Verses 1, 2
म॒हश्चि॒त्त्वमिं॑द्र य॒त ए॒तान्म॒हश्चि॑दसि॒ त्यज॑सो वरू॒ता । स नो॑ वेधो म॒रुतां॑ चिकि॒त्वान्त्सु॒म्ना व॑नुष्व॒ तव॒ हि प्रेष्ठा॑ ॥
maháścittvámindra yatá etā́nmaháścidasi tyájaso varūtā́ ǀ sá no vedho marútām cikitvā́ntsumnā́ vanuṣva táva hí préṣṭhā ǁ
अयु॑ज्रंत इंद्र वि॒श्वकृ॑ष्टीर्विदा॒नासो॑ नि॒ष्षिधो॑ मर्त्य॒त्रा । म॒रुतां॑ पृत्सु॒तिर्हास॑माना॒ स्व॑र्मीळ्हस्य प्र॒धन॑स्य सा॒तौ ॥
áyujranta indra viśvákṛṣṭīrvidānā́so niṣṣídho martyatrā́ ǀ marútām pṛtsutírhā́samānā svármīḷhasya pradhánasya sātáu ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi invokes Indra as the supreme protector from heavy distress, recognizing his vastness alongside the fierce martial company of the Maruts. Indra is addressed as a dispeller of foes and a knower of divine paths, while the Maruts are pictured charging forward into battle alongside him, their fierce clash echoing across the cosmic fields of the mid-heaven. This union of the king of heaven and the storm-gods represents the supreme coordination of divine will and kinetic energy needed to break open stubborn obstacles in both external life and inner consciousness. The dynamic imagery reflects the raw power of the monsoon storm, yet beneath the meteorological description lies a profound psychological reality. The seeker recognizes that to overcome deep-seated ignorance and rigid mental barriers, one requires not just quiet reflection, but the storm-like, cleansing energy of divine aspiration working in tandem with the supreme lord of the luminous mind.
Verse 1: Thou, O Indra, art great even among the great, the protector against every oppressive hindrance; do thou, O Knower of paths, together with the Maruts, choose our offerings, for thy grace is most beloved.
Verse 2: Unto thee, O Indra, have all creatures yoked themselves in understanding, casting away adversaries; and the battle-rush of the Maruts shines forth in the winning of the great prize of light.
Sāyaṇa interprets these verses in terms of ritual warfare and royal victory over earthly enemies. Sri Aurobindo, however, reads the 'battle' (pṛtsuti) and 'prize' (sāti) as the inner spiritual conflict against darkness and the winning of the solar wealth of illumination.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | O Indra, leader of the luminous forces |
| वरूता | varūtā | Protector, defender |
| मरुताम् | marutām | Of the Maruts, the storm deities |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | O Indra |
| विश्वकृष्टीः | viśvakṛṣṭīḥ | All peoples or created beings |
| सातौ | sātau | In the winning, acquisition (of the prize) |
Imagine a titanic general riding a golden chariot through the thunderheads, flanked by an army of roaring storm-warriors who sweep away all opposition in a blinding flash of lightning.
