Sukta 84
Rishi: RV-source seer (Indra-stotra tradition); in AV 20 these are RV borrowings (exact RV attribution varies by verse-source).
Devata: Indra
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh/Trisṭubh-type RV meter (as transmitted in AV 20; metrical identity follows RV source)
AV 20.84 adalah kidung undangan Indra yang ringkas (ā-yāhi), menarik sang dewa mendekat kepada Soma yang baru diperas dan dimurnikan melalui keindahan brahman yang bersifat memaksa (rumusan-rumusan himne). Daya kidung ini terletak pada “mendatangkan Indra ke dekat” agar ritus sang penyaji berdaya—mengubah persembahan Soma menjadi kemenangan, kekuatan, dan pertambahan bagi sang pelindung serta komunitasnya.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
इन्द्रा या॑हि चित्रभानो सु॒ता इ॒मे त्वा॒यवः॑ । अण्वी॑भि॒स्तना॑ पू॒तासः॑
Wahai Indra, datanglah kemari, wahai yang bernyala cemerlang; persembahan soma yang diperas ini disediakan bagimu—milikmu sendiri—disucikan dengan saringan yang ramping, sepenuhnya dimurnikan.
Mantra 2
इन्द्रा या॑हि धि॒येषि॒तो विप्र॑जूतः सु॒ताव॑तः । उप॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि वा॒घतः॑
Wahai Indra, datanglah kemari—didorong oleh doa, digerakkan oleh ilham—menuju kidung-kidung orang yang telah memeras Soma, kata-kata suci sang penyanyi.
Mantra 3
इन्द्रा या॑हि॒ तूतु॑जान॒ उप॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि हरिवः । सु॒ते द॑धिष्व न॒श्चनः॑
Wahai Indra, datanglah ke sini, melaju cepat; mendekatlah kepada himne-himne, wahai yang berkereta kuda-kuda bay. Pada Soma yang diperas, tegakkanlah dirimu, dan anugerahkanlah kepada kami kebaikan.
Inside Sukta 84
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Each verse opens with the direct summons “indrā yāhi” (O Indra, come), identifying him by epithets (citrabhānu, harivaḥ) and linking the call to the pressed Soma.
- What it asks
Approach the brahman (hymns) of the Soma-presser/singer and take your seat in the pressed Soma, granting us favor.
- Where its power lies
The hymn asserts efficacy by presenting Soma as already pressed and purified ‘for you’ (tvāyavaḥ), and by claiming the call is propelled by dhī and vipra-force—brahman that compels arrival.
- How it closes
It seals the invitation with the request that Indra ‘place himself in the pressed Soma’ and bestow canaḥ (favor/benefit) upon ‘us’ (naḥ).
Famous verses
indrā yāhi
dhiyēṣito viprajūtaḥ
sute dadhiṣva naś canaḥ
Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity) / Indra-Soma liturgical import (RV-reprise within AV 20)
What it is for
Indra’s immediate presence at the Soma, resulting in empowered ritual efficacy—victory, vigor, and material increase for the sacrificer.
Who it is for
Ritual specialists and patrons performing Soma-related rites (or Atharvanic users adopting RV stotra power for prosperity and success).
Also used as
- Indra-Soma liturgical import (RV-reprise within AV 20)
- Yajñika/Śrauta-adjacent stotra (āvāhana, Soma-invitation)
The deity
Indra is the paradigmatic Vedic champion and Soma-drinker: the deity of victorious force, inspired might, and the patron’s expansion, who responds to pressed Soma and well-forged brahman.
Powers of the deity
- Arrives swiftly when invoked by prayer (dhī) and inspired seers (vipra)
- Drinks Soma and thereby becomes ‘strengthened’ for victory
- Bestows wealth, increase, and favorable disposition (canaḥ)
- Protects the sacrificer and empowers success in contests and conflicts
Why the deity is called
To hasten Indra’s approach to the soma-offering and seat him in the pressed Soma so his favor and power translate into victory, strength, and prosperity for the patron.
The seer
- RV-source seer (Indra-stotra tradition; specific RV r̥ṣi varies by verse-source)Angiras. Indra–Soma stotra composition and ritual ‘invitation’ verses (āvāhana) that secure divine presence, courage, and prosperity through Soma-pressing liturgy
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 20 (RV-reprise) Indra ā-yāhi / Soma-invitation sequences in adjacent anuvākas; exact RV loci vary by recension/edition
Preparing for the rite
- Arrange a clean offering space and seat the reciter facing the offering area.
- Prepare/visualize the Soma as ‘pressed’ (suta) and ‘purified’ (pūta) through strainers/filters.
- Set intention: invite Indra (Harivaḥ) to approach the brahman and accept the draughts.
The rite
- Recite the three mantras as an āvāhana sequence, mentally ‘drawing Indra near’ to the hymns (brahmāṇi).
- At each verse, offer or indicate the pressed Soma (or its ritual substitute in non-Śrauta settings).
- Conclude by affirming Indra’s settling ‘in the pressed Soma’ and requesting favor (canaḥ).
What it needs
- Soma (pressed: suta) or a traditional substitute where applicable
- Strainers/filters or purification implements alluded to by áṇvī-/tana- (purifying medium)
- Offering vessel/cup; water for ritual cleanliness
When
During Soma-pressing/offerings; generally at the invitatory moment before Indra’s Soma draught is offered.
The main substance
Soma (pressed and purified: suta, pūta)
How it is prepared
Press Soma and purify through strainers/filters; present as a ready draught while reciting the ā-yāhi invitation so the offering and the mantra reinforce each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to invite Indra to the pressed Soma so his presence empowers the rite—bringing favor, strength, victory, and prosperity to the patron.
Because the hymn treats brahman as ritual force: well-formed sacred speech ‘draws’ Indra near, while Soma provides the offering that confirms and sustains his presence.
In its original liturgical setting it accompanies Soma-pressing; outside that context, reciters commonly treat it as an Indra-invocation for vigor and success, using a symbolic offering (clean water or a permitted substitute) according to their tradition.
Ask anything about Sukta 84 of the Atharva Veda
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