The Rig Veda Book 5 - Verses 31 to 40

HYMN XXXI. Indra.

1. MAGHAVAN Indra turns his chariot downward, the strength-displaying car which he hath mounted.
Even as a herdsman driveth forth his cattle, he goeth, first, uninjured, fain for treasure.
2. Haste to us, Lord of Bays; be not ungracious: visit us, lover of gold-hued oblation.
There is naught else better than thou art, Indra: e'en to the wifeless hast thou given spouses.
3 When out of strength arose the strength that conquers, Indra displayed all powers that he possesses.
Forth from the cave he drove the milky mothers, and with the light laid bare investing darkness.
4. Anus have wrought a chariot for thy Courser, and Tvastar, Much-invoked! thy bolt that glitters.
The Brahmans with their songs exalting Indra increased his strength that he might slaughter Ahi.
5 When heroes sang their laud to thee the Hero, Indra! and stones and Aditi accordant,
Without or steed or chariot were the fellies which, sped by Indra, rolled upon the Dasytis.
6 I will declare thine exploits wrought aforetime, and, Maghavan, thy deeds of late achievement,
When, Lord of Might, thou sunderedst earth and heaven, winning for man the moistly-gleaming waters.
7 This is thy deed, e'en this, Wonderful! Singer! that, slaying Ahi, here thy strength thou showedst,
Didst check and stay e'en gusna's wiles and magic, and, drawing nigh, didst chase away the Dasytis.
8 Thou, Indra, on the farther bank forYadu and Turvaga didst stay the gushing waters.
Ye both assailed the fierce: thou barest Kutsa: when Gods and Usana came to you together.
9 Let the steeds bring you both, Indra and Kutsa, borne on the chariot within hearing-distance.
Ye blew him from the waters, from his dwelling, and chased the darkness from the noble's spirit.
10 Even this sage hath come looking for succour even to Vata's docile harnessed horses.
Here are the Maruts, all, thy dear companions: prayers have increased thy power and might, O Indra.
11 When night was near its close he carried forward e'en the Sun's chariot backward in its running.
Etaga brought his wheel and firmly stays it: setting it eastward he shall give us courage.
12 This Indra, O ye men, hath come to see you, seeking a friend who hath expressed the Soma.
The creaking stone is laid upon the altar, and the Adhvaryus come to turn it quickly.
13 Let mortals who were happy still be happy; let them not come to sorrow, O Immortal.
Love thou the pious, and to these thy people-with whom may we be numbered-give thou vigour.

HYMN XXXII. Indra.

1.THE well thou clavest, settest free the fountains, and gavest rest to floods that were obstructed.
Thou, Indra, laying the great mountain open, slaying the Danava, didst loose the torrents.
2 The fountain-depths obstructed in their seasons, thou, Thunderer! madest flow, the mountain's udder.
Strong Indra, thou by slaying e'en the Dragon that lay extended there hast shown thy vigour.
3 Indra with violence smote down the weapon,
yea, even of that wild and mighty creature.
Although he deemed himself alone unequalled, another had been born e'en yet more potent.
4 Him, whom the heavenly food of these delighted, child of the mist, strong waxing, couched in darkness,
Him the bolt-hurling Thunderer with his lightning smote down and slew, the Danava's wrath-fire, Susna.
5 Though he might ne'er be wounded still his vitals felt that, the God's bolt, which his powers supported,
When, after offered draughts, Strong Lord, thou laidest him, fain to battle, in the pit in darkness.
6 Him as he lay there huge in length extended, still waxing in the gloom which no sun lightened,
Him, after loud-voiced threats, the Hero Indra, rejoicing in the poured libation, slaughtered.
7 When 'gainst the mighty Danava his weapon Indra uplifted, power which none could combat,
When at the hurling of his bolt he smote him, he made him lower than all living creatures.
8 The fierce God seized that huge and restless coiler, insatiate, drinker of the sweets, recumbent,
And with his mighty weapon in his dwelling smote down the footless evil-speaking ogre.
9 Who may arrest his strength or cheek his vigour? Alone, resistless, he bears off all riches.
Even these Twain, these Goddesses, through terror of Indra's might, retire from his dominion.
10 E'en the Celestial Axe bows down before him, and the Earth, lover-like, gives way to Indra.
As he imparts all vigour to these people, straightway the folk bend them to him the Godlike.
11 I hear that thou wast born sole Lord of heroes of the Five Races, famed among the people.
As such my wishes have most lately grasped him, invoking Indra both at eve and morning.
12 So, too, I hear of thee as in due season urging to action and enriching singers.
What have thy friends received from thee, the Brahmans who, faithful, rest their hopes on thee, O Indra?

HYMN XXXIII. Indra.

