Rig Veda · Mandala 1 · Sukta 51
Rig Veda 1.51 — 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 1.51.1
अभि तयं मेषं पुरुहूतं रग्मियमिन्द्रं गीर्भिर्मदता वस्वो अर्णवम | यस्य दयावो न विचरन्ति मानुषा भुजे मंहिष्ठमभि विप्रमर्चत
abhi tyaṃ meṣaṃ puruhūtaṃ ṛghmiyamindraṃ ghīrbhirmadatā vasvo arṇavam | yasya dyāvo na vicaranti mānuṣā bhuje maṃhiṣṭhamabhi vipramarcata
MAKE glad with songs that Ram whom many men invoke, worthy of songs of praise, Indra, the sea of wealth; Whose gracious deeds for men spread like the heavens abroad: sing praise to him the Sage, most liberal for our good.
Rig Veda 1.51.2
अभीमवन्वन सवभिष्टिमूतयो.अन्तरिक्षप्रां तविषीभिराव्र्तम | इन्द्रं दक्षास रभवो मदच्युतं शतक्रतुं जवनी सून्र्तारुहत
abhīmavanvan svabhiṣṭimūtayo.antarikṣaprāṃ taviṣībhirāvṛtam | indraṃ dakṣāsa ṛbhavo madacyutaṃ śatakratuṃ javanī sūnṛtāruhat
As aids the skilful Ṛbhus yearned to Indra strong to save, who fills mid-air, encompassed round with might, Rushing in rapture; and o’er Śatakratu came the gladdening shout that urged him on to victory.
Rig Veda 1.51.3
तवं गोत्रमङगिरोभ्यो.अव्र्णोरपोतात्रये शतदुरेषु गातुवित | ससेन चिद विमदायावहो वस्वाजावद्रिं वावसानस्यनर्तयन
tvaṃ ghotramaṅghirobhyo.avṛṇorapotātraye śatadureṣu ghātuvit | sasena cid vimadāyāvaho vasvājāvadriṃ vāvasānasyanartayan
Thou hast disclosed the kine's stall for the Aṅgirases, and made a way for Atri by a hundred doors. On Vimada thou hast bestowed both food and wealth, making thy bolt dance in the sacrificer's fight.
Rig Veda 1.51.4
तवमपामपिधानाव्र्णोर अपाधारयः पर्वते दानुमद वसु | वर्त्रं यदिन्द्र शवसावधीरहिमादित सूर्यं दिव्यारोहयो दर्शे
tvamapāmapidhānāvṛṇor apādhārayaḥ parvate dānumad vasu | vṛtraṃ yadindra śavasāvadhīrahimādit sūryaṃ divyārohayo dṛśe
Thou hast unclosed the prisons of the waters; thou hast in the mountain seized the treasure rich in gifts. When thou hadst slain with might the dragon Vṛtra, thou, Indra, didst raise the Sun in heaven for all to see.
Rig Veda 1.51.5
तवं मायाभिरप मायिनो.अधमः सवधाभिर्ये अधि शुप्तावजुह्वत | तवं पिप्रोर्न्र्मणः परारुजः पुरः पर रजिश्वानं दस्युहत्येष्वाविथ
tvaṃ māyābhirapa māyino.adhamaḥ svadhābhirye adhi śuptāvajuhvata | tvaṃ piprornṛmaṇaḥ prārujaḥ puraḥ pra ṛjiśvānaṃ dasyuhatyeṣvāvitha
With wondrous might thou blewest enchanter fiends away, with powers celestial those who called on thee in jest. Thou, hero-hearted, hast broken down Pipru's forts, and helped Ṛjiśvan when the Dasyus were struck dead.
Rig Veda 1.51.6
तवं कुत्सं शुष्णहत्येष्वाविथारन्धयो.अतिथिग्वाय शम्बरम | महान्तं चिदर्बुदं नि करमीः पदा सनादेव दस्युहत्याय जज्ञिषे
tvaṃ kutsaṃ śuṣṇahatyeṣvāvithārandhayo.atithighvāya śambaram | mahāntaṃ cidarbudaṃ ni kramīḥ padā sanādeva dasyuhatyāya jajñiṣe
Thou savedst Kutsa when Śuṣṇa was smitten down; to Atithigva gavest Śambara for a prey. E’en mighty Arbuda thou troddest under foot: thou from of old wast born to strike the Dasyus dead.
Rig Veda 1.51.7
तवे विश्वा तविषी सध्र्यग घिता तव राधः सोमपीथाय हर्षते | तव वज्रश्चिकिते बाह्वोर्हितो वर्श्चा शत्रोरव विश्वानि वर्ष्ण्या
tve viśvā taviṣī sadhryagh ghitā tava rādhaḥ somapīthāya harṣate | tava vajraścikite bāhvorhito vṛścā śatrorava viśvāni vṛṣṇyā
All power and might is closely gathered up in thee; thy bounteous spirit joys in drinking Soma juice. Known is the thunderbolt that lies within thine arms: rend off therewith all manly prowess of our foe.
