Verses 1, 2
एंद्र॑ या॒ह्युप॑ नः परा॒वतो॒ नायमच्छा॑ वि॒दथा॑नीव॒ सत्प॑ति॒रस्तं॒ राजे॑व॒ सत्प॑तिः । हवा॑महे त्वा व॒यं प्रय॑स्वंतः सु॒ते सचा॑ । पु॒त्रासो॒ न पि॒तरं॒ वाज॑सातये॒ मंहि॑ष्ठं॒ वाज॑सातये ॥
éndra yāhyúpa naḥ parāváto nā́yámácchā vidáthānīva sátpatirástam rā́jeva sátpatiḥ ǀ hávāmahe tvā vayám práyasvantaḥ suté sácā ǀ putrā́so ná pitáram vā́jasātaye máṃhiṣṭham vā́jasātaye ǁ
पिबा॒ सोम॑मिंद्र सुवा॒नमद्रि॑भिः॒ कोशे॑न सि॒क्तम॑व॒तं न वंस॑गस्तातृषा॒णो न वंस॑गः । मदा॑य हर्य॒ताय॑ ते तु॒विष्ट॑माय॒ धाय॑से । आ त्वा॑ यच्छंतु ह॒रितो॒ न सूर्य॒महा॒ विश्वे॑व॒ सूर्यं॑ ॥
píbā sómamindra suvānámádribhiḥ kóśena siktámavatám ná váṃsagastātṛṣāṇó ná váṃsagaḥ ǀ mádāya haryatā́ya te tuvíṣṭamāya dhā́yase ǀ ā́ tvā yacchantu haríto ná sū́ryamáhā víśveva sū́ryam ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi summons Indra from the distant realms of the cosmos, urging him to cross the vast expanse just as a loving father answers the call of his children. The imagery is deeply domestic yet cosmic: Indra is envisioned as the great lord of beings (satpati), descending swiftly like a king returning to his ancestral home. The pressing of the Soma is described with urgent devotion. Just as a thirsty, mighty bull rushes eagerly toward a hidden spring filled with cool water, Indra is implored to drink deep of the flowing Soma, stimulated by the grinding stones. To complete this breathtaking arrival, the golden-maned horses of Indra—the Harits—sweep down from the skies, enveloping the sacrifice just as sunlight continually embraces and illuminates the solar orb. The dynamic energy of the deity is palpable; he is not a distant, passive idol, but a living, thundering force of divine intoxication and spiritual sustenance, rushing into the inner arena of the human heart where the sacrifice is offered.
Verse 1: Come, Indra, unto us from the vast distances, like a true lord to his home, like a king to his seat; we invoke you, laden with oblations, as children call upon a father for the winning of booty.
Verse 2: Drink the Soma, Indra, pressed by the stones, poured from the skin like a thirsty bull rushing to a water-spring, for your joyous and most potent sustenance; let your radiant steeds bring you here as the days encompass the sun.
The translation closely follows traditional renderings by Sāyaṇa, who interprets 'vatam' as a well and 'vaṃsagaḥ' as a bull. Symbolically, Aurobindo views the flowing Soma as the cascading streams of delight descending from the higher mental realms into the physical vessel.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | Indra, the king of gods and master of divine power |
| परावतः | parāvataḥ | from the distance, from afar |
| सत्पतिः | satpatiḥ | lord of beings or true lord |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सोमम् | somam | Soma, the divine elixir of ecstasy and immortality |
| अवतुम् | avatam | water-spring or well |
| हरितः | haritaḥ | the yellow or golden-red steeds of Indra |
Picture a magnificent, thirsty stallion galloping across the horizon toward a rushing mountain stream at sunset — that is Indra charging toward the Soma offering.
