Verses 1, 2, 3
त्यं सु मे॒षं म॑हया स्व॒र्विदं॑ श॒तं यस्य॑ सु॒भ्वः॑ सा॒कमीर॑ते । अत्यं॒ न वाजं॑ हवन॒स्यदं॒ रथ॒मेंद्रं॑ ववृत्या॒मव॑से सुवृ॒क्तिभिः॑ ॥
tyám sú meṣám mahayā svarvídam śatám yásya subhváḥ sākámī́rate ǀ átyam ná vā́jam havanasyádam ráthaméndram vavṛtyāmávase suvṛktíbhiḥ ǁ
स पर्व॑तो॒ न ध॒रुणे॒ष्वच्यु॑तः स॒हस्र॑मूति॒स्तवि॑षीषु वावृधे । इंद्रो॒ यद्वृ॒त्रमव॑धीन्नदी॒वृत॑मु॒ब्जन्नर्णां॑सि॒ जर्हृ॑षाणो॒ अंध॑सा ॥
sá párvato ná dharúṇeṣvácyutaḥ sahásramūtistáviṣīṣu vāvṛdhe ǀ índro yádvṛtrámávadhīnnadīvṛ́tamubjánnárṇāṃsi járhṛṣāṇo ándhasā ǁ
स हि द्व॒रो द्व॒रिषु॑ व॒व्र ऊध॑नि चं॒द्रबु॑ध्नो॒ मद॑वृद्धो मनी॒षिभिः॑ । इंद्रं॒ तम॑ह्वे स्वप॒स्यया॑ धि॒या मंहि॑ष्ठरातिं॒ स हि पप्रि॒रंध॑सः ॥
sá hí dvaró dvaríṣu vavrá ū́dhani candrábudhno mádavṛddho manīṣíbhiḥ ǀ índram támahve svapasyáyā dhiyā́ máṃhiṣṭharātim sá hí páprirándhasaḥ ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi summons Indra with majestic and urgent imagery, portraying him as a fierce celestial stallion and a towering mountain of unwavering strength. Indra's growth is fueled by the intoxicating soma and the profound hymns of the wise, elevating him into a supreme protector. The poetry vibrates with raw dynamism. Indra is not merely a local deity; he is the cosmic mountain rooted firmly in divine foundations, expanding through dynamic energies and holding back the chaotic waters. The seeker calls upon him as the ultimate treasurer of gifts, whose support is indispensable for overcoming inner and outer obstacles.
Verse 1: May we turn toward Indra with beautiful praises—him who is like a fierce, magnificent stallion, the finder of the luminous world, whose hundreds of radiant powers stream forth together, swift as the wind and fleet of foot.
Verse 2: He stands immovable like a mountain upon its firm foundations, growing in his mighty powers, when Indra slew Vṛtra who had enclosed the rivers, exulting in the soma juice.
Verse 3: He is the gateway in every doorway, the hidden depth, moon-based and nourished by the raptures of the wise. I call upon that Indra with skilled devotion, for he is the most bounteous giver and the great fulfiller of the soma offering.
Sāyaṇa interprets these terms through ritual sacrifice and the physical slaying of atmospheric clouds, whereas Sri Aurobindo sees 'Vṛtra' as the psychological coverer of consciousness and 'Soma' as the delight of existence that nourishes spiritual growth.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| त्यम् | tyam | that (acc.) |
| मेषम् | meṣam | ram, stallion, or powerful one |
| स्वःविदम् | svaḥ-vidam | finder of the sun/heaven |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पर्वतः | parvataḥ | mountain |
| अच्युतः | acyutaḥ | unshakable, immovable |
| वृत्रम् | vṛtram | Vṛtra (the encircler/obstacle) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| चन्द्रबुध्नः | candra-budhnaḥ | having a bright or shining foundation |
| मदवृद्धः | mada-vṛddhaḥ | grown or invigorated by intoxication/rapture |
| मंहिष्ठरातिम् | maṃhiṣṭha-rātim | the most lavish bestower of gifts |
Picture a towering, immovable mountain at the center of the world that suddenly gallops forth as a divine stallion, energized by the sweet waters of devotion.
