Rig Veda Sukta 12
Mandala 2Sukta 1215 Mantras

Sukta 12

Sukta 2.12

Rishi

Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)

Chandas

Jagatī (RV 2.12 is classically Jagatī; verify per critical edition—many verses are Jagatī with refrain-like close)

RV 2.12 ialah himne pujian yang kuat kepada Indra, yang berulang kali menegaskannya sebagai kuasa penentu di sebalik kestabilan ciptaan, kemenangan dalam pertikaian, serta perolehan kekayaan dan kekuatan. Ia mengingatkan keunggulan purbanya—hingga menggoncangkan Langit dan Bumi—dan menampilkannya sebagai dewa yang diseru oleh semua pihak dalam perjuangan, sambil menegaskan pertolongannya yang teguh kepada pemerah Soma dan pelaksana korban.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 2.12

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • Indra

    Indra is the foremost heroic deva: strong-minded, first in might, wielder of the thunderbolt, breaker of obstacles, and victorious champion who expands the worlds and grants spoils to his worshippers.

Mantras

Mantra 1

यो जात एव प्रथमो मनस्वान्देवो देवान्क्रतुना पर्यभूषत् । यस्य शुष्माद्रोदसी अभ्यसेतां नृम्णस्य मह्ना स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dia yang lahir serta-merta sebagai yang pertama—dewa yang bercahaya-akal—meliputi para dewa dengan kehendak dan daya tindaknya; daripada kekuatannya Langit dan Bumi bergetar—oleh kebesaran daya kepahlawanannya: dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 2

यः पृथिवीं व्यथमानामदृंहद्यः पर्वतान्प्रकुपिताँ अरम्णात् । यो अन्तरिक्षं विममे वरीयो यो द्यामस्तभ्नात्स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dia yang meneguhkan Bumi yang bergetar, yang menstabilkan gunung-ganang yang bergoncang; yang mengukur ruang-antara (antarikṣa) dengan lebih luas, yang menyangga Langit—dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 3

यो हत्वाहिमरिणात्सप्त सिन्धून्यो गा उदाजदपधा वलस्य । यो अश्मनोरन्तरग्निं जजान संवृक्समत्सु स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dia yang, setelah membunuh Ular (Ahi), membebaskan tujuh sungai; yang menghalau ke atas Sinar-sinar (lembu-lembu) yang disembunyikan oleh Vala; yang melahirkan Api di antara dua batu dalam pertembungan—dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 4

येनेमा विश्वा च्यवना कृतानि यो दासं वर्णमधरं गुहाकः । श्वघ्नीव यो जिगीवाँल्लक्षमाददर्यः पुष्टानि स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dia yang olehnya segala penggoncangan ini terlaksana; yang menjadikan kuasa Dāsa rendah, tersembunyi di gua; yang, laksana pembunuh anjing, sang penakluk, meraih tanda/hadiah—dan Arya memperoleh pemeliharaan: dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 5

यं स्मा पृच्छन्ति कुह सेति घोरमुतेमाहुर्नैषो अस्तीत्येनम् । सो अर्यः पुष्टीर्विज इवा मिनाति श्रदस्मै धत्त स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Tentang dia mereka bertanya: “Di mana dia?”—yang menggerunkan; bahkan mereka berkata tentangnya: “Dia tidak ada.” Namun dia, sang Arya, mengurangkan pemeliharaan musuh bagaikan penjudi (yang menghabiskan kemenangan). Tegakkan iman kepadanya: dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 6

यो रध्रस्य चोदिता यः कृशस्य यो ब्रह्मणो नाधमानस्य कीरेः । युक्तग्राव्णो योऽविता सुशिप्रः सुतसोमस्य स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dia yang menggerakkan yang remuk dan yang lemah; yang menolong penyanyi-imam yang berseru dalam doa; yang—dengan batu pemerah yang dipasang pada kuk—menjadi pelindung Soma yang diperah, berbibir indah: Dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 7

