
The Rig-Veda Book VIII

HYMN I. Indra.
1. GLORIFY naught besides, O friends; so shall no sorrow
trouble you.
Praise only mighty Indra when the juice is shed,
and say your lauds repeatedly:
2 Even him, eternal, like
a bull who rushes down, men's Conqueror, bounteous like a cow;
Him who is cause of both, of enmity and peace, to both sides
most munificent.
3 Although these men in sundry ways invoke thee to obtain
thine aid,
Be this our prayer, addressed, O Indra, unto thee,
thine exaltation every day.
4 Those skilled in song, O Maghavan
among these men o'ercome with might the foeman's songs.
Come
hither, bring us strength in many a varied form most near that
it may succour us.
5 O Caster of the Stone, I would not sell
thee for a mighty price,
Not for a thousand, Thunderer! nor
ten thousand, nor a hundred, Lord of countless wealth!
6
O Indra, thou art more to me than sire or niggard brother is.
Thou and my mother, O Good Lord, appear alike, to give me wealth
abundantly.
7 Where art thou? Whither art thou gone? For
many a place attracts thy mind.
Haste, Warrior, Fort-destroyer,
Lord of battle's din, haste, holy songs have sounded forth.
8 Sing out the psalm to him who breaks down castles for his
faithful friend,
Verses to bring the Thunderer to destroy
the forts and sit on Kanva's sacred grass.
9 The Horses which
are thine in tens, in hundreds, yea, in thousands thine,
Even those vigorous Steeds, fleet-footed in the course, with
those come quickly near to us.
10 This day I call Sabardugiha
who animates the holy song,
Indra the richly-yielding Milch-cow
who provides unfailing food in ample stream.
11 When Sura
wounded Etasa, with Vata's rolling winged car.
Indra bore
Kutsa Arjuneya off, and mocked Gandharva. the unconquered One.
12 He without ligature, before making incision in the neck,
Closed up the wound again, most wealthy Maghavan, who maketh
whole the injured part.
13 May we be never cast aside, and
strangers, as it were, to thee.
We, Thunder-wielding Indra,
count ourselves as trees rejected and unfit to bum.
14 O
Vrtra-slayer, we were thought slow and unready for the fray.
Yet once in thy great bounty may we have delight, O Hero, after
praising thee.
15 If he will listen to my laud, then may out Soma-drops
that flow
Rapidly through the strainer gladden Indra, drops
due to the Tugryas' Strengthener.
16 Come now unto the common
laud of thee and of thy faithful friend.
So may our wealthy
nobles' praise give joy to thee. Fain would I sing thine eulogy.
17 Press out the Soma with the stones, and in the waters wash
it clean.
The men investing it with raiment made of milk
shall milk it forth from out the stems.
18 Whether thou come
from earth or from the lustre of the lofty heaven,
Wax stronger
in thy body through my song of praise: fill full all creatures,
O most Wise.
19 For India press the Soma out, most gladdening
and most excellent.
May Sakra make it swell sent forth with
every prayer and asking, as it were, for strength.
20 Let
me not, still beseeching thee with earnest song at Soma rites,
Anger thee like soma wild beast. Who would not beseech him who
hath power to grant his prayer?
21 The draught made swift
with rapturous joy, effectual with its mighty strength,
All-conquering,
distilling transport, let him drink: for he in ecstasy gives
us gifts.
22 Where bliss is not, may he, All-praised, God
whom the pious glorify,
Bestow great wealth upon the mortal
worshipper who sheds the juice and praises him.
23 Come,
Indra, and rejoice thyself, O God, in manifold affluence.
Thou fillest like a lake thy vast capacious bulk with Soma and
with draughts besides.
24 A thousand and a hundred Steeds
are harnessed to thy golden car.
So may the long-mancd Bays,
yoked by devotion, bring Indra to drink the Soma juice.
25 Yoked to thy chariot wrought of gold, may thy two Bays
with peacock tails,
Convey thee hither, Steeds with their
white backs, to quaff sweet juice that makes us eloquent.
26 So drink, thou Lover of the Song, as the first drinker, of
this juice.
This the outpouring of the savoury sap prepared
is good and meet to gladden thee.
27 He who alone by wondrous
deed is Mighty, Strong by holy works,
May he come, fair of
cheek; may he not stay afar, but come and turn not from our
call.
28 Susna's quick moving castle thou hast crushed to
pieces with thy bolts.
Thou, Indra, from of old, hast followed
after light, since we have had thee to invoke.
29 My praises
when the Sun hath risen, my praises at the time of noon,
My praises at the coming of the gloom of night, O Vasu, have
gone forth to thee.
30 Praise yea, praise him. Of princes
these are the most liberal of their gifts,
These, Paramajya,
Ninditasva, Prapathi, most bounteous, O Medhyatithi.
31 When
to the car, by faith, I yoked the horses longing for the way-
For skilled is Yadu's son in dealing precious wealth, he who
is rich in herds of kine.
32 May he who gave me two brown
steeds together with their cloths of gold,
May he, Asanga's
son Svanadratha, obtain all joy and high felicities.
33 Playoga's
son Asanga, by ten thousand, O Agni, hath surpassed the rest
in giving.
For me ten bright-hued oxen have come forward
like lotus-stalks from out a lake upstanding.
34 What time
her husband's perfect restoration to his lost strength and manhood
was apparent,
His consort Sasvati with joy addressed him,
Now art thou well, my lord, and shalt be happy.
HYMN II. Indra.
1. HERE is the Soma juice expressed; O Vasu, drink till thou
art full:
Undaunted God, we give it thee.
2 Washed by
the men, pressed out with stones, strained through the filter
made of wool,
'Tis like a courser bathed in stream.
3
This juice have we made sweet for thee like barley, blending
it with milk.
Indra, I call thee to our feast.
4 Beloved
of all, Indra alone drinks up the flowing Soma juice
Among
the Gods andmortal men.
5 The Friend, whom not the brilliant-hued,
the badly-mixt or bitter draught,
Repels, the far-extending
God;
6 While other men than we with milk chase him as hunters
chase a deer,
And with their kine inveigle him.
7 For
him, for Indra, for the God, be pressed three draughts of Soma
juice
In the juice-drinker's own abode.
8 Three reservoirs
exude their drops, filled are three beakers to the brim,
All for one offering to the God.
9 Pure art thou, set in
many a place, and blended in the midst with milk
And curd,
to cheer the Hero best.
10 Here, Indra, are thy Soma-draughts
pressed out by us, the strong, the pure:
They crave admixture
of the milk.
11 O Indra, pour in milk, prepare the cake,
and mix the Soma-draught.
I hear them say that thou art rich.
12 Quaffed juices fight within the breast. The drunken praise
not by their wine,
The naked praise not when it rains.
13 Rich be the praiser of one rich, munificent and famed like
thee:
High rank be his, O Lord of Bays.
14 Foe of the
man who adds no milk, he heeds not any chanted hymn
Or holy
psalm that may he sung.
15 Give us not, Indra, as a prey
unto the scornful or the proud:
Help, Mighty One, with power
and might.
16 This, even this, O Indra, we implore. as thy
devoted friends,
The Kanvas praise thee with their hymns.
17 Naught else, O Thunderer, have I praised in the skilled singer's
eulogy:
On thy land only have I thought.
18 The Gods seek
him who presses out the Soma; they desire not sleep
They
punish sloth unweariedly.
19 Come hither swift with gifts
of wealth - be not thou angry with us-like
A great man with
a youthful bride.
20 Let him not, wrathful with us, spend
the evening far from us to-day,
Like some unpleasant son-in-law.
21 For well we know this Hero's love, most liberal of the boons
he gives,
His plans whom the three worlds display.
22
Pour forth the gift which Kanvas bring, for none more glorious
do we know
Than the Strong Lord with countless aids.
23
O presser, offer Soma first to Indra, Hero, Sakra, him
The
Friend of man, that he may drink;
24 Who, in untroubled ways,
is best provider, for his worshippers.
Of strength in horses
and in kine.
25 Pressers, for him blend Soma juice, each
draught most excellent, for him
The Brave, the Hero, for
his joy.
26 The Vrtra-slayer drinks the juice. May he who
gives a hundred aids
Approach, nor stay afar from us.
27 May the strong Bay Steeds, yoked by prayer, bring hither
unto us our Friend,
Lover of Song, renowned by songs.
28 Sweet are the Soma juices, come! Blent are the Soma juices,
come!
Rsi-like, mighty, fair of cheek, come hither quickly
to the feast.
29 And lauds which strengthen thee for great
bounty and valour, and exalt
Indra who doeth glorious deeds,
30 And songs to thee who lovest song, and all those hymns addressed
to thee-
These evermore confirm thy might.
31 Thus he,
sole doer of great deeds whose hand holds thunder, gives us
strength,
He who hath never been subdued.
32 Vrtra he
slays with his right hand, even Indra, great with mighty power,
And much-invoked in many a place.
33 He upon whom all men
depend, all regions, all achievements, he
Takes pleasure
in our wealthy chiefs.
34 All this hath he accomplished,
yea, Indra, most gloriously renowned,
Who gives our wealthy
princes strength.
35 Who drives his chariot seeking spoil,
from afar, to him he loves:
For swift is he to bring men
wealth.
36 The Sage who, winning spoil with steeds, slays
Vrtra, Hero with the men,
His servant's faithful succourer.
37 O Priyamedhas, worship with collected mind this Indra whom
The Soma hath full well inspired.
38 Ye Kanvas, sing the
Mighty One, Lord of the Brave, who loves renown,
All-present,
glorified by song.
39 Strong Friend, who, with no trace of
feet, restores the cattle to the men,
Who rest their wish
and hope on him.
40 Shaped as a Ram, Stone-hurler I once
thou camest hither to the son
Of Kanva, wise Medhyatithi.
41 Vibhindu, thou hast helped this man, giving him thousands
four times ten,
And afterward eight thousand more.
42
And these twain pouring streams of milk, creative, daughters
of delight,
For wedlock sake I glorify.
HYMN III. Indra.
1. DRINK, Indra, of the savoury juice, and cheer thee with
our milky draught.
Be, for our weal, our Friend and sharer
of the feast, and let thy wisdom guard us well.
2 In thy
kind grace and favour may we still be strong: expose us not
to foe's attack.
With manifold assistance guard and succour
us, and bring us to felicity.
3 May these my songs of praise
exalt thee, Lord, who hast abundant wealth.
Men skilled in
holy hymns, pure, with the hues of fire, have sung them with
their lauds to thee.
4 He, with his might enhanced by Rsis
thousandfold, hath like an ocean spread himself.
His majesty
is praised as true at solemn rites, his power where holy singers
rule.
5 Indra for worship of the Gods, Indra while sacrifice
proceeds,
Indra, as worshippers in battle-shock, we call,
Indra that we may win the spoil.
6 With might hath Indra
spread out heaven and earth, with power hath Indra lighted up
the Sun.
In Indra are all creatures closely held; in him
meet the distilling Soma-drops.
7 Men with their lauds are
urging thee, Indra, to drink the Soma first.
The Rbhus in
accord have lifted up their voice, and Rudras sung thee as the
first.
8 Indra increased his manly strength at sacrifice,
in the wild rapture of this juice.
And living men to-day,
even as of old, sing forth their praises to his majesty.
9 I crave of thee that hero strength, that thou mayst first
regard this prayer,
Wherewith thou holpest Bhrgu and the
Yatis and Praskanva when the prize was staked.
10 Wherewith
thou sentest mighty waters to the sea, that, Indra, is thy manly
strength.
For ever unattainable is this power of him to whom
the worlds have cried aloud.
11 Help us, O Indra, when we
pray to thee for wealth and hero might.
First help thou on
to strength the man who strives to win, and aid our laud, O
Ancient One.
12 Help for us, Indra, as thou holpest Paura
once, this man's devotions bent on gain.
Help, as thou gavest
Rugama and Syavaka and Svarnara and Krpa aid.
13 What newest
of imploring prayers shall, then, the zealous mortal sing?
For have not they who laud his might, and Indra-power won for
themselves the light of heaven?
14 When shall they keep the
Law and praise thee mid the Gods? Who counts as Rsi and as sage?
When ever wilt thou, Indra Maghavan, come nigh to presser's
or to praiser's call?
15 These songs of ours exceeding sweet,
these hymns of praise ascend to thee,
Like ever-conquering
chariots that display their strength, gain wealth, and give
unfailing aid.
16 The Bhrgus are like Suns, like Kanvas,
and have gained all that their thoughts were bent upon.
The
living men of Priyamedha's race have sung exalting Indra with
their lauds.
17 Best slayer of the Vrtras, yoke thy Bay Steeds,
Indra, from afar.
Come with the High Ones hither, Maghavan,
to us, Mighty, to drink the Soma juice.
18 For these, the
bards and singers, have cried out to thee with prayer, to gain
the sacrifice.
As such, O Maghavan, Indra, who lovest song,
even as a lover bear my call.
19 Thou from the lofty plains
above, O Indra, hurledst Vrtra down.
Thou dravest forth the
kine of guileful Mrgaya and Arbuda from the mountain's hold.
20 Bright were the flaming fires, the Sun gave forth his shine,
and Soma, Indra's juice, shone clear.
Indra, thou blewest
the great Dragon from the air -. men must regard that valorous
deed.
21 The fairest courser of them all, who runneth on
as 'twere to heaven.
Which Indra and the Maruts gave, and
Pakasthaman Kaurayan.
22 To me hath Pakasthaman given, a
ruddy horse,good at the pole,
Filling is girth and rousing
wealth;
23 Compared with whom no other ten strong coursers,
harnessed to the pole,
Bear Tugrya to his dwelling place.
24 Raiment is body, food is life, and healing ointment giveth
strength.
As the free-handed giver of the ruddy steed, I
have named Pakasthaman fourth.
HYMN IV. Indra.
1. THOUGH, Indra, thou art called by men eastward and westward,
north and south,
Thou chiefly art with Anava and Turvasa,
brave Champion I urged by men to Come.
2 Or, Indra, when
with Ruma, Rusama, Syavaka, and Krpa thou rejoicest thee,
Still do the Kanvas, bringing praises, with their prayers, O
Indra, draw thee hither: come.
3 Even as the wild-bull, when
he thirsts, goes to the desert's watery pool,
Come hither
quickly both at morning and at eve, and with the Kanvas drink
thy fill.
4 May the drops gladden thee, rich Indra, and obtain
bounty for him who pours the juice.
Soma pressed in the mortar
didst thou take and drink, and hence hast won surpassing might.
5 With mightier strength he conquered strength, with energy
he crushed their wrath.
O Indra, Strong in youth, all those
who sought the fray bent and bowed down to thee like trees.
6 He who wins promise of thine aid goes girt as with a thousand
mighty men of war.
He makes his son preeminent in hero might
- he serves with reverential prayer.
7 With thee, the Mighty,
for our Friend, we will riot fear or feel fatigue.
May we
see Turvasa and Yadu: thy great deed, O Hero, must be glorified.
8 On his left hip the Hero hath reclined himself: the proffered
feast offends him not.
The milk is blended with the honey
of the bee: quickly come hither, baste, and drink.
9 Indra,
thy friend is fair of form and rich in horses, cars, and kine.
He evermore hath food accompanied by wealth, and radiant joins
the company.
10 Come like a thirsty antelope to the drinking-place:
drink Soma to thy heart's desire.
Raining it down, O Maghavan,
day after day, thou gainest thy surpassing might.
11 Priest,
let the Soma juice flow forth, for Indra longs to drink thereof.
He even now hath yoked his vigorous Bay Steeds: the Vrtra-slayer
hath come near.
12 The man with whom thou fillcst thee with
Soma deems himself a pious worshipper.
This thine appropriate
food is here poured out for thee: come, hasten forward. drink
of it,
13 Press out the Soma juice, ye priests, for Indra
borne upon his car.
The pressing-stones speak loud of Indra,
while they shed the juice which, offered, honours him.
14
To the brown juice may his dear vigorous Bay Steeds bring Indra,
to our holy task.
Hither let thy Car-steeds who seek the
sacrifice bring thee to our drink-offerings.
15 Pusan, the
Lord of ample wealth, for firm alliance we elect.
May he
with wisdom, Sakra! Looser! Much-invoked! aid us to riches and
to seed.
16 Sharpen us like a razor in the barber's hands:
send riches thou who settest free.
Easy to find with thee
are treasures of the Dawn for mortal man whom thou dost speed.
17 Pusan, I long to win thy love, I long to praise thee, Radiant
God.
Excellent Lord, 'tis strange tome, no wish have I to
sing the psalm that Pajra sings.
18 My kine, O Radiant God,
seek pasture where they will, my during wealth, Immortal One.
Be our protector, Pusan! be, most liberal Lord, propitious to
our gathering strength.
19 Rich was the gift Kurunga gave,
a hundred steeds at morning rites.
Among the gifts of Turvasas
we thought of him, the opulent, the splendid King.
20 What
by his morning songs Kanva, the powerful, hath, with the Priyamedhas,
gained-
71 The herds of sixty thousand pure and spotless
kine, have I, the Rsi, driven away.
21 The very trees were
joyful at my coming: kine they obtained in plenty, steeds in
plenty.
HYMN V. Asvins.
1. WHEN, even as she were present here, red Dawn hath shone
from far away,
She spreadeth light on every side.
2 Like
Heroes on your will-yoked car farshining, Wonder-Workers! ye
Attend, O Asvins, on the Dawn.
3 By you, O Lords of ample
wealth our songs of praise have been observed:
As envoy have
I brought the prayer.
4 Kanvas must praise the Asvins dear
to many, making many glad,
Most rich, that they may succour
us.
5 Most liberal, best at winning strength, inciters, Lords
of splendour who
Visit the worshipper's abode.
6 So for
devout Sudeva dew with fatness his unfailing mead,
And make
it rich for sacrifice.
7 Hitherward running speedily with
horses, as with rapid hawks,
Come, Asvins, to our song of
praise
8 Wherewith the three wide distances, and all the
lights that are in heaven.
Ye traverse, and three times of
night.
9 O Finders of the Day, that we may win us food of
kine and wealth,
Open the paths for us to tread.
10 O
Asvins, bring us wealth in kine, in noble heroes, and in cars:
Bring us the strength that horses give.
11 Ye Lords of splendour,
glorified, ye Wonder-Workers borne on paths
Of gold, drink
sweets with Somajuice.
12 To us, ye Lords of ample wealth,
and to our wealth chiefs extend
Wide shelter, ne'er to be
assailed.
13 Come quickly downward to the prayer of people
whom ye favour most:
Approach not unto other folk.
14
Ye Asvins whom our minds perceive, drink of this lovely gladdening
draught,
The mcath which we present to you.
15 Bring riches
hither unto us in hundreds and in thousands, source
Of plenteous
food, sustaining all.
16 Verily sages call on you, ye Heroes,
in full many a place.
Moved by the priests, O Asvins, conic.
17 Men who have trimmed the sacred grass, bringing oblations
and prepared,
O Asvins, are invoking you.
18 May this
our hymn of praise to-day, most powerful to bring you, be,
O Asvins, nearest to your hearts.
19 The skin filled full
of savoury meath, laid in the pathway of your car-
O Asvins,
drink ye both therefrom.
20 For this, ye Lords of ample wealth,
bring blessing for our herd, our kine,
Our progeny, and plenteous
food.
21 Ye too unclose to us like doors the strengthening
waters of the sky,
And rivers, ye who find the day.
22
When did the son of' Tugra serve you, Men? Abandoned in the
sea,
That with winged steeds your car might fly.
23 Ye,
O Nasatyas, ministered to Kanva with repeated aid,
When cast
into the heated pit.
24 Come near with those most recent
aids of yours which merit eulogy,
When I invoke you, Wealthy
Gods.
25 As ye protected Kanva erst, Priyamedha and Upastuta,
Atri, Sinjara, Asvins Twain
26 And Amsu in decisive fight,
Agastya in the fray for kine.
And, in his battles, Sobhari.
27 For so much bliss, or even more, O Asvins, Wealthy Gods,
than this,
We pray white singing hymns to you.
28 Ascend
your car with golden seat, O Asvins, and with reins of gold,
That reaches even to the sky.
29 Golden is its supporting
shaft, the axle also is of gold,
And both the wheels are
made of gold.
30 Thereon, ye Lords of ample wealth, come
to us even from afar,
Come ye to this mine eulogy.
31
From far away ye come to us, Asvins, enjoying plenteous food
Of Dasas, O Immortal Ones.
32 With splendour, riches, and
renown, O Asvins, hither come to us,
Nasatyas, shining brilliantly.
33 May dappled horses, steeds who fly with pinions, bring you
hitherward
To people skilled in sacrifice.
34 The whcel
delayeth not that car of yours accompanied by song,
That
cometh with a store of food.
35 Borne on that chariot wrought
of gold, with coursers very fleet of foot,
Come, O Nasatyas,
swift as thought.
36 O Wealthy Gods, ye taste and find the
brisk and watchful wild beast good.
Associate wealth with
food for us.
37 As such, O Asvins, find for me my share of
new-presented gifts,
As Kasu, Cedi's son, gave me a hundred
head of buffaloes, and ten thousand kine.
38 He who hath
given me for mine own ten Kings like gold to look upon.
At
Caidya's feet are all the people round about, all those who
think upon the shield.
39 No man, not any, goes upon the
path on which the Cedis walk.
No other prince, no folk is
held more liberal of gifts than they.
HYMN VI Indra
1. INDRA, great in his power and might, and like Parjanya
rich in rain,
Is magnified by Vatsa's lauds.
2 When the
priests, strengthening the Son of Holy Law, present their gifts,
Singers with Order's hymn of praiser.
3 Since Kanvas with
their lauds have made Indra complete the sacrifice.
Words
are their own appropriate arms.
4 Before his hot displeasure
all the peoples, all the men, bow down,
As rivers bow them
to the sea.
5 This power of his shone brightly forth when
Indra brought together, like
A skin, the worlds of heaven
and earth.
6 The fiercely-moving Vrtra's head he severed
with his thunderbolt,
His mighty hundred-knotted bolt.
7 Here are-we sing them loudly forth-our thoughts among-the
best of songs.
Even lightnings like the blaze of fire.
8 When bidden thoughts, spontaneously advancing, glow, and with
the stream
Of sacrifice the Kanvas shine.
9 Indra, may
we obtain that wealth in horses and in herds of cows,
And
prayer that may be noticed first.
10 I from my Father have
received deep knowledge of the Holy Law
I was born like unto
the Sun.
11 After the lore of ancient time I make, like Kanva,
beauteous songs,
And Indra's selfgains strength thereby.
12 Whatever Rsis have not praised thee, Indra, or have lauded
thee,
By me exalted wax thou strong.
13 When his wrath
thundered, when he rent Vrtra to pieces, limb by limb,
He
sent the waters to the sea.
14 Against the Dasyu gusna thou,
Indra, didst hurl thy during bolt:
Thou, Dread one, hast
a hero's fame.
15 Neither the heavens nor firmaments nor
regions of the earth contain
Indra, the Thunderer with his
might.
16 O Indra him who lay at length staying thy copious
waters thou,
In his own footsteps, smotest down
17 Thou
hiddest deep in darkness itim, O Indra, who had set his grasp
On spacious heaven and earth conjoined.
18 Indra, whatever
Yatis and Bhrgus have offered praise to thee,
Listen, thou
Mighty, to my call.
19 Indra, these spotted cows yield thee
their butter and the milky draught;
Aiders, thereby, of sacrifice;
20 Which, teeming, have received thee as a life-germ, Indra,
with their mouth,
Like Surya who sustaineth all.
21 O
Lord of Might, with hymns of praise the Kanvas have increased
thy power,
The drops poured forth have strengthened thee.
22 Under thy guidance, Indra, mid thy praises, Lord of Thunder,
shall
The sacrifice be soon performed.
23 Indra, disclose
much food for us, like a stronghold with store of kine:
Give
progeny and heroic strength.
24 And, Indra, grant us all
that wealth of fleet steeds which shone bright of old
Among
the tribes of Nahusas.
25 Hither thou seemest to attract
heaven's fold which shines before our eyes,
When, Indra,
thou art kind to us.
26 Yea, when thou puttest forth thy
power, Indra, thou governest the folk.
Mighty, unlimited
in strength.
27 The tribes who bring oblations call to thee,
to thee to give them help,
With drops to thee who spreadest
far.
28 There where the mountains downward slope, there by
the meeting of the streams
The Sage was manifest with song.
29 Thence, marking, from his lofty place downward he looks upon
the sea,
And thence with rapid stir he moves.
30 Then,
verify, they see the light refulgent of primeval seed,
Kindled
on yonder side of heaven.
31 Indra, the Kanvas all exalt
thy wisdom and thy manly power,
And, Mightiest! thine heroic
strength.
32 Accept this eulogy of mine, Indra, and guard
me carefully:
Strengthen my thought and prosper it.
33
For thee, O Mighty, Thunder-armed, we singers through devotionhave
Fashioned the hymn that we may live.
34 To Indra have the
Kanvas sung, like waters speeding down a slope:
The song
is fain to go to him.
35 As rivers swell the ocean, so our
hymns of praise make Indra strong,
Eternal, of resistIess
wrath.
36 Come with thy lovely Bay Steeds, come to us from
regions far away
O Indra, drink this Soma juice.
37 Best
slayer of Vrtras, men whose sacred grass is ready trimmed
Invoke thee for the gain of spoil.
38 The heavens and earth
come after thee as the wheel follows Etasa:
To thee flow
Sorna-drops effused.
39 Rejoice, O Indra, in the light, rejoice
in Saryandyan, be Glad in the sacrificer's hymn.
40 Grown
strong in heaven, the Thunder-armed hath bellowed, Vrtra-slayer,
Bull,
Chief drinker of the Soma juice.
41 Thou art a Rsi
born of old, sole Ruler over all by might:
Thou, Indra, guardest
well our wealth.
42 May thy Bay Steeds with beauteous backs,
a hundred, bring thee to the feast,
Bring thee to these our
Soma-draughts.
43 The Kanvas with their hymns of praise have
magnified this ancient thought
That swells with streams of
meath and oil.
44 Mid mightiest Gods let mortal man choose
Indra at the sacrifice,
Indra, whoe'er would win, for help.
45 Thy steeds, by Priyamedhas praised, shall bring thee, God
whom all invoke,
Hither to drink the Somajuice.
46 A hundred
thousand have I gained from Parsu, from Tirindira,
And presents
of the Yadavas.
47 Ten thousand head of kine, and steeds
three times a hundred they bestowed
On Pajra for the Sama-song.
48 Kakuha hath reached up to heaven, bestowing buffaloes yoked
in fours,
And matched in fame the Yadavas.
HYMN VII. Maruts.
1. O MARUTS, when the sage hath poured the Trstup forth as
food for you,
Ye shine amid the mountain-clouds.
2 When,
Bright Ones, fain to show your might ye have determined on your
course,
The mountain-clouds have bent them down.
3 Loud
roaring with the winds the Sons of Prsni have upraised themselves:
They have poured out the streaming food.
4 The Maruts spread
the mist abroad and make mountains rock and reel,
When with
the winds they go their way
5 What time the rivers and the
hills before your coming bowed them down,
So to sustain your
mighty force.
6 We call on you for aid by night, on you for
succour in the day,
On you while sacrifice proceeds.
7
These, verily, wondrous, red of hue, speed on their courses
with a roar
Over the ridges of the sky.
8 With might they
drop the loosened rein so that the Sun may run his course,
And spread themselves with beams of light.
9 Accept, ye Maruts,
this my song, accept ye this mine hymn of praise,
Accept,
Rbhuksans, this my call.
10 The dappled Cows have poured
three lakes, meath for the Thunder-wielding God,
From the
great cask, the watery cloud.
11 O Maruts, quickly come to
us when, longing for felicity,
We call you hither from the
sky.
12 For, Rudras and Rbhuksans, ye, Most Bountiful, are
in the house,
Wise when the gladdening draught is drunk.
13 O Maruts, send us down from heaven riches distilling rapturous
joy,
With plenteous food, sustaining all.
14 When, Bright
Ones, hither from the hills ye have resolved to take your way,
Ye revel in the drops effused.
15 Man should solicit with
his lauds happiness which belongs to them,
So great a band
invincible.