Verses 4, 5, 6
आ यं पृ॒णंति॑ दि॒वि सद्म॑बर्हिषः समु॒द्रं न सु॒भ्वः१॒॑ स्वा अ॒भिष्ट॑यः । तं वृ॑त्र॒हत्ये॒ अनु॑ तस्थुरू॒तयः॒ शुष्मा॒ इंद्र॑मवा॒ता अह्रु॑तप्सवः ॥
ā́ yám pṛṇánti diví sádmabarhiṣaḥ samudrám ná subhváḥ svā́ abhíṣṭayaḥ ǀ tám vṛtrahátye ánu tasthurūtáyaḥ śúṣmā índramavātā́ áhrutapsavaḥ ǁ
अ॒भि स्ववृ॑ष्टिं॒ मदे॑ अस्य॒ युध्य॑तो र॒घ्वीरि॑व प्रव॒णे स॑स्रुरू॒तयः॑ । इंद्रो॒ यद्व॒ज्री धृ॒षमा॑णो॒ अंध॑सा भि॒नद्व॒लस्य॑ परि॒धीँरि॑व त्रि॒तः ॥
abhí svávṛṣṭim máde asya yúdhyato raghvī́riva pravaṇé sasrurūtáyaḥ ǀ índro yádvajrī́ dhṛṣámāṇo ándhasā bhinádvalásya paridhī́m̐riva tritáḥ ǁ
परीं॑ घृ॒णा च॑रति तित्वि॒षे शवो॒ऽपो वृ॒त्वी रज॑सो बु॒ध्नमाश॑यत् । वृ॒त्रस्य॒ यत्प्र॑व॒णे दु॒र्गृभि॑श्वनो निज॒घंथ॒ हन्वो॑रिंद्र तन्य॒तुं ॥
párīm ghṛṇā́ carati titviṣé śávo’pó vṛtvī́ rájaso budhnámā́śayat ǀ vṛtrásya yátpravaṇé durgṛ́bhiśvano nijaghántha hánvorindra tanyatúm ǁ
The momentum intensifies as the divine hosts and protective powers rush toward Indra like swift torrents rushing down a mountain slope. At the moment of battle, armed with his blazing thunderbolt, Indra shatters the enclosing rings of darkness and obstruction. The Ṛṣi captures the sheer auditory and visual spectacle of the cosmic clash: the flashing of the vajra, the roar of the thunder, and the sudden release of imprisoned waters. It is the definitive triumph of light over the heavy inertia of the unmanifest.
Verse 4: The self-born radiant impulses fill him in the heights of heaven like the ocean; in the battle with Vṛtra, his unfaltering protections and roaring energies rush unhindered to Indra.
Verse 5: Swift as rapid streams down a slope, his protections flow to meet his self-raining grace when he fights intoxicated with soma. Armed with the thunderbolt and emboldened by the draught, Indra shattered the bulwarks of Vala like Trita.
Verse 6: Radiant with brilliant splendor, his might moves all around; having enclosed the waters, he laid them at the bottom of space. When at the downward slope you struck down the thunder of the obstructive monster upon his jaws, O Indra!
The reference to Trita connects this hymn to older Indo-Iranian mythic strata, interpreted by commentators as either a primordial priest-warrior or an aspect of the cosmic breath.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| समुद्रम् | samudram | ocean, gathering of waters |
| वृत्रहत्ये | vṛtra-hatye | in the slaying of Vṛtra |
| ऊतयः | ūtayaḥ | protections, helps, aids |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वज्री | vajrī | armed with the thunderbolt |
| वलस्य | valasya | of Vala (the enclosing cave/demon) |
| त्रितः | tritaḥ | Trita (an ancient divine hero/sage) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शवः | śavaḥ | might, energy, power |
| तन्यतुम् | tanyatum | thunder, roaring noise |
| निजघन्थ | nijaghantha | you struck down |
Visualize a massive dam bursting open after a monsoon storm, releasing roaring rivers of light and life across a parched valley.