यस्याश्वासः प्रदिशि यस्य गावो यस्य ग्रामा यस्य विश्वे रथासः । यः सूर्यं य उषसं जजान यो अपां नेता स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dia yang memiliki kuda-kuda ke segenap penjuru; yang memiliki sinar-sinar (lembu-lembu); yang memiliki bala-kekuatan (kampung-kampung); yang memiliki segala kereta; yang melahirkan Surya (Matahari) dan melahirkan Ushas (Fajar); yang menjadi pemimpin Air-Airan: Dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 8

यं क्रन्दसी संयती विह्वयेते परेऽवर उभया अमित्राः । समानं चिद्रथमातस्थिवांसा नाना हवेते स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dia yang diseru oleh dua kuasa yang bergemuruh ketika bertembung—yang tinggi dan yang rendah, kedua-duanya musuh; bahkan ketika mereka menaiki kereta yang sama, mereka memanggilnya dengan nama yang berlainan: Dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 9

यस्मान्न ऋते विजयन्ते जनासो यं युध्यमाना अवसे हवन्ते । यो विश्वस्य प्रतिमानं बभूव यो अच्युतच्युत्स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Tanpa Dia manusia tidak menang; Dialah yang, ketika mereka berjuang, mereka seru memohon pertolongan; Dialah yang menjadi ukuran dan piawai bagi seluruh alam; Dialah yang menjatuhkan bahkan yang dikata “tidak tergoncang”—Dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 10

यः शश्वतो मह्येनो दधानानमन्यमानाञ्छर्वा जघान । यः शर्धते नानुददाति शृध्यां यो दस्योर्हन्ता स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dialah yang dengan senjata-senjatanya menewaskan mereka yang lama berterusan dalam dosa besar dan keangkuhan; Dialah yang tidak menyerahkan medan kemenangan kepada pencabar yang ganas; Dialah pembunuh Dasyu—Dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 11

यः शम्बरं पर्वतेषु क्षियन्तं चत्वारिंश्यां शरद्यन्वविन्दत् । ओजायमानं यो अहिं जघान दानुं शयानं स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Dialah yang menjejaki Śambara yang tinggal di pergunungan selama empat puluh musim luruh; Dialah yang membunuh ular itu ketika mengembang oleh tenaga, Dānu yang berbaring dalam persembunyian—Dialah, wahai manusia, Indra.

Mantra 12

यः सप्तरश्मिर्वृषभस्तुविष्मानवासृजत्सर्तवे सप्त सिन्धून् । यो रौहिणमस्फुरद्वज्रबाहुर्द्यामारोहन्तं स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Yang bertujuh-sinar, Sang Banteng yang maha perkasa, melepaskan tujuh sungai untuk mengalir; yang menumbangkan Rauhiṇa ketika ia mendaki ke langit—Dialah, wahai sekalian manusia, Indra.

Mantra 13

द्यावा चिदस्मै पृथिवी नमेते शुष्माच्चिदस्य पर्वता भयन्ते । यः सोमपा निचितो वज्रबाहुर्यो वज्रहस्तः स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Bahkan Langit dan Bumi pun menunduk kepadanya; oleh kekuatan menggelegaknya bahkan gunung-gunung pun gentar. Dialah peminum Soma, teguh berdiri, berlengan vajra, vajra di tangan: Dialah, wahai sekalian manusia, Indra.

Mantra 14

यः सुन्वन्तमवति यः पचन्तं यः शंसन्तं यः शशमानमूती । यस्य ब्रह्म वर्धनं यस्य सोमो यस्येदं राधः स जनास इन्द्रः ॥

Yang memelihara pemeras Soma, yang memelihara pemasak persembahan, yang memelihara pelantun pujian, yang dengan pertolongannya memelihara dia yang berjuang menundukkan diri; yang pertambahannya ialah Sabda ilham (brahman), yang memiliki Soma, yang memiliki kelimpahan ini—Dialah, wahai sekalian manusia, Indra.

Mantra 15

यः सुन्वते पचते दुध्र आ चिद्वाजं दर्दर्षि स किलासि सत्यः । वयं त इन्द्र विश्वह प्रियासः सुवीरासो विदथमा वदेम ॥

Wahai Indra, kepada pemerah soma dan penyedia persembahan, bahkan ketika itu pun Engkau membawa kelimpahan kekuatan; sesungguhnya Engkau Yang Benar. Kami sentiasa Engkau kasihi, wahai Indra; moga kami, kaya dengan daya kepahlawanan, berkata-kata dalam perhimpunan (vidatha) para pencari.

