Verses 1, 2, 3
गाय॒त्साम॑ नभ॒न्यं१॒॑ यथा॒ वेरर्चा॑म॒ तद्वा॑वृधा॒नं स्व॑र्वत् । गावो॑ धे॒नवो॑ ब॒र्हिष्यद॑ब्धा॒ आ यत्स॒द्मानं॑ दि॒व्यं विवा॑सान् ॥
gā́yatsā́ma nabhanyám yáthā vérárcāma tádvāvṛdhānám svárvat ǀ gā́vo dhenávo barhíṣyádabdhā ā́ yátsadmā́nam divyám vívāsān ǁ
अर्च॒द्वृषा॒ वृष॑भिः॒ स्वेदु॑हव्यैर्मृ॒गो नाश्नो॒ अति॒ यज्जु॑गु॒र्यात् । प्र मं॑द॒युर्म॒नां गू॑र्त॒ होता॒ भर॑ते॒ मर्यो॑ मिथु॒ना यज॑त्रः ॥
árcadvṛ́ṣā vṛ́ṣabhiḥ svéduhavyairmṛgó nā́śno áti yájjuguryā́t ǀ prá mandayúrmanā́m gūrta hótā bhárate máryo mithunā́ yájatraḥ ǁ
नक्ष॒द्धोता॒ परि॒ सद्म॑ मि॒ता यन्भर॒द्गर्भ॒मा श॒रदः॑ पृथि॒व्याः । क्रंद॒दश्वो॒ नय॑मानो रु॒वद्गौरं॒तर्दू॒तो न रोद॑सी चर॒द्वाक् ॥
nákṣaddhótā pári sádma mitā́ yánbháradgárbhamā́ śarádaḥ pṛthivyā́ḥ ǀ krándadáśvo náyamāno ruvádgáurantárdūtó ná ródasī caradvā́k ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi initiates a vibrant invocation, setting the stage for the ascent of Indra's glory. The worshipper sings the sacred Sāman, likening the approach to a celestial bird or a divine presence entering the sacred enclosure. The imagery shifts rapidly to a cosmic scale: the milch-cows of heaven, untouched and uninjured, descend to the sacrificial grass, while the great Bull of Indra charges forward with overflowing gifts. The priest, eager and inspired, hurls his praises toward the divine, acting as a fiery messenger moving between the two worlds of earth and sky. The poetry here is thick with kinetic energy. Indra is portrayed not as a static idol, but as a dynamic force of nature—a roaring beast, a swift horse, a leader of divine hosts. The Ṛṣi captures the spiritual tension between the human supplicant on the sacrificial grass and the vast, roaring expanse of the divine realms, bridging the gap through concentrated chant and concentrated intent.
Verse 1: Singing the celestial Sāman as a divine bird, we chant to the growing, heaven-splendored One, while uninjured milk-cows of heaven arrive at the sacred grass as He reveals His divine abode.
Verse 2: The roaring Bull shines forth with his own self-milked oblations, like a wild beast that no adversary can surpass; the eager Hotṛ priest bears aloft the holy thought, a youthful and all-worshipping lord.
Verse 3: The Hotṛ priest reaches the fixed dwelling, bearing the embryo of the earth across the seasons; shouting like a proud steed, roaring like a celestial bull, his voice traverses earth and sky like a divine messenger.
Sāyaṇa interprets the 'milch cows' and 'bull' through ritualistic lenses as symbols of rain and sacrificial yields, whereas Sri Aurobindo sees them as psychological emblems of divine illumination and the streaming waters of higher consciousness.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गायत्साम | gāyat-sāma | singing the Sāman chant |
| नभन्यम् | nabhanyam | cloud-born or celestial |
| धेनवः | dhenavaḥ | milch cows, nourishing rays |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वृषा | vṛṣā | the bull, the showerer of benefits |
| मृगः | mṛgaḥ | wild beast, roaming majestic creature |
| यजत्रः | yajatraḥ | worthy of worship, adorable |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| होता | hotā | the invoking priest |
| अश्वः | aśvaḥ | horse, symbol of swift vital energy |
| रोदसी | rodasī | the two worlds, heaven and earth |
Picture a majestic stallion charging across the horizon while a golden stream of milk pours down from the clouds—that is the sudden surge of Indra's grace entering the ritual.