Verses 7, 8, 9, 10
ह्र॒दं न हि त्वा॑ न्यृ॒षंत्यू॒र्मयो॒ ब्रह्मा॑णींद्र॒ तव॒ यानि॒ वर्ध॑ना । त्वष्टा॑ चित्ते॒ युज्यं॑ वावृधे॒ शव॑स्त॒तक्ष॒ वज्र॑म॒भिभू॑त्योजसं ॥
hradám ná hí tvā nyṛṣántyūrmáyo bráhmāṇīndra táva yā́ni várdhanā ǀ tváṣṭā citte yújyam vāvṛdhe śávastatákṣa vájramabhíbhūtyojasam ǁ
ज॒घ॒न्वाँ उ॒ हरि॑भिः संभृतक्रत॒विंद्र॑ वृ॒त्रं मनु॑षे गातु॒यन्न॒पः । अय॑च्छथा बा॒ह्वोर्वज्र॑माय॒समधा॑रयो दि॒व्या सूर्यं॑ दृ॒शे ॥
jaghanvā́m̐ u háribhiḥ sambhṛtakratavíndra vṛtrám mánuṣe gātuyánnapáḥ ǀ áyacchathā bāhvórvájramāyasámádhārayo divyā́ sū́ryam dṛśé ǁ
बृ॒हत्स्वश्चं॑द्र॒मम॑व॒द्यदु॒क्थ्य१॒॑मकृ॑ण्वत भि॒यसा॒ रोह॑णं दि॒वः । यन्मानु॑षप्रधना॒ इंद्र॑मू॒तयः॒ स्व॑र्नृ॒षाचो॑ म॒रुतोऽम॑द॒न्ननु॑ ॥
bṛhátsváścandramámavadyádukthyámákṛṇvata bhiyásā róhaṇam diváḥ ǀ yánmā́nuṣapradhanā índramūtáyaḥ svárnṛṣā́co marútó’madannánu ǁ
द्यौश्चि॑द॒स्याम॑वाँ॒ अहेः॑ स्व॒नादयो॑यवीद्भि॒यसा॒ वज्र॑ इंद्र ते । वृ॒त्रस्य॒ यद्ब॑द्बधा॒नस्य॑ रोदसी॒ मदे॑ सु॒तस्य॒ शव॒साभि॑न॒च्छिरः॑ ॥
dyáuścidasyā́mavām̐ áheḥ svanā́dáyoyavīdbhiyásā vájra indra te ǀ vṛtrásya yádbadbadhānásya rodasī máde sutásya śávasā́bhinacchíraḥ ǁ
Here, the hymns of the worshippers are likened to waves rushing into a deep lake, continuously expanding Indra's power. Tvaṣṭṛ fashions the invincible, all-conquering vajra, and Indra secures the cosmos, fixing the sun in the sky for all to behold. The terror of Indra's weapon causes even the great Dyaus (Heaven) to tremble. The Ṛṣi marvels at how the entire creation reacts to the shattering of Vṛtra's head, cementing Indra's status as the absolute sovereign of existence.
Verse 7: As waves rush into a deep lake, so do these hymns of praise rush to you, O Indra, which are your augmenters. Even Tvaṣṭṛ forged for you your companionable power and crafted the vajra of overwhelming might.
Verse 8: Having slain Vṛtra with your bay steeds and gathered energy, opening paths for man and releasing the waters, you held the iron thunderbolt in your arms and fixed the sun in the sky for vision.
Verse 9: They made his ascent to heaven vast, brilliant, and powerful, worthy of praise out of fear. When the human-winning protections of Indra and the Maruts, seeking heaven, rejoiced along with him.
Verse 10: Even Heaven quaked in terror at the roar of this mighty serpent, O Indra, shaken by your thunderbolt. When you crushed the head of Vṛtra—who had bound the two worlds—with your power, made strong by the pressed soma.
Sāyaṇa focuses on the mythological narrative of Tvaṣṭṛ crafting weapons for the gods, while spiritual commentators note how divine creation and cosmic order (ṛta) depend on subduing chaotic forces.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ह्रदम् | hradam | deep lake or pool |
| वर्धना | vardhanā | growth-enhancers, augmenters |
| त्वष्टा | tvaṣṭā | Tvaṣṭṛ (the divine artisan) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| हरिभिः | hari-bhiḥ | with the bay horses |
| आयसम् | āyasam | made of iron or metal |
| अधारयः | adhārayaḥ | you held/sustained |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| उक्थ्यम् | ukthyam | worthy of praise or recitation |
| रोहणम् | rohaṇam | climbing, ascent |
| मरुतः | marutaḥ | the Maruts (storm-gods) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अहेः | aheḥ | of the serpent/dragon |
| स्वनात् | svanāt | from the noise/roar |
| शिरः | śiraḥ | head |
Imagine a master artisan forging a weapon of pure lightning in a cosmic workshop, while the entire universe holds its breath at the sound of thunder.
