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Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

The Sūkta of Divine Abundance and Protection: Indra as the Sustainer and Shield

📜 9 Verses

Act 1

Act I: The Seat of the Lord and the Vanguard of Dawn

Verses 1, 2

Verse 1

योनि॑ष्ट इंद्र नि॒षदे॑ अकारि॒ तमा नि षी॑द स्वा॒नो नार्वा॑ । वि॒मुच्या॒ वयो॑ऽव॒सायाश्वां॑दो॒षा वस्तो॒र्वही॑यसः प्रपि॒त्वे ॥

yóniṣṭa indra niṣáde akāri támā́ ní ṣīda svānó nā́rvā ǀ vimúcyā váyo’vasā́yā́śvāndoṣā́ vástorváhīyasaḥ prapitvé ǁ

Verse 2

ओ त्ये नर॒ इंद्र॑मू॒तये॑ गु॒र्नू चि॒त्तान्त्स॒द्यो अध्व॑नो जगम्यात् । दे॒वासो॑ म॒न्युं दास॑स्य श्चम्नं॒ते न॒ आ व॑क्षन्त्सुवि॒ताय॒ वर्णं॑ ॥

ó tyé nára índramūtáye gurnū́ cittā́ntsadyó ádhvano jagamyāt ǀ devā́so manyúm dā́sasya ścamnanté na ā́ vakṣantsuvitā́ya várṇam ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi prepares a resting place for Indra, invoking the great deity who sweeps across the cosmic paths like a swift horse at the break of dawn. The poetic imagery contrasts the divine arrival of Indra—the lord who brings light and victory—with the hostility of the Dāsa forces, whose turbulent opposition melts away before the resolute march of the gods and their devoted mortals. The Ṛṣi speaks of setting up a sacred seat (yoni) where Indra can alight from his glorious chariot, releasing his steeds at the turning point of day and night. This movement symbolizes the transition from spiritual darkness into the illuminating radiance of divine grace, ensuring that the seeker's path remains clear and protected from unseen spiritual obstructions.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: A seat has been prepared for you, O Indra, to sit upon, like a swift horse unleashed at the threshold of dawn and dusk.

Verse 2: Behold, the wise leaders go forth to seek Indra's aid, and the shining gods sweep away the wrath of the Dāsa to secure our radiant future.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa interprets the 'Dāsa' in verse 2 as human foes or demonic adversaries obstructing rituals, whereas Sri Aurobindo sees psychological forces of ignorance and division that yield to the divine light.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
योनिः	yoniḥ	womb, resting place, seat
इन्द्र	indra	O Indra, the supreme leader and god of might
अकारि	akāri	has been made or prepared
अश्वान्	aśvān	horses, steeds

Verse 2

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
नरः	naraḥ	men, leaders, heroes
इन्द्रम्	indram	Indra
ऊतये	ūtaye	for protection or help
दासस्य	dāsasya	of the Dāsa or enemy

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a traveler hastily preparing a comfortable seat at the edge of camp just as a swift, majestic stallion arrives at dawn—this is Indra descending into the seeker's heart.

Act 2

Act II: The Waters of Cleansing and the Overthrow of Kuyava

Verses 3, 4

Verse 3

अव॒ त्मना॑ भरते॒ केत॑वेदा॒ अव॒ त्मना॑ भरते॒ फेन॑मु॒दन् । क्षी॒रेण॑ स्नातः॒ कुय॑वस्य॒ योषे॑ ह॒ते ते स्या॑तां प्रव॒णे शिफा॑याः ॥

áva tmánā bharate kétavedā áva tmánā bharate phénamudán ǀ kṣīréṇa snātaḥ kúyavasya yóṣe haté té syātām pravaṇé śíphāyāḥ ǁ

