rigvedaindrasa-janasa-indrahstrength

𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰 𑌸𑍂𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍍 (𑌯𑍋 𑌜𑌾𑌤 𑌏𑌵)

Indra Suktam (Yo Jata Eva) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ vedic·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning, before undertaking a difficult task or struggle, and during Vedic yajnas·📜 Rigveda 2.12

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Rigveda 2.12 · Rishi Gritsamada Shaunahotra (Bhargava Shaunaka) · Vedic period (c. 1500–1200 BCE)

This celebrated hymn to Indra belongs to the second Mandala of the Rigveda, the family book of the seer Gritsamada. Across its verses Indra is extolled as the foremost of the gods, the slayer of the drought-demon Vritra, the liberator of the seven rivers and the cosmic hero who steadied the earth and propped up the heavens. The refrain 'Sa janasa Indrah' makes it one of the most memorable and oft-quoted hymns of the entire Veda.

✦ As told in scripture

The Rigveda recounts that when Indra struck down Vritra with his thunderbolt, the pent-up waters that had been held in drought burst forth as the seven rivers and flowed to the sea, bringing rain, harvests and life back to the world — the archetypal Vedic deliverance celebrated whenever this hymn is sung.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑍐 𑌯𑍋 𑌜𑌾𑌤 𑌏𑌵 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌥𑌮𑍋 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍋 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍁𑌨𑌾 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌤𑍍। 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌶𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌦𑌸𑍀 𑌅𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍇𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌨𑍃𑌮𑍍𑌣𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌮𑌹𑍍𑌨𑌾 𑌸 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌸 𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌃॥

Om Yo jāta eva prathamo manasvān Devo devān kratunā paryabhūṣat Yasya śuṣmād rodasī abhyasetāṁ Nṛmṇasya mahnā sa janāsa indraḥ

Meaning:He who, the very first and full of wisdom as soon as he was born, surpassed the gods in might; before whose force, by the greatness of his valour, heaven and earth tremble — he, O people, is Indra.

Verse 2

𑌯𑍋 𑌪𑍃𑌥𑌿𑌵𑍀𑌂 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌥𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌮𑌦𑍃𑌂𑌹𑌦𑍍 𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑍁𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌅𑌰𑌮𑍍𑌣𑌾𑌤𑍍। 𑌯𑍋 𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌮𑌮𑍇 𑌵𑌰𑍀𑌯𑍋 𑌯𑍋 𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌭𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌸 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌸 𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌃॥

Yo pṛthivīṁ vyathamānām adṛṁhad Yaḥ parvatān prakupitāṁ aramṇāt Yo antarikṣaṁ vimame varīyo Yo dyām astabhnāt sa janāsa indraḥ

Meaning:He who made firm the quaking earth, who set at rest the agitated mountains, who measured out the wide mid-air and upheld the heavens — he, O people, is Indra.

Verse 3

𑌯𑍋 𑌹𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌪𑍍𑌤 𑌸𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍂𑌨𑍍 𑌯𑍋 𑌗𑌾 𑌉𑌦𑌾𑌜𑌦𑌪𑌧𑌾 𑌵𑌲𑌸𑍍𑌯। 𑌯𑍋 𑌅𑌶𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌂 𑌜𑌜𑌾𑌨 𑌸𑌂𑌵𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌸𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍁 𑌸 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌸 𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌃॥

Yo hatvāhim ariṇāt sapta sindhūn Yo gā udājad apadhā valasya Yo aśmanor antar agniṁ jajāna Saṁvṛk samatsu sa janāsa indraḥ

Meaning:He who, having slain the serpent (Vritra), released the seven rivers, who drove out the hidden cattle by opening the cave of Vala, who generated fire between two stones and is the gatherer of spoils in battles — he, O people, is Indra.

Verse 4

𑌯𑍇𑌨𑍇𑌮𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌨𑌾 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌯𑍋 𑌦𑌾𑌸𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌮𑌧𑌰𑌂 𑌗𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌕𑌃। 𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌘𑍍𑌨𑍀𑌵 𑌯𑍋 𑌜𑌿𑌗𑍀𑌵𑌾𑌂𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌮𑌾𑌦- 𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌸 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌸 𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌃॥

Yenemā viśvā cyavanā kṛtāni Yo dāsaṁ varṇam adharaṁ guhākaḥ Śvaghnīva yo jigīvāṁ lakṣam ādad Aryaḥ puṣṭāni sa janāsa indraḥ

Meaning:He by whom all these changing worlds were wrought, who drove the hostile dark hordes into hiding and humbled them; who, like a victorious gambler taking the stake, seizes the riches of his foe — he, O people, is Indra.

Verse 5

𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌪𑍃𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑍁𑌹 𑌸𑍇𑌤𑌿 𑌘𑍋𑌰𑌮𑍍 𑌉𑌤𑍇𑌮𑌾𑌹𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌨𑍈𑌷𑍋 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍀𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌨𑌮𑍍। 𑌸𑍋 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌟𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌜 𑌇𑌵𑌾 𑌮𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌤𑌿 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌮𑍈 𑌧𑌤𑍍𑌤 𑌸 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌸 𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌃॥

Yaṁ smā pṛcchanti kuha seti ghoram utem āhur naiṣo astīty enam So aryaḥ puṣṭīr vija ivā mināti Śraddhāsmai dhatta sa janāsa indraḥ

Meaning:The awesome one of whom they ask 'Where is he?', and of whom some even say 'He is not'; who sweeps away the wealth of the foe like the throws of a gambler — have faith in him: he, O people, is Indra.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌯𑌃 𑌜𑌾𑌤𑌃 𑌏𑌵🔊yo jāta evaHe who, as soon as he was born / the very first to be born

