Rig Veda Sukta 4
Mandala 1Sukta 410 Mantras

Sukta 4

Sukta 1.4

Rishi

Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra

Devata

Agni (invoked as the integral, well-formed power of the sacrifice and inner will)

Chandas

Gāyatrī

このガーヤトリー讃歌は、祭儀を実効あらしめる神的力――供物と希求の火として、よく整い、途切れぬ形をもつアグニ――を呼び起こし、日ごとに守護と増大を願って招請する。さらにインドラへと向かい、彼を安寧を確かなものとする守り、ソーマを搾る者の力強い助け手として讃え、良き名声、充溢、そして障碍を越えて安全に渡る道を乞う。こうして本歌は、初期ヴェーダの祭儀を内と外の行為として枠づける――意志を燃え立たせること(アグニ)と、勝利する守護を受け取ること(インドラ)。

Recitation with translationRig Veda 1.4

Mantras

Mantra 1

सुरूपकृत्नुमूतये सुदुघामिव गोदुहे । जुहूमसि द्यविद्यवि ॥

養いと護りのために、われらはアグニ(Agni)を招き奉る――姿かたち円満にして断たれぬ力を。光の乳を搾るため、乳豊かな牝牛を呼ぶがごとく、日ごと日ごとに。

Mantra 2

उप नः सवना गहि सोमस्य सोमपाः पिब । गोदा इद्रेवतो मदः ॥

われらの搾りの祭へ近づき、来たれ。ソーマを飲む者(Somapāḥ)よ、ソーマ(Soma)を飲め。光線(光の群れ)を与える恍惚は、まことに富饒なる満ち足りの歓喜である。

Mantra 3

अथा ते अन्तमानां विद्याम सुमतीनाम् । मा नो अति ख्य आ गहि ॥

されば、あなたの最奥にある慈しき霊感を、われらが知り得ますように。見そなわすままにわれらを越えて過ぎゆくな――ここへ、われらのもとへ来たれ。

Mantra 4

परेहि विग्रमस्तृतमिन्द्रं पृच्छा विपश्चितम् । यस्ते सखिभ्य आ वरम् ॥

越えて進め。インドラを問い求めよ――揺るがぬ威力の歩みをもつ者、光明の智者を。彼こそが、汝の友らに最上の賜物をもたらす。

Mantra 5

उत ब्रुवन्तु नो निदो निरन्यतश्चिदारत । दधाना इन्द्र इद्दुवः ॥

また、われらに逆らって語る妨げの声が、あらゆる方角から追い払われますように。われらが奉仕の供えをことごとくインドラに捧げ、彼の力がわれらと共に立つために。

Mantra 6

उत नः सुभगाँ अरिर्वोचेयुर्दस्म कृष्टयः । स्यामेदिन्द्रस्य शर्मणि ॥

また、諸の民がわれらを「光り輝く吉祥を担う者」と語りますように、驚異の業をなす者よ。まことにわれらがインドラの護りの安らぎに住まうように。

Mantra 7

एमाशुमाशवे भर यज्ञश्रियं नृमादनम् । पतयन्मन्दयत्सखम् ॥

この迅き者のために、迅き歓喜をここへ運べ――人を喜ばせる祭儀の光輝を。さらに、伴侶とともに歓ぶ飛翔の力を運べ、内なる供えが光り輝き、勝利するために。

Mantra 8

अस्य पीत्वा शतक्रतो घनो वृत्राणामभवः । प्रावो वाजेषु वाजिनम् ॥

このソーマ(Soma)の歓喜を飲みて、百策の主シャタクラト(Śatakratu)よ、汝は障碍する者どもを撃つ者となった。さらに諸々のヴァージャ(vāja:勝勢・勝利の力)の場において、豊饒を具する勝者を前へと押し進めた。

Mantra 9

तं त्वा वाजेषु वाजिनं वाजयामः शतक्रतो । धनानामिन्द्र सातये ॥

われらは汝を勝たしめん――百力のインドラ(Indra)よ、あらゆるヴァージャ(vāja:奮闘・勝勢)において豊饒を担う者よ――富(内なる宝蔵)を獲得するために。

Mantra 10

यो रायोऽवनिर्महान्त्सुपारः सुन्वतः सखा । तस्मा इन्द्राय गायत ॥

インドラを讃え歌え――彼は富(rāyáḥ)の大いなる護り手、確かな渡し手(supāráḥ)、ソーマ(Soma)を搾る者の友である。ゆえにインドラに向かって歌え。

Inside Sukta 4

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A daily invocation of Agni as the perfectly-formed, unbroken power sought for fostering protection and increase.

