Sukta 67
Sukta 10.67
Ayāsya (named); associated Angirasa/Bṛhaspati myth-cycle in this sukta
Indra (explicit), with underlying Angirasa/Bṛhaspati current
Triṣṭubh (probable; confirm by scan)
अयं सूक्तः (ऋग्वेदे १०.६७) इन्द्रस्य जयशक्तिं स्तौति, या अङ्गिरसां बृहस्पतेश्च प्रवाहेन अविभाज्यतया संबद्धा। प्रेरिता वाक् (धी/उक्थम्) ‘लभ्यते’ ‘जन्यते’ च, ततः सा निधीनां धारकान् भेत्तुं, धनं ज्योतिः प्राणधाराश्च (आपः) विमोचयितुं प्रयुज्यते। अयास्यः चतुर्थं मापं/बलं व्याहरन् द्रष्टा इव प्रदर्श्यते; आख्यानपरिसरे तु अवरोधभङ्गः (अहिः, अर्बुदः) तथा सप्तनद्यः विमोचनं स्मार्यते। स्तुत्यर्थं कर्मार्थं च—इन्द्रं (सह ब्रह्मण्या शक्त्या) आह्वयति, यत् स समृद्धिं विवृणुयात् समुदायं च रक्षेत्।
Mantras
Mantra 1
इमां धियं सप्तशीर्ष्णीं पिता न ऋतप्रजातां बृहतीमविन्दत् । तुरीयं स्विज्जनयद्विश्वजन्योऽयास्य उक्थमिन्द्राय शंसन् ॥
इमां धियं सप्तशीर्ष्णीं पिता न ऋतप्रजातां बृहतीमविन्दत्। तुरीयं स्विज्जनयद्विश्वजन्योऽयास्य उक्थमिन्द्राय शंसन्॥
Mantra 2
ऋतं शंसन्त ऋजु दीध्याना दिवस्पुत्रासो असुरस्य वीराः । विप्रं पदमङ्गिरसो दधाना यज्ञस्य धाम प्रथमं मनन्त ॥
ऋतं शंसन्तः ऋजु दीध्यानाः दिवः पुत्रासोऽसुरस्य वीराः विप्रं पदं दधाना अङ्गिरसः ऋषेः पदं स्थापयन्तो यज्ञस्य प्रथमं धाम मन्यन्ते।
Mantra 3
हंसैरिव सखिभिर्वावदद्भिरश्मन्मयानि नहना व्यस्यन् । बृहस्पतिरभिकनिक्रदद्गा उत प्रास्तौदुच्च विद्वाँ अगायत् ॥
हंसैरिव सखिभिर्वावदद्भिः अश्मन्मयानि नहनानि व्यस्यन्। बृहस्पतिरभिकनिक्रदद्गा उत प्रास्तौदुच्च विद्वानगायत्॥
Mantra 4
अवो द्वाभ्यां पर एकया गा गुहा तिष्ठन्तीरनृतस्य सेतौ । बृहस्पतिस्तमसि ज्योतिरिच्छन्नुदुस्रा आकर्वि हि तिस्र आवः ॥
गाः गुहायां निहिताः—द्वाभ्यां पराः, एकया तु गम्याः—अनृतस्य सेतौ तिष्ठन्त्यः। बृहस्पतिस्तमसि ज्योतिरिच्छन् उदुस्राः आकर्वि; तिस्र आवः विवृणोत्।
Mantra 5
विभिद्या पुरं शयथेमपाचीं निस्त्रीणि साकमुदधेरकृन्तत् । बृहस्पतिरुषसं सूर्यं गामर्कं विवेद स्तनयन्निव द्यौः ॥
विभिद्य पुरं शयथेमपाचीं निस्त्रीणि साकमुदधेरकृन्तत् । बृहस्पतिरुषसं सूर्यं गामर्कं विवेद स्तनयन्निव द्यौः ॥
Mantra 6
इन्द्रो वलं रक्षितारं दुघानां करेणेव वि चकर्ता रवेण । स्वेदाञ्जिभिराशिरमिच्छमानोऽरोदयत्पणिमा गा अमुष्णात् ॥
इन्द्रो वलं रक्षितारं दुघानां करेणेेव वि चकर्त रवेण । स्वेदाञ्जिभिराशिरमिच्छमानोऽरोदयत्पणिमा गा अमुष्णात् ॥
Mantra 7
