Verses 1, 2
न्यू॒३॒॑ षु वाचं॒ प्र म॒हे भ॑रामहे॒ गिर॒ इंद्रा॑य॒ सद॑ने वि॒वस्व॑तः । नू चि॒द्धि रत्नं॑ सस॒तामि॒वावि॑द॒न्न दु॑ष्टु॒तिर्द्र॑विणो॒देषु॑ शस्यते ॥
nyū́ ṣú vā́cam prá mahé bharāmahe gíra índrāya sádane vivásvataḥ ǀ nū́ ciddhí rátnam sasatā́mivā́vidanná duṣṭutírdraviṇodéṣu śasyate ǁ
दु॒रो अश्व॑स्य दु॒र इं॑द्र॒ गोर॑सि दु॒रो यव॑स्य॒ वसु॑न इ॒नस्पतिः॑ । शि॒क्षा॒न॒रः प्र॒दिवो॒ अका॑मकर्शनः॒ सखा॒ सखि॑भ्य॒स्तमि॒दं गृ॑णीमसि ॥
duró áśvasya durá indra górasi duró yávasya vásuna ináspátiḥ ǀ śikṣānaráḥ pradívo ákāmakarśanaḥ sákhā sákhibhyastámidám gṛṇīmasi ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi approaches Indra with an urgent, beautiful offering of praise. The sacred chant is lifted up in the radiant dwelling of Vivasvat, marking the moment of dawn and spiritual awakening. The poet declares that no faulty or deceitful praise will ever suffice; true devotion must be pure and crystalline, capable of revealing the hidden treasures of divine grace. Moving forward, the Ṛṣi addresses Indra as the ultimate master and guardian of all cosmic wealth—whether it be horses, cattle, or nourishing barley. Indra is portrayed not as a distant monarch, but as a steadfast friend (sakhā) to his devotees, ever generous, never punishing the desires of those who approach him with a pure heart. This establishes the intimate, reciprocal relationship between the human seeker and the supreme divine force.
Verse 1: Now we lift up our speech and songs of praise to Indra in the radiant dwelling of Vivasvat; for true treasure is found as if in sleep, and no crooked praise finds honor among the givers of bounty.
Verse 2: O Indra, you are the lord and master of the doors of horses, cattle, barley, and all wealth. A benefactor since ancient times, a friend to your friends, we praise you today.
Sāyaṇa interprets the reference to Vivasvat as the realm of the sun or the sacrifice, while Aurobindo sees Vivasvat as the lord of the shining, illuminated consciousness where higher truths are born.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वाचम् | vācam | speech, sacred chant |
| इन्द्राय | indrāya | to Indra |
| रत्नम् | ratnam | treasure, jewel, wealth |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | O Indra |
| पतिः | patiḥ | lord, master, husband |
| सखा | sakhā | friend |
Picture walking into a sunlit royal treasury at dawn, where a trusted friend hands you the keys to every storehouse of abundance.
Verses 3, 4, 5
शची॑व इंद्र पुरुकृद्द्युमत्तम॒ तवेदि॒दम॒भित॑श्चेकिते॒ वसु॑ । अतः॑ सं॒गृभ्या॑भिभूत॒ आ भ॑र॒ मा त्वा॑य॒तो ज॑रि॒तुः काम॑मूनयीः ॥
śácīva indra purukṛddyumattama távédidámabhítaścekite vásu ǀ átaḥ saṃgṛ́bhyābhibhūta ā́ bhara mā́ tvāyató jaritúḥ kā́mamūnayīḥ ǁ
ए॒भिर्द्युभिः॑ सु॒मना॑ ए॒भिरिंदु॑भिर्निरुंधा॒नो अम॑तिं॒ गोभि॑र॒श्विना॑ । इंद्रे॑ण॒ दस्युं॑ द॒रयं॑त॒ इंदु॑भिर्यु॒तद्वे॑षसः॒ समि॒षा र॑भेमहि ॥
ebhírdyúbhiḥ sumánā ebhíríndubhirnirundhānó ámatim góbhiraśvínā ǀ índreṇa dásyum daráyanta índubhiryutádveṣasaḥ sámiṣā́ rabhemahi ǁ
समिं॑द्र रा॒या समि॒षा र॑भेमहि॒ सं वाजे॑भिः पुरुश्चं॒द्रैर॒भिद्यु॑भिः । सं दे॒व्या प्रम॑त्या वी॒रशु॑ष्मया॒ गोअ॑ग्र॒याश्वा॑वत्या रभेमहि ॥
sámindra rāyā́ sámiṣā́ rabhemahi sám vā́jebhiḥ puruścandráirabhídyubhiḥ ǀ sám devyā́ prámatyā vīráśuṣmayā góagrayā́śvāvatyā rabhemahi ǁ
The Ṛṣi delves deeper into the boundless capacity of Indra's dynamic energy (śacī). Indra is invoked as the doer of great deeds and the most radiant among the divine powers. The poet begs Indra to gather and bestow all wealth upon the worshipper, ensuring that the earnest yearning of the devoted singer is never left unfulfilled. In the following verses, the ritual participants invoke the dawn of sacred days and the dripping drops of the Soma juice. Together, they form a protective shield against inner and outer poverty (amati), pushing back darkness and hostility. They draw strength from the divine connection with Indra, anchoring themselves in the radiant bounty of cattle, horses, and spiritual might.