16 They who like fiery sparks with showers of
rain blow through the heaven and earth,
Milking the spring
that never fails.
17 With chariots and tumultuous roar, with
tempests and with hymns of praise
The Sons of Prsni hurry
forth.
18 For wealth, we think of that whereby ye aided Yadu,
Turvasa,
And KanVa who obtained the spoil.
19 May these
our viands Bounteous Ones I that flow in streams like holy oil,
With Kanva's hymns, increase your might.
20 Where, Bounteous
Lords for whom the grass is trimmed, are ye rejoicing now?
What Brahman is adoring you?
21 Is it not there where ye
of old, supplied with sacred grass, for lauds
Inspired the
strong in sacrifice?
22 They brought together both the worlds,
the mighty waters, and the Sun,
And, joint by joint, the
thunderbolt.
23 They sundered Vrtra limb from limb and split
the gloomy mountain-clouds,
Performing a heroic deed.
24 They reinforced the power and strength of Trita as he fought,
and helped
Indra in battle with the foe.
25 They deck
themselves for glory, bright, celestial, lightning in their
hands,
And helms of gold upon their heads.
26 When eagerly
ye from far away came to the cavern of the Bull,
He bellowed
in his fear like Heaven.
27 Borne by your golden-footed steeds,
O Gods, come hither to receive
The sacrifice we offer you.
28 When the red leader draws along their spotted deer yoked
to the car.
The Bright Ones come, and shed the rain.
29
Susoma, Saryakiavan, and Arjika full of homes, have they.
These Heroes, sought with downward car.
30 When, Maruts,
ye come to him, the singer who invokes you thus,
With favours
to your suppliant?
31 What now? where have ye still a friend
since ye left Indra all alone?
Who counteth on your friendship
now?
32 The Kanvas sing forth Agni's praise together with
our Maruts' who
Wield thunder and wear swords of gold.
33 Hither for new felicity may I attract the Impetuous Ones,
The Heroes with their wondrous strength
34 Before them sink
the very hills deerning themseives abysses: yea,
Even the
mountains bend them down.
35 Steeds flying on their tortuous
path through mid-air carry them, and give
The man who lauds
them strength and life.
36 Agni was born the first of all,
like Surya lovely with his light:
With lustre these have
spread abroad.
HYMN VIII. Asvins.
1. WITH all the succours that are yours, O Asvins, hither
come to us:
Wonderful, borne on paths of gold, drink ye the
meath with Soma juice.
2 Come now, ye Asvins, on your car
decked with a sun-bright canopy,
Bountiful, with your golden
forms, Sages with depth of intellect.
3 Come hither from
the Nahusas, come, drawn by pure hymns, from mid-air.
O Asvins,
drink the savoury juice shed in the Kanvas' sacrifice.
4
Come to us hither from the heavens, come from mid-air, well-loved
by us:
Here Kanva's son hath pressed for you the pleasant
meath of Soma juice.
5 Come, Asvins, to give car to us, to
drink the Soma, Asvins, come.
Hail, Strengtheners of the
praise-song speed onward, ye Heroes, with your thoughts.
6 As, Heroes, in the olden time the Rsis called you to their
aid,
So now, O Asvins, come to us, come near to this mine
eulogy.
7 Even from the luminous sphere of heaven come to
us, ye who find the light,
Carers for Vatsa, through our
prayers and lauds, O yewho hearour call.
8 Do others more
than we adore the Asvins with their hymns of praise?
The
Rsi Vatsa, Kanva's son, hath magnified you with his songs.
9 The holy singer with his hymns hath called you, Asvins, hither-ward;
Best Vrtra-slayers, free from stain, as such bring us felicity.
10 What time, ye Lords of ample wealth, the Lady mounted on
your car,
Then, O ye Asvins, ye attained all wishes that
your hearts desired.
11 Come thence, O Asvins, on your car
that hath a thousand ornaments:
Vatsa the sage, the sage's
son, hath sung a song of sweets to you.
12 Cheerers of many,
rich in goods, discoverers of opulence,
The Asvins, Riders
through the sky, have welcomed this my song of praise.
13
O Asvins, grant us all rich gifts wherewith no man mav interfere.
Make us observe the stated times: give us not over to reproach.
14 Whether, Nasatyas, ye be nigh, or whether ye be far away,
Come thence, O Asvins, on your car that hath a thousand ornaments.
15 Vatsa the Rsi with his songs, Nasatyas, hath exalted you:
Grant him rich food distilling oil, graced with a thousand ornaments.
16 Bestow on him, O Asvins, food that strengthens, and that
drops with oil,
On him who praises you for bliss, and, Lords
of bounty, prays for wealth.
17 Come to us, ye who slay the
foe, Lords of rich treasure, to this hymn.
O Heroes, give
us high renown and these good things of earth for help.
18
The Priyamedhas have invoked you with all succours that are
yours,
You, Asvins, Lords of solemn rites, with calls entreating
you to come.
19 Come to us, Asvins, ye Who bring felicity,
auspicious Ones,
To Vatsa who with prayer and hymn, lovers
of song, hath honoured you.
20 Aid us, O Heroes, for those
hymns for which ye helped GoSarya erst,
Gave Vasa, Dasavraja
aid, and Kanva and Medhatithi:
21 And favoured Trasadasyu,
ye Heroes, in spoil-deciding fray:
For these, O Asvins, graciously
assist us in acquiring strength.
22 O Asvins, may pure hymns
of ours, and songs and praises, honour you:
Best slayers
everywhere of foes, as such we fondly yearn for you.
23 Three
places of the Asvins, erst concealed, are made apparent now.
Both Sages, with the flight of Law come hither unto those who
live.
HYMN IX. Asvins.
1. To help and favour Vatsa now, O Asvins, come ye hitherward.
Bestow on him a dwelling spacious and secure, and keep malignities
away.
2 All manliness that is in heaven, with the Five Tribes,
or in mid-air,
Bestow, ye Asvins, upon us.
3 Remember
Kanva first of all among the singers, Asvins, who
Have thought
upon your wondrous deeds.
4 Asvins, for you with song of
praise this hot oblation is effused,
This your sweet Soma
juice, ye Lords of ample wealth, through which ye think upon
the foe.
5 Whatever ye have done in floods, in the tree,
Wonder-Workers, and in growing plants,
Therewith, O Asvins,
succour me.
6 What force, Nasatyas, ye exert, whatever, Gods,
ye tend and heal,
This your own Vatsa gains not by his hymns
alone: ye visit him who offers gifts.
7 Now hath the Rsi
splendidly thought out the Asvins' hymn of praise.
Let the
Atharvan pour the warm oblation forth, and Soma very rich in
sweets.
8 Ye Asvins, now ascend your car that lightly rolls
upon its way.
May these my praises make you speed hitherward
like a cloud of heaven.
9 When, O Nasatyas, we this day make
you speed hither with our hymns,
Or, Asvins, with our songs
of praise, remember Kanya specially.
10 As erst Kaksivan
and the Rsi Vyasva, as erst Dirghatamas invoked your presence,
Or, in the sacrificial chambers, Vainya Prthi, so be ye mindful
of us here, O Asvins.
11 Come as home-guardians, saving us
from foemen, guarding our living creatures and our bodies,
Come to the house to give us seed and offspring,
12 Whether
with Indra ye be faring, Asvins, or resting in one dwelling-place
with Vayu,
In concord with the Rbhus or Adityas, or standing
still in Visnu's striding-places.
13 When I, O Asvins, call
on you to-day that I may gather strength,
Or as all-conquering
might in war, be that the Asvins' noblest grace.
14 Now come,
ye Asvins, hitherward: here are oblations set for you;
These
Soma-draughts to aid Yadu and
Turvasa, these offered you
mid Kaniva's Sons.
15 Whatever healing balm is yours, Nisatyas,
near or far away,
Therewith, great Sages, grant a home to
Vatsa and to Vimada.
16 Together with the Goddess, with the
Asvins' Speech have I awoke.
Thou, Goddess, hast disclosed
the hymn, and holy gift from mortal men.
17 Awake the Asvins,
Goddess Dawn! Up Mighty Lady of sweet strains!
Rise, straightway,
priest of sacrifice! High glory to the gladdening draught!
18 Thou, Dawn, approaching with thy light shinest together with
the Sun,
And to this man-protecting home the chariot ofthe
Asvins comes.
19 When yellow stalks give forth the juice,
as cows from udders pour their milk,
And voices sound the
song of praise, the Asvins' worshippers show first.
20 Forward
for glory and for strength, protection that shall conquer men,
And power and skill, most sapient Ones!
21 When Asvins, worthy
of our lauds, ye seat you in the father's house.
With wisdom
or the bliss ye bring.
HYMN X. Asvins.
1. WHETHER ye travel far away or dwell in yonder light of
heaven,
Or in a mansion that is built above the sea, come
thence, ye Asvins, hitherward.
2 Or if for Manu.ye prepared
the sacrifice, remember also Kanva's son.
I call Brhaspati,
Indra, Visnu, all the gods, the Asvins borne by rapid steeds.
3 Those Asvins I invoke who work marvels, brought hither to
receive,
With whom our friendship is most famed, and kinship
passing that of Gods.
4 On whom the solemn rites depend,
whose worshippers rise without the Sun:
These who foreknow
the holy work of sacrifice, and by their Godhead drink the sweets
of Soma juice.
5 Whether ye, Lords of ample wealth, now linger
in the cast or west,
With Druhyu, or with Anu, Yadu, Turvaga,
I call you hither; come to me.
6 Lords of great riches, whether
through the firmament ye fly or speed through heaven and earth,
Or with your Godlike natures stand upon your cars, come thence,
O Asvins, hitherward.
HYMN XI. Agni.
1. THOU Agni, God mid mortal men, art guard of sacred rites,
thou art
To be adored at sacrifice.
2 O Mighty Agni, thou
must be glorified at our festivals,
Bearing our offerings
to the Gods.
3 O Jatavedas Agni, fight and drive our foes
afar from us,
Themand their godless enmities.
4 Thou,
Jatavedas, seekest not the worship of a hostile man,
However
nigh itbe to thee.
5 We sages, mortals as we are, adore the
mighty name oof thee,
Immortal Jatavedas' name.
6 Sages,
we call the Sage to help, mortals, we call the God to aid:
We call on Agni with our songs.
7 May Vatsa draw- thy mind
away even from thy loftiest dwelling-place,
Agni, with song
that yearns for thee.
8 Thou art the same in many a place:
mid all the people thou art Lord.
In fray and fightt we call
on thee.
9 When we are seeking strength we call Agni to help
us in the strife,
The giver of rich gifts in war.
10 Ancient,
adorablie at sacrifices, Priest from of old, meet for our praise,
thou sittest.
Fill full and satisfy thy body, Agni, and win
us happiness by offering worship.
HYMN XII. Indra.
1. JOY, Mightiest Indra, known and marked, sprung most from
Soma-draughts, wherewith
Thou smitest down the greedy fiend,
for that we long.
2 Wherewith thou bolpest Adhrigu, the great
Dasagva, and the God
Who stirs the sunlight, and the sea,
for that we long.
3 Wherewith thou dravest forth like cars
Sindhu and all the mighty floods
To go the way ordained by
Law, for that we long.
4 Accept this laud for aid, made pure
like oil, thou Caster of the Stone,
Whereby even in a moment
thou hast waxen great.
5 Be pleased, Song-lover, with this
song it flows abundant like the sea.
Indra, with all thy
succours thou hast waxen great.
6 The God who from afar hath
sent gifts to maintain our friendship's bond,
Thou. spreading
them like rain from heaven, hast waxen great.
7 The beams
that mark him have grown strong, the thunder rests between his
arms,
When, like the Sun, he hath increased both Heaven and
Earth.
8 When, Mighty Lord of Heroes, thou didst cat a thousand
buffaloes,
Then grew and waxed exceeding great thine Indra-power.
9 Indra consumeth with the rays of Surya the malicious man:
Like Agni conquering the woods, he hath grown strong.
10
This newest thought of ours that suits the time approaches unto
thee:
Serving, beloved in many a place it metes and marks.
11 The pious germ of sacrifice directly purifies the soul.
By Indra's lauds it waxes great, it metes and marks.
12 Indra
who wins the friend hath spread himself to drink the Soma-draught:
Like worshipper's dilating praise; it metes and marks.
13
He whom the sages, living men, have gladdened, offering up their
hymns,
Hath swelled like oil of sacrifice in Agni's mouth.
14 Aditi also hath brought forth a hymn for Indra, Sovran Lord:
The work of sacrifice for help is glorified.
15 The ministering
priests have sung their songs for aid and eulogy:
God, thy
Bays turn not from the rite which Law ordains.
16 If, Indra,
thou drink Soma by Visnu's or Trta Aptya's side,
Or with
the Maruts take delight in flowing drops;
17 Or, Sakra, if
thou gladden thee afar or in the sea of air,
Rejoice thee
in this juice of ours, in flowing drops.
18 Or, Lord of Heroes
if thou aid the worshipper who shed; the, juice,
Or him whose
laud delights thee, and his flowing drops.
19 To magnify
the God, the God, Indra, yea, Indra for your help,
And promptly
end the sacrifice-this have they gained.
20 With worship,
him whom men adore, with Soma, him who drinks it most,
Indra
with lauds have they increasedthis have they gained.
21 His
leadings are with power and might and his instructions manifold:
He gives the worshipper all wealth: this have they gained.
22 For slaying Vrtra have the Gods set Indra in the foremost
place.
Indra the choral bands have sung, for vigorous strength.
23 We to the Mighty with our might, with lauds to him who hears
our call,
With holy hymns have sung aloud, for vigorous strength.
24 Not earth, nor heaven, nor firmaments contain the Thunder-wielding
God:
They shake before his violent rush and vigorous strength.
25 What time the Gods, O Indra, get thee foremost in the furious
fight,
Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee on.
26 When Vrtra, stayer of the floods, thou si"est, Thundeicr
with might,
Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee
on.
27 When Visnu, through thine energy, strode wide those
three great steps of his,
Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds
carried thee on.
28 When thy two beautiful Bay Steeds grew
great and greater day by day,
Even then all creatures that
had life bowed down to thee.
29 When, Indra, all the Marut
folk humbly submitted them to thee,
Even then all creatures
that had life bowed down to thee.
30 When yonder Sun, that
brilliant light, thou settest in the heaven above,
Even then
all creatures that had life bowed down to thee.
31 To thee,
O Indra, with this thought the sage lifts up this eulogy,
Akin and leading as on foot to sacrifice.
32 When in thine
own dear dwelling all gathered have lifted up the voice
Milk-streams
at worship's central spot, for sacrifice,
33 As Priest, O
Indra, give us wealth in brave men and good steeds ana kine
That we may first remember thee for sacrifice.
HYMN XIII. Indra.
1. INDRA, when Soma juices flow, makes his mind pure and
meet for lauds.
He gains the power that brings success, for
great is he.
2 In heaven's first region, in the seat of Gods,
is he who brings success,
Most glorious, prompt to save,
who wins the water-floods.
3 Him, to win strength, have I
invoked, even Indra mighty for the fray.
Be thou most near
to us for bliss, a Friend to aid.
4 Indra, Song -lover, here
for thee the worshipper's libation flows.
Rejoicing in this
sacred grass thou shinest forth.
5 Even now, O Indra, give
us that which, pressing juice, we crave of thee.
Bring us
wealth manifold which finds the light of heaven.
6 What time
the zealous worshipper hath boldly sung his songs to thee,
Like branches of a tree up-grows what they desire.
7 Generate
songs even as of old, give car unto the singer's call.
Thou
for the pious hast grown great at each carouse.
8 Sweet strains
that glorify him play like waters speeding down a slope,
Yea, him who in this song is called the Lord of Heaven;
9
Yea, who alone is called the Lord, the single Ruler of the folk,
By worshippers seeking aid: may he joy in the draught.
10
Praise him, the Glorious, skilled in song, Lord of the two victorious
Bays:
They seek the worshipper's abode who bows in prayer.
11 Put forth thy strength: with dappled Steeds come, thou of
mighty intellect,
With swift Steeds to the sacrifice, for
'tis thy joy.
12 Grant wealth to those who praise thee, Lord
of Heroes, Mightiest Indra: give
Our princes everlasting
fame and opulence.
13 I call thee when the Sun is risen,
I call thee at the noon of day:
With thy car-horses, Indra,
come wellpleased to us.
14 Speed forward hither, come to
us, rejoice thee in the milky draught:
Spin out the thread
of ancient time, as well is known.
15 If, Sakra, Vrtra-slayer,
thou be far away or near to us.
Or in the sea, thou art the
guard of Soma juice.
16 Let songs we sing and Soma-drops
expressed by us make Indra strong:
The tribes who bring oblations
find delight in him.
17 Him sages longing for his aid, with
offerings brought in eager haste,
Him. even as branches,
all mankind have made to grow.
18 At the Trkadrukas the Gods
span sacrifice that stirred the mind:
May our songs strengthen
him who still hath strengthened us.
19 When, true to duty,
at due times the worshipper offers lauds to thee,
They call
him Purifier, Pure, and Wonderful.
20 That mind of Rudra,
fresh and strong, moves conscious in the ancient ways,
With
reference whereto the wise have ordered this.
21 If thou
elect to be my Friend drink of this sacrificial juice,
By
help whereof we may subdue all enemies.
22 O Indra, Lover
of the song, when shall thy praiser be most blest?
When wilt
thou grant us wealth in herds of kine and steeds?
23 And
thy two highIy-lauded Bays, strong stallions, draw thy car who
art
Untouched by age, most gladdening car for which we pray.
24 With ancient offerings we implore the Young and Strong whom
many praise.
He from of old hath sat upon dear sacred grass.
25 Wax miglity, thou whom many laud for aids which Rsis have
extolled.
Pour down for us abundant food and guard us well.
26 O Indra, Caster of the Stone, thou helpest him who praises
thee:
From sacrifice I send to thee a mindyoked hymn.
27 Here, yoking for the Soma-draught these Horses, sharers of
thy feast,
Thy Bay Steeds, Indra, fraught with weal tb, consent
to come.
28 Attendants on thy glory, let the Rudras roar
assent to thee,
And all the Marut companies come tothe feast.
29 These his victorious followers bold in the heavens the place
they love,
Leagued in the heart of sacrifice, as well we
know.
30 That we may long behold the light, what time the
ordered rite proceeds,
He duly measures, as he views, the
sacrifice.
31 O Indra, strong is this thy car, and strong
are these Bay Steeds of thine:
O Satakratu, thou art strong,
strong is our call.
32 Strong is the press-stone, strong
thy joy, strong is the flowing Soma juice:
Strong is the
rite thou furtherest, strong is our call.
33 As strong I
call on thee the Strong, O Thunderer with thy thousand aids:
For thou hast won the hymn of praise. Strong is our call.
HYMN XIV. Indra.
1. IF I, O Indra, were, like thee, the single Sovran of all
wealth,
My worshipper should be rich in kine.
2 I should
be fain, O Lord of Power, to strengthen and enrich the sage,
Were I the Lord of herds of kine.
3 To worshippers who press
the juice thy goodness, Indra, is a cow
Yielding in plenty
kine and steeds.
4 None is there, Indra, God or man, to hinder
thy munificence,
The wealth which, lauded, thou wilt give.
5 The sacrifice made Indra strong when he unrolled the earth,
and made
Himself a diadem in heaven.
6 Thine aid we claim,
O Indra, thine who after thou hast waxen great
Hast won all
treasures for thine own.
7 In Soma's ecstasy Indra spread
the firmament and realms of light,
When he cleft Vala limb
from limb.
8 Showing the hidden he drave forth the cows for
the Angirases,
And Vala he cast headlong down.
9 By Indra
were the lumirious realms of heaven established and secured,
Firm and immovable from their place.
10 Indra, thy laud moves
quickly like a joyous wave of water-floods:
Bright shine
the drops that gladden thee.
11 For thou, O Indra, art the
God whom hymns and praises magnify:
Thou blessest those who
worship thee.
12 Let the two long-maned Bay Steeds bring
Indra to drink the Soma juice,
The Bountiful to our sacrifice.
13 With waters' foam thou torest off, Indra, the head of Namuci,
Subduing all contending hosts.
14 The Dasyus, when they fain
would climb
by magic arts and mount to heaven,
Thou, Indra,
castest down to earth.
15 As Soma-drinker conquering all,
thou scatteredst to every side
Their settlement who poured
no gifts.
HYMN XV. Indra.
1. SING forth to him whom many men invoke, to him whom many
laud.
Invite the powerful Indra with your songs of praise.
2 Whose lofty might-for doubly strong is he-supports the heavens
and earth,
And hills and plains and floods and light with
manly power.
3 Such, Praised by many! thou art King alone
thou smitest Vrtras dead,
To gain, O Indra, spoils of war
and high renown.
4 We sing this strong and wild delight of
thine which conquers in the fray,
Which, Caster of the Stone!
gives room and shines like gold.
5 Wherewith thou also foundest
lights for Ayu and for Manu's sake:
Now joying in this sacred
grass thou beamest forth.
6 This day too singers of the hymn
praise, as of old, this might of thine:
Win thou the waters
day by day, thralls of the strong.
7 That lofty Indra-power
of thine, thy strength and thine intelligence,
Thy thunderbolt
for which we long, the wish makes keen.
8 O Indra, Heaven
and Earth augment thy manly power and thy renown;
The waters
and thy mountains stir and urge thee on.
9 Visnu the lofty
ruling Power, Varuna, Mitra sing thy praise:
In thee the
Marut3' company have great delight.
10 O Indra, thou wast
born the Lord of men, most liberal of thy gifts:
Excellent
deeds for evermore are all thine own.
11 Ever, alone, O highly-praised,
thou sendest Vrtras to their rest:
None else than Indra executes
the mighty deed.
12 Though here and there, in varied hymns,
Indra, men call on thee for aid,
Still with our heroes fight
and win the light of heaven.
13 Already have all forms of
him entered our spacious dwelling-place:
For victory stir
thou Indra, up, the Lord of Might.
HYMN XVI. Indra.
1. PRAISE Indra whom our songs must laud, sole Sovran of
mankind, the Chief
Most liberal who controlleth men.
2
In whom the hymns of praise delight, and all the glory-giving
songs.
Like the floods' longing for the sea.
3 Him I invite
with eulogy, best King, effective in the fight,
Strong for
the gain of mighty spoil.
4 Whose perfect ecstasies are wide,
profound, victorious, and give
joy in the field where heroes
win.
5 Him, when the spoils of war are staked, men call to
be their advocate:
They who have Indra win the day.
6
Men honour him with stirring songs and magnify with solemn rites:
Indra is he who giveth case.
7 1ndra is priest and Rsi, he
is much invoked by many men,
And mighty by his mighty powers.
8 Meet to be lauded and invoked, true Hero with his deeds of
might,
Victorious even when alone.
9 The men, the people
magnify that Indra with their Slina. songs,
With hymns and
sacred eulogies
10 Him who advances them to wealth, sends
light to lead them in the war,
And quells their foemen in
the fray.
11 May he, the saviour much-invoked, may Indra
bear us in a ship
Safely beyond all enemies.
12 As such,
O Indra, honour us with gifts of booty, further us,
And lead
us to felicity.
HYMN XVII Indra.
1. COME, we have pressed the juice for thee; O Indra, drink
this Soma here
Sit thou on this my sacred grass.
2 O Indra,
let thy long-maned Bays, yoked by prayer, bring thee hitherward
Give car and listen to our prayers.
3 We Soma-bearing Brahmans
call thee Soma-drinker with thy friend,
We, Indra, bringing
Soma juice.
4 Come unto us who bring the juice, come unto
this our eulogy,
Fair-visored! drink thou of the juice.
5 I pour it down within thee, so through all thy members let
it spread:
Take with. thy tongue the pleasant drink.
6
Sweet to thy body let it be, delicious be the savoury juice:
Sweet be the Soma to thine heart.
7 Like women, let this
Soma-draught, invested with its robe, approach,
O active
Indra, close to thee.
8 Indra, transported with the juice,
vast in his bulk, strong in his neck
And stout arms, smites
the Vrtras down.
9 O Indra, go thou forward, thou who rulest
over all by might:
Thou Vrtra-slayer slay the fiends,
10 Long be thy grasping-hook wherewith thou givest ample wealth
to him
Who sheds the juice and worships thee.
11 Here,
Indra, is thy Soma-draught, made pure upon the sacred grass:
Run hither, come and drink thereof.
12 Famed for thy radiance,
worshipped well this juice is shed for thy delight
Thou art
invoked, Akhandala!
13 To Kundapayya, grandson's son, grandson
of Srngavrs! to thee,
To him have I addressed my thought.
14 Strong pillar thou, Lord of the home armour of Soma-offerers:
The drop of Soma breaketh all the strongholds down, and Indra
is the Rsis' Friend.
15 Holy Prdikusanu, winner of the spoil,
one eminent o'er many men,
Lead on the wild horse Indra with
his vigorous grasp forward to drink the Soma juice.
HYMN XVIII. Adityas.
1. Now let the mortal offer prayer to win the unexampled
grace
Of these Adityas and their aid to cherish life.
2 For not an enemy molests the paths which these Adityas tread:
Infallible guards, they strengthen us in happiness.
3 Now
soon may Bhaga, Savitar, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman
Give us the
shelter widely spread which we implore.
4 With Gods come
thou whose fostering care none checks, O Goddesss Aditi:
Come, dear to many, with the Lords who guard us well.
5 For
well these Sons of Aditi know to keep enmities aloof,
Unrivalled,
giving ample room, they save from woe.
6 Aditi guard our
herd by day, Aditi, free from guile, by night,
Aditi, ever
strengthening, save us from grief!
7 And in the day our hymn
is this: May Aditi come nigh to help,
With loving-kindness
bring us weal and chase our foes.
8 And may the Asvins, the
divine Pair of Physicians, send us health:
May they remove
iniquity and chase our foes.
9 May Agni bless us with his
fires, and Surya warm us pleasantly:
May the pure Wind breathe
sweet on us, and chase our foes.
10 Drive ye disease and
strife away, drive ye away malignity:
Adityas, keep us ever
far from sore distress.
11 Remove from us the arrow, keep
famine, Adityas! far away:
Keep enmities afar from us, Lords
of all wealth!
12 Now, O Adityas, grant to us the shelter
that lets man go free,
Yea, even the sinner from his sin,
ye Bounteous Gods 1
13 Whatever mortal with the powe r of
demons fain would injure us,
May he, impetuous, suffer harm
by his own deeds.
14 May sin o'ertake our human foe, the
man who speaketh evil thing,
Him who would cause our misery,
whose heart is false.
15 Gods, ye are with the simple ones,
ye know each mortal in your hearts;
Ye, Vasus, well discriminate
the false and true.
16 Fain would we have the sheltering
aid of mountains and of water-floods:
Keep far from us iniquity,
O Heaven and Earth.
17 So with auspicious sheltering aid
do ye, O Vasus, carry us
Beyond all trouble and distress,
borne in your ship.
18 Adityas, ye Most Mighty Ones, grant
to our children and their seed
Extended term of life that
they may live long days.
19 Sacrifice, O Adityas, is your
inward monitor: be kind,
For in the bond of kindred we are
bound to you.
20 The Maruts' high protecting aid, the Asvins,
and the God who saves,
Mitra and Varuna for weal we supplicate.
21 Grant us a home with triple guard, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna!
Unthreatened, Maruts! meet for praise, and filled with men.
22 And as we human beings, O Adityas, are akin to death,
Graciously lengthen ye our lives that we may live.
HYMN XIX. Agni.
1. SING praise to hiin, the Lord of Light. The Gods have
made the God to be their messenger,
And sent oblation to
Gods.
2 Agni, the Bounteous Giver, bright with varied flames,
laud thou, O singer Sobhari-
Him who controls this sacred
food with Soma blent, who hath first claim to sacrifice.
3 Thee have we chosen skilftillest in sacrifice, Immortal Priest
among the Gods,
Wise finisher of this holy rite:
4 The
Son of Strength, the blessed, brightly shining One, Agni whose
light is excellent.
May be by sacrifice win us in heaven
the grace of Mitra, Varuna, and the Floods.
5 The mortal
who hath ministered to Agni with oblation, fuel, ritual lore,
And reverence, skilled in sacrifice.
