HYMN CLXXIII. Indra: Rig Veda – Book 1 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

गायत साम नभन्यं यथा वेरर्चाम तद वाव्र्धानं सवर्वत |
गावो धेनवो बर्हिष्यदब्धा आ यत सद्मानं दिव्यं विवासान ||

अर्चद वर्षा वर्षभिः सवेदुहव्यैर्म्र्गो नाश्नो अति यज्जुगुर्यात |
पर मन्दयुर्मनां गूर्त होता भरते मर्यो मिथुना यजत्रः ||

नक्षद धोता परि सद्म मिता यन भरद गर्भमा शरदः पर्थिव्याः |
करन्ददश्वो नयमानो रुवद गौरन्तर्दूतो न रोदसी चरद वाक ||

ता कर्माषतरास्मै पर चयौत्नानि देवयन्तो भरन्ते |
जुजोषदिन्द्रो दस्मवर्चा नासत्येव सुग्म्यो रथेष्ठाः ||

तमु षटुहीन्द्रं यो ह सत्वा यः शूरो मघवा यो रथेष्ठाः |
परतीचश्चिद योधीयान वर्षण्वान ववव्रुषश्चित तमसो विहन्ता ||

पर यदित्था महिना नर्भ्यो अस्त्यरं रोदसी कक्ष्ये नास्मै |
सं विव्य इन्द्रो वर्जनं न भूमा भर्ति सवधावानोपशमिव दयाम ||

समत्सु तवा शूर सतामुराणं परपथिन्तमं परितंसयध्यै |
सजोषस इन्द्रं मदे कषोणीः सूरिं चिद ये अनुमदन्ति वाजैः ||

एवा हि ते शं सवना समुद्र आपो यत त आसु मदन्ति देवीः |
विश्वा ते अनु जोष्या भूद गौः सूरींश्चिद यदि धिषा वेषि जनान ||

असाम यथा सुषखाय एन सवभिष्टयो नरां न शंसैः |
असद यथा न इन्द्रो वन्दनेष्ठास्तुरो न कर्म नयमान उक्था ||

विष्पर्धसो नरां न शंसैरस्माकासदिन्द्रो वज्रहस्तः |
मित्रायुवो न पूर्पतिं सुशिष्टौ मध्यायुव उप शिक्षन्ति यज्ञैः ||

यज्ञो हि षमेन्द्रं कश्चिद रन्धञ जुहुराणश्चिन मनसापरियन |
तीर्थे नाछा तात्र्षाणमोको दीर्घो न सिध्रमा कर्णोत्यध्वा ||

मो षू ण इन्द्रात्र पर्त्सु देवैरस्ति हि षमा ते शुष्मिन्नवयाः |
महश्चिद यस्य मीळ्हुषो यव्या हविष्मतो मरुतोवन्दते गीः ||

एष सतोम इन्द्र तुभ्यमस्मे एतेन गातुं हरिवो विदो नः |
आ नो वव्र्त्याः सुविताय देव विद्यामेषं व. ज. ||

ghāyat sāma nabhanyaṃ yathā verarcāma tad vāvṛdhānaṃ svarvat |
ghāvo dhenavo barhiṣyadabdhā ā yat sadmānaṃ divyaṃ vivāsān ||

arcad vṛṣā vṛṣabhiḥ sveduhavyairmṛgho nāśno ati yajjughuryāt |
pra mandayurmanāṃ ghūrta hotā bharate maryo mithunā yajatraḥ ||

nakṣad dhotā pari sadma mitā yan bharad gharbhamā śaradaḥ pṛthivyāḥ |
krandadaśvo nayamāno ruvad ghaurantardūto na rodasī carad vāk ||

tā karmāṣatarāsmai pra cyautnāni devayanto bharante |
jujoṣadindro dasmavarcā nāsatyeva sughmyo ratheṣṭhāḥ ||

tamu ṣṭuhīndraṃ yo ha satvā yaḥ śūro maghavā yo ratheṣṭhāḥ |
pratīcaścid yodhīyān vṛṣaṇvān vavavruṣaścit tamaso vihantā ||

