HYMN XXI. Indra. Viśvedevas: Rig Veda – Book 6 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

इमा उ तवा पुरुतमस्य कारोर्हव्यं वीर हव्या हवन्ते |
धियो रथेष्ठामजरं नवीयो रयिर्विभूतिरीयते वचस्या ||

तमु सतुष इन्द्रं यो विदानो गिर्वाहसं गीर्भीर्यज्ञव्र्द्धम |
यस्य दिवमति मह्ना पर्थिव्याः पुरुमायस्य रिरिचेमहित्वम ||

स इत तमो.अवयुनं ततन्वत सूर्येण वयुनवच्चकार |
कदा ते मर्ता अम्र्तस्य धामेयक्षन्तो न मिनन्ति सवधावः ||

यस्ता चकार स कुह सविदिन्द्रः कमा जनं चरति कासु विक्षु |
कस्ते यज्ञो मनसे शं वराय को अर्क इन्द्रकतमः स होता ||

इदा हि ते वेविषतः पुराजाः परत्नास आसुः पुरुक्र्त सखायः |
ये मध्यमास उत नूतनास उतावमस्य पुरुहूत बोधि ||

तं पर्छन्तो.अवरासः पराणि परत्ना त इन्द्र शरुत्यानु येमुः |
अर्चामसि वीर बरह्मवाहो यादेव विद्म तात तवा महान्तम ||

अभि तवा पाजो रक्षसो वि तस्थे महि जज्ञानमभि तत सु तिष्ठ |
तव परत्नेन युज्येन सख्या वज्रेण धर्ष्णो अपता नुदस्व ||

स तु शरुधीन्द्र नूतनस्य बरह्मण्यतो वीर कारुधायः |
तवं हयापिः परदिवि पितॄणां शश्वद बभूथ सुहव एष्टौ ||

परोतये वरुणं मित्रमिन्द्रं मरुतः कर्ष्वावसे नो अद्य |
पर पूषणं विष्णुमग्निं पुरन्धिं सवितारमोषधीः पर्वतांश्च ||

इम उ तवा पुरुशाक परयज्यो जरितारो अभ्यर्चन्त्यर्कैः |
शरुधी हवमा हुवतो हुवानो न तवावानन्यो अम्र्त तवदस्ति ||

नू म आ वाचमुप याहि विद्वान विश्वेभिः सूनो सहसो यजत्रैः |
ये अग्निजिह्वा रतसाप आसुर्ये मनुं चक्रुरुपरं दसाय ||

स नो बोधि पुरेता सुगेषूत दुर्गेषु पथिक्र्द विदानः |
ये अश्रमास उरवो वहिष्ठास्तेभिर्न इन्द्राभि वक्षि वाजम ||

imā u tvā purutamasya kārorhavyaṃ vīra havyā havante |
dhiyo ratheṣṭhāmajaraṃ navīyo rayirvibhūtirīyate vacasyā ||

tamu stuṣa indraṃ yo vidāno ghirvāhasaṃ ghīrbhīryajñavṛddham |
yasya divamati mahnā pṛthivyāḥ purumāyasya riricemahitvam ||

sa it tamo.avayunaṃ tatanvat sūryeṇa vayunavaccakāra |
kadā te martā amṛtasya dhāmeyakṣanto na minanti svadhāvaḥ ||

yastā cakāra sa kuha svidindraḥ kamā janaṃ carati kāsu vikṣu |
kaste yajño manase śaṃ varāya ko arka indrakatamaḥ sa hotā ||

idā hi te veviṣataḥ purājāḥ pratnāsa āsuḥ purukṛt sakhāyaḥ |
ye madhyamāsa uta nūtanāsa utāvamasya puruhūta bodhi ||

taṃ pṛchanto.avarāsaḥ parāṇi pratnā ta indra śrutyānu yemuḥ |
arcāmasi vīra brahmavāho yādeva vidma tāt tvā mahāntam ||

abhi tvā pājo rakṣaso vi tasthe mahi jajñānamabhi tat su tiṣṭha |
tava pratnena yujyena sakhyā vajreṇa dhṛṣṇo apatā nudasva ||

sa tu śrudhīndra nūtanasya brahmaṇyato vīra kārudhāyaḥ |
tvaṃ hyāpiḥ pradivi pitṝṇāṃ śaśvad babhūtha suhava eṣṭau ||

protaye varuṇaṃ mitramindraṃ marutaḥ kṛṣvāvase no adya |
pra pūṣaṇaṃ viṣṇumaghniṃ purandhiṃ savitāramoṣadhīḥ parvatāṃśca ||

ima u tvā puruśāka prayajyo jaritāro abhyarcantyarkaiḥ |
śrudhī havamā huvato huvāno na tvāvānanyo amṛta tvadasti ||

nū ma ā vācamupa yāhi vidvān viśvebhiḥ sūno sahaso yajatraiḥ |
ye aghnijihvā ṛtasāpa āsurye manuṃ cakruruparaṃ dasāya ||

sa no bodhi puraetā sugheṣūta durgheṣu pathikṛd vidānaḥ |
ye aśramāsa uravo vahiṣṭhāstebhirna indrābhi vakṣi vājam ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. THESE the most constant singer’s invocations call thee who art to be invoked, O Hero;
Hymns call anew the chariot-borne, Eternal: by eloquence men gain abundant riches.

2 I praise that Indra, known to all men, honoured with songs, extolled with hymns at sacrifices,
Whose majesty, rich in wondrous arts, surpasseth the magnitude of earth, and heaven in greatness.

3 He hath made pathways, with the Sun to aid him, throughout the darkness that extended pathless.
Mortals who yearn to worship ne’er dishonour, O Mighty God, thy Law who art Immortal.

4 And he who did these things, where is that Indra? among what tribes? what people doth he visit?
What sacrifice contents thy mind , and wishes? What priest among them all? what hymn, O Indra?

5 Yea, here were they who, born of old, have served thee, thy friends of ancient time, thou active Worker.
Bethink thee now of these, Invoked of many! the midmost and the recent, and the youngest.

6 Inquiring after him, thy later servants, Indra, have gained thy former old traditions.
Hero, to whom the prayer is brought, we praise thee as great for that wherein we know thee mighty.

7 The demon’s strength is gathered fast against thee: great as that strength hath grown, go forth to meet it.
With thine own ancient friend and companion, the thunderbolt, brave Champion! drive it backward.

8 Hear, too, the prayer of this thy present beadsman, O Indra, Hero, cherishing the singer.
For thou wast aye our fathers’ Friend aforetime, still swift to listen to their supplication.

9 Bring to our help this day, for our protection, Varuṇa, Mitra , Indra, and the Maruts,
Pūṣan and Viṣṇu, Agni and Purandhi, Savitar also, and the Plants and Mountains.

10 The singers here exalt with hymns and praises thee who art very Mighty and Most Holy.
Hear, when invoked, the invoker’s invocation. Beside thee there is nonelike thee, Immortal!

11 Now to my words come quickly thou who knowest, O Son of Strength, with all who claim our worship,
Who visit sacred rites, whose tongue is Agni, Gods who made Manu stronger than the Dasyu.

12 On good and evil ways be thou our Leader, thou who art known to all as Path-preparer.
Bring power to us, O Indra, with thy Horses, Steeds that are best to draw, broad-backed, unwearied.