6 Verily swift to run
are his fleet-footed steeds, and most resplendent fame is his.
No trouble caused by Gods or wrought by mortal man from any
side o'ertaketh him.
7 May we by thine own fires be well
supplied with fire, O Son of Strength, O Lord of Might:
Thou
as our Friend hast worthy men.
8 Agni, who praises like a
guest of friendly mind, is as a car that brings us gear.
Also in thee is found perfect security thou art the Sovran Lord
of wealth.
9 That man, moreover, merits praise who brings,
auspicious Agni, sacrificial gifts
May he win riches by his
thoughts.
10 He for whose sacrifice thou standest up erect
is prosperous and rules o'er men.
He wins with coursers and
with singers killed in song: with heroes he obtains the prize.
11 He in whose dwelling Agni is chief ornament, and, all-desired,
loves his laud well,
And zealously tends his offerings-
12 His, or the lauding sage's word, his, Son of Strength! who
Is most prompt with sacred gifts,
Set thou beneath the Gods,
Vasu, above mankind, the speech of the intelligent.
13 He
who with sacrificial gifts or homage bringeth very skilful Agni
nigh,
Or him who flashes fast with song,
14 The mortal
who with blazing fuel, as his laws command, adores the Perfect
God,
Blest with his thoughts in splendour shall exceed all
men, as though he overpassed the floods.
15 Give us the splendour,
Agni, which may overcome each greedy fiend in our abode,
The wrath of evil-hearted folk.
16 That, wherewith Mitra,
Varuna, and Aryaman, the Asvins, Bhaga give us light,
That
may we, by thy power finding best furtherance, worship, O Indra,
helped by thee.
17 O Agni, most devout are they, the sages
who have set thee Sage exceeding wise,
O God, for men to
look upon:
18 Who have arranged thine altar Blessed God,
at morn brought thine oblation, pressed the juice.
They by
their deeds of strength have won diem, mighty wealth, who have
set all their hope in thee.
19 -May Agni worshipped bring
us bliss, may the gift, Blessed One, and sacrifice bring bliss;
Yea, may our praises bring us bliss.
20 Show forth the mind
that brings success in war with fiends, wherewith thou conquerest
in fight.
Bring down the many firm hopes of our enemies,
and let us vanquish with thine aid.
21 I praise with song
the Friend of man, whom Gods sent down to be herald and messenger,
Best worshipper, bearer of our gifts.
22 Thou unto sharp-toothed
Agni, Young and Radiant God, proclaimest with thy song the feast-
Agni, who for our sweet strains moulds heroic strength when
sacred oil is offered him,
23 While, served with sacrificial
oil, now upward and now downward Agni moves his sword,
As
doth the Asura his robe.
24 The God, the Friend of man, who
bears our gifts to heaven, the God with his sweet-smelling mouth,
Distributes, skilled in sacrifice, his precious things, Invoking
Priest, Immortal God.
25 Son of Strength, Agni, if thou wert
the mortal, bright as Mitra, I worshipped with our gifts!
And I were the Immortal God
26 I would not give thee up,
Vasu, to calumny, or misery, O Bounteous One.
My worshipper
should feel no hunger or distress, nor, Agni, should he live
in sin.
27 Like a son cherished in his father's houi e, let
our oblation rise unto the Gods.
28 With thine immediate
aid may I, excellent Agni, ever gain my wish
A mortal with
a God to help.
29 O Agni, by thy wisdom, by thy bounties,
by thy leading may I gather wealth.
Excellent Agni, thou
art called my Providence: delight thou to be liberal.
30
Agni, he conquers by thine aid that brings him store of noble
heroes and great strength,
Whose bond of friendship is thy
choice.
31 Thy spark is black and crackling, kindled in due
time, O Bounteous, it is taken up.
Thou art the dear Friend
of the mighty Mornings: thou shinest in glimmerings of the night.
32 We Sobharis have come to him, for succour, who is good to
help with thousand powers,
The Sovran, Trasadasyu's Friend.
33 O Agni, thou on whom all other fires depend, as branches
on the parent stem,
I make the treasures of the folk, like
songs, mine own, while I exalt thy sovran might.
34 The mortal
whom, Adityas, ye, Guilelew, lead to the farther bank
Of
all the princes, Bounteous Ones
35 Whoe'er he be, Man-ruling
Kings! the Regent of the race of men-
May we, O Mitra, Varuna,
and Aryaman, like him be furtherers of your law.
36 A gift
of fifty female slaves hath Trasadasyu given me, Purukutsa's
son,
Most liberal, kind, lord of the brave.
37 And Syava
too for me led forth a strong steed at Suvastu's ford:
A
herd of three times seventy kine, good lord of gifts, he gave
to me.
HYMN XX Maruts.
1. LET none, Swift Travellers! check you: come hither, like-spirited,
stay not far away,
Ye benders even of what is firm.
2
Maruts, Rbhuksans, Rudras come ye with your cars strong-fellied
and exceeding bright.
Come, ye for whom we long, with food,
to sacrifice, come ye with love to Sobbari.
3 For well we
know the vigorous might of Rudra's Sons, the Martits, who are
passing strong,
Swift Visnu's band, who send the rain.,
4 Islands are bursting forth and misery is stayed: the heaven
and earth are joined in one.
Decked with bright rings, ye
spread the broad expanses out, when ye, Self. luminous, stirred
yourselves.
5 Even things immovable shake and reel, the mountains
and the forest trees at your approach,
And the earth trembles
as ye come.
6 To lend free course, O Maruts, to your furious
rush, heaven high and higher still gives way,
Where they,
the Heroes mighty with their arms, display their gleaming omaments
on their forms.
7 After their Godlike nature they, the bull.
like Heroes, dazzling and impetuous, wear
Great splendour
as they show erect.
8 The pivot of the Sobharis' chariot
within the golden box is balmed with milk.
May they the Well-born,
Mighty, kindred of the Cow, aid us to food and to delight.
9 Bring, ye who sprinkle balmy drops. oblations to your vigorous
Marut company,
To those whose leader is the Bull.
10 Come
hither, O ye Mares, on your stronghorsed car, solid in look,
with solid naves.
Lightly like winged falcons, O ye Heroes,
come, come to enjoy our ofrerings.
11 Their decoration is
the same: their omaments of gold are bright upon their arms;
Their lances glitter splendidly.
12 They toil not to defend
their bodies from attack, strong Heroes with their mighty arms.
Strong are your bows and strong the weapons in your cars, and
glory sits on every face.
13 Whose name extendeth like a
sea, alone, resplendent, so that all have joy in it,
And
life-power like ancestral might.
14 Pay honour to these Maruts
and sing praise to them, for of the wheel-spokes of the car
Of these loud roarers none is last: this is their power, this
moves them to give mighty gifts.
15 Blest by your favouring
help was he, O Maruts, at the earlier flushings of the morn,
And even now shall he be blest.
16 The strong man to whose
sacrifice, O Heroes, ye approach that ye may taste thereof,
With glories and with war that winneth spoil shall gain great
bliss, ye Shakers of the world.
17 Even as Rudra's Sons,
the brood of the Creator Dyaus, the Asura, desire,
O Youthful
Ones, so shall it be:
18 And these the bounteous, worthy
of the Maruts who move onward pouring down the rain-
Even
for their sake, O Youthful Ones, with kindest heart take us
to you to be your own.
19 O Sobhari, with newest song sing
out unto the youthful purifying Bulls,
Even as a plougher
to his steers.
20 Who, like a celebrated boxer, overcome
the challengers in every fight:
They who, like shining bulls,
are most illustrious-honour those Maruts with thy song.
21
Allied by common ancestry, ye Maruts, even the Cows, alike in
energy,
Lick, all by turns, each other's head.
22 Even
mortal man, ye Dancers breast adorned with gold, attains to
brotherhood with you.
Mark ye and notice us, O Maruts; evermore
your friendship is secured to us.
23 O Maruts, rich in noble
gifts, bring us a portion of the Maruts' medicine,
Ye Coursers
who are Friends to us.
24 Haters of those who serve you not,
bliss-bringers, bring us bliss with those auspicious aids
Wherewith ye are victorious and guard Sindhu well, and succour
Krvi in his need.
25 Maruts, who rest on fair trimmed grass,
what balm soever Sindhu or Asikni hath,
Or mountains or the
seas contain.
26 Ye carry on your bodies, ye who see it all:
so bless us graciously therewith.
Cast, Maruts, to the ground
our sick man's malady: replace the dislocated limb.
HYMN XXI. Indra.
1. WE call on thee, O Matchless One! We seeking help, possessing
nothing firm ourselves,
Call on thee wonderful in fight
2 On thee for aid in sacrifice. This youth of ours, the bold,
the mighty, hath gonse forth.
We therefore, we thy friends,
Indra, havie chosen thee, free-giver, as our Guardian God.
3 Come hither, for the drops are here, O Lord of corn-lands.
Lord of horses, Lord of kine:
Drink thou the Soma, Soma's
Lord!
4 For we the kinless singers have drawn hither thee,
O Indra, who hast numerous kin.
With all the forms thou hast,
comic thou of bull-like strength, come near to drink the Soma
juice.
5 Sitting like birds beside thy meath., mingled with
milk, that gladdeneth and exalteth thee,
Indra, to thee we
sing aloud.
6 We speak to thee with this our reverential
prayer. Why art thou pondering yet awhile?
Here are our wishes;
thou art liberal, Lord of Bays: we and our hymns are present
here.
7 For not in recent times alone, O Indra, Thunder-armed,
have we obtained thine aid.
Of old we knew thy plenteous
wealth.
8 Hero, we knew thy friendship and thy rich rewards:
these, Thunderer, now we crave of thee.
O Vasu, for all wealth
that cometh of the kine, sharpen our powers, fair-visored God.
9 Him who of old hath brought to us this and that blessing,
him I magnify for you,
Even Indra, O my friends, for help
10 Borne by Bay Steeds, the Lord of heroes, ruling men, for
it is he who takes; delight.
May Maghavan bestow on us his
worshippers hundreds of cattle and of steeds.
11 Hero, may
we, with thee for Friend, withstand the man who pants against
us in his wrath,
In fight with people rich in kine.
12
May we be victors in the singer's battlesong, and meet the wicked,
Much invoked!
With heroes smite the foeman and show forth
our strength. O Indra, further thou our thoughts.
13 O Indra,
from all ancient time rivalless ever and companionless art thou:
Thou seekest comradeship in war.
14 Thou findest not the
wealthy man to be thy friend: those scorn thee who are flown
with wine.
What time thou thunderest and gatherest, then
thou, even as a Father, art invoked.
15 O Indra, let us not,
like fools who waste their lives at home, with friendship such
as thine
Sit idly by the poured-out juice.
16 Giver of
kine, may we not miss thy gracious gifts: let us not rob thee
of thine own.
Strip even the strong places of the foe, and
bring: thy gifts can never be made vain.
17 Indra or blest
Sarasvati alone bestows such wealth, treasure so great, or thou,
O Citra, on the worshipper.
18 Citra is King, and only kinglings
are the rest who dwell beside Sarasvati.
He, like Parjanya
with his rain, hath spread himself with thousand, yea, with
myriad gifts.
HYMN XXII. Asvins.
1. HITHERWARD have I called to-day, for succour, that most
wondrous car
Which ye ascended, Asvins, ye whose paths are
red, swift to give Car, for Surya's sake.
2 Car ever young,
much longed-for, easily invoked, soon guided, first in deeds
of might,
Which waits and serves, O Sobhari, with benevolence,
without a rival or a foe.
3 These Asvins with our homage,
these Two Omnipresent Deities
Hitherward will we bring for
kind help, these who seek the dwelling of the worshipper.
4 One of your chariot wheels is moving swiftly round, one speeds
for you its onward course.
Like a milch-cow, O Lords of splendour,
and with haste let your benevolence come to us.
5 That chariot
of yours which hath a triple seat and reins of gold,
The
famous car that traverseth the heaven and earth, thereon Nasatyas,
Asvins, come.
6 Ye with your plough, when favouring Manu
with your help, ploughed the first harvest in the sky.
As
such will we exalt you, Lords of splendour, now, O Asvins, with
our prayer and praise.
7 Come to us, Lords of ample wealth,
by paths of everlasting Law,
Whereby to high dominion ye
with mighty strength raised Trksi, Trasadasyu's son.
8 This
Soma pressed with stones is yours, ye Heroes, Lords of plenteous
wealth.
Approach to drink the Soma, come, drink in the worshipper's
abode.
9 O Asvins, mount the chariot, mount the golden seat,
ye who are Lords of plenteous wealth,
And bring to us abundant
food.
10 The aids wherewith ye helped Paktha and Adhrigt;,
and Babhru severed from his friends,-
With those, O Asvins,
come hither with speed and soon, and heal whatever is diseased.
11 When we continually invoke the Asvins, the resistless, at
this time of day,
We lovers of the song, with songs.
12
Through these, ye Mighty Ones, come hither to my call which
brings all blessings, wears all forms,-
Tlirough which, All-present
Heroes, lavishest of food ye strengthened Krvi, come through
these.
13 I speak to both of these as such, these Asvins
whom I reverence at this time of day:
With homage we entreat
them both.
14 Ye who are Lords of splendour, ye whose paths
are red, at eve, at mom, at sacrifice,
Give us not utterly
as prey to mortal foe, ye Rudras, Lords of ample wealth.
15 For bliss I call. the blissful car, at morn the inseparable
Asvins with their car
I call, like Sobhari our sire.
16
Rapid as thought, and strong, and speeding to thejoy, bringing.your
swiftly-coming help,
Be to us a protection even from far
away Lords of great wealth, with many aids.'
17 Come, Wonder-Workers,
to our home, our home, O Asvins, rich in cattle, steeds, and
gold,
Chief drinkers of the Soma's juice
18 Choice-worthy
strength, heroic, firm and excellent, uninjured by the Raksas
foe,
At this your coming nigh, ye Lords of ample wealth and
all good things, may we obtain.
HYMN XXIII. Agni.
1. WORSHIP thou Jatavedas, pray to him who willingly accepts,
Whose smoke wanders at will, and none may grasp his flame.
2 Thou, all men's friend, Visvamanas, exaltest Agni with thy
song,
The Giver, and his flames with which no cars contend.
3 Whose resolute assault, to win vigour and food, deserves our
praise,-
Through whose discovering power the priest obtaineth
wealth.
4 Up springs the imperishable flame, the flame of
the Refulgent One
Most bright, with glowing jaws and glory
in his train.
5 Skilled in fair sacrifice, extolled, arise
in Godlike loveliness,
Shining with lofty splendour, with
effulgent light.
6 Called straight to our oblations, come,
O Agni, through our eulogies,
As thou hast been our envoy
bearing up our gifts.
7 I call your Agni, from of old Invoking
Priest of living men:
Him with this song I laud and magnify
for you.
8 Whom, wondrous wise, they animate with solemn
rites and his fair form,
Kind as a friend to men who keep
the holy Law.
9 Him, true to Law, who perfecteth the sacrifice,.
Law-loving ones!
Ye with your song have gratified in the
place of prayer.
10 May all our sacrifices go to him the
truest Angiras,
Who is among mankind the most illustrious
Priest.
11 Imperishable Agni, thine are all these high enkindled
lights,
Like horses and like stallions showing forth their
strength.
12 So give us, Lord of Power and Might, riches
combined with hero strength,
And guard us with our sons and
grand. sons in our frays.
13 Soon as the eager Lord of men
is friendly unto Manti's race,
Agni averteth from us all
the demon host.
14 O Hero Agni, Lord of men, on hearing this
new laud of mine,
Burn down the Raksasas, enchanters, with
thy flame.
15 No mortal foe can e'er prevail by arts of magic
over him
Who serveth Agni well with sacrificial gifts.
16 Vyasva the sage, who sought the Bull, hath won thee, finder
of good things:
As such may we enkindle thee for ample wealth.
17 Usana Kavya stablished thee, O Agni, as Invoking Priest:
Thee, Jatavedas, Sacrificing Priest for man.
18 All Deities
of one accord appointed thee their messenger:
Thou, God,
through hearing, hadst first claim to sacrifice.
19 Him may
the mortal hero make his own immortal messenger.
Far-spreading,
Purifier, him whose path is black.
20 With lifted ladles
let us call him splendid with his brilliant flame,
Men's
ancient Agni, wasting not, adorable.
21 The man who pays
the worship due to him with sacrificial gifts
Obtains both
plenteous nourishment and hero fame.
22 To Jatavedas Agni,
chief in sacrifices, first of all
With homage goes the ladle
rich with sacred gifts.
23 Even as Vyatya did, may we with
these most high and liberal hymns
Pay worship unto Agni of
the splendid flame.
24 Now sing, as Sthurayupa sang, with
lands to him who spreadeth far,
To Agni of the home, O Rsi,
Vyasva's son.
25 As welcome guest of human kind, as offspring
of the forest kings,
The sages worship ancient Agni for his
aid.
26 For men's oblations brought to him who is the mighty
Lord of all,
Sit, Agni, mid our homage, on the sacred grass.
27 Grant us abundant. treasures, grant the opulence which many
crave,
With store of heroes, progeny, and high renown.
28 Agni, Most Youthful of the Gods, send evermore the gift of
wealth
Unto Varosusaman and to all his folk.
29 A mighty
Conqueror art thou, O Agni, so disclose to us
Food in our
herds of kine and gain of ample wealth.
30 Thou, Agni, art
a glorious God: bring hither Mitra, Varuna,
Imperial Sovrans,
holy-minded, true to Law.
HYMN XXIV. Indra.
1. COMPANIONS, let us learn a prayer to Indra. whom the thunder
arms,
To glorify your bold and most heroic Friend.
2 For
thou by slaying Vrtra art the Vrtra-slayer, famed for might.
Thou, Hero, in rich gifts surpassest wealthy chiefs.
3 As
such, when glorified, bring us riches of very wondrous fame,
Set in the highest rank, Wealth-giver, Lord of Bays!
4 Yea,
Indra, thou disclosest that preeminent dear wealth of men:
Boldly, O Bold One, glorified, bring it to us.
5 The workers
of destruction stay neither thy right hand nor thy left:
Nor hosts that press about thee, Lord of Bays, in fight.
6 O Thunder-armed, I come with songs to thee as to a stall with
kine:
Fulfil the wish and thought of him who sings thy praise.
7 Chief Vrtra-slayer, through the hymn of Visvamanas think of
all,
All that concerneth us, Excellent, Mighty Guide.
8 May we, O Vrtra-slayer, O Hero, find this thy newest boon,
Longed-for, and excellent, thou who art much invoked!
9 O
Indra, Dancer, Much-invoked! as thy great power is unsurpassed,
So be thy bounty to the worshipper unchecked.
10 Most Mighty,
most heroic One, for mighty bounty fill thee full.
Though
strong, strengthen thyself to win wealth, Maghavan!
11 O
Thunderer, never have our prayers gone forth to any God but
thee:
So help us, Maghavan, with thine assistance now.
12 For, Dancer, verily I find none else for bounty, saving thee,
For splendid wealth and power, thou Lover of the Song.
13
For Indra pour ye out the drops meath blent with Soma let him
drink
With bounty and with majesty will he further us.
14 I spake to the Bay Coursers' Lord, to him who gives ability:
Now hear the son of Asva as he praises thee.
15 Never was
any Hero born before thee mightier than thou:
None certairdy
like thee in goodness and in wealth.
16 O ministering priest,
pour out of the sweet juice what gladdens most:
So is the
Hero praised who ever prospers us.
17 Indra, whom Tawny Coursers
bear, praise such as thine, preeminent,
None by his power
or by his goodness hath attained.
18 We, seeking glory, have
invoked this Master of all power and might
Who must be glorified
by constant sacri fice.
19 Come, sing we praise to Indra,
friends, the Hero who deserves the laud,
Him who with none
to aid o'ercomes all tribes of men.
20 To him who wins the
kine, who keeps no cattle back, Celestial God,
Speak wondrous
speech more sweet than butter and than meath.
21 Whose hero
powers are measureless, whose bounty ne'er may be surpassed,
Whose liberality, like light, is over all.
22 As Vyasva did,
praise Indra, praise the Strong unfluctuating Guide,
Who
gives the foe's possessions to the worshipper.
23 Now, son
of Vyasva, praise thou him who to the tenth time still is new,
The very Wise, whom living men must glorify
24 Thou knowest,
Indra, Thunder-armed, how to avoid destructive powers,
As
one secure from pitfalls each returning day.
25 O Indra,
bring that aid wherewith of old, Most Wondrous! thou didst slay
His foes for active Kutsa: send it down to us.
26 So now
we seek thee fresh in might, Most Wonderful in act! for gain:
For thou art he who conquers all our foes for us.
27 Who
will set free from ruinous woe, or Arya on the Seven Streams:
O valiant Hero, bend the Dasa's weapon down.
28 As to Varosusaman
thou broughtest great riches, for their gain,
To Vyasva's
sons, Blest Lady, rich in ample wealth!
29 Let Narya's sacrificial
meed reach Vyasva's Soma-bearing sons:
In hundreds and in
thousands be the great reward.
30 If one should ask thee,
Where is he who sacrificed? Whither lookest thou?
Like Vala
he hath passed away and dwelleth now on Gomati.
HYMN XXV. Mitra-Varuna.
1. I WORSHIP you who guard this All, Gods, holiest among
the Gods,
You, faithful to the Law, whose power is sanctified.
2 So, too, like charioteers are they, Mitra and sapient Varuna,
Sons high-born from of old, whose holy laws stand fast.
3
These Twain, possessors of all wealth, most glorious, for supremest
sway
Aditi, Mighty Mother, true to Law, brought forth.
4 Great Varuna and Mitra, Gods, Asuras and imperial Lords,
True to Eternal Law proclaim the high decree.
5 The offspring
of a lofty Power, Daksa's Two Sons exceeding strong,
Who,
Lords of flowing rain, dwell in the place of food.
6 Ye who
have gathered up your gifts, celestial and terrestrial food,
Let your rain come to us fraught with the mist of heaven.
7 The Twain, who from the lofty sky seem to look down on herds
below,
Holy, imperial Lords, are set to be revered.
8
They, true to Law, exceeding strong, have sat them down for
savran rule:
Princes whose laws stand fast, they have obtained
their sway.
9 Pathfinders even better than the eye, with
unobstructed sight,
Even when they close their lids, observant,
they perceive.
10 So may the Goddess Aditi, may the Nasatyas
guard us well,
The Martits guard us well,.endowed with mighty
strength.
11 Do ye, O Bounteous Gods, protect our dwelling
lace by day and night:
With you for our defenders may we
go unharmed.
12 May we, unharmed, serve bountiful Visnu,
the God who slayeth none:
Self-moving Sindhu hear and be
the first to mark.
13 This sure protection we elect, desirable
and reaching far,
Which Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman afford.
14 And may the Sindhu of the floods, the Maruts, and the ASvin
Pair,
Boon Indra, and boon Visnu have one mind with us.
15 Because these warring Heroes stay the enmity of every foe,
As the fierce water-flood repels the furious ones.
16 Here
this one God, the Lord of men, looks forth exceeding far and
wide:
And we, for your advantage, keep his holy laws.
17 We keep the old accustomed laws, the statutes of supremacy,
The Iong-known laws of Mitra and of Varuna.
18 He who hath
measured with his ray the boundaries of heaven and earth,
And with his majesty hath filled the two worlds full,
19
Surya hath spread his light aloft up to the region of the sky,
Like Agni all aflame when gifts are offered him.
20 With
him who sits afar the word is lord of food that comes from kine,
Controller of the gift of unempoisoned food.
21 So unto Surya,
Heaven, and Earth at morning and at eve I speak.
Bringing
enjoyments ever rise thou up for us.
22 From Uksanyayana
a bay, from Harayana a white steed,
And from Susaman we obtained
a hamessed car.
23 These two shall bring me further gain
of troops of tawny-coloured steeds,
The carriers shall they
be of active men of war.
24 And the two sages have I gained
who hold the reins and bear the whip,
And the two great strong
coursers, with my newest song.
HYMN XXVI. Asvins.
1. I CALL your chariot to receive united praise mid princely
men,
Strong Gods who pour down wealth, of never vanquished
might!
2 Ye to Varosusaman come, Nasatyas, for this glorious
rite.
With your protecting aid. Strong Gods, who pour down
wealth.
3 So with oblations we invoke you, rich in ample
wealth, to-day,
When night hath passed, O ye who send us
plenteous food.
O Asvins, Heroes, let your car, famed, best
to travel, come to us,
And, for his glory, mark your zealous
servant's lauds.
5 Asvins, who send us precious gifts, even
when offended, think of him:
For ye, O Rudras, lead us safe
beyond our foes.
6 For, Wonder-Workers, with fleet steeds
ye fly completely round this All,
Stirring our thoughts,
ye Lords of splendour, honey-hued.
7 With all-sustaining
opulence, Asvins, come hitherward to us,
Ye rich and noble
Heroes, ne'er to be o'erthrown.
8 To welcome this mine offering,
O ye Indra-like Nasatyas, come
As Gods of best accord this
day with other Gods.
9 For we, like Vyasva, lifting up our
voice like oxen, call on you:
With all your loving kindness,
Sages, come to us.
10 O Rsi, laud the Asvins well. Will they
not listen to thy call?
Will they not bum the Panis who are
nearer them?
11 O Heroes, listen to the son of Vyasva, and
regard me here,
Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, of one accord.
12 Gods whom we yearn for, of your gifts, of what ye bring to
us, bestow
By princes' hands on me, ye Mighty, day by day.
13 Him whom your sacrifices clothe, even as a woman with her
robe,
The Asvins help to glory honouring him well.
14
Whoso regards your care of men as succour widest in its reach,
About his dwelling go, ye Asvins, loving us.
15 Come to us
ye who pour down wealth, come to the home which men must guard:
Like shafts, ye are made meet for sacrifice by song.
16 Most
fetching of all calls, the laud, as envoy, Heroes, called to
you
Be it your own, O Asvin Pair.
17 Be ye in yonder sea
of heaven, or joying in the home of food,
Listen to me, Immortal
Ones.
18 This river with his lucid flow attracts you, more
than all the streams,-
Even Sindhu with his path of gold.
19 O Asvins, with that glorious fame come hither, through our
brilliant song,
Come ye whose ways are marked with light.
20 Harness the steeds who draw the car, O Vasu, bring the well-fed
pair.
O Vayu, drink thou of our meath: come unto our drink-offerings.
21 Wonderful Vayu, Lord of Right, thou who art Tvastar's son-in-law,
Thy saving succour we elect.
22 To Tvastar's son-in-law we
pray for wealth whereof he hath control:
For glory we seek
vayu, men with juice effused.
23 From heaven, auspicious
Vayu, come drive hither with thy noble steeds:
Come on thy
mighty car with wide-extending seat.
24 We call thee to the
homes of men, thee wealthiest in noble food,
And liberal
as a press-stone with a horse's back.
25 So, glad and joyful
in thine heart, do thou, God, Vayu, first of all
Vouchsafe
us water, strength, and thought.
HYMN XXVII. Visvedevas.
1. CHEIF Priest is Agni at the laud, as stones and grass
at sacrifice:
With song I seek the Maruts, Brahmanaspati,
Gods for help much to be desired.
2 I sing to cattle and
to Earth, to trees, to Dawns, to Night, to plants.
O all
ye Vasus, ye possessors of all wealth, be ye the furtherers
of our thoughts.
3 Forth go, with Agni, to the Gods our sacrifice
of ancient use,
To the Adityas, Varuna whose Law stands fast,
and the all-lightening Marut troop.
4 Lords of all wealth,
may they be strengtheners of man, destroyers of his enemies.
Lords of all wealth, do ye, with guards which none may harm,
preserve our dwelling free from foes.
5 Come to us with one
mind to-day, come to us all with one accord,
Maruts with
holy song, and, Goddess Aditi, Mighty One, to our house and
home.
6 Send us delightful things, ye Maruts, on your steeds:
come ye, O Mitra, to our gifts.
Let Indra, Varuna, and the
Adityas sit, swift Heroes, on our sacred grass.
7 We who
have trimmed the grass for you, and set the banquet in array,
And pressed the Soma, call you, Varuina, like men, with sacrificial
fires aflame.
