HYMN XXXI. Indra.
1. SING ye a song, to make him glad, to Indra, Lord of Tawny Steeds,
The Soma-drinker, O my friends.
2. To him the Bounteous say the laud, and let us glorify, as men May do, the Giver of true gifts.
3. O Indra, Lord of boundless might, for us thou winnest strength and kine,
Thou winnest gold for us, Good Lord.
4. Faithful to thee we loudly sing, heroic Indra, songs to thee: Mark, O Good Lord, this act of ours.
5 Give us not up to man’s reproach, to foeman’s hateful calumny: In thee alone is all my strength.
6. Thou art mine ample coat of mail, my Champion, Vrtra-Slayer, thou:
With thee for Friend I brave the foe.
7. Yea, great art thou whose conquering might two independent Powers confess.
The Heaven, O India, and the Earth.
8. So let the voice surround thee, which attends the Maruts on their way,
Reaching thee with the rays of light.
9. Let the ascending drops attain to thee, the Wondrous God, in heaven:
Let all the folk bow down to thee.
10. Bring to the Wise, the Great, who waxeth mighty, your offerings, and make ready your devotion;
To many clans he goeth, man’s controller.
11. For Indra, the sublime, the far-pervading, have singers generated prayer and praises:
The sages never violate his statutes.
12. The choirs have stablished Indra King for ever, for victory, him whose anger is resistless:
And, for the Bays’ Lord, strengthened those he loveth.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.
1. LET none, no, not thy worshippers, delay thee far away from us.
Even from far away come thou unto our feast, or listen if already here.
2. For here, like flies on honey, these who pray to thee sit by the juice that they have poured.
Wealth-craving singers have on Indra set their hope, as men set foot upon a car.
3. Longing for wealth I call on him, the Thunderer with the strong right hand,
As a son calleth on his sire.
4. These Soma juices, mixed with curd, have been expressed for Indra here.
Come with thy Bay Steeds, Thunder-wielder, to our home, to drink them till they make thee glad.
5. May he whose ear is open hear us. He is asked for wealth: will he despise our prayer?
Him who bestows at once a hundred thousand gifts none shall restrain when he would give.
6. The hero never checked by men hath gained his strength through Indra, he
Who presses out and pours his deep libations forth, O Vrtra-slayer, unto thee.
7. When thou dost drive the fighting men together be, thou Mighty One, the mighty’s shield.
May we divide the wealth of him whom thou hast slain: bring us, Unreachable, his goods.
8. For Indra, Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, press the Soma juice.
Make ready your dressed meats: cause him to favour us. The Giver blesses him who gives.
9. Grudge not, ye Soma pourers; stir you, pay the rites, for wealth, to the great Conqueror.
Only the active conquers dwells in peace, and thrives: not for the niggard are the Gods.
10. No one hath overturned or stayed the car of him who freely gives.
The man whom Indra and the Marut host defend comes to a stable full of kine.
11. Indra, that man when fighting shall obtain the spoil, whose strong defender thou wilt be.
Be thou the gracious helper, Hero I of our cars, be thou the helper of our men.
12. His portion is exceeding great like a victorious soldier’s spoil.
Him who is Indra, Lord of Bays, no foes subdue. He gives the Soma-pourer strength.
13. Make for the Holy Gods a hymn that is not mean, but well-arranged and fair of form.
Even many snares and bonds subdue not him who dwells with Indra through his sacrifice.
14. Indra, what mortal will attack the man who hath his wealth in thee?
The strong will win the spoil on the decisive day through faith in thee, O Maghavan.
15. In battles with the foe urge on our mighty ones who give the treasures dear to thee,
And may we with our princes, Lord of Tawny Steeds! pass through all peril, led by thee.
16. Thine, Indra, is the lowest wealth, thou cherishest the mid-most wealth,
Thou ever rulest all the highest: in the fray for cattle none resisteth thee.
17. Thou art renowned as giving wealth to every one in all the battles that are fought.
Craving protection, all these people of the earth, O Much-invoked, implore thy name.
18. If I, O Indra, were the Lord of riches ample as thine own,
I should support the singer, God. who givest wealth! and not abandon him to woe.
19. Each day would I enrich the man who sang my praise, in whatsoever place he were.
No kinship is there better, Maghavan, than thine: a father even is no more.
20. With Plenty for his true ally the active man will gain the spoil.
Your Indra, Much-invoked, I bend with song, as bends a wright his wheel of solid wood.