Verse 4

यु॒योप॒ नाभि॒रुप॑रस्या॒योः प्र पूर्वा॑भिस्तिरते॒ राष्टि॒ शूरः॑ । अं॒ज॒सी कु॑लि॒शी वी॒रप॑त्नी॒ पयो॑ हिन्वा॒ना उ॒दभि॑र्भरंते ॥

yuyópa nā́bhirúparasyāyóḥ prá pū́rvābhistirate rā́ṣṭi śū́raḥ ǀ añjasī́ kuliśī́ vīrápatnī páyo hinvānā́ udábhirbharante ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The hymn shifts to a powerful natural allegory involving the defeat of Kuyava, a demon or drought-bringer associated with ruinous harvests and murky waters. The Ṛṣi describes the turbulent currents of the stream carrying away the frothing remnants of Kuyava's defeat, cleansed as if washed in pure milk. Simultaneously, the cosmic order is upheld as the divine forces and devoted patrons maintain the sacred law. The imagery highlights how the inner waters of life and spiritual wealth are drawn forth and protected, ensuring that the righteous prosper while obstructive forces are swept away into the abyss.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 3: Knowing the path, he carries himself downward into the foaming waters; cleansed in milk, may the two female companions of Kuyava perish in the rushing stream.

Verse 4: The bond of the older mortal has slipped, yet the hero shines forth with ancient might, while the streaming waters bear the nourishing bounty.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Tradition views Kuyava literally as a demon of drought or bad crops, while esoteric commentators view him as a symbol of spiritual barrenness and psychological impurity.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 3

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
केतवेदाः	ketavedāḥ	knowing the way or path
फेनम्	phenam	foam, froth
क्षीरेण	kṣīreṇa	with milk
कुयवस्य	kuyavasya	of Kuyava (bringer of bad harvest)

Verse 4

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
नाभिः	nābhiḥ	navel, bond, center
शूरः	śūraḥ	hero, warrior
वीरपत्नी	vīrapatnī	having heroes as husbands, wife of a hero
पयः	payaḥ	milk, water, sap

🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine a turbulent river washing away dirty foam and leaving behind pristine, milk-like waters—the complete removal of spiritual obstacles.

Act 3

Act III: The Plea for Grace and the Abode of Light

Verses 5, 6

Verse 5

प्रति॒ यत्स्या नीथाद॑र्शि॒ दस्यो॒रोको॒ नाच्छा॒ सद॑नं जान॒ती गा॑त् । अध॑ स्मा नो मघवंचर्कृ॒तादिन्मा नो॑ म॒घेव॑ निष्ष॒पी परा॑ दाः ॥

práti yátsyā́ nī́thā́darśi dásyoróko nā́cchā sádanam jānatī́ gāt ǀ ádha smā no maghavañcarkṛtā́dínmā́ no maghéva niṣṣapī́ párā dāḥ ǁ

Verse 6

स त्वं न॑ इंद्र॒ सूर्ये॒ सो अ॒प्स्व॑नागा॒स्त्व आ भ॑ज जीवशं॒से । मांत॑रां॒ भुज॒मा री॑रिषो नः॒ श्रद्धि॑तं ते मह॒त इं॑द्रि॒याय॑ ॥

sá tvám na indra sū́rye só apsvánāgāstvá ā́ bhaja jīvaśaṃsé ǀ mā́ntarām bhújamā́ rīriṣo naḥ śráddhitam te mahatá indriyā́ya ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Here, the Ṛṣi addresses Indra directly as Maghavan, the bounteous giver, pleading that divine grace should not turn away from the seeker. The verse captures a moment of vulnerable supplication: having glimpsed the bright home of divine realization, the poet prays never to be deprived of divine generosity. In the subsequent verse, the prayer deepens into an aspiration for immortality and radiant well-being. The seeker asks to be firmly established in the realm of the sun, among those who sing the praises of life, urging Indra to withhold no measure of his divine strength and protective embrace.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 5: When the hymn of praise was seen, it went straight toward the abode of the Dasyu as if knowing the way; O Maghavan, do not let your generosity turn away from us.

Verse 6: Do you, O Indra, seat us in the realm of the sun, free from sin, among those who praise life, and do not withhold your sustaining arm from us.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa focuses on material protection from enemies and requests for cattle and wealth, whereas mystical interpretations see 'sūrye' and 'jīvaśaṃse' as states of spiritual enlightenment and vital harmony.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 5

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
दस्योः	dasyoḥ	of the Dasyu or enemy
सदनम्	sadanam	abode, seat, home
मघवन्	maghavan	O bounteous one, possessor of wealth
परा दाः	parā dāḥ	give away, abandon

Verse 6

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सूर्य्ये	sūrye	in the sun, in solar light
अनागाः	anāgāḥ	sinless, faultless
जीवशंसे	jīvaśaṃse	among those who bless life / praise the living
भुजम्	bhujam	arm, protection, enjoyment

🧠

Memory Hook

Visualize a child reaching out with open hands to a generous parent, begging not to be turned away empty-handed from a feast of light.

