Rig Veda Sukta 40
Mandala 3Sukta 409 Mantras

Sukta 40

Sukta 3.40

Rishi

Viśvāmitra Gāthina (traditional attribution for RV 3)

Chandas

Gāyatrī

Himne ini menyeru Indra, lembu jantan kekuatan, datang kepada Soma yang baru diperah, dan memohon agar baginda minum, melindungi, serta menambah sari manis (madhu/andhas) yang menguatkan si pelaksana korban. Berulang kali Indra didesak agar datang dari yang jauh dan yang dekat, memasuki “ruang pertengahan” dan menjadikannya saluran bagi kemenangan, cahaya, dan daya pemelihara yang menyuburkan.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 3.40

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • Indra

    Indra is hailed as vṛṣabha (bull), the mighty drinker of Soma, wielder of the vajra, helper of the singer, and victorious breaker of obstacles who brings wealth, strength, and illumination.

Mantras

Mantra 1

इन्द्र त्वा वृषभं वयं सुते सोमे हवामहे । स पाहि मध्वो अन्धसः ॥

Wahai Indra, Engkau Sang Banteng; dalam Soma yang diperah kami menyeru-Mu. Peliharalah dan lindungilah kemanisan andhas—sari kehidupan—di dalam kami.

Mantra 2

इन्द्र क्रतुविदं सुतं सोमं हर्य पुरुष्टुत । पिबा वृषस्व तातृपिम् ॥

Wahai Indra, yang mengetahui kratu—kehendak yang benar dan geraknya—terimalah Soma yang diperah ini; wahai yang dipuji luas, minumlah. Bertambah teguhlah dalam daya jantan jiwa, dan jadilah puas sepenuhnya—dipenuhi nikmat yang menyempurnakan persembahan batin.

Mantra 3

इन्द्र प्र णो धितावानं यज्ञं विश्वेभिर्देवेभिः । तिर स्तवान विश्पते ॥

Wahai Indra, pimpinlah ke hadapan yajña kami yang berasas teguh bersama segala dewa; menyeberangi kuasa-kuasa penghalang, dipuji oleh kata-kata kami, wahai tuan rakyat, tegakkanlah upacara ini dalam perjalanan kemenangannya.

Mantra 4

इन्द्र सोमाः सुता इमे तव प्र यन्ति सत्पते । क्षयं चन्द्रास इन्दवः ॥

Wahai Indra, titisan Soma yang diperah ini mara kepadamu, wahai tuan kebenaran; arus-arus kenikmatan yang bercahaya menuju ke kediamanmu yang damai dan teguh, untuk menegakkan hunian batin dalam cahaya.

Mantra 5

दधिष्वा जठरे सुतं सोममिन्द्र वरेण्यम् । तव द्युक्षास इन्दवः ॥

Letakkanlah dalam perutmu, wahai Indra, Soma yang diperah ini—kenikmatan yang paling layak dipilih; kerana titisanmu yang bercahaya ialah daya-daya pemberi terang, yang menyuburkan nyala batin kecerdasan yang menang.

Mantra 6

गिर्वणः पाहि नः सुतं मधोर्धाराभिरज्यसे । इन्द्र त्वादातमिद्यशः ॥

Wahai Indra, yang bersukacita pada puji-pujian, peliharalah bagi kami Soma yang diperah ini; Engkau disapukan dengan aliran-aliran kemanisan. Kemuliaan itu sesungguhnya dianugerahkan oleh-Mu—kurnia-Mu berupa nama-jaya yang menang di dalam jiwa.

Mantra 7

अभि द्युम्नानि वनिन इन्द्रं सचन्ते अक्षिता । पीत्वी सोमस्य वावृधे ॥

Di sekeliling Indra berhimpun kuasa-kuasa yang tidak susut, yang memenangi kelimpahan bercahaya; setelah meminum Soma, ia bertambah—membesar menuju keluasan cahaya kemenangan yang lebih agung.

Mantra 8

अर्वावतो न आ गहि परावतश्च वृत्रहन् । इमा जुषस्व नो गिरः ॥

Datanglah kepada kami dari yang dekat dan dari yang jauh, wahai pembunuh Vṛtra, pemecah halangan; terimalah ilham-puji kami ini—agar daya yang memecahkan kegelapan hadir di seluruh medan kewujudan kami.