Verses 3, 4
अम्य॒क्सा त॑ इंद्र ऋ॒ष्टिर॒स्मे सने॒म्यभ्वं॑ म॒रुतो॑ जुनंति । अ॒ग्निश्चि॒द्धि ष्मा॑त॒से शु॑शु॒क्वानापो॒ न द्वी॒पं दध॑ति॒ प्रयां॑सि ॥
ámyaksā́ ta indra ṛṣṭírasmé sánemyábhvam marúto junanti ǀ agníściddhí ṣmātasé śuśukvā́nā́po ná dvīpám dádhati práyāṃsi ǁ
त्वं तू न॑ इंद्र॒ तं र॒यिं दा॒ ओजि॑ष्ठया॒ दक्षि॑णयेव रा॒तिं । स्तुत॑श्च॒ यास्ते॑ च॒कनं॑त वा॒योः स्तनं॒ न मध्वः॑ पीपयंत॒ वाजैः॑ ॥
tvám tū́ na indra tám rayím dā ójiṣṭhayā dákṣiṇayeva rātím ǀ stútaśca yā́ste cakánanta vāyóḥ stánam ná mádhvaḥ pīpayanta vā́jaiḥ ǁ
The Ṛṣi speaks of Indra’s infallible weapon—the ṛṣṭi or spear of light—striking down the monstrous forces of obstruction, while the Maruts urge on the divine impulse. Like Agni blazing fiercely within the forest thicket, the divine flame consumes the dry wood of human limitation, while the nourishing streams of heavenly sweetness flow down like rivers rushing to an island of refuge. Following this cosmic clearing, the seeker begs Indra for the highest bounty, an enriching, powerful grace comparable to a generous gift given at a sacred sacrifice. This divine abundance is said to fatten and nourish the seeker's inner life just as the udder of Vāyu (or the wind-god's nourishing milk) is swollen with rich honey by the vibrant forces of dynamic energy.
Verse 3: Straight and true is that spear of thine, O Indra; the Maruts urge on the immense power. Like Agni blazing in the forest thicket, they deposit rich nourishment as waters nourish an island.
Verse 4: Do thou, O Indra, grant us that supreme wealth, a gift most potent like a priestly fee; and may our praises, delighting thee, swell with honeyed vigor like the udder of the wind.
Traditional commentators take the physical imagery of the forest fire and milked udder quite literally as symbols of ritual abundance. Psychological interpreters view the 'forest' as the tangle of worldly desires and the 'milk' as the pure secretions of spiritual bliss (ānanda).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋष्टिः | ṛṣṭiḥ | Spear, lance, weapon |
| मरुतः | marutaḥ | The Maruts |
| अग्निः | agniḥ | The divine flame |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रयिम् | rayim | Wealth, treasure |
| दक्षिणया | dakṣiṇayā | With sacrificial fee/right inclination |
| मध्वः | madhvaḥ | Of honey, sweetness |
Picture a lightning bolt striking a dense jungle, burning away the underbrush and leaving behind a fertile, well-watered island lush with sweet fruits.
Verses 5, 6
त्वे राय॑ इंद्र तो॒शत॑माः प्रणे॒तारः॒ कस्य॑ चिदृता॒योः । ते षु णो॑ म॒रुतो॑ मृळयंतु॒ ये स्मा॑ पु॒रा गा॑तू॒यंती॑व दे॒वाः ॥
tvé rā́ya indra tośátamāḥ praṇetā́raḥ kásya cidṛtāyóḥ ǀ té ṣú ṇo marúto mṛḷayantu yé smā purā́ gātūyántīva devā́ḥ ǁ
प्रति॒ प्र या॑हींद्र मी॒ळ्हुषो॒ नॄन्म॒हः पार्थि॑वे॒ सद॑ने यतस्व । अध॒ यदे॑षां पृथुबु॒ध्नास॒ एता॑स्ती॒र्थे नार्यः पौंस्या॑नि त॒स्थुः ॥
práti prá yāhīndra mīḷhúṣo nṝ́nmaháḥ pā́rthive sádane yatasva ǀ ádha yádeṣām pṛthubudhnā́sa étāstīrthé nā́ryáḥ páuṃsyāni tasthúḥ ǁ
Indra is recognized as the supreme source of boundless treasures and the foremost guide for anyone who walks the path of ṛta (cosmic truth and moral law). The Maruts are invoked once again to bring bliss and healing to the mortal worshipper, acting as ancient pathfinders who open up the hidden tracks to the divine realms. In the subsequent verse, Indra is called upon to move forward toward the noble men who maintain the vast foundations of the earth, visiting the sacred ford (tīrtha) where heroic powers are fully established. Here, the earthly and the divine meet at the crossing-place of spiritual endeavor, where human capability rises to touch the infinite.
Verse 5: In thee, O Indra, are treasures most abounding, leaders of every seeker of truth; do those Maruts grant us bliss, who of old moved like gods showing the way.
