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MANDALA V, HYMN 54.
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MANDALA V, HYMN 54.
ASHTAKA IV, ADHYAYA 3, VARGA 14-16.
TO THE MARUTS (THE STORM-GODS).
I. You have fashioned1 this speech for the brilliant Marut-host which shakes the mountains: celebrate then the great manhood in honour of that host who praises the warm milk (of the sacrifice), and sacrifices on the height of heaven, whose glory is brilliant.
2. O Maruts, your powerful men (came) forth searching for water, invigorating, harnessing their horses, swarming around. When they aim with the lightning, Trita shouts, and the waters murmur, running around on their course.
3. These Maruts are men brilliant with lightning, they shoot with thunderbolts, they blaze with the wind, they shake the mountains, and suddenly, when wishing to give water', they whirl the hail; they have thundering strength, they are robust, they are ever-powerful.
4. When you drive forth the nights, O Rudras, the days, O powerful men, the sky, the mists, ye shakers, the plains, like ships, and the strongholds, O Maruts, you suffer nowhere.
5. That strength of yours, O Maruts, that greatness extended far as the sun extends its daily course, when you, like your deer on their march, went down to the (western) mountain with untouched splendour1.
6. Your host, O Maruts, shone forth when, O sages, you strip, like a caterpillar, the waving tree1.
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