Rig Veda Sukta 35
Mandala 3Sukta 3511 Mantras

Sukta 35

Sukta 3.35

Rishi

Viśvāmitra Gāthina (Maṇḍala 3 general attribution; Sukta 35 also in Viśvāmitra collection)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

Himne ini ialah undangan Soma yang mendesak kepada Indra: kuda-kuda peranginya yang kekuningan dipanggil ke kereta, dan baginda diminta datang segera serta meminum Soma yang telah diperah dan dihidangkan di atas barhis. Penyair memuji Indra sebagai pemenang rampasan yang paling gagah, yang menghancurkan halangan seperti Vṛtra, dan memohon kepadanya kemenangan, perlindungan dalam pertarungan, serta penghimpunan kekayaan.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 3.35

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • Indra

    Indra is celebrated as Maghavan (the bounteous giver), the thunder-wielding hero who drinks Soma, rides with tawny horses, hears the singer’s call, and destroys Vṛtra and other obstructing powers.

Mantras

Mantra 1

तिष्ठा हरी रथ आ युज्यमाना याहि वायुर्न नियुतो नो अच्छ । पिबास्यन्धो अभिसृष्टो अस्मे इन्द्र स्वाहा ररिमा ते मदाय ॥

Teguhlah berdiri, wahai dua yang kuning keemasan, telah dipasangkan pada rata; datanglah kepada kami seperti Vāyu dengan pasukan penariknya. Minumlah sari Soma yang diperah untuk kami; Indra, svāhā—ini kami persembahkan kepadamu bagi kesukaanmu dan ekstase kuasa.

Mantra 2

उपाजिरा पुरुहूताय सप्ती हरी रथस्य धूर्ष्वा युनज्मि । द्रवद्यथा सम्भृतं विश्वतश्चिदुपेमं यज्ञमा वहात इन्द्रम् ॥

Hampir dan pantas, bagi yang banyak diseru—dua kuda jantan keemasan ini kupasangkan pada tiang-tiang rata. Berlari seolah-olah menuju himpunan yang disediakan dari segala penjuru, bawalah Indra ke mari ke yajña ini.

Mantra 3

उपो नयस्व वृषणा तपुष्पोतेमव त्वं वृषभ स्वधावः । ग्रसेतामश्वा वि मुचेह शोणा दिवेदिवे सदृशीरद्धि धानाः ॥

Bawalah kami mendekat, wahai dua yang perkasa, peminum daya-panas; dan engkau juga, wahai Sang Banteng, lindungilah—berdaya dari diri sendiri. Biarkan kuda-kuda meragut; lepaskan di sini pasangan yang kemerah-merahan. Hari demi hari makanlah biji-bijian yang sepadan bagimu.

Mantra 4

ब्रह्मणा ते ब्रह्मयुजा युनज्मि हरी सखाया सधमाद आशू । स्थिरं रथं सुखमिन्द्राधितिष्ठन्प्रजानन्विद्वाँ उप याहि सोमम् ॥

Dengan kekuatan brahman (wawasan-mantra) aku memasangkan untukmu dua kuda kuning keemasan, terikat oleh Sabda suci, sahabat-sahabat pantas bagi ekstasi bersama. Naikilah dengan teguh kereta yang teguh dan membahagiakan itu, wahai Indra; dengan mengetahui dan meneliti, datanglah mendekat kepada Soma.

Mantra 5

मा ते हरी वृषणा वीतपृष्ठा नि रीरमन्यजमानासो अन्ये । अत्यायाहि शश्वतो वयं तेऽरं सुतेभिः कृणवाम सोमैः ॥

Jangan biarkan para pemuja lain menahan dua kuda kuningmu yang perkasa, yang punggungnya lebar dalam larian. Lampauilah mereka dan datanglah sentiasa kepada kami; untukmu kami menyediakan kelimpahan yang wajar dengan Soma yang diperah.

Mantra 6

तवायं सोमस्त्वमेह्यर्वाङ्छश्वत्तमं सुमना अस्य पाहि । अस्मिन्यज्ञे बर्हिष्या निषद्या दधिष्वेमं जठर इन्दुमिन्द्र ॥

Soma ini milikmu; datanglah ke sini menuju kami, sentiasa dan berulang, dengan hati yang gembira, dan minumlah daripadanya. Dalam yajña ini, setelah duduk di atas barhis (hamparan suci persembahan), letakkan titisan cahaya ini (indu) ke dalam perutmu, wahai Indra.

Mantra 7

स्तीर्णं ते बर्हिः सुत इन्द्र सोमः कृता धाना अत्तवे ते हरिभ्याम् । तदोकसे पुरुशाकाय वृष्णे मरुत्वते तुभ्यं राता हवींषि ॥

Untukmu hamparan suci (barhis) telah dibentang; Soma telah diperah, wahai Indra; biji-bijian (dhānā) disediakan untuk dua Hari-mu yang keemasan menikmati. Kepadamu—yang bersemayam di kediaman itu, wahai Vṛṣan yang banyak kuasa, yang bersama Marut—persembahan-persembahan (havīṃṣi) ini dikurniakan.

Mantra 8

इमं नरः पर्वतास्तुभ्यमापः समिन्द्र गोभिर्मधुमन्तमक्रन् । तस्यागत्या सुमना ऋष्व पाहि प्रजानन्विद्वान्पथ्या अनु स्वाः ॥

Soma ini para perkasa—gunung-gunung dan perairan—telah bersama-sama mengadakannya untukmu, wahai Indra, bermadu, kaya oleh sinar-sinar/sapi-sapi (go). Datanglah kepadanya dengan hati yang ceria; minumlah, wahai yang tinggi; dengan mengetahui, ikutilah jalan-jalan yang benar, jalanmu sendiri.