Mantra 9

यदन्तरा परावतमर्वावतं च हूयसे । इन्द्रेह तत आ गहि ॥

Apabila Engkau diseru dari antara yang jauh dan yang dekat, maka dari wilayah pertengahan itu datanglah ke sini, wahai Indra—masuklah ke medan tengah tabiat kami dan jadikanlah ia laluan bagi cahaya.

Inside Sukta 40

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Indra is invoked as the bull of power at the pressed Soma; the worshippers ask him to guard and foster the sweet vital essence.

  2. Development

    The hymn intensifies the invitation: Soma is presented as choice-worthy; Indra is urged to drink and convert the shining drops into energizing, luminous power.

  3. Climax

    The call reaches its peak in the summons from the ‘far and near’—Indra is asked to come through the in-between region and enter the central field of the rite (and of the self).

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn settles into assurance through continued invitation and offering: Indra’s arrival and Soma-drinking are expected to yield protection, strength, and victorious increase.

The deity: Indra

  • Cosmic functionHe releases and directs life-power—winning the “cattle” of light and abundance, breaking confinements, and establishing victorious order for the sacrificer and the clan.
  • Inner significanceIndra represents the awakened will and heroic intelligence that drinks the delight of practice (Soma), converts it into power, and opens the inner passages so clarity and courage can prevail.

The seer

  • Viśvāmitra GāthinaGāthin / Kauśika (Viśvāmitra line) · A royal-turned-seer famed for forging powerful Indra hymns and for the vision of the Gāyatrī mantra; emblematic of tapas, transformation, and mantra-śakti.

Famous verses

indra tvā vṛṣabhaṃ vayam
Verse 3.40.1Sets the keynote: Indra as vṛṣabha is called to the freshly pressed Soma, and the central boon is protection/increase of the sweet essence (madhu/andhas) that sustains life and victory.Read verse 3.40.1 →
दधिष्वा जठरे सुतं सोममिन्द्र वरेण्यम् । तव द्युक्षास इन्दवः ॥
Verse 3.40.5Expresses the sacrificial psychology: Soma is to be ‘laid in the belly’ of Indra—assimilation of delight into luminous power (dyukṣāsa indavaḥ), a classic Soma-Indra formula of empowerment.Read verse 3.40.5 →
indreha tata ā gahi
Verse 3.40.9A striking spatial image: Indra is invoked from between the far (parāvat) and the near (arvāvata), asked to come ‘here’—making the middle region a passage for effective divine action.Read verse 3.40.9 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Vṛṣabha (bull-like strength)
  • Soma-priya (delights in Soma)
  • Vajra-bearer (force that breaks obstacles)
  • Vṛtra-slayer (victory over constriction)
  • Giver of rayi (wealth/abundance)
  • Swift responder to invocation (ā gahi)

Also by this seer

  • Large portions of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 3 (many sūktas attributed to Viśvāmitra and his line)
  • The celebrated Gāyatrī mantra (RV 3.62.10) in traditional attribution
  • Indra-Agni and related hymns in Maṇḍala 3 associated with the Viśvāmitra family tradition

The rite, step by step

  • Soma is pressed (suta) and filtered; the sweet essence (andhas/madhu) is prepared.
  • Hotṛ recites Gāyatrī praises inviting Indra as vṛṣabha to the offering.
  • Indra is urged to come “from far and near” and take his seat at the rite.
  • Soma is offered; the hymn asks Indra to drink and to ‘place it in the belly’—assimilate the offering as power.
  • Blessings are requested: protection of the sweet essence, strengthening of the worshipper, and victorious passage for light and force.

Offerings

  • Pressed Soma (soma, andhas, madhu)
  • Associated oblations customary to Soma rites (e.g., ghee/clarified butter, as contextually paired though Soma is primary)

Frequently Asked Questions

It invites Indra to the freshly pressed Soma and asks him to drink it, protect the hymn’s “sweet essence,” and grant strength, victory, and thriving power to the worshippers.

“Bull” is a Vedic image for overflowing strength, virility, and victorious force—Indra is praised as the one whose power can break obstacles and increase abundance.

It is a poetic way of summoning Indra from every direction and distance, urging him to cross the in-between space and arrive effectively “here”—at the rite and within the worshipper’s inner field.

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