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Sukta 5.40
Atri (Ātreya) (Mandala 5 context; RV 5.40 also Atri-associated)
Indra (Soma-pati, Vṛtrahantama)
Gayatri (probable refrain-like compact form; exact meter not guaranteed from provided data)
Is mantra mein Indra ko bulaya gaya hai jo Soma ke swami hain aur Vritra ko maarte hain. Yeh kehte hain ki Indra jaldi aayein aur Soma pe shakti dein. Phir ek kahani aati hai ki ek rakshas Svarbhanu ne Suraj ko andhere mein chupa diya. Saari duniya ghul ghul kar andheri ho gayi thi. Atri rishi ne apni gyaan aur mantra se Suraj ko wapas dhund liya. Phir se roshni aa gayi aur sab theek ho gaya.
Mantra 1
आ याह्यद्रिभिः सुतं सोमं सोमपते पिब । वृषन्निन्द्र वृषभिर्वृत्रहन्तम ॥
Indra ko bula rahe hain ki paas aao. Soma ka juice patthar se nichoda hai, tum piyo. Indra, tum toh taakat wale ho, bade balwan ho. Vritra dushman ko maarnewale, tumhari taakat hum mein aaye.
Mantra 2
वृषा ग्रावा वृषा मदो वृषा सोमो अयं सुतः । वृषन्निन्द्र वृषभिर्वृत्रहन्तम ॥
Patthar bhi taakat wala hai, nasha bhi taakat wala hai. Yeh Soma jo nichoda hai, woh bhi taakat wali cheez hai. Indra, tum bade balwan ho, aao aur apni taakat lao. Dushman ko harane wale, tumhari taakat humein jeet dilaye.
Mantra 3
वृषा त्वा वृषणं हुवे वज्रिञ्चित्राभिरूतिभिः । वृषन्निन्द्र वृषभिर्वृत्रहन्तम ॥
Main tumhe bula raha hoon, tum bade balwan ho. Vajra tumhare haath mein hai, tumhari madad alag-alag tarah ki hai. Indra, tum taakat wale ho, aao apni taakat lekar. Dushman ko maarne wale, hum mein bhi wo taakat aaye.
Mantra 4
ऋजीषी वज्री वृषभस्तुराषाट् छुष्मी राजा वृत्रहा सोमपावा । युक्त्वा हरिभ्यामुप यासदर्वाङ्माध्यंदिने सवने मत्सदिन्द्रः ॥
Indra bada balwan hai, vajra uske paas hai. Woh raja hai, dushman ko harata hai, Soma pi kar shuddh hota hai. Usne apni do taakatein jodi hain, woh humare paas aa raha hai. Dopahar mein Soma ka juice nikal raha hai, Indra khush ho ke baitha hai.
Mantra 5
यत्त्वा सूर्य स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविध्यदासुरः । अक्षेत्रविद्यथा मुग्धो भुवनान्यदीधयुः ॥
Surya ko bata rahe hain ki ek asuri shakti ne tum par andhera daal diya. Us waqt saari duniya ghabra gayi jaise koi rasta bhool gaya ho. Jaise koi khet ko jaanta nahi, waise hi sab logon ko lag raha tha ki kuch samajh nahi aa raha.
Mantra 6
स्वर्भानोरध यदिन्द्र माया अवो दिवो वर्तमाना अवाहन् । गूळ्हं सूर्यं तमसापव्रतेन तुरीयेण ब्रह्मणाविन्ददत्रिः ॥
Svarbhanu ne dhoka diya aur aasman ko neeche daba diya. Indra, tab tumne dekha ki andhera fail gaya hai. Surya chhup gaya tha andhere mein, jo galat tha. Rishi Atri ne apni shakti se Surya ko dhundh liya. Unhone andhere ko tod ke sahi raasta dikhaya.
Mantra 7
मा मामिमं तव सन्तमत्र इरस्या द्रुग्धो भियसा नि गारीत् । त्वं मित्रो असि सत्यराधास्तौ मेहावतं वरुणश्च राजा ॥
Atri, tumhara yeh banda hai, use daro mat. Koi bura nazar se dekh ke use darane ki koshish kare to use mat darna. Tum Mitra ho, jo sach ka kaam karte ho. Mitra aur Raja Varun, dono mil ke mujhe bachao.
Mantra 8
ग्राव्णो ब्रह्मा युयुजानः सपर्यन्कीरिणा देवान्नमसोपशिक्षन् । अत्रिः सूर्यस्य दिवि चक्षुराधात्स्वर्भानोरप माया अघुक्षत् ॥
Pujari ne puja ki aur devtaon ko samjhaya ki kaise bhakti karni hai. Rishi Atri ne Surya ko wapas aasman mein laaya. Svarbhanu ki saari chaal chal nikli, uska dhoka khatam ho gaya.
Mantra 9
यं वै सूर्यं स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविध्यदासुरः । अत्रयस्तमन्वविन्दन्नह्यन्ये अशक्नुवन् ॥
Svarbhanu ne Surya ko andhere mein chhupa diya tha. Woh asuri shakti thi. Rishi Atri ne Surya ko dhundh liya jab baaki sab haar gaye. Kisi aur mein itni himmat nahi thi.
It begins as a Soma-invocation to Indra for strength and victory, and it also preserves a famous story where darkness covers the Sun and the Atris restore the lost light.
Svàrbhānu is described as an Asuric being who strikes the Sun with darkness, causing confusion in the worlds—often understood as a Vedic eclipse motif or a symbol of cosmic obstruction.
The hymn says the Atris ‘followed and found’ the hidden Sun when others could not, presenting the seer-family’s mantra-power as capable of restoring clarity, order, and light.
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