Rig Veda Sukta 32
Mandala 5Sukta 3212 Mantras

Sukta 32

Sukta 5.32

Devata

Indra

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

Kidung ini memuji Indra sebagai pemecah segala rintangan: ia membelah gunung, melepaskan air yang tertahan, dan menumbangkan Dānava yang menahan aliran-aliran pemberi hidup. Kidung ini merayakan kedahsyatan vajra Indra yang tak tertahankan sebagai tindakan kosmis yang memulihkan ṛta (tatanan yang benar) dan memungkinkan kemakmuran bagi para resi serta komunitas mereka. Nada penutup menjadi reflektif, mempertanyakan mengapa mereka yang berbakti kepada brahman (sabda/ritus suci) pernah berusaha mengekang pemberian Indra yang murah hati dan tepat menurut musim.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 5.32

Mantras

Mantra 1

अदर्दरुत्समसृजो वि खानि त्वमर्णवान्बद्बधानाँ अरम्णाः । महान्तमिन्द्र पर्वतं वि यद्वः सृजो वि धारा अव दानवं हन् ॥

Engkau membelah mata air dan melepaskan saluran-salurannya; Engkau membebaskan air bah yang terbelenggu. Ketika Engkau membelah gunung yang agung, wahai Indra, Engkau mengalirkan arus-arus keluar—setelah menumbangkan Dānava yang menahannya.

Mantra 2

त्वमुत्साँ ऋतुभिर्बद्बधानाँ अरंह ऊधः पर्वतस्य वज्रिन् । अहिं चिदुग्र प्रयुतं शयानं जघन्वाँ इन्द्र तविषीमधत्थाः ॥

Engkau melepaskan mata-mata air yang terikat oleh hukum musim-musim (ṛtu); Engkau membebaskan ambing gunung yang menggelembung, wahai pemegang vajra. Bahkan Ular itu pun—yang garang—terbaring terbentang dalam kekuatan yang berhimpun; setelah membunuhnya, wahai Indra, Engkau menegakkan daya kemenangan-Mu.

Mantra 3

त्यस्य चिन्महतो निर्मृगस्य वधर्जघान तविषीभिरिन्द्रः । य एक इदप्रतिर्मन्यमान आदस्मादन्यो अजनिष्ट तव्यान् ॥

Dengan daya-daya-Nya yang menggelora, Indra menumbangkan daya pembunuh dari “yang liar” itu—yang besar, yang berkeliaran bebas. Sebab ia yang menyangka dirinya seorang diri, tiada tandingan—dari dirinya (atau sesudahnya) bangkit yang lain, lebih perkasa dalam kuasa.

Mantra 4

त्यं चिदेषां स्वधया मदन्तं मिहो नपातं सुवृधं तमोगाम् । वृषप्रभर्मा दानवस्य भामं वज्रेण वज्री नि जघान शुष्णम् ॥

Bahkan dia di antara mereka—yang mabuk oleh hukum-diri (svadhā)-nya—anak kabut, yang tumbuh subur, yang melangkah ke dalam kegelapan; Indra, sang banteng pembawa terjangan, dengan vajra menumbangkan nyala-kekuatan Dānava, Śuṣṇa.

Mantra 5

त्यं चिदस्य क्रतुभिर्निषत्तममर्मणो विददिदस्य मर्म । यदीं सुक्षत्र प्रभृता मदस्य युयुत्सन्तं तमसि हर्म्ये धाः ॥

Bahkan ketika ia telah duduk teguh oleh siasat-siasatnya sendiri, Indra menemukan titik rawan dari yang tak-rawan. Ketika ia, wahai tuan-kedaulatan yang baik, ditopang oleh mabuknya dan hendak bertempur, engkau menempatkannya dalam kegelapan, di rumah yang tertutup rapat.

Mantra 6

त्यं चिदित्था कत्पयं शयानमसूर्ये तमसि वावृधानम् । तं चिन्मन्दानो वृषभः सुतस्योच्चैरिन्द्रो अपगूर्या जघान ॥

Demikian pula, Katpaya itu—terbaring dalam kegelapan tanpa surya, bertambah kuat di sana—dia pun Indra, Sang Banteng yang bersukacita oleh Soma yang diperas, menumbangkannya dari ketinggian, menyingkapkannya.

