Upanishads · Chāndogya 3,9.1
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ यत् चतुर्थम् अमृतम् तत् मरुतः उपजीवन्ति सोमेन मुखेन न वै देवाः अश्नन्ति न पिबन्ति एतत् एव अमृतम् दृष्ट्वा तृप्यन्ति
Transliteration (IAST)
atha yat caturtham amṛtam tat marutaḥ upajīvanti somena mukhena na vai devāḥ aśnanti na pibanti etat eva amṛtam dṛṣṭvā tṛpyanti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथathathereupon; then
यत्yatwhich; that which
चतुर्थम्caturthamthe fourth; the fourth
अमृतम्amṛtamimmortal; nectarean
तत्tatthat; this
मरुतःmarutaḥthe Maruts; the wind-gods
उपजीवन्तिupajīvantithey live upon; they feed; are sustained
सोमेनsomenaby Soma; through Soma
मुखेनmukhenaby the mouth; through the mouth; as by an entrance
नnanot; no
वैvaiverily; indeed
देवाःdevāḥthe gods; divine powers
अश्नन्तिaśnantithey eat; they enjoy
नnanot; no
पिबन्तिpibantithey drink; they consume
एतत्etatthis; all this
एवevaindeed; surely
अमृतम्amṛtamimmortal; nectarean
दृष्ट्वाdṛṣṭvāhaving seen; contemplating
तृप्यन्तिtṛpyantithey are sated; they are satisfied
Translation
On the fourth nectar the Maruts live — with Soma for a mouth. The gods truly do not eat or drink: by the mere sight of this nectar they are satisfied.
Version
9785b7e592da · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:59:14 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fourth nectar (the beyond-black, the honey of tales and spells!) goes to the Maruts, the warrior winds, and their mouth is Soma: the boisterous host feeds through the lord of nectar and of the moon: to the impetuous, the most assuaging of mouths.
The honey of the itihāsas and purāṇas goes to the Maruts: stories feed the winds! — that is, the powers of motion and onset: a tale of heroes is the food of the heroic: the sagas were not told to warriors round the fire for nothing: this is their host's own nectar, tasted through the soma of inspiration.