Verses 1, 2, 3
कदि॒त्था नॄँः पात्रं॑ देवय॒तां श्रव॒द्गिरो॒ अंगि॑रसां तुर॒ण्यन् । प्र यदान॒ड्विश॒ आ ह॒र्म्यस्यो॒रु क्रं॑सते अध्व॒रे यज॑त्रः ॥
káditthā́ nṝ́m̐ḥ pā́tram devayatā́m śrávadgíro áṅgirasām turaṇyán ǀ prá yádā́naḍvíśa ā́ harmyásyorú kraṃsate adhvaré yájatraḥ ǁ
स्तंभी॑द्ध॒ द्यां स ध॒रुणं॑ प्रुषायदृ॒भुर्वाजा॑य॒ द्रवि॑णं॒ नरो॒ गोः । अनु॑ स्व॒जां म॑हि॒षश्च॑क्षत॒ व्रां मेना॒मश्व॑स्य॒ परि॑ मा॒तरं॒ गोः ॥
stámbhīddha dyā́m sá dharúṇam pruṣāyadṛbhúrvā́jāya dráviṇam náro góḥ ǀ ánu svajā́m mahiṣáścakṣata vrā́m ménāmáśvasya pári mātáram góḥ ǁ
नक्ष॒द्धव॑मरु॒णीः पू॒र्व्यं राट् तु॒रो वि॒शामंगि॑रसा॒मनु॒ द्यून् । तक्ष॒द्वज्रं॒ नियु॑तं त॒स्तंभ॒द्द्यां चतु॑ष्पदे॒ नर्या॑य द्वि॒पादे॑ ॥
nákṣaddhávamaruṇī́ḥ pūrvyám rā́ṭ turó viśā́máṅgirasāmánu dyū́n ǀ tákṣadvájram níyutam tastámbhaddyā́m cátuṣpade náryāya dvipā́de ǁ
We begin our journey into this powerful hymn by witnessing the dynamic interplay between the human seeker and the cosmic majesty of Indra. The Ṛṣi invokes the deity as one who hears the song of the devoted Angirases, swiftly descending into the ritual enclosure. Indra is not a distant ruler; he is an active, surging presence who props up the very vault of heaven and disperses divine light. In these opening verses, the imagery shifts rapidly between cosmic architecture and ritual intimacy. Indra props up the dharuṇa (the cosmic foundation) and showers riches upon the righteous. He crafts the vajra—his weapon of luminous force—and establishes order for both two-legged and four-legged creatures, demonstrating his universal sovereignty and care.
Verse 1: Swiftly rushing, does he hear the song of the devoted Angirases, the vessel of those who seek the divine? When he reaches the settlements of the sacred hall, the majestic one strides forth wide into the sacrifice.
Verse 2: He propped up heaven, he rained down the foundation, the Ṛbhu yielding wealth of cattle for the prize. The majestic bull looked upon his self-born splendour, the mother and the mistresses of the steed and cow.
Verse 3: The king of the clans, swift, reached the call of the ruddy dawns along the days of the Angirases. He fashioned the hundredfold vajra and propped up heaven for every two-footed and four-footed being.
The translation adheres to the philological roots established by tradition, viewing terms like 'ṛbhu' not just as the deities of artifice, but as an epithet of Indra's skill. Sāyaṇa interprets these verses through the lens of ritual victory and cosmic support.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पात्रम् | pātram | vessel, receptacle |
| देवयताम् | devayatām | of those seeking the divine |
| अङ्गिरसाम् | aṅgirasām | of the Angirases, ancient seers |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्तम्भीत् | stambhīt | he propped up, supported |
| धरुणम् | dharuṇam | support, foundation |
| ऋभुः | ṛbhuḥ | wise, clever, inventive (referring to Indra) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| नक्षत् | nakṣat | he reached, attained |
| वज्रम् | vajram | thunderbolt, adamantine weapon |
| नर्याय | naryāya | beneficial to men, manly |
Picture a celestial architect propping up the starry roof of the world with one hand while forging a blazing diamond thunderbolt with the other.
