RIG VEDA

Translator Ralph T.H. Griffith

THE EIGHT BOOK – Page 3

HYMN L. Indra.

1. BOTH boons,-may Indra, hitherward turned, listen to this prayer of ours,
And mightiest Maghavan with thought inclined to us come near to drink the Soma juice.

2. For him, strong, independent Ruler, Heaven and Earth have fashioned forth for power and might.

Thou seatest thee as first among thy peers in place, for thy soul longs for Soma juice.

3. Fill thyself full, O Lord of wealth, O Indra, with the juice we shed.
We know thee, Lord of Bay Steeds victor in the fight, vanquishing e’en the invincible.

4. Changeless in truth, O Maghavan Indra, let it be as thou in wisdom willest it.
May we, O fair of check, win booty with thine aid, O Thunderer, swiftly seeking it.

5. Indra, with all thy saving helps give us assistance, Lord of power.
For after thee we follow even as glorious bliss, thee, Hero, finder-out of wealth.

6. Increaser of our steeds and multiplying kine, a golden well, O God, art thou,
For no one may impair the gifts laid up in thee. Bring me whatever thing I ask.

7. For thou,-come to the worshipper!-wilt find great wealth to make us rich.
Fill thyself full, O Maghavan, for gain of kine, full, Indra, for the gain of steeds.

8. Thou as thy gift bestowest many hundred herds, yea, many thousands dost thou give.
With singers’ hymns have we brought the Fort-render near, singing to Indra for his grace.

9. Whether the simple or the sage, Indra, have offered praise to thee,
He Satakratu! by his love hath gladdened thee, ambitious! ever pressing on!

10. If he the Strong of arm, the breaker-down of forts, the great Destroyer, hear my call,
We, seeking riches cry to Indra, Lord of wealth, to Satakratu with our lauds.

11. We count not then as sinners, nor as niggardly or foolish men,
When with the Soma juice which we have shed we make Indra, the Mighty One, our Friend.

12. Him have we yoked in fight, the powerful Conqueror, debt-claimer, not to be deceived.
Best charioteer, the Victor marks each fault, he knows the strong to whom he will come near.

13. Indra, give us security from that whereof we are afraid.
Help us, O Maghavan, let thy succour give us this: drive away foes and enemies.

14. For thou, O liberal Lord of bounty, strengthenest his ample home who worships thee.
So Indra, Maghavan, thou Lover of the Song, we with pressed Soma call on thee,

15. Indra is Vrtra-slayer, guard, our best defender from the foe.
May he preserve our last and middlemost, and keep watch from behind us and before.

16. Defend us from behind, below, above, in front, on all sides, Indra, shield us well.
Keep far away from us the terror sent from heaven: keep impious weapons far away.

17. Protect us, Indra, each to-day, each morrow, and each following day.
Our singers, through all days, shalt thou, Lord of the brave, keep safely both by day and night.

18. A crushing Warrior, passing rich is Maghavan, endowed with all heroic might.
Thine arms, O Satakratu, are exceeding strong, arms which have grasped the thunderbolt.

HYMN LI. Indra.

1. OFFER ye up as praise to him that wherein Indra takes delight.
The Soma-bringers magnify Indra’s great energy with hymns. Good are the gifts that Indra gives.

2. Sole among chiefs, companionless, impetuous, and peerless, he
Hath waxen great o’er many folk, yea., over all things born, in might.

3. Lord of swift bounty, he will win e’en with a steed of worthless sort.
This, Indra, must be told of thee who wilt perform heroic deeds.

4. Come to us.hither: let us pay devotions that enhance thy might,
For which, Most Potent! thou wouldst fain bless the man here who strives for fame.

5. For thou, O Indra, makest yet more bold the spirit of the bold
Who with strong Soma serveth thee, still ready with his reverent prayers.

6. Worthy of song, he looketh down as a man looketh into wells.
Pleased with the Soma-bringer’s skill he maketh him his mate and friend.

7. In strength and wisdom all the Gods, Indra, have yielded unto thee.
Be thou the Guard of all, O thou whom many praise.

8. Praised, Indra, is this might of thine, best for the service of the Gods,
That thou with power dost slay Vrtra, O Lord of Strength.

9. He makes the races of mankind like synods of the Beauteous One.
Indra knows this his manifest deed, and is renowned.

10. Thy might, O Indra, at its birth, thee also, and thy mental power,
In thy care, Maghavan rich in kine! they have increased exceedingly.
11. O Vrtra-slayer, thou and I will both combine for winning spoil.
Even malignity will consent, O Bolt-armed Hero, unto us.