Verse 3: O mighty and most radiant Indra, all this wealth shines around you. Gather it from all sides and bestow it upon us, and let not the yearning desire of your singer go unfulfilled.
Verse 4: With these bright days, with these flowing drops of Soma, keeping poverty at bay, shattering the Dasyus with Indra, may we attain complete vigor and conquer all hostility.
Verse 5: May we unite with Indra in wealth, in nourishment, in brilliant energetic forces, and in radiant days. May we unite with divine benevolent wisdom, rich in heroes, cattle, and horses.
Traditional commentaries emphasize 'Dasyu' as both historical adversaries of the Vedic peoples and symbolic representations of ignorance, inertia, and spiritual obstruction.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | O Indra |
| पुरुकृत् | purukṛt | doer of many works |
| वसु | vasu | wealth, treasure, good |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुमनाः | sumanāḥ | well-disposed, joyous minded |
| दस्युम् | dasyum | the Dasyu, hostile adversary |
| इन्द्रेण | indreṇa | with/by Indra |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| राय | rāyā | with wealth |
| इषा | iṣā | with refreshment/nourishment |
| रभेमहि | rabhemahi | may we grasp/attain |
Imagine a vibrant river of golden sunlight and sweet nectar sweeping away all obstacles, leaving behind fields of absolute plenty.
Verses 6, 7, 8, 9
ते त्वा॒ मदा॑ अमदं॒तानि॒ वृष्ण्या॒ ते सोमा॑सो वृत्र॒हत्ये॑षु सत्पते । यत्का॒रवे॒ दश॑ वृ॒त्राण्य॑प्र॒ति ब॒र्हिष्म॑ते॒ नि स॒हस्रा॑णि ब॒र्हयः॑ ॥
té tvā mádā amadantā́ni vṛ́ṣṇyā té sómāso vṛtrahátyeṣu satpate ǀ yátkāráve dáśa vṛtrā́ṇyapratí barhíṣmate ní sahásrāṇi barháyaḥ ǁ
यु॒धा युध॒मुप॒ घेदे॑षि धृष्णु॒या पु॒रा पुरं॒ समि॒दं हं॒स्योज॑सा । नम्या॒ यदिं॑द्र॒ सख्या॑ परा॒वति॑ निब॒र्हयो॒ नमु॑चिं॒ नाम॑ मा॒यिनं॑ ॥
yudhā́ yúdhamúpa ghédeṣi dhṛṣṇuyā́ purā́ púram sámidám haṃsyójasā ǀ námyā yádindra sákhyā parāváti nibarháyo námucim nā́ma māyínam ǁ
त्वं करं॑जमु॒त प॒र्णयं॑ वधी॒स्तेजि॑ष्ठयातिथि॒ग्वस्य॑ वर्त॒नी । त्वं श॒ता वंगृ॑दस्याभिन॒त्पुरो॑ऽनानु॒दः परि॑षूता ऋ॒जिश्व॑ना ॥
tvám kárañjamutá parṇáyam vadhīstéjiṣṭhayātithigvásya vartanī́ ǀ tvám śatā́ váṅgṛdasyābhinatpúro’nānudáḥ páriṣūtā ṛjíśvanā ǁ
त्वमे॒तांज॑न॒राज्ञो॒ द्विर्दशा॑बं॒धुना॑ सु॒श्रव॑सोपज॒ग्मुषः॑ । ष॒ष्टिं स॒हस्रा॑ नव॒तिं नव॑ श्रु॒तो नि च॒क्रेण॒ रथ्या॑ दु॒ष्पदा॑वृणक् ॥
tvámetā́ñjanarā́jño dvírdáśābandhúnā suśrávasopajagmúṣaḥ ǀ ṣaṣṭím sahásrā navatím náva śrutó ní cakréṇa ráthyā duṣpádāvṛṇak ǁ
Here, the hymn shifts into a heroic epic tone, recalling the legendary battles where Indra championed his chosen sages and kings. The Ṛṣi reminds Indra of how the exhilarating Soma juices have always empowered him during moments of cosmic crisis, such as when he shattered countless obstacles for his devoted singer. From the slaying of the cunning Namuci to the defeat of ancient chieftains like Karañja, Parṇaya, and Vaṅgṛda, Indra's cosmic wheel crushes all opposing forces. The epic scope expands as Indra single-handedly overthrows massive enemy coalitions, demonstrating absolute supremacy over human and supernatural resistance alike.