Verses 3, 4
अविं॑दद्दि॒वो निहि॑तं॒ गुहा॑ नि॒धिं वेर्न गर्भं॒ परि॑वीत॒मश्म॑न्यनं॒ते अं॒तरश्म॑नि । व्र॒जं व॒ज्री गवा॑मिव॒ सिषा॑स॒न्नंगि॑रस्तमः । अपा॑वृणो॒दिष॒ इंद्रः॒ परी॑वृता॒ द्वार॒ इषः॒ परी॑वृताः ॥
ávindaddivó níhitam gúhā nidhím vérná gárbham párivītamáśmanyananté antáráśmani ǀ vrajám vajrī́ gávāmiva síṣāsannáṅgirastamaḥ ǀ ápāvṛṇodíṣa índraḥ párīvṛtā dvā́ra íṣaḥ párīvṛtāḥ ǁ
दा॒दृ॒हा॒णो वज्र॒मिंद्रो॒ गभ॑स्त्योः॒ क्षद्मे॑व ति॒ग्ममस॑नाय॒ सं श्य॑दहि॒हत्या॑य॒ सं श्य॑त् । सं॒वि॒व्या॒न ओज॑सा॒ शवो॑भिरिंद्र म॒ज्मना॑ । तष्टे॑व वृ॒क्षं व॒निनो॒ नि वृ॑श्चसि पर॒श्वेव॒ नि वृ॑श्चसि ॥
dādṛhāṇó vájramíndro gábhastyoḥ kṣádmeva tigmámásanāya sám śyadahihátyāya sám śyat ǀ saṃvivyāná ójasā śávobhirindra majmánā ǀ táṣṭeva vṛkṣám vaníno ní vṛścasi paraśvéva ní vṛścasi ǁ
Here the Ṛṣi delves into the mythic and psychological core of Indra's conquests: the shattering of the rock-bound cave to release the stolen cows and hidden waters. Indra, bearing the thunderbolt (vajrī) and possessing the ancient wisdom of the Aṅgirasas, discovers the divine treasure hidden deep within the cave of the infinite stone mountain. He opens up the sealed doors and liberates the imprisoned streams of spiritual light and sustenance. Verse 4 captures the terrifying majesty of this action. Indra holds his razor-sharp, flashing thunderbolt firmly in his hands, perfectly poised for the slaying of Vṛtra and the dismantling of obstruction. Wrapped in fierce ojas (vital energy) and divine might, he cleaves through the cosmic resistance just as a master woodcutter fells a towering forest tree with his sharp axe.
Verse 3: He found the hidden treasure of heaven placed in the secret cave, like a bird's embryo enclosed within the infinite stone; desiring to win the pen of cattle like an Aṅgiras, the wielder of the thunderbolt opened up the sealed doors of divine bounty.
Verse 4: Holding the flashing thunderbolt in his hands, sharp for the strike, he readied himself for the slaying of the enemy; robed in overwhelming might and majesty, O Indra, you cut down the resistance like a woodman felling a forest tree with an axe.
Sāyaṇa interprets the 'infinite stone' as the cloud mountains holding back water, whereas spiritual commentators like Sri Aurobindo understand the stone as the dense physical unconsciousness holding back the luminous cows of divine illumination.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| निधिम् | nidhim | treasure, deposit |
| वज्री | vajrī | the wielder of the thunderbolt (Indra) |
| अङ्गिरस्तमः | aṅgirastamaḥ | most akin to the Aṅgiras seers |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वज्रम् | vajram | the thunderbolt or diamond weapon |
| अहिहत्याय | ahihatyāya | for the slaying of Ahi (the serpent Vṛtra) |
| परश्वेव | paraśva iva | like an axe |
Visualize a master woodcutter striking the trunk of a massive ancient tree with a razor-sharp axe, splitting it wide open to reveal a stream of pure, golden honey locked inside.
Verses 5, 6
त्वं वृथा॑ न॒द्य॑ इंद्र॒ सर्त॒वेऽच्छा॑ समु॒द्रम॑सृजो॒ रथाँ॑ इव वाजय॒तो रथाँ॑ इव । इ॒त ऊ॒तीर॑युंजत समा॒नमर्थ॒मक्षि॑तं । धे॒नूरि॑व॒ मन॑वे वि॒श्वदो॑हसो॒ जना॑य वि॒श्वदो॑हसः ॥
tvám vṛ́thā nadyá indra sártavé’cchā samudrámasṛjo ráthām̐ iva vājayató ráthām̐ iva ǀ itá ūtī́rayuñjata samānámárthamákṣitam ǀ dhenū́riva mánave viśvádohaso jánāya viśvádohasaḥ ǁ
इ॒मां ते॒ वाचं॑ वसू॒यंत॑ आ॒यवो॒ रथं॒ न धीरः॒ स्वपा॑ अतक्षिषुः सु॒म्नाय॒ त्वाम॑तक्षिषुः । शुं॒भंतो॒ जेन्यं॑ यथा॒ वाजे॑षु विप्र वा॒जिनं॑ । अत्य॑मिव॒ शव॑से सा॒तये॒ धना॒ विश्वा॒ धना॑नि सा॒तये॑ ॥
imā́m te vā́cam vasūyánta āyávo rátham ná dhī́raḥ svápā atakṣiṣuḥ sumnā́ya tvā́matakṣiṣuḥ ǀ śumbhánto jényam yathā vā́jeṣu vipra vājínam ǀ átyamiva śávase sātáye dhánā víśvā dhánāni sātáye ǁ
The liberated dynamic continues in verse 5 as Indra unleashes the rivers to flow freely toward the great ocean, driving them forward like eager, racing chariots. These divine currents provide unfailing spiritual nourishment to humanity (Manu), flowing constantly like wish-fulfilling cows that yield inexhaustible milk for the seeker. In response to these grand cosmic acts, the Ṛṣis and singers craft a sublime hymn of praise—polishing and shaping their sacred speech (vāc) with the same meticulous care that a skilled carpenter employs when building a sturdy chariot. They deck out this radiant praise like a prized war-horse, offering it up to win divine strength, victory, and all forms of universal wealth.
