Rig Veda Sukta 112
Mandala 10Sukta 11210 Mantras

Sukta 112

Sukta 10.112

Devata

Indra

Chandas

Trishtubh (probable; requires verification)

This hymn is a morning Soma-invocation to Indra, urging him to drink the pressed Soma as his “first draught” and to rouse his victorious energy against hostile forces. It praises Indra’s ancient, rightful claim to the Soma-vessel, celebrates the gods’ shared desire for the honeyed drink, and ends with a plea that Indra look upon the striving worshippers, grant triumph in battle, and apportion wealth even from what seems unallotted.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 10.112

Mantras

Mantra 1

इन्द्र पिब प्रतिकामं सुतस्य प्रातःसावस्तव हि पूर्वपीतिः । हर्षस्व हन्तवे शूर शत्रूनुक्थेभिष्टे वीर्या प्र ब्रवाम ॥

Indra, drink the expressed Soma according to thy will; for the morning pressing is thy first draught. Exult to smite the foes, O hero; with our hymns we declare forth thy powers of victory.

Mantra 2

यस्ते रथो मनसो जवीयानेन्द्र तेन सोमपेयाय याहि । तूयमा ते हरयः प्र द्रवन्तु येभिर्यासि वृषभिर्मन्दमानः ॥

That chariot of thine which is swifter than mind—O Indra, come by it to the Soma-drinking. Let thy tawny horses run forth quickly, those strong bulls with which thou goest rejoicing.

Mantra 3

हरित्वता वर्चसा सूर्यस्य श्रेष्ठै रूपैस्तन्वं स्पर्शयस्व । अस्माभिरिन्द्र सखिभिर्हुवानः सध्रीचीनो मादयस्वा निषद्य ॥

With the tawny radiance, with the Sun’s splendour, touch thy body with the best forms of light. Called by us, O Indra, by thy friends, come in a common direction; sit down and be gladdened with us.

Mantra 4

यस्य त्यत्ते महिमानं मदेष्विमे मही रोदसी नाविविक्ताम् । तदोक आ हरिभिरिन्द्र युक्तैः प्रियेभिर्याहि प्रियमन्नमच्छ ॥

Thy greatness in the ecstasies—by that these two vast worlds, Heaven and Earth, are not divided. To that home come, O Indra, yoked with thy beloved tawny steeds; come to the beloved food (the offering).

Mantra 5

यस्य शश्वत्पपिवाँ इन्द्र शत्रूननानुकृत्या रण्या चकर्थ । स ते पुरंधिं तविषीमियर्ति स ते मदाय सुत इन्द्र सोमः ॥

O Indra, by whose perpetual drinking thou hast made the foes unable to follow—thou hast wrought the victorious delight. That pressed Soma sets in motion for thee the plenitude of right discernment and the force of thy might; it is for thy ecstasy of power.

Mantra 6

इदं ते पात्रं सनवित्तमिन्द्र पिबा सोममेना शतक्रतो । पूर्ण आहावो मदिरस्य मध्वो यं विश्व इदभिहर्यन्ति देवाः ॥

This is thy vessel, O Indra, won from of old; drink by it the Soma, O Shatakratu. Full is the call of the intoxicating honey—this Soma which all the gods indeed desire and bear toward themselves.

Mantra 7

वि हि त्वामिन्द्र पुरुधा जनासो हितप्रयसो वृषभ ह्वयन्ते । अस्माकं ते मधुमत्तमानीमा भुवन्त्सवना तेषु हर्य ॥

For many are the peoples, O Indra, who call thee, O Bull, with offerings set in place. But may these our pressings become for thee the most honey-full; in these Soma-offerings take thy delight and impel thy force.

Mantra 8

प्र त इन्द्र पूर्व्याणि प्र नूनं वीर्या वोचं प्रथमा कृतानि । सतीनमन्युरश्रथायो अद्रिं सुवेदनामकृणोर्ब्रह्मणे गाम् ॥

I proclaim, O Indra, thy ancient hero-powers and those of today, thy first great deeds. With an anger that does not slacken thou didst loosen the Stone; thou madest for the Word (brahman) the Cow of good finding— the ray of knowledge well to be discovered.

Mantra 9

नि षु सीद गणपते गणेषु त्वामाहुर्विप्रतमं कवीनाम् । न ऋते त्वत्क्रियते किं चनारे महामर्कं मघवञ्चित्रमर्च ॥

Sit down firmly, O Lord of the Hosts, among the hosts; thee they call the most inspired of the seers. Without thee nothing at all is accomplished, whether near or far. O Maghavan, chant the great and shining hymn of power.

