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Hymn 103: Ascent and descent
Rişhi: kutsa
MANTRA (1.103.1): SOLAR LIGHT
FROM ABOVE AND AGNI BELOW MEET
This supreme power from above which is characteristic of Indra,
Has been seen by the seers from ancient times;
(They have seen) the other power (Agni) on earth, another (sun)
in heaven;
Both cohere with each other like a banner in battle.
tat te indriyam paramam parāchaiĥ
that, yours, sign of Indra, supreme, from above,
adhārayanta kavayaĥ pura idam
felt or seen, seers, from ancient times, this,
kşhamā idam anyat divya anyat asya.
earth, this, other, heaven, other, that,
samī pŗchyate samana iva ketuĥ.
., this, cohere, battle, like, banner.
Details:
Agni rising from the heart of the yajamāna on the earth
and the solar light descending from the Heaven meet together
just like the two parties coming to a meeting characterised by a
flag. This is the meeting of lines 3 and 4. The meeting of Agni
and the Sun is the sign of the working of Indra, stated as
indriyam in line 1 of text.
indriyam:
sign of Indra, characteristic of Indra.
MANTRA (1.103.2): YOU SLEW
AHI AND RELEASED THE WATERS
He upheld the earth and spread it wide;
Smiting with the vajra, he released the waters or energies;
Maghavan with his powers slew Ahi, rent the ruddy one (Vŗtra),
And killed the armless one.
sa dhārayat pŗthivīm paprathat cha
he, uphold, the earth, spread it (wide), and,
vajreņa hatvā niĥ apaĥ sasarja,
with vajra, smiting, ., waters, released,
ahan ahim abhinat rauhiņam
slay, Ahi, rent, the ruddy one (Vŗtra),
vi ahan vyamsam maghavā shachībhiĥ.
., kill, the armless one, Maghavan, with his powers.
Details:
Ahi,
Rauhiņa and Vyamsa refer to Vŗtra. Vŗtra's
serpent-like movement is Ahi; he reddened at the stroke
of Indra's vajra is Rauhiņa, the ruddy one;
he, with his arms sundered is Vyamsa, the armless one.
The three adjectives to Vŗtra have been used in many
hymns such as (1.32).
By his powers Vŗtra had
constricted the earth; Indra has made it wide again releasing
all the potential in it. Waters are the divine energies released
from above. Shachī is the shakti of Indra.
MANTRA (1.103.3): INCREASE THE
GLORY OF STRIVERS
The thunder-armed Indra, confident of his strength,
Destroys the cities of the dasyus and moves freely everywhere;
O thunderer, O knower, cast your weapon against the dasyu for
the sake of (the seeker);
Increase the strength and glory of the strivers, O Indra.
sa jātūbharmā shraddadhāna ojaĥ
he, thunder-armed confident, of (his) strength,
puro vibhindan acharat vi dāsīĥ,
cities, destroying, moves freely, ., of dasyus,
vidvān vajrin dasyave hetim
knower, thunderer, against the dasyu, the weapon,
asya āryam saho vardhayā dyumnam indra.
for his (sake), striver, strength, increase, glory, Indra.
Details:
Indra is asked to use the weapon
for helping the seeker.
jātūbharmā:
occurs only once in Rig Veda; According to S, jātū means
thunder, bharmā is weapon. Hence it is assigned the
meaning thunder-armed.
ārya:
the strivers; it has no connotation
of race in Veda or in Sanskrit.
MANTRA (1.103.4): NAME LAUDABLE
FOR ALL MORTAL TIME
Indra is gracious to the seeker who praises him,
Indra who bears the name laudable for all mortal time;
The thunderer is close to the chanter for the destruction of
dasyus;
He is the son of glory (or who inspires hearing).
tat ūchuşhe mānuşha imā yugāni
that, the seeker who celebrates or chants, mortal, these, times,
kīrtenyam maghavā nāma bibhrat,
laudable, Maghavan, name, bears,
upaprayan dasyuhatyāya vajrī
close to the chanter, for the destruction of dasyu, the
thunderer,
yadhda sūnuĥ shravase nāma dadhe.
which, one who inspires or son, glory or hearing, name, borne.
