Mandala 2
मण्डल 2
The Family Book of Gritsamada
Rigveda Mandala 2 is a Family Book of the Gṛtsamada lineage, presenting a tightly organized ritual world where inspired speech (vāc) is aligned with ṛta to “open the path” for gods and patrons. Agni stands as the foremost mediator, while Indra’s victorious force and the Maruts’ storming support secure wealth, protection, and right order through sacrifice. The mandala is especially noted for its Rudra hymns, where the fierce archer is approached with reverent restraint, petitioned to turn his wrath aside and release healing. Across its 43 sūktas, the dominant theme is that correctly ordered yajña and truthful utterance together channel divine impulsion into prosperity and safety.
Suktas in Mandala 2
Sukta 1
Sukta 2.1
RV 2.1 invokes Agni as the all-born, ever-pure fire who arises from heaven’s brilliance, from waters, stone, wood, and plants, and who is kindled within the human household and heart. The hymn praises Agni’s many relational forms—father, brother, son, and friend—while asking him to lead worshippers and patrons toward prosperity, protection, and a “vast” (bṛhat) utterance in the assembly.
Sukta 2
Sukta 2.2
This hymn invokes Agni as Jātavedas, asking that he be increased by yajña and praised by offering, body, and inspired speech. It portrays Agni as the shining Hotṛ who opens the “doors” of strength and abundance, turns Heaven-and-Earth favorably, and leads both patrons and singers toward the better good and the Vast (bṛhat).
Sukta 3
Sukta 2.3
This hymn enthrones Agni as the kindled, earth-set Hotṛ who faces all the worlds and conducts the gods to the sacrifice. It praises his purifying, luminous intelligence and his role as the carrier of offerings—especially ghee—so the rite may be rightly formed and fruitful for the sacrificer.
Sukta 4
Sukta 2.4
This hymn invokes Agni Jātavedas as the radiant “guest of the clans,” establishing him like Mitra—steady, trustworthy, and fit to dwell among humans as the divine mediator. It praises Agni’s many-colored brilliance and his paradox of renewing youth, and it culminates in a prayer that through Agni the Gṛtsamadas rise beyond limits and gain heroic strength, protection, and vital increase.
Sukta 5
Sukta 2.5
This hymn praises Agni specifically in his priestly office as Hotṛ and the coordinated ritual powers around him, asking that the sacrifice be properly carried forward and made effective. Agni is invoked as a conscious, fatherly guide for the ancestral line and as the one who gathers the offerings, aligns the rite, and grants “noble wealth” through right ordering (yama) and skill in sacrifice.
Sukta 6
Sukta 2.6
This Gāyatrī hymn of Gṛtsamada invokes Agni as the near and intimate divine presence approached through kindling, prayer, and the ordered act of sacrifice. Agni is asked to hear the seer’s utterances, accept the offerings, and bestow heavenly “rain” (descent of strength), victorious energy (vāja), and abundant nourishment. The hymn culminates in inviting the all-knowing, conscious Agni to come, perform the rite in right sequence, and sit upon the barhis (sacrificial seat).
Sukta 7
Sukta 2.7
This short Gāyatrī hymn invokes Agni as the Bharatas’ own fire—youngest yet foremost—asking him to bring radiant, much-desired wealth and wellbeing. It praises Agni’s purity and vast shining presence, emphasizing that he is strengthened by ghee oblations and functions as the ancient, choice Hotṛ who carries the rite to fulfillment.
Sukta 8
Sukta 2.8
This short hymn to Agni praises his swift “yokes and chariots”—his powers of rapid approach and effective action in the sacrifice—and celebrates his radiant, heaven-like brilliance that surrounds the worshipper with imperishable light. It culminates in a communal prayer for protection and victory in conflict through the allied helps of Agni together with Indra, Soma, and the other gods.
Sukta 9
Sukta 2.9
This six-verse Triṣṭubh hymn enthrones Agni as the knowing Hotṛ who takes his seat in the priestly place and establishes himself within the worshippers. It petitions him to hear the offering, confirm abundance, and act as the best sacrificer who leads the rite, protects from harm, and grants both radiant vitality and wealth.
