Sukta 64
Rishi: RV-derived Indra hymn material.
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; confirm metrically)
AV 20.64 is an Indra-stuti drawn from Ṛgvedic praise material, used to draw Indra near as a benevolent, all-surrounding protector and giver of victory. It amplifies Indra’s power through the Soma-sacrificial idiom—inviting him as “lord of heaven” and “lord of prizes,” so that strength, fame, and stability accrue to the ritual community. In Atharvavedic application it functions as a śānti/paustika hymn (and secondarily as rakṣā), stabilizing the sacrificer’s fortune by aligning with Indra’s conquering, obstacle-breaking force.
Kind of charm
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
एन्द्र॑ नो गधि प्रि॒यः स॑त्रा॒जिदगो॑ह्यः । गि॒रिर्न वि॒श्वत॑स्पृ॒थुः पति॑र्दि॒वः
इंद्र, हमारे पास आ जाओ। तुम हमेशा जीतने वाले हो। तुम्हे छुपा नहीं सकते। तुम पहाड़ जैसा हो, हर तरफ फैला हुआ। तुम आसमान के मालिक हो।
Mantra 2
अ॒भि हि स॑त्य सोमपा उ॒भे ब॒भूथ॒ रोद॑सी । इन्द्रासि॑ सुन्व॒तो वृ॒धः पति॑र्दि॒वः
तुम सच में सोम पीने वाले हो। तुमने दुनिया और आसमान दोनों को अपने में लिया है। इंद्र, तुम सोम निकालने वाले के लिए बलवान हो। तुम आसमान के मालिक हो।
Mantra 3
त्वं हि शश्व॑तीना॒मिन्द्र॑ द॒र्ता पु॒रामसि॑ । ह॒न्ता दस्यो॒र्मनो॑र्वृ॒धः पति॑र्दि॒वः
इंद्र, तुम पुराने टाइम से किलें तोड़ने वाले हो। तुम दुश्मन को मारते हो और मनु के लिए लड़ते हो। आसमान का मालिक हो तुम।
Mantra 4
एदु॒ मध्वो॑ म॒दिन्त॑रं सि॒ञ्च वा॑ध्वर्यो॒ अन्ध॑सः । एवा हि वी॒र स्तव॑ते स॒दावृ॑धः
हे पूजा करने वाले, उस मध से थोड़ा और तेज़ रस छलके दे। ऐसे ही इंद्र की तारीफ होती है, जो दिन बढ़ता रहता है, उस हीरो की।
Mantra 5
इन्द्र॑ स्थातर्हरीणां॒ नकि॑ष्टे पू॒र्व्यस्तु॑तिम्। उदा॑नंश॒ शव॑सा॒ न भ॒न्दना॑
इंद्र अपने भूरे घोड़ों के पास खड़ा है। कोई भी उसकी पुरानी तारीफ तक नहीं पहुँचा। उसने अपनी ताकत से सबको पीछे छोड़ा, कोई कमज़ोर टूट हुआ आदमी नहीं है वो।
Mantra 6
तं वो॒ वाजा॑नां॒ पति॒महू॑महि श्रव॒स्यवः॑ । अप्रा॑युभिर्य॒ज्ञेभि॑र्वावृ॒धेन्य॑म्
हम तुम्हारे लिए उसको बुलाते हैं जो इनामों का मालिक है। जो लोग नाम कमाना चाहते हैं, वो थक के पूजा करते हैं। उसको और ताकत मिलनी चाहिए।
Inside Sukta 64
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Indra is invited to come near as a dear, benign ally—victorious, unconcealable, and vast like a mountain, ‘lord of heaven’ (20.64.1).
- What it asks
That Indra, exhilarated and strengthened by praise/Soma imagery, grant victory, vigor (vāja), and fame (śravas) to the sacrificer-community.
