Rig Veda Sukta 131
Mandala 1Sukta 1317 Mantras

Sukta 131

Sukta 1.131

Rishi

Parāśara Vāsiṣṭha (traditional for RV 1.131)

Devata

Indra

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (likely)

Ten hymn wysławia Indrę jako najwyższą potęgę, przed którą Niebo i Ziemia się kłaniają, i którego bogowie stawiają na czele wszelkiego boskiego dzieła. Przypomina jego heroiczne czyny: kruszenie twierdz i uwalnianie wód, prosząc go jednocześnie o ukaranie nie składającego ofiar przeciwnika oraz o ochronę drogi czciciela przed wrogimi zamiarami i nieszczęściem.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 1.131

Mantras

Mantra 1

इन्द्राय हि द्यौरसुरो अनम्नतेन्द्राय मही पृथिवी वरीमभिर्द्युम्नसाता वरीमभिः । इन्द्रं विश्वे सजोषसो देवासो दधिरे पुरः । इन्द्राय विश्वा सवनानि मानुषा रातानि सन्तु मानुषा ॥

Dla Indry bowiem niebo, władca, skłoniło się; dla Indry wielka Ziemia rozszerzyła się swymi rozległościami, zdobywając świetlistą moc swymi rozległościami. Wszyscy bogowie w jednej zgodzie postawili Indrę na czele. Dla Indry niech wszystkie tłoczenia ludzkie będą darami, ludzkimi ofiarami otwierającymi drogę dla boskiej mocy.

Mantra 2

विश्वेषु हि त्वा सवनेषु तुञ्जते समानमेकं वृषमण्यवः पृथक्स्वः सनिष्यवः पृथक् । तं त्वा नावं न पर्षणिं शूषस्य धुरि धीमहि । इन्द्रं न यज्ञैश्चितयन्त आयवः स्तोमेभिरिन्द्रमायवः ॥

We wszystkich tłoczeniach popychają cię naprzód, jednego i tego samego Indrę, lecz silni wolą szukają cię każdy na swój sposób, każdy dla swego własnego nieba. Ciebie stawiamy jak łódź, jak przewoźnika, na jarzmie naporu. Poszukujący rozpalają Indrę ofiarami; hymnami budzą Indrę.

Mantra 3

वि त्वा ततस्रे मिथुना अवस्यवो व्रजस्य साता गव्यस्य निःसृजः सक्षन्त इन्द्र निःसृजः । यद्गव्यन्ता द्वा जना स्वर्यन्ता समूहसि । आविष्करिक्रद्वृषणं सचाभुवं वज्रमिन्द्र सचाभुवम् ॥

Ku Tobie błagalnie wyciągnęli się bliźni poszukiwacze, pragnąc pomocy, by zdobyć zagrodę i uwolnić promieniste stada; potrafią, o Indro, je uwolnić. Gdy dwa ludy szukające krów, szukające Światła, schodzą się w Twoim złączeniu, wtedy ujawniasz siłę byka, towarzyszący piorun, o Indro, piorun, który z Tobą kroczy.

Mantra 4

विदुष्टे अस्य वीर्यस्य पूरवः पुरो यदिन्द्र शारदीरवातिरः सासहानो अवातिरः । शासस्तमिन्द्र मर्त्यमयज्युं शवसस्पते । महीममुष्णाः पृथिवीमिमा अपो मन्दसान इमा अपः ॥

Starożytni znają tę Twoją bohaterską siłę: gdy, o Indro, przełamałeś jesienne twierdze, zwyciężając, przełamując. O Indro, Panie mocy, ukarz tego śmiertelnika, który jest bez ofiary; w Twoim uniesieniu nie pomniejszyłeś wielkiej Ziemi, uwolniłeś te wody, te wody.

Mantra 5

आदित्ते अस्य वीर्यस्य चर्किरन्मदेषु वृषन्नुशिजो यदाविथ सखीयतो यदाविथ । चकर्थ कारमेभ्यः पृतनासु प्रवन्तवे । ते अन्यामन्यां नद्यं सनिष्णत श्रवस्यन्तः सनिष्णत ॥

Wtedy zapowiedzieli tę Twoją bohaterską siłę w uniesieniach, o Byku: gdy wspogłeś gorliwych, gdy wspogłeś ich jako towarzyszy. Uczyniłeś dla nich drogę działania w bitwach, by posuwali się naprzód; szukając chwały, zdobywali, zdobywali każdą rzekę po rzece.

Mantra 6

उतो नो अस्या उषसो जुषेत ह्यर्कस्य बोधि हविषो हवीमभिः स्वर्षाता हवीमभिः । यदिन्द्र हन्तवे मृधो वृषा वज्रिञ्चिकेतसि । आ मे अस्य वेधसो नवीयसो मन्म श्रुधि नवीयसः ॥

I niech ta Jutrzenka również nas ucieszy; obudź się bowiem na śpiew, z naszymi ofiarami, z naszymi wezwaniami, które zdobywają świetlisty świat. Ponieważ, o Indro, Byk z piorunem, poznajesz, jak uderzyć napierające opory, usłysz też moją myśl, to nowsze natchnienie wieszcza, usłysz nowsze.