Inside Sukta 12

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Indra is proclaimed as the first-born in might and the one whose force makes Heaven and Earth tremble (a declaration of cosmic primacy).

  2. Development

    Verse by verse, the hymn identifies Indra through his unmistakable functions: the power behind victory, the one invoked amid conflict, and the reliable giver of strength and prizes to worshippers.

  3. Climax

    The hymn reaches a peak in portraying Indra as the single sought-after power even by opposed forces—higher and lower, hostile and friendly—who nonetheless call upon him when tensions meet.

  4. Where it settles

    It closes by grounding Indra’s greatness in concrete reciprocity: he brings vāja to the presser and cook, he is ‘satya,’ and the singers ask to speak with heroic strength in the assembly.

The deity: Indra

  • Cosmic functionHe upholds cosmic order by defeating constricting powers, releasing vitality (waters, light, strength), and ensuring the flourishing of Heaven and Earth through victorious force.
  • Inner significanceIndra represents awakened will and courageous clarity that overcomes inner obstruction—fear, inertia, confusion—so the seeker’s energies (prāṇa/ojas) are released into effective action and truth-speaking.

The seer

  • Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)Bhṛgu/Bhārgava lineage (Gṛtsamada family of Mandala 2) · Principal seer of much of Mandala 2, celebrated for vigorous Indra-hymns and for shaping a clear, refrain-like style of proclamation about Indra’s identity and deeds.

Famous verses

sa janāsa indraḥ
Verse 2.12.1Sets the hymn’s thesis: Indra’s primordial supremacy and world-shaking force, identifying him as the decisive divine power recognized by all peoples.Read verse 2.12.1 →
samānaṃ cid ratham ātasthivāṃsā
Verse 2.12.8Memorable psychological and cosmic framing: even opposing forces invoke Indra in their clash, highlighting him as the unifying power called upon in crisis.Read verse 2.12.8 →
sa kilāsi satyaḥ
Verse 2.12.15Concluding assurance of Indra’s practical grace: he rewards the Soma-presser and sacrificer, is called ‘satya,’ and the community seeks heroic speech and strength in assembly.Read verse 2.12.15 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Primordial supremacy and leadership among the gods
  • Victorious strength (śuṣma) that makes Heaven and Earth tremble
  • Helper of the Soma-presser and sacrificer
  • Breaker of enemies and obstacles (protector in battle)
  • Giver of vāja (power, prize, plenitude) and heroic offspring
  • Truth-aligned reliability (satya) in granting aid

Also by this seer

  • Large portions of Rig Veda Mandala 2 are attributed to Gṛtsamada (notably many Indra- and Agni-sūktas).
  • Tradition associates the Gṛtsamada corpus with foundational formulations of praise used in Soma and fire rituals (stotra/śastra-style diction).

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the sacred space and kindle/maintain the fire (Agni) as the ritual mouth.
  • Press Soma and ready the offering; establish the intention for strength, protection, and right victory.
  • Recite RV 2.12 as an Indra-stuti, emphasizing the identifying refrain-like close (“sa janāsa indraḥ”).
  • Make oblations while naming Indra’s deeds and asking for vāja, heroic power, and steadfast aid.
  • Conclude with affirmation of the patron’s relationship to Indra and a blessing for strong offspring and success in assembly (vidatha).

Offerings

  • Soma (pressed juice)
  • Ghṛta (clarified butter)
  • Optional: puroḍāśa (cakes) in Indra contexts, as per śrauta setting

Frequently Asked Questions

It declares that Indra is the supreme power behind victory, stability, and the release of strength, and that he reliably rewards those who offer Soma and perform the sacrifice.

The refrain-like ending (“he, O peoples, is Indra”) functions as a liturgical identification: each verse gives a sign of Indra’s power, then confirms his unmistakable identity.

Indra can be read as the awakened will that breaks inner obstacles; when opposing impulses clash within us, the hymn points to a higher strength that restores clarity, courage, and effective action.

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