Verses 1, 2
त्वया॑ व॒यं म॑घव॒न्पूर्व्ये॒ धन॒ इंद्र॑त्वोताः सासह्याम पृतन्य॒तो व॑नु॒याम॑ वनुष्य॒तः । नेदि॑ष्ठे अ॒स्मिन्नह॒न्यधि॑ वोचा॒ नु सु॑न्व॒ते । अ॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे वि च॑येमा॒ भरे॑ कृ॒तं वा॑ज॒यंतो॒ भरे॑ कृ॒तं ॥
tváyā vayám maghavanpū́rvye dhána índratvotāḥ sāsahyāma pṛtanyató vanuyā́ma vanuṣyatáḥ ǀ nédiṣṭhe asmínnáhanyádhi vocā nú sunvaté ǀ asmínyajñé ví cayemā bháre kṛtám vājayánto bháre kṛtám ǁ
स्व॒र्जे॒षे भर॑ आ॒प्रस्य॒ वक्म॑न्युष॒र्बुधः॒ स्वस्मि॒न्नंज॑सि क्रा॒णस्य॒ स्वस्मि॒न्नंज॑सि । अह॒न्निंद्रो॒ यथा॑ वि॒दे शी॒र्ष्णाशी॑र्ष्णोप॒वाच्यः॑ । अ॒स्म॒त्रा ते॑ स॒ध्र्य॑क्संतु रा॒तयो॑ भ॒द्रा भ॒द्रस्य॑ रा॒तयः॑ ॥
svarjeṣé bhára āprásya vákmanyuṣarbúdhaḥ svásminnáñjasi krāṇásya svásminnáñjasi ǀ áhanníndro yáthā vidé śīrṣṇā́śīrṣṇopavā́cyaḥ ǀ asmatrā́ te sadhryáksantu rātáyo bhadrā́ bhadrásya rātáyaḥ ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi addresses Indra as Maghavan, the bountiful lord of wealth, seeking his divine companionship in the primordial struggles of life. The poet prays that under Indra's protection, the community may overcome all hostile forces and claim victory in the grand assemblies of life. The imagery is deeply rooted in the daily battles for spiritual and material sustenance, where the worshipper offers the pressed soma juice and expects the thunder-wielder to respond instantly, guiding them through every trial. The second verse shifts focus to the brilliant awakening of dawn and the fierce contests where Indra stands ready. The Ṛṣi describes Indra as one who is praised at every turn and whose generosity flows unconditionally to those who invoke him. The prayer becomes an intimate plea that Indra's radiant gifts may surround the worshippers completely, sealing their triumph in both inner and outer battles.
Verse 1: Supported by you, O Maghavan, in ancient wealth-contests, may we overcome our attackers and conquer those who wish us harm; on this very closest day, speak favorably to the offerer, and in this sacrifice may we single out the victory won in battle while seeking the prize.
Verse 2: For winning the light, in the fierce clash awakened by the dawn, in each distinct movement of the achiever, Indra is recognized and praised head by head in battle; may your bounties rest close upon us, radiant gifts of the glorious one.
The translation adheres closely to Sāyaṇa's ritualistic reading while incorporating Sri Aurobindo's psychological interpretation of 'svaḥ' as the supramental sun or divine light, transforming physical battle into an inner spiritual conquest over darkness.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मघऽवन् | magha-van | Possessor of bounty, generous one (epithet of Indra) |
| इन्द्रत्वाऽऊताः | indratvā-ūtāḥ | Helped or protected by Indra |
| सुन्वते | sunvate | To the one who presses the Soma juice |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्वःऽजेषे | svaḥ-jeṣe | For winning the heavenly light or sun |
| उषःऽबुधः | uṣaḥ-budhaḥ | Awakening with the dawn |
| रातयः | rātayaḥ | Gifts, bounties, liberal grants |
Picture a fearless warrior standing at the break of dawn, raising his shield as the golden light breaks through, shouting out to Indra for an immediate victory in the arena of life.
