Sukta 175
Sukta 1.175
Vasiṣṭha (traditional attribution for RV 1.175 in the Vasiṣṭha-associated cluster)
Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 1.175; confirm per padya count in critical edition)
एषः षडृचः त्रिष्टुभः सूक्तः सोमेन मदितं इन्द्रम् आह्वयति। तस्य मदस्य प्रचण्डवेगं स्तौति, येन स सहस्रजित् विजयी वीरः भवति, तथा यजमानानां कृते पुनर्विजयशक्तिं नवयितुं प्रार्थयते। इन्द्रस्य पौराणिकान् उद्धारान् स्मारयति—सूर्यस्य/ज्योतिषः पुनराहरणम्, शुष्णस्य वधम्, कुत्सस्य सहाय्यम्—यथा सा एव निर्णायिका शक्तिः वर्तमानविघ्नान् भिन्द्यात्, बलं लाभं च शीघ्रदानानि च दद्यात्।
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
मत्स्यपायि ते महः पात्रस्येव हरिवो मत्सरो मदः । वृषा ते वृष्ण इन्दुर्वाजी सहस्रसातमः ॥
हरिवो इन्द्र, ते महः मत्सरः पात्रस्येव पूर्णस्य पायितः। वृष्णे तेऽयं वाजी इन्दुः सहस्रसातमः भवति—सौम्यः प्रेरकः, यः अन्तर्जये बलं वर्धयति।
Mantra 2
आ नस्ते गन्तु मत्सरो वृषा मदो वरेण्यः । सहावाँ इन्द्र सानसिः पृतनाषाळमर्त्यः ॥
नः प्रति गच्छतु ते वृषा मत्सरः, वरेण्यो मदः। इन्द्र, सहावान् सानसिः, पृतनाषाळ् अमर्त्यः—अस्माकं क्षेत्रे प्रविश्य आत्मनो जयम् अविचलां कुरु।
Mantra 3
त्वं हि शूरः सनिता चोदयो मनुषो रथम् । सहावान्दस्युमव्रतमोषः पात्रं न शोचिषा ॥
त्वं हि शूरः सनीता च; मनुषो रथं चोदयसि। सहावान् अव्रतं दस्युं शोचिषा पात्रं नेव दहसि—येन साधनं शुध्यति, आत्मनः पन्थाः प्रवर्धते।
Mantra 4
मुषाय सूर्यं कवे चक्रमीशान ओजसा । वह शुष्णाय वधं कुत्सं वातस्याश्वैः ॥
हे कवे, सूर्यं मुषाय; स्वैश्वर्येण ओजसा च चक्रं गृहाण। शुष्णाय वधं वह; वातस्य अश्वैः कुत्सं वह—शीघ्राः दैव्याः शक्तयः नष्टां ज्योतिं प्रत्याहरन्तु, ज्योतिः-निधिं शत्रुं च हन्युः।
Mantra 5
शुष्मिन्तमो हि ते मदो द्युम्निन्तम उत क्रतुः । वृत्रघ्ना वरिवोविदा मंसीष्ठा अश्वसातमः ॥
शुष्मिन्तमो हि ते मदः, द्युम्निन्तम उत क्रतुः। हे वृत्रघ्न वरिवोविद, अस्मासु मंसीष्ठा भव, अश्वसाततमो भव—येन वरिवः सम्यक् विद्याम।
Mantra 6
यथा पूर्वेभ्यो जरितृभ्य इन्द्र मय इवापो न तृष्यते बभूथ । तामनु त्वा निविदं जोहवीमि विद्यामेषं वृजनं जीरदानुम् ॥
यथा पूर्वेभ्यो जरितृभ्यः, हे इन्द्र, मय इव आपो न तृष्यते बभूथ; ताम् अनु त्वा निविदं जोहवीमि। विद्याम एषं वृजनं च, त्वां च जीरदानुं दातारम्।
Inside Sukta 175
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Indra’s exhilaration is proclaimed: Soma is drunk like a brimming vessel, generating bull-like, victory-multiplying force.