Verses 4, 5, 6
ता क॒र्माष॑तरास्मै॒ प्र च्यौ॒त्नानि॑ देव॒यंतो॑ भरंते । जुजो॑ष॒दिंद्रो॑ द॒स्मव॑र्चा॒ नास॑त्येव॒ सुग्म्यो॑ रथे॒ष्ठाः ॥
tā́ karmā́ṣatarāsmai prá cyautnā́ni devayánto bharante ǀ jújoṣadíndro dasmávarcā nā́satyeva súgmyo ratheṣṭhā́ḥ ǁ
तमु॑ ष्टु॒हींद्रं॒ यो ह॒ सत्वा॒ यः शूरो॑ म॒घवा॒ यो र॑थे॒ष्ठाः । प्र॒ती॒चश्चि॒द्योधी॑या॒न्वृष॑ण्वान्वव॒व्रुष॑श्चि॒त्तम॑सो विहं॒ता ॥
támu ṣṭuhī́ndram yó ha sátvā yáḥ śū́ro maghávā yó ratheṣṭhā́ḥ ǀ pratīcáścidyódhīyānvṛ́ṣaṇvānvavavrúṣaścittámaso vihantā́ ǁ
प्र यदि॒त्था म॑हि॒ना नृभ्यो॒ अस्त्यरं॒ रोद॑सी क॒क्ष्ये॒३॒॑ नास्मै॑ । सं वि॑व्य॒ इंद्रो॑ वृ॒जनं॒ न भूमा॒ भर्ति॑ स्व॒धावाँ॑ ओप॒शमि॑व॒ द्यां ॥
prá yáditthā́ mahinā́ nṛ́bhyo ástyáram ródasī kakṣyé nā́smai ǀ sám vivya índro vṛjánam ná bhū́mā bhárti svadhā́vām̐ opaśámiva dyā́m ǁ
Now the focus turns squarely to the majestic persona of Indra as the supreme warrior and charioteer. The divine seekers bring forth mighty works and dynamic acts of devotion, hoping to please the thunder-wielder whose brilliance rivals the twin Aśvins. The Ṛṣi bursts into a direct exhortation: 'Praise that Indra who is the true hero, the bountiful maghavan, the master of the chariot!' He is the fierce combatant who shatters even the most stubborn fronts of darkness, bringing radiant light where none existed. Verse six paints an architectural picture of Indra's immense greatness. His boundless might embraces heaven and earth as easily as a girth embraces a horse, and he holds up the sky like an ornate headdress (opaśa). This vivid metaphor reminds the listener that the cosmic order is not accidental; it is actively propped up and sustained by Indra's heroic capacity to organize chaos into form.
Verse 4: The seekers of the gods bring forth surpassing deeds for Him; may Indra, glorious in wondrous works, take delight in them like the Aśvins, skilled drivers upon the chariot.
Verse 5: Praise that very Indra who is the true fighter, the hero, the bountiful lord, the charioteer—the supreme warrior against advancing foes, the showerer of boons, the dispeller of enclosing darkness.
Verse 6: When by His greatness He is a match for heaven and earth as a girth for a horse, Indra encompasses the vast world and holds up the sky like a royal crown with His self-sustained power.
The translation of 'opaśa' as a head ornament or crown is well-established in traditional lexicons, though modern anthropologists also connect it to ancient hairstyles worn by Vedic nobles.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| च्यौत्नानि | cyautnāni | deeds, energetic activities |
| दस्मवर्चाः | dasma-varcāḥ | shining with wonderful powers |
| रथेष्ठाः | rathe-sthāḥ | standing on the chariot, charioteer |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सत्वा | satvā | warrior, fighter |
| मघवा | maghavā | bountiful, possessor of riches |
| विहन्ता | vi-hantā | smiter, destroyer |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| महिना | mahinā | by greatness or might |
| कक्ष्ये | kakṣye | girths, belly-bands of a horse |
| ओपशम् | opaśam | hair-knot, helmet, or decorative head ornament |
Imagine a cosmic king wearing the starry sky like a glittering crown on his head, keeping the entire universe upright with a single hand.
