1.61.1
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ प्र त॒वसे॑ तु॒राय॒ प्रयो॒ न ह॑र्मि॒ स्तोमं॒ माहि॑नाय |
ऋची॑षमा॒याध्रि॑गव॒ ओह॒मिन्द्रा॑य॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि रा॒तत॑मा ||
EVEN to him, swift, strong and high. exalted, I bring my song of praise as dainty viands, My thought to him resistless, praise-deserving, prayers offered most especially to Indra.
Even to him—swift, strong, and highly exalted—I bring my song of praise as dainty fare; my thought to the irresistible, praise-worthy one—prayers offered most specially to Indra.
Stoma as prayas (offering-food) for Indra's turāya mahiman shows hymn as ahuti of mind. Brahmāṇi rātatamā—most given sacred formulas—are concentrated dāna of vāk. Nodhas inaugurates the long hymn with intentional exclusivity of dedication.
Offer your best cognitive work to the highest aim first—not leftover attention. Priority of dedication shapes quality.
1.61.2
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ प्रय॑ इव॒ प्र यं॑सि॒ भरा॑म्याङ्गू॒षं बाधे॑ सुवृ॒क्ति |
इन्द्रा॑य हृ॒दा मन॑सा मनी॒षा प्र॒त्नाय॒ पत्ये॒ धियो॑ मर्जयन्त ||
Praise, like oblation, I present, and utter aloud my song, my fair hymn to the Victor. For Indra, who is Lord of old, the singers have decked their lauds with heart and mind and spirit.
I present praise like an oblation and utter aloud my fair hymn to the Victor; for Indra, ancient Lord, the singers have polished their insights with heart, mind, and inspired thought.
Hṛdā manasā manīṣā—heart, mind, and deep reflection—polish dhīyaḥ for Indra. This triad anticipates later yoga of integrated interior faculties. Pratna pati receives suvṛkti: ancient sovereignty answered by carefully wrought modern praise.
Integrate feeling, analysis, and intuition when crafting important communication. Polished work from the whole self travels farther.
1.61.3
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ त्यमु॑प॒मं स्व॒र्षां भरा॑म्याङ्गू॒षमा॒स्ये॑न |
मंहि॑ष्ठ॒मच्छो॑क्तिभिर्मती॒नां सु॑वृ॒क्तिभि॑: सू॒रिं वा॑वृ॒धध्यै॑ ||
To him then with my lips mine adoration, winning heaven's light, most excellent, I offer, To magnify with songs of invocation and with fair hymns the Lord, most bounteous Giver.
To him with my lips I offer adoration that wins heaven's light—most excellent—to magnify with songs of call and fair hymns the Lord, most bounteous Giver.
Āsya offering of upama svārṣā praise seeks the light of svar. Maṃhiṣṭha Indra is magnified (vāvṛdhadhyai) by ṛc and suvṛkti—growth of Deva through human stuti is mutual Vedic economy of śakti.
Spoken acknowledgment grows the good you want more of. Public, articulate gratitude amplifies generous leadership and culture.
1.61.4
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ स्तोमं॒ सं हि॑नोमि॒ रथं॒ न तष्टे॑व॒ तत्सि॑नाय |
गिर॑श्च॒ गिर्वा॑हसे सुवृ॒क्तीन्द्रा॑य विश्वमि॒न्वं मेधि॑राय ||
Even for him I frame a laud, as fashions the wright a chariot for the man who needs it,— Praises to him who gladly hears our praises, a hymn well-formed, all-moving, to wise Indra.
For him I assemble a laud as a carpenter fashions a chariot for one who needs it—praises for the lover of hymns, a well-formed, all-stirring song to wise Indra.
Famous simile: stoma like ratha from the taṣṭṛ—sacred poiesis as skilled craft (taks). Girvāhase Indra receives medhira-oriented, viśvaminva hymn: intelligence and universal resonance. Ṛṣi as artisan of brahman.
Treat communication and strategy as craftsmanship. Build vehicles of meaning sturdy enough for the journey others must take.
