Rig Veda · Mandala 10 · Sukta 173
Rig Veda 10.173 — The King
Deity: The King. Rishi family (Mandala 10): Many seers — generally considered latest in composition. This Sukta contains 6 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 10.173.1
आ तवाहार्षमन्तरेधि धरुवस्तिष्ठाविचाचलिः | विशस्त्वा सर्वा वाञ्छन्तु मा तवद राष्ट्रमधि भरशत
ā tvāhārṣamantaredhi dhruvastiṣṭhāvicācaliḥ | viśastvā sarvā vāñchantu mā tvad rāṣṭramadhi bhraśat
Rig Veda 10.173.2
इहैवैधि माप चयोष्ठाः पर्वत इवाविचाचलिः | इन्द्रैवेह धरुवस्तिष्ठेह राष्ट्रमु धारय
ihaivaidhi māpa cyoṣṭhāḥ parvata ivāvicācaliḥ | indraiveha dhruvastiṣṭheha rāṣṭramu dhāraya
Be even here; fall not away be like a mountain unremoved. Stand stedfast here like Indra's self, and hold the kingship in the grasp.
Rig Veda 10.173.3
इममिन्द्रो अदीधरद धरुवं धरुवेण हविषा | तस्मै सोमोधि बरवत तस्मा उ बरह्मणस पतिः
imamindro adīdharad dhruvaṃ dhruveṇa haviṣā | tasmai somoadhi bravat tasmā u brahmaṇas patiḥ
This man hath Indra stablished, made secure by strong oblation's power. May Soma speak a benison, and Brahmaṇaspati, on him.
Rig Veda 10.173.4
धरुवा दयौर्ध्रुवा पर्थिवी धरुवासः पर्वता इमे | धरुवं विश्वमिदं जगद धरुवो राजा विशामयम
dhruvā dyaurdhruvā pṛthivī dhruvāsaḥ parvatā ime | dhruvaṃ viśvamidaṃ jaghad dhruvo rājā viśāmayam
Firm is the sky and firm the earth, and stedfast also are these hills. Stedfast is all this living world, and stedfast is this King of men.
Rig Veda 10.173.5
धरुवं ते राजा वरुणो धरुवं देवो बर्हस्पतिः | धरुवं त इन्द्रश्चाग्निश्च राष्ट्रं धारयतां धरुवम
dhruvaṃ te rājā varuṇo dhruvaṃ devo bṛhaspatiḥ | dhruvaṃ ta indraścāghniśca rāṣṭraṃ dhārayatāṃ dhruvam
Stedfast, may Varuṇa the King, stedfast, the God Bṛhaspati, Stedfast, may Indra, stedfast too, may Agni keep thy stedfast reign.
Rig Veda 10.173.6
धरुवं धरुवेण हविषाभि सोमं मर्शामसि | अथो तैन्द्रः केवलीर्विशो बलिह्र्तस करत
dhruvaṃ dhruveṇa haviṣābhi somaṃ mṛśāmasi | atho taindraḥ kevalīrviśo balihṛtas karat
On constant Soma let us think with constant sacrificial gift And then may Indra make the clans bring tribute unto thee alone.
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.