence their name of biters. Vr\u00edshan conveys the meaning of strong, though possibly with the implied idea of rain-producing, fertilising. See p. 138. In RV. V, 87, 1, Osthoff translates sukh\u00e2d\u00e1ye by jucunde praebenti, Benfey by sch\u00f6nverzehrendem; Muir, Sanskrit Texts, IV, 70, has the right rendering. Cf. note to I, 166, 9.\nNote 1. Formerly explained as 'zum Kampfe wandelnd.' See Kuhn, Zeitschrift, vol. iv, p. 19.\nNote 2. Wilson: Augmenters of rain, they drive, with golden wheels, the clouds asunder; as elephants (in a herd, break down the trees in their way). They are honoured with sacrifices, visitants of the hall of offering, spontaneous assailers (of their foes), subverters of what are stable, immovable themselves, and wearers of shining weapons.\nBenfey: Weghemmnissen gleich schleudern die Fluthmehrer mit den goldnen Felgen das Gew\u00f6lk empor, die nie m\u00fcden K\u00e4mpfer, frei schreitend-festesst\u00fcrzenden, die schweres thu\u2019nden, lanzenstrahlenden Maruts.\nNote 1. Hav\u00e1s\u00e2, instead of what one should expect, h\u00e1vas\u00e2, occurs but once more in another Marut hymn, VI, 66, ii.\nNote 2. Van\u00edn does not occur again as an epithet of the Maruts. It is explained by S\u00e2yana as a possessive adjective derived from vana, water, and Benfey accordingly translates it by fluthversehn. This, however, is not confirmed by any authoritative passages. Van\u00edn, unless it means connected with the forest, a tree, in which sense it occurs frequently, is only applied to the worshippers or priests in the sense of venerating or adoring (cf. venero, venustus, &c.)\nIII, 40, 7. abh\u00ed dyumn\u00e2\u00b4ni van\u00ednah \u00edndram sakante \u00e1kshit\u00e2.\nThe inexhaustible treasures of the worshipper go towards Indra.\nVIII, 3, 5. \u00edndram van\u00ednah hav\u00e2mahe.\nWe, the worshippers, call Indra.\nUnless it can be proved by independent evidence that van\u00edn means possessed of water, we must restrict van\u00edn to its two meanings, of which the only one here applicable, though weak, is adoring. The Maruts are frequently represented as singers and priests, yet the epithets here applied to them stand much in need of some definite explanation, as the poet could hardly have meant to string a number of vague and ill-connected epithets together. If one might conjecture, sv\u00e2n\u00ednam instead of van\u00ednam would be an improvement. It is a scarce word, and occurs but once more\nin the Veda, III, 26, 5, where it is used of the Maruts, in the sense of noisy, turbulent.\nNote 3. Saskata, which I have here translated literally by to cling, is often used in the sense of following or revering (colere):\nII, I, 13. tv\u00e2\u00b4m r\u00e2ti-s\u00e2\u00b4kah adhvar\u00e9shu saskire.\nThe gods who are fond of offerings cling to thee, follow thee, at the sacrifices.\nThe Soma libation is said to reach the god:\nII, 22, I. s\u00e1h enam saskat dev\u00e1h dev\u00e1m. The gods too are said to cling to their worshippers, i. e. to love and protect them: III, 16, 2; VII, i8, 25. The horses are said to follow their drivers: VI, 36, 3; VII, 90, 3, &c. It is used very much like the Greek \u1f40\u03c0\u03ac\u03b6\u03c9.\nNote 4. Ragast\u00fb\u00b4h may mean rousing the dust of the earth, a very appropriate epithet of the Maruts. S\u00e2yana explains it thus, and most translators have adopted his explanation. But as the epithets here are not simply descriptive, but laudatory, it seems preferable, in this place, to retain the usual meaning of r\u00e1gas, sky. When Soma is called ragast\u00fb\u00b4h, IX, 108, 7, S\u00e2yana too explains it by tegas\u00e2m prerakam, and IX, 48, 4, by udakasya prerakam.