Verses 4, 5, 6, 7
अ॒स्य मदे॑ स्व॒र्यं॑ दा ऋ॒तायापी॑वृतमु॒स्रिया॑णा॒मनी॑कं । यद्ध॑ प्र॒सर्गे॑ त्रिक॒कुम्नि॒वर्त॒दप॒ द्रुहो॒ मानु॑षस्य॒ दुरो॑ वः ॥
asyá máde svaryám dā ṛtā́yā́pīvṛtamusríyāṇāmánīkam ǀ yáddha prasárge trikakúmnivártadápa drúho mā́nuṣasya dúro vaḥ ǁ
तुभ्यं॒ पयो॒ यत्पि॒तरा॒वनी॑तां॒ राधः॑ सु॒रेत॑स्तु॒रणे॑ भुर॒ण्यू । शुचि॒ यत्ते॒ रेक्ण॒ आय॑जंत सब॒र्दुघा॑याः॒ पय॑ उ॒स्रिया॑याः ॥
túbhyam páyo yátpitárāvánītām rā́dhaḥ surétasturáṇe bhuraṇyū́ ǀ śúci yátte rékṇa ā́yajanta sabardúghāyāḥ páya usríyāyāḥ ǁ
अध॒ प्र ज॑ज्ञे त॒रणि॑र्ममत्तु॒ प्र रो॑च्य॒स्या उ॒षसो॒ न सूरः॑ । इंदु॒र्येभि॒राष्ट॒ स्वेदु॑हव्यैः स्रु॒वेण॑ सिं॒चंज॒रणा॒भि धाम॑ ॥
ádha prá jajñe taráṇirmamattu prá rocyasyā́ uṣáso ná sū́raḥ ǀ índuryébhirā́ṣṭa svéduhavyaiḥ sruvéṇa siñcáñjaráṇābhí dhā́ma ǁ
स्वि॒ध्मा यद्व॒नधि॑तिरप॒स्यात्सूरो॑ अध्व॒रे परि॒ रोध॑ना॒ गोः । यद्ध॑ प्र॒भासि॒ कृत्व्याँ॒ अनु॒ द्यूनन॑र्विशे प॒श्विषे॑ तु॒राय॑ ॥
svidhmā́ yádvanádhitirapasyā́tsū́ro adhvaré pári ródhanā góḥ ǀ yáddha prabhā́si kṛ́tvyām̐ ánu dyū́nánarviśe paśvíṣe turā́ya ǁ
Intoxicated by the soma juice, Indra becomes the catalyst for cosmic revelation. The Ṛṣi speaks of the 'madhu' or sweet ecstasy that unleashes the hidden streams of light, breaking open the doors of darkness and liberating the cows of dawn. This act emphasizes the dynamic synergy between human ritual action and divine outpouring. The cosmic machinery responds to the vibrant energy of the sacrifice. Heaven and earth act as nurturing parents, offering their rich milk to the deity. The rapid movement of the sun and the fiery surge of the soma establish a rhythm of perpetual renewal, empowering the seeker with spiritual vigor.
Verse 4: In his intoxication, he gave the luminous realm for Ṛta, revealing the hidden front of the radiant ones. When in motion, the triple-peaked one turned back, pushing away the doors of human deceit.
Verse 5: To you, two parents brought the milky stream, rich in seed, swift, and busy with bounty. Pure is the wealth they sacrificed to you—the milk of the overflowing, radiant cow.
Verse 6: Then the swift one was born to rejoice, shining forth like the sun of the dawn. The drop of soma, with your self-made oblations, sprinkled the divine abode with the ladle.
Verse 7: When the woodman of good fuel wrought his work at the sun's sacrifice around the cow's enclosures, when you shine forth through the skilful days unto the swift one who seeks no enemy.
Sri Aurobindo often interprets the 'cows' (goḥ / usriyā) in these verses as psychological symbols of higher illumination and intuitive knowledge hidden by darkness, which Indra liberates.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मदे | made | in exhilaration, in intoxication (by soma) |
| ऋताय | ṛtāya | for the sake of cosmic order (Ṛta) |
| त्रिककुप् | trikakup | triple-peaked, having three angles |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पितरौ | pitarau | the two parents (Heaven and Earth) |
| सुरेतः | suretaḥ | rich in seed, fertile |
| सबर्दुघायाः | sabardughāyāḥ | yielding milk, bountiful |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| तरणिः | taraṇiḥ | swift, active, energetic |
| इन्दुः | induḥ | drop, glowing drop of soma |
| स्रुवेण | sruveṇa | with the sacrificial ladle |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वनधितिः | vanadhitiḥ | woodman, axe |
| अपस्यात् | apasyāt | performed sacred work |
| रोधना | rodhanā | enclosures, barriers |
Imagine a golden chalice overflowing with liquid light, pouring vitality into the cosmic hearth as dawn breaks over the horizon.