- Where its power lies
Indra is ‘sadā-vṛdh’—ever-growing through stava (praise); the hymn frames praise as a means that reliably increases his effective help (20.64.4).
- How it closes
The community invokes Indra as ‘lord of prizes’ with unwearied sacrifices—affirming sustained, non-wasting devotion as the seal of success (20.64.6).
Famous verses
गिरिर्न विश्वतः-पृथुः (like a mountain, broad on every side)सदावृधः (the ever-growing One)वाजानां पतिम् (lord of prizes)Kind of hymn
Śānti / Paustika (general welfare through Indra’s favor; also usable as Rakṣa)
What it is for
Increase of strength and winning power, securing fame and prizes, and establishing a stable protective field under Indra’s lordship.
Who it is for
Householders and ritual communities seeking welfare and success; officiants/reciters adapting RV stuti into Atharvavedic śānti-paustika use (especially in communal rites or before ventures/contests).
Also used as
- Shantika
- Raksha (secondary use)
- Indra-stuti (RV-derived stotra style)
The deity
In the Soma-sacrificial frame he is the hero who grows through praise and the honeyed draught, then repays the sacrificer with strength, prize, and fame.
Powers of the deity
- Grants victory (satrājit) and success in contests
- Protects broadly and visibly (ago̍hyaḥ, ‘not to be hidden’)
- Bestows vāja (prize, vigor, winning power) and śravas (fame)
- Breaks obstacles and hostile forces; provides rakṣā
- Responds to Soma/praise by increasing might (sadā-vṛdh)
Why the deity is called
To bring Indra “unto us, benign,” empower him through praise/Soma idiom, and secure victory, prosperity, and protective stability for the reciters and their community.
The seer
- Ṛgvedic Indra-stuti materialAngiras. Stotra-based paustika invocations: attracting divine favor for victory (jaya), vāja (prize/strength), and communal prosperity; protective (rakṣā) reinforcement through Indra’s overcoming of foes and concealments.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 20.63 (RV-derived Indra material; adjacent Indra-stuti context)
- AV 20.65 (RV-derived Indra material; adjacent Indra-stuti context)
- RV parallels for AV 20.64 (exact RV hymn/ṛṣi mapping requires anukramaṇī/source collation)
Preparing for the rite
- Establish a clean recitation space; seat the reciter facing east or north.
- Set intention: jaya (victory), pausti (increase), and rakṣā (protection) through Indra’s favor.
- If performed in a śrauta-influenced setting, mentally align the hymn with Soma/praise imagery (even if no Soma is physically present).
The rite
- Recite the 6 mantras as an Indra-stuti sequence, with clear emphasis on inviting Indra near (20.64.1) and on his ‘ever-growing’ might (20.64.4).
- Optionally conclude with a brief personal/communal petition for vāja and śravas in the spirit of 20.64.6.
- If used as rakṣā, recite before travel, contest, or entering uncertain spaces, visualizing Indra as ‘mountain-broad’ protection.
What it needs
- None required (text functions as stotra).
- Optional: water for śānti-sprinkling; optional ghee lamp/incense as standard auspicious supports (not mandated by the hymn).
- If integrated into a Soma-style rite: Soma/andhas is conceptually central (per 20.64.4), but not required for Atharvavedic standalone use.
When
Morning or forenoon for paustika increase; also before contests, journeys, or communal undertakings needing Indra’s victorious protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
For paustika increase—strength, victory, success, and fame—by invoking Indra as a close, benevolent protector and giver of prizes; it can also be used secondarily for protection (rakṣā).
No. The hymn uses Soma language because it is RV-derived Indra praise, but in Atharvavedic standalone use it can be recited without substances; optional water for peace or a simple lamp may be added as customary supports.
That praise and sustained invocation ‘increase’ Indra (sadā-vṛdh), and an increased Indra grants tangible outcomes—victory, vāja (vigor/prize), and śravas (reputation)—while providing broad, stabilizing protection.
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