Verse 5: You, O Indra, set the rivers free to course toward the ocean like eager racing chariots; from you they yoke their unfailing, shared purpose, yielding milk like heavenly cows to Manu, all-yielding to mankind.
Verse 6: Desiring wealth, the active seers have fashioned this speech for you as a skilled craftsman builds a chariot, shaping it for your grace; adorning you like a victorious war-horse in the assemblies, to win all forms of strength and treasure.
The metaphor of fashioning speech like a chariot is a recurring Ṛgvedic master-trope. It highlights the belief that sacred poetry is a conscious, architectural craft rather than accidental outpouring.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| समुद्रम् | samudram | the ocean or gathering place of waters |
| नद्यः | nadyaḥ | rivers or flowing streams |
| विश्वदोहसः | viśvadohasaḥ | yielding all things, all-milking |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वाचम् | vācam | speech, sacred word, or hymn |
| सुपाः | supāḥ | skilled in work, accomplished |
| वाजिनम् | vājinam | steed, spirited horse of strength |
Imagine a master carpenter carefully chiseling and polishing a royal chariot until it gleams like a champion racehorse ready for battle.
Verses 7, 8
भि॒नत्पुरो॑ नव॒तिमिं॑द्र पू॒रवे॒ दिवो॑दासाय॒ महि॑ दा॒शुषे॑ नृतो॒ वज्रे॑ण दा॒शुषे॑ नृतो । अ॒ति॒थि॒ग्वाय॒ शंब॑रं गि॒रेरु॒ग्रो अवा॑भरत् । म॒हो धना॑नि॒ दय॑मान॒ ओज॑सा॒ विश्वा॒ धना॒न्योज॑सा ॥
bhinátpúro navatímindra pūráve dívodāsāya máhi dāśúṣe nṛto vájreṇa dāśúṣe nṛto ǀ atithigvā́ya śámbaram girérugró ávābharat ǀ mahó dhánāni dáyamāna ójasā víśvā dhánānyójasā ǁ
इंद्रः॑ स॒मत्सु॒ यज॑मान॒मार्यं॒ प्राव॒द्विश्वे॑षु श॒तमू॑तिरा॒जिषु॒ स्व॑र्मीळ्हेष्वा॒जिषु॑ । मन॑वे॒ शास॑दव्र॒तांत्वचं॑ कृ॒ष्णाम॑रंधयत् । दक्ष॒न्न विश्वं॑ ततृषा॒णमो॑षति॒ न्य॑र्शसा॒नमो॑षति ॥
índraḥ samátsu yájamānamā́ryam prā́vadvíśveṣu śatámūtirājíṣu svármīḷheṣvājíṣu ǀ mánave śā́sadavratā́ntvácam kṛṣṇā́marandhayat ǀ dákṣanná víśvam tatṛṣāṇámoṣati nyárśasānámoṣati ǁ
Turning from cosmic paradigms to historical and mythic memory, the Ṛṣi recounts how Indra shattered the ninety fortress cities for Pūru and Divodāsa, the devoted sacrificers. He brought down the demon Śambara from the mountain heights for Atithigva, distributing vast cosmic treasures through his sheer, irresistible ojas. Verse 8 introduces the famous theological assertion of Indra's partiality toward the Yajamāna (sacrificer) and the Ārya. Amidst the fierce clashes of battle, Indra protects the righteous worshipper, subduing the lawless (avratān) and subjugating the dark-skinned skin (tvacam kṛṣṇām) to the visionary law of Manu, while consuming and scorching every hostile, greedy force.
Verse 7: You shattered the ninety fortresses for Pūru, O dancer Indra, with your thunderbolt for the bountiful Divodāsa; you brought down Śambara from the mountain for Atithigva, distributing vast treasures by your might, all treasures by your might.
