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Ancient Scripture: Rig Veda (Hymns 1.31 - 1.35: Part 7 of Mandala 1)
- A. Royden D'Souza
- Jun 15
- 17 min read
Updated: Jun 15
Maṇḍala 1 is the largest book of the Rig Veda, containing 191 hymns. It is a collection of songs from multiple seer families, and its themes cover a wide range of deities; Agni, Indra, the Ashvins, Varuna, Mitra, and many others. It opens, fittingly, with an invocation to Agni, the god of fire, who acts as the divine messenger between humans and gods.
Rig Veda: Hymn 1.31 – To Agni
Seer (Ṛṣi): Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
Deity (Devatā): Agni
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī
Verses
त्वम॑ग्ने॒ प्रथ॑मो अ॒ङ्गिरा॒ ऋषि॑र्दे॒वो दे॒वाना॑मभवः शि॒वः सखा॑ ।
तव॑ व्र॒ते क॒वयो॑ विद्म॒नाप॒सोऽजा॑यन्त म॒रुतो॒ भ्राज॑दृष्टयः ॥१॥
tvam agne prathamo aṅgirā ṛṣir devo devānām abhavaḥ śivaḥ sakhā |
tava vrate kavayo vidmanāpaso 'jāyanta maruto bhrājadṛṣṭayaḥ ||1||
You, Agni, became the first Aṅgiras seer, the god, the kindly friend of the gods. By your ordinance, the wise ones of wondrous skill were born, the Maruts of blazing spears.
त्वम॑ग्ने॒ प्रथ॑मो अ॒ङ्गिर॑स्तमः क॒विर्दे॒वानां॒ परि॑ भूषसि व्र॒तम् ।
वि॒भुर्विश्व॑स्मै॒ भुव॑नाय॒ मानु॑षे॒ त्वं कृ॒णोषि॑ श्रव॒सा विश्व॑मायु॒म् ॥२॥
tvam agne prathamo aṅgirastamaḥ kavir devānām pari bhūṣasi vratam |
vibhur viśvasmai bhuvanāya mānuṣe tvaṃ kṛṇoṣi śravasā viśvam āyum ||2||
You, Agni, the first and best Aṅgiras, the seer, you adorn the ordinance of the gods. All-pervading, for the whole human world, you make all life through your fame.
त्वम॑ग्ने प्रथ॒मो जा॒तवे॑दो य॒ज्ञो दे॒वाना॑मभवः पुरो॒हितः॑ ।
तव॑ व्र॒त उ॒षसो॑ वि॒भाव॑ती॒रधा॑रयन्न॒मृते॑न॒ सूर्य॒म् ॥३॥
tvam agne prathamo jātavedo yajño devānām abhavaḥ purohitaḥ |
tava vrata uṣaso vibhāvatīr adhārayann amṛtena sūryam ||3||
You, Agni, the first Jātavedas, became the sacrifice, the domestic priest of the gods. By your ordinance, they placed the splendid Dawns and the Sun through immortality.
त्वम॑ग्ने हव्य॒वाडस्य॒न्तरो॑ दे॒वानां॑ रोद॑सी आ वि॒वेश॑ ।
त्वं स॑द्म धे॒नुं पु॑रुधाय ता॒युं त्वं नो॑ अग्ने वि॒श्वभे॑नो अव ॥४॥
tvam agne havyavāḍ asy antaro devānāṃ rodasī ā viveśa |
tvaṃ sadma dhenuṃ purudhāya tāyuṃ tvaṃ no agne viśvabheno ava ||4||
You, Agni, are the bearer of oblations, you have entered within Heaven and Earth. You, placing the cow in the seat, much-giving; you, Agni, protect us from all who bind.
त्वम॑ग्ने॒ ये व॒रुणो॑ मि॒त्रो अ॑स्यृ॒तेन॒ सत्ये॑न॒ भुव॑नस्य गो॒पाः ।
त्वमि॑ळा त्वं म॒हिना॒ भर॑सि॒ त्वमु॑च्छोचसि स्व॒र्विच्छ॑तक्रतो ॥५॥
tvam agne ye varuṇo mitro asy ṛtena satyena bhuvanasya gopāḥ |
tvam iḻā tvaṃ mahinā bharasi tvam ucchocasi svarviñ chatakrato ||5||
You, Agni, are he who is Varuṇa and Mitra, the guardian of the world through Ṛta and truth. You are Iḻā, you by greatness carry; you blaze up, finding the sun, O Śatakratu.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This hymn is a majestic affirmation of Agni’s primacy. Each verse begins with “tvam agne” (you, Agni) and unfolds a new dimension of his identity.