Mantra 9

याँ आभजो मरुत इन्द्र सोमे ये त्वामवर्धन्नभवन्गणस्ते । तेभिरेतं सजोषा वावशानोऽग्नेः पिब जिह्वया सोममिन्द्र ॥

Marut-Marut yang engkau berkongsi bersama dalam Soma, wahai Indra—mereka yang membesarkanmu dan menjadi rombonganmu—bersama mereka, seia-sekata dan penuh ghairah, minumlah Soma ini dengan lidah Agni, wahai Indra.

Mantra 10

इन्द्र पिब स्वधया चित्सुतस्याग्नेर्वा पाहि जिह्वया यजत्र । अध्वर्योर्वा प्रयतं शक्र हस्ताद्धोतुर्वा यज्ञं हविषो जुषस्व ॥

Wahai Indra, minumlah Soma yang diperah dengan kuasa hakmu sendiri; atau minumlah dengan lidah Agni, wahai yang layak dipuja. Atau terimalah, wahai Śakra, apa yang telah disediakan oleh Adhvaryu dari tangannya; atau daripada Hotṛ terimalah yajña dan kecapilah havis (persembahan).

Mantra 11

शुनं हुवेम मघवानमिन्द्रमस्मिन्भरे नृतमं वाजसातौ । शृण्वन्तमुग्रमूतये समत्सु घ्नन्तं वृत्राणि संजितं धनानाम् ॥

Demi kesejahteraan kami, kami menyeru Indra yang pemurah dalam beban perjuangan ini—yang paling perkasa dalam merebut vāja (kelimpahan). Dia mendengar kami; garang untuk menolong dalam pertempuran, membunuh para penghalang (Vṛtra), sang penakluk yang menghimpun kekayaan.

Inside Sukta 35

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A brisk summons: Indra’s tawny horses are urged to stand ready and the god is called to come like Vāyu with his teams to drink Soma.

  2. Development

    The hymn reiterates that the Soma is Indra’s rightful portion, inviting him to the barhis and praising his readiness to hear and help in struggle.

  3. Climax

    Indra is envisioned receiving the luminous drop (indu) into his belly—Soma as the energizing power that fuels his victorious might against obstructions.

  4. Where it settles

    It closes with a welfare-prayer: the community calls Indra, fierce and responsive, to slay the Vṛtras and to secure the gathered riches of victory.

The deity: Indra

  • Cosmic functionHe releases the blocked waters/light, restores movement and order by breaking obstruction, and secures victory and abundance for the community through divine force allied with ritual speech and Soma.
  • Inner significanceIndra represents the awakened will and courageous intelligence that breaks inner inertia, fear, and limitation; Soma becomes the clarifying rapture that empowers decisive action and victorious growth.

The seer

  • Viśvāmitra GāthinaGāthin (Viśvāmitra gotra) · A royal-turned-seer and central composer of Maṇḍala 3; renowned for Indra-centered victory hymns and for shaping the Viśvāmitra poetic-sacrificial voice in the Rigveda.

Famous verses

indra svāhā
Verse 3.35.1Sets the ritual scene and the hymn’s core action—yoking the tawny steeds, summoning Indra swiftly, and offering Soma with svāhā for his empowering ecstasy.Read verse 3.35.1 →
तवायं सोमस्त्वमेह्यर्वाङ्छश्वत्तमं सुमना अस्य पाहि । अस्मिन्यज्ञे बर्हिष्या निषद्या दधिष्वेमं जठर इन्दुमिन्द्र ॥
Verse 3.35.6A clear Soma-entitlement and seating formula: ‘This Soma is yours’; Indra is asked to sit on the barhis and take the indu into his belly—classic Soma-invitation theology.Read verse 3.35.6 →
vājāsātau
Verse 3.35.11Concluding battle-prayer: Indra is invoked for well-being in the ‘bearing of the struggle’, as the fiercest helper who slays obstructers and wins riches.Read verse 3.35.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Maghavan (bountiful bestower)
  • Vṛtrahan (slayer of obstruction)
  • Soma-drinker
  • Swift chariot with tawny steeds (harī)
  • Protector in battles (samatsu)
  • Giver of vāja (winning power and plenitude)

Also by this seer

  • Primary authorship of much of Rigveda Maṇḍala 3 (Viśvāmitra collection)
  • Indra hymns emphasizing Soma-invitation, martial protection, and vāja (victorious plenitude)
  • Tradition associates the Viśvāmitra lineage with later Vedic lore and śrauta transmission of praise-poetry (stotra/śastra) styles

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the ritual space and seat of grass (barhis) for the deity’s arrival.
  • Press and clarify Soma; announce the offering as ‘for Indra’.
  • Invite Indra to come swiftly with his tawny steeds and chariot; request attentive hearing.
  • Offer Soma with svāhā and praise-tokens (stoma), asking Indra to ‘place the drop’ within his belly.
  • Petition for protection in contests, the slaying of obstacles, and the winning of wealth; conclude with a final call for well-being and victory.

Offerings

  • Pressed Soma (andu/indu)
  • Ghee/oblations accompanying svāhā (as customary supports)
  • Barhis (grass seat) and praise (stotra) as honor-offerings

Frequently Asked Questions

It invites Indra to the Soma sacrifice, asks him to drink the pressed Soma, and requests his help for victory, protection in conflicts, and prosperity.

The tawny steeds (harī) are a standard sign of Indra’s swift arrival; calling them emphasizes speed, readiness, and the god’s immediate response to the ritual summons.

On the outer level it refers to Indra defeating hostile powers that block success; inwardly it symbolizes breaking inner resistance—fear, inertia, and limitation—so strength and clarity can flow.

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