8 O Maruts, Visinu, Asvins, Pusan, haste away
with minds turned hitherward to Me.
Let the Strong Indra,
famed as Vrtra's slayer, come first with the winners of the
spoil.
9 Ye Guileless Gods, bestow on us a refuge strong
on every side,
A sure protection, Vasus, unassailable from
near at hand or from afar.
10 Kinship have I with you, and
close alliance O ye Gods, destroyers of our foes.
Call us
to our prosperity of former days, and soon to new klicity.
11 For now have I sent forth to you, that I may win a fair reward,
Lords of all wealth, with homage, this my song of praise. like
a milch-cow that faileth not.
12 Excellent Savitar hath mounted
up on high for you, ye sure and careful Guides.
Bipeds and
quadrupeds, with several hopes and aims, and birds have settled
to their tasks.
13 Singing their praise with God-like thought
let us invoke each God for grace,
Each God to bring you help,
each God to strengthen you.
14 For of one spirit are the
Gods with mortal man, co-sharers all of gracious gifts.
May
they increase our strength hereafter and to-day, providing case
and ample room.
15 I laud you, O ye Guileless Gods, here
where we meet to render praise.
None, Varuna and Mitra, harins
the mortal, man who honours and obeys your laws.
16 He makes
his house endure, he gathers plenteous food who pays obedience
to your will.
Born in his sons anew he spreads as Law commands,
and prospers every way unharmed.
17 E'en without war he gathers
wealth, and goes hisway on pleasant paths,
Whom Mitra, Varuna
and Aryaman protect, sharing the gift,of one accord.
18 E'en
on the plain for him ye make a sloping path, an easy way where
road is none:
And far away from him the ineffectual shaft
must vanish, shot at him in vain.
19 If ye appoint the rite
to-day, kind Rulers, when the Sun ascends,
Lords of all wealth,
at sunset or at wakingtime, or be it at the noon of day,
20 Or, Asuras, when ye have sheltered the worshipper who goes
to sacrifice, at eve
may we, O Vasus, ye possessors of all
wealth, come then into the midst of You.
21 If ye to-day
at sunrise, or at noon, or in the gloom of eve,
Lords of
all riches, give fair treasure to the man, the wise man who
hath sacrificed,
22 Then we, imperial Rulers, claim of you
this boon, your wide protection, as a son.
May we, Adityas,
offering holy gifts, obtain that which shall bring us greater
bliss.
HYMN XXVIII. Visvedevas.
1. THE Thirty Gods and Three besides, whose seat hath been
the sacred grass,
From time of old have found and gained.
2 Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Agnis, with Consorts, sending boons,
To whom our Vasat! is addressed:
3 These are our guardians
in the west, and northward here, and in the south,
And on
the cast, with all the tribe.
4 Even as the Gods desire so
verily shall it be. None minisheth this power of theirs,
No demon, and no mortal
5 The Seven carry seven spears; seven
are the splendours they possess,
And seven the glories they
assume.
HYMN XXIX Visvedevas.
1. ONE is a youth brown, active, manifold he decks the golden
one with ornament.
2 Another, luminous, occupies the place
of sacritice, Sage, among the Gods.
3 One brandishes in his
hand an iron knife, firm, in his seat amid the Deities.
4
Another holds the thunderbolt, wherewith he slays the Vrtras,
resting in his hand.
5 Another bears a pointed weapon: bright
is he, and strong, with healing medicines.
6 Another, thief-like,
watches well the ways, and knows the places where the treasures
lie.
7 Another with his mighty stride hath made his three
steps thither where the Gods rejoice.
8 Two with one Dame
ride on with winged steeds, and journey forth like travellers
on their way.
9 Two, highest, in the heavens have set their
seat, worshipped with holy oil, imperial Kings.
10 Some,
singing lauds, conceived the Sama-hymn, great hymn whereby they
caused the Sun to shine.
HYMN XXX. Visvedevas.
1. NOT one of you, ye Gods, is small, none of you is a feeble
child:
All of you, verily, are great.
2 Thus be ye lauded,
ye destroyers of the foe, ye Three-and-Thirty Deities,
The
Gods of man, the Holy Ones.
3 As such defend and succour
us, with benedictions speak to us:
Lead us not from our fathers'
and from Manu's path into the distance far away.
4 Ye Deities
who stay with us, and all ye Gods of all mankind,
Give us
your wide protection, give shelter for cattle and for steed.
HYMN XXXI. Various Deities.
1. THAT Brahman pleases Indra well, who worships, sacrifices,
pours Libation, and prepares the meal.
2 Sakra protects from
woe the man who gives him sacrificial cake.
And offers Soma
blent with milk.
3 His chariot shall be glorious, sped by
Gods, and mighty shall he be,
Subduing all hostilities.
4 Each day that passes, in his house flows his libation, rich
in milk,
Exhaustless, bringing progeny.
5 O Gods, with
constant draught of milk, husband and wife with one accord
Press out and wash the Soma juice.
6 They gain sufficient
food: they come united to the sacred grass,
And never do
they fail in strength.
7 Never do they deny or seek to hide
the favour of the Gods:
They win high glory for themselves.
8 With sons and daughters by their side they reach their full
extent of life,
Both decked with ornaments of gold.
9
Serving the Immortal One with gifts of sacrificial meal and
wealth,
They satisfy the claims of love and pay due honour
to the Gods.
10 We claim protection from the Hills, we claim
protection of the Floods,
Of him who stands by Visnu's side.
11 May Pusan come, and Bhaga, Lord of wealth, All-bounteous,
for our weal
Broad be the path that leads to bliss:
12
Aramati, and, free from foes, Visva with spirit of a God,
And the Adityas' peerless might.
13 Seeing that Mitra, Aryaman,
and Varuna are guarding us,
The paths of Law are fair to
tread.
14 I glorify with song, for wealth, Agni the God,
the first of you.
We honour as a well-loved Friend the God
who prospereth our fields.
15 As in all frays the hero, so
swift moves his car whom Gods attend.
The man who, sacrificing,
strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship
not.
16 Ne'er are ye injured, worshipper, presser of juice,
or pious man.
The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the
heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.
17 None
in his action equals him, none holds him far or keeps him off.
The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities
will conquer those who worship not.
18 Such strength of heroes
shall be his, such mastery of fleet-foot steeds.
The man
who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer
those who worship not.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.
1. KANVAS, tell forth with song the deeds of Indra, the Impetuous,
Wrought in the Soma's wild delight.
2 Strong God, he slew
Anarsani, Srbinda, Pipru, and the fiend,
Ahisuva, and loosed
the floods.
3. Thou broughtest down the dwelling-place, the
height of lofty Arbuda.
That exploit, Indra, must be famed.
4 Bold, to your famous Soma I call the fair-visored God for
aid,
Down like a torrent from the hill.
5 Rejoicing in
the Soma-draughts, Hero, burst open, like a fort,
The stall
of horses and of kine.
6 If my libation gladdens, if thou
takest pleasure in my laud,
Come with thy Godhead from afar.
7 O Indra, Lover of the Song, the singers of thy praise are
we:
O Soma-drinker, quicken us.
8 And, taking thy delight
with us bring us still undiminished food:
Great is thy wealth,
O Maghavan.
9 Make thou us rich in herds of kine, in steeds,
in gold: let us exert
Our strength in sacrificial gifts.
10 Let us call him to aid whose hands stretch far, to whom high
laud is due.
Who worketh well to succour us.
11 He, Satakratu,
even in fight acts as a Vrtra-slayer s,till:
He gives his
worshippers much wealth.
12 May he, this A;akra, strengthen
us, Boon God who satisfies our needs,
Indra, with all lhis
saving helps.
13 To him, the mighty stream of wealth, the
Soma-presser's rescuing Friend,
To Indra sing your song of
praise;
14 Who bringeth what is great and firm, who winneth
glory in his wars,
Lord of vast wealth through power and
might.
15 There liveth none to cheek or stay his energies
and gracious deeds:
None who can say, He giveth not.
16
No debt is due by Brahmans now, by active men who press the
juice:
Well hath each Soma-draught been paid.
17 Sing
ye to him who must be praised, say lauds to him who must be
praised,
Bring prayer to him who must be praised.
18 May
be, unchecked, strong, meet for praise, bring hundreds, thousands
forth to light,
Indra who aids the worshipper.
19 Go with
thy God-like nature forth, go where the folk are calling thee:
Drink, Indra, of the drops we pour.
20 Drink milky draughts
which are thine own, this too which was with Tugrya once,
This is it, Indra, that is thine.
21 Pass him who psours
libations out in angry mood or after sin:
Here drink the
juice we offer thee.
22 Over the three great distances, past
the Five Peoples go thy way,
O Indra, noticing our voice.
23 Send forth thy ray like Surya: let my songs attract thee
hitherward,
Like waters gathering to the vale.
24 Now
to the Hero fair of cheek, Adhvaryu, pour the Soma forth:
Bring of the juice that he may drink
25 Who cleft the water-cloud
in twain, loosed rivers for their downward flow,
And set
the ripe milk in the kine.
26 He, meet for praise, slew Vrtra,
slew Ahisuva, Urnavabha's son,
And pierced th:rough Arbuda
with frost.
27 To him your matchless Mighty One, unconquerable
Conqueror,
Sing forth the prayer which Gods have given:
28 Indra, who in the wild delight of Soma juice considers here
All holy Laws among the Gods.
29 Hither let these thy Bays
who share thy banquet, Steeds with golden manes,
Convey thee
to the feast prepared.
30 Hither, O thou whom many laud,
the Bays whom Priyamedha praised,
Shall bring thee to the
Soma-draught.
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.
1. WE compass thee like waters, we whose grass is trimmed
and Soma pressed.
Here where the filter pours its stream,
thy worshippers round thee, O Vrtra-slayer, sit.
2 Men, Vasu!
by the Soma, with lauds call thee to the foremost place:
When comest thou athirst unto the juice as home, O Indra, like
a bellowing bull?
3 Boldly, Bold Hero, bring us spoil in
thousands for the Kanvas' sake.
O active Maghavan, with eager
prayer we crave the yellow-hued with store ol kine.
4 Medhyatithi,
to Indra sing, drink of the juice to make thee glad.
Close-knit
to his Bay Steeds, bolt-armed, beside the juice is he: his chariot
is of gold.
5 He Who is praised as strong of hand both right
and left, most wise and hold:
Indra who, rich in hundreds,
gathers thousands up, honoured as breaker-down of forts.
6 The bold of heart whom none provokes, who stands in bearded
confidence;
Much-lauded, very glorious, overthrowing foes,
strong Helper, like a bull with might.
7 Who knows what vital
ower he wins, drinking beside the flowing juice?
This is
the fair-checked God who, joying in the draught, breaks down
the castles in his strength.
8 As a wild elephant rushes
on this way and that way, mad with heat,'
None may compel
thee, yet come hither to the draught: thou movest mighty in
thy power.
9 When he, the Mighty, ne'er o'erthrown, steadfast,
made ready for the fight,
When Indra Maghavan lists to his
praiser's call, he will not stand aloof, but come.
10 Yea,
verily, thou art a Bull, with a bull's rush. whom none may stay:
Thou Mighty One, art celebrated as a Bull, famed as a Bull both
near and far.
11 Thy reins are very bulls in strength, bulls'
strength is in thy golden whip.
Thy car, O Maghavan, thy
Bays are strong as bulls: thou, Satakratu, art a Bull.
12
Let the strong presser press for thee. Bring hither, thou straight-rushing
Bull.
The mighty makes the mighty run in flowing streams
for thee whom thy Bay Horses bear.
13 Come, thou most potent
Indra, come to drink the savoury Soma juice.
Maghavan, very
wise, will quickly come to hear the songs, the prayer, the hymns
of praise.
14 When thou hast mounted on thy car let thy yoked
Bay Steeds carry thee,
Past other men's libations, Lord of
Hundred Powers, thee, Vrtra-slayer, thee our Friend.
15 O
thou Most Lofty One, accept our laud as nearest to thine heart.
May our libations be most sweet to make thee glad, O Soma-drinker,
Heavenly Lord.
16 Neither in thy decree nor mine, but in
another's he delights,-
The man who brought us unto this.
17 Indra himself hath said, The mind of woman brooks not discipline,
Her intellect hath little weight.
18 His pair of horses,
rushing on in their wild transport, draw his car:
High-lifted
is the stallion's yoke.
19 Cast down thine eyes and look
not up. More closely set thy feet. Let none
See what thy
garment veils, for thou, a Brahman, hast become a dame.
HYMN XXXIV. Indra.
1. Come hither, Indra, with thy Bays, come thou to Kanva's
eulogy.
Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day!
have gone to heaven.
2 May the stone draw thee as it speaks,
the Soma-stone with ringing voice.
Ye by command of yonder
Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven.
3 The stones'
rim shakes the Soma here like a wolf worrying a sheep.
Ye
by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to
heaven.
4 The Kanvas call thee hitherward for succour and
to win the spoil.
Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright
by day! have gone to heaven.
5 I set for thee, as for the
Strong, the first draught of the juices shed.
6 Come with
abundant blessings, come with perfect care to succour us.
7 Come, Lord of lofty thought, who hast infinite wealth and
countless aids.
8 Adorable mid Gods, the Priest good to mankind
shall bring thee near.
9 As wings the falcon, so thy Bays
rushing in joy shall carry thee.
10 Come from the enemy to
us, to svaha and the Soma-draught.
11 Come hither with thine
car inclined to hear, take pleasure in our lauds.
12 Lord
of well-nourished Horses, come with well-fed Steeds alike in
hue.
13 Come hither from the mountains, come from regions
of the sea of air.
14 Disclose to us O Hero, wealth in thousands
both of kine and steeds.
15 Bring riches hitherward to us
in hundreds, thousands, myriads.
Ye by command of yonder
Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven.
16 The thousand
steeds, the mightiest troop, which we and Indra have received
From Vasurocis as a gift,
17 The brown that match the wind
in speed, and bright bay coursers fleet of foot,
Like Suns,
resplendent are they all.
18 Mid the Pargvata's rich gifts,
swift steeds whose wheels run rapidly,
I seemed to stand
amid a wood.
HYMN XXXV. Asvins.
1. WITH Agni and with Indra, Visnu. Varuna, with the Adityas,
Rudras, Vasus, closely leagued;
Accordant, of one mind with
Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, drink the Soma juice.
2 With
all the Holy Thoughts, all being Mighty Ones! in close alliance
wil the Mountains, Heaven, and Earth;
Accordant. of one mind
with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, drink the Soma juice.
3 With all the Deities, three times eleven, here, in close alliance
with the Maruts, Bhrgus, Floods;
Accordant, of one mind with
Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, drink the Soma juice.
4 Accept
the sacrifice, attend to this my call: come nigh, O ye Twain
Gods, to all libations here.
Accordant, of one mind with
Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, bring us strengthening food.
5 Accept our praise-song as a youth accepts a maid. Come nigh,
O ye Twain Gods, to all libations here.
Accordant, of one
mind with Sarya and with Dawn O Asvins, bring us strengthening
food.
6 Accept the songs we sing, accept the solemn rite.
Conie nigh, O ye Twain Gods, to all libations here.
Accordant,
of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, bring us strengthening
food.
7 Ye fly as starlings fly unto the forest trees; like
buffaloes ye seek the Soma we have shed.
Accordant, of one
mind with Surya and with Dawn, come thrice, O Asvins, to our
home.
8 Ye fly like swans, like those who travel on their
way; like buffaloes ye seek the Soma we have shed.
Accordant,
of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, come thrice, O Asvins,
to our home.
9 Ye fly to our oblation like a pair of hawks;
like buffaloes ye seek the Soma we have shed.
Accordant,
of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, come thrice, O Asvins,
to our home.
10 Come hitherward and drink and satisfy yourselves,
bestow upon us progeny and affluence.
Accordant, of one mind
with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, grant us vigorous strength.
11 Conquer your foes, protect us, praise your worshippers; bestow
upon us progeny and affluence.
Accordant, of one mind with
Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, grant us vigolms strength.
12 Slay enemies, animate men whom ye befriend; bestow upon us
progeny and aff luence.
Accordant, of one mind with Surya
and with Dawn, O Asvins, grant us vigorous strength.
13 With
Mitra, Varuna, Dharma, and the Maruts in your company approach
unto your praiser's call.
Accordant, of one mind with Surya
and with Dawn, and with the Adityas, Asvins! come.
14 With
Visnu and the Angirases attending you, and with the Maruts come
unto your praiser's call.
Accordant, of one mind with Surya
and with Dawn, and with the Adityas, Asvins! come.
15 With
Rbhus and With Vajas. O ye Mighty Ones, leagued with the Maruts
come ye to your praiser's call.
Accordant, of one mind with
Surya and with Dawn, and with the Adityas, Asvins! come.
16 Give spirit to our prayer and animate our thoughts; slay
ye the Raksasas and drive away disease.
Accordant, of One
mind with Surya and with Dawn, -the presser's Soma, Asvins drink.
17 Strengthen the Ruling Power, strengthen the men of war; slay
ye the Raksasas and drive away disease.
Accordant, of one
mind with Surya and with Dawn, the presser's Soma, Asvins drink.
18 Give strength unto the milch-kine, give the people strength,
slay ye the Raksasas and drive away disease.
Accordant, of
one mind with Surya and with Dawn, the presser's Soma, Asvins
drink.
19 As ye heard Atri's earliest eulogy, so hear Syavasva,
Soma-presser, ye who reel in joy.
Accordant, of one mind
with Surya and with Dawn, drink juice, O Asvins, three days
old.
20 Further like running streams Syavasva's eulogies
who presses out the Soma, ye who reel in joy.
Accordant,
of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, drink juice, O Asvins,
three days old.
21 Seize, as ye grasp the reins, Syavasva's
solemn rites who presses out the Soma, ye who reel in joy.
Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, drink juice,
O Asvins, three days old.
22 Drive down your chariot hitherward
drink ye the Soma's savoury juice.
Approach, ye Asvins, come
to us: I call you, eager for your aid. Grant treasures to the
worshipper.
23 When sacrifice which tells our reverence hath
begun. Heroes! to drink the gushing juice,
Approach, ye Asvins,
come to us: I call you, eager for your aid. Grant treasures
to the worshipper.
24 Sate you with consecrated drink, with
juice effused, ye Deities.
Approach, ye Asvins, come to us:
I call you, eager for your aid. Grant treasures to the worshipper.
HYMN XXXVI. Indra.
1. THOU helpest him whose grass is trimmed, who sheds the
juice, O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.
The share
which they have fixed for thee, thou, Indra, Victor o'er all
hosts and space, begirt with Maruts, Lord of Heroes, winner
of the floods.
2 Maghavan, help thy worshipper: let him help
thee. O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.
The share
which they have fixed for thee, etc.
3 Thou aidest Gods with
food, and that with might aidg thee,
O Satakratu, drink Soma
to make thee glad.
4 Creator of the heaven, creator of the
earth, O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.
5 Father
of cattle, father of all steeds art thou. O Satakratu, drink
Soma to make thee glad.
6 Stone-hurler, glorify the Atris'
hymn of praise. O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.
7 Hear thou Syavagva while he pours to thee, as erst thou heardest
Atri when he wrought his holy rites.
Indra, thou only gavest
Trasadasyu aid in the fierce fight with heroes, strengthening
his prayers.
HYMN XXXVIL Indra.
1. THIS prayer, and those who shed the juice, in wars with
Vrtra thou holpest, Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thy succours.
O Vrtra-slayer, from libation poured at noon, drink of the Soma
juice, thou blameless Thunderer.
2 Thou mighty Conqueror
of hostile armaments, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thy
saving help.
3 Sole Ruler, thou art Sovran of this world
of life, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thy saving help.
4 Thou only sunderest these two consistent worlds, O Indra,
Lord of Strength, with all thy saving help.
5 Thou art the
Lord supreme o'er rest and energy, O Indra, Lord of Strength,
with all thy saving help.
6 Thou helpest one to power, and
one thou hast not helped, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all
thy saving aid.
7 Hear thou Syavasva while he sings to thee,
as erst thou heardest Atri when he wrought his holy rites.
Indra, thou only gavest Trasadasyu aid in the fierce fight with
heroes, strengthening his powers.
HYMN XXXVIII. Indra-Angi.
I. YE Twain are Priests of sacrifice, wmners in war and holy
works:
Indra and Agni, mark this well.
2 Ye bounteous
riders on the car, ye Vrtra-slayers unsubdued:
Indra and
Agni, mark this well.
3 The men with pressing-stones have
pressed this meath of yours which gives delight:
Indra, and
Agni, mark this well.
4 Accept our sacrifice for weal, sharers
of praise! the Soma shed:
Indra and Agni, Heroes, come.
5 Be pleased with these libations which attract you to our sacred
gifts
Indra and Agni, Heroes, come.
6 Accept this eulogy
of mine whose model is the Gayatri:
Indra and Agni, Heroes,
Come.
7 Come with the early-faring Gods, ye who are Lords
of genuine wealth:
Indra-Agni, to the Soma-draught
8 Hear
ye the call of Atris, hear Syavasva as he sheds the juice:
Indra-Agni to the Soma-draught
9 Thus have I called you to
our aid as sages called on you of old:
Indra-Agni to the
Soma draught!
10 Indra's and Agni's grace I claim, Sarasvati's
associates
To whom this psalm of praise is sung.
HYMN XXXIX. Agni.
1. THE glorious Agni have I praised, and worshipped with.
the sacred food.
May Agni deck the Gods for us. Between both
gathering-places he goes on his embassy, the Sage. May all the
others die away.
2 Agni, burn down the word within their
bodies through our newest speech,
All hatreds of the godless,
all the wicked man's malignities. Away let the destroyers go.
May all the others die away.
3 Agni, I offer hymns to thee,
like holy oil within thy moutlh.
Acknowledge them. among
the Gods, for thou art the rmost excellent, the worshipper's
blissful messenger. Let all the others die away.
4 Agni bestows
all vital power even as each man supplicates.
He brings the
Vasus strengthening gifts, and grants deliglht, in rest and
stir, for every calling on the Gods. Let all the others die
away.
5 Agni hath made himself renowned by wonderful victorious
act.
He is the Priest of all the tribes, chosen with sacrificial
meeds. He urges Deities to receive. Let all the others die away.
6 Agni knows all that springs from Gods, he knows the mystery
of men.
Giver of wealth is Agni, he uncloses both the doors
to us when worshipped with our newest gift. Let all the others
die away.
7 Agni inhabiteth with Gods and men who offer sacrifice.
He cherisheth with great delight much wisdom, as all things
that be, God among Gods adorable. May all the others die away.
8 Agni who liveth in all streams, Lord of the Sevenfold Race
of men,
Him dweller in three homes we seek, best slayer of
the Dasytis for Mandhatar, first in sacrifice. Let all the others
die away.
9 Agni the Wise inhabiteth three gathering-places,
triply formed.
Decked as our envoy let the Sage bring hither
and conciliate the Thrice Eleven Deities. Let all the others
die away.
10 Our Agni, thou art first among the Gods, and
first mid living men.
Thou only rulest over wealth. Round
about thee, as natural dams, circumfluous the waters run. Let
all the others die away.
HYMN XL. Indra-Agni.
1. INDRA and Agni, surely ye as Conquerors will give us wealth,
Whereby in fight we may o'ercome that which is strong and firmly
fixed, as Agni burns the woods with wind. Let all the others
die away.
2 We set no snares to tangle you; Indra we worship
and adore, Hero of heroes mightiest.
Once may he come unto
us with his Steed, come unto us to win us strength, and to complete
the sacrifice.
3 For, famous Indra-Agni, ye are dwellers
in the midst of frays.
Sages in wisdom, ye are knit to him
who seeketh you as friends. Heroes, bestow on him his wish.
4 Nabhaka-like, with sacred song Indra's and Agni's praise I
sing,
Theirs to whom all this world belongs, this heaven
and this mighty earth which bear rich treasure in their lap.
5 To Indra and to Agni send your prayers, as was Nabhaka's wont,-
Who oped with sideway opening the sea with its foundations seven-Indra
all powerful in his might.
6 Tear thou asunder, as of old,
like tangles of a creeping plant,
Demolish thou the Dasa's
might. May we with Indra's help divide the treasure he hath
gathered up.
7 What time with this same song these men call
Indra-Agni sundry ways,
May we with our own heroes quell
those who provoke us to the fight, and conquer those who strive
with us.
8 The Two refulgent with their beams rise and come
downward from the sky.
By Indra's and by Agni's hest, flowing
away, the rivers, run which they released from their restraint.
9 O Indra, many are thine aids, many thy ways of guiding us,
Lord of the Bay Steeds, Hinva's Son. To a Good Hero come our
prayers, which soon shall have accomplishment.
10 Inspire
him with your holy hymns, the Hero bright and glorious,
Him
who with might demolisbeth even the brood of Susna, and winneth
for us the heavenly streams.
11 Inspire him worshipped with
fair rites, the glorious Hero truly brave.
He brake in pieces
Susna's brood who still expected not the stroke, and won for
us the heavenly streams. Let all the others die away.
12
Thus have we sung anew to Indra-Agni, as sang our sires, Angirases,
and Mandhatar.
Guard us with triple shelter and preserve
us: may we be masters of a store of riches.
HYMN XLI. Varuna.
1. To make this Varuna come forth sing thou a song unto the
band of Maruts wiser than thyself,-
This Varuna who guardeth
well the thoughts of men like herds of kine.
Let all the
others die away.
2 Him altogether praise I with the song
and hymns our fathers sang, and with Nabhaka's eulogies,-
Him dwelling at the rivers' source, surrounded by his Sisters
Seven.
3 The nights he hath encompassed, and stablished the
morns with magic art visible over all is he.
His dear Ones,
following his Law, have prospered the Three Dawns for him.
4 He, visible o'er all the earth, stablished the quarters of
the sky:
He measured out the eastern place, that is the fold
of Varuna: like a strong herdsman is the God.
5 He who supports
the worlds of life, he who well knows the hidden names mysterious
of the morning beams,
He cherishes much wisdom, Sage, as
heaven brings forth each varied form.
6 In whom all wisdom
centres, as the nave is set within the wheel.
Haste ye to
honour Trita, as kine haste to gather in the fold, even as they
muster steeds to yoke.
7 He wraps these regions as a robe;
he contemplates the tribes of Gods and all the works of mortal
men.
Before the home of Varuna all the Gods follow his decree.
8 He is an Ocean far-removed, yet through the heaven to him
ascends the worship which these realms possess.
With his
bright foot he overthrew their magic, and went up to heaven.
9 Ruler, whose bright far-seeing rays, pervading all three earths,
have filled the three superior realms of heaven.
Firm is
the seat of Varuna: over the Seven he rules as King.
10 Who,
after his decree, o'erspread the Dark Ones with a robe of light;
Who measured out the ancient seat, who pillared both the worlds
apart as the Unborn supported heaven. Let all the others die
away.
HYMN XLII Varuna.
1. LORD of all wealth, the Asura propped the heavens, and
measured out the broad earth's wide expanses.
He, King supreme,
approached all living creatures. All these are Varuna's holy
operations.
2 So humbly worship Varuna the Mighty revere
the wise Guard of World Immortal.
May he vouchsafe us triply-barred
protection. O Earth and Heaven, within your lap preserve us.
3 Sharpen this song of him who strives his utmost, sharpen,
God Varuna, his strength and insight;
May we ascend the ship
that bears us safely, whereby we may pass over all misfortune.
4 Asvins, with songs the singer stones have made you hasten
hitherward,
Nasatyas, to the Soma-draught. Let all the others
die away.
5 As the sage Atri with his hymns, O Asvins, called
you eagerly,
Nasatyas, to the Soma-draught. Let all the others
die away.
6 So have I called you to our aid, even as the
wise have called of old,
Nasatyas, to the Soma-draught. Let
all the others die away.
HYMN XLIII. Agni.
1. THESE songs of mine go forth as lauds of Agni, the disposing
Sage,
Whose worshipper is ne'er o'erthrawn.
2 Wise Agni
Jatavedas, I beget a song of praise for thee.
Who willingly
receivest it.
3 Thy sharpened flames, O Agni, like the gleams
of light that glitter through,
Devour the forests with their
teeth.
4 Gold-coloured, bannered with the smoke, urged by
the wind, aloft to heaven
Rise, lightly borne, the flames
of fire.