स ईं सत्येभिः सखिभिः शुचद्भिर्गोधायसं वि धनसैरदर्दः । ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्वृषभिर्वराहैर्घर्मस्वेदेभिर्द्रविणं व्यानट् ॥
स ईं सत्येभिः सखिभिः शुचद्भिर्गोधायसं वि धनसैरदर्दः । ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्वृषभिर्वराहैर्घर्मस्वेदेभिर्द्रविणं व्यानट् ॥
Mantra 8
ते सत्येन मनसा गोपतिं गा इयानास इषणयन्त धीभिः । बृहस्पतिर्मिथोअवद्यपेभिरुदुस्रिया असृजत स्वयुग्भिः ॥
ते सत्येन मनसा गोपतिं गा इयानास इषणयन्त धीभिः । बृहस्पतिर्मिथोऽवद्यपेभिरुदुस्रिया असृजत स्वयुग्भिः ॥
Mantra 9
तं वर्धयन्तो मतिभिः शिवाभिः सिंहमिव नानदतं सधस्थे । बृहस्पतिं वृषणं शूरसातौ भरेभरे अनु मदेम जिष्णुम् ॥
तं वर्धयन्तो मतिभिः शिवाभिः सिंहमिव नानदतं सधस्थे । बृहस्पतिं वृषणं शूरसातौ भरेभरे अनु मदेम जिष्णुम् ॥
Mantra 10
यदा वाजमसनद्विश्वरूपमा द्यामरुक्षदुत्तराणि सद्म । बृहस्पतिं वृषणं वर्धयन्तो नाना सन्तो बिभ्रतो ज्योतिरासा ॥
यदा वाजमसनद्विश्वरूपमा द्यामरुक्षदुत्तराणि सद्म । बृहस्पतिं वृषणं वर्धयन्तो नाना सन्तो बिभ्रतो ज्योतिरासा ॥
Mantra 11
सत्यामाशिषं कृणुता वयोधै कीरिं चिद्ध्यवथ स्वेभिरेवैः । पश्चा मृधो अप भवन्तु विश्वास्तद्रोदसी शृणुतं विश्वमिन्वे ॥
हे वयो॒धाः, सत्यामाशिषं कृणुत; स्वैरेव प्रेरणैः कीरिं चिद् ध्यवथ। पृष्ठतोऽस्माकं विश्वा मृधोऽप भवन्तु। तद् द्यावापृथिवी शृणुतं, विश्वमिन्वे।
Mantra 12
इन्द्रो मह्ना महतो अर्णवस्य वि मूर्धानमभिनदर्बुदस्य । अहन्नहिमरिणात्सप्त सिन्धून्देवैर्द्यावापृथिवी प्रावतं नः ॥
इन्द्रो मह्ना महतोऽर्णवस्यार्बुदस्य मूर्धानं व्यभिनत्। अहन्नहिम्, अरिणात् सप्त सिन्धून्। हे द्यावापृथिवी, देवैः सह नः प्रावतं, अग्रे नयतम्।
Inside Sukta 67
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
The hymn opens by locating power in revelation: a vast, truth-born, ‘seven-headed’ dhī is discovered, and Ayāsya generates a decisive ‘fourth’ measure/power as an uktha for Indra (10.67.1).
- Development
Mythic and ritual energies intertwine: the brahmanic force (Brahmaṇaspati/Bṛhaspati) with true companions breaks the hoarder and spreads treasure, showing mantra and divine force acting together (e.g., 10.67.7).
- Climax
Indra’s archetypal breakthrough is proclaimed—he splits Arbuda’s head, slays the obstructing serpent, and releases the seven rivers (10.67.12), the peak image of liberation and restored flow.