Verses 7, 8, 9, 10
स॒मत्सु॑ त्वा शूर स॒तामु॑रा॒णं प्र॑प॒थिंत॑मं परितंस॒यध्यै॑ । स॒जोष॑स॒ इंद्रं॒ मदे॑ क्षो॒णीः सू॒रिं चि॒द्ये अ॑नु॒मदं॑ति॒ वाजैः॑ ॥
samátsu tvā śūra satā́murāṇám prapathíntamam paritaṃsayádhyai ǀ sajóṣasa índram máde kṣoṇī́ḥ sūrím cidyé anumádanti vā́jaiḥ ǁ
ए॒वा हि ते॒ शं सव॑ना समु॒द्र आपो॒ यत्त॑ आ॒सु मदं॑ति दे॒वीः । विश्वा॑ ते॒ अनु॒ जोष्या॑ भू॒द्गौः सू॒रींश्चि॒द्यदि॑ धि॒षा वेषि॒ जना॑न् ॥
evā́ hí te śám sávanā samudrá ā́po yátta āsú mádanti devī́ḥ ǀ víśvā te ánu jóṣyā bhūdgáuḥ sūrī́ṃścidyádi dhiṣā́ véṣi jánān ǁ
असा॑म॒ यथा॑ सुष॒खाय॑ एन स्वभि॒ष्टयो॑ न॒रां न शंसैः॑ । अस॒द्यथा॑ न॒ इंद्रो॑ वंदने॒ष्ठास्तु॒रो न कर्म॒ नय॑मान उ॒क्था ॥
ásāma yáthā suṣakhā́ya ena svabhiṣṭáyo narā́m ná śáṃsaiḥ ǀ ásadyáthā na índro vandaneṣṭhā́sturó ná kárma náyamāna ukthā́ ǁ
विष्प॑र्धसो न॒रां न शंसै॑र॒स्माका॑स॒दिंद्रो॒ वज्र॑हस्तः । मि॒त्रा॒युवो॒ न पूर्प॑तिं॒ सुशि॑ष्टौ मध्या॒युव॒ उप॑ शिक्षंति य॒ज्ञैः ॥
víṣpardhaso narā́m ná śáṃsairasmā́kāsadíndro vájrahastaḥ ǀ mitrāyúvo ná pū́rpatim súśiṣṭau madhyāyúva úpa śikṣanti yajñáiḥ ǁ
In this expansive central movement, the Ṛṣi explores the intimate camaraderie between mortals and the divine. In battle and in ritual, Indra is called upon to stand forth as the foremost guide. The metaphor of the ocean appears: the soma libations are like a great sea, and the divine waters rejoice within it. Indra’s joy becomes the joy of the sages, who revel in his bountiful gifts of energy (vājas). The Ṛṣi yearns for true friendship with the deity, praying that humans and Indra may walk together as supreme comrades, steadfast in aspiration and eloquent in prayer. Like allies rushing to protect a fortress, the worshippers approach Indra—the wielder of the vajra—with sacred chants and devoted sacrifices, seeking the ultimate security that only divine alignment provides.
Verse 7: In battles, O hero, adorn yourself as the supreme protector of the righteous, the foremost path-finder; and may the joyous earth-layers, along with the wise, rejoice in Indra with wealth and vigor.
Verse 8: Truly, your pressed drinks are a soothing ocean when the divine waters rejoice in you; may all auspicious things be yours, O radiant cow of light, as you graciously attend upon the wise patrons and men.
Verse 9: May we become true, close friends through these praises, firm in our aspiration like noble men; and may Indra ever be our charioteer in worship, swift to lead us onward in our sacred work and hymns.
Verse 10: May Indra of the thunderbolt-hand be ours, rivaling the prayers of noble men; seeking alliance like protectors of a fortress, those yearning for union approach Him closely with sacrifices.
The imagery of 'Pūḥ-pati' (lord of the stronghold) reflects both the literal defense of Aryan settlements and the mystical protection of the inner citadel of the human soul against hostile psychological forces.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| समत्सु | samatsu | in battles or clashes |
| प्रपथिन्तमम् | prapathin-tamam | the most expert guide on the path |
| सूरिम् | sūrim | patron, wise master, enlightened one |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सवन | savana | soma pressing, ritual libation |
| समुद्रे | samudre | in the ocean, the vast collection |
| जोष्य | joṣyā | desirable, a source of delight |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुसखायः | su-sakhāyaḥ | good friends, true companions |
| सुअभिष्टयः | su-abhiṣṭayaḥ | well-guided, successful in reaching goals |
| वन्दनेस्थाः | vandane-sthāḥ | standing at the place of praise |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वज्रहस्तः | vajra-hastaḥ | thunderbolt in hand |
| पूर्पतिम् | pūḥ-patim | lord of the stronghold or city |
| मित्रयुवः | mitra-yuvaḥ | seeking friendship or alliance |
Picture two lifelong friends walking arm-in-arm across a vast, golden ocean of light, completely secure because they travel together.
