The Rigveda, Book 1 - Verses 130 to 139

HYMN CXXX. Indra.

1. Come to us, Indra, from afar, conducting us even as a lord of heroes to the gatherings, home, like a King, his heroes' lord.
We come with gifts of pleasant food, with juice poured forth, invoking thee,
As sons invite a sire, that thou mayst get thee strength thee, bounteousest, to get thee strength.
2 O Indra, drink the Soma juice pressed out with stones. poured from the reservoir, as an ox drinks the spring, a very thirsty bull the spring.
For the sweet draught that gladdens thee, for mightiest freshening of thy strength.
Let thy Bay Horses bring thee hither as the Sun, as every day they bring the Sun.
3 He found the treasure brought from heaven that lay concealed, close-hidden, like the nestling of a bird, in rock, enclosed in never-enffing rock.
Best Angiras, bolt-armed, he strove to win, as 'twere, the stall of kine;
So Indra hath disclosed the food concealed, disclosed the doors, the food that lay concealed.
4 Grasping his thunderbolt with both hands, Indra made its edge most keen, for hurling, like a carving-knife for Ahi's slaughter made it keen.
Endued with majesty and strength, O Indra, and with lordly might,
Thou crashest down the trees, as when a craftsman fells, crashest them down as with an axe.
5 Thou, Indra, without effort hast let loose the floods to run their free course down,
like chariots, to the sea, like chariots showing forth their strength.

They, reaching hence away, have joined their strength for one eternal end,
Even as the cows who poured forth every thing for man, Yea, poured forth all thing- for mankind.
6 Eager for riches, men have formed for thee this song, like as a skilful craftsman fashioneth a car, so have they wrought thee to their bliss;
Adorning thee, O Singer, like a generous steed for deeds of might,
Yea, like a steed to show his strength and win the prize, that he may bear each prize away.
7 For Puru thou hast shattered, Indra ninety forts, for Divodasa thy boon servant with thy bolt, O Dancer, for thy worshipper.
For Atithigva he, the Strong, brought Sambara. from the mountain down,
Distributing the mighty treasures with his strength, parting all treasures with his strength.
8 Indra in battles help his Aryan worshipper, he who hath hundred helps at hand in every fray, in frays that win the light of heaven.
Plaguing the lawless he gave up to Manu's seed the dusky skin;
Blazing, 'twere, he burns each covetous man away, he burns, the tyrannous away.
9 Waxed strong in might at dawn he tore the Sun's wheel off. Bright red, he steals away their speech, the Lord of Power, their speech he steals away from them,
As thou with eager speed, O Sage, hast come from far away to hel
As winning for thine own all happiness of men, winning all happiness each day.
10 Lauded with our new hymns, O vigorous in deed, save us with strengthening help, thou Shatterer of the Forts!
Thou, Indra, praised by Divodasa's clansmen, as heaven grows great with days, shalt wax in glory.

HYMN CXXXI. Indra.

1. To Indra Dyaus the Asura hath bowed him down, to Indra mighty Earth with wide-extending tracts, to win the light, with wide-spread tracts.
All Gods of one accord have set Indra in front preeminent.
For Indra all libations must be set apart, all man's libations set apart.
2 In all libations men with hero spirit urge the Universal One, each seeking several light, each fain to win the light apart.
Thee, furthering like a ship, will we set to the chariot-pole of strength,
As men who win with sacrifices Indra's thought, men who win Indra with their lauds.
3 Couples desirous of thine aid are storming thee, pouring their presents forth to win a stall of kine, pouring gifts, Indra, seeking thee.
When two men seeking spoil or heaven thou bringest face to face in war,
Thou showest, Indra, -then the bolt thy constant friend, the Bull that ever waits on thee.
4 This thine heroic power men of old time have known, wherewith thou breakest down, Indra, autumnal forts, breakest them down with conquering might.
Thou hast chastised, O Indra, Lord of Strength, the man who worships not,
And made thine own this great earth and these water-floods; with joyous heart these waterfloods.
5 And they have bruited far this hero-might when thou, O Strong One, in thy joy helpest thy suppliants, who sought to win thee for their Friend.
Their battle-cry thou madest sound victorious in the shocks of war.
One stream after another have they gained from thee, eager for glory have they gained.
6. Also this morn may he be well inclined to us, mark at our call our offerings and our song of praise, our call that we may win the light.
As thou, O Indra Thunder-armed, wilt, as the Strong One, slay the foe,
Listen thou to the prayer of me a later sage, hear thou a later sage's prayer.
7 O Indra, waxen strong and well-inclined to us, thou very mighty, slay the man that is our foe, slay the man, Hero! with thy bolt.
Slay thou the man who injures us: hear thou, as readiest, to hear.
Far be malignity, like mischief on the march, afar be all malignity.

