HYMN XIX. Indra: Rig Veda – Book 2 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

अपाय्यस्यान्धसो मदाय मनीषिणः सुवानस्य परयसः |
यस्मिन्निन्द्रः परदिवि वाव्र्धान ओको दधे बरह्मण्यन्तश्च नरः ||

अस्य मन्दानो मध्वो वज्रहस्तो.अहिमिन्द्रो अर्णोव्र्तं वि वर्श्चत |
पर यद वयो स सवसराण्यछा परयांसि च नदीनां चक्रमन्त ||

स माहिन इन्द्रो अर्णो अपां परैरयदहिहाछा समुद्रम |
अजनयत सूर्यं विदद गा अक्तुनाह्नां वयुनानि साधत ||

सो अप्रतीनि मनवे पुरूणीन्द्रो दाशद दाशुषे हन्ति वर्त्रम |
सद्यो यो नर्भ्यो अतसाय्यो भूत पस्प्र्धानेभ्यः सूर्यस्य सातौ ||

स सुन्वत इन्द्रः सूर्यमा देवो रिणं मर्त्याय सतवान |
आ यद रयिं गुहदवद्यमस्मै भरदंशं नैतशो दशस्यन ||

स रन्धयत सदिवः सारथये शुष्णमशुषं कुयवं कुत्साय |
दिवोदासाय नवतिं च नवेन्द्रः पुरो वयैरच्छम्बरस्य ||

एवा त इन्द्रोचथमहेम शरवस्या न तमना वाजयन्तः |
अश्याम तत साप्तमाशुषाणा ननमो वधरदेवस्य पीयोः ||

एवा ते गर्त्समदाः शूर मम्नावस्यवो न वयुनानि तक्षुः |
बरह्मण्यन्त इन्द्र ते नवीय इषमूर्जं सुक्षितिं सुम्नमश्युः ||
नूनं सा … ||

apāyyasyāndhaso madāya manīṣiṇaḥ suvānasya prayasaḥ |
yasminnindraḥ pradivi vāvṛdhāna oko dadhe brahmaṇyantaśca naraḥ ||

asya mandāno madhvo vajrahasto.ahimindro arṇovṛtaṃ vi vṛścat |
pra yad vayo sa svasarāṇyachā prayāṃsi ca nadīnāṃ cakramanta ||

sa māhina indro arṇo apāṃ prairayadahihāchā samudram |
ajanayat sūryaṃ vidad ghā aktunāhnāṃ vayunāni sādhat ||

so apratīni manave purūṇīndro dāśad dāśuṣe hanti vṛtram |
sadyo yo nṛbhyo atasāyyo bhūt paspṛdhānebhyaḥ sūryasya sātau ||

sa sunvata indraḥ sūryamā devo riṇaṃ martyāya stavān |
ā yad rayiṃ ghuhadavadyamasmai bharadaṃśaṃ naitaśo daśasyan ||

sa randhayat sadivaḥ sārathaye śuṣṇamaśuṣaṃ kuyavaṃ kutsāya |
divodāsāya navatiṃ ca navendraḥ puro vyairacchambarasya ||

evā ta indrocathamahema śravasyā na tmanā vājayantaḥ |
aśyāma tat sāptamāśuṣāṇā nanamo vadharadevasya pīyoḥ ||

evā te ghṛtsamadāḥ śūra mamnāvasyavo na vayunāni takṣuḥ |
brahmaṇyanta indra te navīya iṣamūrjaṃ sukṣitiṃ sumnamaśyuḥ ||
nūnaṃ sā … ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. DRAUGHTS of this sweet juice have been drunk for rapture, of the wise Soma-presser’s offered dainty,
Wherein, grown mighty in the days aforetime, Indra hath found delight, and men who worship.

2 Cheered by this meath Indra, whose hand wields thunder, rent piecemeal Ahi who barred up the waters,
So that the quickening currents of the rivers flowed forth like birds unto their resting-places.

3 Indra, this Mighty One, the Dragon’s slayer, sent forth the flood of waters to the ocean.
He gave the Sun his life, he found the cattle, and with the night the works of days completed.

4 To him who worshippeth hath Indra given many and matchless gifts. He slayeth Vṛtra.
Straight was he to be sought with supplications by men who struggled to obtain the sunlight.

5 To him who poured him gifts he gave up Sūrya,—Indra, the God, the Mighty, to the mortal;
For Etaśa with worship brought him riches that keep distress afar, as ’twere his portion.

6 Once to the driver of his chariot, Kutsa, he gave up greedy Sūrya, plague of harvest;
And Indra, for the sake of Divodāsa demolished Śambara’s nine-and-ninety castles.

7 So have we brought our hymn to thee, O Indra, strengthening thee and fain ourselves for glory.
May we with best endeavours gain this friendship, and mayst thou bend the godless scorner’s weapons.

8 Thus the Gṛtsamadas for thee, O Hero, have wrought their hymn and task as seeking favour.
May they who worship thee afresh, O Indra, gain food and strength, bliss, and a happy dwelling.

9 Now may that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee,
Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.