Verses 3, 4
तत्तु प्रयः॑ प्र॒त्नथा॑ ते शुशुक्व॒नं यस्मि॑न्य॒ज्ञे वार॒मकृ॑ण्वत॒ क्षय॑मृ॒तस्य॒ वार॑सि॒ क्षयं॑ । वि तद्वो॑चे॒रध॑ द्वि॒तांतः प॑श्यंति र॒श्मिभिः॑ । स घा॑ विदे॒ अन्विंद्रो॑ ग॒वेष॑णो बंधु॒क्षिद्भ्यो॑ ग॒वेष॑णः ॥
táttú práyaḥ pratnáthā te śuśukvanám yásminyajñé vā́ramákṛṇvata kṣáyamṛtásya vā́rasi kṣáyam ǀ ví tádvocerádha dvitā́ntáḥ paśyanti raśmíbhiḥ ǀ sá ghā vide ánvíndro gavéṣaṇo bandhukṣídbhyo gavéṣaṇaḥ ǁ
नू इ॒त्था ते॑ पू॒र्वथा॑ च प्र॒वाच्यं॒ यदंगि॑रो॒भ्योऽवृ॑णो॒रप॑ व्र॒जमिंद्र॒ शिक्ष॒न्नप॑ व्र॒जं । ऐभ्यः॑ समा॒न्या दि॒शास्मभ्यं॑ जेषि॒ योत्सि॑ च । सु॒न्वद्भ्यो॑ रंधया॒ कं चि॑दव्र॒तं हृ॑णा॒यंतं॑ चिदव्र॒तं ॥
nū́ itthā́ te pūrváthā ca pravā́cyam yádáṅgirobhyó’vṛṇorápa vrajámíndra śíkṣannápa vrajám ǀ áibhyaḥ samānyā́ diśā́smábhyam jeṣi yótsi ca ǀ sunvádbhyo randhayā kám cidavratám hṛṇāyántam cidavratám ǁ
The Ṛṣi delves deeper into the mystical dimension of Indra's acts, recalling how the ancient sages established a dwelling place of cosmic truth (ṛta). This verse celebrates the eternal pact between the divine and the seer, where the radiant streams of truth flow abundantly. The poets perceive these profound mysteries through the rays of spiritual intuition, recognizing Indra as the ultimate seeker and protector of the divine herds (goveṣaṇa) for those who are bound together in sacred kinship. Continuing the legacy, the fourth verse recounts Indra's legendary feat of shattering the mountain stronghold to release the imprisoned cows for the Aṅgiras seers. The poet appeals to this ancient template of grace, asking Indra to manifest the same liberating power for the present community. Whoever walks in lawlessness or resists the divine order is cast down, while the true soma-pressers receive Indra's unwavering protection and righteous triumph.
Verse 3: This ancient delight of yours, flaming brightly in which sacrifice they made their abode the dwelling of Ṛta, you are the stream of truth; you shall declare this clearly, while they look on with rays of light, and truly Indra is the seeker of light for the finders and for the kin-bound.
Verse 4: Now indeed is this memorable deed of yours, as of old, when you opened the enclosure of cows for the Aṅgirases, O Indra, teaching us by opening the stall; grant us victory and battle by a common path, and subject to the soma-pressers any lawless one who scorns us.
Yāska and Sāyaṇa interpret the 'vraja' and 'go' primarily as physical cows and pastures captured from hostile tribes. Sri Aurobindo and modern esoteric scholars view them as symbols of higher consciousness and spiritual illumination locked within the cave of the subconscious.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋतस्य | ṛtasya | Of the cosmic order, truth, or sacred law |
| गोऽएषणः | go-eṣaṇaḥ | Seeker of cows or rays of light |
| बन्धुक्षित्ऽभ्यः | bandhukṣit-bhyaḥ | To those dwelling in kinship or friendly association |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अङ्गिरःऽभ्यः | aṅgiraḥ-bhyaḥ | To the ancient seers, the Aṅgirases |
| व्रजम् | vrajam | Enclosure, pen, or stable where cows are kept |
| अव्रतम् | avratam | Lawless, without sacred observances, hostile |
Imagine ancient doors of stone bursting open with a flash of lightning, releasing a flood of glowing white cows into a lush valley—representing the breakthrough of divine illumination into the human mind.
