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Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

The Awakening of Divine Order: Invoking Bṛhaspati and Indra

📜 8 Verses

Act 1

The Morning Rousing of the Lord of Prayer

Verses 1, 2

Verse 1

उत्ति॑ष्ठ ब्रह्मणस्पते देव॒यंत॑स्त्वेमहे । उप॒ प्र यं॑तु म॒रुतः॑ सु॒दान॑व॒ इंद्र॑ प्रा॒शूर्भ॑वा॒ सचा॑ ॥

úttiṣṭha brahmaṇaspate devayántastvemahe ǀ úpa prá yantu marútaḥ sudā́nava índra prāśū́rbhavā sácā ǁ

Verse 2

त्वामिद्धि स॑हसस्पुत्र॒ मर्त्य॑ उपब्रू॒ते धने॑ हि॒ते । सु॒वीर्यं॑ मरुत॒ आ स्वश्व्यं॒ दधी॑त॒ यो व॑ आच॒के ॥

tvā́míddhí sahasasputra mártya upabrūté dháne hité ǀ suvī́ryam maruta ā́ sváśvyam dádhīta yó va ācaké ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi addresses Bṛhaspati, the divine lord of prayer and sacred speech (Brahmanaspati), urging Him to arise along with the radiant, bountiful Maruts and the mighty Indra. The awakening here is not merely physical dawn; it is the conscious stirring of the soul's highest faculties to meet the divine influx of light and power. The seeker, striving toward the divine (devayanta), calls upon the cosmic forces to quicken their steps and be swift (prāśūḥ) in companionship. The second verse deepens this personal cry, invoking the 'Son of Might' (Sahasasputra) at times of appointed trial or decisive wealth (dhane hite). The mortal turns to this supreme power to secure true heroic vigor (suvīryam) and prosperous equine wealth (suaśvyam). It is an intimate pact between the human seeker and the cosmic patrons, where the human calls upon the divine (ācake) with the absolute certainty of an answered prayer.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: Arise, O Lord of Prayer! We who yearn for the gods invoke You. May the bountiful Maruts come forth to aid, and may Indra be swift and present with us.

Verse 2: O Son of Might, the mortal in the hour of decisive struggle calls upon You alone. May he who invokes You attain true heroic vigor and abundant wealth.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa interprets these verses largely through the lens of ritual sacrifice, where Bṛhaspati and Indra are summoned to bless the ritual grounds with material wealth. Sri Aurobindo and esoteric commentators view 'dhane hite' as the spiritual treasure or battle of life, where 'Sahasasputra' refers to the dynamic birth of divine force within the human consciousness.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
ब्रह्मणस्पते	brahmaṇaspate	O Lord of prayer/sacred speech (Bṛhaspati)
देवयन्तः	devayantaḥ	Yearning for the gods, striving for the divine
प्राशुः	prāśuḥ	Swift, prompt to arrive

Verse 2

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सहसः पुत्र	sahasas putra	O son of might/strength (Agni or Indra)
सुवीर्यम्	suvīryam	Good heroic strength, spiritual valor
आचके	ācake	Calls upon, invokes earnestly

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a general sounding the morning trumpet at daybreak, rousing his commanders (Bṛhaspati, Indra, and the Maruts) to stand ready for the day's great campaign.

Act 2

The Chariot of Truth and the Flow of Inspiration

Verses 3, 4

Verse 3

प्रैतु॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॒ प्र दे॒व्ये॑तु सू॒नृता॑ । अच्छा॑ वी॒रं नर्यं॑ पं॒क्तिरा॑धसं दे॒वा य॒ज्ञं न॑यंतु नः ॥

práitu bráhmaṇaspátiḥ prá devyétu sūnṛ́tā ǀ ácchā vīrám náryam paṅktírādhasam devā́ yajñám nayantu naḥ ǁ

