Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 14 May 2011 05:36 and updated at 14 May 2011 05:36
RIG VEDA
MANDALA 8
HYMN L. Indra. 50
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 even 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, finderout- 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 Fortrender- 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 breakerdown- 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, debtclaimer-, 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 Vrtraslayer-, 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 today-, 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. 51
1. OFFER ye up as praise to him that wherein Indra takes delight.
The Somabringers- magnify Indras' great energy with hymns. Good are the gifts that Indra gives.
2 Sole among chiefs, companionless, impetuous, and peerless, he
Hath waxen great over many folk, yea., over all things born, in might.
3 Lord of swift bounty, he will win even 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 Somabringers-' 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 Vrtraslayer-, thou and I will both combine for winning spoil.
Even malignity will consent, O Boltarmed- 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. 52
1. WITH powers of Mighty Ones hath he, Ancient, Beloved, been equipped,
Through whom the Father Manu made prayers efficacious with the Gods.
2 Him, Maker of the sky, let stones wet with the Soma Never 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 sages' Strengthener as of old,
Shall come to bless and succour us at presentation of this laud.
5 Now after their desires' 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 Friends' own dwellingplace-.
8 This praise is verily thine own: thou hast performed these manly deeds,
And sped the wheel upon its way.
9 At the overflowing 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 Daksas' sons,
Would fain exalt the Maruts' Lord.
11 Yea, Hero, with the singers we sing to the dulycoming- Band.
Allied with thee may we prevail.
12 With us are raining Rudras, clouds accordant in call to battle, at the death of Vrtra,
The strong assigned to him who sings and praises. May Gods with Indra at their head protect us.
HYMN LIII. Indra. 53
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 hearts' desire.
7 Where is that everyouthful- 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, Vrtraslayer-, 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 today-,
Delightful for thine eager draught.
HYMN LIV. Indra. 54
1. THOUGH, Indra, thou art called by men from east and west, from north and south,
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 Somadraught-.
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 Durgahas' grandsons, giving me a thousand kine, munificent,
Have won renown among the Gods.
HYMN LV. Indra. 55
1. LOUD singing at the sacred rite where Soma flows we priests invoke
With haste, that he may help, as the bards' 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 currycomb- for horses or a golden goad,
Indra, the Vrtraslayer-, 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, fairhelmed- 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, Muchinvoked-, Boltarmed-! for thy carouse, Celestial, Somadrinker- 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 Thunderwielder- drink his fill.
So in like manner offer him the juice 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 Vrtraslayer- from his birth?
10 How' great his power resistless! how invincible the Vrtraslayers-' matchless might!
Indra excels all usurers who see the day, excels all traffickers in strength.
11 O Indra, Vrtraslayer-, we, thy very constant worshippers,
Bring prayers Never heard before to thee, O Muchinvoked-, O Thunderarmed-, to be thy meed.
12 O thou of mighty acts, the aids that are in thee call forward many an eager hope.
Past the drinkofferings-, 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 thy wondrous thought. Most Mighty, finder of the way.
15 Now let your Soma juice be poured; be not afraid, O Kalis' sons.
This darkening sorrow goes away; yea, of itself it vanishes.
HYMN LVI. Adityas. 56
1. Now pray we to these Ksatriyas, to the Adityas for their aid,
These who are gracious to assist.
2 May Mitra bear us over 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, Aryaman,
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, thou Mother of Strong Sons
Let no one of our seed be harmed.
12 Farspread-! wideruling-! 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, Never deceived,
Maintain their statutes, void of guile?
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 malignity depart
From us or ever it strike us dead.
16 For, 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 Vivasvans' 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. 57
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 thy 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 Never 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,
Boltarmed-! 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 brownhued- steeds, Indrotas' gift, two bays from Rksas' son were mine,
From Asvamedhas' son two red.
16 From Atithigva good carsteeds-; from Arksa reinobeying- steeds,
From Asvamedha beauteous ones.
17 Indrota, Atithigvas' 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. 58
1. I SEND you forth the song of praise for Indu, herogladdener-.
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 birthplace- 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 Thunderarmed- 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 Ones' 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 Priyamedhas, 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 upraised-.
10 When hither speed the dappled cows, unflinching, easy to be milked,
Seize quickly, as it bursts away, the Soma juice for Indras' 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 it were a pipe with ample mouth.
13 He who hath made the fleet steeds spring, wellharnessed-, 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 newlyfashioned- car.
He for his Mother and his Sire cooked the wild mighty buffalo.
16 Lord of the home, fairhelmeted-, ascend thy chariot wrought of gold.
We will attend the Heavenly One, the thousandfooted-, 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 mans' 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. 59
1. HE who, as Sovran Lord of men, moves with his chariots unrestrained,
The Vrtraslayer- 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 afar, 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 brighthued- 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 Saras' 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, Suradevas' son, hath brought a calf, led by the car to three of us.
As a chief brings a goat to milk.
Rig Veda Mandalas:-
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