Sukta 10
Sukta 2.10
This short Triṣṭubh hymn to Agni praises him as the first and father-like presence in the sacrifice, kindled at the sacred seat of Iḷā and shining with plenitude and discernment. It emphasizes Agni’s all-pervading cosmic reach—taking possession of the worlds—while also presenting him as the purifier who is “rubbed bright” and anointed with ghee. The poet concludes by seeking a rightly apportioned share of the offering and invoking Agni as Manu’s-style messenger, called with the ladle of speech for sweetness and abundance.
Sukta 11
Sukta 2.11
This Indra hymn by Gṛtsamada calls the god to hear the poets’ plea, come to the sacrifice, and drink the Soma that strengthens his might. It praises Indra as the heroic giver and protector, asking for wealth, victory, and an unburnt share of fortune, so the worshippers may speak “the Vast” in the assembly with strong offspring and allies.
Sukta 12
Sukta 2.12
RV 2.12 is a forceful praise-hymn to Indra that repeatedly identifies him as the decisive power behind creation’s stability, victory in conflict, and the gaining of wealth and strength. It recalls Indra’s primordial supremacy—making Heaven and Earth tremble—and presents him as the god whom all sides invoke in struggle, while affirming his steadfast help to the Soma-presser and sacrificer.
Sukta 13
Sukta 2.13
RV 2.13 is a Triṣṭubh hymn of Gṛtsamada praising Indra as the upholder of ṛta (cosmic order) who expands the worlds, releases life-giving powers, and manifests the thunderous brilliance of heaven. The hymn links Indra’s might with generative forces imaged through waters, seasonality, and Soma-like “first nectar,” and ends with a petition for well-ordered generosity, fame, and heroic strength in communal rites.
Sukta 14
Sukta 2.14
This hymn is a Soma-invocation to Indra, urging the Adhvaryu priests to bring and pour the exhilarating Soma that the Bull delights in. It praises Indra’s decisive victories and his protection of allied heroes, then turns to a closing petition for abundant, fame-bringing wealth and strength for the worshippers in public assemblies.
Sukta 15
Sukta 2.15
This hymn proclaims Indra’s “true deeds of the True”: after drinking Soma he smites the obstructing serpent (Ahi/Vṛtra) and releases the pent-up powers of life—waters, light, and victorious movement. It is both praise and invocation, urging Indra to repeat these world-ordering acts for the worshippers, granting protection, spoils, and heroic strength in the assembly.
Sukta 16
Sukta 2.16
RV 2.16 is a seven-verse Triṣṭubh hymn in which Gṛtsamada offers a carefully “carried” praise like an oblation to the kindled fire, inviting Indra—ancient yet ever-young—to come to the Soma-pressings. The hymn exalts Indra as the daring Bull who receives the peoples’ resolve (kratu) and is urged to drink Soma with radiant strength, so that he may pour wealth and protection upon the worshippers.
Sukta 17
Sukta 2.17
This brief Triṣṭubh hymn to Indra praises his expansive lordship that grows to encompass all worlds, and his victorious power that establishes light and coherence in the cosmos. Indra’s action is pictured through the operative “Fire-Power” (Agni/Vahni) that stretches the two realms and “sews” the torn darkness, after which the poet asks for vāja (victorious force), protection, and a bounteous dakṣiṇā for the singers.
Sukta 18
Sukta 2.18
This hymn to Indra evokes the dawn-yoked “new chariot” with richly symbolic parts (multiple yokes, reins, and oars), asking that it become swift through the poets’ offerings and inspired thought. Indra is urgently invited in ever-greater numbers and force to the Soma-drinking, where his arrival secures victory, protection, and the right share (Bhaga) for the sacrificers. The close turns toward dakṣiṇā (the priestly gift) and communal prosperity: may generosity flow, speech be “vast” in the assembly, and the people be endowed with heroic offspring.