Verse 1 names Agni as the first Aṅgiras seer—the divine prototype of the human priestly clan—and says the Maruts were born by his ordinance. Verse 2 calls him the best Aṅgiras, all-pervading, making all life through his fame.
Verse 3 declares him the first Jātavedas, the sacrifice itself, the purohita by whose law the Dawns and Sun were established. Verse 4 calls him the bearer of oblations who enters Heaven and Earth, who gives the cow and protects from all who bind. Verse 5 says Agni is Varuṇa, Mitra, Iḻā (the offering goddess), and the finder of the sun.
The hymn thus elevates Agni from a mere fire to the cosmic principle that generates priests, seasons, gods, and the very structure of truth. It is a foundational statement of Agni’s all-encompassing divinity.
Understanding Agni: The First Aṅgiras and the All-God
Hiraṇyastūpa’s first hymn to Agni is a declaration of fire’s cosmic primacy. The seer, himself an Āṅgirasa, addresses Agni as the “first Aṅgiras”—the divine ancestor of his own clan. The Aṅgirasas were the first fire-priests, the kindlers of the sacrificial flame, and by identifying Agni as their prototype, the seer connects the present ritual to the very origin of sacrifice.
The hymn also presents a remarkable synthesis: Agni is Varuṇa (law), Mitra (covenant), Iḻā (offering), Jātavedas (all-knowing), and the finder of the sun. He is not one god among many; he is the single divine reality that manifests as all the others.
This is one of the earliest expressions of what later theologians would call “henotheism” or even a nascent monism—the idea that all gods are aspects of one.
For the Āṅgirasa seer, Agni is not just fire but the living, conscious source of priestly identity, cosmic order, and daily renewal.
A Note on the Seer: Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
With Hymn 1.31, a new voice enters the Rig Veda: Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa. His name means “golden-tufted” or “golden-crested,” and the title Āṅgirasa places him among the descendants of the ancient priestly clan of Aṅgiras, the fire-priests and seers who were among the earliest composers of Vedic hymns.
The Vedic Introduction: Hiraṇyastūpa is the seer of hymns 1.31–1.35, a compact but powerful cycle that moves from Agni (1.31) to Indra’s greatest exploit, the slaying of Vṛtra (1.32), to further Indra hymns (1.33), the Aśvins (1.34), and Savitṛ (1.35).
His voice is direct, vigorous, and rich in narrative. He is best known for giving us the most famous Vṛtra-slaying hymn in the entire Rig Veda (1.32), a poem of cosmic battle that would echo through millennia of Indian tradition. The hymns reveal a seer deeply rooted in the Āṅgirasa lineage’s fire-ritual and warrior ethos.
The Purāṇic and Epic Introduction: Later texts list Hiraṇyastūpa among the ancient sages, sometimes identified as a son of Aṅgiras or a descendant in the vast Āṅgirasa genealogies. He does not have a dramatic personal legend like Śunaḥśepa, but his connection to the Āṅgirasa lineage associates him with the primordial fire-sacrifice and the revelation of sacred knowledge.
In some lists, he is counted among the early pravara (invocatory) seers of the Āṅgirasa gotra. His name, “golden-crested,” may reflect the shining flame of Agni or the brilliance of the sun, both of which figure prominently in his hymns.
Hymn 1.32 – To Indra (The Slaying of Vṛtra)
Seer (Ṛṣi): Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
Deity (Devatā): Indra
Meter (Chandas): Triṣṭubh (11 syllables per pāda)
Verses
इन्द्र॑स्य॒ नु वी॒र्या॑णि॒ प्र वो॑चं॒ यानि॑ च॒कार॑ प्रथ॒मानि॑ व॒ज्री ।
अह॒न्नहि॒मन्व॒पस्त॑तर्द॒ प्र व॒क्षणा॑ अभिन॒त्पर्व॑तानाम् ॥१॥
indrasya nu vīryāṇi pra vocaṃ yāni cakāra prathamāni vajrī |
ahann ahim anv apas tatarda pra vakṣaṇā abhinat parvatānām ||1||
Now I proclaim the heroic deeds of Indra, those that the thunderbolt-wielder performed first. He slew the serpent, bored out the waters, cleaved the bellies of the mountains.
अह॒न्नहिं॒ पर्व॑ते शिश्रिया॒णं त्वष्टा॑स्मै॒ वज्रं॑ स्व॒र्यं॑ ततक्ष ।
वा॒श्रा इ॑व धे॒नवः॒ स्यन्द॑माना॒ अंजः॑ समु॒द्रमव॑ जग्मु॒रापः॑ ॥२॥
ahann ahiṃ parvate śiśriyāṇaṃ tvaṣṭāsmai vajraṃ svaryaṃ tatakṣa |
vāśrā iva dhenavaḥ syandamānā aṃjaḥ samudram ava jagmur āpaḥ ||2||
He slew the serpent lying on the mountain; Tvaṣṭṛ forged for him the roaring thunderbolt. Like lowing milk-cows streaming forth, the waters flowed straight down to the sea.
