Sukta 25
Rishi: As in RV parallel (Indra prosperity hymn; RV-derived in AV 20)
Devata: Indra (with implicit Āpas in simile)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (longer pādas; RV-style)
Этот гимн в размере триштубх, заимствованный из ригведийского индо-просветительного контекста, обращается к Индре с мольбой сделать покровителя первенствующим в конях, скоте, дружине и в постоянно пополняемом сокровище. Изобилие осмысляется как непрерывное «наполнение» (подобно тому как воды наполняют русло реки) и утверждается на первозданном прецеденте: Ангирасы и разожжённые огни возвращают богатство у удерживающих сил (Пани). Опьянённый Сомой и восхваляемый, Индра призывается даровать победу, высокий статус и материальную полноту.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
अश्वा॑वति प्रथ॒मो गोषु॑ गच्छति सुप्रा॒वीरि॑न्द्र॒ मर्त्य॒स्तवो॒तिभिः॑ । तमित् पृ॑णक्षि॒ वसु॑ना॒ भवी॑यसा॒ सिन्धु॒मापो॒ यथा॒भितो॒ विचे॑तसः
Первый в богатстве коней, первый среди коров, смертный идёт вперёд, о Индра, твоими спасительными поддержками. Его воистину ты наполняешь более обильным достоянием, как Воды со всех сторон наполняют Реку — широко действующие, всеведущие.
Mantra 2
आपो॒ न दे॒वीरुप॑ यन्ति हो॒त्रिय॑म॒वः प॑श्यन्ति॒ वित॑तं॒ यथा॒ रजः॑ । प्रा॒चैर्दे॒वासः॒ प्र ण॑यन्ति देव॒युं ब्र॑ह्म॒प्रियं॑ जोषयन्ते व॒रा इ॑व
Как богини, Воды приближаются к Хотару; они взирают на распростёртую помощь, как на широкий простор. С предводителями впереди боги ведут вперёд боголюбивого мужа, дорогого брахману (священной молитве), и лелеют его, как женихи — избранную деву.
Mantra 3
अधि॒ द्वयो॑रदधा उ॒क्थ्यं॑१ वचो॑ य॒तस्रु॑चा मिथु॒ना या स॑प॒र्यतः॑ । असं॑यत्तो व्र॒ते ते॑ क्षेति॒ पुष्य॑ति भ॒द्रा श॒क्तिर्यज॑मानाय सुन्व॒ते
На двоих ты возложил слово, достойное восхваления, — на ту парную чету, что с хорошо направляемыми ковшами служит тебе. Не сдерживаемая в твоём обете, она обитает и процветает: благодатная сила — для жертвователя, что выжимает (сому).
Mantra 4
आदङ्गि॑राः प्रथ॒मं द॑धिरे॒ वय॑ इ॒द्धाग्न॑यः॒ शम्या॒ ये सु॑कृ॒त्यया॑ । सर्वं॑ प॒णेः सम॑विन्दन्त॒ भोज॑न॒मश्वा॑वन्तं॒ गोम॑न्त॒मा प॒शुं नरः॑
Тогда Ангирасы первыми утвердили жизненную силу; возжжённые Огни — посредством śamyā — те, кто совершал обряд, искусно устроенный. Всё пропитание у Пани они сообща отыскали и вернули: пищу, богатую конями, богатую коровами, да и скотом — для людей.
Mantra 5
य॒ज्ञैरथ॑र्वा प्रथ॒मः प॒थस्त॑ते॒ ततः॒ सूर्यो॑ व्रत॒पा वे॒न आज॑नि । आ गा आ॑जदु॒शना॑ का॒व्यः सचा॑ य॒मस्य॑ जा॒तम॒मृतं॑ यजामहे
Жертвами Атхарван первым простёр пути; затем родился Солнце — хранитель обета (vratapa), Вена. Коров вперёд погнал Ушанā Кавья, в содружестве. То бессмертие, рождённое от Ямы, мы почитаем возлиянием.
Mantra 6
ब॒र्हिर्वा॒ यत् स्व॑प॒त्याय॑ वृ॒ज्यते॒ऽर्को वा॒ श्लोक॑मा॒घोष॑ते दि॒वि। ग्रावा॒ यत्र॒ वद॑ति का॒रुरु॒क्थ्य॑१स्तस्येदिन्द्रो॑ अभिपि॒त्वेषु॑ रण्यति
Когда для законного владычества расстилают бархис (священную траву), или когда в небе звучит гимн — стих, возглашаемый вслух; где говорит давильный камень (grāvan) и певец Ukthya воспевает — там, именно там, Индра радуется среди возлияний.
Mantra 7
प्रोग्रां पी॒तिं वृष्ण॑ इयर्मि स॒त्यां प्र॒यै सु॒तस्य॑ हर्यश्व॒ तुभ्य॑म्। इन्द्र॒ धेना॑भिरि॒ह मा॑दयस्व धी॒भिर्विश्वा॑भिः॒ शच्या॑ गृणा॒नः
Я посылаю вперёд могучий, истинный напиток для Быка — для твоей радости, о рыжеконный, из выжатой Сомы. Индра, здесь веселись потоками «коров» (dhénā), будучи воспеваем всеми гимнами, с Шачи рядом.
Inside Sukta 25
How it unfolds
- How it opens
It opens by declaring the Indra-aided mortal as ‘foremost’ in horse-wealth and among cattle, moving successfully under Indra’s helps.