Verses 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
अ॒ष्टा म॒हो दि॒व आदो॒ हरी॑ इ॒ह द्यु॑म्ना॒साह॑म॒भि यो॑धा॒न उत्सं॑ । हरिं॒ यत्ते॑ मं॒दिनं॑ दु॒क्षन्वृ॒धे गोर॑भस॒मद्रि॑भिर्वा॒ताप्यं॑ ॥
aṣṭā́ mahó divá ā́do hárī ihá dyumnāsā́hamabhí yodhāná útsam ǀ hárim yátte mandínam dukṣánvṛdhé górabhasamádribhirvātā́pyam ǁ
त्वमा॑य॒सं प्रति॑ वर्तयो॒ गोर्दि॒वो अश्मा॑न॒मुप॑नीत॒मृभ्वा॑ । कुत्सा॑य॒ यत्र॑ पुरुहूत व॒न्वंछुष्ण॑मनं॒तैः प॑रि॒यासि॑ व॒धैः ॥
tvámāyasám práti vartayo górdivó áśmānamúpanītamṛ́bhvā ǀ kútsāya yátra puruhūta vanváñchúṣṇamanantáiḥ pariyā́si vadháiḥ ǁ
पु॒रा यत्सूर॒स्तम॑सो॒ अपी॑ते॒स्तम॑द्रिवः फलि॒गं हे॒तिम॑स्य । शुष्ण॑स्य चि॒त्परि॑हितं॒ यदोजो॑ दि॒वस्परि॒ सुग्र॑थितं॒ तदादः॑ ॥
purā́ yátsū́rastámaso ápītestámadrivaḥ phaligám hetímasya ǀ śúṣṇasya citpárihitam yádójo diváspári súgrathitam tádā́daḥ ǁ
अनु॑ त्वा म॒ही पाज॑सी अच॒क्रे द्यावा॒क्षामा॑ मदतामिंद्र॒ कर्म॑न् । त्वं वृ॒त्रमा॒शया॑नं सि॒रासु॑ म॒हो वज्रे॑ण सिष्वपो व॒राहुं॑ ॥
ánu tvā mahī́ pā́jasī acakré dyā́vākṣā́mā madatāmindra kárman ǀ tvám vṛtrámāśáyānam sirā́su mahó vájreṇa siṣvapo varā́hum ǁ
त्वमिं॑द्र॒ नर्यो॒ याँ अवो॒ नॄंतिष्ठा॒ वात॑स्य सु॒युजो॒ वहि॑ष्ठान् । यं ते॑ का॒व्य उ॒शना॑ मं॒दिनं॒ दाद्वृ॑त्र॒हणं॒ पार्यं॑ ततक्ष॒ वज्रं॑ ॥
tvámindra náryo yā́m̐ ávo nṝ́ntíṣṭhā vā́tasya suyújo váhiṣṭhān ǀ yám te kāvyá uśánā mandínam dā́dvṛtraháṇam pā́ryam tatakṣa vájram ǁ
त्वं सूरो॑ ह॒रितो॑ रामयो॒ नॄन्भर॑च्च॒क्रमेत॑शो॒ नायमिं॑द्र । प्रास्य॑ पा॒रं न॑व॒तिं ना॒व्या॑ना॒मपि॑ क॒र्तम॑वर्त॒योऽय॑ज्यून् ॥
tvám sū́ro haríto rāmayo nṝ́nbháraccakrámétaśo nā́yámindra ǀ prā́sya pārám navatím nāvyā́nāmápi kartámavartayó’yajyūn ǁ
Here the hymn reaches its dramatic climax: the great battles of Indra. The Ṛṣi recounts how Indra harnesses his bay steeds (harī), shatters the stony fortresses of the demon Śuṣṇa, and brings victory to his earthly friend and protégé, Kutsa. Indra's intervention is decisive and absolute; he rolls back the iron wheel of heaven and strikes down the ungodly. The poetry here is intensely heroic. Indra uses his adamantine weapon to extract the hidden power of Śuṣṇa, casting down obstacles and sweeping away those who refuse the sacred path (ayajyūn). The imagery of the chariot wheeling across the sky and subduing the solar horses illustrates Indra's total mastery over time and cosmic order.
Verse 8: Taking the two bay steeds from the heights of heaven, here you fought the fountain that conquers renown. They churned your exhilarating golden soma to increase your force, storm-like and wind-swept with stones.
Verse 9: You turned the iron stone of heaven, brought near by the master artisan, O wise one, where for Kutsa, much-invoked, striving, you overwhelm Śuṣṇa with endless blows.
Verse 10: Before the sun had passed through the darkness, you took away that missile of his, O wielder of the stone, and that power of Śuṣṇa tightly wrapped, secured from heaven.
Verse 11: Two mighty expanses surrounded you; let Heaven and Earth rejoice in your action, O Indra. You put to sleep Vṛtra, who lay across the channels, the great serpent, with your mighty vajra.