- Where it settles
The hymn turns from cosmic victory to communal benefit: with the gods, Heaven-and-Earth are asked to protect and carry the worshippers onward, sealing the rite with safeguarding grace (10.67.12).
The deity: Indra
- In the VedaIndra is the foremost heroic god in the Rig Veda: wielder of irresistible force, breaker of forts/obstructions, releaser of waters and wealth, and the one strengthened by hymns and soma. In this sukta he appears both as cosmic victor (slaying ahi, splitting Arbuda) and as the recipient of the seer’s potent uktha that makes the victory effective.
- Cosmic functionTo restore ṛta (cosmic order) by defeating constriction and releasing life-supporting powers—waters/rivers, riches, and expansive space for the worlds and the people.
- Inner significanceIndra signifies the awakened will and luminous strength that breaks inner blockage (fear, inertia, ignorance), liberating the ‘streams’ of energy, clarity, and inspiration; the Angirasa/Bṛhaspati thread highlights mantra/insight as the instrument of that liberation.
The seer
- AyāsyaAṅgirasa (Angiras lineage; associated with the Bṛhaspati/Angirasa myth-cycle) · Being named in the hymn as the one who ‘brought to birth’ a decisive, ‘fourth’ power/measure of inspired speech (uktha/dhī) for Indra—linking poetic revelation with the Angirasa breakthrough motif (release of hidden wealth/light).
Famous verses
saptaśīrṣṇīm dhiyaṃ ("seven-headed thought")
स ईं सत्येभिः सखिभिः शुचद्भिर्गोधायसं वि धनसैरदर्दः । ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्वृषभिर्वराहैर्घर्मस्वेदेभिर्द्रविणं व्यानट् ॥ariṇāt sapta sindhūn ("he set free the seven rivers")
Attributes of the deity
- Vṛtrahan (slayer of obstruction)
- Breaker/splitter (of hoarders, heads of demons, closed enclosures)
- Giver of wealth and wide space
- Strengthened by uktha (hymn) and brahman (sacred formulation)
- Allied with truth-bright companions (satyebhiḥ sakhībhiḥ śucadbhīḥ)
- Protector invoked with Dyāvā-Pṛthivī at the close
Also by this seer
- Associated in the Rigvedic tradition with Angirasa/Bṛhaspati-type revelation themes (breaking obstructions, uncovering treasure/cows).
- Cited within RV 10.67 itself as the articulator of the hymn’s effective uktha for Indra.
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the sacred space and kindle the fire (Agni), establishing purity and attention.
- Recite RV 10.67 as an uktha (praise-hymn) to strengthen Indra and align the rite with ṛta.
- Offer soma (where applicable) and ghee into the fire while naming Indra’s liberating deeds (breaking hoarders, freeing waters).
- Meditatively ‘place’ the dhī (inspired thought) as the effective instrument—speech as action—echoing Ayāsya’s generative role.
- Conclude with a protection petition, invoking Heaven-and-Earth (Dyāvā-Pṛthivī) together with the gods for safe onward movement.
- Distribute any ritual gifts/fees (dakṣiṇā) and end with a quiet settling of intention (victory, abundance, clarity).
Offerings
- Soma libation (in soma rites)
- Ghee/clarified butter (āhuti into Agni)
- Grain cakes or simple food offerings (optional, per household practice)
- Dakṣiṇā (gift/fee) to officiants (in śrauta setting)
Frequently Asked Questions
It praises Indra as the power that breaks obstruction and releases abundance, while emphasizing that inspired mantra (dhī/uktha)—linked to the Angirasa/Bṛhaspati current—is the effective instrument of that release.
These images describe layered, many-faceted inspiration (seven-headed dhī) and a decisive additional measure or potency (the “fourth”) that Ayāsya ‘brings to birth’ as a hymn-force for Indra—speech functioning as spiritual action.
On the mythic level it recalls Indra’s release of blocked waters; symbolically it means restoring flow—life, prosperity, clarity, and movement—after the slaying of inner and outer obstruction (ahi).
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