Verses 1, 2
प्र मं॒दिने॑ पितु॒मद॑र्चता॒ वचो॒ यः कृ॒ष्णग॑र्भा नि॒रह॑न्नृ॒जिश्व॑ना । अ॒व॒स्यवो॒ वृष॑णं॒ वज्र॑दक्षिणं म॒रुत्वं॑तं स॒ख्याय॑ हवामहे ॥
prá mandíne pitumádarcatā váco yáḥ kṛṣṇágarbhā niráhannṛjíśvanā ǀ avasyávo vṛ́ṣaṇam vájradakṣiṇam marútvantam sakhyā́ya havāmahe ǁ
यो व्यं॑सं जाहृषा॒णेन॑ म॒न्युना॒ यः शंब॑रं॒ यो अह॒न्पिप्रु॑मव्र॒तं । इंद्रो॒ यः शुष्ण॑म॒शुषं॒ न्यावृ॑णङ्म॒रुत्वं॑तं स॒ख्याय॑ हवामहे ॥
yó vyáṃsam jāhṛṣāṇéna manyúnā yáḥ śámbaram yó áhanpíprumavratám ǀ índro yáḥ śúṣṇamaśúṣam nyā́vṛṇaṅmarútvantam sakhyā́ya havāmahe ǁ
In this opening movement, the Ṛṣi summons Indra, not in isolation, but flanked by his boisterous companions, the Maruts (Marutvantam). We hear echoes of ancient victories—the slaying of the dark-womb demons by Ṛjiśvan, the shattering of Vyaṃsa, Śambara, Pipru, and the drought-demon Śuṣṇa. These are not merely historical or mythological battle scenes; they represent the eradication of inner inertia, mental darkness, and spiritual dryness. Indra is invoked with an offering of praise laden with juice (pitumad arcata vāco), driven by a deep longing for divine protection (avasyavaḥ). He holds the thunderbolt of spiritual discrimination (vajradakṣiṇam) and acts with a fierce, joyful resolve (jāhṛṣāṇena manyunā). The Ṛṣi reminds us that the divine power operating within us is precisely the force that tears open the sealed caverns of ignorance.
Verse 1: We chant a rich word of praise to the gladdening Lord, who with Ṛjiśvan shattered the dark-womb demons; seeking his aid, we invoke Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt in his right hand, accompanied by the Maruts, for our lasting friendship.
Verse 2: He who struck down Vyaṃsa with a jubilant fury, who smote Śambara and the lawless Pipru, and who cast down the waterless, parching Śuṣṇa—that Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, we invoke for our friendship.
Sāyaṇa interprets these names (Śambara, Pipru, Śuṣṇa) as historical Asuras vanquished by Indra for the Ṛṣis. Psychological commentators like Sri Aurobindo view them as personifications of psychological obstacles—obscurity, obstruction, and spiritual drought—that are overcome by the divine illumining mind (Indra) and the life-powers (Maruts).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मन्दिने | mandine | to the gladdening or exhilarating one |
| पितुमद् | pitumat | juicy, nourishing, rich with sap |
| कृष्णगर्भाः | kṛṣṇagarbhāḥ | having a dark womb, containing darkness |
| वज्रदक्षिणम् | vajradakṣiṇam | holding the thunderbolt in the right hand |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| जहृषाणेन | jahṛṣāṇena | by one who is jubilant or exhilarated |
| अव्रतम् | avratam | lawless, opposed to sacred order (vrita) |
| अशुषम् | aśuṣam | parching, drying up |
Picture a warrior charging into battle alongside a roaring storm-crew, shattering clay pots of darkness with a flash of lightning.
