Conquest of the Panis by Indra & our great ancestors Angirasas.

The Rigveda (RV 10.108) is the hymn that glorifies Indra for defeating the Paṇis and retrieving the stolen cows of the Angirasas. This hymn describes a dialogue between Saramā, the divine hound of Indra, and the Paṇis, who had hidden the cows in a cave.

Here is the full hymn;

किमि॒च्छन्ती॑ स॒रमा॒ प्रेदमा॑नड्दू॒रे ह्यध्वा॒ जगु॑रिः परा॒चैः । कास्मेहि॑तिः॒ का परि॑तक्म्यासीत्क॒थं र॒साया॑ अतरः॒ पयां॑सि ॥ १०.१०८.०१

इन्द्र॑स्य दू॒तीरि॑षि॒ता च॑रामि म॒ह इ॒च्छन्ती॑ पणयो नि॒धीन्वः॑ । अ॒ति॒ष्कदो॑ भि॒यसा॒ तन्न॑ आव॒त्तथा॑ र॒साया॑ अतरं॒ पयां॑सि ॥ १०.१०८.०२

की॒दृङ्ङिन्द्रः॑ सरमे॒ का दृ॑शी॒का यस्ये॒दं दू॒तीरस॑रः परा॒कात् ।

आ च॒ गच्छा॑न्मि॒त्रमे॑ना दधा॒माथा॒ गवां॒ गोप॑तिर्नो भवाति ॥ १०.१०८.०३

नाहं तं वे॑द॒ दभ्यं॒ दभ॒त्स यस्ये॒दं दू॒तीरस॑रं परा॒कात् । न तं गू॑हन्ति स्र॒वतो॑ गभी॒रा ह॒ता इन्द्रे॑ण पणयः शयध्वे ॥ १०.१०८.०४

इ॒मा गावः॑ सरमे॒ या ऐच्छः॒ परि॑ दि॒वो अन्ता॑न्सुभगे॒ पत॑न्ती । कस्त॑ एना॒ अव॑ सृजा॒दयु॑ध्व्यु॒तास्माक॒मायु॑धा सन्ति ति॒ग्मा ॥ १०.१०८.०५

अ॒से॒न्या वः॑ पणयो॒ वचां॑स्यनिष॒व्यास्त॒न्वः॑ सन्तु पा॒पीः । अधृ॑ष्टो व॒ एत॒वा अ॑स्तु॒ पन्था॒ बृह॒स्पति॑र्व उभ॒या न मृ॑ळात् ॥ १०.१०८.०६

अ॒यं नि॒धिः स॑रमे॒ अद्रि॑बुध्नो॒ गोभि॒रश्वे॑भि॒र्वसु॑भि॒र्न्यृ॑ष्टः । रक्ष॑न्ति॒ तं प॒णयो॒ ये सु॑गो॒पा रेकु॑ प॒दमल॑क॒मा ज॑गन्थ ॥ १०.१०८.०७

एह ग॑म॒न्नृष॑यः॒ सोम॑शिता अ॒यास्यो॒ अङ्गि॑रसो॒ नव॑ग्वाः । त ए॒तमू॒र्वं वि भ॑जन्त॒ गोना॒मथै॒तद्वचः॑ प॒णयो॒ वम॒न्नित् ॥ १०.१०८.०८

ए॒वा च॒ त्वं स॑रम आज॒गन्थ॒ प्रबा॑धिता॒ सह॑सा॒ दैव्ये॑न । स्वसा॑रं त्वा कृणवै॒ मा पुन॑र्गा॒ अप॑ ते॒ गवां॑ सुभगे भजाम ॥ १०.१०८.०९

नाहं वे॑द भ्रातृ॒त्वं नो स्व॑सृ॒त्वमिन्द्रो॑ विदु॒रङ्गि॑रसश्च घो॒राः । गोका॑मा मे अच्छदय॒न्यदाय॒मपात॑ इत पणयो॒ वरी॑यः ॥ १०.१०८.१०