- What it asks
May Indra fill the patron with ampler treasure and provisions—abundance that arrives from all sides, continuously, like waters filling a river; may wealth be recovered even from withholding powers.
- Where its power lies
The hymn asserts efficacy through exemplars: Angirasas and kindled fires, by well-wrought rite, reclaimed all sustenance from the Paṇi—so the present rite likewise compels recovery and increase.
- How it closes
It seals with Soma-exhilaration: the poet sends the strong true draught to Indra; Indra is asked to rejoice ‘here’ with streaming offerings (dhenāḥ) while praised with all hymns, with Śacī alongside.
Famous verses
सिन्धुमापो यथाभितो (sindhum āpo yathābhito) — “as waters (fill) the river from all sides”प्रोग्रां पीतिं… (progrāṃ pītiṃ…) — “I send forth the mighty draught…”Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity) / Raja-karman (status, victory, wealth)
What it is for
Pre-eminence in horses and cattle, abundance of food and livestock, strong supporters/sons, victory over rivals/withholders, and steady inflow of wealth.
Who it is for
Householders, patrons (yajamāna), chiefs/kings seeking prestige and victory, and ritual specialists applying Rig-derived stuti as Atharvanic prosperity practice.
Also used as
- Rāja-karman (status, victory, eminence)
- Saṃgraha/āharaṇa (recovery and gathering of wealth)
- Yajñīya-stuti (Soma/Agni-linked praise as efficacious act)
The deity
Indra is invoked as the royal giver of victory and wealth, the one who empowers the patron with ‘suprāvīrya’ (excellent heroes/sons/retainers) and makes resources flow continuously. The hymn also recalls the Angirasas and the kindled fires as the archetype of successful rite that retrieves sustenance from hoarders (Paṇi).
Powers of the deity
- Grants horse-wealth and cattle-wealth (aśva, go)
- Bestows suprāvīrya: strong line, retainers, heroic capacity
- Fills and replenishes treasure continuously (river filled by waters)
- Overcomes withholding/hoarding powers (Paṇi motif) and restores provisions
- Responds to Soma-offering and praise, increasing patron’s status and victory
Why the deity is called
To exhilarate and enlist Indra so he elevates the patron to first rank in wealth and power, restores and increases provisions, and secures ongoing replenishment of resources through victorious divine support.
The seer
- Rigvedic seer(s) of the Indra prosperity cycle (RV-parallel; preserved in AV 20)Angiras. Paustika and rāja-karman praise-charms: prosperity, pre-eminence in cattle/horse-wealth, victory-through-Indra, and recovery of withheld goods using mythic precedent (Paṇi motif) and Soma/Agni ritual idiom.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 20.24
- AV 20.26
- RV parallels in the Indra-Soma prosperity/victory register (same RV hymn-family as AV 20.25)
Preparing for the rite
- Establish a clean recitation space; seat the patron facing east or north.
- Prepare a water vessel (āpaḥ) as a visible emblem of ‘filling’ abundance; optionally place it near the fire.
- If following a Soma-style symbolism, set out a libation cup (or substitute offering) and a small ghee lamp/fire as Agni-witness.
- State the sankalpa: pre-eminence in aśva/go wealth, recovery of provisions, and continuous increase.
The rite
- Recite the 7 mantras in Triṣṭubh cadence with clear pāda breaks; emphasize the ‘filling like waters’ imagery in 20.25.1.
- During verses recalling Angirasas/Agni (e.g., 20.25.4), gesture toward the fire or lamp, affirming ritual precedent for wealth-recovery.
- At the closing (20.25.7), offer a small libation (water/ghee; Soma-substitute if used) while invoking Indra’s delight with Śacī and the ‘streams’ (dhenāḥ) of offering.
- Conclude with a brief silent intent for victory and replenishment; optionally sprinkle a few drops of water toward the patron’s goods/threshold as a prosperity seal.
What it needs
- Water (āpaḥ) in a clean vessel
- Fire/lamp (Agni symbol) and ghee (optional)
- Offering cup for a Soma-analogue (optional)
- Cattle/horse tokens as symbolic markers (optional: a cord, figurine, or counted grains)
When
Auspicious mornings, especially on days of trade, assembly, royal audience, departure for contest/battle, or at the start of a wealth-seeking undertaking.
The main substance
Water (āpaḥ) used as the primary prosperity emblem (filling/replenishment); Soma is invoked as the ideal offering (often symbolized).
Amulets
- A water-filled vessel kept near the household/store-room as a ‘pūrṇa’ (fullness) sign (optional)
- A knotted cord or wealth-token tied during recitation to ‘bind’ gains (optional, later untied when wealth arrives)
How it is prepared
Keep water in a clean, covered vessel; optionally consecrate it by reciting 20.25.1 once over it and sprinkling a few drops at thresholds, cattle-shed, or treasury/store-room.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used for prosperity and eminence—especially gaining or maintaining first rank in horse-wealth, cattle-wealth, provisions, and social/political standing through Indra’s support.
The image teaches that true prosperity is not a one-time gain but a steady replenishment from many directions—like waters continuously filling and sustaining a riverbed.
In Vedic myth the Paṇi represent hoarding or withholding forces. By recalling how the Angirasas and the sacred fires recovered sustenance from them, the hymn frames present-day recovery of blocked wealth as ritually achievable.
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