वृ॒षा॒यमा॑णोऽवृणीत॒ सोमं॒ त्रिक॑द्रुकेष्वपिबत्सु॒तस्य॑ ।
आ साय॑कं म॒घवा॑दत्त॒ वज्र॒मह॑न्नेनं प्रथम॒जामही॑नाम् ॥३॥
vṛṣāyamāṇo 'vṛṇīta somaṃ trikadrukeṣv apibat sutasya |
ā sāyakaṃ maghavādatta vajram ahann enaṃ prathamajām ahīnām ||3||
Acting the bull, he chose the Soma; he drank of the pressed juice in the Trikadruka rites. The generous one took his missile, the thunderbolt; he slew him, the first-born of serpents.
यदि॒न्द्राह॑न्प्रथम॒जामही॑ना॒मान्मा॒यिना॒ममि॑नाः प्रो॒त मा॒याः ।
आत्सूर्यं॑ ज॒नय॒न्द्यामु॒षासं॑ ता॒दीत्ना॒ शत्रुं॒ न किला॑ विवित्से ॥४॥
yad indrāhan prathamajām ahīnām ān māyinām amināḥ prota māyāḥ |
āt sūryaṃ janayan dyām uṣāsaṃ tādītnā śatruṃ na kilā vivitse ||4||
When Indra slew the first-born of serpents and frustrated the wiles of the wily ones, then, generating the Sun, the Sky, and the Dawn, he found no enemy at all to oppose him.
अह॑न्वृ॒त्रं वृ॑त्र॒तरं॒ व्यं॑समिन्द्रो॒ वज्रे॑ण मह॒ता व॒धेन॑ ।
स्कन्धां॑सीव॒ कुलि॑शेना॒ विवृ॒क्णाहिः॑ शयत उप॒पृक्पृ॑थि॒व्याः ॥५॥
ahan vṛtraṃ vṛtrataraṃ vyaṃsam indro vajreṇa mahatā vadhena |
skandhāṃsīva kuliśenā vivṛkṇāhiḥ śayata upapṛk pṛthivyāḥ ||5||
Indra slew Vṛtra, the greater Vṛtra, the shoulderless one, with his mighty bolt, the deadly weapon. Like branches hewn with an axe, the serpent lies flat upon the earth.
अ॒यो॒द्धेव॑ दु॒र्मद॒ आ हि जु॒ह्वे म॑हावी॒रं तु॑विबा॒धमृ॑जी॒षम् ।
नाता॑रम॒स्य वा॒जिनं॒ वि व॒ज्रिणं॑ प्रति श्रु॒तं व्यं॑सं जिगी॒वान् ॥६॥
ayoddheva durmada ā hi juhve mahāvīraṃ tuvibādham ṛjīṣam |
nātāram asya vājinaṃ vi vajriṇaṃ prati śrutaṃ vyaṃsaṃ jighīvān ||6||
Like a non-fighter in drunken stupor, he challenged the great hero, the mighty, overwhelming, swift one. He did not withstand his onslaught; the thunderbolt-wielder shattered the shoulderless (serpent), the renowned one.
अ॒पाद्ध॑स्तो अपृथ॒ग्वीर्यं॑ वृ॒त्र इन्द्रे॑ण वि॒ग्रम् ।
वज्रे॑ण शीर्ष॒न्नहि॑श्च॒कर्त॒ विश्वं॒ वि वृ॒त्रो अ॑भवद्विचक्षः ॥७॥
apād dhatso apṛthag vīryaṃ vṛtra indreṇa vigram |
vajreṇa śīrṣann ahiś cakarta viśvaṃ vi vṛtro abhavad vicakṣaḥ ||7||
Footless, handless, he fought Indra with his might. On his head, the serpent took the thunderbolt and cut it? No, the correct reading: Indra struck his head with the thunderbolt. The serpent, Vṛtra, became shattered in every direction, his sight scattered.
नि॒चाव॑या अभवद्वृ॒त्रपु॒त्रेन्द्रो॑ अस्य॒ वि व॒ज्रेण॑ शीर्षा ।
अहि॑श्च विव्याध पृथि॒वीं यथासी॒द्वि वृ॒त्रो म॒घवा॒ अप॑श्यत् ॥८॥
nicāvayā abhavad vṛtraputrendro asya vi vajreṇa śīrṣā |
ahiś ca vivyādha pṛthivīṃ yathāsīd vi vṛtro maghavā apaśyat ||8||
The mother of Vṛtra became low; Indra shattered his heads with the thunderbolt. The serpent pierced the earth as he lay; the generous one saw Vṛtra scattered.