Sukta 19
Sukta 2.19
This hymn praises Indra as the Soma-empowered lord who establishes his seat in the “higher heaven,” answers the sacrificer, and brings light, wealth, and victory. It links right praise (brahman) and pressing of Soma with Indra’s tangible gifts—Sun-like illumination, hidden riches, and an undiminished share (bhaga) for the singers. The closing prayer asks that generous Dakṣiṇā be “milked out” for the priestly community so they may speak the Vast (bṛhat) in the assembly with strong progeny and heroic power.
Sukta 20
Sukta 2.20
RV 2.20 is a Triṣṭubh praise-hymn to Indra in which the poet offers his inspired strength like a well-yoked chariot, seeking Indra’s protection, victory, and generous reward. It recalls Indra’s ancient, Angiras-linked feats—opening the path, breaking the rock/strongholds, and releasing light—then turns to a concrete ritual request: may the bounteous dakṣiṇā be “milked” out for the singer and the assembly prosper with heroic offspring and a great voice in the vidatha.
Sukta 21
Sukta 2.21
This short Indra-hymn is an invitation to bring Soma to the all-conquering god who wins every field of victory—wealth, heaven, strength, cattle, and the waters. It praises Indra as irresistible and wide-ranging, a power who opens the luminous world for the Dawns, and it ends with a focused prayer for the best gifts: clear intelligence, prosperity, safety, sweet speech, and bright days.
Sukta 22
Sukta 2.22
This short hymn to Indra celebrates the god’s surge of power after drinking Soma pressed with Viṣṇu, and it frames Soma as a “true” divine force that faithfully accompanies the “true” Indra. It praises Indra’s growth in might, his generosity to the worshipper, and his primeval exploit of releasing the waters and restoring life and divine order.
Sukta 23
Sukta 2.23
This hymn invokes Bṛhaspati/Brahmaṇaspati as the sovereign of sacred speech who marshals the inner “hosts” (gaṇāḥ) and clears the way for inspired utterance and victory. It asks him to sit in the worshipper’s inner seat, protect against hostile or ill-speaking forces, and guide the hymn itself so the clan may thrive and speak the “Vast” (bṛhat) in the assembly.
Sukta 24
Sukta 2.24
This hymn invokes Bṛhaspati/Brahmaṇaspati as the lord of sacred speech who awakens inspired thought (mati) and makes the hymn effective in the ritual. It praises him as the foremost guide in counsel and conflict, asking him to set the offering and prayer in motion, grant victory and plenitude (vāja), and protect progeny and well-being. The sukta culminates in a plea that the deity “guide the well-spoken hymn” so the worshippers may speak the Vast (bṛhat) in the assembly, endowed with heroic strength.
Sukta 25
Sukta 2.25
This short hymn praises Brahmaṇaspati as the lord of sacred speech and ritual mastery who “yokes” the powers together for successful action, especially through the kindling and forward-driving force of Agni. It depicts him as irresistible against crooked opposition, breaking restraints and opening safe shelter and prosperity for the devotee. The repeated refrain emphasizes his capacity to unite allies and inner faculties into one effective, victorious team.
Sukta 26
Sukta 2.26
RV 2.26 invokes Brahmaṇaspati (Br̥haspati) as the lord of the sacred Word who makes the utterance straight, victorious, and effective against the “godless” (non-offering) impulse. The hymn praises the prosperity, social support, and inner strength that come to the faithful offerer, and it culminates in Br̥haspati’s guidance on the right path and his broad protection from distress and injury.
Sukta 27
Sukta 2.27
RV 2.27 is a Triṣṭubh hymn of Gṛtsamada invoking the Ādityas as ancient kings who uphold cosmic order (ṛta) and protect the straight-walking human. It offers praise “like clarified ghee” and asks the deities—especially Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Bhaga, Dakṣa, and Aṃśa—for guidance, moral steadiness, prosperity, and a blameless path. The hymn culminates in a personal prayer to Varuṇa not to fall from divine favor and to speak the “Vast” (bṛhat) with strength in the assembly.
