HYMN CII. Indra. – Rig Veda – Book 10

पर ते रथं मिथूक्र्तमिन्द्रो.अवतु धर्ष्णुया |
अस्मिन्नाजौ पुरुहूत शरवाय्ये धनभक्षेषु नो.अव ||

उत सम वातो वहति वासो.अस्या अधिरथं यदजयत सहस्रम |
रथीरभून मुद्गलानी गविष्टौ भरे कर्तं वयचेदिन्द्रसेना ||

अन्तर्यछ जिघांसतो वज्रमिन्द्राभिदासतः |
दासस्यवा मघवन्नार्यस्य वा सनुतर्यवया वधम ||

उद्नो हरदमपिबज्जर्ह्र्षाणः कूटं सम तरंहदभिमातिमेति |
पर मुष्कभारः शरव इछमानो.अजिरम्बाहू अभरत सिषासन ||

नयक्रन्दयन्नुपयन्त एनममेहयन वर्षभं मध्य आजेः |
तेन सूभर्वं शतवत सहस्रं गवां मुद्गलः परधनेजिगाय ||

ककर्दवे वर्षभो युक्त आसीदवावचीत सारथिरस्य केशी |
दुधेर्युक्तस्य दरवतः सहानस रछन्ति षमा निष्पदोमुद्गलानीम ||

उत परधिमुदहन्नस्य विद्वानुपायुनग वंसगमत्रशिक्षन |
इन्द्र उदावत पतिमघ्न्यानामरंहतपद्याभिः ककुद्मान ||

शुनमष्त्राव्यचरत कपर्दी वरत्रायां दार्वानह्यमानः |
नर्म्णानि कर्ण्वन बहवे जनाय गाःपस्पशानस्तविषीरधत्त ||

इमं तं पश्य वर्षभस्य युञ्जं काष्ठाया मध्येद्रुघणं शयानम |
येन जिगाय शतवत सहस्रं गवाम्मुद्गलः पर्तनाज्येषु ||

आरे अघा को नवित्था ददर्श यं युञ्जन्ति तं वास्थापयन्ति |
नास्मै तर्णं नोदकमा भरन्त्युत्तरो धुरोवहति परदेदिशत ||

परिव्र्क्तेव पतिविद्यमानट पीप्याना कूचक्रेणेव सिञ्चन |
एषैष्या चिद रथ्या जयेम सुमङगलं सिनवदस्तु सातम ||

तवं विश्वस्य जगतश्चक्षुरिन्द्रासि चक्षुषः |
वर्षायदाजिं वर्षणा सिषाससि चोदयन वध्रिणा युजा ||

pra te rathaṃ mithūkṛtamindro.avatu dhṛṣṇuyā |
asminnājau puruhūta śravāyye dhanabhakṣeṣu no.ava ||

ut sma vāto vahati vāso.asyā adhirathaṃ yadajayat sahasram |
rathīrabhūn mudghalānī ghaviṣṭau bhare kṛtaṃ vyacedindrasenā ||

antaryacha jighāṃsato vajramindrābhidāsataḥ |
dāsasyavā maghavannāryasya vā sanutaryavayā vadham ||

udno hradamapibajjarhṛṣāṇaḥ kūṭaṃ sma tṛṃhadabhimātimeti |
pra muṣkabhāraḥ śrava ichamāno.ajirambāhū abharat siṣāsan ||

nyakrandayannupayanta enamamehayan vṛṣabhaṃ madhya ājeḥ |
tena sūbharvaṃ śatavat sahasraṃ ghavāṃ mudghalaḥ pradhanejighāya ||

kakardave vṛṣabho yukta āsīdavāvacīt sārathirasya keśī |
dudheryuktasya dravataḥ sahānasa ṛchanti ṣmā niṣpadomudghalānīm ||

uta pradhimudahannasya vidvānupāyunagh vaṃsaghamatraśikṣan |
indra udāvat patimaghnyānāmaraṃhatapadyābhiḥ kakudmān ||

śunamaṣtrāvyacarat kapardī varatrāyāṃ dārvānahyamānaḥ |
nṛmṇāni kṛṇvan bahave janāya ghāḥpaspaśānastaviṣīradhatta ||

imaṃ taṃ paśya vṛṣabhasya yuñjaṃ kāṣṭhāyā madhyedrughaṇaṃ śayānam |
yena jighāya śatavat sahasraṃ ghavāmmudghalaḥ pṛtanājyeṣu ||

āre aghā ko nvitthā dadarśa yaṃ yuñjanti taṃ vāsthāpayanti |
nāsmai tṛṇaṃ nodakamā bharantyuttaro dhurovahati pradediśat ||

parivṛkteva patividyamānaṭ pīpyānā kūcakreṇeva siñcan |
eṣaiṣyā cid rathyā jayema sumaṅghalaṃ sinavadastu sātam ||

tvaṃ viśvasya jaghataścakṣurindrāsi cakṣuṣaḥ |
vṛṣāyadājiṃ vṛṣaṇā siṣāsasi codayan vadhriṇā yujā ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. FOR thee may Indra boldly speed the car that works on either side.
Favour us, Much-invoked! in this most glorious fight against the raiders of our wealth.

2 Loose in the wind the woman’s robe was streaming what time she won a car-load worth a thousand.
The charioteer in fight was Mudgalani: she Indra’s dart, heaped up the prize of battle.

3 O Indra, cast thy bolt among assailants who would slaughter us:
The weapon both of Dāsa and of Ārya foe keep far away, O Maghavan.

4 The bull in joy had drunk a lake of water. His shattering horn encountered an opponent.
Swiftly, in vigorous strength, eager for glory, he stretched his forefeet, fain to win and triumph.

5 They came anear the bull; they made him thunder, made him pour rain down ere the fight was ended.
And Mudgala thereby won in the contest well-pastured kine in hundreds and in thousands.

6 In hope of victory that bull was harnessed: Kesi the driver urged him on with shouting.
As he ran swiftly with the car behind him his lifted heels pressed close on Mudgalani.

7 Deftly for him he stretched the car-pole forward, guided the bull thereto and firmly yoked him.
Indra vouchsafed the lord of cows his favour: with mighty steps the buffalo ran onward.

8 Touched by the goad the shaggy beast went nobly, bound to the pole by the yoke’s thong of leather.
Performing deeds of might for many people, he, looking on the cows, gained strength and vigour.

9 Here look upon this mace, this bull’s companion, now lying midway on the field of battle.
Therewith hath Mudgala in ordered contest won for cattle for himself, a hundred thousand.

10 Far is the evil: who hath here beheld it? Hither they bring the bull whom they are yoking..
To this they give not either food or water. Reaching beyond the pole it gives directions.

11 Like one forsaken, she hath found a husband, and teemed as if her breast were full and flowing.
With swiftly-racing chariot may we conquer, and rich and blessed be our gains in battle.

12 Thou, Indra, art the mark whereon the eyes of all life rest, when thou,
A Bull who drivest with thy bull, wilt win the race together with thy weakling friend.