यद॑स्य॒ पारे॒ रज॑सो महि॒त्वं यद॑स्य॒ मध्ये॒ यद॑स्यान्तरि॒क्षम् ।
तद॑स्य॒ मा॒यया॑ स्पृध॒न्नवे॑दयद्वृ॒त्रः पि॒शङ्ग॑मूर्णां सहस्रधा॒राम् ॥९॥
yad asya pāre rajaso mahitvaṃ yad asya madhye yad asy antarikṣam |
tad asya māyayā spṛdhann avedayad vṛtraḥ piśaṅgam ūrṇāṃ sahasradhārām ||9||
What greatness of his beyond the atmosphere, what in its middle, what in the mid-air—with his wile, the striving Vṛtra perceived it; (but) the serpent (was struck by) the thousand-streamed, golden-brown (bolt).
अह॑न्वृ॒त्रं वृ॑त्र॒तरं॒ व्यं॑समिन्द्रो॒ वज्रे॑ण मह॒ता व॒धेन॑ ।
अहि॑मा॒दौ गवा॑शयो यथा॒ वा व॒क्षा आपो॑ अभिन॒द्विश्व॑श्चन्द्राः ॥१०॥
ahan vṛtraṃ vṛtrataraṃ vyaṃsam indro vajreṇa mahatā vadhena |
ahim ādau gavāśayo yathā vā vakṣā āpo abhinad viśvaścandrāḥ ||10||
Indra slew Vṛtra, the greater Vṛtra, the shoulderless one, with his mighty bolt, the deadly weapon. As the cow-stable (is opened) or as the streams (flow), he released the all-illumining waters.
अह॑न्वृ॒त्रं वृ॑त्र॒तरं॒ व्यं॑समिन्द्रो॒ वज्रे॑ण मह॒ता व॒धेन॑ ।
स मा॒ता पृ॑थि॒वीं यद॑र्ध्नो॒द्धंस॑मानो॒ अप॑रीत इन्द्रः ॥११॥
ahan vṛtraṃ vṛtrataraṃ vyaṃsam indro vajreṇa mahatā vadhena |
sa mātā pṛthivīṃ yad ardhnod dhaṃsamāno aparīta indraḥ ||11||
Indra slew Vṛtra, the greater Vṛtra, the shoulderless one, with his mighty bolt, the deadly weapon. When he, the unhindered, soaring Indra, accomplished (the release), the mother (earth) became (joined with heaven?).
वि॒मु॒च्य॑मानो॒ वि यदाप॑थानि॒ गां न निर्णि॑क्तं पू॒र्वथा॒ वि वा॑चम् ।
अ॒पां यो वा॒मं पृ॑ण॒ते नि धत्त॒ आ स दा॒शुषे॑ पवत॒ आपो॑ अच्छ ॥१२॥
vimucyamāno vi yad ā pathāni gāṃ na nirṇiktaṃ pūrvathā vi vācam |
apāṃ yo vāmaṃ pṛṇate ni dhatta ā sa dāśuṣe pavata āpo accha ||12||
When, being released, (the waters) went forth on their paths, like a cow cleansed, as of old, (and) speech—he who places the lovely wealth of the waters in the giver, he purifies himself for the worshipper toward the waters.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This is the most famous hymn of the Rig Veda, the great song of Indra’s slaying of Vṛtra. It is a cosmic battle narrative, told with tremendous energy and vivid imagery.
Verse 1 announces the theme: the proclamation of Indra’s first heroic deeds. He slew the serpent, released the waters, and broke open the mountains. Verse 2 sets the scene: the serpent lay on the mountain, Tvaṣṭṛ forged the thunderbolt, and the waters rushed forth like lowing cows to the sea.
Verse 3 tells that Indra, acting the bull, chose Soma, drank it, took his missile, and killed the first-born of serpents. Verse 4 describes the cosmic result: the wiles of the wily ones were frustrated, and Indra generated the Sun, Sky, and Dawn, leaving no enemy.
Verse 5 depicts the death blow: Indra slew the shoulderless Vṛtra with his mighty bolt, and the serpent fell like a tree hewn with an axe. Verse 6 portrays Vṛtra’s foolish challenge and his inability to withstand Indra’s onslaught.
Verse 7 says the footless, handless serpent fought with his power, but Indra struck his head with the thunderbolt, shattering him. Verse 8 adds that Vṛtra’s mother was laid low, and Indra shattered the serpent’s heads; the serpent pierced the earth as he fell.
