Rig Veda Sukta 10
Mandala 1Sukta 1012 Mantras

Sukta 10

Sukta 1.10

Rishi

Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra (traditionally for RV 1.1–1.11; RV 1.10 attributed to him in Anukramaṇī lists)

Devata

Indra (Śatakratu)

Chandas

Gāyatrī (8+8+8 syllables)

Himne ini menyeru Indra (Śatakratu) sebagai kuasa yang dikuatkan oleh nyanyian ilham, dan sebagai balasan menganugerahkan tenaga kemenangan, kemasyhuran, serta kelimpahan. Melalui pujian yang “mengangkat” Indra seperti tongkat, penyair memohon agar baginda membuka “lembu-lembu” yang tersembunyi (cahaya/harta), meluaskan jalan, dan menzahirkan rādhas (kepenuhan kurnia) bagi para pemuja.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 1.10

Mantras

Mantra 1

गायन्ति त्वा गायत्रिणोऽर्चन्त्यर्कमर्किणः । ब्रह्माणस्त्वा शतक्रत उद्वंशमिव येमिरे ॥

Para pelaguan Gāyatrī menyanyikan engkau; para ṛṣi pemuji meneguhkan arka—Sabda-Mulia yang bercahaya. Wahai Śatakratu, para brāhmaṇa mengangkat engkau, laksana menegakkan sebatang buluh—agar daya daripada banyak karya tegak dalam diri kami dan memimpin pendakian.

Mantra 2

यत्सानोः सानुमारुहद्भूर्यस्पष्ट कर्त्वम् । तदिन्द्रो अर्थं चेतति यूथेन वृष्णिरेजति ॥

Apabila jiwa mendaki dari puncak ke puncak, banyak kerja perlu dijelaskan dan dibentuk dengan tepat; tujuan sejati itu Indra mengerti, dan daya-Lembu Jantan bergerak maju bersama kawanan—menghimpun banyak kekuatan menjadi satu mara kemenangan.

Mantra 3

युक्ष्वा हि केशिना हरी वृषणा कक्ष्यप्रा । अथा न इन्द्र सोमपा गिरामुपश्रुतिं चर ॥

Pasangkanlah, sesungguhnya, dua Hari yang keemasan, berambut mengalir—yang perkasa, yang memenuhi ikat-pinggang kewujudan. Kemudian, wahai Indra, peminum Soma, mendekatlah kepada ujaran ilham kami dan dengarkanlah seruannya di batin.

Mantra 4

एहि स्तोमाँ अभि स्वराभि गृणीह्या रुव । ब्रह्म च नो वसो सचेन्द्र यज्ञं च वर्धय ॥

Datanglah; sahutlah puji-pujian kami dengan ujaranmu yang bersinar—nyanyikanlah, serulah dengan lantang. Wahai Indra, sahabat cita suci kami, tambahkanlah bagi kami brahman (sabda ilham) dan yajña (persembahan batin).

Mantra 5

उक्थमिन्द्राय शंस्यं वर्धनं पुरुनिष्षिधे । शक्रो यथा सुतेषु णो रारणत्सख्येषु च ॥

Sebuah uktha (madah-ucapan ilham) bagi Indra—layak diisytiharkan—penambah daya bagi Kuasa yang banyak-menunaikan; agar Yang Perkasa, dalam soma yang kami curahkan, berkenan dan bersukacita, dan juga dalam amalan persahabatan kami.

Mantra 6

तमित्सखित्व ईमहे तं राये तं सुवीर्ये । स शक्र उत नः शकदिन्द्रो वसु दयमानः ॥

Dialah sesungguhnya, dalam kegembiraan persahabatan, yang kami cari—dia untuk rāyí (kelimpahan jiwa), dia untuk su-vīrya (kepenuhan daya kepahlawanan). Semoga Indra Yang Perkasa berdaya bagi kami, mengurniakan vasu (hakikat bercahaya yang berharga) sebagai anugerahnya.

Mantra 7

सुविवृतं सुनिरजमिन्द्र त्वादातमिद्यशः । गवामप व्रजं वृधि कृणुष्व राधो अद्रिवः ॥

Wahai Indra, pemegang batu pemeras (adri), kemuliaan (yaśas) yang Engkau kurniakan ialah bukaan yang luas dan daya penggerak yang pasti. Tambahkanlah bagi kami kandang Lembu-lembu (sinar Cahaya batin); bukalah ia—nyatakanlah kelimpahan (rādhas), wahai adri-vah.

Mantra 8

नहि त्वा रोदसी उभे ऋघायमाणमिन्वतः । जेषः स्वर्वतीरपः सं गा अस्मभ्यं धूनुहि ॥

Kerana langit dan bumi, kedua-duanya, tidak mampu menghalangmu apabila engkau mara ke hadapan dalam kekuatanmu yang menggelora. Wahai Penakluk, goncangkanlah untuk kami bersama-sama air yang membawa dunia bercahaya (svar), dan sinar-sinar Cahaya—Lembu-lembu itu.

Mantra 9

आश्रुत्कर्ण श्रुधी हवं नू चिद्दधिष्व मे गिरः । इन्द्र स्तोममिमं मम कृष्वा युजश्चिदन्तरम् ॥

Wahai Indra, yang telinganya cepat mendengar, dengarkanlah seruan kami; bahkan kini terimalah dan simpanlah dalam dirimu kata-kata ilhamku (giraḥ). Jadikanlah stoma (pujian)ku ini suatu pertautan yang intim—menembus hingga ke ruang terdalam kuasa-kuasa yang terpasang pada kuk (yuj).