दू॒रमि॑त पणयो॒ वरी॑य॒ उद्गावो॑ यन्तु मिन॒तीरृ॒तेन॑ । बृह॒स्पति॒र्या अवि॑न्द॒न्निगू॑ळ्हाः॒ सोमो॒ ग्रावा॑ण॒ ऋष॑यश्च॒ विप्राः॑ ॥ १०.१०८.११

kimi̱cchantī̍ sa̱ramā̱ predamā̍naḍdū̱re hyadhvā̱ jagu̍riḥ parā̱caiḥ | kāsmehi̍ti̱ḥ kā pari̍takmyāsītka̱thaṃ ra̱sāyā̍ atara̱ḥ payā̍ṃsi || 10.108.01

indra̍sya dū̱tīri̍ṣi̱tā ca̍rāmi ma̱ha i̱cchantī̍ paṇayo ni̱dhīnva̍ḥ | a̱ti̱ṣkado̍ bhi̱yasā̱ tanna̍ āva̱ttathā̍ ra̱sāyā̍ atara̱ṃ payā̍ṃsi || 10.108.02

kī̱dṛṅṅindra̍ḥ sarame̱ kā dṛ̍śī̱kā yasye̱daṃ dū̱tīrasa̍raḥ parā̱kāt |

ā ca̱ gacchā̍nmi̱trame̍nā dadhā̱māthā̱ gavā̱ṃ gopa̍tirno bhavāti || 10.108.03

nāhaṃ taṃ ve̍da̱ dabhya̱ṃ dabha̱tsa yasye̱daṃ dū̱tīrasa̍raṃ parā̱kāt | na taṃ gū̍hanti sra̱vato̍ gabhī̱rā ha̱tā indre̍ṇa paṇayaḥ śayadhve || 10.108.04

i̱mā gāva̍ḥ sarame̱ yā aiccha̱ḥ pari̍ di̱vo antā̍nsubhage̱ pata̍ntī | kasta̍ enā̱ ava̍ sṛjā̱dayu̍dhvyu̱tāsmāka̱māyu̍dhā santi ti̱gmā || 10.108.05

a̱se̱nyā va̍ḥ paṇayo̱ vacā̍ṃsyaniṣa̱vyāsta̱nva̍ḥ santu pā̱pīḥ | adhṛ̍ṣṭo va̱ eta̱vā a̍stu̱ panthā̱ bṛha̱spati̍rva ubha̱yā na mṛ̍ḻāt || 10.108.06

a̱yaṃ ni̱dhiḥ sa̍rame̱ adri̍budhno̱ gobhi̱raśve̍bhi̱rvasu̍bhi̱rnyṛ̍ṣṭaḥ | rakṣa̍nti̱ taṃ pa̱ṇayo̱ ye su̍go̱pā reku̍ pa̱damala̍ka̱mā ja̍gantha || 10.108.07

eha ga̍ma̱nnṛṣa̍ya̱ḥ soma̍śitā a̱yāsyo̱ aṅgi̍raso̱ nava̍gvāḥ | ta e̱tamū̱rvaṃ vi bha̍janta̱ gonā̱mathai̱tadvaca̍ḥ pa̱ṇayo̱ vama̱nnit || 10.108.08

e̱vā ca̱ tvaṃ sa̍rama āja̱gantha̱ prabā̍dhitā̱ saha̍sā̱ daivye̍na | svasā̍raṃ tvā kṛṇavai̱ mā puna̍rgā̱ apa̍ te̱ gavā̍ṃ subhage bhajāma || 10.108.09

nāhaṃ ve̍da bhrātṛ̱tvaṃ no sva̍sṛ̱tvamindro̍ vidu̱raṅgi̍rasaśca gho̱rāḥ | gokā̍mā me acchadaya̱nyadāya̱mapāta̍ ita paṇayo̱ varī̍yaḥ || 10.108.10

dū̱rami̍ta paṇayo̱ varī̍ya̱ udgāvo̍ yantu mina̱tīrṛ̱tena̍ | bṛha̱spati̱ryā avi̍nda̱nnigū̍ḻhā̱ḥ somo̱ grāvā̍ṇa̱ ṛṣa̍yaśca̱ viprā̍ḥ || 10.108.11