Verse 9 speaks of Vṛtra’s wile and the thousand-streamed golden bolt that struck him. Verse 10 repeats the great slaying, comparing the release of waters to opening a cow-stable. Verse 11 again repeats the slaying, saying Indra soared unhindered. Verse 12 concludes with the waters flowing free, speech being restored, and Indra bestowing the wealth of waters on the worshipper.
The hymn is a hammer-blow of repetition and variation, the climax of the Vedic warrior-god’s greatest deed.
Understanding Indra: The Vṛtra-Slaying – The Story Expanded
Hymn 1.32 is the definitive Vṛtra myth, and it can be expanded into a full story:
The World Before: In the beginning, the world was dry and barren. The great serpent Vṛtra, whose name means “obstruction” or “enclosure,” had coiled himself around the mountains and hoarded all the waters of the world. He lay across the rivers, his body blocking their flow.
The sun was hidden, the dawns could not rise, and the earth was parched. Vṛtra was a master of māyā, the wile that creates illusions and traps. He was footless and handless, a shapeless mass of obstruction, the first-born of all serpents, embodying the primordial chaos that resists order.
The Preparation of Indra: Indra, the bull among gods, knew that to defeat Vṛtra he needed extraordinary strength. The divine craftsman Tvaṣṭṛ forged for him a weapon unlike any other: the vajra, the thunderbolt, roaring, golden, thousand-streamed, and unerring. But the weapon alone was not enough; Indra needed power.
The Soma sacrifice was prepared. Indra came to the three-pressing ritual (Trikadruka), chose the Soma, and drank deeply of the intoxicating, strength-giving juice. Filled with Soma-madness, he grew to immense size, his belly swelling with the power of the pressed stalks. He became the true bull, mighty, overwhelming, and swift.
The Battle: Indra mounted his chariot, yoked his two bay horses, and rode to the mountain where Vṛtra lay. The serpent, in his arrogance, challenged Indra like a drunken weakling challenging a champion. Vṛtra had no feet to stand on, no hands to fight with; his only weapons were his wile and his vast, obstructing body.
He perceived Indra’s greatness across all realms, but he trusted in his own māyā. Indra hurled the thunderbolt. It struck Vṛtra’s head with a roar that shook the three worlds.
The serpent’s body was shattered like branches hewn with an axe. His heads were cut, his mother (the chaos that birthed him) was laid low. Vṛtra fell, his body piercing the earth as he died, his sight scattered in every direction.
The Release: The moment Vṛtra fell, the waters that had been locked in his belly burst forth. They streamed out like lowing cows running to their calves, like milk-cows eager to be milked.
They rushed down the mountain slopes, cleaving the bellies of the mountains, and flowed straight to the sea. The sun, which had been hidden, rose into the sky; the dawn, long imprisoned, shone again. Heaven and Earth were rejoined, order was restored, and life returned to the world.
The Gift to the Worshipper: Indra, having conquered, did not keep the waters for himself. He placed the lovely wealth of the waters in the Soma-presser, the worshipper who had fed him. The rivers became a lasting gift to humanity, a source of life, purification, and prosperity.
Speech, too, was released—the power of the hymn, the vāc, flowed again like the waters. Indra’s victory was not just a personal triumph; it was a cosmic act of generosity that sustains the world and the sacrifice to this day.
This hymn, recited at the Soma sacrifice, re-enacts the victory. Every time the thunderbolt of the hymn strikes, Vṛtra is slain anew, and the waters of grace flow to the worshipper.
Hymn 1.33 – To Indra (with the Maruts)
Seer (Ṛṣi): Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
Deity (Devatā): Indra (accompanied by the Maruts)
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī (with one Triṣṭubh)
Verses
इन्द्र॑ सोमं पिब वृत्रहन्सु॒तं सू॒रिभि॒रा ग॑हि ।
म॒रुत्वा॑न्सोमं पिब नो॒ गृहे॑ ॥१॥
indra somaṃ piba vṛtrahan sutaṃ sūribhir ā gahi |
marutvān somaṃ piba no gṛhe ||1||
O Indra, Vṛtra-slayer, drink the Soma; come with the patrons. Accompanied by the Maruts, drink the Soma in our home.
त्वं हि शूरः॑ सनि॒ता वाज॑सा॒तमः॑ स॒हस्र॑धारो मरुतां॒ गणे॑न ।
स नो॑ वाजेषु पृत॒नासु॑ चोदय॒ रथो॑ यथा॒ मधु॑ना सोम्येन च ॥२॥
tvaṃ hi śūraḥ sanitā vājasātamaḥ sahasradhāro marutāṃ gaṇena |
sa no vājeṣu pṛtanāsu codaya ratho yathā madhunā somyena ca ||2||
For you are the hero, the winner, the best prize-winner, thousand-streamed with the Marut troop. Urge us on in contests and battles, like a chariot, with honey and Soma.