pra yaditthā mahinā nṛbhyo astyaraṃ rodasī kakṣye nāsmai |
saṃ vivya indro vṛjanaṃ na bhūmā bharti svadhāvānopaśamiva dyām ||

samatsu tvā śūra satāmurāṇaṃ prapathintamaṃ paritaṃsayadhyai |
sajoṣasa indraṃ made kṣoṇīḥ sūriṃ cid ye anumadanti vājaiḥ ||

evā hi te śaṃ savanā samudra āpo yat ta āsu madanti devīḥ |
viśvā te anu joṣyā bhūd ghauḥ sūrīṃścid yadi dhiṣā veṣi janān ||

asāma yathā suṣakhāya ena svabhiṣṭayo narāṃ na śaṃsaiḥ |
asad yathā na indro vandaneṣṭhāsturo na karma nayamāna ukthā ||

viṣpardhaso narāṃ na śaṃsairasmākāsadindro vajrahastaḥ |
mitrāyuvo na pūrpatiṃ suśiṣṭau madhyāyuva upa śikṣanti yajñaiḥ ||

yajño hi ṣmendraṃ kaścid ṛndhañ juhurāṇaścin manasāpariyan |
tīrthe nāchā tātṛṣāṇamoko dīrgho na sidhramā kṛṇotyadhvā ||

mo ṣū ṇa indrātra pṛtsu devairasti hi ṣmā te śuṣminnavayāḥ |
mahaścid yasya mīḷhuṣo yavyā haviṣmato marutovandate ghīḥ ||

eṣa stoma indra tubhyamasme etena ghātuṃ harivo vido naḥ |
ā no vavṛtyāḥ suvitāya deva vidyāmeṣaṃ v. j. ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. THE praise-song let him sing forth bursting bird-like: sing we that hymn which like heaven’s light expandeth,
That the milk-giving cows may, unimpeded call to the sacred grass the Gods’ assembly.

2 Let the Bull sing with Bulls whose toil is worship, with a loud roar like some wild beast that hungers.
Praised God! the glad priest brings his heart’s devotion; the holy youth presents twofold oblation.

3 May the Priest come circling the measured stations, and with him bring the earth’s autumnal fruitage.
Let the Horse neigh led near, let the Steer bellow: let the Voice go between both worlds as herald,

4 To him we offer welcomest oblations, the pious bring their strength-inspiring praises.
May Indra, wondrous in his might, accept them, car-borne and swift to move like the Nāsatyas.

5 Praise thou that Indra who is truly mighty, the car-borne Warrior, Maghavan the Hero;
Stronger in war than those who fight against him, borne by strong steeds, who kills enclosing darkness;

6 Him who surpasses heroes in his greatness: the earth and heavens suffice not for his girdles.
Indra endues the earth to be his garment, and, God-like, wears the heaven as ’twere a frontlet,

7 Thee, Hero, guardian of the brave in battles, who roamest in the van,—to draw thee hither,
Indra, the hosts agree beside the Soma, and joy, for his great actions, in the Chieftain.

8 Libations in the sea to thee are pleasant, when thy divine Floods come to cheer these people.
To thee the Cow is sum of all things grateful when with the wish thou seekest men and princes.

9 So may we in this One be well befriended, well aided as it were through praise of chieftains,
That Indra still may linger at our worship, as one led swift to work, to hear our praises.

10 Like men in rivalry extolling princes, our Friend be Indra, wielder of the thunder.
Like true friends of some city’s lord within them held in good rule with sacrifice they help him.

11 For every sacrifice makes Indra stronger, yea, when he goes around angry in spirit;
As pleasure at the ford invites the thirsty, as the long way brings him who gains his object.

12 Let us not here contend with Gods, O Indra, for here, O Mighty One, is thine own portion,
The Great, whose Friends the bounteous Maruts honour, as with a stream, his song who pours oblations.

13 Addressed to thee is this our praise, O Indra: Lord of Bay Steeds, find us hereby advancement.
So mayst thou lead us on, O God, to comfort. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.