Verses 5, 6
सं यज्जना॒न् क्रतु॑भिः॒ शूर॑ ई॒क्षय॒द्धने॑ हि॒ते त॑रुषंत श्रव॒स्यवः॒ प्र य॑क्षंत श्रव॒स्यवः॑ । तस्मा॒ आयुः॑ प्र॒जाव॒दिद्बाधे॑ अर्चं॒त्योज॑सा । इंद्र॑ ओ॒क्यं॑ दिधिषंत धी॒तयो॑ दे॒वाँ अच्छा॒ न धी॒तयः॑ ॥
sám yájjánān krátubhiḥ śū́ra īkṣáyaddháne hité taruṣanta śravasyávaḥ prá yakṣanta śravasyávaḥ ǀ tásmā ā́yuḥ prajā́vadídbā́dhe arcantyójasā ǀ índra okyám didhiṣanta dhītáyo devā́m̐ ácchā ná dhītáyaḥ ǁ
यु॒वं तमिं॑द्रापर्वता पुरो॒युधा॒ यो नः॑ पृत॒न्यादप॒ तंत॒मिद्ध॑तं॒ वज्रे॑ण॒ तंत॒मिद्ध॑तं । दू॒रे च॒त्ताय॑ च्छंत्स॒द्गह॑नं॒ यदिन॑क्षत् । अ॒स्माकं॒ शत्रू॒न्परि॑ शूर वि॒श्वतो॑ द॒र्मा द॑र्षीष्ट वि॒श्वतः॑ ॥
yuvám támindrāparvatā puroyúdhā yó naḥ pṛtanyā́dápa táṃtamíddhatam vájreṇa táṃtamíddhatam ǀ dūré cattā́ya cchantsadgáhanam yádínakṣat ǀ asmā́kam śátrūnpári śūra viśváto darmā́ darṣīṣṭa viśvátaḥ ǁ
The fifth verse portrays the heroic champion uniting men through inspired wills (kratu) during critical trials, while seekers of fame strive forward in noble contests. Those who dedicate themselves to Indra are blessed with flourishing progeny and long life, surging forward with formidable spiritual energy. Their continuous prayers and luminous thoughts stream upward like devotion offered directly to all the gathered gods. The Sūkta culminates in a powerful joint invocation to Indra and Parvata—the mountain-god—as divine front-line warriors. Any force that attempts to attack the community is relentlessly smashed and shattered by Indra's thunderbolt (vajra). Whether the enemy hides in distant lands or dark, impenetrable thickets, the triumphant deity grinds them down on every side, ensuring total security for the worshippers.
Verse 5: When the hero unites men by his divine wills in the appointed prize-contest, those desiring glory strive forward; for him, he grants life rich in progeny, and with might they shine forth; like thoughts reaching out to the gods, these prayers cherish the supreme abode in Indra.
Verse 6: You two, O Indra and Parvata, fighters in the van, whoever attacks us—strike him down utterly with the vajra, strike down every single one of them! Whether he is far away or reaches the hidden thicket, crush our enemies completely on every side, O Hero!
The presence of Parvata alongside Indra in the final verse highlights the archaic nature of this hymn, where mountain symbolism represents stability and divine refuge, interpreted by commentators as the unshakeable foundation of spiritual practice.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| क्रतुऽभिः | kratu-bhiḥ | By wills, powers, or sacrificial rites |
| श्रवस्यवः | śravasyavaḥ | Desiring glory, fame, or divine hearing |
| प्रजाऽवत् | prajā-vat | Possessed of offspring, fertile, prosperous |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्रापर्वता | indrāparvatā | Indra and Parvata (dual compound of the deities) |
| वज्रेण | vajreṇa | With the thunderbolt or adamantine weapon |
| दर्मा | darmā | Destroyer, breaker of fortresses |
Visualize two towering mountains moving like unstoppable celestial warriors shoulder to shoulder, wielding flashes of lightning that clear away all shadows and obstacles from your path.