Act 4

Act IV: The Overflowing Soma and the Fatherly Embrace

Verses 7, 8, 9

Verse 7

अधा॑ मन्ये॒ श्रत्ते॑ अस्मा अधायि॒ वृषा॑ चोदस्व मह॒ते धना॑य । मा नो॒ अकृ॑ते पुरुहूत॒ योना॒विंद्र॒ क्षुध्य॑द्भ्यो॒ वय॑ आसु॒तिं दाः॑ ॥

ádhā manye śrátte asmā adhāyi vṛ́ṣā codasva mahaté dhánāya ǀ mā́ no ákṛte puruhūta yónāvíndra kṣúdhyadbhyo váya āsutím dāḥ ǁ

Verse 8

मा नो॑ वधीरिंद्र॒ मा परा॑ दा॒ मा नः॑ प्रि॒या भोज॑नानि॒ प्र मो॑षीः । आं॒डा मा नो॑ मघवंछक्र॒ निर्भे॒न्मा नः॒ पात्रा॑ भेत्स॒हजा॑नुषाणि ॥

mā́ no vadhīrindra mā́ párā dā mā́ naḥ priyā́ bhójanāni prá moṣīḥ ǀ āṇḍā́ mā́ no maghavañchakra nírbhenmā́ naḥ pā́trā bhetsahájānuṣāṇi ǁ

Verse 9

अ॒र्वाङेहि॒ सोम॑कामं त्वाहुर॒यं सु॒तस्तस्य॑ पिबा॒ मदा॑य । उ॒रु॒व्यचा॑ ज॒ठर॒ आ वृ॑षस्व पि॒तेव॑ नः शृणुहि हू॒यमा॑नः ॥

arvā́ṅéhi sómakāmam tvāhurayám sutástásya pibā mádāya ǀ uruvyácā jaṭhára ā́ vṛṣasva pitéva naḥ śṛṇuhi hūyámānaḥ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Sūkta culminates in an intense, passionate invocation where the Ṛṣi expresses complete trust in Indra's willingness to bestow immense wealth and protection. He fervently prays that Indra will not leave the devoted unfulfilled or allow them to suffer hunger in an unrefined sacrificial space. The final verses offer a tender yet powerful plea: 'Do not strike us, do not abandon us, do not rob us of our cherished joys!' The Ṛṣi then calls upon Indra to come forward eagerly to the pressed Soma, urging the vast deity to swell within the seeker's being and listen to the call just as a loving father listens to his children.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 7: Now I believe that faith has been placed in you; urge us on toward great wealth, and do not leave us, O Puruhūta, in an unready womb to hunger without sustenance.

Verse 8: Do not strike us, O Indra, do not abandon us, do not rob us of our dearest joys; smash not our vessels, O Shakra, nor our ancestral containers.

Verse 9: Come hither, drawn to the Soma; they say this pressed draught is for your exhilaration. O you of vast expansion, fill your belly with it, and like a father, listen to our call as we invoke you!

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Commentators unite in seeing this as a high point of personal devotion (bhakti) within the Rigveda, where the majestic warrior-god becomes an intimate, compassionate parent figure.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 7

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
श्रत्	śrat	faith, trust
वृषा	vṛṣā	abundant, showering, potent
पुरुहूत	puruhūta	invoked by many
क्षुध्यद्भ्यः	kṣudhyadhbhyaḥ	to those who are hungry

Verse 8

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
वधीः	vadhīḥ	smite, slay, injure
मघमन्	maghavan	O bounteous one
शक्र	śakra	O mighty one
पात्रा	pātrā	vessels, cups

Verse 9

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
अर्वाङ्	arvāṅ	hither, turned toward
सोमकामम्	somakāmam	desiring Soma
उरुव्यचाः	uruvyacāḥ	all-pervading, of vast expanse
पितेव	piteva	like a father

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a loving father lifting his eager child into his arms and offering a sweet cup of nourishment—Indra embracing the devoted seeker.