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Hymn 61: Pure song of my clear-cut thoughts
Rişhi: Nodha
Gautama
This sūkta is a seed of the
yoga of devotion or bhakti yoga of later times.
MANTRA (1.61.1):
PRAYERS
To him (Indra),
the mighty and swift,
I send this chant like a pleasant offering.
The laud is accompanied by the exalted, praiseworthy and
irresistible light.
The offerings of mantra given aplenty reach (you), Indra.
asmā idu pra tavase turāya
him (Indra), ., to the mighty one, swift,
prayo na
harmi stomam māhināya;
dear thing or pleasant, like, bring, song, exalted,
ŗchīşhamāya adhrigava
praiseworthy, with unobstructed rays,
oham indrāya brahmāņi rātatamā.
reachable, for Indra, mantra-offerings, given aplenty.
Details:
pra + harmi:
bring or send.
ŗchīşhamāya:
equal to or worthy of the rik of illumination.
brahmāņi:
the chants or mantrās; the offerings of mantra.
MANTRA (1.61.2): MY THOUGHTS
FROM THE HEART, MIND AND UNDERSTANDING
To him, I offer like a pleasing present
A song of power that is polished and can hurt the foes.
From the heart, mind and understanding,
Thoughts purifying flow to Indra, the ancient lord.
asmā idu praya iva prayamsi
him, ., pleasant, like, give,
bharāmi angūşham bādhe suvŗkti;
bring, song of power, for hurting the foes, polished or
appropriate,
indrāya hŗdā manasā manīşhā
for Indra, heart, mind, intellect or understanding,
pratnāya patye dhiyo marjayanta.
ancient, lord, thoughts, purifying.
Details:
The foes mentioned are
psychological, like greed, anger, jealousy, etc.,
The triplet,
hŗda-manasā-manīşhā, heart, mind and intellect together,
occurs in Kaţha U. (2.3.9).
MANTRA (1.61.3): PURE UTTERANCE
To him, this highest and light-yielding
Song of power, I bear in my mouth, so that
The pure utterances of my clear-cut thoughts
May increase this greatest seer (Indra), (increase the
Indra-power in me).
asmā
idu tyam upamam svarşhām,
to him (Indra), ., that famous, ideal or highest, yielding the
light of svar,
bharāmi angūşham āsyena;
utter, song of power, with my mouth,
mamhişhţham achchhoktibhiĥ matīnām
greatest, pure utterances, thoughts, clear-cut,
suvŗktibiĥ sūrim vāvŗdhadhyai.
clear-cut, seer, increasing (Indra).
Details:
The utterance is
called pure because it is not contaminated by extraneous
thoughts. The thought is expressed in clear-cut phrases. Such
hymns effect an enlightenment in the singer, referred to here as
the increase of Indra in the singer. Here Indra himself is
called a seer.
The chant increases the power of
Indra in the rişhi.
MANTRA (1.61.4): INDRA UPHOLDS OUR WORDS
To him, I send
my song speeding,
As an artisan sends a car he has made to its master;
I send my clear-cut words or riks to Indra, the upholder
of words;
(I send) my all-pervading song to the wise one, Indra.
asmā idu stomam sam hinomi
to him, ., song, send, speeding,
ratham na taşhţeva tatsināya,
car, like, artisan, owner or maker (of car),
giraĥ cha girvāhase suvŗkti
words or riks, and, upholder of words, clear- cut,
indrāya vishvaminvam medhirāya.
to Indra, all pervading, wise.
Details:
First the stoma is sent,
then the rik.
MANTRA (1.61.5): BRINGS THE
INSPIRED KNOWLEDGE OUT OF THE HUMAN ASPIRANT
To Indra, seeking inspired knowledge,
I make this mantra with the words like a steed.
I adore the hero who is a house of all gifts;
I (adore) the render of the cities who brings out the inspired
knowledge in the seeker.
asmā idu saptimiva shravasya
him (Indra), ., like a steed, seeking inspired knowledge,
indrāya arkam
juhvā samaňje;
to Indra, mantra or song of light, with tongue or words, make,
vīram dānaukasam vandadhyai
hero, source of all gifts, to adore,
purām gūrtashravasam darmāņam.
cities, inspired knowledge, tearer or one who brings out by
tearing the cover.
Details:
Just as the steed when harnessed
leads to the destination, the mantra yoked to the power of
VAK, the potent sound, leads to the inspired
knowledge.
The knowledge in the subtle body of
the human seeker is made explicit to his outward or surface
mind, by tearing the barrier between them.
gūrta:
inspired prayer.
MANTRA (1.61.6): TVASHTA FORGED THE SUBTLE WEAPON, VAJRA
For Indra, Tvaşhţŗ forged the vajra
Of the sun-world, mighty for works, and gave it to him for
battle.