Sukta 28
Sukta 2.28
RV 2.28 is a Triṣṭubh hymn of Gṛtsamada to Varuṇa, praising him as the sovereign Āditya who upholds ṛta (cosmic and moral order). The poet seeks protection, good repute, and release from fear and wrongdoing, asking Varuṇa to loosen sin and suffering “like a calf from the rope,” and to keep the worshipper on the well-guided path of prosperity and truth.
Sukta 29
Sukta 2.29
In this seven-verse Triṣṭubh hymn, Gṛtsamada invokes the Ādityas—preeminently Mitra and Varuṇa—as guardians of ṛta (cosmic and moral order) to keep far away hidden fault and inner deviation. The poet seeks mercy, right guidance on the “middle path” of Truth, and continued participation in prosperity and communal speech that is “bṛhat” (the Vast), sustained by inner heroic strength.
Sukta 30
Sukta 2.30
This Triṣṭubh hymn praises the Waters (Āpaḥ) as orderly, life-bearing powers that move by day and night in accord with ṛta, delighting in Savitṛ who establishes cosmic order and in Indra who removes obstruction. It also widens into protective invocations—especially to Indra (and Soma) and finally to the Marut-host—seeking safety in fear, breadth of space, and prosperity rich in heroic strength and offspring.
Sukta 31
Sukta 2.31
This hymn invokes Mitra and Varuṇa as the stabilizing powers of order and right relationship, asking them—together with the Ādityas, Rudras, and Vasus—to uphold the “chariot” of the sacrificer’s journey. It expands into a broad viśvedeva (all-gods) muster—Tvaṣṭṛ, Iḷā, Bhaga, Dyāvā-Rodasī, Pūṣan, Purandhi, and the Aśvins—so that every supportive cosmic function may take its seat in the rite. The poet concludes by “fashioning” his words as a newly-made vehicle of praise, seeking śravas (renown/inspired hearing), vāja (vigor), and dhīti (illumined thought).
Sukta 32
Sukta 2.32
This hymn begins by invoking Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (Heaven and Earth) as guardians of the poet’s word, aligned with ṛta, and as the vast parents who grant breadth, protection, and prosperity. It then widens into a plea for auspicious feminine powers—especially Rākā and related goddesses—to bestow fertility, wealth, and well-being, culminating in an inclusive call to several divine women for aid and svasti.
Sukta 33
Sukta 2.33
This hymn is a reverent, carefully balanced invocation of Rudra—at once awe-inspiring and beneficent—seeking his grace rather than his wrath. Gṛtsamada asks not to be cut off from the “vision of the Sun,” prays for thriving strength, progeny, and protection from harm, and praises Rudra’s purifying power while repeatedly offering salutations to pacify the fierce god.
Sukta 34
Sukta 2.34
This hymn praises the Maruts as fierce, luminous storm-powers who rush like wild beings, blaze like fires, and drive away obstruction to release the hidden “rays/cows” of light. It petitions them to come near with protection, prosperity, and right-mindedness, especially for the sacrificer who offers oblation. The tone moves from vivid epithets of their might to a direct prayer for their saving aid that carries one beyond distress and blame.
Sukta 35
Sukta 2.35
This hymn praises Apāṃ Napāt, the mysterious “Child of the Waters,” a radiant divine presence that shines within the waters as hidden fire and creative power. Gṛtsamada invokes him to accept the poet’s words, to shape delight and right form, and to bestow prosperity, vitality, and right-ordered increase in the worlds. The hymn culminates in a benedictory turn that links Apāṃ Napāt’s brilliance with Agni’s auspicious protection for the community and the sacrificial assembly.
Sukta 36
Sukta 2.36
RV 2.36 frames a Soma-yajña invitation in which Indra (and associated royal divinities) are urged to come, take their seats, and drink the honeyed Soma apportioned through the priestly offices. The hymn blends vivid pressing imagery—cows/rays and waters “milked” by the stones—with precise ritual cues (Hotṛ, Āgnīdhra, Praśāstṛ), presenting the sacrifice as an ordered channel that awakens the gods and releases strength, mastery, and right command.