1. GREAT praise to Indra, great and strong mid heroes, I ponder thus, the feeble to the Mighty,
Who with his band shows favour to this people, when lauded, in the fight where spoil is gathered.
2 So made attentive by our hymns, Steer! Indra! thou fastenedst the girth of thy Bay Coursers,
Which, Maghavan, at thy will thou drivest hither. With these subdue for us the men who hate us.
3 They were not turned to us-wtrd, lofty Indra! while yet through lack of prayer they stood unharnessed.
Ascend this chariot, thou whose hand wields thunder, and draw the rein, O Lord of noble horses.
4 Thou, because many lauds are thine, O Indra, wast active warring in the fields
for cattle.
For Surya in his own abode thou, Hero, formedst in fights even a Dasa's nature.
5 Thine are we, Indra; thine are all these people, conscious of might, whose cars are set in motion.
Some hero come to us, O Strong as Ahi beauteous in war, to be invoked like Bhaga.
6 Strength much to be desired is in thee, Indra: the Immortal dances forth his hero exploits.
Such, Lord of Treasure, give us splendid riches. I praise the Friend's gift, his whose wealth is mighty.
7 Thus favour us, O Indra, with ihy succour; Hero, protect the bards who sing thy praises.
Be friendly in the fray to those who offer the skin of beautiful and well-pressed Soma.
8 And these ten steeds which Trasadasyu gives me, the goldrich chief, the son of Purukutsa,
Resplendent in their brightness shall convey me. Gairiksita willed it and so came I hither.
9 And these, bestowed as sacrificial guerdon, the powerful tawny steeds of Marutasva;
And thousands which kind Cyavatana gave me, abundantly bestowed for my adornment.
10 And these commended horses, bright and active, by Dhvanya son of Laksmana presented,
Came unto me, as cows into the Rsi Samvarana's stall, with magnitude of riches.

HYMN XXXIV. Indra.

1. BOUNDLESS and wasting not, the heavenly food of Gods goes to the foeless One, doer of wondrous deeds.
Press out, make ready, offer gifts with special zeal to him whom many laud, accepter of the prayer.
2 He who filled full his belly with the Soma's juice, Maghavan, was delighted with the meath's sweet draught,
When Usana, that he might slay the monstrous beast, gave him the mighty weapon with a thousand points.
3 Illustrious is the man whoever presseth out Soma for him in sunshine or in cloud and rain.
The mighty Maghavan who is the sage's Friend advanceth more and more his beauteous progeny.
4 The Strong God doth not flee away from him whose sire, whose mother or whose brother he hath done to death.
He, the Avenger, seeketh this man's offered gifts: this God, the source of riches, doth not flee from sin.
5 He seeks no enterprise with five or ten to aid, nor stays with him who pours no juice though prospering well.
The Shaker conquers or slays in this way or that, and to the pious gives a stable full of kine.
6 Exceeding strong in war he stays the chariot wheel, and, hating him who pours not, prospers him who pours.
Indra the terrible, tamer of every man, as Arya leads away the Dasa at his will.
7 He gathers up for plunder all the niggard s gear: excellent wealth he gives to him who offers gifts.
Not even in wide stronghold may all the folk stand firm who have provoked to anger his surpassing might.
8 When Indra Maghavan hath marked two wealthy men fighting for beauteous cows with all their followers,
He who stirs all things takes one as his close ally, and, Shaker, with his Heroes, sends the kine to him.
9 Agni! I laud the liberal Agnivesi, Satri the type and standard of the pious.
May the collected waters yield him plenty, and his be powerful and bright dominion.

HYMN XXXV. Indra.

1. INDRA, for our assistance bring that most effectual power of thine,
Which conquers men for us, and wins the spoil, invincible in fight.
2 Indra, whatever aids be thine, four be they, or, O Hero, three,
Or those of the Five Tribes of men, bring quickly all that help to us.
3 The aid most excellent of thee the Mightiest hitherward we call,
For thou wast born with hero might, conquering, Indra, with the Strong.
4 Mighty to prosper us wast thou born, and mighty is the strength thou hast.
In native power thy soul is firm: thy valour, Indra, slays a host.
5 O Satakratu, Lord of Strength, O Indra, Caster of the Stone.
With all thy chariot's force assail the man who shows himself thy foe.
6 For, Mightiest Vrtra-slayer, thee, fierce, foremost among many, folk
Whose sacred grass is trimmed invite to battle where the spoil is won.
7 Indra, do thou protect our car that mingles foremost in the fights,
That bears its part in every fray, invincible and seeking spoil.
8 Come to us, Indra, and protect our car with thine intelligence.
May we, O Mightiest One, obtain excellent fame at break of day, and meditate our hymn at dawn.

HYMN XXXVI. Indra.