Verse 4

यो वा॒घते॒ ददा॑ति सू॒नरं॒ वसु॒ स ध॑त्ते॒ अक्षि॑ति॒ श्रवः॑ । तस्मा॒ इळां॑ सु॒वीरा॒मा य॑जामहे सु॒प्रतू॑र्तिमने॒हसं॑ ॥

yó vāgháte dádāti sūnáram vásu sá dhatte ákṣiti śrávaḥ ǀ tásmā íḷām suvī́rāmā́ yajāmahe suprátūrtimanehásam ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Ṛṣi visualizes the grand procession of the divine. Bṛhaspati moves forward, accompanied by Sūnṛtā—the goddess of pleasant, truthful, and inspiring speech. Together, they lead the sacrifice toward the heroic, nurturing, fivefold-bestowing divine reality. The cosmic order is not static; it actively advances into human awareness, steering our inner offerings toward the highest fulfillment. Verse 4 highlights the reciprocal economy of the cosmos: whoever gives pleasant wealth (sūnaram vasu) to the vāghat (the priest or chanting sacrificer) firmly establishes imperishable fame (akṣiti śravaḥ). In response, the Ṛṣi invokes the nourishing stream of 'Iḷā'—the Goddess of revelation and sacred nourishment—endowed with heroic energy, swiftness, and freedom from blemish.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 3: May Bṛhaspati step forth, and may the divine Sūnṛtā advance. May the gods lead our sacrifice toward the heroic, nurturing, manifold-bestowing goal.

Verse 4: Whoever gives pleasant wealth to the chanting priest holds fast imperishable fame. For him we invoke nourishing Iḷā, rich in heroes, swift, and faultless.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Yāska defines 'sūnṛtā' as sweet or truthful speech derived from 'sū' (to generate) and 'ṛta' (truth). Traditional exegesis links 'iḷām' to sacrificial food and cow-wealth, while psychological readings see Iḷā as the pure intuitive stream of consciousness rising from the superconscient.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 3

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सूनृता	sūnṛtā	Joyful, true, and inspiring speech
नर्यम्	naryam	Manly, leading to human well-being
पङ्क्तिराधसम्	paṅktirādhasam	Bestowing wealth in fivefold ways or to the five tribes

Verse 4

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
वाघते	vāghate	To the institutor of sacrifice, the chanter
अक्षिति श्रवः	akṣiti śravaḥ	Imperishable glory or hearing
इळाम्	iḷām	Goddess of refreshment, earth, and illumination

🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine a magnificent golden chariot rolling down from the heavens, driven by Bṛhaspati and guarded by personified Truth, carrying endless provisions for the weary traveler.

Act 3

The Birth of the Hymn and the Gathering of the Gods

Verses 5, 6

Verse 5

प्र नू॒नं ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॒र्मंत्रं॑ वदत्यु॒क्थ्यं॑ । यस्मि॒न्निंद्रो॒ वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा दे॒वा ओकां॑सि चक्रि॒रे ॥

prá nūnám bráhmaṇaspátirmántram vadatyukthyám ǀ yásminníndro váruṇo mitró aryamā́ devā́ ókāṃsi cakriré ǁ

Verse 6

तमिद्वो॑चेमा वि॒दथे॑षु शं॒भुवं॒ मंत्रं॑ देवा अने॒हसं॑ । इ॒मां च॒ वाचं॑ प्रति॒हर्य॑था नरो॒ विश्वेद्वा॒मा वो॑ अश्नवत् ॥

támídvocemā vidátheṣu śambhúvam mántram devā anehásam ǀ imā́m ca vā́cam pratiháryathā naro víśvédvāmā́ vo aśnavat ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Here, Bṛhaspati is revealed as the ultimate poet-priest of the gods. He speaks the mantra that is worthy of all praise (ukthyam)—the primordial word of creation. Within this sacred utterance, the greatest cosmic deities—Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryamān—find their resting place and dwelling (okāṃsi cakrire). The mantra itself becomes the home of the gods. In the sixth verse, the Ṛṣi calls upon the community of seekers to voice this very mantra during the sacred sessions (vidatheṣu). It is a healing, faultless utterance (anehasam) that brings peace and well-being (śambhuvam). When humans lovingly embrace and welcome this divine speech, all desirable treasures of the universe flow directly into their lives.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 5: Lo, now Bṛhaspati speaks the mantra worthy of praise, in which Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryamān—all the gods—have made their dwelling place.

