The Rig Veda Book 3 - Verses 41 to 50

HYMN XLI. Indra.

1. INVOKED to drink the Soma juice, come with thy Bay Steeds, Thunder-armed
Come, Indra, hitherward to me.
2 Our priest is seated, true to time; the grass is regularly strewn;
The pressing-stones were set at morn.
3 These prayers, O thou who hearest prayer are offered: seat thee on the grass.
Hero, enjoy the offered cake.
4 O Vrtra-slayer, be thou pleased with these libations, with these hymns,
Song-loving Indra, with our lauds.
5 Our hymns caress the Lord of Strength, vast, drinker of the Soma's juice,
Indra, as mother-cows their calf.
6 Delight thee with the juice we pour for thine own great munificence:
Yield not thy singer to reproach.
7 We, Indra, dearly loving thee, bearing oblation, sing thee hymns
Thou, Vasu, dearly lovest us.
8 O thou to whom thy Bays are dear, loose not thy Horses far from us:
Here glad thee, Indra, Lord divine.
9 May long-maned Coursers, dropping oil, bring thee on swift car hitherward,
Indra, to seat thee on the grass.

HYMN XLII. Indra.

1. COME to the juice that we have pressed, to Sorna, Indra, bleat with milk:
Come, favouring us, thy Bay-drawn car!
2 Come, Indra, to this gladdening drink, placed on the grass, pressed out with stones:
Wilt thou not drink thy fill thereof?
3 To Indra have my songs of praise gone forth, thus rapidly sent hence,
To turn him to the Soma-draught.
4 Hither with songs of praise we call Indra to drink the Soma juice:
Will he not come to us by lauds?
5 Indra, these Somas are expressed. Take them within thy belly, Lord
Of Hundred Powers, thou Prince of Wealth.
6 We know thee winner of the spoil, and resolute in battles, Sage!
Therefore thy blessing we implore.
7 Borne hither by thy Stallions, drink, Indra, this juice which we have pressed,
Mingled with barley and with milk.
8 Indra, for thee, in thine own place, I urge the Soma for thy draught:
Deep in thy heart let it remain,
9 We call on thee, the Ancient One, Indra, to drink the Soma juice,
We Kusikas who seek thine aid.

HYMN XLIII. Indra.

1. MOUNTED upon thy chariot-seat approach us: thine is the Sorna-draught from days aforetime.
Loose for the sacred grass thy dear companions. These men who bring oblation call thee hither.
2 Come our true Friend, passing by many people; come with thy two Bay Steeds to our devotions;
For these our hymns are calling thee, O Indra, hymns formed for praise, soliciting thy friendship.
3 Pleased, with thy Bay Steeds, Indra, God, come quickly to this our sacrifice that heightens worship;
For with my thoughts, presenting oil to feed thee, I call thee to the feast of sweet libations.
4 Yea, let thy two Bay Stallions bear thee hither, well limbed and good to draw, thy dear companions.
Pleased with the corn-blent offering which we bring thee, may Indra, Friend, hear his friend's adoration.
5 Wilt thou not make me guardian of the people, make me, impetuous Maghavan, their ruler?
Make me a Rsi having drunk of Soma? Wilt thou not give me wealth that lasts for ever?
6 Yoked to thy chariot, led thy tall Bays, Indra, companions of thy banquet, bear thee hither,
Who from of old press to heaven's farthest limits, the Bull's impetuous and well-groomed Horses.
7 Drink of the strong pressed out by strong ones, Indra, that which the Falcon brought thee when thou longedst;
In whose wild joy thou stirrest up the people, in whose wild joy thou didst unbar the cow-stalls.
8 Call we on Indra, Makhavan, auspicious, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.

HYMN XLIV. Indra.

1. May this delightsome Soma be expressed for thee by tawny stones.
Joying thereat, O Indra, with thy Bay Steeds come:. ascend thy golden-coloured car.
2 In love thou madest Usas glow, in love thou madest Surya shine.
Thou, Indra, knowing, thinking, Lord of Tawny Steeds, above all glories waxest great.
3 The heaven with streams of golden hue, earth with her tints of green and gold-
The golden Pair yield Indra plenteous nourishment: between them moves the golden One.
4 When born to life the golden Bull illumines all the realm of light.
He takes his golden weapon, Lord of Tawny Steeds, the golden thunder in his arms.
5 The bright, the well-loved thunderbolt, girt with the bright, Indra disclosed,
Disclosed the Soma juice pressed out by tawny stones, with tawny steeds drave forth the kine.

HYMN XLV. Indra.