Verses 3, 4, 5, 6
यस्य॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी पौंस्यं॑ म॒हद्यस्य॑ व्र॒ते वरु॑णो॒ यस्य॒ सूर्यः॑ । यस्येंद्र॑स्य॒ सिंध॑वः॒ सश्च॑ति व्र॒तं म॒रुत्वं॑तं स॒ख्याय॑ हवामहे ॥
yásya dyā́vāpṛthivī́ páuṃsyam mahádyásya vraté váruṇo yásya sū́ryaḥ ǀ yásyéndrasya síndhavaḥ sáścati vratám marútvantam sakhyā́ya havāmahe ǁ
यो अश्वा॑नां॒ यो गवां॒ गोप॑तिर्व॒शी य आ॑रि॒तः कर्म॑णिकर्मणि स्थि॒रः । वी॒ळोश्चि॒दिंद्रो॒ यो असु॑न्वतो व॒धो म॒रुत्वं॑तं स॒ख्याय॑ हवामहे ॥
yó áśvānām yó gávām gópatirvaśī́ yá āritáḥ kármaṇikarmaṇi sthiráḥ ǀ vīḷóścidíndro yó ásunvato vadhó marútvantam sakhyā́ya havāmahe ǁ
यो विश्व॑स्य॒ जग॑तः प्राण॒तस्पति॒र्यो ब्र॒ह्मणे॑ प्रथ॒मो गा अविं॑दत् । इंद्रो॒ यो दस्यूँ॒रध॑राँ अ॒वाति॑रन्म॒रुत्वं॑तं स॒ख्याय॑ हवामहे ॥
yó víśvasya jágataḥ prāṇatáspátiryó brahmáṇe prathamó gā́ ávindat ǀ índro yó dásyūm̐rádharām̐ avā́tiranmarútvantam sakhyā́ya havāmahe ǁ
यः शूरे॑भि॒र्हव्यो॒ यश्च॑ भी॒रुभि॒र्यो धाव॑द्भिर्हू॒यते॒ यश्च॑ जि॒ग्युभिः॑ । इंद्रं॒ यं विश्वा॒ भुव॑ना॒भि सं॑द॒धुर्म॒रुत्वं॑तं स॒ख्याय॑ हवामहे ॥
yáḥ śū́rebhirhávyo yáśca bhīrúbhiryó dhā́vadbhirhūyáte yáśca jigyúbhiḥ ǀ índram yám víśvā bhúvanābhí saṃdadhúrmarútvantam sakhyā́ya havāmahe ǁ
Having established Indra's prowess in battle, the Ṛṣi widens the lens to view his cosmic sovereignty. Heaven and Earth tremble before his might; Varuṇa and Sūrya operate within his ordinance (vrate), and the flowing rivers bow to his command. He is the master of horses and cows—symbols of dynamic energies and rays of illumination. Every single action (karmaṇi-karmaṇi) rests stably upon his support. He is the very breath of the moving universe (prāṇatas patiḥ), the pioneer who first won the cows for sacred speech (brahmaṇe), and the great equalizer who pushes down the hostile Dasyus. Whether invoked by the hero in battle, the fearful in distress, the racer in motion, or the victor in triumph, Indra is the focal point toward which all the worlds converge.
Verse 3: Whose vast heroic might Heaven and Earth obey, under whose law move Varuṇa and the Sun, and whose cosmic order the rivers follow—that Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, we invoke for our friendship.
Verse 4: He who is the lord and master of horses and cows, steady and ever-present in every task, who is the crushing blow against the non-sacrificer—that Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, we invoke for our friendship.
Verse 5: He who is the lord of all moving and breathing creation, who first won the cows of light for sacred prayer, and who pushed the Dasyus down into the nether darkness—that Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, we invoke for our friendship.
Verse 6: He who is invoked by heroes and by the fearful, by the racing runner and by the victor, whom all the worlds together have established as their center—that Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, we invoke for our friendship.
Traditional ritualists see this section as a catalog of Indra's universal supremacy to establish his primacy over all other deities. Mystics view 'gopati' and 'gāḥ' as the guardian and finder of the rays of spiritual consciousness hidden in the cave of the subconscious.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पौंस्यम् | pauṃsyam | manliness, heroic might |
| सिन्धवः | sindhavaḥ | rivers, streams |
| सश्चति | saścati | follows, serves, attends upon |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गोपतिः | gopatiḥ | lord of cows/rays |
| कर्मणिकर्मणि | karmaṇikarmaṇi | in task after task, in every act |
| असुन्वतः | asunvataḥ | of one who does not press the Soma, the un-sacrificial person |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| प्राणतस्पतिः | prāṇatas patiḥ | lord of that which breathes |
| ब्रह्मणे | brahmaṇe | for prayer, for the formulation of truth |
| अवातिरत् | avātirat | cast down, caused to cross downward |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शूरेभिः | śūrebhiḥ | by heroes, warriors |
| भीरुभिः | bhīrubhiḥ | by those gripped by fear |
| संसदधुः | saṃdadhuḥ | have joined together, set in place |
Picture a cosmic axis mundi holding up the sky, while rivers, sun, kings, and runners all circle around it like iron filings to a magnet.