1.61.5
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ सप्ति॑मिव श्रव॒स्येन्द्रा॑या॒र्कं जु॒ह्वा॒ ३ सम॑ञ्जे |
वी॒रं दा॒नौक॑सं व॒न्दध्यै॑ पु॒रां गू॒र्तश्र॑वसं द॒र्माण॑म् ||
So with my tongue I deck, to please that Indra, my hymn, as ’twere a horse, through love of glory, To reverence the Hero, bounteous Giver, famed far and wide, destroyer of the castles.
With my tongue I adorn a hymn for Indra like a horse, through love of glory—to honor the Hero, bounteous giver, widely famed destroyer of fortresses.
Arka groomed like sapti for śravasya—fame-oriented yet dāna-centered heroism. Pūrām darmāṇam: Indra breaks asuric strongholds. Veneration of vīra who is dānaukasa joins martial and generous ideals of kṣatra-dharma.
Celebrate leaders who dismantle unjust fortresses and remain generous. Ambition for worthy renown can discipline craft without becoming vanity.
1.61.6
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ त्वष्टा॑ तक्ष॒द् वज्रं॒ स्वप॑स्तमं स्व॒र्यं १ रणा॑य |
वृ॒त्रस्य॑ चिद् वि॒दद्येन॒ मर्म॑ तु॒जन्नीशा॑नस्तुज॒ता कि॑ये॒धाः ||
Even for him hath Tvaṣṭar forged the thunder, most deftly wrought, celestial, for the battle, Wherewith he reached the vital parts of Vṛtra, striking-the vast, the mighty with the striker.
For him Tvaṣṭṛ forged the thunderbolt—most skillfully made, celestial, for battle—with which he found Vṛtra's vital spot, the vast one striking the mighty with the striker.
Tvaṣṭṛ as divine craftsman (svapastama) forging svaru vajra embeds technology-of-the-sacred in myth. Finding marmā of Vṛtra: precise application of force at the point of obstruction—yogic and strategic. Īśāna and tujatā: sovereignty plus impetus.
Right tool plus precise targeting beats brute thrashing. Invest in craftsmanship and find the leverage point before striking.
1.61.7
अ॒स्येदु॑ मा॒तुः सव॑नेषु स॒द्यो म॒हः पि॒तुं प॑पि॒वाञ्चार्वन्ना॑ |
मु॒षा॒यद् विष्णु॑: पच॒तं सही॑या॒न् विध्य॑द् वरा॒हं ति॒रो अद्रि॒मस्ता॑ ||
As soon as, at libations of his mother, great Viṣṇu had drunk up the draught, he plundered. The dainty cates, the cooked mess; but One stronger transfixed the wild boar, shooting through the mountain.
At his mother's libations great Viṣṇu at once drank the lovely food; the stronger one plundered the cooked offering, and pierced the wild boar, shooting through the mountain.
Dense mythic knot: Viṣṇu, Soma-food, and the boar (varāha) through the mountain—early Vedic strata later blossoming in Varāha-avatāra readings of earth-rescue. Indra's superior strength in the narrative complex affirms complementary Deva roles within one ṛta-drama of recovering nourishment.
Recovery of nourishment may require both expansive vision and piercing courage. Myths remind us that sustenance is fought for and shared among allies.
1.61.8
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ ग्नाश्चि॑द् दे॒वप॑त्नी॒रिन्द्रा॑या॒र्कम॑हि॒हत्य॑ ऊवुः |
परि॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी ज॑भ्र उ॒र्वी नास्य॒ ते म॑हि॒मानं॒ परि॑ ष्टः ||
To him, to Indra, when he slew the Dragon, the Dames, too, Consorts of the Gods, wove praises. The mighty heaven and earth hath he encompassed: thy greatness heaven and earth, combined, exceed not.
To Indra when he slew the Dragon the Goddesses, consorts of the Gods, also wove praises. He has encompassed mighty heaven and earth; your greatness the two worlds together do not surpass.
Gnāḥ / devapatnī weaving arka at ahi-hatya shows feminine divine participation in cosmic victory. Indra's mahiman exceeding dyāvāpṛthivī states absolute centrality of liberating consciousness within Sanātana cosmology.
Victories that free life should be celebrated across the whole community, including voices often sidelined. True magnitude serves both 'heaven' and 'earth' domains.
