
The Rig Veda Book 2 - Verses 10 to 20

HYMN X. Agni.
1.Agni, first, loudly calling, like a Father, kindled by
man upon the seat of worship.
Clothed in his glory, deathless,
keen of insight, must be adorned by all, the Strong, the Famous.
2 May Agni the resplendent hear my calling through all my songs,
Immortal, keen of insight.
Dark steeds or ruddy draw his
car, or carried in sundry ways he makes them red of colour.
3 On wood supine they got the well-formed Infant: a germ in
various-fashioned plants was Agni;
And in the night, not
compassed round by darkness, he dwells exceeding wise, with
rays of splendour.
4 With oil and sacred gifts I sprinkle
Agni who makes his home in front of all things living,
Broad,
vast, through vital power o'er all expanded, conspicuous, strong
with all the food that feeds him.
5 I pour to him who looks
in all directions: may he accept it with a friendly spirit.
Agni with bridegroom's grace and lovely colour may not be touched
when all his form is fury.
6 By choice victorious, recognize
thy portion: with thee for envoy may we speak like Manu.
Obtaining wealth, I call on perfect Agni who with an eloquent
tongue dispenses sweetness.
HYMN XI. Indra.
1. HEAR thou my call, O Indra; be not heedless: thine may
we be for thee to give us treasures;
For these presented
viands, seeking riches, increase thy strength like streams of
water flowing.
2 Floods great and many, compassed by the
Dragon, thou badest swell and settest free, O Hero.
Strengthened
by songs of praise thou rentest piecemeal the Dasa, him who
deemed himself immortal.
3 For, Hero, in the lauds wherein
thou joyedst, in hymns of praise, O Indra, songs of Rudras,
These streams in which is thy delight approach thee, even as
the brilliant ones draw near to Vayu.
4 We who add strength
to thine own splendid vigour, laying within thine arms the splendid
thunder-
With us mayst thou, O Indra, waxen splendid, with
Surya overcome the Dasa races.
5 Hero, thou slewest in thy
valour Ahi concealed in depths, mysterious, great enchanter,
Dwelling enveloped deep within the waters, him who checked heaven
and stayed the floods from flowing.
6 Indra, we laud thy
great deeds wrought aforetime, we laud thine exploits later
of achievement;
We laud the bolt that in thine arms lies
eager; we laud thy two Bay Steeds, heralds of Surya.
7 Indra,
thy Bay Steeds showing forth their vigour have sent a loud cry
out that droppeth fatness.
The earth hath spread herself
in all her fulness: the cloud that was about to move hath rested.
8 Down, never ceasing, hath the rain-cloud settled: bellowing,
it hath wandered with the Mothers.
Swelling the roar in the
far distant limits, they have spread wide the blast sent forth
by Indra.
9 Indra hath hurled down the magician Vrtra who lay beleaguering
the mighty river.
Then both the heaven and earth trembled
in terror at the strong Hero's thunder when he bellowed.
10 Loud roared the mighty Hero's bolt of thunder, when he, the
Friend of man, burnt up the monster,
And, having drunk his
fill of flowing Soma, baffled the guileful Danava's devices.
11 Drink thou, O Hero Indra, drink the Soma; let the joy-giving
juices make thee joyful.
They, filling both thy flanks, shall
swell thy vigour. The juice that satisfies hath helped Indra.
12 Singers have we become with thee, O Indra: may we serve duly
and prepare devotion.
Seeking thy help we meditate thy praises:
may we at once enjoy thy gift of riches.
13 May we be thine,
such by thy help, O Indra, as swell thy vigour while they seek
thy favour.
Give us, thou God, the riches that we long for,
most powerful, with stare of noble children.
14 Give us a
friend, give us an habitation; Indra, give us the company of
Maruts,
And those whose minds accord with theirs, the Vayus,
who drink the first libation of the Soma.
15 Let those enjoy
in whom thou art delighted. Indra, drink Soma for thy strength
and gladness.
Thou hast exalted us to heaven, Preserver,
in battles, through the lofty hymns that praise thee.