Verse 6: Let us utter this faultless, peace-bringing mantra at the sacrificial gatherings, O gods. Do you, O leaders, welcome this speech, and may it win for you all desirable boons.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa explains 'vidatheṣu' as places of sacrifice or knowledge. Sri Aurobindo emphasizes that the mantra spoken by Bṛhaspati represents the rhythm of the higher truth-consciousness (Ṛtāvṛdh) that creates a harmonious shelter for all divine psychological functions represented by Indra and Varuṇa.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 5

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
उक्थ्यम्	ukthyam	Worthy of praise or recitation
अर्यमा	aryamā	Aryaman, god of societal harmony and nobility
ओकांसि	okāṃsi	Dwellings, homes, resting places

Verse 6

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
विदथेषु	vidatheṣu	In the ritual assemblies or gatherings of wisdom
शम्भुवम्	śambhuvam	Bringing happiness, peace, or welfare
अश्नवत्	aśnavat	May it attain, win, or reach

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture an ancient temple built entirely out of living sound; as the priests sing the correct notes, the gods descend to take up residence in the temple walls.

Act 4

The Invincible Protector of the Devoted

Verses 7, 8

Verse 7

को दे॑व॒यंत॑मश्नव॒ज्जनं॒ को वृ॒क्तब॑र्हिषं । प्रप्र॑ दा॒श्वान्प॒स्त्या॑भिरस्थितांत॒र्वाव॒त्क्षयं॑ दधे ॥

kó devayántamaśnavajjánam kó vṛktábarhiṣam ǀ prápra dāśvā́npastyā́bhirasthitāntarvā́vatkṣáyam dadhe ǁ

Verse 8

उप॑ क्ष॒त्रं पृं॑ची॒त हंति॒ राज॑भिर्भ॒ये चि॑त्सुक्षि॒तिं द॑धे । नास्य॑ व॒र्ता न त॑रु॒ता म॑हाध॒ने नार्भे॑ अस्ति व॒ज्रिणः॑ ॥

úpa kṣatrám pṛñcītá hánti rā́jabhirbhayé citsukṣitím dadhe ǀ nā́sya vartā́ ná tarutā́ mahādhané nā́rbhe asti vajríṇaḥ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Sūkta culminates in a powerful question and a fierce assertion of divine protection. Who can ever overcome the mortal who yearns for the gods (devayantam) and prepares the sacred grass (vṛktabarhiṣam)? The giver of offerings is securely established in a prosperous, well-guarded homestead surrounded by inner stability and worldly peace. The final verse seals the hymn with an absolute declaration of invincibility. When a person aligns with the divine power, no one can obstruct them, no one can defeat them. Even in the thickest darkness, fear, or great conflict (mahādhane), the wielder of the thunderbolt (Vajrin, i.e., Indra) ensures unshakeable safe settlement (sukṣitim) and absolute victory.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 7: Who can ever overcome the mortal who yearns for the gods and prepares the sacred grass? The liberal giver advances with his homestead and establishes a secure dwelling.

Verse 8: Join closely with royal might; even in fear he strikes down foes and establishes secure dwelling. Neither blocker nor conqueror exists against the wielder of the thunderbolt in great conflict or small.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Translators differ slightly on whether 'rājabhiḥ' refers to human kings or celestial rulers. The traditional commentary highlights Indra's supreme military and spiritual prowess, ensuring that the devotee is completely shielded from spiritual and physical enemies.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 7

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
वृक्तबर्हिषम्	vṛkta-barhiṣam	One who has prepared the sacred strewn grass for worship
पस्त्याभिः	pastyābhiḥ	With household, homestead, or dwelling places
क्षयम्	kṣayam	Abode, house, settlement

Verse 8

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सुक्षितिम्	sukṣitim	Good dwelling, secure habitation
तरुता	tarutā	Conqueror, overcomer
वज्रिणः	vajriṇaḥ	Of the thunderbolt-bearer (Indra)

🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine a fortress built upon an unshakeable mountain peak, guarded by a flashing lightning bolt; no invading army can even touch the one sheltered inside.