Mantra 7

त्वं तमिन्द्र वावृधानो अस्मयुरमित्रयन्तं तुविजात मर्त्यं वज्रेण शूर मर्त्यम् । जहि यो नो अघायति शृणुष्व सुश्रवस्तमः । रिष्टं न यामन्नप भूतु दुर्मतिर्विश्वाप भूतु दुर्मतिः ॥

Ty, o Indro, wzrastając w sile, uderz piorunem, o bohaterze, tego śmiertelnika, który jest wrogi i chciałby nas skrzywdzić. Zabij tego, kto szuka naszej krzywdy; usłysz nas, o najsławniejszy. Niech nie będzie raniący wypadek na naszej drodze; niech każda zła wola zostanie odpędzona, odpędzona.

Inside Sukta 131

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Heaven and Earth bow to Indra; the gods unanimously place him in the forefront, and human pressings are offered to him.

  2. Development

    Indra’s famed hero-force is recalled: he breaks through seasonal strongholds and releases the waters, establishing wide space and luminous might.

  3. Climax

    A direct ethical-ritual demand: Indra should chastise the ayajyu (one who does not sacrifice) and defeat the hostile aggressor with the vajra.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn ends as a protective prayer—Indra is asked to hear, to slay the one who seeks harm, and to drive away misfortune and evil intent from the worshipper’s path.

The deity: Indra

  • In the VedaIndra is the thunder-wielding, soma-strengthened hero set ‘in front’ by the gods, breaker of forts, releaser of the waters, and champion of the sacrificer against hostile powers.
  • Cosmic functionHe restores cosmic circulation by overcoming obstructions (Vṛtra-like forces), releasing waters/light, and securing space for life, order, and victorious movement.
  • Inner significanceIndra represents awakened will and courageous clarity that breaks inner ‘fortresses’ of inertia, fear, and hostility, releasing the flow of energy, insight, and right action.

The seer

  • Parāśara VāsiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha (Vāsiṣṭha gotra) · A Vasiṣṭha-line seer associated with Indra hymns that praise the god’s victory-power and his protection of the sacrificer; traditionally linked with the Parāśara/Vasiṣṭha stream of ṛṣi transmission.

Famous verses

indraṃ viśve sajoṣaso devāso dadhire puraḥ
Verse 1.131.1Sets the theological frame: Indra is placed at the head by gods and supported by Heaven-Earth; it also explicitly links human offerings (savana) with divine empowerment.Read verse 1.131.1 →
विदुष्टे अस्य वीर्यस्य पूरवः पुरो यदिन्द्र शारदीरवातिरः सासहानो अवातिरः । शासस्तमिन्द्र मर्त्यमयज्युं शवसस्पते । महीममुष्णाः पृथिवीमिमा अपो मन्दसान इमा अपः ॥
Verse 1.131.4Summarizes Indra’s signature cosmic act—breaking strongholds and releasing the waters—and ties protection to ritual integrity by asking punishment of the non-offerer.Read verse 1.131.4 →
viśvāpa bhūtu durmatiḥ
Verse 1.131.7A concentrated protection formula: Indra is invoked to strike the hostile mortal, listen to the worshipper, and remove durmati (evil will) and harmful mishap from the path.Read verse 1.131.7 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Vajrin (wielder of the thunderbolt)
  • Fort-breaker and path-opener
  • Soma-empowered might (śavas)
  • Protector of the yajamāna and punisher of the ayajyu (non-offerer)
  • Releaser of waters and bringer of luminous power (dyumna)

Also by this seer

  • Traditionally connected with portions of the Vasiṣṭha-associated hymn corpus in the Rig Veda (family of Vasiṣṭha)
  • Later Vedic-Itihāsa memory associates the name Parāśara with authoritative teaching lineages (śāstra and dharma traditions), though this is distinct from strict Rigvedic attribution

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar/fire (Agni) and establish ritual purity and intention (saṅkalpa).
  • Offer preliminary oblations and invite Indra as the foremost helper (puro-dhā).
  • Recite the sukta, emphasizing verses that praise Indra’s cosmic victories and request protection.
  • Make concluding oblations with a protection-prayer for the path and the removal of hostile will (durmati).
  • Close with śānti-style resolve: may obstacles be driven away and auspicious movement be secured.

Offerings

  • Soma (where applicable)
  • Ghee (ājya) oblations
  • Grain/food offerings (anna, puroḍāśa in broader Indra rites)
  • Water libation (symbolically aligned with ‘release of the waters’)

Frequently Asked Questions

It declares Indra as the foremost divine power, recalls his victories that free the waters and open space, and asks him to protect the worshipper by removing hostile forces and bad intentions.

In Vedic thought, sacrifice symbolizes cooperation with cosmic order. The “ayajyu” represents refusal of that order, so the hymn asks Indra to restrain such disruptive forces.

It can be recited as a prayer for courage, obstacle-removal, and safe passage—especially before travel, important work, or when seeking protection from hostility and negativity.

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