16
Great, verily, are they, O thou Protector, who by their songs
of praise have won the blessing.
They who strew sacred grass
to be thy dwelling, helped by thee have got them strength, O
Indra.
17 Upon the great Trikadruka days, Hero, rejoicing
thee, O Indra, drink the Soma.
Come with Bay Steeds to drink
of libation, shaking the drops from out thy beard, contented.
18 Hero, assume the might wherewith thou clavest Vrtra piecemeal,
the Danava Aurnavabha.
Thou hast disclosed the light to light
the Arya: on thy left hand, O Indra, sank the Dasyu.
19 May
we gain wealth, subduing with thy succour and with the Arya,
all our foes, the Dasyus.
Our gain was that to Trta of our
party thou gavest up Tvastar's son Visvarupa.
20 He cast
down Arbuda what time his vigour was strengthened by libations
poured by Trta.
Indra sent forth his whirling wheel like
Surya, and aided by the Angirases rent Vala.
21 Now let that
wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra, yield in return a boon to him
who lauds thee.
Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail
us. Loud may we speak, with brave men, in the assembly.
HYMN XII. Indra.
1. HE who, just born, chief God of lofty spirit by power
and might became the Gods' protector,
Before whose breath
through greatness of his valour the two worlds trembled, He,
O men, is Indra.
2 He who fixed fast and firm the earth that
staggered, and set at rest the agitated mountains,
Who measured
out the air's wide middle region and gave the heaven support,
He, men, is Indra.
3 Who slew the Dragon, freed the Seven
Rivers, and drove the kine forth from the cave of Vala,
Begat
the fire between two stones, the spoiler in warriors' battle,
He, O men, is Indra.
4 By whom this universe was made to
tremble, who chased away the humbled brood of demons,
Who,
like a gambler gathering his winnings seized the foe's riches,
He, O men, is Indra.
5 Of whom, the Terrible, they ask, Where
is He? or verily they say of him, He is not.
He sweeps away,
like birds, the foe's possessions. Have faith in him, for He,
O men, is Indra.
6 Stirrer to action of the poor and lowly,
of priest, of suppliant who sings his praises;
Who, fair-faced,
favours him who presses Soma with stones made ready, He, O men,
is Indra.
7 He under whose supreme control are horses, all
chariots, and the villages, and cattle;
He who gave being
to the Sun and Morning, who leads the waters, He, O men, is
Indra.
8 To whom two armies cry in close encounter, both
enemies, the stronger and the weaker;
Whom two invoke upon
one chariot mounted, each for himself, He, O ye men, is Indra.
9 Without whose help our people never conquer; whom, battling,
they invoke to give them succour;
He of whom all this world
is but the copy, who shakes things moveless, He, O men, is Indra.
10 He who hath smitten, ere they knew their danger, with his
hurled weapon many grievous sinners;
Who pardons not his
boldness who provokes him, who slays the Dasyti, He, O men,
is Indra.
11 He who discovered in the fortieth autumn Sambara
as he dwelt among the mountains;
Who slew the Dragon putting
forth his vigour, the demon lying there, He, men, is Indra.
12 Who with seven guiding reins, the Bull, the Mighty, set free
the Seven great Floods to flow at pleasure;
Who, thunder-armed,
rent Rauhina in pieces when scaling heaven, He, O ye men, is
Indra.
13 Even the Heaven and Earth bow down before him,
before his very breath the mountains tremble.
Known as the
Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, who wields the bolt, He, O
ye men, is Indra.
14 Who aids with favour him who pours the
Soma and him who brews it, sacrificer, singer.
Whom prayer
exalts, and pouring forth of Soma, and this our gift, He, O
ye men, Is Indra.
15 Thou verily art fierce and true who
sendest strength to the man who brews and pours libation.
So may we evermore, thy friends, O Indra, speak loudly to the
synod with our heroes.
HYMN XIII. Indra.
1. THE Season was the parent, and when born therefrom it
entered rapidly the floods wherein it grows.