Verse 8: Indra protects the Ārya sacrificer in all battles, with a hundred fold protections in every conflict; chastising the lawless for Manu, he subdued the dark skin, consuming every greedy adversary and scorching the malicious.
Modern historians debate the ethnic dimensions of 'tvacam kṛṣṇām', while esoteric commentators interpret it psychologically as the dark, ignorant covering of the human consciousness that must be conquered by the light of the Ārya (the spiritual aspirant).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पुरः | puraḥ | fortresses, citadels |
| दिवोदासाय | divodāsāya | for Divodāsa (the king/sacrificer) |
| वज्रेण | vajreṇa | by the thunderbolt |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| आर्यम् | āryam | the noble one, the Ārya practitioner of sacrifice |
| अव्रतान् | avratān | those devoid of ordinance, lawless |
| त्वचंकृष्णाम् | tvacam kṛṣṇām | the dark skin or envelope of obscuration |
Picture a golden champion standing firm in the center of a chaotic battlefield, raising his shield to shelter his devoted followers while sweeping away opposing shadows.
Verses 9, 10
सूर॑श्च॒क्रं प्र वृ॑हज्जा॒त ओज॑सा प्रपि॒त्वे वाच॑मरु॒णो मु॑षायतीशा॒न आ मु॑षायति । उ॒शना॒ यत्प॑रा॒वतोऽज॑गन्नू॒तये॑ कवे । सु॒म्नानि॒ विश्वा॒ मनु॑षेव तु॒र्वणि॒रहा॒ विश्वे॑व तु॒र्वणिः॑ ॥
sū́raścakrám prá vṛhajjātá ójasā prapitvé vā́camaruṇó muṣāyatīśāná ā́ muṣāyati ǀ uśánā yátparāvátó’jagannūtáye kave ǀ sumnā́ni víśvā mánuṣeva turváṇiráhā víśveva turváṇiḥ ǁ
स नो॒ नव्ये॑भिर्वृषकर्मन्नु॒क्थैः पुरां॑ दर्तः पा॒युभिः॑ पाहि श॒ग्मैः । दि॒वो॒दा॒सेभि॑रिंद्र॒ स्तवा॑नो वावृधी॒था अहो॑भिरिव॒ द्यौः ॥
sá no návyebhirvṛṣakarmannuktháiḥ púrām dartaḥ pāyúbhiḥ pāhi śagmáiḥ ǀ divodāsébhirindra stávāno vāvṛdhīthā́ áhobhiriva dyáuḥ ǁ
The final movement of the Sūkta captures the cosmic grandeur of the sun's wheel being pushed forward by Indra's newborn might. At the break of dawn, the ruddy light snatches away the veil of darkness as the sovereign lord asserts his mastery. When the sage Uśanā came from afar seeking divine help, Indra granted all forms of beatitude and triumph, outstripping all competitors just as human aspirations reach toward the divine. The Sūkta concludes with a fervent prayer of blessing. The Ṛṣi asks the great 'Vṛṣakarman' (doer of mighty deeds, crusher of citadels) to protect them with new, auspicious hymns and benevolent guardians. May Indra, continually praised by the descendants of Divodāsa, grow in majesty and strength just as the vast sky expands day by day through the revolving brilliance of the dawns.
Verse 9: You pushed forward the wheel of the sun by your mighty birth, O newborn god, and at dawn the ruddy light snatches speech away as the sovereign lord takes hold; when Uśanā came from afar for your aid, O wise one, you won all boons for Manu like a supreme conqueror.
Verse 10: Do you protect us with these new hymns, O worker of mighty deeds, destroyer of cities, with auspicious guardians; praised by the sons of Divodāsa, O Indra, may you grow in strength like the sky nourished by the days.
The final verse links the personal growth of the deity directly to the vitality of the human hymn and sacrifice, illustrating the reciprocal cosmic partnership between gods and mortals in the Ṛgvedic worldview.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| चक्रम् | cakram | wheel, disk (of the sun) |
| उशना | uśanā | Uśanā Kavya, the ancient sage-seer |
| सुम्नानि | sumnāni | graces, joys, beatitudes |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वृषकर्मन् | vṛṣakarman | doer of mighty/bull-like fecund acts |
| दिवोदासेभिः | divodāsebhiḥ | by the descendants or followers of Divodāsa |
| ववृधीथाः | vāvṛdhīthāḥ | may you grow, wax strong, increase |
Envision the great vault of the blue sky expanding infinitely with each successive sunrise, growing larger and brighter with every passing day — the very emblem of divine growth.