Young storm gods in the civilization of the 7 rivers

The Maruts are gods who feature prominently in the Rig Veda , India’s oldest sacred text. In the civilization of the 7 rivers, they are known as the young warriors of the sky, always on the move, agitated like the winds they embody. The word Marut comes from a Sanskrit root meaning « to cause death. » This does not mean that they are gods of death, but rather that they represent a violent, brutal force of nature that tears down everything in its path: they are the furious winds of the monsoon.

Companions of Indra

The Maruts are not solitary gods. They always advance in groups, like a band of young fighters, noisy, swift, and powerful. Their leader is often Indra, the god of strength and will. When Indra fights the dragon that holds back the waters ( Vritra ), the Maruts are at his side. Together, they release the rains that nourish the rivers and fields.

They are sometimes called the sons of Rudra , the wild god of mountains and storms. Rudra would later become Shiva in classical Hinduism. Like their father, the Maruts are noisy, unpredictable, and associated with wild nature and transformation.

Brilliant warriors

The Maruts like to shine. The Rig Veda often describes them wearing gold jewelry around their necks: necklaces, chains, medals. They also carry shining spears. These spears are described as dazzling, which suggests they were made of copper. At the time of the Seven Rivers Civilization, there were no traces of bronze, the mixed metal. Copper, however, was well known and used.

They ride in swift chariots, drawn by fiery horses. They shout, sing, beat their drums, and shake the sky like a marching army. When the Maruts move, thunder rumbles, the wind blows, trees bend, and black clouds roll in.

The Maruts and the Monsoon

In the daily life of the Seven Rivers civilization, the Maruts are associated with a well-known phenomenon: the monsoon. This powerful wind, laden with moisture, brings long-awaited rain. Without it, crops fail to grow. With it, the land becomes green again, the rivers overflow, and life resumes. The Maruts are therefore seen as dangerous but vital forces.

They are not distant gods, as in other religions. They are forces that we feel in the sky, in the rising wind, in the approaching storm. We hear them coming.

An image of youth and energy

What is striking in the hymns of the Rig Veda is that the Maruts are always young. They are like divine adolescents, full of energy, turbulent, indomitable. This image is not negative. On the contrary, it shows a raw, necessary energy that moves the world.

The ancients of the Seven Rivers civilization knew that the wind that uproots is also the one that brings rain. That noisy youth are also those who defend, who fight, who regenerate.