5 These lightly kindled fiery flames are all around
made visible,
Even as the glearaings of the Dawns.
6 As
Jatavedas speeds along, the dust is black beneath his feet,
When Agni spreads upon the earth.
7 Making the plants his
nourishment, Agni devours and wearies not,
Seeking the tender
shrubs again.
8 Bending him down with all his tongues, he
flickers with his fiery glow
Splendid is Agni in the woods.
9 Agni, thine home is in the floods: into the plants thou forcest
way,
And as their Child art born anew.
10 Worshipped with
offerings shines thy flame, O Agni, from the sacred oil,
With kisses on the ladle's mouth.
11 Let us serve Agni with
our hymns, Disposer, fed on ox and cow,
Who bears the Soma
on his back.
12 Yea, thee, O Agni, do we seek with homage
and with fuel, Priest
Whose wisdom is most excellent.
13 O worshipped with oblations, pure Agni, we call on thee as
erst,
Did Bhrgu, Manus, Angiras.
14 For thou, O Agni,
by the fire, Sage by the Sage, Good by the Good,
Friend by
the Friend, art lighted up.
15 So wealth in thousands, food
with store of heroes give thou to the sage,
O Agni, to the
worshipper.
16 O Agni, Brother, made by strength, Lord of
red steeds and brilliant sway,
Take pleasure in this laud
of mine.
17 My praises, Agni, go to thee, as the cows seek
the stall to meet,
The lowing calf that longs for milk.
18 Agni, best Angiras, to thee all people who have pleasant
homes,
Apart, have turned as to their wish.
19 The sages
skilled in holy song and thin. kers with their thoughts have
urged
Agni to share the sacred feast.
20 So, Agni, unto
thee the Priest, Invoker, strong in forays, pray
'nose who
spin out the sacrifice.
21 In many a place, the same in look
art thou, a Prince o'er all the tribes
In battles we invoke
thine aid.
22 Pray thou to Agni, pray to him who blazes served
with sacred oil:
Let him give ear to this our call.
23
We call on thee as such, as one who hears, as Jatavedas, one,
Agni! who beats away our foes.
24 I pray to Agni, King of
men, the Wonderful, the President
Of holy Laws: may he give
ear.
25 Him like a bridegroom, him who stirs all people,
like a noble horse,
Like a fleet steed, we instigate.
26 Slaying things deadly, burning up foes, Riksasas, on every
side,
Shine, Agni, with thy sharpened flame.
27 Thou whom
the people kindle even as Manus did, best Angiras!
O Agni,
mark thou this my speech.
28 O Agni, made by strength! be
thou born in the heavens or born in floods,
As such we call
on thee with songs.
29 Yea, all the people, all the folk
who have good dwellings, each apart,
Send food for thee to
eat thereof.
30 O Agni, so may we, devout, gazed at by men,
throughout our days,
Pass lightly over all distress.
31
We venerate with cheerful hearts the cheerful Agni, dear to
all,
Burning, with purifying flame.
32 So thou, O Agni
rich in light, beaming like Surya with thy rays
Boldly demolishest
the gloom,
33 We pray to thee for this thy gift, Victor the
gift that faileth not,
O Agni, choicest wealth from thee.
HYMN XLIV. Agni.
1. PAY service unto Agni with your fuel, rouse your Guest
with oil:
In him present your offerings.
2 Agni, do thou
accept my laud, be magnified by this my song:
Welcome my
sweedy-spoken words.
3 Agni, envoy, I place in front; the
oblation-bearer I address:
Here let him seat the Deities.
4 Agni, the lofty flames of' thee enkindled have gone up on
high,
Thy bright flames, thou Refulgent One.
5 Beloved!
let my ladles full of sacred oil come near to thee:
Agni,
accept our offerings.
6 I worship Agni-may he hear!-the cheerful,
the Invoker, Priest,
Of varied splendour, rich in light.
7 Ancient Invoker, meet for praise, beloved Agni, wise and strong,
The visitant of solemn rites.
8 Agni, best Angiras, accept
straightway these offerings, and guide
The seasonable sacrifice.
9 Excellent God, with brilliant flames, enkindled bring thou
hitherward,
Knowing the way, the Heavenly Host.
10 Him,
Sage and Herald, void of guile, ensign of sacrifices, him
Smoke-bannered, rich in light, we seek.
11 O Agni, be our
Guardian thou, God, against those who injure us:
Destroy
our foes, thou Son of Strength.
12 Making his body beautiful,
Agni the Sage hath waxen by
The singer and his ancient hymn.
13 I invocate the Child of Strength, Agni with purifying flame,
At this well-ordered sacrifice.
14 So Agni, rich in many
friends, with fiery splendour, seat thyself
With Gods upon
our sacred grass.
15 The mortal man who serves the God Agni
within his own abode,
For him he causes wealth to shine.
16 Agni is head and height of heaven, the Master of the earth
is he:
He quickeneth the watere seed.
17 Upward, O Agni,
rise thy flames, pure and resplendent, blazing high,
Thy
lustres, fair effulgences.
18 For, Agni, thou as Lord of
Light rulest o'er choicest gifts: may I,
Thy singer, find
defence in thee.
19 O Agni, they who understand stir thee
to action with their thoughts:
So let our songs enhance thy
might.
20 We ever claim the friendship of Agni, the singing
messenger,
Of God-like nature, void of guile.
21 Agni
who bears most holy sway, the holy Singer, holy Sage,
Shines
holy when we worship him.
22 Yea, let my meditations, let
my songs exalt thee evermore.
Think, Agni, of our friendly
bond,
23 If I were thou and thou wert I, O Agni, every prayer
of thine
Should have its due fulfilment here.
24 For Excellent
and Lord of wealth. art thou O Agni, rich in light:
May we
enjoy thy favouring grace.
25 Agni, to thee whose laws stand
fast our resonant songs of praise speed forth,
As rivers
hasten to the sea.
26 Agni, the Youthful Lord of men, who
stirreth much and eateth all,
The Sage, I glorify with hymns.
27 To Agni let us haste with lauds, the Guide of sacrificial
rites,
Armed with sharp teeth, the Mighty One.
28 And
let this man, good Agni, be with thee the singer of thy praise:
Be gracious, Holy One, to him.
29 For thou art sharer of
our feast, wise, ever watchful as a Sage:
Agni, thou shinest
in the sky.
30 O Agni, Sage, before our foes, before misfortunes
fall on us,
Excellent Lord, prolong our lives.
HYMN XLV. Indra
1. HITHERWARD! they who light flame and straightway trim
the sacred grass.
Whose Friend is Indra ever young.
2
High is their fuel, great their laud, wide is their splinter
from the stake,
Whose Friend is Indra ever young.
3 Unequelled
in fight the hero leads his army with the warrior chiefs.
Whose Friend is Indra ever young.
4 The new-born Vrtra-slayer
asked his Mother, as he seized his shaft,
Who are the fierce?
Who are renowned?
5 Savasi answered, He who seeks thine enmity
will battle like
A stately elephant on a hill.
6 And hear,
O Maghavan; to him who craves of thee thou grantest all
Whate'er
thou makest firm is firm.
7 What time the Warrior Indra goes
to battle, borne by noble steeds,
Best of all charioteers
is he.
8 Repel, O Thunder-armed, in all directions all attacks
on us:
And be our own most glorious God.
9 May Indra set
our car in front, in foremost Place to win the spoil,
He
whom the wicked injure not.
10 Thine enmity may we escape,
and, gakra, for thy bounty, rich
In kine, may we come near
to thee
11 Softly approaching, Thunder-armed wealthy by hundreds,
rich in steeds,
Unrivalled, readywith our gifts.
12 For
thine exalted excellence gives to thy worshippers each day
Hundreds and thousands of thy boons.
13 Indra, we know thee
breaker-down even of trong forts, winner of spoil,
A:one
who conquers wealth for us.
14 Though thou art highest, Sage
and Bold let the drops cheer thee when we come
To thee as
to a trafficker.
15 Bring unto us the treasure of the opulent
man who, loth to give,
Hath slighted thee for gain of wealth.
16 Indra, these friends of ours, supplied with Soma, wait and
look to thee,
As men with fodder to the herd.
17 And thee
who art not deaf, whose cars are quick to listen, for our aid,
We call to us from far away.
18 When thou hast listened,
make our call one which thou never wilt forget,
And be our
very nearest Friend.
19 When even now, when we have been
in trouble, we have thought of thee,
O Indra, give us gifts
of kine.
20 O Lord of Strength, we rest on thee, as old men
rest upon a staff:
We long to have. thee dwell with us.
21 To Indra sing a song of praise, Hero of mighty valour, him
Whom no one challenges to war.
22 Hero, the Soma being shed,
I pour the juice for thee to drink:
Sate thee and finish
thy carouse.
23 Let not the fools, or those who mock beguile
thee when they seek thine aid
Love not the enemies of prayer.
24 Here let them with rich milky draught cheer thee to great
munificence:
Drink as the wild-bull drinks the lake.
25
Proclaim in our assemblies what deeds, new and ancient, far
away,
The Vrtra-slayer hath achieved.
26 In battle of
a thousand arms Indra drank Kadru's Soma juice:
There he
displayed his manly might.
27 True undeniabIc strength he
found in Yadu and in Turvasa,
And conquered through the sacrifice.
28 Him have I magnified, our Lord in, common, Guardian of your
folk,
Discloser of great wealth in kine;
29 Rbhuksan,
not to be restrained, who strengthened Tugra's son in lauds,
Indra beside the flowingjuice;
30 Who for Trisoka clave the
hill that formed a wide receptacle,
So that the cows might
issue forth.
31 Whate'er thy plan or purpose be, whate'er,
in transport, thou wouldst do,
Do it not, Indra, but be kind.
32 But little hath been heard of done upon the earth by one
like thee i
Let thine heart, Indra, turn to us.
33 Thine
then shall be this high renown, thine shall these lofty praises
be,
When, Indra, thou art kind to us.
34 Not for one trespass,
not for two, O Hero, slay us, nor for three,
Nor yet for
many trespasses.
35 I fear one powerful like thee, the crusherdown
of enemies,
Mighty, repelling all attacks.
36 O wealthy
God, ne'er may I live to see my friend or son in need*:
Hitherward
let thy heart be turned.
37 What friend, O people, unprovoked,
hath ever said unto a friend,
He turns and leaves us in distress?
38 Hero, insatiate enjoy this Soma juice so near to thee,
Even as a hunter rushing down.
39 Hither I draw those Bays
of thine yoked
by our hymn, with splendid car,
That thou
mayst give unto the priests.
40 Drive all our enemies away,
smite down the foes who press around,
And bring the wealth
for which we long:
41 O Tndra, that which is concealed in
strong firm place precipitous:
Bring us the wealth for which
we long
42 Great riches which the world of men shall recognize
as sent by thbe:
Bring us the wealth for which we long.
HYMN XLVI. Indra.
1. WE, Indra, Lord of ample wealth, our Guide, depend on
one like thee,
Thou driver of the Tawny Steeds.
2 For,
Hurler of the Bolt, we know thee true, the giver of our food,
We know the giver of our wealth.
3 O thou whose majesty the
bards celebrate with their songs, thou Lord,
Of hundred powers
and hundred aids.
4 Fair guidance hath the mortal man whom
Aryaman, the Marut host,
And Mitra, void of guile, protect.
5 Kine, steeds, and hero strength he gains, and prospers, by
the Adityas sped,
Ever in wealth which all desire.
6 We
pray to Indra for his gift, to him the Fearless and the Strong,
We pray to him the Lord of wealth.
7 For verily combined
in him are all the fearless powers of aid.
Him, rich in wealth,
let swift Steeds bring to us, his Bays, to Soma juice for his
carouse:
8 Yea, that most excellent carouse, Indra, which
slays most enemies,
With Heroes wins the light of heaven,
and is invincible in war:
9 Which merits fame, all-bountiful!
and, unsubdued, hath victory in deeds of might.
So come to
our libations, Strongest! Excellent! May we obtain a stall of
kine.
10 Responding to our wish for cows, for steeds, and
chariots, as of old,
Be gracious, Greatest of the Great
11 For, Hero, nowhere can I find the bounds of thy munificence.
Still do thou favour us, O Bolt-armed Maghavan: with strength
hast thou rewarded hymns.
12 High, glorifier of his friend,
he knows all generations, he whom many praise.
All races
of mankind with ladies lifted up invoke that Mighty Indra's
aid.
13 Be he our Champion and Protector in great deeds,
rich in all wealth, the Vrtra-slayer, Maghavan.
14 In the
wild raptures of the juice sing to your Hero with high laud,
to him the Wise,
To Indra, glorious in his name, the Mighty
One, even as the hymn alloweth it.
15 Thou givest wealth
to me myself, thou givest treasure, Excellent! and the strong
steed,
O Much-invoked, in deeds of might, yea, even now.
16 Him, Sovran Ruler of all precious things, who even hath power
o'er this fair form of his,
As now it taketh shape, and afterward,
17 We praise, so that the Mighty One may speed to you, Pourer
of boun ies, Traveller, prepared to go.
Thou favourest the
Maruts known to all, by song and sacrifice.
With song and
praise I sing to thee.
18 We in the sacrifice perform their
will whose voice is lifted high,
The worship of those Thundering
Ories who o'er the ridges of these mountains fly in troops.
19 O Indra, Mightiest, bring us that which crushes men of evil
minds,
Wealth suited to our needs, O Stirrer of the thought,
best wealth, O thou who stirrest thought.
20 O Winner, noble
winner, strong, wondrous, most splendid, excellent,
Sole
Lord of victory, bring all-ovcrpowering wealth, joy-giving,
chief in deeds of might.
21 Now let the godless man approach
who hath received reward so great
As Vasa, Asvya, when this
light of morning dawned, received from Prthusravas, from Kanita's
son.
22 Steeds sixty thousand and ten thousand kine, and
twenty hundred camels I obtained;
Ten hundred brown in hue,
and other ten red in three spots: in all, ten thousand kine.
23 Ten browns that make my wealth increase, fleet steeds whose
tails are long and fair,
Turn with swift whirl my chariot
wheel;
24 The gifts which Prthusravas gave, Kanita's son
munificent.
He gave a chariot wrought of gold: the prince
was passing bountiful, and won himself most lofty fame.
25
Come thou to this great rite of ours, Vayu! to give us vigorous
light.
We have served thee that thou mightest give much to
us, yea, mightest quickly give great wealth.
26 Who with
thrice seven times seventy horses comes to us, invested with
the rays of morn,
Through these our Soma-draughts and those
who press, to give, drinker of pure bright Soma Juice.
27
Who hath inclined this glorious one, buunteous himself, to give
me gifts.
Borne on firm chariot with the prosperous Nahup,
wise, to a man yet more devout.
28 Sole Lord in beauty meet
for praise, O Vayu, dropping fatness down,
Hurried along
by steeds, by camels, and by hounds, spreads forth thy train:
even this it is.
29 So, as a prize dear to the strong, the
sixty thousand have I gained,
Bulls that resemble vigorous
steeds.
30 To me come oxen like a herd, yea, unto me the
oxen come.
31 And in the grazing herd he made a hundred camels
bleat for me,
And twenty hundred mid the white.
32 A hundred
has the sage received, Dasa Balbutha's and Taruksa's gifts.
These are thy people, Vayu, who rejoice with Indra for their
guard, rejoice with Gods for guards.
33 And now to Vasa Asvya
here this stately woman is led forth,
Adorned with ornaments
of gold.
HYMN XLVII. Adityas.
1. GREAT help ye give the worshipper, Varuna, Mitra, Mighty
Ones! No sorrow ever reaches him whom ye, Adityas, keep from
harm. Yours are incomparable aids, and good the succour they
afford.
2 O Gods, Adityas, well ye know the way to keep all
woes afar.
As the birds spread their sheltering wings, spread
your protection over us.
3 As the birds spread their sheltering
wings let your protection cover us.
We mean all shelter and
defence, ye who have all things for your own.
4 To whomsoever
they, Most Wise, have given a home and means of life,
O'er
the whole riches of this man they, the Adityas, have control.
5 As drivers of the car avoid ill roads, let sorrows pass us
by.
May we be under Indra's guard, in the Adityas' favouring
grace.
6 For verily men sink and faint through loss of wealth
which ye have given.
Much hath he gained from you, O Gods,
whom ye, Adityas, have approached.
7 On him shall no fierce
anger fall, no sore distress shall visit him,
To whom, Adityas,
ye have lent your shelter that extendeth far.
8 Resting in
you, O Gods, we are like men who fight in coats of mail.
Ye guard us from each great offence, ye guard us from each lighter
fault.
9 May Aditi defend us, may Aditi guard and shelter
us,
Mother of wealthy Mitra and of Aryaman and Varuna.
10 The shelter, Gods, that is secure, auspicious, free from
malady,
A sure protection, triply strong, even that do ye
extend to us.
11 Look down on us, Adityas, as a guide exploring
from the bank.
Lead us to pleasant ways as men lead horses
to an easy ford.
12 Ill be it for the demons' friend to find
us or come near to us.
But for the milch-cow be it well,
and for the man who strives for fame.
13 Each evil deed made
manifest, and that which is concealed, O Gods,
The whole
thereof remove from us to Trita Aptya far away.
14 Daughter
of Heaven, the dream that bodes evil to us or to our kine,
Remove, O Lady of the Light, to Trita Aptya far away.
15
Even if, O Child of Heaven, it make a garland or a chain of
gold,
The whole bad dream, whate'cr it be, to Trita Aptya
we consign.
16 To him whose food and work is this, who comes
to take his share therein,
To Trita, and to Dvita, Dawn!
bear thou the evil dream away.
17 As we collect the utmost
debt, even the eighth and sixteenth part,
So unto Aptya we
transfer together all the evil dream.
18 Now have we conquered
and obtained, and from our trespasses are free.
Shine thou
away the evil dream, O Dawn, whereof we are afraid. Yours are
incomparable aids, and good the succour they afford.
HYMN XLVIII. Soma.
1. WISELY have I enjoyed the savoury viand, religious-thoughted,
best to find out treasure,
The food to which all Deities
and mortals, calling it meath, gather themselves together.
2 Tlou shalt be Aditi as thou hast entered within, appeaser
of celestial anger.
Indu, enjoying Indra's friendship, bring
us - as a swift steed the car - forward to riches.
3 We have
drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light,
the Gods discovered.
Now what may foeman's malice do to harm
us? What, O Immortal, mortal man's deception?
4 Absorbed
into the heart, be sweet, O Indu, as a kind father to his son,
O Soma,
As a wise Friend to friend: do thou, wide-ruler,
O Soma, lengthen out our days for living.
5 These glorious
drops that give me freedom have I drunk. Closely they knit my
joints as straps secure a car.
Let them protect my foot from
slipping on the way: yea, let the drops I drink preserve me
from disease.
6 Make me shine bright like fire produced by
friction: give us a clearer sight and make us better.
For
in carouse I think of thee, O Soma, Shall I, as a rich man,
attain to comfort?
7 May we enjoy with an enlivened spirit
the juice thou givest, like ancestral riches.
O Soma, King,
prolong thou our existence as Surya makes the shining days grow
longer.
8 King Soma, favour us and make us prosper: we are
thy devotees; of this be mindful.
Spirit and power are fresh
in us, O Indu give us not up unto our foeman's pleasure.
9 For thou hast settled in each joint, O Soma, aim of men's
eyes and guardian of our bodies.
When we offend against thine
holy statutes, as a kind Friend, God, best of all, be gracious.
10 May I be with the Friend whose heart is tender, who, Lord
of Bays! when quaffed will never harm me-
This Soma now deposited
within me. For this, I pray for longer life to Indra.
11
Our maladies have lost their strength and vanished: they feared,
and passed away into the darkness.
Soma hath risen in us,
exceeding mighty, and we are come where men prolong existence.
12, Fathers, that Indu which our hearts have drunken, Immortal
in himself, hath entered mortals.
So let us serve this Soma
with oblation, and rest securely in his grace and favour.
13 Associate with the Fathers thou, O Soma, hast spread thyself
abroad through earth and heaven.
So with oblation let us
serve thee, Indu, and so let us become the lords of riches,
14 Give us your blessing, O ye Gods' preservers. Never may sleep
or idle talk control us.
But evermore may we, as friends
of Soma, speak to the synod with brave sons around us.
15
On all sides,. Soma, thou art our life-giver: aim of all eyes,
light-finder, come within us.
Indu, of one accord with thy
protections both from behind and from before preserve us.
HYMN XLIX. Agni.
1. AGNI, come hither with thy fires; we choose thee as Invoking
Priest.
Let the extended ladle full of oil balm thee, best
Priest, to sit on sacred grass.
2 For unto thee, O Angiras,
O Son of Strength, move ladles in the sacrifice.
To Agni,
Child of Force, whose locks drop oil, we seek, foremost in sacrificial
rites.
3 Agni, thou art Disposer, Sage, Herald, bright God!
and worshipful,
Best offercr, cheerful, to be praised in
holy rites, pure Lord! by singers with their hymns.
4 Most
Youthful and Eternal, bring the longing Gods to me, the guileless,
for the feast.
Come, Vasu, to the banquet that is well-prepared:
rejoice thee, gracious, with our songs.
5 Famed art thou,
Agni, far and wide, Preserver, righteous, and a Sage.
The
holy singers, O refulgent kindled God! arrangers, call on thee
to come -
6 Shine, Most Resplendent! blaze, send bliss unto
the folk, and to thy worshipper
Great art thou.
So may
my princes, with good fires, subduing foes, rest in the keeping
of the Gods.
7 O Agni, as thou burnest down to earth even
high-grown underwood,
So, bright as Mitra is, burn him who
injures us, him who plots ill against thy friend.
8 Give
us not as a prey to mortal enemy, nor to the wicked friend of
fiends.
With conquering guards, auspicious, unassailable,
protect us, O Most Youthful God.
9 Protect us, Agni, through
the first, protect us through the second hymn,
Protect us
through three hymns, O Lord of Power and Might, through four
hymns, Vasu, guard thou us.
10 Preserve us from each fiend
who brings the Gods no gift, preserve thou us in deeds of strength:
For we possess in thee the nearest Friend of all, for service
of the Gods and weal.
11 O Holy Agni, give us wealth renowned
with men and strengthening life.
Bestow on us, O Helper,
that which many crave, more glorious still by righteousness;
12 Wherewith we may o'ercome our rivals in the war, o'erpowering
the foe's designs.
So wax thou by our food, O Excellent in
strength. Quicken our thoughts that find out wealth.
13 Agni
is even as a bull who whets and brandishes his horns.
Well-sharpened
are his jaws which may not be withstood: the Child of Strength
hath powerful teeth.
14 Not to be stayed, O Bull, O Agni,
are thy teeth when thou art spreading far and wide.
Make
our ohlations duly offired up, O Priest, and give us store of
precious things.
15 Thou liest in the wood: from both thy
Mothers mortals kindle thee.
Unweariedly thou bearest up
the offerer's gifts, then shinest bright among the Gods.
16 And so the seven priests, O Agni, worship thee, Free-giver,
Everlasting One.
Thou cIeavest through the rock with heat
and fervent glow. Agni, rise up above the men.
17 For you
let us whose grass is trimmed call Agni, Agni, restless God.
Let us whose food is offered call to all the tribes Agni the
Invoking Priest of men.
18 Agni, with noble psalm that tells
his wish he dwells, thinking on thee who guardest him.
Speedily
bring us strength of many varied sorts to be most near to succour
us.
19 Agni, Praise-singer! Lord of men, God burner-up of
Raksasas,
Mighty art thou, the ever-present Household-Lord,
Home-friend and Guardian from the sky.
20 Let no fiend come
among us, O thou rich in light, no spell of those who deal in
spells.
To distant pastures drive faint hunger: far away,
O Agni, chase the demons' friends.
HYMN L. Indra.
1. BOTH boons,-may Indra, hitherward turned, listen to this
prayer of ours,
And mightiest Maghavan with thought inclined
to us come near to drink the Soma juice.
2 For him, strong,
independent Ruler, Heaven and Earth have fashioned forth for
power and might.
Thou seatest thee as first among thy peers
in place, for thy soul longs for Soma juice.
3 Fill thyself
full, O Lord of wealth, O Indra, with the juice we shed.
We know thee, Lord of Bay Steeds victor in the fight, vanquishing
e'en the invincible.
4 Changeless in truth, O Maghavan Indra,
let it be as thou in wisdom willest it.
May we, O fair of
check, win booty with thine aid, O Thunderer, swiftly seeking
it.
5 Indra, with all thy saving helps give us assistance,
Lord of power.
For after thee we follow even as glorious
bliss, thee, Hero, finder-out of wealth.
6 Increaser of our
steeds and multiplying kine, a golden well, O God, art thou,
For no one may impair the gifts laid up in thee. Bring me whatever
thing I ask.
7 For thou,-come to the worshipper!-wilt find
great wealth to make us rich.
Fill thyself full, O Maghavan,
for gain of kine, full, Indra, for the gain of steeds.
8
Thou as thy gift bestowest many hundred herds, yea, many thousands
dost thou give.
With singers' hymns have we brought the Fort-render
near, singing to Indra for his grace.
9 Whether the simple
or the sage, Indra, have offered praise to thee,
He Satakratu!
by his love hath gladdened thee, ambitious! ever pressing on!
10 If he the Strong of arm, the breaker-down of forts, the great
Destroyer, hear my call,
We, seeking riches cry to Indra,
Lord of wealth, to Satakratu with our lauds.
11 We count
not then as sinners, nor as niggardly or foolish men,
When
with the Soma juice which we have shed we make Indra, the Mighty
One, our Friend.
12 Him have we yoked in fight, the powerful
Conqueror, debt-claimer, not to be deceived.
Best charioteer,
the Victor marks each fault, he knows the strong to whom he
will come near.
13 Indra, give us security from that whereof
we are afraid.
Help us, O Maghavan, let thy succour give
us this: drive away foes and enemies.
14 For thou, O liberal
Lord of bounty, strengthenest his ample home who worships thee.
So Indra, Maghavan, thou Lover of the Song, we with pressed
Soma call on thee,
15 Indra is Vrtra-slayer, guard, our best
defender from the foe.
May he preserve our last and middlemost,
and keep watch from behind us and before.
16 Defend us from
behind, below, above, in front, on all sides, Indra, shield
us well.
Keep far away from us the terror sent from heaven:
keep impious weapons far away.
17 Protect us, Indra, each
to-day, each morrow, and each following day.
Our singers,
through all days, shalt thou, Lord of the brave, keep safely
both by day and night.
18 A crushing Warrior, passing rich
is Maghavan, endowed with all heroic might.
Thine arms, O
Satakratu, are exceeding strong, arms which have grasped the
thunderbolt.
HYMN LI. Indra.
1. OFFER ye up as praise to him that wherein Indra takes
delight.
The Soma-bringers magnify Indra's great energy with
hymns. Good are the gifts that Indra gives.
2 Sole among
chiefs, companionless, impetuous, and peerless, he
Hath waxen
great o'er many folk, yea., over all things born, in might.
3 Lord of swift bounty, he will win e'en with a steed of worthless
sort.
This, Indra, must be told of thee who wilt perform
heroic deeds.
4 Come to us.hither: let us pay devotions that
enhance thy might,
For which, Most Potent! thou wouldst fain
bless the man here who strives for fame.
5 For thou, O Indra,
makest yet more bold the spirit of the bold
Who with strong
Soma serveth thee, still ready with his reverent prayers.
6 Worthy of song, he looketh down as a man looketh into wells.
Pleased with the Soma-bringer's skill he maketh him his mate
and friend.
7 In strength and wisdom all the Gods, Indra,
have yielded unto thee.
Be thou the Guard of all, O thou
whom many praise.
8 Praised, Indra, is this might of thine,
best for the service of the Gods,
That thou with power dost
slay Vrtra, O Lord of Strength.
9 He makes the races of mankind
like synods of the Beauteous One.
Indra knows this his manifest
deed, and is renowned.
10 Thy might, O Indra, at its birth,
thee also, and thy mental power,
In thy care, Maghavan rich
in kine! they have increased exceedingly.
11 O Vrtra-slayer,
thou and I will both combine for winning spoil.