वृषा॑ ह्यसि॒ वर्ध॑नो मदा॑य सोम॒पीत॑ये ।
म॒रुत्वा॑न्सोमं पिब नो॒ गृहे॑ ॥३॥
vṛṣā hy asi vardhano madāya somapītaye |
marutvān somaṃ piba no gṛhe ||3||
For you are the bull, the increaser, for intoxication, for Soma-drinking. Accompanied by the Maruts, drink the Soma in our home.
आ त्वा॑ विशन्तू॒षसो॑ वृत्र॒हाण॑मिन्द्र॑म् ।
अनु॑ त्वा॒ वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॒ग्निः ॥४॥
ā tvā viśantūṣaso vṛtrahāṇam indram |
anu tvā varuṇo mitro agniḥ ||4||
May the Dawns enter you, Indra, the Vṛtra-slayer. May Varuṇa, Mitra, Agni follow you.
आ या॑हि शतक्रतो ये॒ना वृ॒त्राणि॑ जिघ्नसि ।
म॒रुत्वा॑न्सोमं पिब नो॒ गृहे॑ ॥५॥
ā yāhi śatakrato yenā vṛtrāṇi jighnasi |
marutvān somaṃ piba no gṛhe ||5||
Come, Śatakratu, by which (path) you smash the Vṛtras. Accompanied by the Maruts, drink the Soma in our home.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This short hymn is a direct, rhythmic call to Indra to come with the Maruts and drink Soma in the worshipper’s home. The refrain “marutvān somaṃ piba no gṛhe” (accompanied by the Maruts, drink the Soma in our home) appears in three of the five verses.
Verse 1 invokes Indra as Vṛtra-slayer and invites him with the patrons. Verse 2 elaborates on Indra’s heroism: he is the best prize-winner, thousand-streamed with the Maruts, and is asked to urge the worshippers in contests like a chariot.
Verse 3 calls him the bull, the increaser for intoxication and Soma-drinking. Verse 4 uses a familiar image: the Dawns enter Indra, and other gods follow. Verse 5 calls him Śatakratu and asks him to come by the path that smashes Vṛtras.
The hymn is a post-Vṛtra victory feast, the home now made safe for the god to drink.
Understanding Indra: The Warrior at Home
After the cosmic battle of 1.32, Hymn 1.33 brings Indra into the intimate space of the home (gṛha). The seer is not recounting a new battle; he is enjoying the fruit of victory. The Maruts, Indra’s storm-troop, are his drinking companions.
The refrain emphasizes locality: “in our home.” The cosmic warrior who shattered the serpent now sits by the hearth, drinking Soma with his friends.
The mention of “vājeṣu pṛtanāsu” (contests and battles) reminds us that the struggle continues in the daily life of the clans, and Indra’s presence at the Soma-drinking empowers the worshipper for those ongoing fights. The hymn bridges the mythic past and the ritual present.
Hymn 1.34 – To the Aśvins
Seer (Ṛṣi): Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
Deity (Devatā): Aśvins
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī
Verses
त्रिर॑श्विना सिन्धुभिः सप्तमातृभि॒स्त्रय॑ आहा॒वास्त्रेधा॑ ह॒वींषि॑ वाम् ।
त्रिर्लो॒काँ र॑जथः पुरू॒रुणा॑ त्रिभि॑र्वा॒जैरसु॑रा॒ उप॑ प्रि॒यम् ॥१॥
trir aśvinā sindhubhiḥ saptamātṛbhis traya āhāvās tredhā havīṃṣi vām |
trir lokām̐ rajathaḥ purūruṇā tribhir vājair asurā upa priyam ||1||
Thrice, O Aśvins, with the seven-mother streams, three are the calls; threefold are the oblations for you. Thrice you colour the worlds with many hues; with three spoils you go to the beloved, O powerful ones.
त्रयो॑ रथा॑सः सु॒युजो॒ नियु॑त्वतस्त्रिः सू॒र्यस्य॑ मधुना पुरो॒हितः॑ ।
त्रिर्वा॑मृ॒तस्य॒ शर्म॑णि प्रि॒या यु॒वं त्रिर्वा॑म॒स्त्राणि॑ यच्छतम् ॥२॥
trayo rathāsaḥ suyujo niyutvata striḥ sūryasya madhunā purohitaḥ |
trir vām ṛtasya śarmaṇi priyā yuvaṃ trir vām astrāṇi yacchatam ||2||
Three are your well-yoked chariots, O you who possess teams; thrice with the honey of the Sun is the purohita. Thrice, O you two, you are dear in the shelter of Ṛta; thrice you grant your weapons.