\nNote 5. Rig\u00eesh\u00edn, derived from rig\u00eesha. Rig\u00eesha is what remains of the Soma-plant after it has once been squeezed, and what is used again for the third libation. Now as the Maruts are invoked at the third libation, they were called rig\u00eesh\u00edn, as drinking at their later libation the juice made of the rig\u00eesha. This, at least, is the opinion of the Indian commentators. But it is much more likely that the Maruts were invoked at the third libation, because originally they had been called rig\u00eesh\u00edn by the Vedic poets, this rig\u00eesh\u00edn being derived from rig\u00eesha, and rig\u00eesha from rig, to strive, to yearn, like pur\u00eesha from pr\u00ee, man\u00eesh\u00e2 from man; (see Un\u00e2di-s\u00fbtras, p. 273.) This rig is the same root which we have in \u1f40\u03c1\u03ad\u03b3\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd, to reach, \u1f40\u03c1\u03b3\u03ae, emotion, and \u1f44\u03c1\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1, furious transports of worshippers. Thus the Maruts from being called rig\u00eesh\u00edn, impetuous, came to be taken for drinkers of rig\u00eesha, the fermenting and overflowing Soma, and were assigned accordingly to the third libation at sacrifices.\n[paragraph continues] Rig\u00eesh\u00edn, as an epithet, is not confined to the Maruts; it is given to Indra, with whom it could not have had a purely ceremonial meaning (VIII, 76, 5).\nNote 1. \u00c2pr\u00edkkhya, literally, to be asked for, to be inquired for, to be greeted and honoured. A word of an apparently modern character, but occurring again in the Rig-veda as applied to a prince, and to the vessel containing the Soma.\nNote 2. P\u00fashyati might be joined with kr\u00e1tu and taken in a transitive sense, he increases his strength. But p\u00fashyati is also used as an intransitive, and means he prospers:\nI, 83, 3. \u00e1sam-yatah vrat\u00e9 te ksheti p\u00fashyati.\nWithout let he dwells in thy service and prospers.\nRoth reads asamyattah, against the authority of the MSS.\nNote 1. The difficulty of this verse arises from the uncertainty whether the epithets dhanaspr\u00edtam, ukthy\u00e3m, and visv\u00e1karshanim belong to s\u00fashma, strength, or to tok\u00e1, kith and kin. Roth and Benfey connect them with tok\u00e1. Now dhanaspr\u00edt is applicable to tok\u00e1, yet it never occurs joined with tok\u00e1 again, while it is used with s\u00fashma, VI, 19, 8. Ukthy\u00e3, literally, to be praised with hymns, is not used again as an epithet of tok\u00e1, though it is quite appropriate to any gift of the gods. Lastly, visv\u00e1karshani is never applied to tok\u00e1, while it is an epithet used, if not exactly of the strength, s\u00fashma, given by the gods, yet of the fame given by them:\nX, 93, 10. dh\u00e2tam v\u00eer\u00e9shu visv\u00e1-karshani sr\u00e1vah.\nGive to these men world-wide glory. Cf. III, 2, 15.\nThe next difficulty is the exact meaning of visv\u00e1-karshani, and such cognate words as visv\u00e1-krishti, visv\u00e1-manusha. The only intelligible meaning I can suggest for these words is, known to all men; originally, belonging to, reaching to all men; as we say, world-wide or European fame, meaning by it fame extending over the whole of Europe, or over the whole world. If Indra, Agni, and the Maruts are called by\nthese names, they mean, as far as I can judge, known, worshipped by all men. Benfey translates allverst\u00e4ndig.