Rig Veda · Mandala 1 · Sukta 121
Rig Veda 1.121 — Indra
Deity: Indra. Rishi family (Mandala 1): Diverse seers — Madhuchchhandas, Medhatithi, Shunahshepa, Hiranyastupa and others. This Sukta contains 15 verses presented below in Devanagari Sanskrit, IAST romanisation, and Ralph T. H. Griffith's English translation. Click any verse to read a fuller explanation.
Verses
Rig Veda 1.121.1
कदित्था नॄनः पात्रं देवयतां शरवद गिरो अङगिरसां तुरण्यन | पर यदानड विश आ हर्म्यस्योरु करंसते अध्वरे यजत्रः
kaditthā nṝnḥ pātraṃ devayatāṃ śravad ghiro aṅghirasāṃ turaṇyan | pra yadānaḍ viśa ā harmyasyoru kraṃsate adhvare yajatraḥ
Rig Veda 1.121.2
सतम्भीद ध दयां स धरुणं परुषायद रभुर्वाजाय दरविणं नरो गोः | अनु सवाजां महिषश्चक्षत वरां मेनामश्वस्य परि मातरं गोः
stambhīd dha dyāṃ sa dharuṇaṃ pruṣāyad ṛbhurvājāya draviṇaṃ naro ghoḥ | anu svājāṃ mahiṣaścakṣata vrāṃ menāmaśvasya pari mātaraṃ ghoḥ
He stablished heaven; he poured forth, skilful worker, the wealth of kine, for strength, that nurtures heroes. The Mighty One his self-born host regarded, the horse's mate, the mother of the heifer.
Rig Veda 1.121.3
नक्षद धवमरुणीः पूर्व्यं राट तुरो विशामङगिरसामनु दयून | तक्षद वज्रं नियुतं तस्तम्भद दयां चतुष्पदे नर्याय दविपादे
nakṣad dhavamaruṇīḥ pūrvyaṃ rāṭ turo viśāmaṅghirasāmanu dyūn | takṣad vajraṃ niyutaṃ tastambhad dyāṃ catuṣpade naryāya dvipāde
Lord of red dawns, he came victorious, daily to the Aṅgirases' former invocation. His bolt and team hath he prepared, and stablished the heaven for quadrupeds and men two-footed.
Rig Veda 1.121.4
अस्य मदे सवर्यं दा रतायापीव्र्तमुस्रियाणामनीकम | यद ध परसर्गे तरिककुं निवर्तदप दरुहो मानुषस्य दुरो वः
asya made svaryaṃ dā ṛtāyāpīvṛtamusriyāṇāmanīkam | yad dha prasarghe trikakuṃ nivartadapa druho mānuṣasya duro vaḥ
In joy of this thou didst restore, for worship, the lowing company of hidden cattle. When the three-pointed one descends with onslaught he opens wide the doors that cause man trouble.
Rig Veda 1.121.5
तुभ्यं पयो यत पितरावनीतां राधः सुरेतस्तुरणे भुरण्यू | शुचि यत ते रेक्ण आयजन्त सबर्दुघायाः पयौस्रियायाः
tubhyaṃ payo yat pitarāvanītāṃ rādhaḥ suretasturaṇe bhuraṇyū | śuci yat te rekṇa āyajanta sabardughāyāḥ payausriyāyāḥ
Thine is that milk which thy swift-moving Parents brought down, a strengthening genial gift for conquest; When the pure treasure unto thee they offered, the milk shed from the cow who streameth nectar.
Rig Veda 1.121.6
अध पर जज्ञे तरणिर्ममत्तु पर रोच्यस्या उषसो न सूरः | इन्दुर्येभिराष्ट सवेदुहव्यैः सरुवेण सिञ्चञ जरणाभि धाम
adha pra jajñe taraṇirmamattu pra rocyasyā uṣaso na sūraḥ | induryebhirāṣṭa sveduhavyaiḥ sruveṇa siñcañ jaraṇābhi dhāma
There is he born. May the Swift give us rapture, and like the Sun shine forth from yonder dawning, Indu, even us who drank, whose toils are offerings, poured from the spoon, with praise, upon the altar.
Rig Veda 1.121.7
सविध्मा यद वनधितिरपस्यात सूरो अध्वरे परि रोधना गोः | यद ध परभासि कर्त्व्याननु दयूननर्विशे पश्विषेतुराय
svidhmā yad vanadhitirapasyāt sūro adhvare pari rodhanā ghoḥ | yad dha prabhāsi kṛtvyānanu dyūnanarviśe paśviṣeturāya
When the wood-pile, made of good logs, is ready, at the Sun's worship to bind fast the Bullock, Then when thou shinest forth through days of action for the Car-borne, the Swift, the Cattle-seeker.