Verses 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
रु॒द्राणा॑मेति प्र॒दिशा॑ विचक्ष॒णो रु॒द्रेभि॒र्योषा॑ तनुते पृ॒थु ज्रयः॑ । इंद्रं॑ मनी॒षा अ॒भ्य॑र्चति श्रु॒तं म॒रुत्वं॑तं स॒ख्याय॑ हवामहे ॥
rudrā́ṇāmeti pradíśā vicakṣaṇó rudrébhiryóṣā tanute pṛthú jráyaḥ ǀ índram manīṣā́ abhyárcati śrutám marútvantam sakhyā́ya havāmahe ǁ
यद्वा॑ मरुत्वः पर॒मे स॒धस्थे॒ यद्वा॑व॒मे वृ॒जने॑ मा॒दया॑से । अत॒ आ या॑ह्यध्व॒रं नो॒ अच्छा॑ त्वा॒या ह॒विश्च॑कृमा सत्यराधः ॥
yádvā marutvaḥ paramé sadhásthe yádvāvamé vṛjáne mādáyāse ǀ áta ā́ yāhyadhvarám no ácchā tvāyā́ havíścakṛmā satyarādhaḥ ǁ
त्वा॒येंद्र॒ सोमं॑ सुषुमा सुदक्ष त्वा॒या ह॒विश्च॑कृमा ब्रह्मवाहः । अधा॑ नियुत्वः॒ सग॑णो म॒रुद्भि॑र॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे ब॒र्हिषि॑ मादयस्व ॥
tvāyéndra sómam suṣumā sudakṣa tvāyā́ havíścakṛmā brahmavāhaḥ ǀ ádhā niyutvaḥ ságaṇo marúdbhirasmínyajñé barhíṣi mādayasva ǁ
मा॒दय॑स्व॒ हरि॑भि॒र्ये त॑ इंद्र॒ वि ष्य॑स्व॒ शिप्रे॒ वि सृ॑जस्व॒ धेने॑ । आ त्वा॑ सुशिप्र॒ हर॑यो वहंतू॒शन्ह॒व्यानि॒ प्रति॑ नो जुषस्व ॥
mādáyasva háribhiryé ta indra ví ṣyasva śípre ví sṛjasva dhéne ǀ ā́ tvā suśipra hárayo vahantūśánhavyā́ni práti no juṣasva ǁ
म॒रुत्स्तो॑त्रस्य वृ॒जन॑स्य गो॒पा व॒यमिंद्रे॑ण सनुयाम॒ वाजं॑ । तन्नो॑ मि॒त्रो वरु॑णो मामहंता॒मदि॑तिः॒ सिंधुः॑ पृथि॒वी उ॒त द्यौः ॥
marútstotrasya vṛjánasya gopā́ vayámíndreṇa sanuyāma vā́jam ǀ tánno mitró váruṇo māmahantāmáditiḥ síndhuḥ pṛthivī́ utá dyáuḥ ǁ
The mood now shifts from public praise to intimate hospitality. The Ṛṣi notes how Indra moves by the direct guidance of the Rudras, while Dawn (or the dynamic power of the Maruts) extends her broad domain. The human mind (manīṣā) sings his praise. Directly addressing Indra, the Ṛṣi pleads: Whether you are in the supreme celestial home or close at hand in our sacrificial gathering, come down to us! We have pressed the Soma for you; we have formulated the sacred word. O carrier of the prayer, let your bay steeds (harayaḥ) bring you here. Uncork your joy, swell your cheeks with the sweet elixir, and delight in our offerings. Finally, the Sūkta closes with a communal benediction: guarded by Indra and the Maruts, may we attain the prize (vājam), supported by Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, Sindhū, Earth, and Heaven.
Verse 7: Observant, he moves by the command of the Rudras, and with the Rudras, the shining dawn extends her broad expanse. Thought crafts a song of praise to that renowned Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, whom we invoke for our friendship.
Verse 8: Whether you are in the supreme dwelling place, O Marutvant, or whether you take delight in our near pasture, come from afar to our sacred rite, for we have prepared the oblation for you, O truthful in your bounty.
Verse 9: For you, O Indra, we have pressed the Soma, O skillful one; for you we have made the oblation, O carrier of prayer. Therefore, O lord of the harness, surrounded by your host of Maruts, take your delight here on the sacred grass of our sacrifice.
Verse 10: Take your delight with your bay steeds, O Indra; loosen your jaws, let loose the streams of inspiration. May your bay horses carry you here, O handsome-cheeked one, and desiring our offerings, graciously accept them.
Verse 11: As guardians of the Marut-praise and of our community, may we with Indra win the prize. May Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, Sindhū, Earth, and Heaven magnify and bless this for us.
Sāyaṇa focuses on the literal ritual mechanics: the pressing of Soma, the invocation of the horses, and the blessing of the gods. Sri Aurobindo highlights the psychological transition where the divine mind (Indra) descends directly into the human vessel (barhiṣi) to integrate the life-energies (Maruts) and secure the spiritual wealth (vājam).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| विचक्षणः | vicakṣaṇaḥ | observant, far-seeing |
| योषा | yoṣā | maiden, young woman (often referring to Uṣas or dynamic energy) |
| मनीषा | manīṣā | thought, prayer, inspired mind |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सधस्थे | sadhasthe | in the common seat or dwelling place |
| वृजने | vṛjane | in the field, enclosure, or assembly |
| सत्यराधः | satyarādhaḥ | true in bestowing gifts, unfailing in grace |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ब्रह्मवाहः | brahmavāhaḥ | carrier or upholder of prayer/brahman |
| नियुत्वः | niyutvaḥ | yoker of teams, possessing wind-swift steeds |
| बर्हिषि | barhiṣi | on the sacred strewn grass seat |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शिप्रे | śipre | jaws, cheeks, or nasal structure of Indra |
| सेने | dhene | milch-cows, or streams of pressing/speech |
| सुशिप्र | suśipra | having beautiful jaws or a noble helmet |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वृजनस्य | vṛjanasya | of the settlement, community, or sacred enclosure |
| सनुयाम | sanuyāma | may we win, acquire |
| वाजम् | vājam | the prize, vigor, spiritual substance |
Picture an open courtyard where an honored chieftain arrives on a chariot of wind, sits down on soft grass, and shares a joyous feast with his devoted friends.