Even malignity
will consent, O Bolt-armed Hero, unto us.
12 Let us extol
this Indra as truthful and never as untrue.
Dire is his death
who pours no gifts great light hath he who offers them. Good
are the gifts that Indra gives.
HYMN LII. Indra.
1. WITH powers of Mighty Ones hath he, Ancient, Beloved,
been equipped,
Through whom the Father Manu made prayers
cfficacious with the Gods.
2 Him, Maker of the sky, let stones
wet with the Soma ne'er forsake,
Nor hymns and prayer that
must be said.
3 Indra who knew full well disclosed the kine
to the Angirases.
This his great deed must be extolled.
4 Indra, promoter of the song, the sage's Strengthener as of
old,
Shall come to bless and succour us at presentation of
this laud.
5 Now after their desire's intent the pious singers
with the cry
Of Hail! have sung loud hymns to thee, Indra,
to gain a stall of kine.
6 With Indra rest all deeds of might,
deeds done and yet to be performed,
Whom singers know devoid
of guile.
7 When the Five Tribes with all their men to Indra
have sent out their voice,
And when the priest hath strewn
much grass, this is the Friend's own dwellingpiace.
8 This
praise is verily thine own: thou hast performed these manly
deeds,
And sped the wheel upon its way.
9 At the o'erflowing
of this Steer, boldly he strode for life, and took
Soma as
cattle take their corn.
10 Receiving this and craving help,
we, who with you are Daksa's sons,
Would fain exalt the Maruts'
Lord.
11 Yea, Hero, with the singers we sing.to the duly-coming
Band.
Allied with tbee may we prevail.
12 With us are
raining Rudras, clouds accordant in call to battle, at the death
of Vrtra,
HYMN LIII. Andra.
1. MAY our hymns give thee great delight. Display thy bounty,
Thunderer.
Drive off the enemies of prayer.
2 Crush with
thy foot the niggard churls who bring no gifts. Mighty art thou
There is not one to equal thee.
3 Thou art the Lord of Soma
pressed, Soma impressed is also thine.
Thou art the Sovran
of the folk.
4 Come, go thou forth, dwelling in heaven and
listening to the prayers of men:
Thou fillest both the heavens
and earth.
5 Even that hill with rocky heights, with hundreds,
thousands, held within.
Thou for thy worshippers brakest
through.
6 We call on thee both night and day to taste the
flowing Soma juice:
Do thou fulfil our heart's desire.
7 Where is that ever-youthful Steer, strong. necked and never
yet bent down?
What Brahman ministers to him?
8 To whose
libation doth the Steer, betake him with delight therein?
Who takes delight in Indra now?
9 Whom, Vrtra-slayer, have
thy gift and hero powers accompanied?
Who is thy dearest
in the laud?
10 For thee among mankind, among the Purus is
this Soma shed.
Hasten thou hither: drink thereof.
11
This, growing by Soma and by Saryanavan, dear to thee,
In
Arjikiya, cheers thee best.
12 Hasten thou hitherward, and
drink this for munificence to-day,
Delightful for thine eager
draught.
HYMN LIV. Indra.
1. THOUGH, Indra, thou art called by men from east and west,
from north and soutb,
Come hither quickly with fleet steeds
2 If in the effluence of heaven, rich in its light, thou takest
joy,
Or in the sea in Soma juice.
3 With songs I call
thee, Great and Wide, even as a cow to profit us,
Indra,
to drink the Soma-draught.
4 Hither, O Indra, let thy Bays
bear up and, bring upon thy car
Thy glory, God! and majesty.
5 Thou, Indra, wouldst be sung and praised as great, strong,
lordly in thy deeds
Come hither, drink our Soma juice.
6 We who have shed the Soma and prepared the feast are calling
thee.
To sit on this our sacred grass.
7 As, Indra, thou
art evermore the common Lord of all alike,
As such we invocate
thee now.
8 The men with stones have milked for thee this
nectar of the Soma juice:
Indra, be pleased with it, and
drink.
9 Neglect all pious men with skill in sacred song:
come hitherward,
With speed, and give us high renown.
10 Gods, may the mighty rest unharmed, the King who gives me
spotted kine,
Kine decked with golden ornaments.
11 Beside
a thousand spotted kine I have received a gift of gold,
Pure,
brilliant, and exceeding great.
12 Durgaha's grandsons, giving
me a thousand kine, munificent,
Have won renown among the
Gods.
HYMN LV. Indra.
1. LOUD singing at the sacred rite where Soma flows we priests
invoke
With haste, that he may help, as the bard's Cherisher,
Indra who findeth wealth for you.
2. Whom with fair helm,
in rapture of the juice, the firm resistless slayers hinder
not:
Giver of glorious wealth to him who sing a his praise,
honouring him who toils and pours:
3 Sakra, who like a curry-comb
for horses or a golden goad,
Indra, the Vrtra-slayer, urges
eagerly the opening of the stall of kine:
4 Who for the worshipper
scatters forth ample wealth, even though buried, piled in heaps:
May Indra, Lord of Bay Steeds, fair-helmed Thunderer, act at
his pleasure, as he lists.
5 Hero whom many praise, what
thou hast longed for, oven of old, from men.
All that we
offer unto thee, O Indra, now, sacrifice, laud, effectual speech.
6 To Soma, Much-invoked, Bolt-armed! for thy carouse, Celestial,
Soma-drinker come.
Thou to the man who- prays and pours the
juice hast been best giver of delightful wealth.
7 Here,
verily, yesterday we let the Thunder-wielder drink his fill.
So in like manner offer him the jifice today. Now range you
by the Glorious One.
8 Even the wolf, the savage beast that
rends the sheep, follows the path of his decrees.
So graciously
accepting, Indra, this our praise, with wondrous thought come
forth to us.
9 What manly deed of vigour now remains that
Indra hath not done?
Who hath not heard his glorious title
and his fame, the Vrtra-slayer from his birth?
10 'How great
his power resistless! how invincible the Vrtra-slayer's matchless
might!
Indra excels all usurers who see the day, excels all
traffickers in strength.
11 O Indra, Vrtra-slayer, we, thy
very constant worshippers,
Bring prayers ne'er heard before
to thee, O Much-invoked, O Thunder-armed, to be thy meed.
12 O thou of mighty acts, the aids that are in thee call forward
many an eager hope.
Past the drink-offerings, Vasu, even
of the good, hear my call, Strongest God, and come.
13 Verily,
Indra, we are thine, we worshippers depend on thee.
For there
is none but only thou to show us race, O Maghavan, thou much
invoked.
14 From this our misery and famine set us free,
from this dire curse deliver us.
Succour us with thine help
and with tby wondrous thought. Most Mighty, finder of the way.
15 Now let your Soma juice be poured; be not afraid, O Kali's
sons.
This darkening sorrow goes away; yea, of itself it
vanishes.
HYMN LVI. Adityas.
1. Now pray we to these Ksatriyas, to the Adityas for their
aid,
These who are gracious to assist.
2 May Mitra bear
us oer distress, and Varuna and Aryaman,
Yea, the Adityas,
as they know.
3 For wonderful and meet for praise is these
Adityas' saving help
To him who offers and prepares.
4
The mighty aid of you, the Great, Varuna, Mitra, Aryarnan,
We claim to be our sure defence.
5 Guard us, Adityas, still
alive, before the deadly weapon strike:
Are yc not they who
hear our call?
6 What sheltering defence ye have for him
who toils in pouring gifts,
Graciously bless ye us therewith.
7 Adityas, Gods, from sorrow there is freedom; for the sinless,
wealth,
O ye in whom no fault is seen.
8 Let not this
fetter bind us fast: may he release us for success;
For strong
is Indra and renowned.
9 O Gods who fain would lend your
aid, destroy not us as ye destroy
Your enemies who go astray.
10 And thee too, O Great Aditi, thee also, Goddess, I address,
Thee very gracious to assist.
11 Save us in depth and shallow
from the foe, thbu Mother of Strong Sons
Let no one of our
seed be harmed.
12 Far-spread! wide-ruling! grant that we,
unharmed by envy, may expand
Grant that our progeny may live.
13 Those who, the Princes of the folk, in native glory, neer
deceived,
Maintain their statutes, void of guilt-
14 As
such, from mouth of ravening wolves, O ye Adityas, rescue us,
Like a bound thief, O Aditi.
15 Adityas, let this arrow,
yea, let this mali. gnity depart
From us or eer it strike
us dead.
16 Fori Bountiful Adityas, we have evermore enjoyed
your help,
Both now and in die days of old.
17 To every
one, O ye Most Wise, who turneth even from sin to you,
Ye
Gods vouchsafe that he may live.
18 May this new mercy profit
us, which, ye Adityas, frees like one,
Bound from his bonds,
O Aditi.
19 O ye Adityas, this your might is not to be despised
by us:
So be ye graciously inclined.
20 Let not Vivasvan's
weapon nor the shaft, Adityas, wrought with skill,
Destroy
us ere old age be nigh.
21 On every side dispel all sin,
Adityas, all hostility,
Indigence, and combined attack.
HYMN LVII. Indra.
1. EVEN as a car to give us aid, we draw thee hither for
our bliss,
Strong in thy deeds, checking assault, Lord, Mightiest
Indra, of the brave!
2 Great in tby power and wisdom, Strong,
with thought that comprehendeth all
Thou hast filled full
with majesty.
3 Thou very Mighty One, whose hands by virtue
of thy greatness grasp,
The golden bolt that breaks its way.
4 Your Lord of might that ne'er hath bent, that ruleth over
all mankind,
I call, that he, as he is wont, may aid the
chariots and the men.
5 Whom, ever furthering, in frays that
win the light, in both the hosts
Men call to succour and
to help.
6 Indra, the Strong, the measureless, worthy of
praise, Most Bountiful,
Sole Ruler even over wealth.
7
Him, for his ample bounty, him, this Indra do I urge to drink,
Who, as his praise was sung of old, the Dancer, is the Lord
of men.
8 Thou Mighty One, whose friendship none of mortals
ever hath obtained
None will attain unto thy might.
9
Aided by thee, with thee allied, in frays for water and for
sun,
Bolt-armed! may we win ample spoil.
10 So seek we
thee with sacrifice and songs, chief Lover of the Song,
As,
in our battles Indra, thou to Purumayya gavest help.
11 O
Thunderer, thou whose friendship and whose onward guidance both
are sweet,
Thy sacrifice must be prepared.
12 To us, ourselves,
give ample room, give for our dwelling ample room
Give ample
room to us to live.
13 We count the banquet of the Gods a
spacious pathway for the men,
And for the cattle, and the
car.
14 Six men, yea, two and two, made glad with Soma juice,
come near to me
With offerings pleasant to the taste.
15 Two brown-hued steeds, Indrota's gift, two bays from Rksa's
son were mine,
From Asvamedha's son two red.
16 From Atithigva
good car-steeds; from Arksa rein-obeying steeds,
From Asvamedha
beauteous ones.
17 Indrota, Atithigva's son, gave me six
horses matched with mares
And Patakratu gave besides.
18 Marked above all, amid the brown, is the red mare Vrsanvati,
Obedient to the rein and whip.
19 O bound to me by deeds
of might, not even the man who loves to blame.
Hath found
a single fault in you.
HYMN LVIII. Indra.
1. I SEND you forth the song of praise for Indu, hero-gladdener.
With hymn and plenty he invites you to complete the sacrifice.
2 Thou wishest for thy kine a bull, for those who long for his
approach,
For those who turn away from him, lord of thy cows
whom none may kill.
3 The dappled kine who stream with milk
prepare his draught of Soma juice:
Clans in the birth-place
of the Gods, in the three luminous realms of heaven.
4 Praise,
even as he is known, with song Indra the guardian of the kine,
The Son of Truth, Lord of the brave.
5 Hither his Bay Steeds
have been sent, red Steeds are on the sacred grass,,
Where
we in concert sing our songs.
6 For Indra Thunder-armed the
kine have yielded mingled milk and meath,
What time he found
them in the vault.
7 When I and Indra mount on high up to
the Bright One's place and home,
We, having drunk of meath,
will reach his seat whose Friends are three times seven.
8 Sing, sing ye forth your songs of praise, ye Briyamedhas,
sing your songs:
Yea, let young children sing their lauds
as a strong castle praise ye him.
9 Now loudly let the viol
sound, the lute send out its voice with might,
Shrill be,
the music of the string. To Indra. is the hymn up-raised.
10 When bither speed the dappled cows, unflinching, easy to
be milked,
Seize quickly, as it bursts away, the Soma juice
for Indra's drink.
11 Indra hath drunk, Agni hath drunk.
all Deities have drunk their fill.
Here Varuna shall have
his home, to whom the floods have sung aloud as motherkine unto
their calves.
12 Thou, Varuna, to whom belong Seven Rivers,
art a glorious God.
The waters flow into thy throat as 'twere
a pipe with ample mouth.
13 He who hath made the fleet steeds
spring, well-harnessed, to the worshipper,
He, the swift
Guide, is that fair form that loosed the horses near at hand.
14 Indra, the very Mighty, holds his enemies in utter scorn.
He, far away, and yet a child, cleft the cloud smitten by his
voice.
15 He, yet a boy exceeding small, mounted his newly-fashioned
car.
He for his Mother and his Sire cooked the wild mighty
buffalo.
16 Lord of the home, fair-helmeted, ascend thy chariot
wrought of gold.
We will attend the Heavenly One, the thousand-footed,
red of hue, matchless, who blesses where he goes.
17 With
reverence they come hitherward to him as to. a Sovran lord,
That they may bring him near for this man's good success, to
prosper and bestow his gifts.
18 The Priyamedhas have observed
the offering of the men of old,
Of ancient custom, while
they strewed the sacred grass, and spread their sacrificial
food.
HYMN LIX. Indra.
1. HE who, as Sovran Lord of men, moves with his chariots
unrestrained,
The Vrtra-slayer vanquisher, of fighting hosts,
preeminent, is praised with song.
2 Honour that Indra, Puruhanman!
for his aid, in whose sustaining hand of old,
The splendid
bolt of thunder was deposited, as the great Sun was set in heaven.
3 No one by deed attains to him who works and strengthens evermore:
No, not by sacrifice, to Indra. praised o all, resistless, daring,
bold in might.
4 The potent Conqueror, invincible in war,
him at whose birth the Mighty Ones,
The Kine who spread aftar,
sent their loud voices out, heavens, earths seat their loud
voices out,
5 O Indra, if a hundred heavens and if a hundred
earths were thine-
No, not a thousand Suns could match thee
at thy birth, not both the worlds, O Thunderer.
6 Thou, Hero,
hast performed thy hero deeds with might, yea, all with strength,
O Strongest One.
Maghavan, help us to a stable full of kine,
O Thunderer, with wondrous aids.
7 Let not a godless mortal
gain this food, O thou whose life is long!
But one who yokes
the bright-hued steeds, the Etasas, even Indra yoker of the
Bays.
8 Urge ye the Conqueror to give, your Indra greatly
to be praised,
To be invoked in shallow waters and in depths,
to be invoked in deeds of might.
9 O Vasu, O thou Hero, raise
us up to ample opulence.
Raise us to gain of mighty wealth,
O Maghavan, O Indra, to sublime renown.
10 Indra, thou justifiest
us, and tramplest down thy slanderers.
Guard thyself, valiant
Hero, in thy vital parts: strike down the Dasa with thy blows.
11 The man who brings no sacrifice, inhuman, godless, infidel,
Him let his friend the mountain cast to rapid death, the mountain
cast the Dasyu down.
12 O Mightiest Indra, loving us, gather
thou up, as grains of corn,
Within thine hand, of these their
kine, to give away, yea, gather twice as loving us.
13 O
my companions, wish for power. How may we perfect Sara's praise,
The liberal princely patron, never to be harmed?
14 By many
a sage whose grass is trimmed thou art continually praised,
That thou, O Sara, hast bestowed here one and here another'calf.
15 The noble, Suradeva's son, hath brought a calf, led by the
car to three of us.
As a chief brings a goat to milk.
HYMN LX. Agni.
1. O AGNI, with thy mighty wealth guard us from all malignity,
Yea, from all hate of mortal man.
2 For over thee, O Friend
from birih, the wrath of man hath no control:
Nay, Guardian
of the earth art thou.
3 As such, with all the Gods, O Son
of Strength, auspicious in thy flame.
Give us wealth bringing
all things good.
4 Malignities stay not from wealth the mortal
man whom, Agni, thou
Protectest while he offers gifts.
5 Sage Agni, be whom thou dost urge, in worship of the Gods,
to wealth,
With thine assistance winneth kine.
6 Riches
with many heroes thou hast for the man who offers gifts:
Lead thou us on to higher bliss.
7 Save us, O Jatavedas,
nor abandon us to him who sins,
Unto the evil-hearted man.
8 O Agni, let no godless man avert thy bounty as a God:
Over
all treasures thou art Lord.
9 So, Son of Strength, tbou
aidest us to what is great and excellent.
Those, Vasu! Friend!
who sing thy praise.
10 Let our songs come anear to him beauteous
and bright with piercing flame
Our offerings, with our homage,
to the
Lord of wealth, to him whom many praise, for help:
11 To Agni Jatavedas, to the Son of Strength, that he may give
us precious gifts,
Immortal, from of old Priest among mortal
men, the most delightful in the house.
12 Agni, made yours
by sacrifice, Agni, while holy rites advance;
Agni, the first
in songs, first with the warrior steed; Agril to win the land
for us.
13 May Agni who is Lord of wealth vouchsafe us food
for friendship sake.
Agni we ever seek for seed and progeny,
the Vasu who protects our lives.
14 Solicit with your chants,
for help, Agni the God with piercing flame,
For riches famous
Agni, Purumilha and ye men! Agni to light our dwelling well.
15 Agni we laud that he may keep our foes afar, Agni to give
us health and strength.
Let him as Guardian be invoked in
all the tribes, the lighter-up of glowing brands.
HYMN LXI. Agni.
1. PREPARE oblation: let him come; and let the minister serve
again
Who knows the ordering thereof,
2 Rejoicing in his
friendship, let the priest be seated over man,
Beside the
shoot of active power.
3 Him, glowing bright beyond all thought,
they seek among the race of man;
With him for tougue they
seize the food.
4 He hath inflamed the twofold plain: lifegiving,
he hath climbed the wood,
And with his tongue hath struck
the rock.
5 Wandering here the radiant Calf finds none to
fetter him, and seeks
The Mother to declare his praise.
6 And now that great and mighty team, the team of horses that
are his,
And traces of his car, are seen.
7 The seven
milk a single cow; the two set other five to work,
On the
stream's loud-resounding bank.
8 Entreated by Vivasvan's
ten, Indra cast down the water-jar
With threefold hammer
from the sky.
9 Three times the newIy-kindled flame proceeds
around the sacrifice:
The priests anoint it with the meath.
10 With reverence they drain the fount that circles with its
wheel above,
Exhaustless, with the mouth below.
11 The
pressing-stones are set at work: the meath is poured into the
tank,
At the out-shedding of the fount.
12 Ye cows, protect
the fount: the two Mighty Ones bless the sacrifice.
The handles
twain are wrought of gold.
13 Pour on the juice the ornament
which reaches both the heaven and earth
Supply the liquid
to the Bull.
14 These know their own abiding-place: like
calves beside the mother cows
They meet together with their
kin.
15 Devouring in their greedy jaws, they make sustaining
food in heaven,
To Indra, Agni light and prayer.
16 The
Pious One milked out rich food, sustenance dealt in portions
seven,
Together with the Sun's seven rays.
17 I took some
Soma when the Sun rose up, O Mitra, Varuna.
That is the sick
man's medicine.
18 From where oblations must be laid, which
is the Well-beloved's home,
He with his tongue hath compassed
heaven.
HYMN LXII. Asvins.
1. ROUSE ye for him who keeps the Law, yoke your steeds,
Aiyins, to your car
Let your protecting help be near.
2 Come, Asvins, with your car more swift than is the twinkling
of an eye
Let your protecting help be near.
3 Asvins,
ye overlaid with cold the fiery pit for Atri's sake:
Let
your protecting help be near.
4 Where are ye? whither are
ye gone? whither, like falcons, have ye flown?
Let your protecting
help be near.
5 If ye at any time this day are listening
to this my call,
Let your protecting help be near.
6 The
Asvins, fust to hear our prayer, for closest kinship I approach:
Let your protecting help be near.
7 For Atri ye, O Asvins,
made a dwellingplace to shield him well,
Let your protecting
help be near.
8 Ye warded off the fervent heat for Atri when
he sweetly spake:
Let your protecting help be near.
9
Erst Saptavadbri by his prayer obtained the trenchant edge of
fire:
Let your protecting help be near.
10 Come hither,
O ye Lords of wealth, and listen to this call of mine:
Let
your protecting help be near.
11 What is this praise told
forth of you as Elders in the ancient way?
Let your protecting
help be near.
12 One common brotherhood is yours, Asvins
your kindred is the same:
Let your protecting help be near.
13 This is your chariot, Asvins, which speeds through the regions,
earth and heaven
Let your protecting aid be near.
14 Approach
ye hitherward to us with thousands both of steeds and kine:
Let your protecting help be near.
15 Pass us not by, remember
us with thousands both of kine aud steeds:
Let your protecting
help be near.
16 The purple-tinted Dawn hath risen, and true
to Law hath made the light
Let your protecting help be near.
17 He looked upon the Asvins, as an axearmed man upon a tree:
Let your protecting help be near.
18 By the black band encompassed
round, break it down, bold one, like a fort.
Let your protecting
help be near.
HYMN LXIII. Agni.
1. EXERTING all our strength with thoughts of power we glorify
in speech
Agni your dear familiar Friend, the darling Guest
in every home.
2 Whom, served with sacrificial oil like Mitra,
men presenting gifts
Eulogize with their songs of praise
3 Much-lauded Jatavedas, him who bears oblations up to heaven
Prepared in service of the Gods.
4 To noblest Agni, Friend
of man, best Vrtra-slayer, are we come,
Him in whose presence
Rksa's son, mighty Srutarvan, waxes great;
5 To deathless
Jatavedas, meet for praise, adored, with sacred oil,
Visible
through the gloom o:f night
6 Even Agni whom these priestly
men worship with sacrificial gifts,
With lifted ladles offering
them.
7 O Agni, this our newest hymn hath been addressed
from us to thee,
O cheerful Guest, well-born, most wise,
worker of wonders, ne'er deceived.
8 Agni, may it be dear
to thee, most grateful, and exceeding sweet:
Grow mightier,
eulogized therewith.
9 Splendid with splendours may it be,
and in the battle with the foe
Add loftier glory to thy fame.
10 Steed, cow, a lord of heroes, bright like Indra, who shall
fill the car.
Whose high renown ye celebrate, and people
praise each glorious deed.
11 Thou whom Gopavana made glad
with song, O Agni Angiras,
Hear this my call, thou Holy One.
12 Thou whom the priestly folk implore to aid the gathering
of the spoil,
Such be thou in the fight with foes.
13
I, called to him who reels with joy, Srutarvan, Rksa's son,
shall stroke
The heads of four presented steeds, like the
long wool of fleecy rams.
14 Four coursers with a splendid
car, Savistha's horses, fleet of foot,
Shall bring me to
the sacred feast, as flying steeds brought Tugra's son.
15
The very truth do I declare to thee, Parusni, mighty flood.
Waters! no man is there who gives more horses than Savistha
gives.
HYMN LXIV. Agni.
1. YOKE, Agni, as a charioteer, thy steeds who best invite
the Gods: As ancient Herald seat thyself.
2 And, God, as
skilfullest of all, call for us bitherward the Gods:
Give
all our wishes sure effect.
3 For thou, Most Youthful, Son
of Strength, thou to whom sacrifice is paid,
Art holy, faithful
to the Law.
4 This Agni, Lord of wealth and spoil hundredfold,
thousandfold, is head
And chief of riches and a Sage.
5 As craftsmen bend the felly, so bend at our general call:
come nigh,
Angiras, to the sacrifice.
6 Now, O Virupa,
rouse for him, Strong God who shines at early morn,
Fair
praise with voice that ceases not.
7 With missile of this
Agni, his who looks afar, will we lay low
The thief in combat
for the kine.
8 Let not the Companies of Gods fail us, like
Dawns that float away,
Like cows who leave the niggardly.
9 Let not the sinful tyranny of any fiercely hating foe
Smite
us, as billows smite a ship.
10 O Agni, God, the people sing
reverent praise to thee for strength:
With terrors trouble
thou the foe.
11 Wilt thou not, Agni, lend us aid in winning
cattle, winning wealth?
Maker of room, make room for us.
12 In this great battle cast us not aside as one who bears a
load:
Snatch up the wealih and win it all.
13 O Agni,
let this plague pursue and fright another and not us:
Make
our impetuous strength more strong.
14 The reverent or unwearied
man whose holy labour he accepts,
Him Agni favours with success.
15 Abandoning the foeman's host pass hither to this company:
Assist the men with whom I stand.
16 As we have known thy
gracious help, as of a Father, long ago,
So now we pray to
thee for bliss.
HYMN LXV. Indra.
I. NOT to forsake me, I invoke this Indra girt by Maruts,
Lord Of magic power who rules with might.
2 This Indra with
his Marut Friends clave into pieces Vrtra's bead
With hundred-knotted
thunderbolt.
3 Indra, with Marut Friends grown strong, hath
rent asunder Vrtra, and
Released the waters of the sea.
4 This is that Indra who, begirt by Maruts, won the light of
heaven
That he might drink the Soma juice.
5 Mighty, impetuous,
begirt by Maruts, him who loudly roars,
Indra we invocate
with songs.
6 Indra begirt by Maruts we invoke after the
ancient plan,
That he may drink the Soma juice.
7 O liberal
Indra, Marut-girt, much-lauded Satakratu, drink
The Soma
at this sacrifice.
8 To thee, O Indra, Marut-girt, these
Soma juices, Thunderer!
Are offered from the heart with lauds.
9 Drink, Indra, with thy Marut Friends, pressed Soma at the
morning rites,
Whetting thy thunderbolt with strength.
10 Arising in thy might, thy jaws thou shookest, Indra, having
quaffed
The Soma which the mortar pressed.
11 Indra, both
worlds complained to thee when uttering thy fearful roar,
What time thou smotest Dasyus dead.
12 From Indra have I
measured out a song eight-footed with nine parts,
Delicate,
faithful. to the Law.
HYMN LXVI. Indra.
1. SCARCELY was Satakratu, born when of his Mother he inquired,
Who are the mighty? Who are famed?
2. Then Savassi declared
to him Aurnavabha, Ahisuva:
Son, these be they thou must
o'erthrow
3 The Vrtra-slayer smote them all as spokes are
hammered into naves:
The Dasyu-killer waxed in might.
4 Then Indra at a single draught drank the contents of thirty
pails,
Pails that were filled with Soma juice.
5 Indra
in groundless realms of space pierced the Gandharva through,
that he
Might make Brahmans' strength increase.
6 Down
from the mountains Indra shot hither his well-directed shaft:
He gained the ready brew of rice.
7 One only is that shaft
of thine, with thousand feathers, hundred barbs,
Which, Indra,
thou hast made thy friend.
8 Strong as the gbhus at thy birth,
therewith to those who praise thee, men,
And women, bring
thou food to eat.
9 By thee these exploits were achieved,
the mightiest deeds, abundantly:
Firm in thy heart thou settest
them.
10 All these things Visnu brought, the Lord of ample
stride whom thou hadst sent-
A hundred buffaloes, a brew
of rice and milk: and Indra, slew the ravening boar
11 Most
deadly is thy bow, successful, fashioned well: good is thine
arrow, decked with gold.
Warlike and well equipped thine
arms are, which increase sweetness for him who drinks the sweet.
HYMN LXVII. Indra.
1. BRING us a thousand, Indra, as our guerdon for the Soma
juice:
Hundreds of kine, O Hero, bring.
2 Bring cattle,
bring us ornament, bring us embellishment and steeds,
Give
us, besides, two rings of gold.
3 And, Bold One, bring in
ample store rich jewels to adorn thi; ear,
For thou, Good
Lord, art far renowned.
4 None other is there for the priest,
Hero! but thou, to give him gifts,
To win much spoil and
prosper him.
5 Indra can never be brought low, Sakra can
never be subdued:
He heareth and beholdeth all.