Verse 13: You held back the bay steeds of the sun, and the heroes; like Etaśa, you bore the wheel, O Indra. Across ninety navigable streams you drove the godless ones down into the abyss.
Traditional commentators like Sāyaṇa explain these battles as historical or mythological feats against specific asuras (Śuṣṇa, Vṛtra). Modern psychological readings view these monsters as personifications of ignorance and egoistic withholding.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| हरी | harī | the two bay horses of Indra |
| उत्सम् | utsam | spring, fountain, source |
| अद्रिभिः | adribhiḥ | with pressing stones (for soma) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| आयसम् | āyasam | made of iron or metal |
| कुत्साय | kutsāya | for the sage Kutsa |
| शुष्णम् | śuṣṇam | Śuṣṇa (the drought demon) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| फलिगम् | phaligam | missile, weapon |
| हेतिम् | hetim | missile, weapon, dart |
| सुग्रथितम् | sugrathitam | tightly knotted, well-bound |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पाजसी | pājasī | two expanses, firmaments |
| द्यावाक्षामा | dyāvākṣāmā | Heaven and Earth |
| वराहुम् | varāhum | boar-like serpent or demon |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| नर्यः | naryaḥ | manly, beneficent to men |
| वहिष्ठान् | vahiṣṭhān | best-bearing, swiftest |
| उशना | uśanā | Uśanā Kavya (ancient sage-seer) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| हरितः | haritaḥ | tawny steeds (of the sun) |
| एतशः | etaśaḥ | Etaśa (the sun's steed) |
| अयज्यून् | ayajyūn | those who do not sacrifice, the impious |
Picture a cosmic chariot crashing through dark storm-clouds, crushing drought and falsehood beneath its iron wheels as light bursts forth.
Verses 14, 15
त्वं नो॑ अ॒स्या इं॑द्र दु॒र्हणा॑याः पा॒हि व॑ज्रिवो दुरि॒ताद॒भीके॑ । प्र नो॒ वाजा॑न्र॒थ्यो॒३॒॑ अश्व॑बुध्यानि॒षे यं॑धि॒ श्रव॑से सू॒नृता॑यै ॥
tvám no asyā́ indra durháṇāyāḥ pāhí vajrivo duritā́dabhī́ke ǀ prá no vā́jānrathyó áśvabudhyāniṣé yandhi śrávase sūnṛ́tāyai ǁ
मा सा ते॑ अ॒स्मत्सु॑म॒तिर्वि द॑स॒द्वाज॑प्रमहः॒ समिषो॑ वरंत । आ नो॑ भज मघव॒न्गोष्व॒र्यो मंहि॑ष्ठास्ते सध॒मादः॑ स्याम ॥
mā́ sā́ te asmátsumatírví dasadvā́japramahaḥ sámíṣo varanta ǀ ā́ no bhaja maghavangóṣvaryó máṃhiṣṭhāste sadhamā́daḥ syāma ǁ
The hymn concludes with a tender and earnest plea for divine protection and lasting grace. Having witnessed Indra's cosmic might and victory over darkness, the Ṛṣi turns inward, asking the thunder-wielder to guard the community from harm and to lead them safely through close dangers. The final verses are a prayer for holistic abundance—for horses, energetic vitality (vājas), and sweet expression (sūnṛtā). The Ṛṣi desires above all that Indra's benevolent wisdom (sumati) never fade and that the worshippers may forever sit together as joyous companions sharing in the divine bounty.
Verse 14: Protect us, O Indra, from this malice, O wielder of the vajra, from distress in the close encounter. Send forth to us vigor, driven by horses, for refreshment, for glory, and for truthful speech.
Verse 15: May that good mind of yours not depart from us, O lord of mighty force; may the refreshments surround us. Grant us a share in the cattle, O bountiful one; may we be your most generous companions in joy.
Sāyaṇa highlights 'sadhamādaḥ' as the state of participating in the joy of the gods through ritual offerings. The concluding verses cement the reciprocity between human devotion and divine grace.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| दुर्हणायाः | durhaṇāyāḥ | from malice, mischief |
| वज्रिवः | vajrivaḥ | O wielder of the thunderbolt |
| सूनृतायै | sūnṛtāyai | for joyous utterance, truth-speaking |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुमतिः | sumatiḥ | good will, benevolence, grace |
| वाजप्रमहः | vājapramahaḥ | rich in power, mighty in energy |
| सधमादः | sadhamādaḥ | fellow-revellers, sharing the joy together |
Visualize a circle of grateful seekers sitting around a sacred fire, holding hands and basking in the warm, protective light of a benevolent protector.