  2. Development

    Agni’s role as the effective force of sacrifice expands into the wider aim: prosperity, good fortune, and social recognition, with divine support made concrete as protection.

  3. Climax

    The prayer for abiding in Indra’s śarman (protecting peace) and for Indra’s active help as the great guardian of plenitudes.

  4. Where it settles

    A closing exhortation to sing to Indra, the helper and ‘ferryman across,’ affirming divine friendship with the consecrated effort of the Soma-presser.

The deity: Agni

  • In the VedaAgni is the perfectly-formed (surūpa), unbroken (akṛtnu) power of the offering, invoked repeatedly as the priestly fire that carries oblations and awakens the sacrifice. Indra appears as the wonder-worker (dasma), protector, and companion of the Soma-presser, granting shelter (śarman) and plenitude (rāyaḥ).
  • Cosmic functionAgni mediates between human and divine realms, translating offerings into divine reception and maintaining ṛta through the rite; Indra upholds victory, protection, and the widening of life-force and abundance.
  • Inner significanceAgni signifies the integrated will, aspiration, and clarity that makes spiritual effort coherent and ‘well-formed’; Indra signifies the courageous, overcoming power that establishes inner security and opens the way across difficulties.

The seer

  • Madhucchandas VaiśvāmitraVaiśvāmitra (Kauśika/Viśvāmitra line) · One of the earliest seers of Mandala 1, credited with foundational hymns that establish the Vedic act of invocation; closely associated with the Vaiśvāmitra tradition and the shaping of early Vedic liturgy.

Famous verses

juhūmasi dyavi-dyavi
Verse 1.4.1Defines Agni as surūpa-akṛtnu—an integral, well-shaped and unbroken power—invoked daily for protection, using the vivid image of a richly-yielding cow for the ‘milking’ of light and increase.Read verse 1.4.1 →
indrasya śarmaṇi
Verse 1.4.6Expresses the social and spiritual fruit of the rite: luminous good fortune and the aspiration to dwell in Indra’s sheltering peace (śarman), a key Vedic ideal of protected well-being.Read verse 1.4.6 →
supāraḥ sunvataḥ sakhā
Verse 1.4.10Summarizes Indra’s function as protector of plenitudes and the ‘safe-crosser’ (supāraḥ), emphasizing companionship with the Soma-presser—divine support for sustained disciplined effort.Read verse 1.4.10 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Well-formed, integral power (surūpa)
  • Unbroken/consistent force (akṛtnu)
  • Daily-invoked priestly fire (dyavi-dyavi)
  • Giver of fostering protection (ūtaye)
  • Indra as shelter/peace (śarman)
  • Indra as helper of plenitudes and the ‘ferryman across’ (supāraḥ)

Also by this seer

  • RV 1.1–1.11 (traditional Anukramaṇī attribution, including early Agni and Indra hymns)
  • Early Mandala 1 Gāyatrī-style stotras used in Soma and fire rites

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar/vedi and establish ritual purity and intention.
  • Kindle or rekindle Agni; invoke him as the well-formed, unbroken power of the sacrifice (invocation repeated day by day).
  • Offer oblations into the fire while reciting the Gāyatrī verses as a steady stotra.
  • Turn the praise toward Indra, aligning the rite with Soma-pressing and asking for śarman (protecting peace) and rāyas (plenitudes).
  • Conclude with a directive to sing to Indra as the great helper and safe ‘crosser-over,’ sealing the rite in confidence and protection.

Offerings

  • Ghṛta (clarified butter) into Agni
  • Samidh (fuel sticks) for kindling
  • Soma (or Soma-substitute) offered/praised in Indra’s context
  • Optional: grains/cakes (puroḍāśa) according to the rite

Frequently Asked Questions

It asks for protection and increase by invoking Agni as the steady, well-formed power that makes the sacrifice work, and it seeks Indra’s sheltering peace and help for success and safe progress.

The hymn praises Agni as an integrated, consistent force—both the ritual fire and the inner will—that does not fail in carrying the offering and sustaining the effort day after day.

Early Mandala 1 hymns often move fluidly between closely linked divine powers in the ritual. Here, Agni establishes the rite, and Indra is praised as the protector and helper who grants peace (śarman) and abundance to the Soma-presser.

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