1. MAY Indra come to us, he who knows rightly to give forth treasures from his store of riches.
Even as a thirsty steer who roams the deserts may he drink eagerly the milked-out Soma.
2 Lord of Bay Horses, Hero, may the Soma rise to thy cheeks and jaws like mountain-ridges.
May we, O King, as he who driveth coursers, all joy in thee with hymns, invoked of many!
3 Invoked of many, Caster of the Stone my heart quakes like a rolling wheel for fear of penury.
Shall not Puruvasu the singer give thee praise, O ever-prospering Maghavan, mounted on thy car?
4 Like the press-stone is this thy praiser, Indra. Loudly he lifts his voice with strong endeavour.
With thy left hand, O Maghavan, give us riches: with thy right, Lord of Bays, be not reluctant.
5 May the strong Heaven make thee the Strong wax stronger: Strong, thou art borne by thy two strong Bay Horses.
So, fair of cheek, with mighty chariot, mighty, uphold us, strong-willed, thunderarmed, in battle.
6 Maruts, let all the people in obeisance bow down before this youthful Srutaratha,
Who, rich in steeds, gave me two dark red horses together with three hundred head of cattle.

HYMN XXXVII. Indra.

1. BEDEWED with holy oil and meetly worshipped, the Swift One vies with Surya's beam in splendour.
For him may mornings dawn without cessation who saith, Let us press Soma out for Indra.
2 With kindled fire and strewn grass let him worship, and, Soma-presser, sing with stones adjusted:
And let the priest whose press-stones ring forth loudly, go down with his oblation to the river.
3 This wife is coming near who loves her husband who carries to his home a vigorous consort.
Here may his car seek fame, here loudly thunder, and his wheel make a thousand revolutions.
4 No troubles vex that King in whose home Indra drinks the sharp Soma juice with milk commingled.
With heroes he drives near, he slays the foeman: Blest, cherishing that name, he guards his people.
5 May he support in peace and win in battle: he masters both the hosts that meet together.
Dear shall he be to Surya, dear to Agni, who with pressed Soma offers gifts to India.

HYMN XXXVIII. Indra.

1. WIDE, Indra Satakratu, spreads the bounty of thine ample grace:
So, Lord of fair dominion, Friend of all men, give us splendid wealth.
2 The food which, Mightiest Indra, thou possessest worthy of renown
Is bruited as most widely famed, invincible, O Golden-hued!
3 O Darter of the Stone, the powers which readily obey thy will,-
Divinities, both thou and they, ye rule, to guard them, earth and heaven.
4 And from whatever power of thine, O Vrtra-slayer, it may be,
Bring thou to us heroic strength: thou hast a man's regard for us.
5 In thy protection, with these aids of thine, O Lord of Hundred Powers,
Indra, may we be guarded well, Hero, may we be guarded well.

HYMN XXXIX. Indra.

1. STONE-DARTING Indra. Wondrous One, what wealth is richly given from thee,
That bounty, Treasure-Finder! bring filling both thy hands, to us.
2 Bring what thou deemest worth the wish, O Indra, that which is in heaven.
So may we know thee as thou art, boundless in thy munificence.
3 Thy lofty spirit, far-renowned as fain to give and prompt to win,-
With this thou rendest e'en the firm, Stone-Darter! so to gain thee strength.
4 Singers with many songs have made Indra propitious to their fame,
Him who is King of human kind, most liberal of your wealthy ones.
5 To him, to Indra must be sung the poet's word, the hymn of praise.
To him, accepter of the prayer, the Atris raise their songs on high, the Atris beautify their songs.

HYMN XL. Indra. Surya. Atri.

1. COME thou to what the stones have pressed, drink Soma, O thou Soma's Lord,
Indra best Vrtra-slayer Strong One, with the Strong.
2 Strong is the stone, the draught is strong, strong is this Soma that is pressed,
Indra, best Vrtra-slayer, Strong One with the Strong.
3 As strong I call on thee the Strong, O Thunder-armed, with various aids,
Indra, best Vrtra-slayer, Strong One with the Strong.
4 Impetuous, Thunderer, Strong, quelling the mighty, King, potent, Vrtra-slayer, Soma-drinker,
May he come hither with his yoked Bay Horses; may Indra gladden him at the noon libation.
5 O Surya, when the Asura's descendant Svarbhanu, pierced thee through and through with darkness,
All creatures looked like one who is bewildered, who knoweth not the place where he is standing.
6 What time thou smotest down Svarbhanu's magic that spread itself beneath the sky, O Indra,
By his fourth sacred prayer Atri disoovered Surya concealed in gloom that stayed his function.
7 Let not the oppressor with this dread, through anger swallow me up, for I am thine, O Atri.
Mitra art thou, the sender of true blessings: thou and King Varuna be both my helpers.
8 The Brahman Atri, as he set the press-stones, serving the Gods with praise and adoration,
Established in the heaven the eye of Surya, and caused Svarbhanu's magic arts to vanish.
9 The Atris found the Sun again, him whom Svarbhanu of the brood
Of Asuras had pierced with gloom. This none besides had power to do.