Mantra 10

विद्मा हि त्वा वृषन्तमं वाजेषु हवनश्रुतम् । वृषन्तमस्य हूमह ऊतिं सहस्रसातमाम् ॥

Sesungguhnya kami mengenal engkau sebagai Banteng yang paling perkasa, pendengar seruan di tengah kelimpahan daya; maka kami menyeru pertolongan Yang Mahaperkasa itu—perlindungannya yang memenangi seribu kali ganda, penyelamatan yang gagah dalam pertempuran batin kami.

Mantra 11

आ तू न इन्द्र कौशिक मन्दसानः सुतं पिब । नव्यमायुः प्र सू तिर कृधी सहस्रसामृषिम् ॥

Datanglah kepada kami, wahai Indra daripada kaum Kuśika; bersukacitalah di dalam, minumlah Soma yang diperah. Kurniakan bagi kami bentangan hayat yang baharu, pimpinlah ia maju dalam penyeberangan yang berbahagia; bentuklah resi dalam diri kami menjadi penyanyi seribu nyanyian—kekuatan mantra yang luas.

Mantra 12

परि त्वा गिर्वणो गिर इमा भवन्तु विश्वतः । वृद्धायुमनु वृद्धयो जुष्टा भवन्तु जुष्टयः ॥

Wahai Indra yang bersukacita pada nyanyian pujian, biarlah kata-kata ini melingkungimu dari segala sisi. Menurut daya-hayatmu yang diperbesar, semoga pertumbuhan kami diterima dan diperkenan—semoga kenikmatan dan keharmonian yang benar meredai kami.

Inside Sukta 10

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The hymn begins by depicting Indra being sung into presence by Gāyatrī-chanters and ‘brahmāṇas’ who raise him up through sacred speech.

  2. Development

    Praises frame Indra as the giver of expansive glory and the force that creates a wide, sure passage; the poet turns this into concrete petitions for opening and increase.

  3. Climax

    The plea to open and enlarge the ‘vraja of the cows’—a decisive image of releasing hidden light/wealth and making rādhas manifest.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn closes by encircling Indra with words from every side and asking that, in accord with his increased life-force, the worshippers’ growth and right enjoyments be accepted (juṣṭa).

The deity: Indra

  • In the VedaIndra is the mighty, many-deeded lord of strength and victory, friend of the singer, exhilarated by soma and uplifted by brahman (sacred formulation). He is invoked as ‘girvaṇas’ (delighting in hymns) and as the opener of enclosures, releasing the ‘cows’ and widening the paths of power.
  • Cosmic functionChampion of ṛta in action: he breaks obstructions, releases light and waters, and establishes expansive order by victorious force.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened will and luminous power in the seeker that breaks inner limitations, releases hidden clarity (the ‘cows’ as rays/insights), and converts aspiration into effective energy and growth.

The seer

  • Madhucchandas VaiśvāmitraVaiśvāmitra (descendant of Viśvāmitra; Kuśika line) · Foremost early seer of the first maṇḍala, credited in tradition with foundational Indra-Agni hymns and with establishing the tone of the Rigvedic opening invocations.

Famous verses

ud vaṃśam iva yemire
Verse 1.10.1Establishes the central ritual psychology: Indra is ‘uplifted’ by inspired chant and brahman, like raising a staff—praise as a power that makes divine force stand erect in the sacrificer.Read verse 1.10.1 →
gavām apa vrajaṃ vṛdhi
Verse 1.10.7Contains the pivotal request to open the enclosure of the cows and manifest rādhas—classic Indra imagery of releasing light/treasure and widening the way.Read verse 1.10.7 →
pari tvā girvaṇo giraḥ
Verse 1.10.12A concluding ‘encompassing’ benediction: words surround Indra; the worshipper asks for accepted growth and harmonies, sealing the hymn’s intent.Read verse 1.10.12 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Śatakratu (of a hundred powers/works)
  • Vṛtrahan (obstacle-slayer)
  • Soma-joyed, strength-giving
  • Girvaṇas (lover of chant)
  • Opener of the ‘vraja’ (enclosure)
  • Giver of rādhas (plenitude, bounty)

Also by this seer

  • Traditionally associated with RV 1.1–1.11 in Anukramaṇī attribution
  • Key role in hymns praising Agni and Indra at the start of the Rig Veda
  • Connected in later tradition with the Vaiśvāmitra stream of mantra and priestly lore

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar/fire and seat the intention: victory, widening of way, increase of light/wealth.
  • Recite or chant the hymn in Gāyatrī cadence where applicable, with clear stotra-style elevation of Indra.
  • Offer soma (or symbolic substitute where soma is unavailable) while repeating key epithets (Śatakratu, girvaṇas).
  • Make a specific request: ‘open the vraja of the cows’—remove obstacles, reveal resources/insight.
  • Conclude with enclosing praise (pari… giraḥ) and a prayer for accepted growth and harmonies (juṣṭi).

Offerings

  • Soma libation (or ritual substitute)
  • Ghee/ājya into Agni
  • Oblations with barley/cakes (puroḍāśa) in Indra-contexts
  • Water and fragrant offerings as ancillary upacāras

Frequently Asked Questions

The hymn is addressed to Indra, especially as Śatakratu—“the one of many powers/works”—who is strengthened by sacred speech and grants victory and abundance.

In Vedic imagery it can mean releasing wealth and cattle, but it also points to releasing hidden light—clarity, insight, and spiritual riches that were enclosed by obstacles.

It can be recited as an Indra prayer before difficult tasks, asking for strength, removal of inner and outer blocks, and the manifestation of rādhas (support, resources, and right growth).

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