Rig Veda 1.121.8
अष्टा महो दिव आदो हरी इह दयुम्नासाहमभि योधानौत्सम | हरिं यत ते मन्दिनं दुक्षन वर्धे गोरभसमद्रिभिर्वाताप्यम
aṣṭā maho diva ādo harī iha dyumnāsāhamabhi yodhānautsam | hariṃ yat te mandinaṃ dukṣan vṛdhe ghorabhasamadribhirvātāpyam
Eight steeds thou broughtest down from mighty heaven, when fighting for the well that giveth splendour, That men might press with stones the gladdening yellow, strengthened with milk, fermenting, to exalt thee.
Rig Veda 1.121.9
तवमायसं परति वर्तयो गोर्दिवो अश्मानमुपनीतं रभ्वा | कुत्साय यत्र पुरुहूत वन्वञ्छुष्णमनन्तैः परियासि वधैः
tvamāyasaṃ prati vartayo ghordivo aśmānamupanītaṃ ṛbhvā | kutsāya yatra puruhūta vanvañchuṣṇamanantaiḥ pariyāsi vadhaiḥ
Thou hurledst forth from heaven the iron missile, brought by the Skilful, from the sling of leather, When thou, O Much-invoked, assisting Kutsa with endless deadly darts didst compass Śuṣṇa.
Rig Veda 1.121.10
पुरा यत सूरस्तमसो अपीतेस्तमद्रिवः फलिगं हेतिमस्य | शुष्णस्य चित परिहितं यदोजो दिवस परि सुग्रथितं तदादः
purā yat sūrastamaso apītestamadrivaḥ phalighaṃ hetimasya | śuṣṇasya cit parihitaṃ yadojo divas pari sughrathitaṃ tadādaḥ
Bolt-armed, ere darkness overtook the sunlight, thou castest at the veiling cloud thy weapon, Thou rentest, out of heaven, though firmly knotted, the might of Śuṣṇa that was thrown around him.
Rig Veda 1.121.11
अनु तवा मही पाजसी अचक्रे दयावाक्षामा मदतामिन्द्र कर्मन | तवं वर्त्रमाशयानं सिरासु महो वज्रेण सिष्वपोवराहुम
anu tvā mahī pājasī acakre dyāvākṣāmā madatāmindra karman | tvaṃ vṛtramāśayānaṃ sirāsu maho vajreṇa siṣvapovarāhum
The mighty Heaven and Earth, those bright expanses that have no wheels, joyed, Indra, at thine exploit. Vṛtra, the boar who lay amid the waters, to sleep thou sentest with thy mighty thunder.
Rig Veda 1.121.12
तवमिन्द्र नर्यो यानवो नॄन तिष्ठा वातस्य सुयुजो वहिष्ठान | यं ते काव्य उशना मन्दिनं दाद वर्त्रहणं पार्यं ततक्ष वज्रम
tvamindra naryo yānavo nṝn tiṣṭhā vātasya suyujo vahiṣṭhān | yaṃ te kāvya uśanā mandinaṃ dād vṛtrahaṇaṃ pāryaṃ tatakṣa vajram
Mount Indra, lover of the men thou guardest, the well-yoked horses of the wind, best bearers. The bolt which Kāvya Uśanā erst gave thee, strong, gladdening, Vṛtra-slaying, hath he fashioned.
Rig Veda 1.121.13
तवं सूरो हरितो रामयो नॄन भरच्चक्रमेतशो नायमिन्द्र | परास्य पारं नवतिं नाव्यानामपि कर्तमवर्तयोऽयज्यून
tvaṃ sūro harito rāmayo nṝn bharaccakrametaśo nāyamindra | prāsya pāraṃ navatiṃ nāvyānāmapi kartamavartayo'yajyūn
The strong Bay Horses of the Sun thou stayedst: this Etaśa drew not the wheel, O Indra. Casting them forth beyond the ninety rivers thou dravest down into the pit the godless.
Rig Veda 1.121.14
तवं नो अस्या इन्द्र दुर्हणायाः पाहि वज्रिवो दुरितादभीके | पर नो वाजान रथ्यो अश्वबुध्यानिषे यन्धि शरवसे सून्र्तायै
tvaṃ no asyā indra durhaṇāyāḥ pāhi vajrivo duritādabhīke | pra no vājān rathyo aśvabudhyāniṣe yandhi śravase sūnṛtāyai
Indra, preserve thou us from this affliction Thunder-armed, save us from the misery near us. Vouchsafe us affluence in chariots, founded on horses, for our food and fame and gladness.
Rig Veda 1.121.15
मा सा ते अस्मत सुमतिर्वि दसद वाजप्रमहः समिषो वरन्त | आ नो भज मघवन गोष्वर्यो मंहिष्ठास्ते सधमादः सयाम
mā sā te asmat sumatirvi dasad vājapramahaḥ samiṣo varanta | ā no bhaja maghavan ghoṣvaryo maṃhiṣṭhāste sadhamādaḥ syāma
Never may this thy loving-kindness fail us; mighty in strength, may plenteous food surround us. Maghavan, make us share the foeman's cattle: may we be thy most liberal feast companions.
Want to hear this Sukta chanted? Subscribe to Pro for
full audio recitations of every verse, on-demand AI commentary, and verse
search across the entire Rig Veda.