View source for Maruts

{{short description|Ancient Hindu storm deities}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image = Musée Guimet 897 04.jpg
| caption = A seventh century Marut detail on a [[lintel]] excavated at [[Sambor Prei Kuk]], [[Kampong Thom Province]], [[Cambodia]]
| god_of = Gods of Thunderstorms 
| abode = Midspace 
| weapon = [[Lightning]] & Many others 
| consort = Rodasī
| parents = *'''Vedic''': [[Rudra]] and Pṛśni<ref>{{cite book|author=Stephanie Jamison|title=The Rigveda –– Earliest Religious Poetry of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1LTRDwAAQBAJ|year=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0190633394|page=49}}</ref>
*'''Puranic''': [[Kashyapa]] and [[Diti]]
}}
In [[Hinduism]], the '''Maruts''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|r|ʊ|t|s}};<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/marut "Marut"]. ''[[Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary]]''.</ref> {{langx|sa|मरुत}}, {{ipa|sa|mɐrut̪ɐ|ipa}}), also known as the '''Marutagana''' and sometimes identified with '''[[Rudras]]''',<ref>{{cite book|title=Vedic Hymns|page=352|publisher=Atlantic Publishers|author=Max Müller|author-link=Max Müller}}</ref> are [[Storm deity|storm deities]] and sons of [[Rudra]] and Prisni. The number of Maruts varies from 27 to sixty (three times sixty in [[Mandala 8|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,<ref>{{cite book|title=Dictionnaire de la civilisation indienne|publisher=Robert Laffont|
author= Louis Frédéric|date=1987|isbn=2-221-01258-5}}</ref> as riding in golden [[chariot]]s drawn by ruddy horses.

In the [[Vedic mythology]], the Maruts act as [[Indra]]'s companions as a troop of young warriors.<ref name=Rel>{{cite book|last1=De Witt Griswold|first1=Harvey|title=The Religion of the Rigveda|date=1923|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780896843059|pages=205–207}}</ref> According to French comparative [[mythologist]] [[Georges Dumézil]], they are cognate to the [[Einherjar]] and the [[Wild hunt]].

== In Scriptures == 
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.<ref>{{cite book|title=Vedic Hymns: Part I|publisher=[[Library of Alexandria]]|page=177|author=Max Müller, Hermann Oldenberg}}</ref>

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 of causing the mountains to tremble. Though they were the offspring of [[Rudra]], they were previously considered by [[Indra]], The main chieftain of heaven,<ref name=Rel/> 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.<ref name=Earl>{{cite book|last1=Jamison|first1=Stephanie W.|last2=Brereton|first2=Joel P.|title=The Rigveda: The Earliest Religious Poetry of India, Volume 1|date=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199370184|pages=49–}}</ref> She is variously described as their mother and wife of Rudra, standing on the clouds that are the Maruts' chariot,<ref>{{cite book|author=Lakshman Sarup|title=The Nighantu and the Nirukta: The Oldest Indian Treatise on Etymology, Philology and Semantics|url=|date=1998|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|pages=184|isbn=9788120813816}}</ref> or their collective wife and beloved, who symbolizes lightning.<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Max Müller]]|title=Vedic Hymns, Parte 1|url=|date=1891|page=274|publisher=Clarendon Press|isbn=}}</ref>

The Maruts assist The King of heaven Indra, to defeat [[Vritra]], lending him their power.<ref name=Rel/> 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.<ref name=Earl/>

According to later tradition, such as [[Purana]]s,<ref>{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Nature Myths: Legends of the Earth, Sea, and Sky|page=116|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|author=Tamra Andrews|year=2000|isbn=9780195136777|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7jS65aClvFEC}}</ref> 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==
*[[Ashvins]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Rigveda}}

[[Category:Rigvedic deities]]
[[Category:Hindu gods]]
[[Category:Daityas]]
[[Category:Sky and weather gods]]