Mantra 7

उद्यदिन्द्रो महते दानवाय वधर्यमिष्ट सहो अप्रतीतम् । यदीं वज्रस्य प्रभृतौ ददाभ विश्वस्य जन्तोरधमं चकार ॥

Bangkit maju, Indra menggerakkan daya-pembunuh terhadap Dānava yang besar—kekuatan yang tak tertandingi. Ketika ia menghantamnya dalam ayunan Vajra, ia menjadikannya yang paling rendah di antara segala makhluk.

Mantra 8

त्यं चिदर्णं मधुपं शयानमसिन्वं वव्रं मह्याददुग्रः । अपादमत्रं महता वधेन नि दुर्योण आवृणङ्मृध्रवाचम् ॥

Bahkan arṇa itu—peminum madu—terbaring di sana; Indra yang garang merenggut gua raksasa yang membungkus. Yang tak berkaki, si licik itu ia tebas dengan daya-bunuh yang besar; ia mengurung daya yang berucap bengkok itu dalam rahim yang jahat.

Mantra 9

को अस्य शुष्मं तविषीं वरात एको धना भरते अप्रतीतः । इमे चिदस्य ज्रयसो नु देवी इन्द्रस्यौजसो भियसा जिहाते ॥

Siapakah yang dapat menahan daya geloranya dan kedahsyatan kekuatannya? Dialah seorang saja yang memanggul kekayaan—yang tak tertandingi. Bahkan kekuatan-kekuatan yang teguh ini, para Dewi, pun mengerut dalam takut di hadapan tenaga Indra.

Mantra 10

न्यस्मै देवी स्वधितिर्जिहीत इन्द्राय गातुरुशतीव येमे । सं यदोजो युवते विश्वमाभिरनु स्वधाव्ने क्षितयो नमन्त ॥

Baginya sang Dewi—kapak (svadhiti) yang menuntun dirinya sendiri—menunduk; ia membentangkan jalan bagi Indra seakan merindu. Ketika tenaganya menyatu dengan segala daya, maka permukiman dan bangsa-bangsa pun tunduk patuh kepada sang penguasa pengendalian-diri (svadhāvan).

Mantra 11

एकं नु त्वा सत्पतिं पाञ्चजन्यं जातं शृणोमि यशसं जनेषु । तं मे जगृभ्र आशसो नविष्ठं दोषा वस्तोर्हवमानास इन्द्रम् ॥

Engkau seorang saja—sebagai tuan sejati (satpati) atas bangsa-bangsa, lahir bagi kaum lima-lapis—kudengar termasyhur di antara manusia. Dialah yang digenggam hasrat-hasratku sebagai yang paling baru dan paling dekat; malam dan fajar kami berseru memanggil Indra.

Mantra 12

एवा हि त्वामृतुथा यातयन्तं मघा विप्रेभ्यो ददतं शृणोमि । किं ते ब्रह्माणो गृहते सखायो ये त्वाया निदधुः काममिन्द्र ॥

Demikianlah sungguh aku mendengar engkau, wahai Indra, didorong maju menurut musim dan ukuran yang tepat (ṛtu) ketika engkau menaruh kelimpahan anugerahmu ke dalam para ṛṣi. Maka mengapa para sahabat-sekerjamu, para pemegang Brahman (sabda suci), hendak menahanmu—mereka yang telah meletakkan suatu hasrat atasmu sebagai tuntutan, wahai Indra?

Inside Sukta 32

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Indra is hailed as the breaker of the spring and opener of channels—he frees what has been bound and restores flow.

  2. Development

    The hymn expands Indra’s deed into a larger cosmic victory: the Dānava/withholder is confronted, struck, and reduced, establishing Indra’s irresistible force and rightful supremacy.

  3. Climax

    The decisive vajra-stroke against the great Dānava—Indra’s act that makes the obstructer ‘the lowest’ and ensures the waters’ release.

  4. Where it settles

    A reflective close: Indra is heard moving in season and measure, giving gifts to seers; the poet questions any attempt to restrain such divinely-ordered generosity.