\nNote 1. Riti, the first element of riti-s\u00e1ham, never occurs by itself in the Rig-veda. It comes from the root ar, to hurt, which was mentioned before (p. 65) in connection with \u00e1r-van, hurting, \u00e1rus, wound, and \u00e1ri, enemy. S\u00e1m-riti occurs I, 32, 6. Riti therefore means hurting, and riti-s\u00e1h means one who can stand an attack. In our passage ray\u00edm v\u00eer\u00e1-vantam riti-s\u00e1ham means really wealth consisting in men who are able to withstand all onslaughts.\nThe word is used in a similar sense, VI, 14, 4:\nagn\u00edh aps\u00e2\u00b4m riti-s\u00e1ham v\u00eer\u00e1m dad\u00e2ti s\u00e1t-patim, y\u00e1sya tr\u00e1santi s\u00e1vasah sam-k\u00e1kshi s\u00e1travah bhiy\u00e2\u00b4.\nAgni gives a strong son who is able to withstand all onslaughts, from fear of whose strength the enemies tremble when they see him.\nIn other passages riti-s\u00e1h is applied to Indra:\nVIII, 45, 35. bibh\u00e1ya h\u00ed tv\u00e2\u00b4-vatah ugr\u00e2\u00b4t abhi-prabha\u1e45g\u00ednah dasm\u00e2\u00b4t ah\u00e1m riti-s\u00e1hah.\nFor I stand in fear of a powerful man like thee, of one who crushes his enemies, who is strong and withstands all onslaughts.\nVIII, 68, 1. tuvi-k\u00fbrm\u00edm riti-s\u00e1ham \u00edndra s\u00e1vishtha s\u00e1t-pate.\nThee, O most powerful Indra, of mighty strength, able to withstand all onslaughts.\nVIII, 88, 1. tam vah dasm\u00e1m riti-s\u00e1ham\u2014\u00edndram g\u00eeh-bh\u00edh nav\u00e2mahe.\nWe call Indra the strong, the resisting, with our songs.\nNote 2. The last sentence finishes six of the hymns ascribed to Nodhas. It is more appropriate in a hymn addressed to single deities, such as Agni or Indra, than in a hymn to the Maruts. We must supply sardha, in order to get a collective word in the masculine singular.\nN\u00fa, as usual, should be scanned n\u0306\u016b.\nNote 3. Dhiy\u00e2\u00b4-vasu, as an epithet of the gods, means rich in prayers, i. e. invoked by many worshippers. It does\nnot occur frequently. Besides the hymns of Nodhas, it only occurs independently in I, 3, 10 (Sarasvat\u00ee), III, 3, 2, III, 28, 1 (Agni), these hymns being all ascribed to the family of Visv\u00e2mitra. In the last verse, which forms the burden of the hymns of Nodhas, it may have been intended to mean, he who is rich through the hymn just recited, or he who rejoices in the hymn, the god to whom it is addressed.\nNodhas, the poet, belongs, according to the Anukraman\u00ee, to the family of Gotama, and in the hymns which are ascribed to him, I, 58-64, the Gotamas are mentioned several times:\nI, 60, 5. t\u00e1m tv\u00e2 vay\u00e1m p\u00e1tim agne ray\u00een\u00e2\u00b4m pr\u00e1 sams\u00e2mah mat\u00ed-bhih g\u00f3tam\u00e2sah.\nWe, the Gotamas, praise thee with hymns, Agni, the lord of treasures.\nI, 61, 16. ev\u00e1, te h\u00e2ri-yogana su-vrikt\u00ed \u00edndra br\u00e1hm\u00e2ni g\u00f3tam\u00e2sah akran.\nTruly the Gotamas made holy prayers for thee, O Indra with brilliant horses! See also I, 63, 9.\nIn one passage Nodhas himself is called Gotama:\nI, 62, 13.\nGotama made a new song for the old (god) with brilliant horses, O Indra! May Nodhas be a good leader to us, O powerful Indra! May he who is rich in prayers (Indra) come early and soon!\nI feel justified therefore in following the Anukraman\u00ee and taking Nodhas as a proper name. It occurs so again in\nI, 61, 14. sady\u00e1h bhuvat v\u00eery\u00e3ya nodh\u00e2\u00b4h.\nMay Nodhas quickly attain to power!\nIn I, 124, 4. nodh\u00e2\u00b4h-iva may mean like Nodhas, but more likely it has the general meaning of poet.","title":"Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32): Vedic Hymns: I, 64. To the Maruts (the Storm-gods)","type":"page"}