Sukta 31
Rishi: Traditionally RV-derived; in AV 20 the seer attributions follow Rigvedic parallels (Indra-stuti lineage).
Devata: Indra (with the Haris as his conveyance).
Chandas: Jagatī (11-syllable cadence typical of many Indra hymns; AV 20 largely mirrors RV meters).
अथर्ववेदे २०.३१ इयं जगतीच्छन्दसि इन्द्रस्तुतिः, या इन्द्रस्य हरिभ्यां (हरिताश्वाभ्यां) योजयित्वा वज्रिणं शीघ्रं यज्ञं प्रति यजमानस्य गृहं च आनयति। सोममत्तं, आयसदृढं, जयप्रदं च इन्द्रं स्तुवन्ती सा जयम्, गृहे प्राणबलसमृद्धिं, सर्वेषु दुरितेषु (अनिष्टेषु भयेषु च) सुरक्षितं गमनं च प्रार्थयते। अस्याः शक्तिः रक्षावाहनरूपेण निरूप्यते—इन्द्र आगच्छति, शत्रुतां निवारयति, विस्तीर्णं वयः (जीवनबलम्) वाजं (जयबलम्) च प्रतिष्ठापयति।
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
ता व॒ज्रिणं॑ म॒न्दिनं॒ स्तोम्यं॒ मद॒ इन्द्रं॒ रथे॑ वहतो हर्य॒ता हरी॑ । पु॒रूण्य॑स्मै॒ सव॑नानि॒ हर्य॑त॒ इन्द्रा॑य॒ सोमा॒ हर॑यो दधन्विरे
तौ हर्यतौ हरी रथे वज्रिणं मन्दिनं स्तोम्यं मदे इन्द्रं वहतः। अस्मै पुरूणि हर्यतानि सवनानि; इन्द्राय सोमाः हरयश्च दधन्विरे।
Mantra 2
अरं कामा॑य॒ हर॑यो दधन्विरे स्थि॒राय॑ हिन्व॒न् हर॑यो॒ हरी॑ तु॒रा। अर्व॑द्भि॒र्यो हरि॑भि॒र्जोष॒मीय॑ते॒ सो अ॑स्य॒ कामं॒ हरि॑वन्तमानशे
अरं कामाय हरयो दधन्विरे; स्थिराय हिन्वन् तुरा हरी। अर्वद्भिर्यो हरिभिर्जोषमीयते; स अस्य कामं हरिवन्तमानशे।
Mantra 3
हरि॑श्मशारु॒र्हरि॑केश आय॒सस्तु॑र॒स्पेये॒ यो ह॑रि॒पा अव॑र्धत । अर्व॑द्भि॒र्यो हरि॑भिर्वा॒जिनी॑वसु॒रति॒ विश्वा॑ दुरि॒ता पारि॑ष॒द्धरी॑
हरिश्मशारुर् हरिकेश आयसस्तुरस्पेये यो हरिपा अवर्धत। अर्वद्भिर्यो हरिभिर्वाजिनीवसुरति विश्वा दुरिता पारिषद्धरी।
Mantra 4
स्रुवे॑व॒ यस्य॒ हरि॑णी विपे॒ततुः॒ शिप्रे॒ वाजा॑य॒ हरि॑णी॒ दवि॑ध्वतः । प्र यत् कृ॒ते च॑म॒से मर्मृ॑ज॒द्धरी॑ पी॒त्वा मद॑स्य हर्य॒तस्यान्ध॑सः
स्रुवेव यस्य हरिणी विपेततुः शिप्रे वाजाय हरिणी दविध्वतः । प्र यत्कृते चमसे मर्मृजद्धरी पीत्वा मदस्य हर्यतस्यान्धसः ॥
Mantra 5
उ॒त स्म॒ सद्म॑ हर्य॒तस्य॑ प॒स्त्यो॒३रत्यो॒ न वाजं॒ हरि॑वां अचिक्रदत्। म॒ही चि॒द्धि धि॒षणाह॑र्य॒दोज॑सा बृ॒हद् वयो॑ दधिषे हर्य॒तश्चि॒दा
उत स्म सद्म हर्यतस्य पस्त्यो३रत्यो न वाजं हरिवां अचिक्रदत् । मही चिद्धि धिषणाहर्यदोजसा बृहद् वयो दधिषे हर्यतश्चिदा ॥
Inside Sukta 31
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by yoking the desirable Haris to bear the vajra-armed, hymn-worthy Indra in rapture to the rite (20.31.1).