Verse 6: Forward, advance, O Indra, toward the bountiful men; array thyself in the great earthly seat. When their broad-based heroic energies stand firm at the sacred ford like noble guides.
Sāyaṇa defines the 'earthly seat' as the sacrificial altar and the 'tīrtha' as the ritual bathing place. Aurobindo sees the 'tīrtha' as the passage through the waters of existence where spiritual heroes establish their divine strength.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रायः | rāyaḥ | Riches, treasures |
| ऋतायोः | ṛtāyoḥ | Of the seeker of truth (ṛta) |
| मृळयन्तु | mṛḷayantu | May they show mercy, grant bliss |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | O Indra |
| पार्थिभे सदने | pārthive sadane | In the earthly seat/mansion |
| तीर्थे | tīrthe | At the sacred crossing place or ford |
Visualize a clear mountain stream with a safe stone crossing (tīrtha), where weary travelers wash away their dust and find their path illuminated by guiding torches.
Verses 7, 8
प्रति॑ घो॒राणा॒मेता॑नाम॒यासां॑ म॒रुतां॑ शृण्व आय॒तामु॑प॒ब्दिः । ये मर्त्यं॑ पृतना॒यंत॒मूमै॑र्ऋणा॒वानं॒ न प॒तयं॑त॒ सर्गैः॑ ॥
práti ghorā́ṇāmétānāmayā́sām marútām śṛṇva āyatā́mupabdíḥ ǀ yé mártyam pṛtanāyántamū́mairṛṇāvā́nam ná patáyanta sárgaiḥ ǁ
त्वं माने॑भ्य इंद्र वि॒श्वज॑न्या॒ रदा॑ म॒रुद्भिः॑ शु॒रुधो॒ गोअ॑ग्राः । स्तवा॑नेभिः स्तवसे देव दे॒वैर्वि॒द्यामे॒षं वृ॒जनं॑ जी॒रदा॑नुं ॥
tvám mā́nebhya indra viśvájanyā rádā marúdbhiḥ śurúdho góagrāḥ ǀ stávānebhiḥ stavase deva deváirvidyā́meṣám vṛjánam jīrádānum ǁ
The hymn reaches its crescendo with the sound of the approaching Maruts—their terrifying, awe-inspiring tramp heard from afar as they fly like storm-birds against any mortal who seeks to wage war against the divine order. They hound the hostile transgressor as a sharp debt collector hounds a debtor, ensuring absolute alignment with cosmic law. In the final verse, the Ṛṣi asks Indra to carve out and open up all-conquering, life-giving treasures—specifically those whose forefronts are marked by the dawn-cows of illumination—with the help of the Maruts. Surrounded by the praises of gods and mortals alike, the seeker prays to attain the ultimate dynamic nourishment, the vital and ever-flowing energy of the spirit.
Verse 7: Heard is the trampling approach of the terrible, tireless Maruts as they fly with their surges of aid against the mortal who wages war, pursuing him like a collector of debts.
Verse 8: Do thou, O Indra, together with the Maruts, cleave open for us all-conquering streams of wealth led by the cows of light. Praised by those who praise thee, O God among gods, may we attain the life-giving, dynamic sustenance.
Sāyaṇa explains 'goagrāḥ' as bounties headed by physical cattle. The inner interpretation reads 'go' as the rays of the spiritual Sun (Surya/Usas), signifying that true wealth is the outpouring of divine illumination.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मरुताम् | marutām | Of the Maruts |
| उपब्दिः | upabdiḥ | Trampling noise, footfall |
| ऋणवानम् | ṛṇavānam | Debtor, one who owes |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| विश्वजन्या | viśvajanyā | Universal, belonging to all peoples |
| गोअग्राः | goagrāḥ | Led by cows (rays of light) |
| जीरदानुम् | jīradānum | Life-giving, quick-flowing |
Picture the heavy thunderclouds breaking open to release a golden downpour of sunlight and rain upon thirsty fields, bringing forth an abundant harvest of golden grain.