12. Let us extol this Indra as truthful and never as untrue.
Dire is his death who pours no gifts great light hath he who offers them. Good are the gifts that Indra gives.


HYMN LII. Indra.

1. WITH powers of Mighty Ones hath he, Ancient, Beloved, been equipped,
Through whom the Father Manu made prayers cfficacious with the Gods.

2. Him, Maker of the sky, let stones wet with the Soma ne’er forsake,
Nor hymns and prayer that must be said.

3. Indra who knew full well disclosed the kine to the Angirases.
This his great deed must be extolled.

4. Indra, promoter of the song, the sage’s Strengthener as of old,
Shall come to bless and succour us at presentation of this laud.

5. Now after their desire’s intent the pious singers with the cry
Of Hail! have sung loud hymns to thee, Indra, to gain a stall of kine.

6. With Indra rest all deeds of might, deeds done and yet to be performed,
Whom singers know devoid of guile.

7. When the Five Tribes with all their men to Indra have sent out their voice,
And when the priest hath strewn much grass, this is the Friend’s own dwellingpiace.

8. This praise is verily thine own: thou hast performed these manly deeds,
And sped the wheel upon its way.

9. At the o’erflowing of this Steer, boldly he strode for life, and took
Soma as cattle take their corn.

10. Receiving this and craving help, we, who with you are Daksa’s sons,
Would fain exalt the Maruts’ Lord.

11. Yea, Hero, with the singers we sing.to the duly-coming Band.
Allied with tbee may we prevail.

12. With us are raining Rudras, clouds accordant in call to battle, at the death of Vrtra,
The strong assigned to him who sings and praises. May Gods with Indra at their head protect us.


HYMN LIII. Andra.

1. MAY our hymns give thee great delight. Display thy bounty, Thunderer.
Drive off the enemies of prayer.

2. Crush with thy foot the niggard churls who bring no gifts. Mighty art thou
There is not one to equal thee.

3. Thou art the Lord of Soma pressed, Soma impressed is also thine.
Thou art the Sovran of the folk.

4. Come, go thou forth, dwelling in heaven and listening to the prayers of men:
Thou fillest both the heavens and earth.

5. Even that hill with rocky heights, with hundreds, thousands, held within.
Thou for thy worshippers brakest through.

6. We call on thee both night and day to taste the flowing Soma juice:
Do thou fulfil our heart’s desire.

7. Where is that ever-youthful Steer, strong. necked and never yet bent down?
What Brahman ministers to him?

8. To whose libation doth the Steer, betake him with delight therein?
Who takes delight in Indra now?

9. Whom, Vrtra-slayer, have thy gift and hero powers accompanied?
Who is thy dearest in the laud?

10. For thee among mankind, among the Purus is this Soma shed.
Hasten thou hither: drink thereof.

11. This, growing by Soma and by Saryanavan, dear to thee,
In Arjikiya, cheers thee best.

12. Hasten thou hitherward, and drink this for munificence to-day,
Delightful for thine eager draught.


HYMN LIV. Indra.

1. THOUGH, Indra, thou art called by men from east and west, from north and soutb,
Come hither quickly with fleet steeds

2. If in the effluence of heaven, rich in its light, thou takest joy,
Or in the sea in Soma juice.

3. With songs I call thee, Great and Wide, even as a cow to profit us,
Indra, to drink the Soma-draught.

4. Hither, O Indra, let thy Bays bear up and, bring upon thy car
Thy glory, God! and majesty.

5.Thou, Indra, wouldst be sung and praised as great, strong, lordly in thy deeds
Come hither, drink our Soma juice.

6. We who have shed the Soma and prepared the feast are calling thee.
To sit on this our sacred grass.

7. As, Indra, thou art evermore the common Lord of all alike,
As such we invocate thee now.

8. The men with stones have milked for thee this nectar of the Soma juice:
Indra, be pleased with it, and drink.

9. Neglect all pious men with skill in sacred song: come hitherward,
With speed, and give us high renown.

10. Gods, may the mighty rest unharmed, the King who gives me spotted kine,
Kine decked with golden ornaments.

11. Beside a thousand spotted kine I have received a gift of gold,
Pure, brilliant, and exceeding great.

12. Durgaha’s grandsons, giving me a thousand kine, munificent,
Have won renown among the Gods.