Context of the hymn:

कस्मै त्वं सारमेयानि गाथा अनुश्रोषि कः सविद् दातारः।

यो नः सखिभ्य ऊतयः स हि ष्मा अस्मान् द्वेषो वारयति सर्वान्॥ अपां कोषे निविदं वावशाना अस्मे रुचा पण्यवः संनिषद्य। उदुस्रिया अनु विदद् गवां गोः सारमेयाण्य् अनुषाससाना॥ माम् आङ्गिरसः प्रसवः ससृग्याद् यस्मा अनु देवगणाः सचन्ते।इन्द्रो ममाभि वसूनि पश्यन् तेभ्यः पण्याः परिदत्तं गवाम्॥

"To whom, O Saramā, dost thou listen, following these paths? Who is the giver?

He who is the protector of our friends, he indeed wards off all hatred from us."

"The Paṇis, seated together in darkness near the water's source, Have hidden the cows. The shining ones have seen them; Saramā has gone forth to guide the search." "The force of the Aṅgirasas has been set in motion, Following whom the divine hosts move. Indra, observing my wealth, Has made the Paṇis return the cows to them."

Short summary:

The hymn describes how Saramā, Indra’s divine messenger, finds the Paṇis hiding the cows. The Paṇis try to dissuade Saramā from informing Indra, but she remains loyal to the Aṅgirasas. Indra, along with the Aṅgirasas, fights the Paṇis and retrieves the stolen cows. The hymn portrays Indra as the divine hero who restores prosperity by retrieving the cows, symbolic of wealth and spiritual illumination.

Detailed Explanation of Rigveda sukta 10.108 (Saramā and the Paṇis' Dialogue, ending with Indra's Victory):

किमि॒च्छन्ती॑ स॒रमा॒ प्रेदमा॑नड्दू॒रे ह्यध्वा॒ जगु॑रिः परा॒चैः ।

कास्मेहि॑तिः॒ का परि॑तक्म्यासीत्क॒थं र॒साया॑ अतरः॒ पयां॑सि ॥ 1

kimi̱cchantī̍ sa̱ramā̱ predamā̍naḍdū̱re hyadhvā̱ jagu̍riḥ parā̱caiḥ | kāsmehi̍ti̱ḥ kā pari̍takmyāsītka̱thaṃ ra̱sāyā̍ atara̱ḥ payā̍ṃsi || 1

The Paṇis (wealth-hoarding demons) question Saramā, Indra's divine messenger, about her purpose. They are surprised that she has traveled so far across difficult terrain and ask her who sent her and how she crossed the Rasa River, which serves as a mystical boundary...1

इन्द्र॑स्य दू॒तीरि॑षि॒ता च॑रामि म॒ह इ॒च्छन्ती॑ पणयो नि॒धीन्वः॑ ।

अ॒ति॒ष्कदो॑ भि॒यसा॒ तन्न॑ आव॒त्तथा॑ र॒साया॑ अतरं॒ पयां॑सि ॥ 2

indra̍sya dū̱tīri̍ṣi̱tā ca̍rāmi ma̱ha i̱cchantī̍ paṇayo ni̱dhīnva̍ḥ | a̱ti̱ṣkado̍ bhi̱yasā̱ tanna̍ āva̱ttathā̍ ra̱sāyā̍ atara̱ṃ payā̍ṃsi || 2

Saramā boldly responds that she is Indra’s envoy and has come to retrieve the hidden wealth (cows). She clarifies that she swiftly crossed the Rasa River out of urgency, indicating her divine power... 2

की॒दृङ्ङिन्द्रः॑ सरमे॒ का दृ॑शी॒का यस्ये॒दं दू॒तीरस॑रः परा॒कात् ।

आ च॒ गच्छा॑न्मि॒त्रमे॑ना दधा॒माथा॒ गवां॒ गोप॑तिर्नो भवाति ॥ 3

kī̱dṛṅṅindra̍ḥ sarame̱ kā dṛ̍śī̱kā yasye̱daṃ dū̱tīrasa̍raḥ parā̱kāt |

ā ca̱ gacchā̍nmi̱trame̍nā dadhā̱māthā̱ gavā̱ṃ gopa̍tirno bhavāti || 3

The Paṇis mockingly question Indra’s power and appearance. They try to persuade Saramā to reconcile with them and propose that Indra should become their friend and protector instead of attacking them... 3