Details:
yugāni:
S translates this word as the well known four yugās
kŗta, tretā etc., whose ordainer is Sun or Indra.
But neither the four yugās not their cyclic nature are
mentioned anywhere in Rig veda.
Note sūnuĥand shravase
have both two meanings indicated.
Note that in Veda and the ancient
scriptures, the name, nāma, is not merely a holder for
carrying the associated properties of the object or person, but
also has a power of its own which is revealed to the person who
repeats the name. This is the theory behind the practice of
japa, the repetition of the name of the deity with
concentration.
MANTRA (1.103.5): FIX
YOUR FAITH IN INDRA
Behold the vast and powerful might of Indra;
Fix your faith in the prowess of Indra,
By which he discovered the knowledge, the life-forces,
The herbs, the waters and all the delights.
tat asya idam pashyatā bhūri puşhţam
that, him, this, behold, wide, powerful,
shrat indrasya dhattana vīryāya,
faith, of Indra, fix, prowess,
sa gā avindat so avindat ashvān sa
he, knowledge (cows), found, he, found, steeds, he,
oşhadhīĥ so apaĥsa vanāni.
herbs, he, waters, he, woods or all the delights.
Details:
The knowledge go, the life
energies symbolised by the steeds, etc., hidden by Vŗtra
and others are all recovered by Indra as mentioned in many other
verses.
MANTRA (1.103.6): THE WATCHFUL
HERO
To the performer of various deeds who is the best among the
Gods, the showerer,
And who has unfailing strength, we press and offer the Soma;
The hero who is watchful like an ambusher
Takes away the knowledge of the opposer of yajňa.
bhūri karmaņe vŗşhabhāya vŗşhņe
various, actions, best among the Gods, showerer,
satya shuşhmāya sunavāma somam,
unfailing, strength, press, Soma,
ya ādŗtyā paripanthīvaĥ shūro
who, watchful, like an ambusher, the hero,
ayajvano vibhajan eti vedaĥ.
The non performer or opposer of yajňa, taking it away or
dividing, goes, knowledge or felicities.
Details:
The knowledge in the hands of the
enemies of yajňa, the collaborative process, can cause only harm
for all human beings; Indra takes away this knowledge from the
foes.
MANTRA (1.103.7): YOU AWAKENED
THE SLUMBERING AHI
O Indra, you performed a glorious and hero-deed,
When you awakened the slumbering Ahi with your vajra;
Then did the spouses of the Gods rejoice in you;
So also the flying Maruts and all the Gods rejoice in you.
tat indra preva vīryam chakartha
that, Indra, gloriously, hero-deed, perform,
yat sasantam vajreņa abodhayaĥ ahim,
when, sleeping, with his vajra, awakens, Ahi,
anu tvā patnīĥ hŗşhitam vayaĥ cha
later, you, spouses, rejoice, flying Maruts, and,
vishve devāso amadan anu tvā.
all, Gods, rejoice, also (rejoiced), you.
MANTRA (1.103.8): THE SLAYING OF
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOES
Shuşhņa, Pipru, Kuyava and Vŗtra were slain by
you,
O Indra and the cities of Shambara destroyed;
May Mitra, Varuņa, Aditi, waters, earth
And heaven preserve (the wealth and felicities) for us.
shuşhņam piprum uyavam vŗtram
Shuşhņa, Pipru, Kuyava, Vŗtra,
indra yada avadhīĥ vi puraĥ shambarasya,
Indra, when, slew, ., cities, of shambara,
tan no mitro varuņo māmahantām aditiĥ
sindhuĥ pŗthivī uta dyauĥ.
Last 2 lines same as in (1.100.19).
Details:
The symbolism behind the names like
Shuşhņa etc., has been mentioned earlier. Regarding
Kuvaya, see (1.104.3).
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