HYMN CXXXII. Indra.

1. HELPED, Indra Maghavan, by thee in war of old, may we subdue in fight the men who strive with us, conquer the men who war with us.
This day that now is close at hand bless him who pours the Soma juice.
In this our sacrifice may we divide the spoil, showing our strength, the spoil of war.
2 In war which wins the light, at the freegiver's call, at due oblation of the early-rising one, oblation of the active one,
Indra slew, even as we know-whom each bowed head must reverence.
May all thy bounteous gifts be gathered up for us, yea, the good gifts of thee the Good.
3 This food glows for thee as of old at sacrifice, wherein they made thee chooser of the place , for thou choosest the place of sacrifice.
Speak thou and make it known to us they see within with beams of light.
Indra, indeed, is found a seeker after spoil, spoil-seeker for his own allies.
4 So now must thy great deed be lauded as of old, when for the Angirases thou openedst the stall, openedst, giving aid, the stall.
In the same manner for us here fight thou and be victorious:
To him who pours the juice give up the lawless man, the lawless who is wroth with us.
5 When with wise plan the Hero leads the people forth, they conquer in the ordered battle, seeking fame, press, eager, onward seeking fame.
To him in time of need they sing for life with offspring and with strength.
Their hymns with Indra find a welcome place of rest: the hynins go forward to the Gods.
6 Indra and Parvata, our champions in the fight, di ive ye away each man who fain would war with us, drive him far from us with the bolt.
Welcome to him concealed afar shall he the lair that he hath found.
So may the Render rend our foes on every side, rend them, O Hero, everywhere.

HYMN CXXXIII. Indra.

1. WITH sacrifice I purge both earth and heaven: I burn up great she-fiends who serve not Indra,
Where throttled by thy hand the foes were slaughtered, and in the pit of death lay pierced and mangled.
2 O thou who castest forth the stones crushing the sorceresses' heads,
Break them with thy wide-spreading foot, with thy wide-spreading mighty foot.
3 Do thou, O Maghavan, beat off these sorceresses' daring strength.
Cast them within the narrow pit. within the deep and narrow pit.
4 Of whom thou hast ere now destroyed thrice-fifty with thy fierce attacks.
That deed they count a glorious deed, though small to thee, a glorious deed.
5 O Indra, crush and bray to bits the fearful fiery-weaponed fiend:
Strike every demon to the ground.
6 Tear down the mighty ones. O Indra, hear thou us. For heaven hath glowed like earth in fear, O nunder-armed, as dreading fierce heat, Thunder-armed!
Most Mighty mid the Mighty Ones thou speedest with strong bolts of death,
Not slaying men, unconquered Hero with the brave, O Hero, with the thrice-seven brave.
7 The pourer of libations gains the home of wealth, pouring his gift conciliates hostilities, yea, the hostilities of Gods.
Pouring, he strives, unchecked and strong, to win him riches thousandfold.
Indra gives lasting wealth to him who pours forth gifts, yea, wealth he gives that long shall last.

HYMN CXXXIV. Vayu.

1. Vayu, let fleet-foot coursers bring thee speedily to this our feast, to drink first of the juice we pour, to the first draught of Soma juice.
May our glad hymn, discerning well, uplifted, gratify thy mind.
Come with thy team-drawn car, O Vayu, to the gift, come to the sacrificer's gift.
2 May the joy-giving drops, O Vayu gladden thee, effectual, well prepared, directed to the heavens, strong, blent with milk and seeking heaven;
That aids, effectual to fulfil, may wait upon our skilful power.
Associate teams come hitherward to grant our prayers . they shall address the hymns we sing.
3 Two red steeds Vayu yokes, Vayu two purple steeds, swift-footed, to the chariot, to the pole to draw, most able, at the pole, to draw.
Wake up intelligence, as when a lover wakes his sleeping love.
Illumine heaven and earth, make thou the Dawns to shine, for glory make the Dawns to shine.
4 For thee the radiant Dawns in the fardistant sky broaden their lovely gannents forth in wondrous beams, bright-coloured in their new-born beams.
For thee the nectar-yielding Cow pours all rich treasures forth as milk.
The Marut host hast thou engendered from the womb, the Maruts from the womb of heaven.
5 For thee the pure bright quickly-flowing Soma-drops, strong in their heightening power, hasten to mixthemselves, hasten to the water to be mixed.
To thee the weary coward prays for luck that he may speed away.
Thou by thy law protectest us from every world, yea, from the world of highest Gods.
6 Thou, Vayu, who hast none before thee, first of all hast right to drink these offerings of Soma juice, hast right to drink the juice out-poured,
Yea, poured by all invoking tribes who free themselves from taint of sin,
For thee all cows are milked to yield the Soma-milk, to yield the butter and the milk.

