Sukta 104
Rishi: RV tradition: attributed within Indra-stotra cycles (AV 20 is largely Rigvedic reprise; specific r̥ṣi varies by RV source).
Devata: Indra
Chandas: Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type RV meter (as transmitted in AV 20; exact metrical classification depends on RV source-verse).
AV 20.104 is a Rigveda-derived Indra-stotra that strengthens Indra through polished praise so he becomes present at the offering and turns toward the patron in contests. Its power lies in aligning correct liturgical speech (stoma, brahman) with Indra’s battle-winning force and wealth-bestowing sovereignty, so prosperity and victory arise together.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
इ॒मा उ॑ त्वा पुरूवसो॒ गिरो॑ वर्धन्तु॒ या मम॑ । पा॒व॒कव॑र्णाः॒ शुच॑यो विप॒श्चितो॒ऽभि स्तोमै॑रनूषत
मैं जो गाना गा रहा हूँ, वो तुम्हे स्ट्रॉन्ग बनाएगा। यह गाने साफ है, चमक रहे हैं, और समझदारी से भरे हैं। लोग तुम्हारी तारीफ कर रहे हैं।
Mantra 2
अ॒यं स॒हस्र॒मृषि॑भिः॒ सह॑स्कृतः समु॒द्र इ॑व पप्रथे । स॒त्यः सो अ॑स्य महि॒मा गृ॑णे॒ शवो॑ य॒ज्ञेषु॑ विप्र॒राज्ये॑
हज़ारों रिशियों ने इसको बनाया है। यह समुंदर की तरह फैल रहा है। इसकी बात सच है, इसकी ताकत बड़ी है। मैं यह यज्ञ के टाइम बता रहा हूँ।
Mantra 3
आ नो॒ विश्वा॑सु॒ हव्य॒ इन्द्रः॑ स॒मत्सु॑ भूषतु । उप॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि॒ सव॑नानि वृत्र॒हा प॑रम॒ज्या ऋची॑षमः
इंद्र हर जगह आएँ, हर लड़ाई में साथ दें। हमारी पूजा और सोम रस के पास आएँ। वो बड़ा बलवान है, दुश्मनों को हराने वाला, और हमारे पास बहुत शक्ति है।
Mantra 4
त्वं दा॒ता प्र॑थ॒मो राध॑साम॒स्यसि॑ स॒त्य ई॑शान॒कृत्। तु॒वि॒द्यु॒म्नस्य॒ युज्या वृ॑णीमहे पु॒त्रस्य॒ शव॑सो म॒हः
तुम तो सबसे बड़े देने वाले हो। तुम सच हो, तुम राज करने वाले हो। हम तुम्हारी महिमा के साथ जुड़ना चाहते हैं। तुम्हारा बल और ताकत बहुत बड़ी है।
Inside Sukta 104
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by offering bright, purifying, wise songs that ‘strengthen’ Indra—praise as a deliberate act of empowerment (vardhana).
- What it asks
May Indra come near to our offerings and prayers in all encounters, showing favor and enabling success.
- Where its power lies
Indra is affirmed as Vṛtra-slayer, best-armed and rich in sacred speech, the true foremost giver who establishes dominion—therefore he can and will effect the desired outcome.
- How it closes
It concludes by choosing Indra’s yoking/fellowship for abundant glory and by invoking the great might that secures lasting strength and lordship.
Famous verses
imā u tvā purūvaso giro vardhantu
ā no viśvāsu havye indraḥ samatsu bhūṣatu
tvaṃ dātā prathamo rādhasām
Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity) / Saṃgrāmika (Battle-aid) in AV 20’s RV-derived Indra corpus
What it is for
To magnify Indra so he becomes favorably present, granting prosperity, renown, and decisive victory, while stabilizing the patron’s authority and lineage-strength.
Who it is for
Patrons (yajamāna), warriors/raiders seeking success in contests, and priests using Indra-stotra within RV-derived AV 20 recitation contexts.
Also used as
- Saṃgrāmika
- Rājya/Śrī (sovereignty-prosperity overtones)
- Śrauta-liturgical (savana/havya anchoring)
The deity
Indra is the paradigmatic Vedic lord of victorious power: the Vṛtra-slayer who answers well-formed praise and right offering by granting strength, dominion, and wealth.
Powers of the deity
- Victory in conflicts and encounters (samatsu)
- Slaying/overcoming obstruction (Vṛtra-han)
- Bestowing wealth and gifts (rādhas, dāna)
- Granting sovereignty and lordship (īśāna-kṛt)
- Responding to stoma/brahman and coming to the havya/savana
Why the deity is called
He is invoked to be drawn near to every offering and every contest, to empower the patron with winning force and to open the flow of bounties and stable dominion.
The seer
- RV-derived Indra-stotra tradition (specific r̥ṣi varies by Rigvedic source for the reprise)Angiras. Stotra-based empowerment: praise-hymns used to “increase” a deity’s might (vardhana) for victory in samatsu (encounters) and for rādhas (bounties), often tied to soma-rite correctness.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 20.103 (Indra-stotra reprise cluster)
- AV 20.105 (Indra-stotra reprise cluster)
- RV Indra-stotra cycles (source strata underlying AV 20)
Preparing for the rite
- Establish a clean recitation space; seat the reciter facing east or toward the ritual fire (if present).
- Set intention: victory in contest and increase of rādhas (bounty) through Indra’s favor.
- If performed in a soma-linked setting, mentally (or ritually) connect the hymn to the savana sequence and the act of offering (havya).
The rite
- Recite the sukta as a coherent stotra, maintaining steady triṣṭubh/jagatī cadence.
- Emphasize the ‘vardhana’ function (strengthening Indra) in 20.104.1 and the ‘ā no… samatsu’ invitation in 20.104.3.
- Conclude by dwelling on Indra as foremost giver and maker of dominion (20.104.4), sealing the request for prosperity and authority.
What it needs
- None required for a standalone Atharvanic recitation
- If embedded in a śrauta frame: havya (oblations) and savana context (soma pressings) are conceptually implied
When
Before undertaking a contest/expedition; or on a rite-day associated with offerings (especially when linking to savana-style sequences).
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to draw Indra near through praise so he grants success in encounters (battle/competition) and increases prosperity and authority for the patron.
No. It functions primarily through stotra (praise) and intention; soma-pressings and oblations are only implied when the hymn is placed in a śrauta-style offering context.
The hymn treats well-formed, purified speech as power: the songs ‘strengthen’ Indra, and a strengthened, pleased Indra brings victory, gifts, and dominion.
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