Verses 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
यदिन्न्विं॑द्र पृथि॒वी दश॑भुजि॒रहा॑नि॒ विश्वा॑ त॒तनं॑त कृ॒ष्टयः॑ । अत्राह॑ ते मघव॒न्विश्रु॑तं॒ सहो॒ द्यामनु॒ शव॑सा ब॒र्हणा॑ भुवत् ॥
yádínnvíndra pṛthivī́ dáśabhujiráhāni víśvā tatánanta kṛṣṭáyaḥ ǀ átrā́ha te maghavanvíśrutam sáho dyā́mánu śávasā barháṇā bhuvat ǁ
त्वम॒स्य पा॒रे रज॑सो॒ व्यो॑मनः॒ स्वभू॑त्योजा॒ अव॑से धृषन्मनः । च॒कृ॒षे भूमिं॑ प्रति॒मान॒मोज॑सो॒ऽपः स्वः॑ परि॒भूरे॒ष्या दिवं॑ ॥
tvámasyá pāré rájaso vyómanaḥ svábhūtyojā ávase dhṛṣanmanaḥ ǀ cakṛṣé bhū́mim pratimā́namójaso’páḥ sváḥ paribhū́reṣyā́ dívam ǁ
त्वं भु॑वः प्रति॒मानं॑ पृथि॒व्या ऋ॒ष्ववी॑रस्य बृह॒तः पति॑र्भूः । विश्व॒माप्रा॑ अं॒तरि॑क्षं महि॒त्वा स॒त्यम॒द्धा नकि॑र॒न्यस्त्वावा॑न् ॥
tvám bhuvaḥ pratimā́nam pṛthivyā́ ṛṣvávīrasya bṛhatáḥ pátirbhūḥ ǀ víśvamā́prā antárikṣam mahitvā́ satyámaddhā́ nákiranyástvā́vān ǁ
न यस्य॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी अनु॒ व्यचो॒ न सिंध॑वो॒ रज॑सो॒ अंत॑मान॒शुः । नोत स्ववृ॑ष्टिं॒ मदे॑ अस्य॒ युध्य॑त॒ एको॑ अ॒न्यच्च॑कृषे॒ विश्व॑मानु॒षक् ॥
ná yásya dyā́vāpṛthivī́ ánu vyáco ná síndhavo rájaso ántamānaśúḥ ǀ nótá svávṛṣṭim máde asya yúdhyata éko anyáccakṛṣe víśvamānuṣák ǁ
आर्च॒न्नत्र॑ म॒रुतः॒ सस्मि॑न्ना॒जौ विश्वे॑ दे॒वासो॑ अमद॒न्ननु॑ त्वा । वृ॒त्रस्य॒ यद्भृ॑ष्टि॒मता॑ व॒धेन॒ नि त्वमिं॑द्र॒ प्रत्या॒नं ज॒घंथ॑ ॥
ā́rcannátra marútaḥ sásminnājáu víśve devā́so amadannánu tvā ǀ vṛtrásya yádbhṛṣṭimátā vadhéna ní tvámindra prátyānám jaghántha ǁ
In this grand finale, the Ṛṣi reaches the zenith of praise, proclaiming that no one—neither earth, nor rivers, nor heaven itself—equals Indra in scope or majesty. His greatness fills the entire intermediate space, and his banner of victory is shared by the joyous Maruts and all divine powers. Indra stands alone as the supreme measure of existence. To know Indra is to recognize the ultimate victorious force of consciousness that holds the universe in balance, leaving no rival anywhere in the cosmos.
Verse 11: When, O Indra, the earth and all peoples extended themselves through ten-fold protection across all days, then indeed your renowned might, O Maghavan, surpassed even heaven in its greatness and expansive force.
Verse 12: You are beyond this vast spatial realm, self-existent in your energy, bold-minded for our protection. You have made the earth a match for your might, and you encompass the waters, the light, and reach up to heaven.
Verse 13: You are the measure of the earth, the lord of the lofty, high-heroed and vast creation. You have filled the entire midspace with your greatness—truly, there is no other who is like you.
Verse 14: Neither heaven and earth have reached the extent of your expanse, nor the rivers the end of your realm. Nor can anyone match your self-raining grace when you battle; alone you have shaped all else in harmony.
Verse 15: The Maruts praised you in this battle, and all the gods rejoiced in you, when, O Indra, with your sharp-edged weapon, you struck down and repelled the opponent.
This concluding act highlights the absolute monistic peak often reached in Rigvedic hymns dedicated to Indra, where he momentarily subsumes all attributes of supreme divinity. Traditional commentators view this as establishing Indra's undisputed supremacy among the pantheon.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मघवन् | maghavan | O bounteous one |
| सहो | saho | might, victory, strength |
| बर्हणा | barhaṇā | by greatness, vastly |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्वभूतिओजाः | svabhūti-ojāḥ | possessing self-existent power |
| प्रतिमानम् | pratimānam | counterpart, measure, match |
| परिभूः | pari-bhūḥ | surrounding, encompassing |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋष्ववीरस्य | ṛṣva-vīrasya | having lofty heroes/powers |
| अंतरिक्षम् | antarikṣam | the atmosphere, midspace |
| नकिः | nakiḥ | no one, not any |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| व्यचः | vyacaḥ | expanse, breadth |
| आनशुः | ānaśuḥ | have attained, reached |
| आनुषक् | ānuṣak | continuously, in order |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| आजौ | ājau | in the battle or contest |
| भृष्टिमता | bhṛṣti-matā | having a sharp edge or points |
| जघन्थ | jaghantha | you struck/slew |
Picture a cosmic sovereign standing with one foot on earth and the other touching the farthest stars, while all the gods and elements sing in harmonious chorus around him.