Rig Veda · Mandala 1 · Sukta 32
Rig Veda 1.32 — 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 1.32.1
इन्द्रस्य नु वीर्याणि पर वोचं यानि चकार परथमानि वज्री | अहन्नहिमन्वपस्ततर्द पर वक्षणा अभिनत पर्वतानाम
indrasya nu vīryāṇi pra vocaṃ yāni cakāra prathamāni vajrī | ahannahimanvapastatarda pra vakṣaṇā abhinat parvatānām
I WILL declare the manly deeds of Indra, the first that he achieved, the Thunder-wielder. He slew the Dragon, then disclosed the waters, and cleft the channels of the mountain torrents.
Rig Veda 1.32.2
अहन्नहिं पर्वते शिश्रियाणं तवष्टास्मै वज्रं सवर्यं ततक्ष | वाश्रा इव धेनवः सयन्दमाना अञ्जः समुद्रमव जग्मुरापः
ahannahiṃ parvate śiśriyāṇaṃ tvaṣṭāsmai vajraṃ svaryaṃ tatakṣa | vāśrā iva dhenavaḥ syandamānā añjaḥ samudramava jaghmurāpaḥ
He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of thunder Tvaṣṭar fashioned. Like lowing kine in rapid flow descending the waters glided downward to the ocean.
Rig Veda 1.32.3
वर्षायमाणो.अव्र्णीत सोमं तरिकद्रुकेष्वपिबत सुतस्य | आसायकं मघवादत्त वज्रमहन्नेनं परथमजामहीनाम
vṛṣāyamāṇo.avṛṇīta somaṃ trikadrukeṣvapibat sutasya | āsāyakaṃ maghavādatta vajramahannenaṃ prathamajāmahīnām
Impetuous as a bull, he chose the Soma and in three sacred beakers drank the juices. Maghavan grasped the thunder for his weapon, and smote to death this firstborn of the dragons.
Rig Veda 1.32.4
यदिन्द्राहन परथमजामहीनामान मायिनाममिनाः परोत मायाः | आत सूर्यं जनयन दयामुषासं तादीत्नाशत्रुं न किला विवित्से
yadindrāhan prathamajāmahīnāmān māyināmamināḥ prota māyāḥ | āt sūryaṃ janayan dyāmuṣāsaṃ tādītnāśatruṃ na kilā vivitse
When, Indra, thou hadst slain the dragon's firstborn, and overcome the charms of the enchanters, Then, giving life to Sun and Dawn and Heaven, thou foundest not one foe to stand against thee.
Rig Veda 1.32.5
अहन वर्त्रं वर्त्रतरं वयंसमिन्द्रो वज्रेण महता वधेन | सकन्धांसीव कुलिशेना विव्र्क्णाहिः शयत उपप्र्क पर्थिव्याः
ahan vṛtraṃ vṛtrataraṃ vyaṃsamindro vajreṇa mahatā vadhena | skandhāṃsīva kuliśenā vivṛkṇāhiḥ śayata upapṛk pṛthivyāḥ
Indra with his own great and deadly thunder smote into pieces Vṛtra, worst of Vṛtras. As trunks of trees, what time the axe hath felled them, low on the earth so lies the prostrate Dragon.
Rig Veda 1.32.6
अयोद्धेव दुर्मद आ हि जुह्वे महावीरं तुविबाधं रजीषम | नातारीदस्य सम्र्तिं वधानां सं रुजानाः पिपिषैन्द्रशत्रुः
ayoddheva durmada ā hi juhve mahāvīraṃ tuvibādhaṃ ṛjīṣam | nātārīdasya samṛtiṃ vadhānāṃ saṃ rujānāḥ pipiṣaindraśatruḥ
He, like a mad weak warrior, challenged Indra, the great impetuous many-slaying Hero. He, brooking not the clashing of the weapons, crushed—Indra's foe—the shattered forts in falling.
Rig Veda 1.32.7
अपादहस्तो अप्र्तन्यदिन्द्रमास्य वज्रमधि सानौ जघान | वर्ष्णो वध्रिः परतिमानं बुभूषन पुरुत्रा वर्त्रो अशयद वयस्तः
apādahasto apṛtanyadindramāsya vajramadhi sānau jaghāna | vṛṣṇo vadhriḥ pratimānaṃ bubhūṣan purutrā vṛtro aśayad vyastaḥ
Footless and handless still he challenged Indra, who smote him with his bolt between the shoulders. Emasculate yet claiming manly vigour, thus Vṛtra lay with scattered limbs dissevered.
