HYMN XXV. Indra: Rig Veda – Book 4 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

को अद्य नर्यो देवकाम उशन्न इन्द्रस्य सख्यं जुजोष |
को वा महे ऽवसे पार्याय समिद्धे अग्नौ सुतसोम ईट्टे ||

को नानाम वचसा सोम्याय मनायुर वा भवति वस्त उस्राः |
क इन्द्रस्य युज्यं कः सखित्वं को भरात्रं वष्टि कवये क ऊती ||

को देवानाम अवो अद्या वर्णीते क आदित्यां अदितिं जयोतिर ईट्टे |
कस्याश्विनाव इन्द्रो अग्निः सुतस्यांशोः पिबन्ति मनसाविवेनम ||

तस्मा अग्निर भारतः शर्म यंसज जयोक पश्यात सूर्यम उच्चरन्तम |
य इन्द्राय सुनवामेत्य आह नरे नर्याय नर्तमाय नर्णाम ||

न तं जिनन्ति बहवो न दभ्रा उर्व अस्मा अदितिः शर्म यंसत |
परियः सुक्र्त परिय इन्द्रे मनायुः परियः सुप्रावीः परियो अस्य सोमी ||

सुप्राव्यः पराशुषाळ एष वीरः सुष्वेः पक्तिं कर्णुते केवलेन्द्रः |
नासुष्वेर आपिर न सखा न जामिर दुष्प्राव्यो ऽवहन्तेद अवाचः ||

न रेवता पणिना सख्यम इन्द्रो ऽसुन्वता सुतपाः सं गर्णीते |
आस्य वेदः खिदति हन्ति नग्नं वि सुष्वये पक्तये केवलो भूत ||

इन्द्रम परे ऽवरे मध्यमास इन्द्रं यान्तो ऽवसितास इन्द्रम |
इन्द्रं कषियन्त उत युध्यमाना इन्द्रं नरो वाजयन्तो हवन्ते ||

ko adya naryo devakāma uśann indrasya sakhyaṃ jujoṣa |
ko vā mahe ‘vase pāryāya samiddhe aghnau sutasoma īṭṭe ||

ko nānāma vacasā somyāya manāyur vā bhavati vasta usrāḥ |
ka indrasya yujyaṃ kaḥ sakhitvaṃ ko bhrātraṃ vaṣṭi kavaye ka ūtī ||

ko devānām avo adyā vṛṇīte ka ādityāṃ aditiṃ jyotir īṭṭe |
kasyāśvināv indro aghniḥ sutasyāṃśoḥ pibanti manasāvivenam ||

tasmā aghnir bhārataḥ śarma yaṃsaj jyok paśyāt sūryam uccarantam |
ya indrāya sunavāmety āha nare naryāya nṛtamāya nṛṇām ||

na taṃ jinanti bahavo na dabhrā urv asmā aditiḥ śarma yaṃsat |
priyaḥ sukṛt priya indre manāyuḥ priyaḥ suprāvīḥ priyo asya somī ||

suprāvyaḥ prāśuṣāḷ eṣa vīraḥ suṣveḥ paktiṃ kṛṇute kevalendraḥ |
nāsuṣver āpir na sakhā na jāmir duṣprāvyo ‘vahanted avācaḥ ||

na revatā paṇinā sakhyam indro ‘sunvatā sutapāḥ saṃ ghṛṇīte |
āsya vedaḥ khidati hanti naghnaṃ vi suṣvaye paktaye kevalo bhūt ||

indram pare ‘vare madhyamāsa indraṃ yānto ‘vasitāsa indram |
indraṃ kṣiyanta uta yudhyamānā indraṃ naro vājayanto havante ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. WHAT friend of man, God-loving, hath delighted, yearning therefor, this day in Indra’s friendship?
Who with enkindled flame and flowing Soma laudeth him for his great protecting favour?

2 Who hath with prayer bowed to the Soma-lover? What pious man endues the beams of morning?
Who seeks bond, friendship, brotherhood with Indra? Who hath recourse unto the Sage for succour?

3 Who claims to-day the Deities’ protection, asks Aditi for light, or the Ādityas?
Of whose pressed stalk of Soma drink the Aśvins, Indra, and Agni, well-inclined in spirit?

​4 To him shall Agni Bhārata give shelter: long shall he look upon the Sun up-rising,
Who sayeth, Let us press the juice for Indra, man’s Friend, the Hero manliest of heroes.

5 Him neither few men overcome, nor many to him shall Aditi give spacious shelter.
Dear is the pious, the devout, to Indra dear is the zealous, dear the Soma-bringer.

6 This Hero curbs the mighty for the zealous: the presser’s brew Indra possesses solely:
No brother, kin, or friend to him who pours not, destroyer of the dumb who would resist him.

7 Not with the wealthy churl who pours no Soma doth Indra, Soma-drinker, bind alliance.
He draws away his wealth and slays him naked, own Friend to him who offers, for oblation.

8 Highest and lowest, men who stand between diem, going, returning, dwelling in contentment,
Those who show forth their strength when urged to battle-these are the men who call for aid on Indra.