- What it asks
May Indra—strengthened, prize-rich, and attended by his Haris—carry us across all durita and grant victory and vitality (esp. 20.31.3, 20.31.5).
- Where its power lies
Indra is portrayed as iron-strong and soma-exhilarated; his conveyance is not merely transport but a saving power that overcomes obstacles and establishes ojas/vāyaḥ.
- How it closes
The conclusion turns inward to the dwelling: in the home(s) of the Tawny One, Indra’s inspiration and tawny vigor set broad life-force here for us (20.31.5).
Famous verses
इन्द्रं रथे वहतो हर्यतौ हरीअति विश्वा दुरिता पारिषद्धरीबृहद् वयो दधिषेKind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity) / Protective-Invocatory (Indraic)
What it is for
Rapid divine attendance, victory-strength, and the crossing-over/removal of durita; installation of broad vitality and prosperity in the dwelling.
Who it is for
Householders and ritual patrons seeking protection, success in contests/conflicts, and sustained vitality; also officiants adapting RV Indra-stutis within AV 20 recitational cycles.
Also used as
- Protective-Invocatory
- Indra-stuti (RV-parallel praise hymn)
The deity
Indra here is the thunder-armed, soma-exhilarated champion whose Haris function as divine conveyance and as rescuing ‘bearers’ that carry the worshipper across danger. He embodies victorious force (ojas), prize-winning power (vāja), and the capacity to establish expansive vitality (vayas) within the home.
Powers of the deity
- Swift arrival to the rite when praised and ‘yoked’ through mantra
- Vajra-power: breaking hostility and removing obstructive forces
- Carrying-across function: rescuing over/through durita (misfortune, peril, moral danger)
- Bestowal of vāja (victory, competitive success) and vayas (vital nourishment, life-breath)
- Strengthening of the worshipper and household through soma-linked exhilaration (mada)
Why the deity is called
To bring Indra quickly on his Haris to the soma-offering and the household space, so he grants victory and robust vitality while carrying the devotee beyond all misfortunes.
The seer
- RV-derived Indra-stuti seer (Anukramaṇī follows Rigvedic parallel for AV 20.31)Angiras. Indraic protective-invocation and paustika prosperity charms: drawing the deity rapidly to the offering, securing victory/strength, and averting durita through praise and soma-linked exhilaration.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 20.30 (RV-parallel Indra hymn in AV 20)
- AV 20.32 (RV-parallel Indra hymn in AV 20)
- RV parallel tradition for AV 20.31 (Indra-stuti lineage)
Preparing for the rite
- Clean the ritual space (home or altar area) and arrange a seat facing east or north.
- Prepare a simple offering set: water for sipping/sprinkling and, where appropriate, soma substitute (or symbolic libation) in a clean vessel.
- Mentally ‘yoke’ the Haris: set the intention that the mantra is the chariot-conveyance bringing Indra to the rite and carrying the worshipper over danger.
The rite
- Recite the 5 mantras in order with steady Jagatī cadence, emphasizing the ‘arrival’ imagery (ratha, harī) in 20.31.1.
- At the durita-crossing petition (20.31.3), perform a protective gesture: touch the head/heart, then extend the hand outward as if sending away misfortune.
- Conclude by affirming household establishment (sadman/pastyā) and vitality (vayas) as in 20.31.5; optionally sprinkle water in the dwelling as a seal.
What it needs
- Water (āpaḥ) for sprinkling/sealing
- Soma or symbolic offering (milk/juice/libation as local substitute)
- Optional: a small piece of iron (āyasa) as a strength-token, kept near the reciter during the hymn
When
Morning or midday, especially before undertaking a contest, journey, or protective household rite; also suitable at times of perceived danger or recurring misfortune.
The main substance
Soma (or symbolic libation)
Amulets
- Iron token (āyasa) as a strength/protection emblem (optional)
How it is prepared
Offer or mentally dedicate a soma substitute as Indra’s draught; keep a small iron piece nearby during recitation to embody ‘iron hardihood,’ then store it in the household altar area.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to invoke Indra swiftly to the rite for victory-strength and to protect the worshipper by ‘carrying across’ misfortune (durita), while also establishing vitality in the home.
They are Indra’s conveyance and also symbolic rescuers: the hymn asks the ‘two bearers’ to transport the devotee over dangers, not just to bring Indra to the offering.
Traditionally the imagery is soma-centered, but in later practice a symbolic libation (milk/juice/water offered with intention) can stand in, because the hymn’s focus is Indra’s exhilarated power and protective arrival.
Ask anything about Sukta 31 of the Atharva Veda
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
