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

या त ऊतिरवमा या परमा या मध्यमेन्द्र शुष्मिन्नस्ति |
ताभिरू षु वर्त्रहत्ये.अवीर्न एभिश्च वाजैर्महान्न उग्र ||

आभि सप्र्धो मिथतीररिषण्यन्नमित्रस्य वयथया मन्युमिन्द्र |
आभिर्विश्वा अभियुजो विषूचीरार्याय विशो.अव तारीर्दासीः ||

इन्द्र जामय उत ये.अजामयो.अर्वाचीनासो वनुषो युयुज्रे |
तवमेषां विथुरा शवांसि जहि वर्ष्ण्यानि कर्णुही पराचः ||

शूरो वा शूरं वनते शरीरैस्तनूरुचा तरुषि यत कर्ण्वैते |
तोके वा गोषु तनये यदप्सु वि करन्दसी उर्वरासु बरवैते ||

नहि तवा शूरो न तुरो न धर्ष्णुर्न तवा योधो मन्यमानो युयोध |
इन्द्र नकिष टवा परत्यस्त्येषां विश्वा जातान्यभ्यसि तानि ||

स पत्यत उभयोर्न्र्म्णमयोर्यदी वेधसः समिथे हवन्ते |
वर्त्रे वा महो नर्वति कषये वा वयचस्वन्ता यदि वितन्तसैते ||

अध समा ते चर्षणयो यदेजानिन्द्र तरातोत भवा वरूता |
अस्माकासो ये नर्तमासो अर्य इन्द्र सूरयो दधिरे पुरोनः ||

अनु ते दायि मह इन्द्रियाय सत्रा ते विष्वमनु वर्त्रहत्ये |
अनु कषत्रमनु सहो यजत्रेन्द्र देवेभिरनु ते नर्षह्ये ||

एवा न सप्र्धः समजा समत्स्विन्द्र रारन्धि मिथतीरदेवीः |
विद्याम वस्तोरवसा गर्णन्तो भरद्वाजा उत त इन्द्र नूनम ||

yā ta ūtiravamā yā paramā yā madhyamendra śuṣminnasti |
tābhirū ṣu vṛtrahatye.avīrna ebhiśca vājairmahānna ughra ||

ābhi spṛdho mithatīrariṣaṇyannamitrasya vyathayā manyumindra |
ābhirviśvā abhiyujo viṣūcīrāryāya viśo.ava tārīrdāsīḥ ||

indra jāmaya uta ye.ajāmayo.arvācīnāso vanuṣo yuyujre |
tvameṣāṃ vithurā śavāṃsi jahi vṛṣṇyāni kṛṇuhī parācaḥ ||

śūro vā śūraṃ vanate śarīraistanūrucā taruṣi yat kṛṇvaite |
toke vā ghoṣu tanaye yadapsu vi krandasī urvarāsu bravaite ||

nahi tvā śūro na turo na dhṛṣṇurna tvā yodho manyamāno yuyodha |
indra nakiṣ ṭvā pratyastyeṣāṃ viśvā jātānyabhyasi tāni ||

sa patyata ubhayornṛmṇamayoryadī vedhasaḥ samithe havante |
vṛtre vā maho nṛvati kṣaye vā vyacasvantā yadi vitantasaite ||

adha smā te carṣaṇayo yadejānindra trātota bhavā varūtā |
asmākāso ye nṛtamāso arya indra sūrayo dadhire puronaḥ ||

anu te dāyi maha indriyāya satrā te viṣvamanu vṛtrahatye |
anu kṣatramanu saho yajatrendra devebhiranu te nṛṣahye ||

evā na spṛdhaḥ samajā samatsvindra rārandhi mithatīradevīḥ |
vidyāma vastoravasā ghṛṇanto bharadvājā uta ta indra nūnam ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. WITH thine assistance, O thou Mighty Indra, be it the least, the midmost, or the highest,—
Great with those aids and by these powers support us, Strong God! in battle that subdues our foemen.

2 With these discomfit hosts that fight against us, and check the opponent’s wrath, thyself uninjured.
With these chase all our foes to every quarter: subdue the tribes of Dāsas to the Ārya.

3 Those who array themselves as foes to smite us, O Indra, be they kin or be they strangers,—
Strike thou their manly strength that it be feeble, and drive in headlong flight our foemen backward.

4 With strength of limb the hero slays the hero, when bright in arms they range them for the combat.
When two opposing hosts contend in battle for seed and offspring, waters, kine, or corn-lands.

5 Yet no strong man hath conquered thee, no hero, no brave, no warrior trusting in his valour.
Not one of these is match for thee, O Indra. Thou far surpassest all these living creatures.

6 He is the Lord of both these armies’ valour when the commanders call them to the conflict:
When with their ranks expanded they are fighting with a great foe or for a home with heroes.

7 And when the people stir themselves for battle, be thou their saviour, Indra, and protector,
And theirs, thy manliest of our friends, the pious, the chiefs who have installed us priests, O Indra.

8 To thee for high dominion hath been for evermore, for slaughtering the Vṛtras,
All lordly power and might, O Holy Indra, given by Gods for victory in battle.

9 So urge our hosts together in the combats: yield up the godless bands that fight against us.
Singing, at morn may we find thee with favour, yea, Indra, and e’en now, we Bharadvājas.