Maruts

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Maruts
Gods of Thunderstorms
Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia
AbodeMidspace
WeaponLightning & Many others
Parents
ConsortRodasī

In

storm deities and sons of Rudra and Prisni. The number of Maruts varies from 27 to sixty (three times sixty in RV 8.96.8). They are very violent and aggressive, described as armed with golden weapons i.e. lightning and thunderbolts, as having iron teeth and roaring like lions, as residing in the northwest,[4] as riding in golden chariots
drawn by ruddy horses.

In the

Wild hunt
.

In mythology

Hymn 66 of Mandala VI of the

Rig Veda, the ancient collection of sacred hymns, is an eloquent account of how a natural phenomenon of a rain-storm metamorphoses into storm deities.[6]

According to the Rig Veda they wore golden helmets and breastplates, and used their axes to split the clouds so that rain may fall. They were capable causing the mountains to tremble. Though they were the offspring of Rudra, they were previously considered by Indra, The main chieftain of heaven, [5] who was entitled as Marutvant ("Accompanied by the Maruts"). They are also accompanied by a female deity, Rodasi, who rides with them through the heavens.[7] She is variously described as their mother and wife of Rudra, standing on the clouds that are the Maruts' chariot,[8] or their collective wife and beloved, who symbolizes lightning.[9]

The Maruts assist The King of heaven Indra, to defeat Vritra, lending him their power.[5] The myth continues with Indra disputing them their role on the battle, accusing them of having abandoned him after giving him encouragement before the fight, and they quarrel for the sacrifice given by the sage Agastya. However, their place to his side in mythology is accepted, appearing elsewhere with him.[7]

According to later tradition, such as

Puranas,[10] the Maruts were born from the broken womb of the goddess Diti, after Indra
hurled a thunderbolt at her to prevent her from giving birth to a powerful son. The goddess had intended to remain pregnant for a century before giving birth to a son who would threaten Indra.

See also

References

  1. .
  2. ^ "Marut". Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
  3. ^ Max Müller. Vedic Hymns. Atlantic Publishers. p. 352.
  4. .
  5. ^ .
  6. ^ Max Müller, Hermann Oldenberg. Vedic Hymns: Part I. Library of Alexandria. p. 177.
  7. ^ .
  8. .
  9. ^ Max Müller (1891). Vedic Hymns, Parte 1. Clarendon Press. p. 274.
  10. .
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