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌥𑌮𑌃 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍🔊prathamo manasvānThe foremost, full of intelligence and resolve

𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍋 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍁𑌨𑌾 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌤𑍍🔊devo devān kratunā paryabhūṣatA god who surpassed / protected the other gods by his power and wisdom

𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌶𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍🔊yasya śuṣmādBy whose mighty force

𑌰𑍋𑌦𑌸𑍀 𑌅𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍇𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊rodasī abhyasetāmHeaven and earth tremble in awe

𑌨𑍃𑌮𑍍𑌣𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌮𑌹𑍍𑌨𑌾🔊nṛmṇasya mahnāBy the greatness of his manly valour

𑌸 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌸𑌃 𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌃🔊sa janāsa indraḥHe, O people, is Indra (the recurring refrain)

𑌪𑍃𑌥𑌿𑌵𑍀𑌂 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌥𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌦𑍃𑌂𑌹𑌤𑍍🔊pṛthivīṁ vyathamānām adṛṁhadWho steadied the quaking earth and made it firm

𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑍁𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌅𑌰𑌮𑍍𑌣𑌾𑌤𑍍🔊parvatān prakupitāṁ aramṇātWho set at rest the agitated / trembling mountains

𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌮𑌮𑍇 𑌵𑌰𑍀𑌯𑌃🔊antarikṣaṁ vimame varīyoWho measured out the wide mid-air / atmosphere

𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌭𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍🔊dyām astabhnātWho propped up / supported the heavens

𑌹𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌅𑌹𑌿𑌮𑍍🔊hatvāhimHaving slain the serpent (Vritra, the demon of drought)

𑌅𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌾𑌤𑍍 𑌸𑌪𑍍𑌤 𑌸𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍂𑌨𑍍🔊ariṇāt sapta sindhūnHe released / set flowing the seven rivers

𑌗𑌾𑌃 𑌉𑌦𑌾𑌜𑌤𑍍🔊gā udājadHe drove out the cows (the hidden waters/light)

𑌅𑌶𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌃 𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌃 𑌅𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌂 𑌜𑌜𑌾𑌨🔊aśmanor antar agniṁ jajānaWho generated fire from within the two stones

𑌯𑍇𑌨 𑌇𑌮𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌨𑌾 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌨𑌿🔊yenemā viśvā cyavanā kṛtāniBy whom all these movable things / changing worlds were made

𑌦𑌾𑌸𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌧𑌰𑌂 𑌗𑍁𑌹𑌾 𑌅𑌕𑌃🔊dāsaṁ varṇam adharaṁ guhākaḥWho drove the hostile / dark hordes into hiding and subdued them

𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌘𑍍𑌨𑍀 𑌇𑌵 𑌜𑌿𑌗𑍀𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌦𑌤𑍍🔊śvaghnīva yo jigīvāṁ lakṣam ādadWho, like a winning gambler, takes the stake of his conquered foe

𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌮 𑌪𑍃𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑍁𑌹 𑌸𑌃 𑌇𑌤𑌿🔊yaṁ smā pṛcchanti kuha setiOf the awesome one about whom they ask, 'Where is he?'

𑌉𑌤 𑌇𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌹𑍁𑌃 𑌨 𑌏𑌷𑌃 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌇𑌤𑌿🔊utem āhur naiṣo astītyAnd some even say of him, 'He does not exist'

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌾 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌮𑍈 𑌧𑌤𑍍𑌤🔊śraddhāsmai dhattaHave faith in him! (place your trust in him)

Benefits of Chanting Indra Suktam (Yo Jata Eva)

✦

Invokes Indra's strength, courage and the will to overcome every obstacle

✦

Inspires victory in righteous struggles, as Indra conquered Vritra and Vala

✦

Strengthens faith ('shraddha') in the unseen divine power that upholds the world

✦

Recited for protection from drought, calamity and hostile forces

✦

Awakens leadership, valour and the spirit of perseverance

✦

Connects the chanter to the cosmic order sustained by the king of the gods

How to Chant Indra Suktam (Yo Jata Eva)

Repetitions3times

Best TimeMorning, before undertaking a difficult task or struggle, and during Vedic yajnas

Recite with strength and conviction, ideally in the Vedic svara if learnt. Begin with 'Om' and chant each verse, dwelling on the refrain 'Sa janasa Indrah' as an affirmation of faith in divine power. Visualise inner obstacles being shattered as Vritra was slain and the rivers of energy set free. Suited for moments demanding courage and resolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Indra Suktam (Yo Jata Eva) written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is the hymn at Rigveda 2.12, composed by the seer Gritsamada, glorifying Indra, king of the gods. It is famous for the refrain 'Sa janasa Indrah' — 'He, O people, is Indra' — that closes each verse with a description of his heroic deeds.

It means 'He, O people, is Indra.' After narrating each mighty act — slaying Vritra, releasing the rivers, propping up the sky — the seer points to the doer and declares to all people that this is Indra, urging recognition of and faith in him.

Vritra was the serpent-demon who held back the cosmic waters, causing drought. Indra, wielding his thunderbolt (vajra), slew Vritra and released the seven rivers, restoring life and order — a central myth of the Rigveda symbolising the triumph of light and life over stagnation.

The fifth verse notes that some ask 'Where is he?' or even say 'He is not' — and answers them with 'Have faith in him; he is Indra.' It is a striking call to shraddha (faith) in the divine power that, though unseen, sustains all things.