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1. YEA, this
is good to taste and full of. sweetness, verily it is strong and rich in
flavour.
No one may conquer Indra in the
battle when he hath drunken of the draught we offer.
2 This sweet
juice here had mightiest power to gladden: it boldened Indra when he
siaughtered Vrtra,
When he defeated Sambara's many
onslaughts, and battered down his nineand ninety ramparts.
3 This
stirreth up my voice when I have drunk it: this hath aroused from sleep my
yearning spirit.
This Sage hath measured out the
six expanses from which no single creature is excluded.
4 This, even
this, is he who hath created the breadth of earth, the lofty height of heaven.
He formed the nectar in three
headlong rivers. Soma supports the wide mid-air above us.
5 He found the
wavy sea of brilliant colours in forefront of the Dawns who dwell in
brightness.
This Mighty One, the Steer
begirt by Maruts, hath propped the heavens up with a mighty pillar.
6 Drink Soma
boldly from the beaker, Indra, in war for treasures, Hero, Vrtra-slayer!
Fill thyself full at the
mid-day libation, and give us wealth, thou Treasury of riches.
7 Look out for
us, O Indra, as our Leader, and guide us on to gain yet goodlier treasure.
Excellent Guardian, bear us
well through peril, and lead us on to wealth with careful guidance.
8 Lead us to
ample room, O thou who knowest, to happiness, security, and sunlight.
High, Indra, are the arms of
thee the Mighty: may we betake. us to their lofty shelter.
9 Set us on
widest chariot-seat, O Indra, with two steeds best to draw, O Lord of Hundreds!
Bring us the best among all
sorts of viands: let not the foe's wealth, Maghavan, subdue us.
10 Be
gracious, Indra, let my days be lengthened: sharpen my thought as 'twere a
blade of iron
Approve whatever words I speak,
dependent on thee, and grant me thy divine protection.
11 Indra the
Rescuer, Indra the Helper, Hero who listens at each invocation,
Sakra I call, Indra invoked of many.
May Indra Maghavan prosper and bless us.
12 May helpful
Indra as our good Protector, Lord of all treasures, favour us with succour,
Baffle our foes, and give us
rest and safety, and may we be the lords of hero vigour.
13 May we
enjoy the grace of him the Holy, yea, may we dwell in his auspicious favour.
May helpful Indra as our good
Preserver drive from us, even from afar, our foemen.
14 Like rivers
rushing down a slope, O Indra, to thee haste songs and prayers and linked
verses.
Thou gatherest, Thunderer! like
widespread bounty, kine, water, drops, and manifold libations.
15 Who lauds
him, satisfies him, pays him worship? E'en the rich noble still hath found him
mighty.
With power, as when one moves
his feet alternate, he makes the last precede, the foremost follow.
16 Famed is
the Hero as each strong man's tamer, ever advancing one and then another.
King of both worlds, hating the
high and haughty, Indra protects the men who are his people.
17 He loves no
more the men he loved aforetime: he turns and moves away allied with others.
Rejecting those who disregard
his worship, Indra victorious lives through many autumns.
18 In every
figure he hath been the mode: this is his only form for us to look on.
Indra moves multiform by his
illusions; for his Bay Steeds are yoked, ten times a hundred.
19 Here
Tvastar, yoking to the car the Bay Steeds, hath extended sway.
Who will for ever stand upon
the foeman's side, even when our princes sit at ease?
20 Gods, we
have reached a country void of pasture the land, though spacious, was too small
to hold us.
Brhaspati, provide in war for
cattle; find a path, Indra, for this faithful singer.
21 Day after
day far from their seat he drove them, alike, from place to place, those
darksome creatures.
The Hero slew the
meanly-huckstering Dasas, Varcin and Sambara, where the waters gather.
22 Out of thy
bounty, Indra, hath Prastoka bestowed ten coffers and ten mettled horses.
We have received in turn from
Divodasa Sambara's wealth, the gift of Atithigva.
23 Ten horses
and ten treasure-chests, ten garments as an added gift,
These and ten lumps of gold
have I received from Divodasa's hand.
24 Ten cars
with extra steed to each, for the Atharvans hundred cows,
Hath Asvatha to Payu given.
25 Thus Srnjaya's
son honoured the Bharadvajas, recipients of all noble gifts and bounty.
26 Lord of the
wood, be firm and strong in body: be, bearing us, a brave victorious hero
Show forth thy strength,
compact with straps of leather, and let thy rider win all spoils of battle.
27 Its mighty
strength was borrowed from the heaven and earth: its conquering force was
brought from sovrans of the wood.
Honour with holy gifts the Car
like Indra's bolt, the Car bound round with straps, the vigour of the floods.
28 Thou Bolt
of Indra, Vanguard of the Maruts, close knit to Varuna and Child of Mitra, -
As such, accepting gifts which
here we offer, receive, O Godlike Chariot, these oblations.
29 Send forth
thy voice aloud through earth and heaven, and let the world in all its breadth
regard thee;
O Drum, accordant with the Gods
and Indra, drive thou afar, yea, very far, our foemen.
30 Thunder out
strength and fill us full of vigour: yea, thunder forth and drive away all
dangers.
Drive hence, O War-drum, drive
away misfortune: thou art the Fist of Indra: show thy firmness.
31 Drive
hither those, and these again bring hither: the War-drum speaks aloud as
battle's signal.
Our heroes, winged with horses,
come together. Let our car-warriors, Indra, be triumphant.
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