BOOK II
CHAPTER II
DECADE I Indra and others
1. Indra whose jaws are strong hath drunk of worshipping Sudaksha’s draught,
The Soma juice with barley brew.
2. O Lord of ample wealth, these songs of praise have called aloud to thee,
Like milch-kine lowing to their calves!
3. Then straight they recognized the mystic name of the creative Steer,
There in the mansion of the Moon.
4. When Indra, strongest hero, brought the streams, the mighty waters down,
Pushan was standing by his side.
5. The Cow, the streaming mother of the liberal Maruts, pours her milk,
Harnessed to draw their chariots on.
6. Come, Lord of rapturous joys, to our libation with thy bay steeds, come
With bay steeds to the flowing juice
7. Presented strengthening gifts have sent Indra away at sacrifice,
With night, unto the cleansing bath.
8. I from my Father have received deep knowledge of eternal Law:
I was born like unto the Sun.
9. With Indra splendid feasts be ours, rich in all strengthening things, wherewith,
Wealthy in food, we may rejoice
10. Soma and Pushan, kind to him who travels to the Gods, provide
Dwellings all happy and secure.
DECADE II Indra
1. Invite ye Indra with a song to drink your draught of Soma steeds, juice,
All-conquering Satakratu, most munificent of all who live
2. Sing ye a song, to make him glad, to Indra, Lord of tawny
The Soma-drinker, O my friends!
3. This, even this, O Indra, we implore: as thy devoted friends
The Kanvas praise thee with their hymns!
4. For Indra, lover of carouse, loud be our songs about the juice
Let poets sing the song of praise.
5. Here, Indra, is thy Soma draught, made pure upon the sacred grass:
Run hither, come and drink thereof
6. As a good cow to him who milks, we call the doer of good deeds
To our assistance duy by day.
7. Hero, the Soma being shed, I pour the juice for thee to drink
Sate thee and finish thy carouse!
8. The Soma, Indra, which is shed in saucers and in cups for thee,
Drink thou, for thou art lord thereof!
9. In every need, in every fray we call, as friends, to succour us,
Indra, the mightiest of all.
10. O come ye hither, sit ye down: to Indra sing ye forth your song,
Companions, bringing hymns of praise
DECADE III Indra
1. So, Lord of affluent gifts, this juice hath been expressed for thee with strength:
Drink of it, thou who lovest song!
2. Great is our Indra from of old; greatness be his, the Thunderer
Wide as the heaven extends his might.
3. Indra, as one with mighty arm, gather for us with thy right hand
Manifold and nutritious spoil!
4. Praise, even as he is known, with song Indra the guardian of the kine,
The Son of Truth, Lord of the brave.
5. With what help will he come to us, wonderful, ever-waxing friend?
With what most mighty company?
6. Thou speedest down to succour us this ever-conquering God of yours
Him who is drawn to all our songs.
7. To the assembly’s wondrous Lord, the lovely friend of Indra, I
Had prayed for wisdom and successs.
8. May all thy paths beneath the sky whereby thou speddest Vyasva on,
Yea, let all spaces hear our voice
9. Bring to us all things excellent, O Satakratu, food and strength,
For, Indra, thou art kind to us!
10. Here is the Soma ready pressed: of this the Maruts, yea, of this,
Self-luminous the Asvins drink.
DECADE IV Indra and others
1. Tossing about, the active ones came nigh to Indra at his birth,
Winning themselves heroic might.
2. Never, O Gods, do we offend, nor are we ever obstinate
We walk as holy texts command.
3. Evening is come: sing loudly thou Atharvan’s nobly singing son:
Give praise to Savitar the God!
4. Now Morning with her earliest light shines forth, dear daughter of the Sky:
High, Asvins, I extol your praise.
5. Armed with the bones of dead Dadhyach, Indra, with unresisted might
The nine-and-ninety Vritras slew.
6. Come, Indra, and delight thee with the juice at all our Soma feasts,
Protector, mighty in thy strength
7. O thou who slayest Vritras, come, O Indra, hither to our side,
Mighty one, with thy mighty aids!
8. That might of his shone brightly forth when Indra brought together, like
A skin, the worlds of heaven and earth,
9. This is thine own Thou drawest near, as turns a pigeon to his mate:
Thou carest, too, for this our prayer.
10. May Vata breathe his balm on us, healthful, delightful to our heart:
May he prolong our days of life
DECADE V Indra and others
1. Ne’er is he injured whom the Gods Varuna, Mitra, Aryam.
The excellently wise, protect.
2. According to our wish for kine, for steeds and chariots, as of old,
Be gracious to our wealthy chiefs
3. Indra, these spotted cows yield thee their butter and the milky draught,
Aiders, thereby, of sacrifice.
4. That thou much-lauded! many-named! mayst, with this thought, that longs for milk,
Come to each Soma sacrifice.
5. May bright Sarasvati, endowed with plenteous wealth and spoil, enriched
With prayer, desire the sacrifice.
6. Why ‘mid the Nahusha tribes shall sate this Indra with his Soma juice?
He shall bring precious things to us.
7. Come, we have pressed the juice for thee; O Indra, drink this Soma here:
Sit thou on this my sacred grass
8. Great, unassailable must be the heavenly favour of the Three,
Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.
9. We, Indra, Lord of ample wealth, our guide, depend on one like thee,
Thou driver of the tawny steeds!