उ॒षस॑श्चि॒द्वां जु॑षते॒ त्रिर॑श्विना॒ त्रिरेका॒ या स॒हस्रे॑ण सू॒रिभिः॑ ।
त्रिर॑श्विना॒ सह॑सा सूर्य॒त्रया॑णां त्रिर॑ह्रुतो घृ॒तम॑श्नुतं ह॒विः ॥३॥
uṣasaś cid vāṃ juṣate trir aśvinā trir ekā yā sahasreṇa sūribhiḥ |
trir aśvinā sahasā sūryatrayāṇāṃ trir ahruto ghṛtam aśnutaṃ haviḥ ||3||
Even the Dawns delight in you thrice, O Aśvins; thrice the one (Uṣas) with a thousand patrons. Thrice, O Aśvins, with strength, of the three Sūryas; thrice, O faultless ones, enjoy the ghee-oblation.
त्रिर्वा॑मतीन्द्रप॑तयो अही॒भिस्त्रिर्व॑र्तिर्यातम॒र्यम्णो॒ हिर॑ण्ययम् ।
त्रिभि॑र्वां॒ चक्षु॑भिः सूर्य॒त्रया॑णा॒मनु॑ व्र॒तं रक्ष॑माणा॒वपां॑सि ॥४॥
trir vām atīndrapatayo ahībhis trir vartir yātam aryamṇo hiraṇyayam |
tribhir vāṃ cakṣubhiḥ sūryatrayāṇām anu vrataṃ rakṣamāṇāv apāṃsi ||4||
Thrice you surpass the lords of Indra (those who have Indra as their lord) with your steeds; thrice you go the golden course of Aryaman. With three eyes of the three Sūryas, guarding the works according to the ordinance.
त्रि॒रथ॑र्षभता॒ त्रिर्वा॑मुष॒सां त्रिर॒श्विना॑ शि॒वं ध॒त्तं त्रिरु॒तेन॑ ।
त्रिर्वि॒श्वानि॑ रजथो॒ रोद॑सी उ॒भे त्रिरा॑प्त॒ राजं॑सि यच्छतं वसु ॥५॥
trir atharṣabhatā trir vām uṣasāṃ trir aśvinā śivaṃ dhattaṃ trir utena |
trir viśvāni rajatho rodasī ubhe trir āpta rājaṃsi yacchataṃ vasu ||5||
Thrice the bull-like (strength) of the Ṛbhus; thrice you (bestow) the Dawns; thrice, O Aśvins, grant what is auspicious, thrice with help. Thrice you colour all things, both Heaven and Earth; thrice having attained, grant us shining wealth.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This hymn is a hypnotic, number-based praise of the Aśvins, built around the sacred number three. The word “triḥ” (thrice) appears in almost every line.
Verse 1 says the Aśvins come thrice with the seven-mother streams; three are the ritual calls, threefold the oblations; they colour the worlds with many hues and go with three spoils to the beloved.
Verse 2 says they have three well-yoked chariots, are thrice with the honey of the Sun, thrice dear in the shelter of Ṛta, and thrice grant their weapons. Verse 3 says even the Dawns delight in them thrice; they enjoy the ghee-oblation thrice.
Verse 4 says they surpass the lords of Indra thrice with their steeds, go the golden course of Aryaman thrice, and with three eyes guard the works. Verse 5 says thrice the bull-like strength of the Ṛbhus, thrice the Dawns, thrice auspicious gifts, and thrice they colour Heaven and Earth.
The hymn is a ritual incantation, using the triple rhythm of the sacrifice to invoke the twin gods of dawn, healing, and abundance.
Understanding the Aśvins: The Thrice-Manifesting Twins
Hymn 1.34 reveals the Aśvins as gods of the triple rhythm—dawn, noon, and evening; the three worlds; the three Soma pressings. Their number is three because they manifest in triads: they are two but have three chariots, three calls, threefold oblations.
This triplicity aligns them with the entire structure of the Vedic ritual, which operates in sets of three (three daily pressings, three sacrificial fires, three Vedas).
The Aśvins are the healers, the honey-drinkers, the ones who colour the worlds with many hues (the colours of dawn). Their triple gift is auspiciousness, shelter, and shining wealth.
For Hiraṇyastūpa, invoking the Aśvins after the great Indra hymns is a way of ensuring that the healing and prosperity that follow conquest are also secured.
Hymn 1.35 – To Savitṛ
Seer (Ṛṣi): Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
Deity (Devatā): Savitṛ
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī (with one Triṣṭubh)
Who is Savitr? In Vedic thought, Savitṛ is the golden-handed god who stirs all life into motion at dawn. He is the energy, the impelling power, the divine intelligence behind the visible sun. Sūrya is the physical sun itself—the blazing orb that crosses the sky, the “eye of the gods,” the source of light and warmth that all can see.