Rig Veda 1.32.8
नदं न भिन्नममुया शयानं मनो रुहाणा अति यन्त्यापः | याश्चिद वर्त्रो महिना पर्यतिष्ठत तासामहिः पत्सुतःशीर्बभूव
nadaṃ na bhinnamamuyā śayānaṃ mano ruhāṇā ati yantyāpaḥ | yāścid vṛtro mahinā paryatiṣṭhat tāsāmahiḥ patsutaḥśīrbabhūva
There as he lies like a bank-bursting river, the waters taking courage flow above him. The Dragon lies beneath the feet of torrents which Vṛtra with his greatness had encompassed.
Rig Veda 1.32.9
नीचावया अभवद वर्त्रपुत्रेन्द्रो अस्या अव वधर्जभार | उत्तरा सूरधरः पुत्र आसीद दानुः शये सहवत्सा न धेनुः
nīcāvayā abhavad vṛtraputrendro asyā ava vadharjabhāra | uttarā sūradharaḥ putra āsīd dānuḥ śaye sahavatsā na dhenuḥ
Then humbled was the strength of Vṛtra's mother: Indra hath cast his deadly bolt against her. The mother was above, the son was under and like a cow beside her calf lay Danu.
Rig Veda 1.32.10
अतिष्ठन्तीनामनिवेशनानां काष्ठानां मध्ये निहितंशरीरम | वर्त्रस्य निण्यं वि चरन्त्यापो दीर्घं तम आशयदिन्द्रशत्रुः
atiṣṭhantīnāmaniveśanānāṃ kāṣṭhānāṃ madhye nihitaṃśarīram | vṛtrasya niṇyaṃ vi carantyāpo dīrghaṃ tama āśayadindraśatruḥ
Rolled in the midst of never-ceasing currents flowing without a rest for ever onward. The waters bear off Vṛtra's nameless body: the foe of Indra sank to during darkness.
Rig Veda 1.32.11
दासपत्नीरहिगोपा अतिष्ठन निरुद्धा आपः पणिनेव गावः | अपां बिलमपिहितं यदासीद वर्त्रं जघन्वानपतद ववार
dāsapatnīrahighopā atiṣṭhan niruddhā āpaḥ paṇineva ghāvaḥ | apāṃ bilamapihitaṃ yadāsīd vṛtraṃ jaghanvānapatad vavāra
Guarded by Ahi stood the thralls of Dāsas, the waters stayed like kine held by the robber. But he, when he had smitten Vṛtra, opened the cave wherein the floods had been imprisoned.
Rig Veda 1.32.12
अश्व्यो वारो अभवस्तदिन्द्र सर्के यत तवा परत्यहन देव एकः | अजयो गा अजयः शूर सोममवास्र्जः सर्तवे सप्त सिन्धून
aśvyo vāro abhavastadindra sṛke yat tvā pratyahan deva ekaḥ | ajayo ghā ajayaḥ śūra somamavāsṛjaḥ sartave sapta sindhūn
A horse's tail wast thou when he, O Indra, smote on thy bolt; thou, God without a second, Thou hast won back the kine, hast won the Soma; thou hast let loose to flow the Seven Rivers.
Rig Veda 1.32.13
नास्मै विद्युन न तन्यतुः सिषेध न यां मिहमकिरद धरादुनिं च | इन्द्रश्च यद युयुधाते अहिश्चोतापरीभ्यो मघवा वि जिग्ये
nāsmai vidyun na tanyatuḥ siṣedha na yāṃ mihamakirad dhrāduniṃ ca | indraśca yad yuyudhāte ahiścotāparībhyo maghavā vi jighye
Nothing availed him lightning, nothing thunder, hailstorm or mist which had spread around him: When Indra and the Dragon strove in battle, Maghavan gained the victory for ever.
Rig Veda 1.32.14
अहेर्यातारं कमपश्य इन्द्र हर्दि यत ते जघ्नुषो भीरगछत | नव च यन नवतिं च सरवन्तीः शयेनो न भीतोतरो रजांसि
aheryātāraṃ kamapaśya indra hṛdi yat te jaghnuṣo bhīraghachat | nava ca yan navatiṃ ca sravantīḥ śyeno na bhītoataro rajāṃsi
Whom sawest thou to avenge the Dragon, Indra, that fear possessed thy heart when thou hadst slain him; That, like a hawk affrighted through the regions, thou crossedst nine-and-ninety flowing rivers?
Rig Veda 1.32.15
इन्द्रो यातो.अवसितस्य राजा शमस्य च शर्ङगिणो वज्रबाहुः | सेदु राजा कषयति चर्षणीनामरान न नेमिः परि ता बभूव
indro yāto.avasitasya rājā śamasya ca śṛṅghiṇo vajrabāhuḥ | sedu rājā kṣayati carṣaṇīnāmarān na nemiḥ pari tā babhūva
Indra is King of all that moves and moves not, of creatures tame and horned, the Thunder-wielder. Over all living men he rules as Sovran, containing all as spokes within the felly.
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