Knowing the vital parts of Vŗtra,
The mighty lord, the scorcher of foes, hurt him with the vajra.
asmā idu tvaşhţā takşhat vajram
him, ., Tvaşhţŗ , shaped, the vajra,.
svapastamam svaryam raņāya,
of mighty works, of sun-world, for battle,
vŗtrasya chit vidat yena marma
of Vŗtra,
., found out, where, vital parts,
tujan īshānaĥ
tujatā kiyedhāĥ.
scorching, lord, hurt, mighty or illimitable in works.
MANTRA (1.61.7): PERVADER
VISHNU SNATCHED THE RIPE TREASURES
In this great creator-yajňa, accepting
The delicious food and drinking the Soma,
The pervader Vişhņu snatched the ripe treasure;
The superb
vanquisher and the wielder of vajra clove the
approaching coverer.
asya idu matuĥ savaneşhu sadyo
this, ., creator, yajňa, accepting,
mahaĥ pitum papivān chāru annā,
great, Soma, drank, delicious, food,
muşhāyat vişhņuĥ pachatam sahīyān
snatched, pervader, ripe (treasures), superb vanquisher,
vidhyat varāham tiro adrim astā.
broke or clove, the coverer, approaching, vajra, wielder.
Details:
This mantra is confusing on the
surface because of the use of the word Vişhņu and words like
snatching. ‘What is snatched and from where is it snatched?' The
esoteric interpretation gives a proper meaning for every word of
this verse.
The whole Universe is created in a
great yajňa. Every yajňa taking place in the subtle
bodies of human beings is only an aspect of this great creation
- yajňa. Indra accepts the Soma, the delight of existence
and other offerings and becomes strong. In the role of Vişhņu,
he snatches from the being of the yajamāna all the
elements of the Consciousness, Force and Light that have become
ripe, but are hidden or covered by the enemies like the
Vŗtra. These elements properly belong to the Gods. Indra
re-establishes these recovered elements at the appropriate
stations in the subtle body of the yajamāna. He breaks
down the obstruction to Light and Force from above and brings
the divine gifts into the yajamāna.
Vişhņu: a synonym for Indra,
since he carries out the function usually associated with
Vişhņu, namely pervading everything and rearranging the
elements.
varāha:
coverer. S interprets it as the
cloud. Since cloud is the coverer, this interpretation is
acceptable. Its common meaning is boar.
adri:
here it means vajra. Recall
a popular symbol for vajra is the stone, grāvā
(1.28).
MANTRA (1.61.8): WOMEN WOVE
CHANTS
To Indra
the Goddesses, the spouses of the Gods,
Wove chants of light on the slaying of Ahi;
He encompassed the wide heaven and earth;
But they could not exceed his greatness.
asmā idu gnāĥ chit devapatnīĥ
him, ., women, ., spouses of Gods,
indrāya arkam ahihatya ūvuĥ;
for Indra, a song of light, on the destruction of Ahi, wove,
pari dyāvā pŗthivī jabhra urvī
., heaven, and earth, encompassed, the wide,
na asya te mahimānam parişhţaĥ.
not, his, they, greatness, exceed.
Details:
In Vedic thought as also in later
Sānkhyan philosophy, a spouse of a God represents his
aspect of power which executes the necessary actions in detail.
The God or puruşha in later literature is outwardly
inactive, he only wills; the spouse executes the actions.
(1.22.9)-(1.22.11) consider the spouses.
pari + jabhra:
encompass.
MANTRA (1.61.9): SELF-KING IN HIS STATION
His was the greatness that exceeds
Heaven, earth and the midworld;
Indra, self-king in his own plane, lauded by all summons his
mighty strength for battle.
asyedeva praririche mahitvam
his (Indra), exceeds, greatness,
divaĥ pŗthivyāĥ pari antarikşhāt,
heaven, earth, above, midworld,
svarāt indro dama ā vishvagūrtaĥ
self - king, Indra, house or station, ., lauded by all,
svariĥ amatro vavakşhe raņāya.
happy-gaited, mighty strength, summons, for battle.
Details:
happy-gaited: one whose gait or
movement endows happiness.
ā + vavakşhe:
summon.
MANTRA (1.61.10): ONE-MINDED WITH THE GIVER
Vŗtra, who dries up (the sap), was cut asunder
By Indra with his might and the vajra.
He released
the (nourishing) waters obstructed by Vŗtra like stolen cows.
One- minded with the giver, he grants the divine hearing to the
giver in front.
asyedeva shavasā shuşhantam vivŗshchat
his, with his might, one who dries up, cut asunder,
vajreņa vŗtram indraĥ,
with vajra, Vŗtra, Indra,
gā na vrāņā avanīĥ amunchat
cows, like, obstructed by, nourishing waters, released,
abhi shravo dāvane sachetāĥ.
in front, divine hearing, giver (human aspirant), one-minded.
Details:
Uniting the consciousness of the
human seeker with his own, Indra grants him divine inspiration.