1. COME hither, Indra, with Bay Steeds, joyous, with tails like peacocks' plumes.
Let no men cheek thy course as fowlers stay the bird: pass o'er them as o'er desert lands.
2 He who slew Vrtra, burst the cloud, brake the strongholds and drave the floods,
Indra who mounts his chariot at his Bay Steeds' cry, shatters e'en things that stand most firm.
3 Like pools of water deep and full, like kine thou cherishest thy might;
Like the milch-cows that go well-guarded to the mead, like water-brooks that reach the lake.
4 Bring thou us wealth with power to strike, our share, 'gainst him who calls it his.
Shake, Indra, as with hooks, the tree for ripened fruit, for wealth to satisfy our wish.
5 Indra, self-ruling Lord art thou, good Leader, of most glorious fame.
So, waxen in thy strength, O thou whom many praise, be thou most swift to hear our call.

HYMN XLVI. Indra.

1. OF thee, the Bull, the Warrior, Sovran Ruler, joyous and fierce, ancient and ever youthful,
The undecaying One who wields the thunder, renowned and great, great are the exploits, Indra.
2 Great art thou, Mighty Lord, through manly vigour, O fierce One, gathering spoil, subduing others,
Thyself alone the universe's Sovran: so send forth men to combat and to rest them.
3 He hath surpassed all measure in his brightness, yea, and the Gods, for none may be his equal.
Impetuous Indra in his might cxccedcth wide vast mid-air and heaven and earth together.
4 To Indra, even as rivers to the ocean, flow forth from days of old the Soma juices;
To him wide deep and mighty from his birth-time, the well of holy thoughts, aIl-comprehending.
5 The Soma, Indra, which the earth and heaven bear for thee as a mother bears her infant,
This they send forth to thee, this, vigorous Hero! Adhvaryus purify for thee to drink of.

HYMN XLVII. Indra.

1. DRINK, Indra, Marut-girt, as Bull, the Soma, for joy, for rapture even as thou listest.
Pour down the flood of meath within thy belly: thou from of old art King of Soma juices.
2 Indra, accordant, with the banded Maruts, drink Soma, Hero, as wise Vrtra-slayer.
Slay thou our foemen, drive away assailants and make us safe on every side from danger.
3 And, drinker at due seasons, drink in season, Indra, with friendly Gods, our pressed-out Soma.
The Maruts following, whom thou madest sharers, gave thee the victory, and thou slewest Vrtra.
4 Drink Soma, Indra, banded with the Maruts who, Maghavan, strengthened thee at Ahi's slaughter,
'Gainst Sambara, Lord of Bays! in winning cattle, and now rejoice in thee, the holy Singers.
5 The Bull whose strength hath waxed, whom Maruts follow, free-giving Indra, the celestial Ruler,
Mighty, all-conquering, the victory-giver, him let us call to grant us new protection.

HYMN XLVIII. Indra.

1. SOON as the young Bull sprang into existence he longed to taste the pressed-out Soma's liquor.
Drink thou thy fill, according to thy longing, first, of the goodly mixture blent with Soma.
2 That day when thou wast born thou, fain to taste it, drankest the plant's milk which the mountains nourish.
That milk thy Mother first, the Dame who bare thee, poured for thee in thy mighty Father's dwelling.
3 Desiring food he came unto his Mother, and on her breast beheld the pungent Soma.
Wise, he moved on, keeping aloof the others, and wrought great exploits in his varied aspects.
4 Fierce, quickly conquering, of surpassing vigour, he framed his body even as he listed.
E'en from his birth-time Indra conquered Tvastar, bore off the Soma and in beakers drank it.
5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.

HYMN XLIX. Indra.

1. GREAT Indra will I laud, in whom all people who drink the Soma have attained their longing;
Whom, passing wise, Gods, Heaven and Earth, engendered, formed by a Master's hand, to crush the Vrtras.
2 Whom, most heroic, borne by Tawny Coursers, verily none subdueth in the battle;
Who, reaching far, most vigorous, hath shortened the Dasyu's life with Warriors bold of spirit.
3 Victor in fight, swift mover like a warhorse, pervading both worlds, rainer down of blessings,
To he invoked in war like Bhaga, Father, as 'twere, of hymns, fair, prompt to hear, strength-giver.
4 Supporting heaven, the high back of the region, his car is Vayu with his team of Vasus.
Illumining the nights, the Sun's creator, like Dhisana he deals forth strength and riches.
5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers treasure.

HYMN L. Indra.

1. LET Indra drink, All-hail! for his is Soma,-the mighty Bull come, girt by Maruts, hither.
Far-reaching, let him fill him with these viands, and let our offering sate his body's longing.
2 I yoke thy pair of trusty Steeds for swiftness, whose faithful service from of old thou lovest.
Here, fair of cheek! let thy Bay Coursers place thee: drink of this lovely welleffused libation.
3 With milk they made Indra their good Preserver, lauding for help and rule the bounteous rainer.
Impetuous God, when thou hast drunk the Soma, enraptured send us cattle in abundance.
4 With kine and horses satisfy this longing with very splendid bounty still extend it.
Seeking the light, with hymns to thee, O Indra, the Kusikas have brought their gift, the singers.
5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.