HYMN CXXXV. Vayu, Indra-Vayu.

1. STREWN is the sacred grass; come Vayu, to our feast, with team of thousands, come, Lord of the harnessed team, with hundreds, Lord of harnessed steeds!
The drops divine are lifted up for thee, the God, to drink them first.
The juices rich in sweets have raised thern for thy joy, have raised themselves to give thee strength.
2 Purified by the stones the Soma flows for thee, clothed with its lovely splendours, to the reservoir, flows clad in its refulgent light.
For thee the Soma is poured forth, thy portioned share mid. Gods and men.
Drive thou thy horses, Vayu, come to us with love, come well-inclined and loving us.
3 Come thou with hundreds, come with thousands in thy team to this our solemn rite, to taste the sacred food, Vayu, to taste the offerings.
This is thy seasonable share, that comes co-radiant with the Sun.
Brought by attendant priests pure juice is offered up, Vayu, pure juice is offered up.
4 The chariot with its team of horses bring you both, to guard us and to taste the well-appointed food, Vayu, to taste the offerings!
Drink of the pleasant -flavoured juice the first draught is assigned to you.
O Vayu, with your splendid bounty come ye both, Indra, with bounty come ye both.
5 May our songs bring you hither to our solemn rites: these drops of mighty vigour have they beauti fied, like a swift veed of mighty strength.
Drink of them well-inclined to us, come hitherward to be our help.
Drink, Indra-Vayu, of these Juices pressed with stones, Strength-givers! till they gladden you.
6 These Soma juices pressed for you in waters here, borne by attendant priests, are oficredup to you: bright, Vayu, are they offered up.
Swift through the strainer have they flowed, and here are shed for both ofyou,
Soma-drops, fain for you, over the wether's fleece, Somas over the wether's fleece.
7 O Vayu, pass thou over all the,slumberers, and where the press-stone rings enter ye both that house, yea, Indra, go ye both within.
The joyous Maiden is beheld, the butter flows. With richly laden team come to our solemn rite, yea, Indra, come ye to the rite.
8 Ride hither to the offering of the pleasant juice, the holy Fig-tree which victorious priests surround: victorious be they still for us.
At once the cows yield milk, the barleymeal is dressed. For thee,
O Vayu, never shall the cows grow thin, never for thee shall they be dry.
9 These Bulls of thine, O Vayu with the arm of strength, who swiftly fly within the current of thy stream, the Bulls increasing in their might,
Horseless, yet even through the waste swift-moving, whom no shout can stay,
Hard to be checked are they, like sunbeams, in their course. hard to be checked by both the hands.

HYMN CXXXVI. Mitra-Varuna.

1. BRING adoration ample and most excellent, hymn, offierings, to the watchful Twain, the bountiful, your sweetest to the bounteous Ones.
Sovrans adored with streams of oil and praised at every sacrifice.
Their high imperial might may nowhere be assailed, ne'er may their Godhead be assailed.
2 For the broad Sun was seen a path more widely laid, the path of holy law hath been maintained with rays, the eye with Bhaga's rays of light.
Firm-set in heaven is Mitra's home, and Aryaman's and Varuna's.
Thence they give forth great vital strength which merits praise, high power of life that men shall praise.
3 With Aditi the luminous, the celestial, upholder of the people, come ye day by day, ye who watch sleepless, day by day.
Resplendent might have ye obtained, Adityas, Lords of liberal gifts.
Movers of men, mild both, are Mitra, Varuna, mover of men is Aryaman.
4 This Soma be most sweet to Mitra, Varuna: he in the drinking-feasts, shall have a share thereof, sharing, a God, among the Gods.
May all the Gods of one accord accept it joyfully to-day.
Therefore do ye, O Kings, accomplish what we ask, ye Righteous Ones, whate'er we ask.
5 Whoso, with worship serves Mitra and VaruiIa, him guard ye carefully, uninjured, from distress, guard from distress the liberal man.
Aryaman guards him well who acts uprightly following his law,
Who beautifies their service with his lauds, who makes it beautiful with songs of praise.
6 Worship will I proress to lofty Dyaus, to Heaven and Earth, to Mitra and to bounteous Varuna, the Bounteous, the Compassionate.
Praise Indra, praise thou Agni, praise Bhaga and heavenly Aryaman.
Long may we live and have attendant progeny, have progeny with Soma's help.
7 With the Gods' help, with Indra still beside us, may we be held self-splendid with the Maruts.
May Agni, Mitra, Varuna give us shelter this may we gain, we and our wealthy princes.

HYMN CXXXVII. Mitra-Varuna.