6 He spieth
out the wrath of man, he who can never be deceived:
Ere blame
can come he marketh it.
7 He hath his stomach full of might,
the Vrtra-slayer, Conqueror,
The Soma-drinker, ordering all.
8 In thee all treasures are combined, Soma all blessed things
in thee,
Uninjured, easy to bestow.
9 To thee speeds forth
my hope that craves the gift of corn, and kine and gold,
Yea, craving horses, speeds to thee.
10 Indra, through hope
in thee alone even this sickle do I grasp.
Fill my hand,
Maghavan, with all that it can hold of barley cut or gathered
up.
HYMN LXVIII. Soma.
1. THIS here is Soma, ne'er restrained, active, all-conquering
bursting forth,
Rsi and Sage by sapience,
2 All that is
bare he covers o'er, all that is sick he medicines;
The blind
man sees, the cripple walks.
3 Thou, Soma, givest wide defence
against the hate of alien men,
Hatreds that waste and weaken
us.
4 Thou by thine insight and thy skill, Impetuous One,
from heaven and earth
Drivest the sinner's enmity.
5 When
to their task they come with zeal, may they obtain the Giver's
grace,
And satisfy his wish who thirsts.
6 So may he find
what erst was lost, so may be speed the pious man,
And lengthen
his remaining life.
7 Gracious, displaying tender love, unconquered,
gentle in thy thoughts,
Be sweet, O Soma, to our heart.
8 O Soma, terrify us not; strike us not with alarm, O King:
Wound not our heart with dazzling flame.
9 When in my dwelling-place
I see the wicked enemies of Gods,
King, chase their hatred
far away, thou Bounteous One, dispel our foes.
HYMN LXIX. Indra
1. O Sarakratu! truely I have made none else my Comforter.
Indra; be gracious unto us.
2 Thou who hast ever aided us
kindly of old to win the spoil,
As such, O Indra, favour
us.
3 What now? As prompter of the poor thou helpest him
who sheds the juice.
Wilt thou not, Indra, strengthen us?
4 O Indra, help our chariot on, yea, Thunderer, though it lag
behind:
Give this my car the foremost place.
5 Ho there!
why sittest thou at case? Make thou my chariot to be first
And bring the fame of victory near.
6 Assist our car that
seeks the prize. What can be easier for thee?
So make thou
us victorious.
7 Indra, be firm: a fort art thou. To thine
appointed place proceeds
The auspicious hymn in season due.
8 Let not our portion be disgrace. Broad is the course, the
prize is set,
The barriers are opened wide.
9 This thing
we wish. that thou mayst take thy fourth, thy sacrificial name.
So art thou held to be our Lord.
10 Ekadyu hath exalted you,
Immortals: both Goddesses and Gods hath he delighted.
Bestow
upon him bounty meet for praises. May he, enriched with prayer,
come soon and early.
HYMN LXX. Indra.
1. INDRA, God of the mighty arm, gather for us with thy right
hand
Manifold and nutritious spoil.
2 We know thee mighty
in thy deeds, of mighty bounty, mighty wealth,
Mighty in
measure, prompt to aid.
3 Hero, when thou art fain to give,
neither may Gods nor mortal men
Restrain thee like a fearful
Bull.
4 Come, let us glorify Indra, Lord supreme of wealth,
Self-ruling King:
In bounty may he harm us not.
5 Let
prelude sound and following chant so let him hear the Saman
sung,
And with his bounty answer us.
6 O Indra, with thy
right hand bring, and with thy left remember us.
Let us not
lose our share of wealth.
7 Come nigh, O Bold One, boldly
bring hither the riches of the churl
Who giveth least of
all the folk.
8 Indra, the booty which thou hast with holy
singers to receive,
Even that booty win with us.
9 Indra,
thy swiftly-coming spoil, the booty which rejoices all,
Sounds
quick in concert with our hopes.
HYMN LXXI. Indra.
1. HASTE forward to us from afar, or, Vrtra-slayer, from
anear,
To meet the offering to the meath.
2 Strong are
the Soma-draughts; come nigh: the juices fill thee with delight:
Drink boldly even as thou art wont'.
3 Joy, Indra, in the
strengthening food et it content thy wish and thought,
And
be delightful to thine heart.
4 Come to us thou who hast
no foe: we call thee down to hymns of praise,
In heaven's
sublimest realm of light.
5 This Soma here expressed with
stones and dressed with milk for thy carouse,
Indra, is offered
up to thee.
6 Graciously, Indra, hear my call. Come and obtain
the draught, and sate
Thyself with juices blent with milk.
7 The Soma, Indra, which is shed in chalices and vats for thee,
Drink thou, for thou art Lord thereof.
8 The Soma seen within
themats, as in the flood the Moon is seen,
Drink thou, for
thou art Lord thereof.
9 That which the Hawk brought in his
claw, inviolate, through the air to thee,
Drink thou, for
thou art Lord thereof.
HYMN LXXII. Visvedevas.
1. WE choose unto ourselves that high protection of the Mighty
Gods
That it may help and succour us.
2 May they be ever
our allies, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,
Far-seeing Gods who prosper
us.
3 Ye furtherers of holy Law, transport us safe o'er many
woes,
As over water-floods in ships.
4 Dear wealth be
Aryaman to us, Varuna dear wealth meet for praise:
Dear wealth
we choose unto ourselves.
5 For Sovrans of dear wealth are
ye, Adityas, not of sinner's wealth,
Ye sapient Gods who
slay the foe.
6 We in our homes, ye Baunteous Ones, and while
we journey on the road,
Invoke you, Gods, to prosper us.
7 Regard us, Indra, Visnu, here, ye Asvins and the Marut host,
Us who are kith and kin to you.
8 Ye Bounteous Ones, from
time of old we here set forth our brotherhood,
Our kinship
in. the Mother's womb.
9 Then come with Indra for your chief,
as early day, ye Bounteous Gods
Yea, 1 address you now for
this.
HYMN LXXIII. Agni.
1. AGNI, your dearest Guest, I laud, him who is loving as
a friend,
Who brings us riches like a car.
2 Whom as a
far-foreseeing Sage the Gods have, from the olden time,
Established
among mortal men.
3 Do thou, Most Youthful God, protect the
men who offer, hear their songs,
And of thyself preserve
their seed.
4 What is the praise wherewith, O God, Afigiras,
Agni, Son of Strength,
We, after thine own wish and thought,
5 May serve thee, O thou Child of Power, and with what sacrifice's
plan?
What prayer shall I now speak to thee?
6 Our God,
make all of us to dwell in happy habitations, and
Reward
our songs with spoil and wealth.
7 Lord of the house, what
plenty fills the songs which thou inspirest now,
Thou whose
hymn helps to win the kine?
8 Hirn Wise and Strong they glorify,
the foremost Champion in the fray,
And mighty in his dwelling-place.
9 Agni, he dwells in rest and peace who smites and no one smites
again:
With hero sons he prospers well
HYMN LXXIV. Asvins.
1. To this mine invocation, O ye Asvins, ye Nasatyas, come,
To drink the savoury Soma juice.
2 This laud of mine, ye
Asvins Twain, and this mine invitation hear,
To drink the
savoury Soma juice.
3 Here Krsna is invoking you, O Asvins,
Lords of ample wealth.
To drink the savoury Soma juice.
4 List, Heroes, to the singer's call, the call of Krsna lauding
you,
To drink the savoury Soma juice.
5 Chiefs, to the
sage who sings your praise grant an inviolable home,
To drink
the savoury Soma juice.
6 Come to the worshipper's abode,
Asvins, who here is lauding you,
To drink the savoury Soma
juice.
7 Yoke to the firmly jointed car the ass which draws
you, Lords of wealth.
To drink the savoury Soma juice.
8 Come hither, Asvins, on your car of triple form with triple
seat,
To drink the savoury Soma juice.
9 O Asvins, O Nasatyas,
now accept with favouring grace my songs,
To drink the savoury
Soma juice.
HYMN LXXV. Asvins.
1. YE Twain are wondrous strong, well-skilled in arts that
heal, both bringers of delight, ye both won Daksa's praise.
Visvaka calls on you as such to save his life. Break ye not
off our friendship, come and set me free.
2 How shall he
praise you now who is distraught in mind? Ye Twain give wisdom
for the gainof what is good.
Visvaka calls on you as such
to save his life. Break ye not off our friendship, come and
set me free.
3 Already have ye Twain, possessors of great
wealth, prospered Visnapu thus for gain of what is good.
Visvaka calls on you as such to save his life. Break ye not
off our friendship, come and set me free.
4 And that Impetuous
Hero, winner of the spoil, though he is far away, we call to
succour us,
Whose gracious favour, like a father's, is most
sweet. Break ye not off our friendship, come and set me free.
5 About the holy Law toils Savitar the God the horn of holy
Law hath he spread far and wide.
The holy Law hath quelled
even mighty men of war. Break ye not off our ftiendship, come
and act me free.
HYMN LXXVI. Asvins.
1. SPLENDID, O Asvins, is your praise. Come fountain-like,
to pour the stream.
Of the sweet juice effused-dear is it,
Chiefs, in heaven-drink like two wild bulls at a pool.
2
Drink the libation rich in sweets, O Asvins Twain: sit. Heroes,
on the sacred grass.
Do ye with joyful heart in the abode
of man preserve his life by means of wealth.
3 The Priyamedhas
bid you come with all the succours that are yours.
Come to
his house whose holy grass is trimmed, to dear sacrifice at
the morning rites.
4 Drink ye the Soma rich in meath, ye
Asvins Twain: sit gladly on the sacred grass.
So, waxen mighty,
to our eulogy from heaven come ye as wild-bulls to the pool.
5 Come to us, O ye Asvins, now with steeds of many a varied
hue,
Ye Lords of splendour, wondrous, borne on paths of gold,
drink Soma, ye who strengthen Law.
6 For we the priestly
singers, fain tohymn your praise, invoke you for the gain of
strength.
So, wondrous, fair, and famed for great deeds come
to us, through our hymn, Asvins, when ye hear.
HYMN LXXVII. Indra.
1. As cows low to their calves in stalls, so with our songs
we glorify
This Indra, even your Wondrous God who checks
attack, who joys in the delicious juice.
2 Celestial, bounteous
Giver, girt about with might, rich, mountain-like, in precious
things,
Him swift we seek. for foodful booty rich in kine,
brought hundredfold and thousandfold.
3 Indra, the strong
and lofty hills are powerless to bar thy way.
None stay that
act of thine when thou wouldst fain give wealth to one like
me who sings thy praise.
4 A Warrior thou by strength, wisdom,
and wondrous deed, in might excellest all that is.
Hither
may this our hymn attract thee to our help, the hymn which Gotamas
have made.
5 For in thy might thou stretchest out beyond
the boundaries of heaven.
The earthly region, Indra, comprehends
thee not. After thy Godhead hast thou waxed.
6 When, Maghavan,
thou honourest the worshipper, no one is there to stay thy wealth.
Most liberal Giver thou, do thou inspire our song of praise,
that we may win the spoil.
HYMN LXXVIII. Indra.
1. To Indra sing the lofty hymn, Maruts that slays the Vrtras
best.
Whereby the Holy Ones created for the God the light
divine that ever wakes.
2 Indra who quells the curse blew
curses far away, and then in splendour came to us.
Indra,
refulgent with thy Marut host! the Gods strove eagerly to win
thy love.
3 Sing to your lofty Indra, sing, Maruts, a holy
hymn of praise.
Let Satakratu, Vrtra-slayer, kill the foe
with hundred-knotted thunderbolt.
4 Aim and fetch boldly
forth, O thou whose heart is bold: great glory will be thine
thereby.
In rapid torrent let the mother waters spread. Slay
Vrtra, win the light of heaven.
5 When thou, unequalled Maghavan,
wast born to smite the Vrtras dead,
Thou spreadest out the
spacious earth and didst support and prop the heavens.
6
Theri was the sacrifice produced for thee, the laud, and song
of joy,
Thou in thy might surpassest all, all that now is
and yet shall be.
7 Raw kine thou filledst with ripe milk.
Thou madest Surya rise to heaven.,
Heat him as milk is heated
with pure Sama hymns, great joy to him who loves the song.
HYMN LXXIX. Indra.
1. MAY Indra, who in every fight must be invoked, be near
to us.
May the most mighty Vrtra-slayer, meet for praise,
come to libations and to hymns.
2 Thou art the best of all
in sending bounteous gifts, true art thou, lordly in thine act.
We claim alliance with the very Glorious One, yea, with the
Mighty Son of Strength.
3 Prayers unsurpassed are offered
up to thee the Lover of the Song.
Indra, Lord of Bay Steeds,
accept these fitting hymns, hymns which we have thought out
for thee.
4 For thou, O Maghavan, art truthful, ne'er subdued
and bringest many a Vrtra low.
As such, O Mightiest Lord,
Wielder of Thunder, send wealth hither to the worshipper.
5 O Indra, thou art far-renowned, impetuous, O Lord of Strength.
Alone thou slayest with the guardian of mankind resistless never-conquered
foes.
6 As such we seek thee now, O Asura, thee most wise,
craving thy bounty as our share.
Thy sheltering defence is
like a mighty cloak. So may thy glories reach to us.
HYMN LXXX. Indra.
1. DOWN to the stream a maiden came, and found the Soma by
the way.
Bearing it to her home she said, For Indra will
I press thee out, for Sakra will I press thee out.
2 Thou
roaming yonder, little man, beholding every house in turn,
Drink thou this Soma pressed with teeth, accompanied with grain
and curds, with cake of meal and song of praise.
3 Fain would
we learn to know thee well, nor yet can we attain to thee.
Still slowly and in gradual drops, O Indu, unto Indra flow.
4 Will he not help and work for us? Will he not make us wealthier?
Shall we not, hostile to our lord, unite ourselves to Indra
now?
5 O Indra, cause to sprout again three places, these
which I declare,-
My father's head, his cultured field, and
this the part below my waist.
6 Make all of these grow crops
of hair, you cultivated field of ours,
My body, and my father's
head.
7 Cleansing Apala, Indra! thrice, thou gavest sunlike
skin to her,
Drawn, Satakratu! through the hole of car, of
wagon, and of yoke.
HYMN LXXXI. Indra
1. INVITE ye Indra with a song to drink your draught of Soma
juice,
All-conquering Satakratu, most munificent of all who
live.
2 Lauded by many, much-invoked, leader of song, renowned
of old:
His name is Indra, tell it forth.
3 Indra the
Dancer be to us the giver of abundant strength:
May he, the
mighty, bring it near.
4 Indra whose jaws are strong hath
drunk of worshipping Sudaksa's draught,
The Soma juice with
barley mixt.
5 Call Indra loudly with your songs of praise
to drink the Soma juice.
For this is what augments his stiength.
6 When he hath drqnk its gladdening drops, the God with vigour
of a God
Hath far surpassed all things that are.
7 Thou
speedest down to succour us this ever-conquering God of yours,
Him who is drawn to all our songs
8 The Warrior not to he
restrained, the Soma-drinker ne'er o'erthrown,
The Chieftain
of resistless might.
9 O Indra, send us riches, thou Omniscient,
worthy of our praise:
Help us in the decisive fray.
10
Even thence, O 1ndra, come to us with food that gives a hundred
powers,
With food that gives a thousand powers.
11 We
sought the wisdom of the wise. Sakra, Kine-giver, Thunder-armed!
May we with steeds o'ercome in fight.
12 We make thee, Satakratu,
find enjoyment in the songs we sing.
Like cattle in the pasture
lands.
13 For, Satakratu, Thunder-armed, all that we craved,
as men are wont,
All that we hoped, have we attained.
14 Those, Son of Strength, are come to thee who cherish wishes
in their hearts
O Indra, none excelleth thee.
15 So, Hero,
guard us with thy care, with thy most liberal providence,
Speedy, and terrible to foes.
16 O Satakratu Indra, now rejoice
with that carouse of thine
Which is most splendid of them
all
17 Even, Indra, that carouse which slays the Vrtras best,
most widely famed,
Best giver of thy power and might.
18 For that which is thy gift we know, true Soma-drinker, Thunder-armed,
Mighty One, amid all the folk.
19 For Indra, Lover of Carouse,
loud be our songs about the juice:
Let poets sing the song
of praise.
20 We summon Indra to the draught, irl whom all
glories rest, in whom
The seven communities rejoice.
21
At the Trikadrukas the Gods span sacrifice that stirs the mind:
Let our songs aid and prosper it.
22 Let the drops pass within
thee as the rivers flow into the sea:
O fndra, naught excelleth
thee.
23 Thou, wakeful Hero, by thy might hast taken food
of Soma juice,
Which, Indra, is within thee now.
24 O
Indra, Vrtra-slayer, let Soma be ready for thy maw,
The drops
be ready for thy forms.
25 Now Srutakaksa sings his song
that cattle and the steed may come,
That Indra's very self
may come.
26 Here, Indra, thou art ready by our Soma juices
shed for thee,
Sakra, at hand that thou mayst give.
27
Even from far away our songs reach thee, O Caster of the Stone:
May we come very close to thee.
28 For so thou art the hero's
Friend, a Hero, too, art thou, and strong:
So may thine heart
be won to us.
29 So hath the offering, wealthiest Lord, been
paid by all the worshippers:
So dwell thou, Indra, even with
me.
30 Be not thou like a slothfid priest, O Lord of spoil
and wealth: rejoice
In the pressed Soma blent with milk.
31 O Indra, let not ill designs surround us in the sunbeams'
light:
This may we gain with thee for Friend.
32 With
thee to help us, Indra, let us answer all our enemies:
For
thou art ours and we are thine.
33 Indra, the poets and thy
friends, faithful to thee, shall loudly sing
Thy praises
as they follow thee.
HYMN LXXXII. Indra.
1. SURYA, thou mountest up to meet the Hero famous for his
wealth,
Who hurls the bolt and works for man
2 Him who
with might of both his arms brake nine-and-ninety castles down,
Slew Vrtra and smote Ahi dead.
3 This Indra is our gracious
Friend. He sends us in a full broad stream
Riches in horses,
kine, and corn.
4 Whatever, Vrtra-slayer! thou, Surya, hast
risen upon to-day,
Tbat, Indra, all is in thy power.
5
When, Mighty One, Lord of the brave, thou thinkest thus, I shall
not die,
That thought of thine is true indeed.
6 Thou,
Indra, goest unto all Soma libations shed for thee,
Both
far away and near at hand.
7 We make this Indra very strong
to strike the mighty Vrtra dead:
A vigorous Hero shall he
be.
8 Indra was made for giving, set, most mighty, o'er the
joyous draught.
Bright, meet for Soma, famed in song.
9 By song as 'twere, the powerful bolt which none may parry
was prepared
Lofty, invincible he grew.
10 Indra, Song-lover,
lauded, make even in the wilds fair ways for us,
Whenever,
Maghavan, thou wilt.
11 Thou whose commandment and behest
of sovran sway none disregards,
Neither audacious man nor
God.
12 And both these Goddesses, Earth, Heaven, Lord of
the beauteous helm! revere
Thy might which no one may resist.
13 Thou in the black cows and the red and in the cows with spotted
skin
This white milk hast deposited.
14 When in their
terror all the Gods shrank from the Dragon's furious might,
Fear of the monster fell on them.
15 Then he was my Defender,
then, Invincible, whose foe is not,
The Vrtra-slayer showed
his might.
16 Him your best Vrtra-slayer, him the famous
Champion of mankind
I urge to great munificence,
17 To
come, Much-lauded! Many-named with this same thought that longs
for milk,
Whene'er the Soma juice is shed.
18 Much-honoured
by libations, may the Vrtra-slayer wake for us:
May Sakra
listen to our prayers.
19 O Hero, with that aid dost thou
delight us, with what succour bring
Riches to those who worship
thee?
20 With whose libation joys the Strong, the Hero with
his team who quells
The foe, to drink the Soma juice?
21 Rejoicing in thy spirit bring thousandfold opulence to us:
Enrich thy votary with gifts.
22 These juices with their
wedded wives flow to enjoyment lovingly:
To waters speeds
the restless one.
23 Presented strengthening gifts have sent
Indra away at sacrifice,
With might, onto the cleansing bath.
24 These two who share his feast, Bay Steeds with golden manes,
shall bring him to
The banquet that is laid for him.
25
For thee, O Lord of Light, are shed these Soma-drops, and grass
is strewn
Bring Indra to his worshippers.
26 May Indra
give thee skill, and lights of heaven, wealth to his votary
And priests who praise him: laud ye him.
27 O Satakratu,
wondrous strength and all our lauds I bring to thee:
Be gracious
to thy worshippers.
28 Bring to us all things excellent,
O Satakratu, food and strength:
For, Indra, thou art kind
to us.
2 O Satakratu, bring to us all blessings, all felicity:
Fbr, Indra, thou art kind to us.
30 Bearing the Soma juice
we call, best Vrtra-slayer, unto thee:
For, Indra, thou art
kind to us.
31 Come, Lord of rapturous, joys, to our libation
with thy Bay Steeds, come
To our libation with thy Steeds.
32 Known as best Vrtra-slayer erst, as Indra Satakratu, come
With Bay Steeds to the juice we shed.
33 O Vrtra-slayer,
thou art he who drinks these drops of Soma: come
With Bay
Steeds to the juice we shed.
34 May Indra give, to aid us,
wealth handy that rules the Skilful Ones:
Yea, may the Strong
give potent wealth.
HYMN LXXXIII. Maruts.
1. THE Cow, the famous Mother of the wealthy Maruts, pours
her milk:
Both horses of the cars are yoked,-
2 She in
whose bosom all the Gods, and Sun and Moon for men to see,
Maintain their everlasting Laws.
3 This all the pious sing
to us, and sacred poets evermore:
The Maruts to the Soma-draught
4 Here is the Soma ready pressed of this the Maruts drink, of
this
Self-luminous the Asvins drink.
5 Of this, moreover,
purified, set in three places, procreant,
Drink Varuna, Mitra,
Aryaman.
6 And Indra, like the Herald Priest, desirous of
the milky juice,
At early morn will quaff thereof.
7 When
have the Princes gleamed and shone through waters as through
troops of foes'?
When hasten they whose might ispure?
8 What favour do I claim this day of you
great Deities, you
who are
Wondrously splendid in yourselves?
9 1 call, to
drink the Soma, those Maruts who spread all realms of earth
And luminous regions of the sky.
10 You, even such, pure
in your might, you, O ye Maruts, I invoke
From heaven to
drink this Somajuice.
11 The Maruts, those who have sustained
and propped the heavens and earth apart,
I call to drink
this Soma juice.
12 That vigorous band of Maruts that abidetb
in the mountains, I
Invoke to drink this Soma juice.
HYMN LXXXIV. Indra.
1. SONG-LOVER! like a charioteer come songs to thee when
Soma flows.
O Indra, they have called to thee as mother-kine
unto their calves.
2 Bright juices bitherward have sped thee,
Indra, Lover of the Song.
Drink, Indra, of this flowing sap:
in every house 'tis set for thee.
3 Drink Soma to inspirit
thee, juice, Indra, which the Falcon brought:
For thou art
King and Sovran Lord of all the families of men.
4 O Indra,
hear Tirasci's call, the call of him who serveth thee.
Satisfy
him with wealth of kine and valiant offspring: Great art thou.
5 For he, O Indra, hath produced for thee the newest gladdening
song,
A hymn that springs from careful thought, ancient,
and full of sacred truth.
6 That Indra will we laud whom
songs and hymns of praise have magnified.
Striving to win,
we celebrate his many deeds of hero might.
7 Come now and
let us glorify pure Indra with pure Sama hymns.
Let the pure
milky draught delight him strengthened by pure songs of praise.
8 O Indra, come thou pure to us, with pure assistance, pure
thyself.
Pure, send thou riches down to us, and, meet for
Soma, pure, be glad.
9 O Indra, pure, vouchsafe us wealth,
and, pure, enrich the worshipper.
Pure, thou dost strike
the Vrtras dead, and strivest, pure, to win the spoil.
HYMN LXXXV. Indra.
1. FOR him the Mornings made their courses longer, and Nights
with pleasant voices spake to Indra.
For him the Floods stood
still, the Seven Mothers, Streams easy for the heroes to pass
over.
2 The Darter penetrated, though in trouble, thrice-seven
close-pressed ridges of the mountains.
Neither might God
nor mortal man accomplish what the Strong Hero wrought in full-grown
vigour.
3 The mightiest force is Indra's bolt of iron when
firmly grasped in both the arms of Indra.
His head and mouth
have powers that pass all others, and all his people hasten
near to listen.
4 1 count thee as the Holiest of the Holy,
the caster-down of what hath ne'er been shaken.
I count thee
as the Banner of the heroes, I count thee as the Chief of all
men living.
5 What time, O Indra, in thine arms thou tookest
thy wildly rushing bolt to Slay the Dragon,
The mountains
roared, the cattle loudly bellowed, the Brahmans with their
hymns drew nigh to Indra.
6 Let us praise him who made these
worlds and creatures, all things that after him sprang into
being.
May we win Mitra with our songs, and Indra, and. wait
upon our Lord with adoration.
7 Flying in terror from the
snort of Vrtra, all Deities who were thy friends forsook thee.
So, Indra, be thy friendship with the Maruts: in all these battles
thou shalt be the victor.
8 Thrice-sixty Maruts, waxing strong,
were with thee, like piles of beaming light, worthy of worship.
We come to thee: grant us a happy portion. Let us adore thy
might with this oblation.
9 A sharpened weapon is the host
of Maruts. Who, Indra, dares withstand thy bolt of thunder?
Weaponless are the Asuras, the godless: scatter them with thy
wheel, Impetuous Hero.
10 To him the Strong and Mighty, most
auspicious, send up the beAuteous hymn for sake of cattle.
Lay oa his body many songs for Indra invoked with song, for
will not he regard. them?
11 To him, the Mighty, who accepts
laudation, send forth thy thought as by a boat o'er rivers,
Stir with thy hymn the body of the Famous and Dearest One, for
will not he regard it?
12 Serve him with gifts of thine which
Indra welcomes: praise with fair praise, invite him with thine
homage.
Draw near, O singer, and refrain from outcry. Make
thy voice heard, for will not he regard it?
13 The Black
Drop sank in Amsumati's bosom, advancing with ten thousand round
about it.
Indra with might longed for it as it panted: the
hero-hearted laid aside his weapons.
14 1 saw the Drop in
the far distance moving, on the slope bank of Amsumati's river,
Like a black cloud that sank into the water. Heroes, I send
you forth. Go, fight in battle.
15 And then the Drop in Amsumati's
bosom, splendid with light, assumed its proper body;
And
Indra, with Brhaspati to aid him, conquered the godless tribes
that came against him.
16 Then, at thy birth, thou wast the
foeman, Indra, of those the seven who ne'er had met a rival.
The hidden Pair, the Heaven and Earth, thou foundest, and to
the mighty worlds thou gavest pleasure.
17 So, Thunder-armed!
thou with thy bolt of thunder didst boldly smite that power
which none might equal;
With weapons broughtest low the migbt
of Susna, and, Indra, foundest by thy strength the cattle.
18 Then wast thou, Chieftain of all living mortals, the very
mighty slayer of the Vrtras.
Then didst thou set the obstructed
rivers flowing, and win the floods that were enthralled by Dasas.
19 Most wise is he, rejoicing in libations, splendid as day,
resistless in his anger.
He only doth great deeds, the only
Hero, sole Vrtra-slayer he, with none beside him.
20 Indra
is Vrtra's slayer, man's sustainer: he must be called; with
fair praise let us call him.
Maghavan is our Helper, our
Protector, giver of spoil and wealth to make us famous.
21
This Indra, Vrtra-slayer, this Rbhuksan, even at his birth,
was meet for invocation.
Doer of many deeds for man's advantage,
like Soma quaffed, for friends we must invoke him.
HYMN LXXXVI. Indra.
1. O INDRA, Lord of Light, what joys thou broughtest from
the Asuras,
Prosper therewith, O Maghavan, him who lauds
that deed, and those whose grass is trimmed for thee.
2 The
unwasting share of steeds and kine which, Indra, thou hast fast
secured,
Grant to the worshipper who presses Soma and gives
guerdon, not unto the churl.