नाहं तं वे॑द॒ दभ्यं॒ दभ॒त्स यस्ये॒दं दू॒तीरस॑रं परा॒कात् ।

न तं गू॑हन्ति स्र॒वतो॑ गभी॒रा ह॒ता इन्द्रे॑ण पणयः शयध्वे ॥ 4

nāhaṃ taṃ ve̍da̱ dabhya̱ṃ dabha̱tsa yasye̱daṃ dū̱tīrasa̍raṃ parā̱kāt | na taṃ gū̍hanti sra̱vato̍ gabhī̱rā ha̱tā indre̍ṇa paṇayaḥ śayadhve || 4

Saramā warns the Paṇis that Indra’s power is immense, and no one can hide from him. She prophesies that Indra will destroy the Paṇis and take back the cows...4

इ॒मा गावः॑ सरमे॒ या ऐच्छः॒ परि॑ दि॒वो अन्ता॑न्सुभगे॒ पत॑न्ती ।

कस्त॑ एना॒ अव॑ सृजा॒दयु॑ध्व्यु॒तास्माक॒मायु॑धा सन्ति ति॒ग्मा ॥ 5

i̱mā gāva̍ḥ sarame̱ yā aiccha̱ḥ pari̍ di̱vo antā̍nsubhage̱ pata̍ntī | kasta̍ enā̱ ava̍ sṛjā̱dayu̍dhvyu̱tāsmāka̱māyu̍dhā santi ti̱gmā || 5

The Paṇis boast that they control the cows, and they sarcastically challenge who can take them away. They also hint at their readiness for battle despite appearing reluctant to fight... 5

अ॒से॒न्या वः॑ पणयो॒ वचां॑स्यनिष॒व्यास्त॒न्वः॑ सन्तु पा॒पीः ।

अधृ॑ष्टो व॒ एत॒वा अ॑स्तु॒ पन्था॒ बृह॒स्पति॑र्व उभ॒या न मृ॑ळात् ॥ 6

a̱se̱nyā va̍ḥ paṇayo̱ vacā̍ṃsyaniṣa̱vyāsta̱nva̍ḥ santu pā̱pīḥ | adhṛ̍ṣṭo va̱ eta̱vā a̍stu̱ panthā̱ bṛha̱spati̍rva ubha̱yā na mṛ̍ḻāt || 6

Saramā curses the Paṇis, wishing that their words and power become ineffective.

She declares that Bṛhaspati (the divine sage of the gods) will not show mercy to either side, meaning a decisive battle is inevitable. This verse foretells the Paṇis' downfall under divine intervention... 6

अ॒यं नि॒धिः स॑रमे॒ अद्रि॑बुध्नो॒ गोभि॒रश्वे॑भि॒र्वसु॑भि॒र्न्यृ॑ष्टः ।

रक्ष॑न्ति॒ तं प॒णयो॒ ये सु॑गो॒पा रेकु॑ प॒दमल॑क॒मा ज॑गन्थ ॥ 7

a̱yaṃ ni̱dhiḥ sa̍rame̱ adri̍budhno̱ gobhi̱raśve̍bhi̱rvasu̍bhi̱rnyṛ̍ṣṭaḥ | rakṣa̍nti̱ taṃ pa̱ṇayo̱ ye su̍go̱pā reku̍ pa̱damala̍ka̱mā ja̍gantha || 7

The Paṇis' treasure is revealed, hidden inside a mountain cave and containing cows, horses, and other valuables. Though they attempted to guard it, their movements betrayed them, making their defeat inevitable... 7