Mantra 10

अभिख्या नो मघवन्नाधमानान्त्सखे बोधि वसुपते सखीनाम् । रणं कृधि रणकृत्सत्यशुष्माभक्ते चिदा भजा राये अस्मान् ॥

Look upon us, O Maghavan, pressed down and striving; awaken as our friend, O Lord of riches, friend of friends. Create the victorious battle, O maker of victory, whose force is true; even in what is unallotted, apportion us to the plenitude of being.

Inside Sukta 112

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Indra is invited to drink the freshly pressed Soma as his rightful first morning draught, and is stirred to heroic joy for smiting foes.

  2. Development

    The hymn deepens into ritual affirmation: the ancient, well-won vessel is presented; Soma is portrayed as the intoxicating sweetness desired even by all the gods, heightening Indra’s centrality.

  3. Climax

    A concentrated plea for Indra’s active intervention—awakening as friend, making victory itself, and turning true force toward triumph in struggle.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn closes by asking Indra to look compassionately on the pressed-down, striving worshippers and to allot them wealth and fullness even from what seems ‘unassigned’.

The deity: Indra

  • In the VedaIndra is hailed as Maghavan (the bountiful), Śatakratu (of a hundred powers/acts), the heroic slayer of foes, and the foremost drinker of Soma who is strengthened by hymns (uktha) and pressing rites. He is approached as friend and lord of riches (vasupati), asked to awaken to the sacrificers and to make victory.
  • Cosmic functionHe embodies the dynamic force that breaks obstruction, releases vital abundance, and secures order and prosperity for the worshipping community—often imaged as winning battles and overcoming adversaries.
  • Inner significanceIndra signifies awakened will-power and courageous clarity: the capacity in the practitioner to overcome inner enemies (fear, inertia, confusion), to ‘drink’ inspiration (Soma) and turn it into decisive, victorious action.

The seer

  • Anukramaṇī attribution uncertain (Rishi listed as ‘Unknown’ in supplied source)This sukta’s seer is not firmly identified in the provided tradition; the hymn reflects a late-Ṛgvedic Mandala 10 style of Indra-Soma praise and petition typical of collective ritual composition.

Famous verses

prātaḥsāvas tava hi pūrvapītiḥ
Verse 10.112.1Sets the ritual frame: the morning Soma as Indra’s first draught, and the hymn’s purpose—proclaiming his victorious powers to destroy foes.Read verse 10.112.1 →
idaṃ te pātraṃ sanavittam indra
Verse 10.112.6Highlights the ‘anciently won’ vessel and portrays Soma as universally desired by the gods, underscoring Soma’s sacral potency and Indra’s preeminence as Śatakratu.Read verse 10.112.6 →
abhakte cid ā bhajā rāye asmān
Verse 10.112.10Concluding petition: Indra as friend and lord of riches is asked to create victorious battle and to apportion wealth even from what is not allotted—capturing the hymn’s practical aim.Read verse 10.112.10 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Soma-drinker and invigorated by praise (uktha)
  • Heroic slayer of foes and giver of victory
  • Maghavan—bestower of wealth and gifts
  • Śatakratu—manifold power and effective action
  • Friend of the worshipper; protector in struggle

Also by this seer

  • RV 10.112 (as transmitted) is the primary attribution in the supplied context; no additional, secure hymn attributions can be asserted from the given data.

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the Soma plant and press at dawn (prātaḥ-savana).
  • Filter and mix Soma according to the rite; ready the drinking vessel (pātra) for Indra.
  • Recite Indra-invoking ṛks/ukthas, inviting him to drink ‘according to his will’.
  • Offer Soma into the proper vessel/cup; accompany with praises of Indra’s vīrya (heroic powers).
  • Make petitions for the defeat of hostile forces and for the apportioning of wealth to the sacrificers.
  • Conclude with a direct appeal for Indra’s friendly attention and decisive victory in conflict (outer or inner).

Offerings

  • Soma (pressed, filtered; ‘madhu’/honeyed, intoxicating draught)
  • Praise-hymns (uktha) as verbal offering

Frequently Asked Questions

It invites Indra to drink the morning-pressed Soma and asks him to awaken his heroic power—defeating hostile forces and granting prosperity to the worshippers.

Because Indra is ritually linked with the dawn Soma-pressing (prātaḥ-savana); the hymn treats this offering as his rightful first drink that energizes his victorious action.

It is a plea that Indra grant benefits even when resources seem scarce or not assigned—asking for unexpected support, protection, and fullness of life.

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