- Development
The hymn turns from praise to petition, recalling Indra’s lordly deeds—restoring the Sun/light and mobilizing swift powers against the hoarder of illumination.
- Climax
The urgent command to act: seize back the Sun, strike Śuṣṇa, and carry Kútsa with Vāta’s steeds—mythic victory becomes a present invocation of decisive intervention.
- Where it settles
The poet aligns with earlier singers and closes with a formal call (ni-vid), praying for enduring refreshment, victorious scope, and Indra’s swift generosity.
The deity: Indra
- Cosmic functionChampion of ṛta in the battlefield of heaven and earth: he releases blocked powers (waters/light), overcomes hoarding demons, and secures abundance and safe passage for the people.
- Inner significanceThe awakened force of courageous will and luminous intelligence—Soma as uplifted inspiration—breaking inner inertia, fear, and obstruction to recover clarity (the ‘Sun’) and win the ‘field’ of right action.
The seer
- VasiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha-gotra (Āṅgirasa-related seer-family in later tradition); associated with the Vasiṣṭha maṇḍala (RV 7) though RV 1.175 is traditionally linked to the Vasiṣṭha-associated cluster in some anukramaṇī streams. · One of the most revered Vedic seers: paradigmatic brahmarṣi, master of inspired speech (brahman), closely connected with royal consecration themes and the Indra–Varuṇa theological horizon in RV 7.
Famous verses
sahasrasātamaḥ
मुषाय सूर्यं कवे चक्रमीशान ओजसा । वह शुष्णाय वधं कुत्सं वातस्याश्वैः ॥maya ivāpo na tṛṣyate
Attributes of the deity
- Soma-drinker (madin) whose power increases through pressing
- Vṛṣan (Bull-like strength) and sahasrasātama (thousand-winning)
- Restorer of light (recoverer of the Sun)
- Slayer of obstructers (e.g., Śuṣṇa)
- Swift helper of allies (e.g., Kútsa)
- Lordly mastery (īśāna) and overwhelming ojas (force)
Also by this seer
- Large portion of Rigveda Maṇḍala 7 traditionally attributed to Vasiṣṭha and his family of seers
- Hymns to Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra–Varuṇa, Agni, and the Maruts in the Vasiṣṭha corpus (notably RV 7.x)
- Later Vedic-Itihāsa tradition remembers Vasiṣṭha as a royal priest (purohita) and lawgiver figure (Dharmaśāstra/Smṛti attribution is later and not Rigvedic)
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the altar/fire and establish a focused intention for strength, victory, and clarity (light).
- Press Soma (or offer a Soma substitute where appropriate) while reciting/intoning the Triṣṭubh verses as praise and invitation.
- Offer libations to Indra with the refrain-like emphasis on Soma’s exhilaration and Indra’s ‘thousand-winning’ power.
- Recite the mythic petitions: recovery of the Sun/light, striking the obstructer (Śuṣṇa), and aid to the ally (Kútsa) as symbolic requests for present help.
- Conclude with the ni-vid style call (formal invitatory) asking for iṣ (impulsion/nourishing power), vṛjana (victorious field/arena), and swift gifts.
- Seal with a final oblation and silent dedication of the gained force to righteous action (ṛta).
Offerings
- Soma juice (primary, where Soma ritual is performed)
- Ghee (ājya) oblations
- Optional: milk/curd mixture and grains as supportive offerings in domestic adaptations
Frequently Asked Questions
It praises Indra strengthened by Soma and asks him to bring the same victorious power into the present—removing obstacles, restoring clarity (light), and granting strength and gains.
These are mythic images for Indra’s role as restorer of lost light and destroyer of hoarding forces. In practice, they symbolize recovering insight and defeating whatever blocks progress.
It can be recited as an Indra-invocation before demanding work or during a fire offering, with a clear intention for courage, victory over inner/outer obstacles, and right action.
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