Verse 6: These intoxicating powers and these Soma drops have gladdened you in battles, O Lord of the True, when you struck down ten thousand resistances for your devoted singer.
Verse 7: With valor you rush boldly into every battle, destroying citadel after citadel with your might. O Indra, you struck down the cunning Namuci in a distant place through your holy friendship.
Verse 8: You slew Karañja and Parṇaya with the sharpest edge of Atithigva’s path. You shattered a hundred fortresses of Vaṅgṛda, aided by Ṛjiśvan's unswerving support.
Verse 9: You struck down sixty thousand and ninety-nine of those royal chieftains who approached with the friendless Suśravas, crushing them beneath your chariot's rolling wheel.
Historical names like Atithigva, Ṛjiśvan, and Suśravas represent ancient Vedic heroes whom Sāyaṇa views as exemplary patrons of sacrifice, protected by divine intervention.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वृष्ण्या | vṛṣṇyā | virile powers, heroic strengths |
| सोमासः | somāsaḥ | Soma juices |
| सत्पते | satpate | O Lord of the True/Existent |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| युधा | yudhā | with battle/combat |
| ओजसा | ojasā | with mighty strength/energy |
| नमुचिम् | namucim | Namuci (a demon of drought/deceit) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| करञ्जम् | karañjam | Karañja (an enemy chieftain) |
| पर्णयम् | parṇayam | Parṇaya (an enemy chieftain) |
| पुरः | puraḥ | citadels, fortresses |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| जनराज्ञः | janarājñaḥ | kings of the peoples/nations |
| सहस्रा | sahasrā | thousands |
| चक्रेण | cakreṇa | by the wheel (of the chariot) |
Picture a magnificent golden chariot rolling across the horizon, its turning wheels effortlessly dispersing vast armies of darkness.
Verses 10, 11
त्वमा॑विथ सु॒श्रव॑सं॒ तवो॒तिभि॒स्तव॒ त्राम॑भिरिंद्र॒ तूर्व॑याणं । त्वम॑स्मै॒ कुत्स॑मतिथि॒ग्वमा॒युं म॒हे राज्ञे॒ यूने॑ अरंधनायः ॥
tvámāvitha suśrávasam távotíbhistáva trā́mabhirindra tū́rvayāṇam ǀ tvámasmai kútsamatithigvámāyúm mahé rā́jñe yū́ne arandhanāyaḥ ǁ
य उ॒दृचीं॑द्र दे॒वगो॑पाः॒ सखा॑यस्ते शि॒वत॑मा॒ असा॑म । त्वां स्तो॑षाम॒ त्वया॑ सु॒वीरा॒ द्राघी॑य॒ आयुः॑ प्रत॒रं दधा॑नाः ॥
yá udṛ́cīndra devágopāḥ sákhāyaste śivátamā ásāma ǀ tvā́m stoṣāma tváyā suvī́rā drā́ghīya ā́yuḥ pratarám dádhānāḥ ǁ
The hymn reaches its crescendo with a direct acknowledgment of Indra's saving grace toward his favored heroes—Turvayāṇa, Kutsa, and Atithigva. The Ṛṣi praises Indra for extending his sheltering arm to these great souls, subduing opposition so that righteousness might prevail. Finally, the Sūkta concludes with a tender pledge of eternal friendship. The worshippers express their desire to be among those whose sole protection is the divine (devagopāḥ). Linked by sacred hymns, they pray to remain Indra's most intimate, auspicious friends, walking a long and vigorous path of life filled with radiant spiritual strength.
Verse 10: You aided Suśravas and Turvayāṇa with your protections and your saving graces, O Indra. You subdued Kutsa, Atithigva, and Āyu for the great youthful king.
Verse 11: May we, raised high in song, guarded by the gods, become your most auspicious friends, O Indra. May we praise you and, blessed with strong heroes, secure a long and ever-expanding span of life.
The concluding term 'devagopāḥ' (guarded by the gods) highlights the ultimate goal of Rigvedic spirituality: living a life where human effort and divine protection merge seamlessly.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| आविथ | āvitha | you have favored/helped |
| इन्द्र | indra | O Indra |
| तुर्वयाणम् | tūrvayāṇam | Turvayāṇa (a protected hero) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| देवगोपाः | devagopāḥ | having the gods as protectors |
| सखायः | sakhāyaḥ | friends |
| आयुः | āyuḥ | life, lifespan |
Visualize two lifelong friends walking hand-in-hand into an endless, sunlit horizon, completely secure under a canopy of divine grace.