3 The riteless, godless man
who sleeps, O Indra, his unbroken steep,-
May he by following
his own devices die. Hide from him wealth that nourishes.
4 Whether, O Sakra, thou be far, or, Vrtra-slayer, near at hand,
Thence by heaven-reaching songs he who hath pressed the juice
invites thee with thy long-maned Steeds.
5 Whether thou art
in heaven's bright sphere, or in the basin of the sea;
Whether,
chief Vrtra-slayer, in some place on earth, or in the firmament,
approach.
6 Thou Soma-drinker, Lord of Strength, beside our
flowing Soma juice
Delight us with thy bounty rich in pleasantness,
O Indra, with abundant wealth.
7 O Indra, turn us not away:
be the companion of our feast.
For thou art our protection,
yea, thou art our kin: O Indra, turn us not away.
8 Sit down
with us, O Indra, sit beside the juice to drink the meath.
Show forth great favour to the Singer, Maghavan; Indra, with
us, beside the juice.
9 O Caster of the Stone, nor Gods nor
mortals have attained to thee.
Thou in thy might surpassest
all that hath been made: the Gods have not attained to thee.
10 Of one accord they made and formed for kingship Indra, the
Hero who in all encounters overcometh,
Most eminent for power,
destroyer in the conflict, fierce and exceeding strong, stalwart
and full of vigour.
11 Bards joined in song to Indra so that
he might drink the Soma juice,
The Lord of Light, that he
whose laws stand fast might aid with power and with the help
he gives.
12 Tle holy sages form a ring, looking and singing
to the Ram.
Inciters, full of vigour, not to he deceived,
are with the chanters, nigh to bear.
13 Loudly I call that
Indra, Maghavan the Mighty, who evermore possesses power, ever
resistless.
Holy, most liberal, may he lead us on to riches,
and, Thunder-armed, make all our pathways pleasant for us.
14 Thou knowest well, O Sakra, thou Most Potent, with thy strength,
Indra, to destroy these castles.
Before thee, Thunder-armed!
all beings tremble: the heavens and earth before thee shake
with terror,
15 May thy truth, Indra, Wondrous Hero be my
guard: bear me o'er much woe, Thunderer! as over floods.
When, Indra, wilt thou honour us with opulence, all-nourishing
and much-to-be. desired, O King?
HYMN LXXXVII. Indra.
1. To Indra sing a Sama hymn, a lofty song to Lofty Sage,
To him who guards the Law, inspired, and fain for praise.
2 Thou, Indra, art the Conqueror: thou gavest splendour to the
Sun.
Maker of all things, thou art Mighty and All-God.
3 Radiant with light thou wentest to the sky, the luminous realm
of heaven.
ne Deities, Indra strove to win thee for their
Friend.
4 Come unto us, O Indra, dear, still conquering,
unconcealable,
Vast as a mountain spread on all sides, Lord
of Heaven.
5 O truthful Soma-drinker, thou art mightier than
both the worlds.
Thou strengthenest him who pours libation,
Lord of Heaven.
6 For thou art he, O Indra, wiio stormeth
all castles of the foe,
Slayer of Dasyus, man's Supporter,
Lord of Heaven.
7 Now have we, Indra, Friend of Song, sent
our great wishes forth to thee,
Coming like floods that follow
floods.
8 As rivers swell the ocean, so, Hero, our prayers
increase thy might,
Though of thyself, O Thunderer, waxing
day by day.
9 With holy song mey bind to the broad wide-yoked
car the Bay Steeds of the rapid God,
Bearers of Indra, yoked
by word.
10 O Indra, bring great strength to us, bring valour,
Satakratu, thou most active, bring
A hero conquering in war.
11 For, gracious Satakratu, thou hast ever been a Mother and
a Sire to us,
So now for bliss we pray to thee.
12 To
thee, Strong, Much-invoked, who showest forth thy strength,
O Satakratu, do I speak:
So grant thou us heroic strength.
HYMN LXXXVIII. Indra.
1. O THUNDERER, zealous worshippers gave thee drink this
time yesterday.
So, Indra, listen here to those who bring
the laud: come near unto our dwellingplace.
2 Lord of Bay
Steeds, fair-helmed, rejoice thee: this we crave. Here the disposers
wait on thee.
Thy loftiest glories claim our lauds beside
the juice, O Indra, Lover of the Song.
3 Turning, as 'twere,
to meet the Sun, enjoy from Indra all good things.
When he
who will be born is born with power we look to treasures as
our heritage.
4 Praise him who sends us wealth, whose bounties
injure none: good are the gifts which Indra. grants.
He is
not worth with one who satisfies his wish: he turns his mind
to giving boons.
5 Thou in thy battles, Indra, art subduer
of all hostile bands.
Father art thou, aIl-conquering, cancelling
the curse, thou victor of the vanquisher.
6 The Earth and
Heaven clung close to thy victorious might as to their calf
two mother-cows.
When thou attackest Vrtra all the hostile
bands shrink and faint, Indra, at thy wrath.
7 Bring to your
aid the Eternal One, who shoots and none may shoot at him,
Inciter, swift, victorious, best of Charioteers. Tugrya's unvanquished
Strengthener;
8 Arranger of things unarranged, e'en Satakratu,
source of might,
Indra, the Friend of all, for succour we
invoke, Guardian of treasure, sendjng wealth.
HYMN LXXXIX Indra. Vak.
1. I MOVE before thee here present in person, and all the
Deities follow behind me.
When, Indra, thou securest me my
portion, with me thou shalt perform heroic actions.
2 The
food of meath in foremost place I give thee, thy Soma shall
be pressed, thy share appointed.
Thou on my right shalt be
my friend and comrade: then shall we two smite dead full many
a foeman.
3 Striving for strength bring forth a laud to Indra,
a truthful hymn if he in truth existeth.
One and another
say, There is no Indra. Who hath beheld him? Whom then shall
we honour?
4 Here am I, look upon me here, O singer. All
that existeth 1 surpass in greatness.
The Holy Law's commandments
make me mighty. Rending with strength I rend the worlds asunder.
5 When the Law's lovers mounted and ap. proached me as 1 sate
lone upon the dear sky's summit.
Then spake my spirit to
the heart within me, My friends have cried unto me with their
children.
6 All these thy deeds must be declared at Soma-feasts,
wrought, Indra, Bounteous Lord, for him who sheds the juice,
When thou didst open wealth heaped up by many, brought from
far away to Sarablia, the Rsi's kin.
7 Now run ye forth your
several ways: he is not here who kept you back.
For hath
not Indra sunk his bolt deep down in Vrtra's vital part?
8 On-rushing with the speed of thought within the iron fort
he pressed:
The Falcon went to heaven and brought the Soma
to the Thunderer.
9 Deep in the ocean lies the bolt with
waters compassed round about,
And in continuous onward flow
the floods their tribute bring to it.
10 When, uttering words
which no one comprehended, Vak, Queen of Gods, the Gladdener,
was seated,
The heaven's four regions drew forth drink and
vigour: now whither hath her noblest portion vanished?
11
The Deities generated Vak the Goddess, and animals of every
figure speak her.
May she, the Gladdener, yielding food and
vigour, the Milch-cow Vak, approach us meetly lauded.
12
Step forth with wider stride, my comrade Visnu; make room, Dyaus,
for the leaping of the lightning.
Let us slay Vrtra, let
us free the rivers let them flow loosed at the command of Indra.
HYMN XC. Various.
1. YEA, specially that mortal man hath toiled for service
of the Gods,
Who quickly hath brought near Mitra and Varuna.
to share his sacrificial gifts.
2 Supreme in sovran power,
far-sighted, Chiefs and Kings, most swift to hear from far away,
Both, wondrously, set them in motion as with arms, in company
with Surya's beams.
3 The rapid messenger who runs before
you, Mitra-Varuna, with iron head, swift to the draught,
4 He whom no man may question, none may summon back, who stands
not still for colloquy,-
From hostile clash with him keep
ye us safe this day: keep us in safety with your arms.
5
To Aryaman and Mitra sing a reverent song, O pious one,
A
pleasant hymn that shall protect to Varuna: sing forth a laud
unto the Kings.
6 The true, Red Treasure they have sent,
one only Son born of the Three.
They, the Immortal Ones,
never deceived, survey the families of mortal men.
7 My songs
are lifted up, and acts most splendid are to be performed.
Come hither, ye Nasatyas, with accordant mind, to meet and to
enjoy my gifts.
8 Lords of great wealth, when we invoke your
bounty which no demon checks,
Both of you, furthering our
eastward-offcred praise, come, Chiefs whom Jamadagni lauds!
9 Come, Vayu, drawn by fair hymns, to our sacrifice that reaches
heaven.
Poured on the middle of the strainingcloth, and cooked,
this bright drink hath been offered ilice.
10 He comes by
straightest paths, as ministering Priest, to taste the sacrificial
gifts.
Then, Lord of harnessed teams I drink of the twofold
draught, bright Soma mingled with the milk.
11 Verily, Surya,
thou art great; truly, Aditya, thou art great.
As thou art
great indeed, thy greatness is admired: yea, verily, thou, God,
art great.
12 Yea, Surya, thou art great in fame thou evermore,
O God, art great.
Thou by thy greatness art the Gods' High
Priest, divine, far-spread unconquerable light.
13 She yonder,
bending lowly down, clothed in red hues and rich in rays,
Is seen, advancing as it were with various tints, amid the ten
surrounding arms.
14 Past and gone are three mortal generations:
the fourth and last into the Sun hath entered.
He mid the
worlds his lofty place hath taken. Into green plants is gone
the Purifying.
15 The Rudras' Mother, Daughter of the Vasus,
centre of nectar, the Adityas' Sister-
To folk who understand
will 1 proclaim it-injure not Aditi, the Cow, the sinless.
16 Weak-minded men have as a cow adopted me who came hither
from the Gods, a Goddess,
Who, skilled in eloquence, her
voice uplifteth, who standeth near at hand with all devotions.
HYMN XCI. Agni.
1. LORD of the house, Sage, ever young, high power of life,
O Agni, God,
Thou givest to thy worshipper.
2 So with
our song that prays and serves, attentive, Lord of spreading
light,
Agni, bring hitherward the Gods.
3 For, Ever-Youthful
One, with thee, best Furtherer, as our ally,
We overcome,
to win the spoil.
4 As Aurva Bhrgu used, as Apnavana used,
I call the pure
Agni who clothes him with the sea.
5 1
call the Sage who sounds like wind, the Might that like Parjanya
roars,
Agni who clothes him with the sea.
6 As Savitar's
productive Power, as him who sends down bliss, I call
Agni
who clothes him with the sea.
7 Hither, for powerful kirship,
I call Agni, him Who prospers you,
Most frequent at our solemn
rites
8 That through this famed One's power, he may stand
by us even as Tvastar comes
Unto the forms that must he shaped.
9 This Agni is the Lord supreme above all glories mid the Gods:
May he come nigh to us with strength.
10 Here praise ye him
the most renowned of all the ministering Priests,
Agni, the
Chief at sacrifice;
11 Piercing, with purifying flame, enkindled
in our homes, most high,
Swiftest to hear from far away.
12 Sage, laud the Mighty One who wins the spoil of victory like
a steed,
And, Mitra like, unites the folk.
13 Still turning
to their aim in thee, the oblation-bearer's sister hymns
Have come to thee before the wind.
14 The waters find their
place in him, for whom the threefold sacred grass
Is spread
unbound, unlimited.
15 The station of the Bounteous God hath,
through his aid which none impair,
A pleasant aspect like
the Sun.
16 Blazing with splendour, Agni, God, through pious
gifts of sacred oil,
Bring thou the Gods and worship them.
17 The Gods as mothers brought thee forth, the Immortal Sage,
O Afigiras,
The bearer of our gifts to heaven.
18 Wise
Agni, Gods established thee, the Seer, noblest messenger,
As bearer of our sacred gifts.
19 No cow have I to call mine
own, no axe at hand wherewith to work,
Yet what is here I
bring to thee.
20 O Agni, whatsoever be the fuel that we
lay for thee,
Be pleased therewith, Most Youthful God
21 That which the white-ant cats away, that over which the emmet
crawls-
May all of this be oil to thee.
22 When he enkindles
Agni, man should with his heart attend the song:
I with the
priests have kindled him.
HYMN XCII. Agni
1. THAT noblest Furtherer hath appeared, to whom men bring
their holy works.
Our songs of praise have risen aloft to
Agni who was barn to give the Arya strength.
2 Agni of Divodasa
turned, as 'twere in majesty, to the Gods.
Onward he sped
along the mother earth, and took his station in the height of
heaven.
3 Him before whom the people shrink when he performs
his glorious deeds,
Him who wins thousands at the worship
of the Gods, himself, that Agni, serve with son s.
4 The
mortal man whom thou wouldst lead to opulence, O Vasu, he who
brings thee gifts.
He, Agni, wins himself a hero singing
lauds, yea, one who feeds a thousand men.
5 He with the steed
wins spoil even in the fenced fort, and gains imperishable fame.
In thee, O Lord of wealth, continually we lay all precious offerings
to the Gods.
6 To him who dealeth out all wealth, who is
the cheerful Priest of men,
To him, like the first vessels
filled with savoury juice, to Agni go the songs of praise.
7 Votaries, richly-gifted, deck him with their songs, even as
the steed who draws the car.
On both, Strong Lord of men!
on child and grandson pour the bounties which our nobles give.
8 Sing forth to him, the Holy, most munificent, sublime with
his refulgent glow,
To Agni, ye Upastutas.
9 Worshipped
with gifts, enkindled, splendid, Maghavan shall win himself
heroic fame.
And will not his most newly shown benevolence
come to us with abundant strength?
10 Priest, presser of
the juice! praise now the dearest Guest of all our friends,
Agni, the driver of the cars.
11 Who, finder-out of treasures
open and concealed, bringeth them hither, Holy One;
Whose
waves, as in a cataract, are hard to pass, when he, through
song, would win him strength.
12 Let not the noble Guest,
Agni, be wroth with us: by many a man his praise is sung,
Good Herald, skilled in sacrifice.
13 O Vasu, Agni, let not
them be harmed who come in any way with lauds to thee.
Even
the lowly, skilled in rites, with offered gifts, seeketh thee
for the envoy's task.
14 Friend of the Maruts, Agni, come
with Rudras to the Soma-draught,
To Sobhar's fair song of
praise, and be thou joyful in the light.
VALAKHILYA
APPENDIX:
(Book VIII. Hymns 49-59. M. M ller.)
HYMN I. Indra.
1. TO you will I sing Indra's praise who gives good gifts
as well we know;
The praise of Maghavan who, rich in treasure,
aids his singers with wealth thousandfold.
2 As with a hundred
hosts, he rushes boldly on, and for the offerer slays his foes.
As from a mountain flow the water-brooks, thus flow his gifts
who feedeth many a one.
3 The drops effused, the gladdening
draughts, O Indra, Lover of the Son
As waters seek the lake
where they are wont to rest, fill thee, for bounty, Thunderer.
4 The matchless draught that strengthens and gives eloquence,
the sweetest of the meath drink thou,
That in thy joy thou
maysi scatter thy gifts o'er us, plenteously, even as the dust.
5 Come quickly to our laud, urged on by Soma-pressers like a
horse-
Laud, Godlike Indra, which milch-kine make sweet for
thee: with Kanva's sons are gifts for thee.
6 With homage
have we sought thee as a Hero, strong, preeminent, with unfailing
wealth.
O Thunderer, as a plenteous spring pours forth its
stream, so, Indra, flow our songs to thee.
7 If now thou
art at sacrifice, or if thou art upon the earth,
Come thence,
high-thoughted! to our sacrifice with the Swift, come, Mighty
with the Mighty Ones.
8 The active, fleet-foot, tawny Coursers
that are thine are swift to victory, like the Wind,
Wherewith
thou goest round to visit Manus' seed, wherewith all heaven
is visible.
9 Indra, from thee so great we crave prosperity
in wealth of kine,
As, Maghavan, thou favouredst Medhyatithi,
and, in the fight, Nipatithi.
10 As, Maghavan, to Kanva,
Trasadasyu, and to Paktha and Dasavraja;
As, Indra, to Gosarya
and Rjisvan, thou vouchsafedst wealth in kine and gold.
HYMN II. Indra.
1. SAKRA I praise, to win his aid, far-famed, exceeding bountiful,
Who gives, as 'twere in thousands, precious wealth to him who
sheds the juice and worships him.
2 Arrows with hundred points,
unconquerable, are this Indra's n-dghty arms in war.
He streams
on liberal worshippers like a hill with springs, when juices
poured have gladdened him.
3 What time the flowing Soma-drops
have gladdened with their taste the Friend,
Like water, gracious
Lord! were my libations made, like milch-kine to the worshipper.
4 To him the peerless, who is calling you to give you aid, forth
flow the drops of pleasant meath.
The Soloa-drops which call
on thee, O gracious Lord, have brought thee to our hymn of praise.
5 He rushes hurrying like a steed to Soma that adorns our rite,
Which hymns make sweet to thee, lover of pleasant food. The
call to Paura thou dost love.
6 Praise the strong, grasping
Hero, winner of the spoil, ruling supreme oer mighty wealth.
Like a full spring, O Thunderer, from thy store hast thou poured
on the worshipper evermore.
7 Now whether thou be far away,
or in the heavens, or on the earth,
O Indra, mighty- thoughted,
harnessing thy Bays, come Lofty with the Lofty Ones.
8 The
Bays who draw thy chariot, Steeds who injure none, surpass the
wind's impetuous strength-
With whom thou silencest the enemy
of man, with whon; thou goest round the sky.
9 O gracious
Hero, may we learn anew to know thee as thou art:
As in decisive
fight thou holpest Etasa, or Vasa 'gainst Dasavraja,
10 As,
Maghavan, to Kanva at the sacred feast, to Dirghanitha thine
home-friend,
As to Gosarya thou, Stone-darter, gavest wealth,
give me a gold-bright stall of kine.
HYMN III. Indra.
1. As with Manu Samvarani, Indra, thou drankest Soma juice,
And, Maghavan, with Nipatithi, Medbyatithi, with Pustigu and
Srustigu,-
2 T'he son of Prsadvana was Praskaniva's host,
who lay decrepit and forlorn.
Aided by thee the Rsi Dasyave-vrka
strove to obtain thousands of kine.
3 Call hither with thy
newest song Indra who lacks not hymns of praise,
Him who
observes and knows, inspirer of the sage, him who seems eager
to enjoy.
4 He unto whom they sang the seven-headed hymn,
three-parted, in the loftiest place,
He sent his thunder
down on all these living things, and so displayed heroic might.
5 We invocate that Indra who bestoweth precious things on us.
Now do we know his newest favour; may we gain a stable that
is full of kine.
6 He whom thou aidest, gracious Lord, to
give again, obtains great wealth to nourish him.
We with
our Soma ready, Lover of the Song! call, Indra Maghavan, on
thee.
7 Ne'er art thou fruitless, Indra ne'er dost thou desert
the worshipper
But now, O Maghavan, thy bounty as a God is
poured forth ever more and more.
8 He who hath. overtaken
Krvi with his might, and silenced Susna with deathbolts,-
When he supported yonder heaven and spread it out, then first
the son of earth was born.
9 Good Lord of wealth is he to
whom all Aryas, Dasas here belong.
Directly unto thee, the
pious Rusama Paviru, is that wealth brought nigh.
10 In zealous
haste the singers have sung forth a song distilling oil and
rich in sweets.
Riches have spread among us and heroic strength,
with us are flowing Soma-drops.
HYMN IV. Indra.
1. As, Sakra, thou with Manu called Vivasvan drankest Soma
juice,
As, Indra, thou didst love the hymn by Trita's side,
so dost thou joy with Ayu now.
2 As thou with Matarisvan,
Medhya, Prsadhra, hast cheered thee Indra, with pressed juice,
Drunk Soma with Rjunas, Syumarasmi, by Dasonya's Dasasipra's
side.
3 'Tis he who made the lauds his own and boldly drank
the Soma juice,
He to whom Visnu came striding his three
wide steps, as Mitra's statutes ordered it.
4 In whose laud
thou didst joy, Indra, at the great deed, O Satakratu, Mighty
One!
Seeking renown we call thee as the milkers call the
cow who yields abundant milk.
5 He is our Sire who gives
to us, Great, Mighty, ruling as he wills.
Unsought, may he
the Strong, Rich, Lord of ample wealth, give us of horses and
of kine.
6 He to whom thou, Good Lord, givest that he may
give increases wealth that nourishes.
Eager for wealth we
call on Indra, Lord of wealth, on Satakratu with our lauds.
7 Never art thou neglectful: thou guardest both races with thy
care.
The call on Indra, fourth Aditya! is thine own. Amrta
is stablished in the heavens.
8 The offercr whom thou, Indra,
Lover of the Song, liberal Maghavan, favourest,-
As at the
call of Kanva so, O gracious Lord, hear, thou our songs and
eulogy.
9 Sung is the song of ancient time: to Indra have
ye said the prayer.
They have sung many a Brhati of sacrifice,
poured forth the worshipper's many thoughts.
10 Indra hath
tossed together mighty stores of wealth, and both the worlds,
yea, and the Sun.
Pure, brightly-shining, mingled with the
milk, the draughts of Soma have made Indra glad.
HYMN V. Indra.
1. As highest of the Maghavans, preeminent among the Bulls,
Best breaker-down of forts, kine-winner, Lord of wealth, we
seek thee, Indra Maghavan.
2 Thou who subduedst Ayu, Kutsa,
Atithigva, waxing daily in thy might,
As such, rousing thy
power, we invocate thee now, thee Satakratu, Lord of Bays.
3 The pressing-stones shall pour for us the essence of the meath
of all,
Drops that have been pressed out afar among the folk,
and those that have been pressed near us.
4 Repel all enmities
and keep thern far away: let all win treasure for their own.
Even among Sistas are the stalks that make thee glad, where
thou with Soma satest thee.
5 Come, Indra, very near to us
with aids of firmly-based resolve;
Come, most auspicious,
with thy most auspicious help, good Kinsman, with good kinsmen,
come!
6 Bless thou with progeny the chief of men, the lord
of heroes, victor in the fray.
Aid with thy powers the men
who sing thee lauds and keep their spirits ever pure and bright.
7 May we be such in battle as are surest to obtain thy grace:
With holy offerings and invocations of the Gods, we mean, that
we may win the spoil.
8 Thine, Lord of Bays, am I. Prayer
longeth for the spoil. Still with thy help I seek the fight.
So, at the raiders' head, I, craving steeds and kine, unite
myself with thee alone.
HYMN VI. Indra.
1. INDRA, the poets with. their hymns extol this hero might
of thine:
They strengthened, loud in song, thy power that
droppeth oil. With hymns the Pauras came to thee.
2 Through
piety they came to Indra for his aid, they whose libations give
theejoy.
As thou with, Krsa and Samvarta hast rejoiced, so,
Indra, be thou glad with us.
3 Agreeing in your spirit, all
ye Deities, come nigh to us.
Vasus and Rudras shall come
near to give us aid, and Maruts listen to our call.
4 May
Pusan, Visnu, and Sarasvati befriend, and the Seven Streams,
this call of mine:
May Waters, Wind, the Mountains, and the
Forest-Lord, and Earth give ear unto my cry.
5 Indra, with
thine own bounteous gift, most liberal of the Mighty Ones,
Be our boon benefactor, Vrtra-slayer, be our feast-companion
for our weal.
6 Leader of heroes, Lord of battle, lead thou
us to combat, thou Most Sapient One.
High fame is theirs
who win by invocations, feasts and entertainment of the Gods.
7 Our hopes rest on the Faithful One: in Indra is the people's
life.
O Maghavan, come nigh that thou mayst give us aid:
make plenteous food stream forth for us.
8 Thee would we
worship, Indra, with our songs of praise: O Satakratu, be thou
ours.
Pour down upon Praskanva bounty vast and firm, exuberant,
that shall never fail.
HYMN VII. Praskanva's Gift.
1. GREAT, verily, is Indra's might. I have beheld, and hither
comes
Thy bounty, Dasyave-vrka!
2 A hundred oxen white
of hue are shining like the stars in heaven,
So tall, they
seem to prop the sky.
3 Bamboos a hundred, a hundred dogs,
a hundred skins of beasts well-tanned,
A hundred tufts of
Balbaja, four hundred red-hued mares are mine.
4 Blest by
the Gods, Kinvayanas! be ye who spread through life on life:
Like horses have ye stridden forth.
5 Then men extolled the
team of seven not yet full-grown, its fame is great.
The
dark mares rushed along the paths, so that no eye could follow
them.
HYMN VIII Praskanva's Go.
1. THY bounty, Dasyave-vrka, exhaustless hath displayed itself:
Its fulness is as broad as heaven.
2 Ten thousand Dasyave-vrka,
the son of Putakrata, hath
From his own wealth bestowed on
me.
3 A hundred asses hath he given, a hundred head of fleecy
sheep,
A hundred slaves, and wreaths besides.
4 There
also was a mare led forth, picked out for Putakrata's sake,
Not of the horses of the herd.
5 Observant Agni hath appeared,
oblation-bearer with his car.
Agni with his resplendent flame
hath shone on high as shines the Sun, hath shone like Surya
in theheavens.
HYMN IX. Asvins.
1. ENDOWED, O Gods, with your primeval wisdom, come quickly
with your chariot, O ye Holy.
Come with your mighty powers,
O ye Nasatyas; come hither, drink ye this the third libation.
2 The truthful Deities, the Three-and-Thirty, saw you approach
before the Ever-Truthful.
Accepting this our worship and
libation, O Asvins bright with fire, drink ye the Soma.
3
Asvins, that work of yours deserves our wonder,-the Bull of
heaven and earth and air's mid region;
Yea, and your thousand
promises in battle, -to all of these come near and drink beside
us.
4 Here is your portion laid for you, ye Holy: come to
these songs of ours, O ye Nasatyas.
Drink among us the Soma
full of sweetness, and with your powers assist the man who worships.
HYMN X. Visvedevas.
1. HE whom the priests in sundry ways arranging the sacrifice,
of one accord, bring hither,
Who was appointed as a learned
Brahman, -what is the sacrificer's knowledge of him?
2 Kindled
in many a spot, still One is Agni; Silrya is One though high
o'er all he shineth.
Illumining this All, still One is usas.
That which is One hath into All developed.
3 The chariot
bright and radiant, treasure-laden, three-wheeled, with easy
seat, and lightly rolling,
Which She of Wondrous Wealth was
born to harness,-this car of yours I call. Drink what remaineth.
HYMN XI. Indra-Varuna.
1. IN offerings poured to you, O Indra-Varuna, these shares
of yours stream forth to glorify your state.
Ye haste to
the libations at each sacrifice when ye assist the worshipper
who sheds the juice.
2 The waters and the plants, O Indra-Varuna,
had efficacious vigour, and attained to might:
Ye who have
gone beyond the path of middle air,-no godless man is worthy
to be called your foe.
3 True is your Krsa's word, Indra
and Varuna: The seven holy voices pour a wave of meath.
For
their sake, Lords of splendour! aid the pious man who, unbewildered,
keeps you ever in his thoughts.
4 Dropping oil, sweet with
Soma, pouring forth their stream, are the Seven Sisters in the
seat of sacrifice.
These, dropping oil, are yours, O Indra-Varuna:
with these enrich with gifts and help the worshipper.
5 To
our great happiness have we ascribed to these Two Bright Ones
truthfulness, great strength, and majesty.
O Lords of splendour,
aid us through the Three-times-Seven, as we pour holy oil, O
Indra-Varuna.
6 What ye in time of old Indra and Varuna,
gave Rsis revelation, thought, and power of song,
And places
which the wise made, weaving sacrifice,-these through my spirit's
fervid glow have I beheld.,
7 O Indra-Varuna, grant to the
worshippers cheerfulness void of pride, and wealth to nourish
them.
Vouchsafe us food, prosperity, and progeny, and lengthen
out our days that we may see long life.
Suggestions for Further Reading
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith Book 2
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Book 3
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith Book 4
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Book 5
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith Book 6
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 7
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 8
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 9
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 10
- Hymns of the Sama veda translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
- Hymns Of The Atharva-Veda
- Yajur Veda: The Veda Of The Black Yajus School
- 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: This is a translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1896.