21. A moral wins no riches by unworthy praise: wealth comes not to the niggard churl.
Light is the task to give, O Maghavan, to one like me on the decisive day.
22. Like kine unmilked we call aloud, Hero, to thee, and sing thy praise,
Looker on heavenly light, Lord of this moving world, Lord, Indra, of what moveth not.
23. None other like to thee, of earth or of the heavens, hath been or ever will be born.
Desiring horses, Indra Maghavan! and kine, as men of might we call on thee.
24. Bring, Indra, the Victorious Ones; bring, elder thou, the younger host.
For, Maghavan, thou art rich in treasures from of old, and must be called in every fight.
25. Drive thou away our enemies, O Maghavan: make riches easy to be won.
Be thou our good Protector in the strife for spoil: Cherisher of our friends be thou.
26. O Indra, give us wisdom as a sire gives wisdom to his sons.
Guide us, O Much-invoked, in this our way may we still live and look upon the light.
27. Grant that no mighty foes, unknown, malevolent, unhallowed, tread us to the ground.
With thine assistance, Hero, may we ass through all the waters that are rul`ng down.
HYMN XXXIII Vasistha.
1. THESE who wear hair-knots on the right, the movers of holy thought, white-robed, have won me over.
I warned the men, when from the grass I raised me, Not from afar can my Vasisthas help you.
2. With soma they brought Indra from a distance, Over Vaisanta, from the strong libation.
Indra preferred Vasisthas to the Soma pressed by the son of Vayata, Pasadyumna.
3. So, verily, with these he crossed the river, in company with these he slaughtered Bheda.
So in the fight with the Ten Kings, Vasisthas! did Indra help Sudas through your devotions.
4. I gladly, men I with prayer prayed by our fathers have fixed your axle: ye shall not be injured:
Since, when ye sang aloud the Sakvari verses, Vasisthas! ye invigorated Indra.
5. Like thirsty men they looked to heaven, in battle with the Ten Kings, surrounded and imploring.
Then Indra heard Vasistha as he praised him, and gave the Trtsus ample room and freedom.
6. Like sticks and staves wherewith they drive the cattle, Stripped bare, the Bharatas were found defenceless:
Vasistha then became their chief and leader: then widely. were the Trtsus’ clans extended.
7. Three fertilize the worlds with genial moisture: three noble Creatures cast a light before them.
Three that give warmth to all attend the morning. All these have they discovered, these Vasisthas.
8. Like the Sun’s growing glory is their splendour, and like the sea’s is their unflathomed greatness.
Their course is like the wind’s. Your laud, Vasisthas, can never be attained by any other.
9. They with perceptions of the heart in secret resort to that which spreads a thousand branches.
The Apsaras brought hither the Vasisthas wearing the vesture spun for them by Yama.
10. A form of lustre springing from the lightning wast thou, when Varuna and Mitra saw thee.
Tliy one and only birth was then, Vasistha, when from thy stock Agastya brought thee hither.
11. Born of their love for Urvasi, Vasistha thou, priest, art son of Varuna and Mitra;
And as a fallen drop, in heavenly fervour, all the Gods laid thee on a lotus-blossorn.
12. He thinker, knower both of earth and heaven, endowed with many a gift, bestowing thousands,
Destined to wear the vesture spun by Yama, sprang from the Apsaras to life, Vasistha.
13. Born at the sacrifice, urged by adorations, both with a common flow bedewed the pitcher.
Then from the midst thereof there rose up Mana, and thence they say was born the sage Vasistha.
14. He brings the bearer of the laud and Saman: first shall he speak bringing the stone for pressing.
With grateful hearts in reverence approach him: to you, O Pratrdas, Vasistha cometh.
HYMN XXXIV Visvedevas.