Thence was it
full of sap, streaming with milky juice: the milk of the plant's
stalk is chief and meet for lauds.
2 They come trooping together
bearing milk to him, and bring him sustenance who gives support
to all.
The way is common for the downward streams to flow.
Thou who didst these things first art worthy of our lauds.
3 One priest announces what the institutor gives: one, altering
the forms, zealously plies his task,
The third corrects the
imperfections left by each. Thou who didst these things first
art worthy of our lauds.
4 Dealing out food unto their people
there they sit, like wealth to him who comes, more than the
back can bear.
Greedily with his teeth he eats the master's
food. Thou who didst these things first art worthy of our lauds.
5 Thou hast created earth to look upon the sky: thou, slaying
Ahi, settest free the river's paths.
Thee, such, a God, the
Gods have quickened with their lauds, even as a steed with waters:
meet for praise art thou.
6 Thou givest increase, thou dealest
to us our food: thou milkest from the moist the dry, the rich
in sweets.
Thou by the worshipper layest thy precious store:
thou art sole Lord of all. Meet for our praise art thou.
7 Thou who hast spread abroad the streams by stablished law,
and in the field the plants that blossom and bear seed;
Thou
who hast made the matchless lightnings of the sky,-vast, compassing
vast realms, meet for our praise art thou.
8 Who broughtest
Narmara with all his wealth, for sake of food, to slay him that
the fiends might be destroyed,
Broughtest the face unclouded
of the strengthening one, performing much even now, worthy art
thou of praise.
9 Thou boundest up the Dasa's hundred friends
and ten, when, at one's hearing, thou belpest thy worshipper.
Thou for Dabhiti boundest Dasyus not with cords; Thou wast a
mighty help. Worthy of lauds art thou.
10 All banks of rivers
yielded to his manly might; to him they gave, to him, the Strong,
gave up their wealth.
The six directions hast thou fixed,
a five-fold view: thy victories reached afar. Worthy of lauds
art thou.
11 Meet for high praise, O Hero, is thy power,
that with thy single wisdom thou obtainest wealth,
The life-support
of conquering Jatusthira. Indra, for all thy deeds, worthy of
lauds art thou.
12 Thou for Turviti heldest still the flowing
floods, the river-stream for Vayya easily to pass
Didst raise
the outcast from the depths, and gavest fame unto the halt and
blind. Worthy of lauds art thou.
13 Prepare thyself to grant
us that great bounty, O Vasu, for abundant is thy treasure.
Snatch up the wonderful, O Indra, daily. Loud may we speak,
with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XIV. Indra.
1. MINISTERS, bring the Soma juice for Indra, pour forth
the gladdening liquor with the beakers.logeth ever
To drink
of this the Hero offer it to the Bull, for this he willeth.
2 Ye ministers, to him who with the lightning smote, like a
tree, the rain-withholding Vrtra-
Bring it to him, him who
is fain to taste it, a draught of this which Indra here deserveth.
3 Ye ministers, to him who smote Drhhikas who drove the kine
forth, and discovered Vala,
Offer this draught, like Vita
in the region: clothe him with Soma even as steeds with trappings.
4 Him who did Urana to death, Adhvaryus! though showing arms
ninety-and-nine in number;
Who cast down headlong Arbuda
and slew him,-speed ye that Indra to our offered Soma.
5
Ye ministers, to him who struck down Svasna, and did to death
Vyamsa and greedy Susna,
And Rudhikras and Namuci and Pipru,-
to him, to Indra, pour ye forth libation.
6 Ye ministers,
to him who as with thunder demolished Sambara's hundred ancient
castles;
Who cast down Varcin's sons, a hundred thousand,-to
him, to Indra, offer ye the Soma.
7 Ye ministers, to him
who slew a hundred thousand, and cast them down upon earth's
bosom;
Who quelled the valiant men of Atithigva, Kutsa, and
Ayu,-bring to him the Soma.
8 Ministers, men, whatever thing
ye long for obtain ye quickly bringing gifts to Indra.