एह ग॑म॒न्नृष॑यः॒ सोम॑शिता अ॒यास्यो॒ अङ्गि॑रसो॒ नव॑ग्वाः ।

त ए॒तमू॒र्वं वि भ॑जन्त॒ गोना॒मथै॒तद्वचः॑ प॒णयो॒ वम॒न्नित् ॥ 8

eha ga̍ma̱nnṛṣa̍ya̱ḥ soma̍śitā a̱yāsyo̱ aṅgi̍raso̱ nava̍gvāḥ | ta e̱tamū̱rvaṃ vi bha̍janta̱ gonā̱mathai̱tadvaca̍ḥ pa̱ṇayo̱ vama̱nnit || 8

The divine sages (Aṅgirasas) arrive, empowered by Soma, ready to release the cows. As the Paṇis' stronghold is broken, they begin to wail and lament their loss... 8

ए॒वा च॒ त्वं स॑रम आज॒गन्थ॒ प्रबा॑धिता॒ सह॑सा॒ दैव्ये॑न ।

स्वसा॑रं त्वा कृणवै॒ मा पुन॑र्गा॒ अप॑ ते॒ गवां॑ सुभगे भजाम ॥ 9

e̱vā ca̱ tvaṃ sa̍rama āja̱gantha̱ prabā̍dhitā̱ saha̍sā̱ daivye̍na | svasā̍raṃ tvā kṛṇavai̱ mā puna̍rgā̱ apa̍ te̱ gavā̍ṃ subhage bhajāma || 9

The Paṇis attempt to bribe Saramā, offering her sisterhood and shared riches if she abandons Indra. This shows their desperation as defeat becomes certain... 9

नाहं वे॑द भ्रातृ॒त्वं नो स्व॑सृ॒त्वमिन्द्रो॑ विदु॒रङ्गि॑रसश्च घो॒राः ।

गोका॑मा मे अच्छदय॒न्यदाय॒मपात॑ इत पणयो॒ वरी॑यः ॥ 10

nāhaṃ ve̍da bhrātṛ̱tvaṃ no sva̍sṛ̱tvamindro̍ vidu̱raṅgi̍rasaśca gho̱rāḥ | gokā̍mā me acchadaya̱nyadāya̱mapāta̍ ita paṇayo̱ varī̍yaḥ || 10

Saramā rejects their offer, affirming that Indra and the Aṅgirasas will not spare them. The cows, once hidden, are now liberated, marking Indra’s victory... 10

दू॒रमि॑त पणयो॒ वरी॑य॒ उद्गावो॑ यन्तु मिन॒तीरृ॒तेन॑ ।

बृह॒स्पति॒र्या अवि॑न्द॒न्निगू॑ळ्हाः॒ सोमो॒ ग्रावा॑ण॒ ऋष॑यश्च॒ विप्राः॑ ॥ 11

dū̱rami̍ta paṇayo̱ varī̍ya̱ udgāvo̍ yantu mina̱tīrṛ̱tena̍ | bṛha̱spati̱ryā avi̍nda̱nnigū̍ḻhā̱ḥ somo̱ grāvā̍ṇa̱ ṛṣa̍yaśca̱ viprā̍ḥ || 11

The Paṇis are now distant (defeated).

The cows, freed by righteousness, return.

Bṛhaspati, Soma, and the sages (ṛṣis) have discovered and liberated them, marking the complete victory of the gods... 11

Symbolism in Rigveda sukta 10.108 (Saramā and the Paṇis' Dialogue & Indra’s Victory):

This hymn is deeply symbolic, representing cosmic forces, spiritual enlightenment, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Here we have listed the allegories and their meanings:

1. Indra – The Divine Hero and Cosmic Order (Ṛta)

Indra represents divine power, cosmic order, and the protector of dharma (righteousness). He retrieves the stolen cows, symbolizing light, knowledge, and spiritual wealth. His battle with the Paṇis (hoarders of wealth) is a cosmic war between truth and deception.

Symbolism:

Indra’s lightning bolt (Vajra) breaks the cave, just as wisdom breaks through ignorance. His association with the Aṅgirasas and Bṛhaspati represents divine guidance leading humans to enlightenment.

