HYMN XXIII. Indra. – Rig Veda – Book 10

यजामह इन्द्रं वज्रदक्षिणं हरीणां रथ्यंविव्रतानाम |
पर शमश्रु दोधुवदूर्ध्वथा भूद विसेनाभिर्दयमानो वि राधसा ||

हरी नवस्य या वने विदे वस्विन्द्रो मघैर्मघवाव्र्त्रहा भुवत |
रभुर्वाज रभुक्षाः पत्यते शवो.अवक्ष्णौमि दासस्य नाम चित ||

यदा वज्रं हिरण्यमिदथा रथं हरी यमस्यवहतो वि सूरिभिः |
आ तिष्ठति मघवा सनश्रुत इन्द्रोवाजस्य दीर्घश्रवसस पतिः ||

सो चिन नु वर्ष्टिर्यूथ्या सवा सचानिन्द्रः शमश्रूणिहरिताभि परुष्णुते |
अव वेति सुक्षयं सुते मधूदिद्धूनोति वातो यथा वनम ||

यो वाचा विवाचो मर्ध्रवाचः पुरू सहस्राशिवा जघान |
तत-तदिदस्य पौंस्यं गर्णीमसि पितेव यस्तविषींवाव्र्धे शवः ||

सतोमं त इन्द्र विमदा अजीजनन्नपूर्व्यं पुरुतमंसुदानवे |
विद्मा हयस्य भोजनमिनस्य यदा पशुं नगोपाः करामहे ||

माकिर्न एना सख्या वि यौशुस्तव चेन्द्र विमदस्य चर्शेः |
विद्मा हि ते परमतिं देव जामिवदस्मे ते सन्तुसख्या शिवानि ||

yajāmaha indraṃ vajradakṣiṇaṃ harīṇāṃ rathyaṃvivratānām |
pra śmaśru dodhuvadūrdhvathā bhūd visenābhirdayamāno vi rādhasā ||

harī nvasya yā vane vide vasvindro maghairmaghavāvṛtrahā bhuvat |
ṛbhurvāja ṛbhukṣāḥ patyate śavo.avakṣṇaumi dāsasya nāma cit ||

yadā vajraṃ hiraṇyamidathā rathaṃ harī yamasyavahato vi sūribhiḥ |
ā tiṣṭhati maghavā sanaśruta indrovājasya dīrghaśravasas patiḥ ||

so cin nu vṛṣṭiryūthyā svā sacānindraḥ śmaśrūṇiharitābhi pruṣṇute |
ava veti sukṣayaṃ sute madhūdiddhūnoti vāto yathā vanam ||

yo vācā vivāco mṛdhravācaḥ purū sahasrāśivā jaghāna |
tat-tadidasya pauṃsyaṃ ghṛṇīmasi piteva yastaviṣīṃvāvṛdhe śavaḥ ||

stomaṃ ta indra vimadā ajījanannapūrvyaṃ purutamaṃsudānave |
vidmā hyasya bhojanaminasya yadā paśuṃ naghopāḥ karāmahe ||

mākirna enā sakhyā vi yauśustava cendra vimadasya caṛśeḥ |
vidmā hi te pramatiṃ deva jāmivadasme te santusakhyā śivāni ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. INDRA, whose right hand wields the bolt, we worship, driver of Bay Steeds seeking sundered courses.
Shaking his beard with might he hath arisen, casting his weapons forth and dealing bounties.

2 The treasure which his Bay Steeds found at sacrifice,—this wealth made opulent Indra slayer of the foe.
Ṛbhu, Ṛbhukṣan, Vāja-he is Lord of Might. The Dāsa’s very name I utterly destroy.

3 When, with the Princes, Maghavari, famed of old, comes nigh the thunderbolt of gold, and the Controller’s car
Which his two Tawny Coursers draw, then Indra is the Sovran Lord of power whose glory spreads afar.

4 With him too is this rain of his that comes like herds: Indra throws drops of moisture on his yellow beard.
When the sweet juice is shed he seeks the pleasant place, and stirs the worshipper as wind disturbs the wood.

5 We laud and praise his several deeds of valour who, fatherlike, with power hath made us stronger;
Who with his voice slew many thousand wicked ones who spake in varied manners with contemptuous cries.

6 Indra, the Vimadas have formed for thee a laud, copious, unparalleled, for thee Most Bountiful.
We know the good we gain from him the Mighty One when we attract him as a herdsman calls the kine.

7 Ne’er may this bond of friendship be dissevered, the Ṛṣi Vimada’s and thine, O Indra.
We know thou carest for us as a brother with us, O God, be thine auspicious friendship.