Verses 11, 12, 13
य॒ज्ञो हि ष्मेंद्रं॒ कश्चि॑दृं॒धञ्जु॑हुरा॒णश्चि॒न्मन॑सा परि॒यन् । ती॒र्थे नाच्छा॑ तातृषा॒णमोको॑ दी॒र्घो न सि॒ध्रमा कृ॑णो॒त्यध्वा॑ ॥
yajñó hí ṣméndram káścidṛndháñjuhurāṇáścinmánasā pariyán ǀ tīrthé nā́cchā tātṛṣāṇámóko dīrghó ná sidhrámā́ kṛṇotyádhvā ǁ
मो षू ण॑ इं॒द्रात्र॑ पृ॒त्सु दे॒वैरस्ति॒ हि ष्मा॑ ते शुष्मिन्नव॒याः । म॒हश्चि॒द्यस्य॑ मी॒ळ्हुषो॑ य॒व्या ह॒विष्म॑तो म॒रुतो॒ वंद॑ते॒ गीः ॥
mó ṣū́ ṇa indrā́tra pṛtsú deváirásti hí ṣmā te śuṣminnavayā́ḥ ǀ maháścidyásya mīḷhúṣo yavyā́ havíṣmato marúto vándate gī́ḥ ǁ
ए॒ष स्तोम॑ इंद्र॒ तुभ्य॑म॒स्मे ए॒तेन॑ गा॒तुं ह॑रिवो विदो नः । आ नो॑ ववृत्याः सुवि॒ताय॑ देव वि॒द्यामे॒षं वृ॒जनं॑ जी॒रदा॑नुं ॥
eṣá stóma indra túbhyamasmé eténa gātúm harivo vido naḥ ǀ ā́ no vavṛtyāḥ suvitā́ya deva vidyā́meṣám vṛjánam jīrádānum ǁ
The Sūkta culminates in a profound meditation on the mechanics of the sacrifice and the steadfast friendship of the Maruts. Even when a mortal's mind wanders or falters in the ritual, the sacrifice itself—if guided by sincere intent—smooths out the crooked paths, leading straight to Indra like a well-paved highway to a welcoming home. The Ṛṣi invokes Indra alongside the storm-gods (the Maruts), acknowledging that divine help in battle is always available through the generosity of these roaring deities. The final verse is a masterclass in Vedic prayer. The poet offers this hymn as a vehicle to secure the divine path, asking Indra (the Lord of the Bay Steeds) to turn toward human habitation and bestow the ultimate boon: vibrant energy, a secure foundation (vrajana), and a life-giving stream of grace that never runs dry.
Verse 11: For any sacrifice that prospers for Indra—even if one moves crookedly in thought—makes its way directly toward Him with a thirsty longing, creating a smooth and prosperous path like a long road leading home.
Verse 12: Let there be no obstacle for us with Indra here in battles, alongside the gods; for you indeed have turning-points in your might, O powerful One, and the hymn of the Maruts honors your vast generosity.
Verse 13: O Indra, let this hymn be for you; through it, find a clear path for us, O Lord of Bay Steeds. Turn your face toward us for well-being, O divine One, and may we attain rich, life-giving energy and a secure dwelling.
The expression 'juhurāṇaḥ' (crooked) is understood by commentators to acknowledge human imperfection in ritual execution; the reassurance is that sincere aspiration ('tātṛṣāṇam') bridges human flaws and reaches the divine goal.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋन्धन् | ṛndhan | prospering, succeeding |
| जुहुराणः | juhurāṇaḥ | crooked, deviating, meandering |
| तीर्थे | tīrthe | ford, sacred crossing place |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पृत्सु | pṛtsu | in battles, struggles |
| शुष्मिन् | śuṣmin | O vigorous one, full of breath/power |
| मीळ्हुषः | mīḷhuṣaḥ | of the bountiful, liberal giver |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गातुम् | gātum | path, way, safe passage |
| हरिवः | hari-vaḥ | possessor of bay steeds |
| जीरदानुम् | jīra-dānum | yielding quick or life-giving streams |
Visualize a traveler walking down a long, winding road that suddenlystraightens out, leading right to a warm, brightly lit home filled with welcoming friends and overflowing feasts.