Sukta 37
Sukta 2.37
This short hymn invokes Draviṇodāḥ—“the Giver of wealth/boons”—as the Soma-drinking power who becomes pleased through the properly ordered priestly action and the rightly timed (ṛtu) offering. It maps the Soma rite through the officiants (Hotṛ, Potṛ, Neṣṭṛ, Adhvaryu) and culminates in the request that the deity drink the “fourth cup,” thereby releasing prosperity, strength, and ritual success to the sacrificer.
Sukta 38
Sukta 2.38
This hymn praises Savitṛ as the divine Impeller who rises and sets the worlds in motion, upholding ṛta (cosmic order) and distributing the gods’ and humans’ share of prosperity. It describes his steady, conquering presence that removes distortion and brings the “eternal waters” in accordance with his divine ordinance. The seer finally asks Savitṛ to grant desirable abundance from heaven, waters, and earth for the peace and increase of the singers.
Sukta 39
Sukta 2.39
This hymn invokes the Aśvins as swift, dual powers who carry human offerings and bring tangible aid—health, protection, right guidance, and prosperity. Through vivid paired similes (stones, messengers, eyes, hands, feet), the poet asks them to arrive quickly, see clearly, heal the body, and lead the worshipper toward the better good. It ends by offering the crafted stoma as an “increase” for the Aśvins and praying for strong, luminous offspring and a wide, victorious speech in the assembly.
Sukta 40
Sukta 2.40
This six-verse Triṣṭubh hymn invokes the dual deities Soma and Pūṣan as joint begetters of abundance and as guardians who establish the “navel” (nābhi) of immortality and prosperity in the worlds and in the worshipper. It asks them to widen the central source of increase—riches, nourishment, and fruitful powers—while also quickening insight and granting protection, culminating in a benediction that includes Aditi’s safeguarding presence.
Sukta 41
Sukta 2.41
This hymn chiefly invites Vāyu, the swift Life-Wind, to arrive on his thousand-powered chariots and drink the Soma, energizing and clarifying the worshippers’ vital force. As the rite unfolds, the prayer widens to protection and auspiciousness—calling also for Indra’s grace and for the wider company of yajñiya (sacrifice-worthy) gods to take their seats and partake.
Sukta 42
Sukta 2.42
This brief apotropaic hymn invokes the Śakuni (omen-bird) to cry out auspiciously and protect the household and traveler from hostile forces. The poet asks that no predator, armed assailant, thief, or evil-voiced power gain mastery, and that the community speak the “Bṛhat” (the vast, elevating word) in the sacred assembly. The sukta thus turns a natural sign (bird-call and direction) into a ritualized assurance of safety, right speech, and successful passage.
Sukta 43
Sukta 2.43
This brief hymn addresses the Śakuni/Śakunta (omen-bird) as a truthful speaker aligned with ṛta, whose calls are read as meaningful signs in ritual and daily life. The poet praises the bird’s “twofold voice” as if it were a trained chanter, and repeatedly petitions it to utter auspicious, purifying speech from every direction. The sukta thus sacralizes omen-hearing: sound in nature becomes a channel for blessing, right understanding (sumati), and success in the assembly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mandala 2 belongs to the Family Books (Mandalas 2–7), each associated with a particular seer-lineage. It is traditionally attributed to the Gṛtsamada family, with Gṛtsamada as the principal ṛṣi.
Mandala 2 repeatedly links effective sacred speech (vāc) with ṛta (cosmic order): when utterance and ritual are rightly aligned, they ‘open the path’ for divine presence, protection, and the bestowal of wealth.
The mandala contains the celebrated Rudra hymn (RV 2.33), a classic model of propitiation: Rudra’s fierce power is respectfully restrained through praise and supplication, asking him to avert harm and grant healing and well-being.