Bring
to the Glorious One what bands have cleansed; to Indra bring,
ye pious ones, the Soma.
9 Do ye, O ministers, obey his order:
that purified in wood, in wood uplift ye.
Well pleased he
longs for what your hands have tended: offer the gladdening
Soma juice to Indra.
10 As the cow's udder teems with milk,
Adhvaryus, so fill with Soma Indra, liberal giver.
I know
him: I am sure of this, the Holy knows that I fain would give
to him more largely.
11 Him, ministers, the Lord of heavenly
treasure and all terrestrial wealth that earth possesses,
Him, Indra, fill with Soma as a garner is filled with barley
full: be this your labour.
12 Prepare thyself to grant us
that great booty, O Vasu, for abundant is thy treasure.
Gather
up wondrous wealth, O Indra, daily. Loud may we speak, with
heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XV. Indra
1. Now, verily, will I declare the exploits, mighty and true,
of him the True and Mighty.
In the Trikadrukas he drank the
Soma then in its rapture Indra slew the Dragon.
2 High heaven
unsupported in space he stablished: he filled the two worlds
and the air's mid-region.
Earth he upheld, and gave it wide
expansion. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.
3 From front, as 'twere a house, he ruled and measured; pierced
with his bolt the fountains of the rivers,
And made them
flow at ease by paths far-reaching, These things did Indra in
the Soma's rapture.
4 Compassing those who bore away Dabhiti,
in kindled fire he burnt up all their weapons.
And made him
rich with kine and cars and horses. These things did Indra in
the Soma's rapture.
5 The mighty roaring flood he stayed
from flowing, and carried those who swam not safely over.
They having crossed the stream attained to riches. These things
did Indra in the Soma's rapture.
6 With mighty power he made
the stream flow upward, crushed with his thunderbolt the car
of Usas,
Rending her slow steeds with his rapid coursers.
These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.
7 Knowing the
place wherein the maids were hiding, the outcast showed himself
and stood before them.
The cripple stood erect, the blind
beheld them. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.
8 Praised by the Angirases he slaughtered Vala, and burst apart
the bulwarks of the mountain.
He tore away their deftly-built
defences. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.
9
Thou, with sleep whelming Cumuri and Dhuni, slewest the Dasyu,
keptest safe Dabhiti.
There the staff-bearer found the golden
treasure. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.
10
Now let that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra , yield in return
a boon to him who lauds thee.
Give to thy praisers: let not
fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with brave men, in assembly.
HYMN XVI. Indra.
1. To him, your own, the best among the good, I bring eulogy,
like oblation in the kindled fire.
We invocate for help Indra
untouched by eld, who maketh all decay, strengthened, for ever
young.
2 Without whom naught exists, Indra the Lofty One;
in whom alone all powers heroic are combined.
The Soma is
within him, in his frame vast strength, the thunder in his hand
and wisdom in his head.
3 Not by both worlds is thine own
power to be surpassed, nor may thy car be stayed by mountains
or by seas.
None cometh near, O Indra, to thy thunderbolt,
when with swift steeds thou fliest over many a league.
4
For all men bring their will to him the Resolute, to him the
Holy One, to him the Strong they cleave.
Pay worship with
oblation, strong and passing wise. Drink thou the Soma, Indra,
through the mighty blaze.
5 The vessel of the strong flows
forth, the flood of meath, unto the Strong who feeds upon the
strong, for drink,
Strong are the two Adhvaryus, strong are
both the stones. They press the Soma that is strong for him
the Strong.
6 Strong is thy thunderbolt, yea, and thy car
is strong; strong are thy Bay Steeds and thy weapons powerful.
Thou, Indra, Bull, art Lord of the strong gladdening drink.
with the strong Soma, Indra, satisfy thyself.
7 I, bold by
prayer, come near thee in thy sacred rites, thee like a saving
ship, thee shouting in the war.
Verily he will hear and mark
this word of ours: we will pour Indra forth as 'twere a spring
of wealth.
8 Turn thee unto us ere calamity come nigh, as
a cow full of pasture turns her to her calf.