Rig Veda 1.51.8
वि जानीह्यार्यान ये च दस्यवो बर्हिष्मते रन्धया शासदव्रतान | शाकी भव यजमानस्य चोदिता विश्वेत ता ते सधमादेषु चाकन
vi jānīhyāryān ye ca dasyavo barhiṣmate randhayā śāsadavratān | śākī bhava yajamānasya coditā viśvet tā te sadhamādeṣu cākana
Discern thou well Āryas and Dasyus; punishing the lawless give them up to him whose grass is strewn. Be thou the sacrificer's strong encourager all these thy deeds are my delight at festivals.
Rig Veda 1.51.9
अनुव्रताय रन्धयन्नपव्रतानाभूभिरिन्द्रः शनथयन्ननाभुवः | वर्द्धस्य चिद वर्धतो दयामिनक्षत सतवानो वम्रो वि जघान सन्दिहः
anuvratāya randhayannapavratānābhūbhirindraḥ śnathayannanābhuvaḥ | vṛddhasya cid vardhato dyāminakṣata stavāno vamro vi jaghāna sandihaḥ
Indra gives up the lawless to the pious man, destroying by the Strong Ones those who have no strength. Vamra when glorified destroyed the gathered piles of the still waxing great one who would reach the heaven.
Rig Veda 1.51.10
तक्षद यत त उशना सहसा सहो वि रोदसी मज्मना बाधते शवः | आ तवा वातस्य नर्मणो मनोयुज आ पूर्यमाणमवहन्नभि शरवः
takṣad yat ta uśanā sahasā saho vi rodasī majmanā bādhate śavaḥ | ā tvā vātasya nṛmaṇo manoyuja ā pūryamāṇamavahannabhi śravaḥ
The might which Uśanā hath formed for thee with might rends in its greatness and with strength both worlds apart. O Hero-souled, the steeds of Vāta, yoked by thought, have carried thee to fame while thou art filled with power.
Rig Veda 1.51.11
मन्दिष्ट यदुशने काव्ये सचानिन्द्रो वङकू वङकुतराधि तिष्ठति | उग्रो ययिं निरपः सरोतसास्र्जद वि शुष्णस्य दरंहिता ऐरयत पुरः
mandiṣṭa yaduśane kāvye sacānindro vaṅkū vaṅkutarādhi tiṣṭhati | ughro yayiṃ nirapaḥ srotasāsṛjad vi śuṣṇasya dṛṃhitā airayat puraḥ
When Indra hath rejoiced with Kāvya Uśanā, he mounts his steeds who swerve wider and wider yet. The Strong hath loosed his bolt with the swift rush of rain, and he hath rent in pieces Śuṣṇa's firm-built forts.
Rig Veda 1.51.12
आ समा रथं वर्षपाणेषु तिष्ठसि शार्यातस्य परभ्र्तायेषु मन्दसे | इन्द्र यथा सुतसोमेषु चाकनो.अनर्वाणंश्लोकमा रोहसे दिवि
ā smā rathaṃ vṛṣapāṇeṣu tiṣṭhasi śāryātasya prabhṛtāyeṣu mandase | indra yathā sutasomeṣu cākano.anarvāṇaṃślokamā rohase divi
Thou mountest on thy car amid strong Soma draughts: Śāryāta brought thee those in which thou hast delight. Indra, when thou art pleased with men whose Soma flows thou risest to unchallenged glory in the sky.
Rig Veda 1.51.13
अददा अर्भां महते वचस्यवे कक्षीवते वर्चयामिन्द्र सुन्वते | मेनाभवो वर्षणश्वस्य सुक्रतो विश्वेत ता ते सवनेषु परवाच्या
adadā arbhāṃ mahate vacasyave kakṣīvate vṛcayāmindra sunvate | menābhavo vṛṣaṇaśvasya sukrato viśvet tā te savaneṣu pravācyā
To old Kakṣīvān, Soma-presser, skilled in song, O Indra, thou didst give the youthful Vṛcayā. Thou, very wise, wast Menā, Vrsanśva's child: those deeds of thine must all be told at Soma feasts.
Rig Veda 1.51.14
इन्द्रो अश्रायि सुध्यो निरेके पज्रेषु सतोमो दुर्यो न यूपः | अश्वयुर्गव्यू रथयुर्वसूयुरिन्द्र इद रायः कषयति परयन्ता
indro aśrāyi sudhyo nireke pajreṣu stomo duryo na yūpaḥ | aśvayurghavyū rathayurvasūyurindra id rāyaḥ kṣayati prayantā
The good man's refuge in his need is Indra, firm as a doorpost, praised among the Pajras. Indra alone is Lord of wealth, the Giver, lover of riches, chariots, kine, and horses.
Rig Veda 1.51.15
इदं नमो वर्षभाय सवराजे सत्यशुष्माय तवसे.अवाचि | अस्मिन्निन्द्र वर्जने सर्ववीराः समत सूरिभिस्तव शर्मन सयाम
idaṃ namo vṛṣabhāya svarāje satyaśuṣmāya tavase.avāci | asminnindra vṛjane sarvavīrāḥ smat sūribhistava śarman syāma
To him the Mighty One, the self-resplendent, verily strong and great, this praise is uttered. May we and all the heroes, with the princes, be, in this fray, O Indra, in thy keeping.
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