Part I, Book III — Hymns to Agni and Indra

LET Soma juices make thee glad ! Display thy

Drink our libation, Lord of hymns! with streams of

Indra hath ever thought of you and tended you with

Let the drops pass within thee as the rivers flow

Indra the singers with high praise, Indra reciters

May Indra give, to aid us, wealth handy that rules

Verily Indra, conquering all, drives even mighty

These songs with every draught we pour come, lover

Indra and Pushan \\ill we call for friendship and

O Indra, Vritra-slayer, naught is better, mightier

HIM have I magnified, our Lord in common, guardian

Songs have outpoured themselves to thee, Indra, the

Good guidance hath the mortal man whom Aryaman,

Bring us the wealth for which we long, O Indra,

Him your best Vritra-slayer, him the famous cham-

Indra, may we adorn thy fame, fame of one like

Indra, accept at break, of day our Soma mixt with

With waters' foam thou torest off, Indra, the head

Thine are these Soraa juices, thine, Indra, those still

For thee, O Indra, Lord of light, Somas are pressed

WE, seeking strength, with Soma drops fill full your

O Indra. even from that place come unto us with

The new-born Vritra-slayer a>ked his mother, as he

Let us call him to aid whose hands stretch far, the

Mitra who knoweth leadeth us, and Varuna who

When, even as she were present here, red Dawn hath

Varuna, Mitra, sapient pair, pour fatness on our

And, at our sacrifices, these, sons, singers, have

Through all this world strode Viahnu : thrice his

Pass by the wrathful offerer ; speed the man who

What is the word addressed to him, God great and

His wealth who hath no store of kine hath ne'er

Lord of each thing that giveth strength, Indra de~

With wealth to our libation come, be not thou angry

When, Vasu, wilt thou love the laud ? Now let the

After the Seasons, Tndra, drink the Soma from the

O Indra, lover of the song, we are the singers of thy

0 Indra, in each fight and fray give to our bodies

For so thou art the brave man's friend ; a hero, too, art thou, and strong :

LIKE kine unmilked we call aloud, hero, to thee, and sing thy praise,

That we may win us wealth and power we poets.

To you will I sing Indra's praise who gives good

As cows low to their calves in stalls, so with our

Loud singing at the sac- « rite where Soma flows

With Plenty for his true ally the active man will

Drink, Indra, of the savoury juice, and cheer thee

For thou — come to the worshipper ! — writ find great

Vasishtha will not overlook the lowliest one among

Glorify naught besides, O friends ; so shall no sor-

No one by deed attains to him who works and strengthens evermore :

He without ligature, before making incision in the

A thousand and a hundred steeds are harnessed to

Come hither, Indra, with bay steeds, joyous, with

Thou as a God, O mightiest, verily blessest mortal man. O Maghavan, there is no comforter but thou : Indra,

O Indra, thou art far-renowned, impetuous Lord of

Indra for worship of the Gods, Indra while sacrifice

May these my songs of praise exalt thee, Lord, who

These songs of ours exceeding sweet, these hymns of

Even as the wild-bull, when he thirsts, goes to the

INDRA, with all thy saving helps assist us, Lord of

YEA, verily thou art a Bull, our guardian, rushing like a bull :

O Indra, Lord of light, what joys thou broughtest

Whether, O Sakra, thou be far, or, Vritra- slayer,

To Aryainan and Mitra sing a reverent song, O

In the wild raptures of the juice sing to your hero

Men with their lauds are urging thee, Indra, to

O Indra, give us for our weal a triple refuge, triply

Sing to your lofty Indra, sing, Maruts, a holy hymn

Turning, as 'twere, to meet the Sun enjoy from

To Indra sing the lofty hymn, Maruts ! that slays

The godless mortal gaineth not this food, 0 thou

O Indra, give us wisdom as a sire gives wisdom to

Draw near unto our Indra who must be invoked in

0 Indra, turn us not away : be present with us at

Thine, Indra, is the lowest wealth, thou cherishest

We compass thee like waters, we whose grass is

Where art thou ? Whither art thou gone ? For many

All strength and valour that is found, Indra, in tribes of Nahushas,

Here, verily, yesterday we let the tb under* wielder

HE who as sovran Lord of men moves with his chariots unrestrained,

Indra, give us security from that whereof we are afraid !

Strong pillar thou, Lord of the home ! armour of

Verily, Surya, thou art great ; truly, Aditya, thou

Indra ! thy friend, when fair of form and rich in

O Indra, if a hundred heavens and if a hundred

Though, Indra, thou art called by men eastward and

Indra whose wealth is in tbyself, what mortal will

First, Indra ! Agni ! hath this Maid come footless

CALL to your aid the eternal one who shoots and

Let none, no, not thy worshippers, delay thee far

For Indra Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, press

We call upon that Indra who, most active, ever slays

Ye rich in strength, through your great power

Whenever mortal worshipper will sing a bounteous

Drink milk to Indra in the joy of Soma juice,

Both boons, — may Indra, hitherward turned listen

Not for an ample price dost thou, Stone caster ! give

O Indra, thou art more to me than sire or niggard