The deity: Indra

  • In the VedaIndra is the mighty wielder of the vajra (thunderbolt), the slayer of Vṛtra and Dānava powers, and the liberator of the waters; he is invoked as a heroic protector and generous giver to the poets (vipra) and sacrificers.
  • Cosmic functionHe breaks cosmic blockage, releases the waters and life-forces, and re-establishes movement, fertility, and order—turning chaos and hoarding into flow and abundance.
  • Inner significanceIndra signifies the awakened force of will and insight that shatters inner inertia, fear, and constriction, freeing the ‘waters’ of inspiration, vitality, and truth to move through the being.

The seer

  • Atri (Ātreya)Ātreya (Atri gotra) · One of the great Vedic seers associated with the fifth maṇḍala; renowned for hymns that combine praise of divine power with a strong concern for ṛta and the effective working of mantra and sacrifice.

Famous verses

अदर्दरुत्समसृजो वि खानि त्वमर्णवान्बद्बधानाँ अरम्णाः । महान्तमिन्द्र पर्वतं वि यद्वः सृजो वि धारा अव दानवं हन् ॥
Verse 5.32.1Programmatic opening image: Indra splits the mountain, releases the bound waters, and strikes the Dānava—summarizing the hymn’s central mythic-cosmic action.Read verse 5.32.1 →
उद्यदिन्द्रो महते दानवाय वधर्यमिष्ट सहो अप्रतीतम् । यदीं वज्रस्य प्रभृतौ ददाभ विश्वस्य जन्तोरधमं चकार ॥
Verse 5.32.7States Indra’s irresistible slaying-force and the thunderbolt’s decisive victory, portraying the cosmic reversal where the obstructer becomes ‘lowest’.Read verse 5.32.7 →
एवा हि त्वामृतुथा यातयन्तं मघा विप्रेभ्यो ददतं शृणोमि । किं ते ब्रह्माणो गृहते सखायो ये त्वाया निदधुः काममिन्द्र ॥
Verse 5.32.12A distinctive closing turn from myth to ritual-psychological reflection: Indra’s seasonally-right motion and generosity toward seers, and the question of why anyone would try to bind that flow.Read verse 5.32.12 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Vajra-bearer (thunderbolt power)
  • Vṛtra/Dānava-slayer (destroyer of obstruction)
  • Liberator of waters and channels
  • Protector of the sacrificer and community
  • Bestower of gifts to seers (maghavan)
  • Champion of ṛta (right order) through decisive action

Also by this seer

  • Rig Veda Maṇḍala 5 (many hymns traditionally attributed to the Ātreyas)
  • Atri’s presence across Vedic tradition as a primordial ṛṣi in later Saṃhitā, Brāhmaṇa, and Itihāsa-Purāṇa narratives

The rite, step by step

  • Ācamana and saṅkalpa: intent for obstacle-removal and strengthening of ṛta in one’s work and community
  • Agni-kindling and basic upacāras (invitation and honoring of the deity through mantra)
  • Recitation/chanting of RV 5.32 (or selected key verses) in Triṣṭubh cadence, with focused visualization of ‘releasing the waters’ (freeing blocked energies/resources)
  • Offering sequence aligned to Indra: oblations while praising vajra-might and asking for protection and generosity
  • Concluding śānti and dāna: sealing the rite with gratitude and a vow to keep resources ‘flowing’ through right giving

Offerings

  • Soma (where applicable in śrauta context)
  • Ghṛta (ghee) oblations into Agni
  • Madhu (honey) or sweet offerings in simplified practice
  • Havis/anna (cooked offering) as a community prosperity symbol

Frequently Asked Questions

It praises Indra for breaking open the blockage that holds back the waters—splitting the mountain, freeing the streams, and defeating the Dānava who withholds them.

Waters represent life, fertility, and prosperity in the world, and also the flow of inspiration and vitality. Indra’s victory means these benefits can move again instead of being trapped.

It can be recited as an Indra-stuti for courage, removing obstacles, and restoring forward movement in work and life—especially in a morning fire-offering or a focused mantra recitation.

Ask anything about Sukta 32 of the Rig Veda

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