सूक्तं १.२ (ऋग्वेदः मण्डल १)
ऋग्वेदः – मण्डल १
सूक्तं १.२
मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः, दे. १-३ वायुः, ४-६ इन्द्र-वायू, ७-९ मित्रा-वरुणौ (गायत्री)
Rigveda Samhita, Sukta 1.1.2, Madhuchhanda Daughter of Viswamitra Rishi, Vayu Devata, Chhanda Gayatri
Vayu the nourishing force
This hymn is an invocation to the forces of Bayu (wind), strength, and cosmic order.
The Bayu is invited to come forth, as offerings have been prepared, and is asked to listen to the call and protect those who worship. Devotees praise the Bayu (knower of day and night) with hymns and approach it with devotion, offering sacred soma drink. The wind brings nourishment and abundance to those who give sincerely, expanding joy and vitality.
The sense is this: “O Wind, your nourishing force, like a flowing stream of speech and energy, goes to the giver who has offered the sacred drink. It approaches the sacrificer who has given generously. The Wind, as it were, says: ‘I will drink the offering you have given.’”
The Bayu and the Indra (strength) are jointly invited to come swiftly like a horse and accept the offerings, for the offerings delight them. They are called wise, energetic, and generous, and are asked to arrive quickly to the place of worship.
Mitra and Varun uphold the cosmic order, and by that order, they grow strong; they are touched by truth and act through it. By this righteousness, Mitra and Varuna bring forth a vast and noble purpose.
Wise and far-seeing, Mitra and Varuna, born of great power and dwelling in wide realms, establish among us clear intelligence and effective action.
The hymn also calls upon the powers of friendship and moral order, asking them to purify thought, protect from harm, and strengthen wisdom. Together, these forces uphold truth, justice, and a vast, noble purpose, guiding human intention and action toward harmony and righteousness.
वायवा याहि दर्शतेमे सोमा अरंकृताः ।
तेषां पाहि श्रुधी हवम् ॥१॥
वाय उक्थेभिर्जरन्ते त्वामच्छा जरितारः ।
सुतसोमा अहर्विदः ॥२॥
वायो तव प्रपृञ्चती धेना जिगाति दाशुषे ।
उरूची सोमपीतये ॥३॥
इन्द्रवायू इमे सुता उप प्रयोभिरा गतम् ।
इन्दवो वामुशन्ति हि ॥४॥
वायविन्द्रश्च चेतथः सुतानां वाजिनीवसू ।
तावा यातमुप द्रवत् ॥५॥
वायविन्द्रश्च सुन्वत आ यातमुप निष्कृतम् ।
मक्ष्वित्था धिया नरा ॥६॥
मित्रं हुवे पूतदक्षं वरुणं च रिशादसम् ।
धियं घृताचीं साधन्ता ॥७॥
ऋतेन मित्रावरुणावृतावृधावृतस्पृशा ।
क्रतुं बृहन्तमाशाथे ॥८॥
कवी नो मित्रावरुणा तुविजाता उरुक्षया ।
दक्षं दधाते अपसम् ॥९॥
वायो इति | आ | याहि | दर्शत | इमे | सोमाः | अरं-कृताः | तेषाम् | पाहि | श्रुधि | हवम् //
वायो इति | उक्थेभिः | जरन्ते | त्वाम् | अच्छ | जरितारः | सुत-सोमाः | अहः-विदः //
वायो इति | तव | प्र-पृञ्चती | धेना | जिगाति | दाशुषे | उरूची | सोम-पीतये //
इन्द्रवायूइति | इमे | सुताः | उप | प्रयः-भिः | आ | गतम् | इन्दवः | वाम् | उशन्ति | हि //
वायो इति | इन्द्रः | च | चेतथः | सुतानाम् | वाजिनीव सूइति वाजिनी-वसू | तौ | आ | यातम् | उप | द्रवत् // (5)
वायो इति | इन्द्रः | च | सुन्वतः | आ | यातम् | उप | निः-कृतम् | मक्षु | इत्था | धिया | नरा //
मित्रम् | हुवे | पूत-दक्षम् | वरुणम् | च | रिशादसम् | धियम् | घृताचीम् | साधन्ता //
ऋतेन | मित्रावरुणौ | ऋतावृधौ | ऋत-स्पृशा | क्रतुम् | बृहन्तम् | आशाथेइति //
कवी इति | नः | मित्रावरुणा | तुवि-जातौ | उरु-क्षया | दक्षम् | दधातेइति | अपसम् // (9)
After paying homage to Agni as the first manifestation of the Supreme, it becomes appropriate to invoke the next expressions of that same divine principle: Vayu and his companions Indra, Mitra, and Varuna. Together, Agni, Vayu, Indra, Mitra, and Varuna are understood as five manifestations of the one governing reality. Varuna represents water and moral order, while Mitra embodies light and harmony; both stand as pillars of truth and cultivate skill, balance, and ethical conduct in human life.
Vayu and Indra, associated with the sky and movement, awaken the mind, stimulate energy, and are honored through sacred drink and poetic praise (Uktha). Along with Mitra, they bestow strength, speed, and martial skill, likened to the force of a powerful horse. Such power is directed toward protection, especially of healthy cattle, which was regarded as a central responsibility. Hence, contemplation of Vayu, Varuna, Indra, and Mitra, and offerings of sacred drink and cow’s milk into fire, are prescribed. At a deeper level, Vedic thought recognizes five vital forces shaping material prosperity and social capability. It is a practical philosophy, oriented toward economic vitality, communal progress, and the safeguarding of truth, symbolized by sacred drink blended with cow’s milk.
Denial of popular Hinduism: It must be clearly remembered that the Puranic forms of Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva do not occupy a place within Vedic spirituality or Vedic philosophical vision. The central concern of Vedic thought was not devotional sentiment but the pursuit of power, prosperity, order, and knowledge. The Vedic divinities were never moved by what later came to be called bhakti (10th Century), a concept that emerged many centuries later and holds no foundational significance in the Vedic worldview.
A historical figure, Vasudeva Krishna, was gradually transformed into an imagined supreme being, and the teachings attributed to him in the Bhagavad Gita were later placed above the Vedas, which represents a reversal of the original hierarchy. What Krishna is said to have spoken cannot be regarded as shastra in the strict sense. Only the Vedas, which are impersonal and not authored by any human, qualify as true shastra. Other texts may be valued only to the extent that they faithfully follow, explain, or correctly interpret the Vedas.
In Vedic understanding, the Devatas themselves are the true manifestations of the supreme Being (Iswara), and no mortal being can ever assume that position.