MANTRA (1.61.11): FAVOURS HUMAN
ASPIRANT TO MOVE SWIFTLY
By his
luminous might the rivers flow,
Indra having encompassed them with his vajra.
He makes kings and grants abundantly to the giver;
He gives prowess to move swiftly to victory as to Turvīti.
asyedu tveşhasā ranta sindhavaĥ
his, luminous might, flow, rivers,
pari yat vajreņa sīm ayachchhat;
., when, with vajra, these, encompassed,
īshānakŗt dāshuşhe dashasyan
makes man a king, to the giver, giving abundantly,
turvītaye gādham turvaņiĥkaĥ.
Turvīti, prowess, victorious, does.
Details:
Indra favours the human aspirant by
giving him the power to progress speedily, as he did to
Turvīti.
Turvīti:
one who moves swiftly.
MANTRA (1.61.12): IMPEL THE WATERS TOWARDS THE EARTH
Hastening, strike Vŗtra
With your vajra, O lord, illimitable in work;
Break his joints with the oblique bolt like those of an ox;
Impel the flood of waters for their flow to the earth.
asmā idu prabharā tūtujāno vŗtrāya
this, ., strike, hastening, Vŗtra,
vajram īshānaĥ kiyedhāĥ,
vajra, lord, illimitable in work,
goĥna parva viradā tirashcha
ox, like, joints, break, oblique bolt,
işhyan arņāmsi apām charadhyai.
impel, flood of, water, movement or flow to earth.
Details:
Just as the butcher breaks all the
joints of an ox while killing it, Indra is asked to break all
the joints of Vŗtra, which symbolise the different forces
working together supporting the inconscient.
MANTRA (1.61.13): ANCIENT EXPLOITS OF INDRA
Declare with
hymns the ancient exploits of him,
The swift one who is praiseworthy;
When hurling his weapons in the battle,
The killer of foes drives out his enemies.
asyedu prabrūhi pūrvyāņi
this, declare, ancient,
turasya karmāņi navya ukthaiĥ,
the swift one,
deeds, praiseworthy, hymns,
yudhe yad işhņāna āyudhāni
battle, when, hurling, weapons,
ŗghāyamāņo niriņāti shatrūn.
killer of foes, drives out, foes.
MANTRA (1.61.14): MOUNTAINS
QUAKE AT HIS APPEARANCE
Through fear of him, even the fixed mountains,
Heaven and earth shake at his appearance (birth).
Praising repeatedly the protection of the beloved (Indra),
Nodha at once attained heroic strength.
asyedu bhiyā girayaĥ cha dŗļhā
this, from fear, mountains, and, firm,
dyāvā cha bhūmā januşhaĥ tujete;
heaven, and, earth, appearance, shake,
upo venasya joguvāna oņim
again, beloved, praising repeatedly, protection,
sadyo bhuvat vīryāya nodhāĥ.
at once, became, heroic might, (the seer) Nodha.
Details:
Nodha
is a seer of mantrās, a historical figure and the author of the
sūkta. His is an example of attainment of treasure from
hymns of praise.
MANTRA (1.61.15): THE SOLE ONE, EKAH
To him that praise has been offered in due order which he,
The sole one
and the lord of ample riches, prefers among those praising him.
Etasha, pouring Soma, while contending with Sūrya, son of
Svashva,
Has been increased by Indra.
asmā idu tyat anudāyi eşhām
to him, ., this (prayer), in due order offered, he,
eko yat vavne bhūreĥ īshānaĥ;
the sole one, among, prefers, ample wealth, lord,
pra etasham sūrye paspŗdhānam sauvashvye
., Etasham, with Sūrya, in competition, son of Svashva,
suşhvim āvat indraĥ.
pouring Soma, has increased, Indra.
Details:
When Sūrya of Truth-Light,
born of abundant life-force (Svashva), tries to rival
Etasha, the steed of life-energy, Indra helps the latter,
since Etasha offers the Soma, the Delight in all his
works, to the Divine Indra.
anudāyi:
that which is given, adāyi, in due order, anu;
also means a prayer spontaneously offered. Griffith translates a
closely related word, anudeyi, in (10.135.5,6) as funeral gift,
without any basis!
MANTRA (1.61.16): THOUGHT WHICH
SHAPES UNIVERSAL THINGS
O harnessor of steeds, Gotamas offer to you
Polished prayers; O Indra,
Bestow on them the thought which gives shape to universal
things.
May he, rich with thought, come soon at dawn.
evā te hāriyojanā suvŗkti
this, your, harnesser of steeds, clear-cut or polished,
indra brahmāņi gotamāso akran,
Indra, prayers, Gotama seers, offer,
eşhu vishvapeshasam dhiyam dhāĥ
them, that gives shape to universal things, thought, place
(them),
prātaĥ makşhū dhiyāvasuĥ jagamyāt.
morning, swiftly, rich with thoughts, come.
Details:
We can also translate the first two
lines as:
The Gotamas made for you
clear-cut prayers that yoke your steeds, O Indra.
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