1.61.9
अ॒स्येदे॒व प्र रि॑रिचे महि॒त्वं दि॒वस्पृ॑थि॒व्याः पर्य॒न्तरि॑क्षात् |
स्व॒राळिन्द्रो॒ दम॒ आ वि॒श्वगू॑र्तः स्व॒रिरम॑त्रो ववक्षे॒ रणा॑य ||
Yea, of a truth, his magnitude surpasseth the magnitude of earth, mid-air, and heaven. Indra, approved by all men, self-resplendent, waxed in his home, loud-voiced and strong for battle.
Truly his greatness surpasses that of earth, mid-air, and heaven. Indra, approved by all, self-luminous, waxed in his home—loud-voiced and strong for battle.
Triloka surpassed by Indra's mahitvam. Svarāḷ and viśvagūrta in his dama: sovereignty and universal praise growing in the sacred 'home'—altar, heart, and cosmic seat. Battle-readiness is the outward face of inner expansion in ṛta.
Grow capacity in your own domain first. Authentic confidence that 'fills the home' earns wider trust more than performative dominance.
1.61.10
अ॒स्येदे॒व शव॑सा शु॒षन्तं॒ वि वृ॑श्च॒द् वज्रे॑ण वृ॒त्रमिन्द्र॑: |
गा न व्रा॒णा अ॒वनी॑रमुञ्चद॒भि श्रवो॑ दा॒वने॒ सचे॑ताः ||
Through his own strength Indra with bolt of thunder cut piece-meal Vṛtra, drier up of waters. He let the floods go free, like cows imprisoned, for glory, with a heart inclined to bounty.
By his own strength Indra with the thunderbolt cut Vṛtra—the dryer-up of waters—to pieces; he freed the floods like penned cows, for glory, with a heart inclined to giving.
Śavasā and vajra dismantle Śuṣṇa-like Vṛtra. Apaḥ as gāḥ vrāṇāḥ—waters as imprisoned cows—is classic Vedic pastoral metaphysics of liberation. Sacetaḥ toward dāvana: consciousness bent toward generosity after victory, not domination.
After breakthroughs, liberate resources for the commons. Victory ethics matter: incline the heart to bounty, not capture.
1.61.11
अ॒स्येदु॑ त्वे॒षसा॑ रन्त॒ सिन्ध॑व॒: परि॒ यद् वज्रे॑ण सी॒मय॑च्छत् |
ई॒शा॒न॒कृद् दा॒शुषे॑ दश॒स्यन् तु॒र्वीत॑ये गा॒धं तु॒र्वणि॑: कः ||
The rivers played, through his impetuous splendour, since with his bolt he compassed them on all sides. Using his might and favouring him who worshipped, he made a ford, victorious, for Turvīti.
The rivers danced through his fierce splendour when he encompassed them with the bolt; using his might and favoring the worshipper, the victorious one made a ford for Turvīti.
Sindhavah rejoicing under Indra's tveṣas; gādha for Turvīti—safe crossing—shows Indra as helper of named human allies. Dāśuṣe favor: yajamāna reciprocity. Liberation includes practical pathways (fords), not only abstract freedom.
Create tangible crossings for people after you open possibilities—onboarding, access, scaffolding. Liberation needs fords.
1.61.12
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ प्र भ॑रा॒ तूतु॑जानो वृ॒त्राय॒ वज्र॒मीशा॑नः किये॒धाः |
गोर्न पर्व॒ वि र॑दा तिर॒श्चेष्य॒न्नर्णां॑स्य॒पां च॒रध्यै॑ ||
Vast, with thine ample power, with eager movement, against this Vṛtra cast thy bolt of thunder. Rend thou his joints, as of an ox, dissevered, with bolt oblique, that floods of rain may follow.
Bring forth with eager force against this Vṛtra your bolt, O vast sovereign; split his joints as of a butchered ox, with slanted thunder, so that the water-floods may course.
Imperative ritual drama: the ṛṣi urges Indra's act as present tense of ṛta. Tiraścā vajra and joint-rending (goḥ parva) are visceral images of dismantling obstruction so arṇāṃsi may caradhyai. Violent myth language encodes non-violent ethical aim: flow for life.