1. MAY our divine and brilliant hymn go forth, like a swift chariot wrought and fashioned well.
2. The waters listen as they flow along: they know the origin of heaven and earth.
3. Yea, the broad waters swell their flood ior him: of him strong heroes think amid their foes.
4. Set ye for him the coursers to the pole: like Indra Thunderer is the Golden-armed.
5. Arouse you, like the days, to sacrifice speed gladly like a traveller on the way.
6. Go swift to battles, to the sacrifice: set up a flag, a hero for the folk.
7. Up from his strength hath risen as ’twere a light: it bears the load as earth bears living things.
8. Agni, no demon I invoke the Gods: by law completing it, I form a hymn.
9. Closely albout you lay your heavenly song, and send your voice to where the Gods abide.
10. Varuna, Mighty, with a thousand eyes, beholds the paths wherein these rivers run.
11. He, King of kings, the glory of the floods, o’er all that liveth hath resistless sway.
12. May he assist us among all the tribes, and make the envier’s praise devoid of light.
13. May the foes’ threatening arrow pass us by: may he put far from us our bodies’ sin.
14. Agni, oblation-cater, through our prayers aid us: to him our dearest laud is brought.
15. Accordant with the Gods choose for our Friend the Waters’ Child: may he be good to us.
16. With lauds I sing the Dragon born of floods: he sits beneath the streams in middle air.
17 Ne’er may the Dragon of the Deep harm us: ne’er fail this faithful servant’s sacrifice.
18. To these our heroes may they grant renown: may pious men march boldly on to wealth.
19. Leading great hosts, with fierce attacks of these, they burn their foes as the Sun burns the earth.
20. What time our wives draw near to us, may he, left-handed Tvastar, give us hero sons.
21. May Tvastar find our hymn acceptable, and may Aramati, seeking wealth, be ours.
22. May they who lavish gifts bestow those treasures: may Rodasi and Varunani listen.
May he, with the Varutris, be our refuge, may bountiful Tvastar give us store of riches.
23. So may rich Mountains and the liberal Waters, so may all Herbs that grow on ground, and Heaven,
And Earth accordant with the Forest-Sovrans, and both the World-halves round about protect us.
24. To this may both the wide Worlds lend approval, and Varuna in heaven, whose Friend is Indra.
May all the Maruts give consent, the Victors, that we may hold great wealth in firm possession.
25. May Indra, Varuna, Mitra, and Agni, Waters, Herbs, Trees accept the praise we offer.
May we find refuge in the Marut’s bosom. Protect us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXXV. Visvedevas.
1. BEFRIEND us with their aids Indra and Agni, Indra and Varuna who receive oblations!
Indra and Soma give health, strength and comfort, Indra and Pusan be our help in battle.
2. Auspicious Friends to us be Bhaga, Sathsa, auspicious be Purandhi aid all Riches;
The blessing of the true and well-conducted, and Aryaman in many forms apparent.
3. Kind unto us he Maker and Sustainer, and the far-reaching Pair with God-like natures.
Auspicious unto us be Earth and Heaven, the Mountain, and the Gods’ fair invocations.
4. Favour us Agni with his face of splendour, and Varuva and Mitra and the Asvins.
Favour us noble actions of the pious, impetuous vita blow on us with favour.
5. Early invoked, may Heaven and Earth be friendly, and Air’s mid-region good for us to look on.
To us may Herbs and Forest-Trees be gracious, gracious the Lord Victorious of the region.
6. Be the God Indra with the Vasus friendly, and, with Adityas, Varuna who blesseth.
Kind, with the Rudras, be the Healer Rudra, and, with the Dames, may Tvastar kindly listen.
7. Blest unto us be Soma, and devotions, blest be the Sacrifice, the Stones for pressing.
Blest be the fixing of the sacred Pillars, blest be the tender Grass and blest the Altar.
8. May the far-seeing Sun rise up to bless us: be the four Quarters of the sky auspicious.
Auspicious be the firmly-seated Mountains, auspicious be the Rivers and the Waters.
9. May Adid through holy works be gracioas, and may the Maruts, loud in song, be friendly.
May Visnu give felicity, and Pusan, the Air that cherisheth our life, and Vayu.
10. Prosper us Savitar, the God who rescues, and let the radiant Mornings be propitious.
Auspicious to all creatures be Parjanya, auspicious be the field’s benign Protector.
11. May all the fellowship of Gods befriend us, Sarasvati, with Holy Thoughts, be gracious.
Friendly be they, the Liberal Ones who seek us, yea, those who dwell in heaven, on earth, in waters.
12. May the great Lords of Truth protect and aid us: blest to us be our horses and our cattle.
Kind be the pious skilful-handed Rbhus, kind be the Fathers at our invocations.
13.. May Aja-Ekapad, the God, be gracious, gracious the Dragon of the Deep, and Ocean.
Gracious be he the swelling Child of Waters, gracious be Prsni who hath Gods to guard her.
14. So may the Rudras, Vasus, and Adityas accept the new hymn which we now are making.
May all the Holy Ones of earth and heaven, and the Cow’s offipring hear our invocation.
15. They who of Holy Gods are very holy, Immortal, knowing Law, whom man must worship,-
May these to-day give us broad paths to travel. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.