Rişhi: Jetā, son of Madhuchchhandas

MANTRA (1.11.1): LORD OF ALL EXISTENCES

All lauds have increased Indra,

Pervading like the sea,

Superbly speedy among the charioted, the lord of riches

And the lord of all existence.

indram vishvā avīvŗdhan

Indra, all, have increased,

samudra vyachasam giraĥ;

ocean, pervading, lauds,

rathītamam rathīnām vājānām.

superbly charioted or speedy, in the midst of car-owners, opulences,

satpatim patim.

lord of all existences, lord of.

Details:

ratha: derived from ramh in the sense of speed, it indicates movement in the psychological sense.

MANTRA (1.11.2): INDRA'S FRIENDSHIP

O Indra, opulent in your friendship,

May we have no fear, O lord of luminous strength;

We laud excellently from all sides,

You who are a conqueror and undefeated.

sakhye ta indra vājino

in friendship, yours, Indra, opulent,

mā bhema shavasaĥ pate;

no, fear, luminous strength, lord of,

tvām abhi praņonumo

you, on all sides, excellently, laud,

jetāram aparājitam.

conqueror, undefeated.

Details:

jetāram: Rişhi uses his own name as an epithet for the deity being praised.

MANTRA (1.11.3): GROWTHS DIMINISH NOT

Plentiful are the gifts of Indra,

The growths (of wealth) diminish not,

Even if the treasure endowed with rays

Is given to the singers by Indra.

purvīĥ indrasya rātayo

many, of Indra, gifts,

na vidasyanti ūtayaĥ;

not, diminish, growths,

yadī vājasya gomataĥ

if, of opulence, endowed with rays of knowledge,

stotŗbhyo mamhate magham.

for the singers, gives, treasure.

Details:

na vidasyanti: do not diminish. There is no diminution in the riches of Indra, in spite of his daily gifts, since they are ever- increasing. The nature of the wealth is stated by the use of word gomat, luminous with knowledge, and vāja, plenitude, plenty of everything.

rātayaĥ: gifts derived from ra to give.

MANTRA (1.11.4): DESTROYER OF CITIES OF TITANS

  He, the destroyer of cities of evil forces, young, seer and who is

Unlimited in strength was born in the seeker,

Indra, sustainer of all actions in the Universe,

The thunderer and who is praised by many.

purām bhinduĥ yuvā kaviĥ

cities (of titans), breaker, youthful, seer,

amitaujā ajāyata;

of immeasurable strength, born,

indro vishvasya karmaņo

Indra, universal, actions,

dhartā vajrī puruşhţutaĥ

sustainer, thunderer or one with vajra, praised by many.

Details:

born in the seeker: This phrase is discussed in (1.4.1) and (1.8.6). It means that Indra-power is born in the seeker.

purām: cities of the Titans like Vŗtra, also called adri. These cities are not physical, but formations in our vital body, prāņa maya kosha.

kavi: seer, an epithet usually given to Agni.

dhartā: sustainer of the inner yajňa in ourselves.

yuva: ever young.

MANTRA (1.11.5): OPEN THE CAVE OF VALA

You thrust open the cave of Vala with the rays,

O breaker of the hill;

The fearless Gods

Came speeding to you.

tvam valasya gomataĥ apāvaĥ

you, of the titan Vala, with rays, uncover,

adrivo bilam;

O breaker of the hill, the cave,

tvām devā abibhyuşhaĥ

you, Gods, fearless,

tujyamānāsa āvişhuĥ

speedy, entered.

Details:

Vala literally means enclosure. The titan Vala stole the Rays of spiritual knowledge, gau, and lodged them in mountain caves completely dark, denoting the inconscient. These caves are within the subtle body of every human being.

Vala's followers are Paņis, the traffickers in sense-knowledge. Indra destroys Vala and releases the hidden spiritual Light.

The adjective gomataĥfor Vala is not out of place. Vala's body is made of Light as mentioned later in 10.68.9 govapusho valasya. Translating valasya gomataĥas Vala of the cows is misleading as the meaning of the word gomataĥis misrepresented.

After Indra's victory the other Gods enter the subtle body of yajamāna and manifest their respective powers.

The victory over Vala is a joint activity of all the Gods. There are many verses, for instance (1.62.3), which declare that Bŗhaspati slew Vala and attained the Rays gām. (1.62.4) indicates different names for Vala like adri, phaliga.

adrivaĥ: The owner of hill, Indra. Derived from the fact that Indra destroyed the hill adri.

MANTRA (1.11.6): FLOWING WITH THE ETERNAL SAP

O hero, by your grace, I come chanting

Towards you, flowing like a river;

O adorable by praise, serving you who know your (glory).

tava aham shūra rātibhiĥ

your, I, hero, gifts or grace,

prati āyam sindhum āvadan;

towards, come, flowing like a river, chanting,

upātişhţhanta girvaņo

wait upon you, delighter in praises,

viduĥte tasya kāravaĥ.

know, your, that (glory) the chant-creators.

Details:

The purport is: I have the needed strength and valour obtained by your grace; I have attained to you who are ever flowing with the eternal sap like the river, unscorched by the titans who dry up the Soma-essence in our body, life and mind.

sindhum: a river or a ocean; Indra is flowing like a river.

MANTRA (1.11.7): SHUSHNA WHO DRIES UP SAP

O Indra, with your varied intelligence,

You have slain the cunning Shuşhņa.

The wise rişhis know this (your glory);

Increase their divine hearings.

māyābhiĥ indra māyinam

varied intelligence, Indra, the titan of deceit,

tvam shuşhņam avātiraĥ;

you, the titan Shuşhņa, killed,

viduĥte tasya medhirāĥ

know, your (glory), of this, the wise seers,

teşhām shravāmsi uttira.

of these (rişhis), divine hearings, increase.

Details:

shrava: hearing, the sound of Divine inspiration.

The repetition of the phrase viduĥte tasya kāravaĥin (1.11.6) and (1.11.7), with medhirāĥreplacing kāravaĥ, provides the continuity.

shuşhņa: a demon who dries up the essence or sap of all things.

māya: intelligence which could be used in any way.

MANTRA (1.11.8): INDRA'S GIFTS ARE PLENTIFUL AND VARIED.

Indra who rules by his might,

Is praised by the stoma-chanters in front;

Thousands are his gifts,

Which are also variedly abundant.

indram īshānam ojasa

Indra, ruler, with might,

abhi stomā anūşhata,

In front, the stoma-chanters, praise,

sahasram yasya rātaya

thousands, of which, gifts,

uta vā santi bhūyasīĥ.

., or, are, abundant or manifold.

Details:

His gifts of wealth are of various types, none of which diminish.

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