Sukta 44
Rishi: Ṛgvedic provenance (borrowed into AV 20); traditional attribution varies by RV source-hymn; treated here as Indra-stuti of the Ṛṣi tradition.
Devata: Indra
Chandas: Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type cadence (as in many RV Indra-stutis; AV 20 preserves RV meters)
Mantras
Mantra 1
प्र सम्राजं चर्षणीनामिन्द्रं स्तोता नव्यं गीर्भिः । नरं नृषाहं मंहिष्ठम्
Forth let the singer with fresh hymns set Indra in praise—the Sovran of the peoples; the Hero, man-subduing, most bountiful.
Mantra 2
यस्मिन्नुक्थानि रण्यन्ति विश्वानि च श्रवस्य । अपामवो न समुद्रे
In whom all solemn hymns take joy, and glory too—like the waters’ succour in the ocean.
Mantra 3
तं सुष्टुत्या विवासे ज्येष्ठराजं भरे कृत्नुम्। महो वाजिनं सनिभ्यः
Him with well-wrought praise I call—the eldest King, the able in the fray; the great prize-winner, for our winnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
For strengthening leadership and public standing (sovereignty and fame) and for winning success in contests—debate, rivalry, or battle—by invoking Indra through praise.
No. The hymn is primarily a stuti (praise). If desired, keep clean water nearby as a symbolic reminder of Indra’s ‘support like waters in the ocean,’ but it is not required.
It uses a metaphor: just as waters gather and sustain in the ocean, so the power of hymns and renown are held and made effective in Indra—making recitation successful and fame-bearing.