Lord of a Hundred
Powers, may we once firmly cling to thy fair favours even as
husbands to their wives.
9 Now let that wealthy Cow of thine,
O Indra, yield in return a boon to him who lauds thee.
Give
to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak,
with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XVII. Indra.
1. LIKE the Angirases, sing this new song forth to him, for,
as in ancient days, his mighty powers are shown,
When in
the rapture of the Soma he unclosed with strength the solid
firm-shut stables of the kine.
2 Let him be even that God
who, for the earliest draught measuring out his power, increased
his majesty;
Hero who fortified his body in the wars, and
through his greatness set the heaven upon his head.
3 Thou
didst perform thy first great deed of hero might what time thou
showedst power, through prayer, before this folk.
Hurled
down by thee the car-borne Lord of Tawny Steeds, the congregated
swift ones fled in sundry ways.
4 He made himself by might
Lord of all living things, and strong in vital power waxed great
above them all.
He, borne on high, o'erspread with light
the heaven and earth, and, sewing up the turbid darkness, closed
it in.
5 He with his might made firm the forward-bending
hills, the downward rushing of the waters he ordained.
Fast
he upheld the earth that nourisheth all life, and stayed the
heaven from falling by his wondrous skill.
6 Fit for the
grasping of his arms is what the Sire hath fabricated from all
kind of precious wealth.
The thunderbolt, wherewith, loud-roaring,
he smote down, and striking him to death laid Krivi on the earth.
7 As she who in her parents' house is growing old, I pray to
thee as Bhaga from the seat of all.
Grant knowledge, mete
it out and bring it to us here: give us the share wherewith
thou makest people glad.
8 May we invoke thee as a liberal
giver thou givest us, O Indra, strength and labours.
Help
us with manifold assistance, Indra: Migthy One, Indra, make
us yet more wealthy.
9 Now may that weaithy Cow of thine,
O Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee.
Give
to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak,
with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XVIII. Indra
1. THE rich new car hath been equipped at morning; four yokes
it hath, three whips, seven reins to guide it:
Ten-sided,
friendly to mankind, light-winner, that must be urged to speed
with prayers and wishes.
2 This is prepared for him the first,
the second, and the third time: he is man's Priest and Herald.
Others get offspring of another parent he goeth, as a noble
Bull, with others.
3 To Indra's car the Bay Steeds have I
harnessed, that new well-spoken words may bring him hither.
Here let not other worshippers detain thee, for among us are
many holy singers.
4 Indra, come hitherward with two Bay
Coursers, come thou with four, with six when invocated.
Come
thou with eight, with ten, to drink the Soma. Here is the juice,
brave Warrior: do not scorn it.
5 O Indra, come thou hither
having harnessed thy car with twenty, thirty, forty horses.
Come thou with fifty well trained coursers, Indra, sixty or
seventy, to drink the Soma.
6 Come to us hitherward, O Indra,
carried by eighty, ninety, or an hundred horses.
This Soma
juice among the Sunahotras hath been poured out, in love, to
glad thee, Indra.
7 To this my prayer, O Indra, come thou
hither: bind to thy car's pole all thy two Bay Coursers.
Thou art to be invoked in many places Hero, rejoice thyself
in this libation.
8 Ne'er be my love from Indra disunited
still may his liberal Milch-cow yield us treasure.
So may
we under his supreme protection, safe in his arms, succeed in
each forth-going.
9 Now may that wealthy Cow Of thine, O
Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee.
Give
to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak,
with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XIX. Indra.
1. DRAUGHTS of this sweet juice have been drunk for rapture,
of the wise Soma-presser's offered dainty,
Wherein, grown
mighty in the days aforetime, Indra hath found delight, and
men who worship.
2 Cheered by this meath Indra, whose hand
wields thunder, rent piecemeal Ahi who barred up the waters,
So that the quickening currents of the rivers flowed forth like
birds unto their resting-places.
3 Indra, this Mighty One,
the Dragon's slayer, sent forth the flood of waters to the ocean.