1. WITH stones have we pressed out: O come; these gladdening drops are blent with milk, these Soma-drops which gladden you.
Come to us, Kings who reach to heaven, approach us, coming hitherward.
These milky drops are yours, Mitra and Varuna, bright Soma juices blent with milk.
2 Here are the droppings; come ye nigh the Soma-droppings blent with curd, juices expressed and blent with curd.
Now for the wakening of your Dawn together with the Sun-God's rays,
juice waits for Mitra and for Varuna to drink, fair juice for drink, for sacrihce.
3 As 'twere a radiant-coloured cow, they milk with stones the stalk for you, with stones they milk the Soma-plant.
May ye come nigh us, may ye turn hither to drink the Soma juice.
The men pressed out this juice, Mitra and Varuna, pressed out this Soma for your drink.

HYMN CXXXVIII. Pusan.

1. STRONG Pusan's majesty is lauded evermore, the glory of his lordly might is never faint, his song of praise is never faint.
Seeking felicity I laud him nigh to help, the source, of bliss,
Who, Vigorous one, hath drawn to him the hearts of all, drawn them, the Vigorous One, the God.
2 Thee, then, O Pusan, like a swift one on his way, I urge with lauds that thou mayst make the foemen flee, drive, camel-like, our foes afar.
As I, a man, call thee, a God, giver of bliss, to be my Friend,
So make our loudly-chanted praises glorious, in battles make them glorious.
3 Thou, Pusan, in whose friendship they who sing forth praise enjoy advantage, even in wisdom, through thy grace, in wisdom even they are advanced.
So, after this most recent course, we come to thee with prayers for wealth.
Not stirred to anger, O Wide-Ruler, come to us, come thou to us in every fight.
4 Not stirred to anger, come, Free-giver, nigh to us, to take this gift of ours, thou who hast goats for steeds, Goat-borne! their gift who long for fame.
So, Wonder-Worker! may we turn thee hither with effectual lauds.
I slight thee not, O Pusan, thou Resplendent One: thy friendship may not be despised.

HYMN CXXXIX. Visvedevas.

1. HEARD be our prayer! In thought I honour Agni first: now straightway we elect this heavenly company, Indra and Vayu we elect.
For when our latest thought is raised and on Vivasvan centred well,
Then may our holy songs go forward on their way, our songs as 'twere unto the Gods.
2 As there ye, Mitra, Varuna, above the true have taken to yourselves the untrue with your mind, with wisdom's mental energy,
So in the seats wherein ye dwell have we beheld the Golden One,
Not with our thoughts or spirit, but with these our eyes, yea, with the eyes that Soma gives.
3 Asvins, the pious call you with their hymns of praise, sounding their loud song forth to you, these living men, to their oblations, living men.
All glories and all nourishment, Lords of all wealth! depend on you.
The fellies of your golden chariot scatter drops, Mighty Ones! of your golden car.
4 Well is it known, O Mighty Ones: ye open heaven; for you the chariotsteeds are yoked for morning rites, unswerving steeds for morning rites,
We set you on the chariot-scat, ye Mighty, on the golden car.
Ye seek mid-air as by a path that leads aright, as by a path that leads direct.
5 O Rich in Strength, through your great power vouchsafe us blessings day and night.
The offerings which we bring to you shall never fail, gifts brought by us shall never fail.
6 These Soma-drops, strong Indra! drink for heroes, poured, pressed out by pressing-stones, are welling forth for thee, for thee the drops are welling forth.
They shall make glad thy heart to give, to give wealth great and wonderful.
Thou who acceptest praise come glorified by hymns, come thou to us benevolent.
7 Quickly, O Agni, hear us: magnified by us thou shalt speck for us to the Gods adorable yea, to the Kings adorable:
When, O ye Deities, ye gave that Milch-cow to the Angirases,
They milked her: Aryaman, joined with them, did the work: he knoweth her as well as I.
8 Ne'er may these manly deeds of yours for us grow old, never may your bright glories fall into decay, never before our time decay.
What deed of yours, new every age, wondrous, surpassing man, rings forth,
Whatever, Maruts! may be difficult to gain, grant us, whate'er is hard to gain.
9 Dadhyac of old, Anigiras, Priyamedha these, and Kanva, Atri, Manu knew my birth, yea, tbose of ancient days and Manu knew.
Their long line stretcheth to the Gods, our birth-connexions are with them.
To these, for their high station, 1 bow down with song, to Indra, Agni, bow with song.
10 Let the Invoker bless: let offerers bring choice gifts; Brhaspati the Friend doth sacrifice with Steers, Steers that have many an excellence.
Now with our ears we catch the sound of the press-stone that rings afar.
The very Strong hath gained the waters by himself, the strong gained many a resting-place.
11 O ye Eleven Gods whose home is heaven, O ye Eleven who make earth your dwelling,
Ye who with might, Eleven, live in waters, accept this sacrifice, O Gods, with pleasure.