When dismantling harmful systems, be thorough at structural joints—not cosmetic. The goal is restored circulation for all.
1.61.13
अ॒स्येदु॒ प्र ब्रू॑हि पू॒र्व्याणि॑ तु॒रस्य॒ कर्मा॑णि॒ नव्य॑ उ॒क्थैः |
यु॒धे यदि॑ष्णा॒न आयु॑धान्यृघा॒यमा॑णो निरि॒णाति॒ शत्रू॑न् ||
Sing with new lauds his exploits wrought aforetime, the deeds of him, yea, him who moveth swiftly, When, hurling forth his weapons in the battle, he with impetuous wrath lays low the foemen.
Proclaim with new hymns his ancient exploits, the deeds of the swift one—when, casting weapons in battle, raging he lays low the enemies.
Pūrvya karma with navya uktha—ancient deeds sung anew—is paramparā method. Indra's ṛghāyamāṇa destruction of śatru is the eternal present of dharma defending against adharma. Memory culture keeps courage available.
Retell founding struggles in fresh language so new generations inherit courage. Tradition without renewal becomes museum; renewal without roots becomes noise.
1.61.14
अ॒स्येदु॑ भि॒या गि॒रय॑श्च दृ॒ह्ला द्यावा॑ च॒ भूमा॑ ज॒नुष॑स्तुजेते |
उपो॑ वे॒नस्य॒ जोगु॑वान ओ॒णिं स॒द्यो भु॑वद् वी॒र्या॑य नो॒धाः ||
When he, yea, he, comes forth the firm. Set mountains and the whole heaven and earth, tremble for terror. May Nodhas, ever praising the protection of that dear Friend, gain quickly strength heroic.
When he comes forth, firm mountains and all heaven and earth tremble in fear. May Nodhas, always praising that dear friend's protection, quickly gain heroic strength.
Self-signature: Nodhas seeks vīrya through continuous joguvān of Indra's oni (aid). Cosmic trembling before Indra's janus teaches awe (bhaya as reverence) before transformative power. Friendship (vena) with Indra is the hymn's emotional key.
Stand close to worthy protective friendship and ask for courage. Awe before real power—natural or moral—can mature into alliance rather than paralysis.
1.61.15
अ॒स्मा इदु॒ त्यदनु॑ दाय्येषा॒मेको॒ यद् व॒व्ने भूरे॒रीशा॑नः |
प्रैत॑शं॒ सूर्ये॑ पस्पृधा॒नं सौव॑श्व्ये॒ सुष्वि॑माव॒दिन्द्र॑: ||
Now unto him of these things hath been given what he who rules alone o’er much, electeth. Indra hath helped Etaśa, Soma-presser, contending in the race of steeds with Sūrya.
To him alone of these has been granted what he who rules over much elects. Indra helped Etaśa, the Soma-presser, contending in the horse-race with Sūrya.
Indra's īśāna chooses and gives. Aid to Etaśa against Sūrya in aśva-contest encodes myths of solar rivalry and mortal-divine partnership in soma culture. Divine help enters competitive human striving without canceling effort.
Seek partnership with principles larger than ego when entering hard contests. Help amplifies preparation; it does not replace it.
1.61.16
ए॒वा ते॑ हारियोजना सुवृ॒क्तीन्द्र॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि॒ गोत॑मासो अक्रन् |
ऐषु॑ वि॒श्वपे॑शसं॒ धियं॑ धाः प्रा॒तर्म॒क्षू धि॒याव॑सुर्जगम्यात् ||
Thus to thee, Indra, yoker of Bay Coursers, the Gotamas have brought their prayers to please thee. Bestow upon them thought, decked with all beauty. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
Thus to you, Indra yoker of the bays, the Gotamas have made fair prayers. Place among them all-adorned inspired thought. May he enriched with prayer come soon and early.
Closing seal: Hari-yojana Indra receives Gotama brahmāṇi; request for viśvapeśasaṃ dhiyam—universally beautiful insight—is the hymn's fruit. Dawn-refrain again: dhiyāvasu arrival as āśīṣ of the Nodhas cycle.
End collective work by asking for shared intelligence that is both beautiful and useful—and for timely renewal at the next day's start.