He gave the Sun his life, he found the cattle, and with the
night the works of days completed.
4 To him who worshippeth
hath Indra given many and matchless gifts. He slayeth Vrtra.
Straight was he to be sought with supplications by men who struggled
to obtain the sunlight.
5 To him who poured him gifts he
gave up Surya,-Indra, the God, the Mighty, to the mortal;
For Etasa with worship brought him riches that keep distress
afar, as 'twere his portion.
6 Once to the driver of his
chariot, Kutsa, he gave up greedy Surya, plague of harvest;
And Indra, for the sake of Divodasa demolished Sambara's nine-and-ninety
castles.
7 So have we brought our hymn to thee, O Indra,
strengthening thee and fain ourselves for glory.
May we with
best endeavours gain this friendship, and mayst thou bend the
godless scorner's weapons.
8 Thus the Grtsamadas for thee,
O Hero, have wrought their hymn and task as seeking favour.
May they who worship thee afresh, O Indra, gain food and strength,
bliss, and a happy dwelling.
9 Now may that wealthy Cow of
thine, O Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee,
Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak,
with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XX. Indra.
1. As one brings forth his car when fain for combat, so bring
we power to thee- regard us, Indra-
Well skilled in song,
thoughtful in spirit, seeking great bliss from one like thee
amid the Heroes.
2 Indra, thou art our own with thy protection,
a guardian near to men who love thee truly,
Active art thou,
the liberal man's defender, his who draws near to thee with
right devotion.
3 May Indra, called with solemn invocations.
the young, the Friend, be men's auspicious keeper,
One who
will further with his aid the singer, the toiler, praiser, dresser
of oblations.
4 With laud and song let me extol that Indra
in whom of old men prospered and were mighty.
May he, implored,
fulfil the prayer for plenty of him who worships, of the living
mortal.
5 He, Indra whom the Angirases' praise delighted,
strengthened their prayer and made their goings prosper.
Stealing away the mornings with the sunlight, he, lauded, crushed
even Asna's ancient powers.
6 He verily, the God, the glorious
Indra, hath raised him up for man, best Wonder-Worker.
He,
self-reliant, mighty and triumphant, brought low the dear head
of the wicked Dasa.
7 Indra theVrtra-slayer, Fort-destroyer,
scattered the Dasa hosts who dwelt in darkness.
For men hath
he created earth and waters, and ever helped the prayer of him
who worships.
8 To him in might the Gods have ever yielded,
to Indra in the tumult of thebattle.
When in his arms they
laid the bolt, he slaughtered the Dasyus and cast down their
forts of iron.
9 Now may that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra,
give in return a boon to him who lauds thee.
Give to thy
praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with heroes,
in assembly.
Suggestions for Further Reading
- The Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Introduction
- Hymns of the Sama veda translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
- Yajur Veda: The Veda Of The Black Yajus School
- Hymns Of The Atharva-Veda
- Anugita English Translation
- THE Sanatsugâtîya, A Spiritual Dialogue
- Dharmashastras, the Sacred Law Books of Hindus
- The Hindu Dharmashastras, Subject Index
- The Grihya Sutras, The Vedic Domestic Ritual Texts
- The Sankhya Sutras of Kapila, Index page
- Translation of Upanishads by Swami Paramananda, Index
- A History Of Indian Philosophy - Chapter Index
- The Upanishads translated by Max Muller
- Vedic Reader for Students
- The Bhagavad-gita in a nutshell
- Essays On Dharma
- Esoteric Mystic Hinduism
- Introduction to Hinduism
- Hindu Way of Life
- Essays On Karma
- Hindu Rites and Rituals
- The Origin of The Sanskrit Language
- Symbolism in Hinduism
- Essays on The Upanishads
- Concepts of Hinduism
- Essays on Atman
- Hindu Festivals
- Spiritual Practice
- Right Living
- Yoga of Sorrow
- Happiness
- Mental Health
- Concepts of Buddhism
- General Essays
Source: An English translation of the Vedas by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1896.