2. Saramā – The Divine Messenger and Seeker of Truth

Saramā is not just a dog but a divine seeker, a spiritual guide. She crosses the Rasa River, symbolizing the passage from ignorance to wisdom. She rejects the Paṇis’ bribes, signifying unwavering faith and loyalty to truth.

Symbolism:

Saramā represents intuition, divine messengers (ṛṣis, saints), and seekers of truth. She ensures that knowledge (cows) is returned to the rightful owners (the enlightened ones).

3. The Paṇis – Hoarders of Wealth and Ignorance

The Paṇis represent forces of deception, materialism, and ignorance. They hide the cows, which symbolize knowledge, spiritual insight, and divine blessings. Their attempt to bribe Saramā reflects the temptations that try to mislead seekers of truth.

Symbolism:

The Paṇis represent selfishness, greed, and material attachment. They are eventually destroyed, showing that falsehood and deception cannot sustain themselves.

4. The Cows – Symbols of Knowledge, Wealth, and Divine Blessings

The cows are not mere animals; they symbolize divine wisdom, prosperity, and spiritual wealth. When they are stolen and hidden, it represents the suppression of wisdom by forces of ignorance. When they are liberated, it signifies the restoration of divine order (Ṛta).

Symbolism:

Cows = Vedic knowledge, illumination, prosperity (material & spiritual).

Their release by Indra = Liberation of wisdom and divine blessings.

5. The Rasa River – The Boundary Between Darkness and Light

The Paṇis ask Saramā how she crossed the Rasa River, which symbolizes a spiritual boundary. It separates the divine realm of truth from the dark realm of falsehood.

Crossing the river = Attaining higher knowledge and spiritual transcendence.

Symbolism:

Rasa River = The barrier between ignorance and enlightenment.

Saramā’s successful crossing = The journey of a seeker toward divine truth.

6. The Aṅgirasas and Bṛhaspati – Priestly Wisdom and Divine Knowledge:

The Aṅgirasas (sages) and Bṛhaspati (divine priest) help Indra recover the cows.

They are spiritual teachers who guide seekers to self-realization. Their chanting and prayers are spiritual tools that help break the barriers of ignorance.

Symbolism:

Aṅgirasas = Priests, spiritual leaders, enlightened beings.

Bṛhaspati = Guru, teacher, wisdom itself.

Their role in retrieving cows = The power of Vedic knowledge in dispelling the ignorance.

7. The Cave – The Hidden Mind or the Realm of Darkness

The Paṇis hide the cows in a cave, representing suppressed wisdom. The cave symbolizes ignorance, mental blocks, and illusions. Indra breaking the cave causes the destruction of ignorance and falsehood.

Symbolism:

The cave = Maya (illusion), ignorance, mental darkness.

Indra breaking it = The light of wisdom overcoming darkness.

8. Battle Between Indra and the Paṇis – The Eternal Conflict of Dharma vs. Adharma

The fight between Indra and the Paṇis is not just a mythological event but a cosmic truth. It represents the ongoing battle between knowledge and ignorance, truth and falsehood, light and darkness.

Symbolism:

Indra’s victory = Truth and righteousness will always prevail.

The defeat of the Paṇis = Hoarding knowledge and wealth selfishly leads to downfall.

Final Summary: The Spiritual Message of the Hymn

1. Indra symbolizes divine wisdom and spiritual awakening.

2. Saramā represents seekers of truth who must resist worldly temptations.

3. The Paṇis are forces of ignorance, deception, and material greed.

4. The cows are divine knowledge and spiritual blessings that must be reclaimed.

5. The Rasa River represents a transition from illusion to enlightenment.

6. The Aṅgirasas and Bṛhaspati guide seekers to wisdom.

7. Breaking the cave is the victory of knowledge over ignorance.

This hymn teaches that spiritual wealth (knowledge) should not be hoarded selfishly but should be shared and used for the benefit of all. It also reminds us that truth will always triumph over falsehood.

🙏 Jayatu Indra 🙏

🙏 Namo Nṛsiṃha 🙏