Sukta 72
Rishi: Indra-hymn tradition
Devata: Indra
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable)
Himne Indra yang singkat ini menjaga keselamatan ritus dengan memanggil para pelaksana yajña untuk “melihat bagian Indra” dan memastikan bagian itu sampai kepada-Nya dalam bentuk yang semestinya. Ia mendamaikan ketidaksempurnaan dalam persiapan (havis yang matang baik maupun yang kurang matang) dengan mengarahkan sikap-persembahan yang bersifat korektif namun tetap memuaskan Indra. Ditata pada saat tengah hari, ketika Matahari berbalik pada poros waktunya, himne ini berpuncak pada undangan kepada Indra Vajrin agar meminum dadih dari pemerasan tengah hari, sehingga—selaras dengan ṛta (tatanan yang benar)—diperoleh kemakmuran, perlindungan ternak sapi, dan keberhasilan ritus.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
इन्द्रः। उत् ति॑ष्ठ॒ताव॑ पश्य॒तेन्द्र॑स्य भा॒गमृ॒त्विय॑म्। यदि॑ श्रा॒तं॑ जु॒होत॑न॒ यद्यश्रा॑तं म॒मत्त॑न
Bangkitlah; pandanglah ke depan dan lihatlah bagian Indra—bagian yang termasuk dalam ritus (ṛtviyam). Jika kamu mempersembahkan (havis) yang matang sempurna (śrātam), maka persembahkanlah; jika yang kurang matang (aśrātam), maka buatlah ia bersukacita dengan itu.
Mantra 2
श्रा॒तं ह॒विरो ष्वि॑न्द्र॒ प्र या॑हि ज॒गाम॒ सूरो॒ अध्व॑नो॒ वि मध्य॑म्। परि॑ त्वासते नि॒धिभिः॒ सखा॑यः कुल॒पा न व्रा॑जप॒तिं चर॑न्तम्
Persembahan yang matang sempurna (śrātam) itu—wahai Indra—datanglah kepadanya; Surya telah mencapai pertengahan perjalanannya. Di sekelilingmu duduk para sahabatmu dengan harta-simpanan (nidhi), laksana para penjaga-klen (kulapā) mengitari tuan kandang ternak (vrājapati) yang berjalan hilir-mudik.
Mantra 3
श्रा॒तं म॑न्य॒ ऊध॑नि श्रा॒तम॒ग्नौ सुशृ॑तं मन्ये॒ तदृ॒तं नवी॑यः । माध्य॑न्दिनस्य॒ सव॑नस्य द॒ध्नः पिबे॑न्द्र वज्रिन् पुरु॒कृज्जु॑षा॒णः
Matang sempurna, kupandang, di dalam ambing; matang sempurna di dalam api—terolah baik—itulah yang kupandang sebagai ṛta, tatanan yang lebih baru. Minumlah, wahai Indra pemegang vajra, dari dadih (dadhi) persembahan perasan tengah hari (mādhyandina-savana), dengan berkenan—engkau yang banyak karya.
Inside Sukta 72
How it unfolds
- How it opens
A direct imperative to rise, look, and recognize Indra’s ritual portion (ṛtviya-bhāga).
- What it asks
May Indra come to the well-cooked oblation at the proper time and be satisfied even if preparation is imperfect.
- Where its power lies
The hymn frames correct cooking/preparation and correct portioning as ṛta—‘the newer right order’—that compels acceptance and success.
- How it closes
A culminating invitation: Indra Vajrin is asked to drink the curds of the midday pressing, ‘taking pleasure,’ sealing prosperity through divine enjoyment.
Famous verses
indrásya bhā́gam ṛtvíyam
tád ṛtáṃ navī́yaḥ
Kind of hymn
Paustika / Yajñika (Ritual correctness securing divine favor)
What it is for
Indra’s satisfaction with his proper share despite potential imperfections, resulting in secured wealth, cattle-safety, and uninterrupted efficacy of the midday offering.
Who it is for
Householders and officiants (yajamāna, hotṛ/adhvaryu assistants) concerned with correct offering, timing, and safeguarding results when preparation may be uncertain.
Also used as
- Yajñika (ritual correctness/portioning)
- Shantika (fault-pacification within the rite)
The deity
Indra here is the lord who must receive his rightful sacrificial portion (ṛtviya-bhāga), the protector of the cattle-fold (vrājapati), and the Vajrin who empowers success through acceptance of offerings.
Powers of the deity
- Accepts and sanctifies the sacrificial share (bhāga)
- Bestows prosperity, treasures (nidhi), and victory
- Protects cattle and the wealth-space (vrāja)
- Overcomes ritual obstacles by favor when properly invoked
- Strengthens the patron through nourishment (dadhi/curds) at the savana
Why the deity is called
To summon Indra at the midday rite to accept the cooked oblation and curds, and to neutralize any defect in cooking/preparation so the yajña still yields prosperity and stability.
The seer
- Indra-stotra traditionAngiras. Yajñika-paustika formulae: securing the correct divine portion (bhāga), repairing ritual faults in offerings, and attracting wealth/cattle through Indra’s favor at the proper savana-time.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 7.71 (adjacent Indra/yajña-context, traditional grouping)
- AV 7.73 (adjacent ritual-prosperity context, traditional grouping)
- Indra-stotras across AV Kāṇḍa 7 (clustered paustika-yajñika material)
Preparing for the rite
- Prepare havis with attention to śrāta (well-cooked) standard; keep a corrective option ready if cooking is doubtful.
- Arrange the offering area and identify Indra’s portion (bhāga) to be presented.
- Have curds (dadhi) ready as a strengthening offering associated with the midday savana.
- Mentally resolve to align the act with ṛta (right order), treating correct intention and correct portioning as decisive.
The rite
- Recite 7.72.1 to rouse attention and ‘behold Indra’s portion’; proceed to offer the well-cooked havis, or if ill-cooked, offer in a manner meant to gladden/appease Indra.
- Recite 7.72.2 at midday (solar mid-course) to invite Indra to come forth to the śrāta havis, envisioning companions with treasures encircling him and cattle-guard imagery.
- Recite 7.72.3 to affirm the offering’s proper preparation as ṛta and invite Indra Vajrin to drink the curds of the midday pressing.
What it needs
- Havis (oblation), ideally śrāta (well-cooked); fallback aśrāta if necessary
- Agni/fire for preparation
- Curds (dadhi); milk as source (ūdhani imagery)
- Optional wealth-token/store imagery (nidhi) and cattle-pen context (vrāja) as ritual visualization
When
Mādhyaṃdina (midday) context is explicit: perform when the Sun is at mid-course / during the midday savana.
The main substance
Śrāta havis with dadhi (curds) as the climactic offering
How it is prepared
Cook the havis to the śrāta standard when possible; keep the offering warm/fit for Agni. Prepare dadhi (curds) in a clean vessel for the midday savana; offer/serve with recitation, affirming ṛta even if the cooking outcome is uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make sure Indra receives his proper sacrificial portion at the right time (midday) and remains satisfied, so the rite yields prosperity and protection—especially for wealth and cattle.
It addresses a practical ritual problem: if the cooking is perfect, offer it; if not, the mantra provides a way to proceed so Indra is still gladdened and the ritual result is not lost.
Curds are invoked as a strengthening midday offering for Indra Vajrin; his ‘drinking’ symbolizes acceptance and enjoyment, which translates into vigor, success, and prosperity for the patron.
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