# Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book IV/Hymn 27

27. Praise and prayer to the Maruts.
[Mṛgāra.—(see h. 23).]
Found, with very slight variations, in Pāipp. iv.; and its first and last verses are represented in TS., MS., and K. (see under h. 23); they follow a similar passage to the Açvins, which follows our h. 25. The use by Kāuç. is the same with that of the other mṛgāra hymns (see under h. 23). The first pāda of vs. 4 nearly agrees with the second pāda of a verse (the last) given in Kāuç. 3. 3; and vs. 4 is directed by Vāit. (12. 12) to be used in the agniṣṭoma when one is rained on; further, vs. 7 (9. 2), in the cāturmāsya sacrifice, with an evening libation to the Maruts. And the comm. quotes the hymn as used by Nakṣ. K. (18) in a çānti-rite named mārudgaṇī.
Translated: Griffith, i. 168; Weber, xviii. 109.
1. The Maruts I reverence; let them bless me; let them favor this steed (? vā́ja) in the race (? vā́jasāta); I have called on them for aid, like easily-controlled swift [horses]: let them free us from distress.
Ppp. combines -sāta ’vantu at end of b. Some of our mss. (P.M.W.E.O.) read sūyámān in c. The comm. has aṅçūn instead of āçūn in c, and explains it as either "reins" or "horses." Vā́ja and vā́jasāta he makes either "food" and the "winning of food," or "strength " and "combat." The version of the other texts is quite different; they have nas for me in a; for b, pré ’mā́ṁ vā́caṁ víçvām avantu víçve; for c, āçū́n huve suyámān ūtáye; and at the end énasas.
2. Who always open (vi-ac) an unexhausted fountain; who pour in sap into the herbs—I put forward the Maruts, sons of the spotted one: let them free us from distress.
With a compare xviii. 4. 36. Some of our mss. (P.M.W.I.O.) read in c -mātṝs. The comm. explains útsam by megham, vyacanti by antarikṣe vistārayanti, and pṛçni as the mādhyamikā vāk.
3. Ye, O poets, that send the milk of the kine, the sap of the herbs, the speed of the coursers—let the helpful (? çagmá) Maruts be pleasant to us; let them free us from distress.
Ppp. reads invan at end of b; the comm. renders invatha by vyāpayatha; he also takes kavayas as nominative, and (with one of SPP's mss.) reads at beginning of c çakmās, explaining it as = sarvakāryasamarthās. All our saṁhitā-mss. save one (E.) ⌊R. not noted⌋ combine na syon- in c.
4. Waters from the ocean to the sky they carry up, they who pour [them] from the sky upon the earth—the Maruts who go about lording it with the waters: let them free us from distress.
The absence of accent of vahanti forbids us to make the better construction of it with yé—which, however, the comm. does not scruple to adopt.
5. They who gratify with sweet drink, who with ghee; or who combine (sam-sṛj) vigor (váyas) with fatness; the Maruts who, lording it with the waters, cause to rain: let them free us from distress.
6. If now indeed, O Maruts, by what relates to the Maruts—if, O gods, by what relates to the gods, I have fallen into such a plight: ye, O Vasus, are masters (īç) of the removal of that: let them free us from distress.
That is (a, b), apparently, "by reason of what offense" (aparādhena, comm.); perhaps "if such a [mishap] hath befallen [us]" (so the comm.); but MS. iii. 8. 4, īdṛ́g u sá ā́riṣyati, supports the translation as given, and also indicates that ā́ra is here ā-ā́ra; but the pada-text gives ā́ra simply. ⌊See also Weber's citation from PB. xiii. 3. 12.⌋ Several mss. (including our Op.) have īçadhve in c, as the comm. reads. Mā́nuṣeṇa for mā́rutena in a would be an acceptable emendation. ⌊☞ See p. 1045.⌋
7. A sharp front, known [as] powerful, [is] the troop (çárdhas) of Maruts, formidable in fights; I praise the Maruts, [as] a suppliant I call loudly on [them]: let them free us from distress.
The other texts have in a vīḍitám, for which our viditám is a pretty evident corruption; they also have ā́yudham for ánīkam, in b divyám for mā́rutam and jiṣṇú for ugrám; and in c they insert devā́n before marútas, also ending the verse (as well as vs. 1) with énasas.