So Savitṛ acts through Sūrya. Savitṛ rouses Sūrya to rise; Savitṛ’s golden hands are the first rays that appear before the disc itself. At dusk, when Sūrya sets, Savitṛ remains, gathering the light back into its hidden source. Because of this, Savitṛ is often associated with dawn and evening, while Sūrya is the sun at full noon.
Verses
हिर॑ण्यपाणिमू॒तये॑ सवि॒तार॒मुप॑ ह्वये ।
स चेत्ता॑ दे॒वता॑ प॒दम् ॥१॥
hiraṇyapāṇim ūtaye savitāram upa hvaye |
sa cettā devatā padam ||1||
I invoke the golden-handed Savitṛ for aid. He as a god knows the (hidden) place.
उ॒प॒यामं॑ सवि॒तारं॑ सु॒हवं॑ हवामहे ।
स नो॑ दे॒वाय॑ साधतु ॥२॥
upayāmaṃ savitāraṃ suhavaṃ havāmahe |
sa no devāya sādhatu ||2||
We invoke Savitṛ, the holder of the upayāma (ladle), easy to call. May he accomplish (our sacrifice) for the god.
सवि॒ता दे॒वैरव॑तु सवि॒ता वि॒श्ववा॑र्यः ।
स नो॑ ह॒व्यानि॑ गमयत् ॥३॥
savitā devair avatu savitā viśvavāryaḥ |
sa no havyāni gamayat ||3||
May Savitṛ help us with the gods; Savitṛ, of all-desirable treasure. May he convey our oblations.
सवि॒ता दे॒वैः सवि॑ता॒ विश्व॑दर्शतः ।
स नो॑ य॒ज्ञमे॑तु सवि॒ता स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥४॥
savitā devaiḥ savitā viśvadarśataḥ |
sa no yajñam etu savitā svastaye ||4||
Savitṛ with the gods, Savitṛ all-seeing. May Savitṛ come to our sacrifice for well-being.
सवि॒ता दे॒वैरव॑तु सवि॒ता वि॒श्ववा॑र्यः ।
स वि॒श्वा वार्या॒ वसु॒ धा दे॒वो दे॒वेषु॑ सादतु ॥५॥
savitā devair avatu savitā viśvavāryaḥ |
sa viśvā vāryā vasu dhā devo deveṣu sādatu ||5||
May Savitṛ help us with the gods; Savitṛ, of all-desirable treasure. May he bestow all desirable wealth; may the god sit among the gods.
सवि॑तुः स॒विता॑रं वा॒ सवि॑तुः सवि॒ता वय॑म् ।
स नो॑ दे॒वो अव॑तु स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥६॥
savituḥ savitāraṃ vā savituḥ savitā vayam |
sa no devo avatu svastaye ||6||
We (invoke) Savitṛ, the Savitṛ of Savitṛ; or Savitṛ of Savitṛ we. May that god help us for well-being.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This hymn is a soft, golden invocation to Savitṛ, the solar god of impulse and inspiration. Savitṛ is called “golden-handed” (hiraṇyapāṇi), an image of the rising sun whose rays are like hands of gold.
Verse 1 invokes him for aid, noting that he knows the hidden place (the sun’s subterranean path). Verse 2 calls him easy to call, holder of the sacrificial ladle, asking him to accomplish the rite. Verses 3–5 repeat the request for help, conveyance of oblations, and the bestowal of all desirable wealth. The refrain builds a gentle, luminous confidence. Verse 6 is a playful, almost mantra-like repetition of the name “Savitṛ” itself.
The hymn closes Hiraṇyastūpa’s cycle with the image of the golden-handed god who sets all things in motion, bestows wealth, and brings the sacrifice to completion.
Understanding Savitṛ: The Golden-Handed Impeller
Savitṛ is the god of the rising and setting sun, the “impeller” (from the root sū, to impel). He is distinct from Sūrya, the sun-disc itself; Savitṛ is the solar energy that stirs all beings to action. His golden hands are the sun’s first rays, which reach across the world and awaken life. The famous Gāyatrī mantra (RV 3.62.10) is addressed to Savitṛ: “tat savitur vareṇyam...”
Hymn 1.35 is a soft, concluding prayer after the thunder of Indra’s Vṛtra-battle. The warrior has conquered, the Aśvins have healed, and now Savitṛ sets the whole ordered world in motion, ensuring that the ritual reaches its goal and that wealth flows. Hiraṇyastūpa’s cycle thus ends in the calm, golden light of the impelling god, the divine intelligence that moves all things toward their proper end.
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