Rig Veda

RIG VEDA – BOOK EIGHT
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shall stroke
The heads of four presented steeds, like the long wool of
fleecy rams.
14 Four coursers with a splendid car, Savistha's horses, fleet of
foot,
Shall bring me to the sacred feast, as flying steeds brought
Tugra's son.
15 The very truth do I declare to thee, Parusni, mighty flood.
Waters! no man is there who gives more horses than Savistha
gives.
HYMN LXIV. Agni.
1. YOKE, Agni, as a charioteer, thy steeds who best invite the
Gods: As ancient Herald seat thyself.
2 And, God, as skilfullest of all, call for us bitherward the
Gods:
Give all our wishes sure effect.
3 For thou, Most Youthful, Son of Strength, thou to whom
sacrifice is paid,
Art holy, faithful to the Law.
4 This Agni, Lord of wealth and spoil hundredfold,
thousandfold, is head
And chief of riches and a Sage.
5 As craftsmen bend the felly, so bend at our general call:
come nigh,
Angiras, to the sacrifice.
6 Now, O Virupa, rouse for him, Strong God who shines at
early morn,
Fair praise with voice that ceases not.
7 With missile of this Agni, his who looks afar, will we lay
low
The thief in combat for the kine.
8 Let not the Companies of Gods fail us, like Dawns that float
away,
Like cows who leave the niggardly.
9 Let not the sinful tyranny of any fiercely hating foe
Smite us, as billows smite a ship.
10 O Agni, God, the people sing reverent praise to thee for
strength:
With terrors trouble thou the foe.
11 Wilt thou not, Agni, lend us aid in winning cattle, winning
wealth?
Maker of room, make room for us.
12 In this great battle cast us not aside as one who bears a load:
Snatch up the wealih and win it all.
13 O Agni, let this plague pursue and fright another and not us:
Make our impetuous strength more strong.
14 The reverent or unwearied man whose holy labour he
accepts,
Him Agni favours with success.
15 Abandoning the foeman's host pass hither to this company:
Assist the men with whom I stand.
16 As we have known thy gracious help, as of a Father, long
ago,
So now we pray to thee for bliss.
HYMN LXV. Indra.
250
I. NOT to forsake me, I invoke this Indra girt by Maruts,
Lord Of magic power who rules with might.
2 This Indra with his Marut Friends clave into pieces Vrtra's
bead
With hundred-knotted thunderbolt.
3 Indra, with Marut Friends grown strong, hath rent asunder
Vrtra, and
Released the waters of the sea.
4 This is that Indra who, begirt by Maruts, won the light of
heaven
That he might drink the Soma juice.
5 Mighty, impetuous, begirt by Maruts, him who loudly roars,
Indra we invocate with songs.
6 Indra begirt by Maruts we invoke after the ancient plan,
That he may drink the Soma juice.
7 O liberal Indra, Marut-girt, much-lauded Satakratu, drink
The Soma at this sacrifice.
8 To thee, O Indra, Marut-girt, these Soma juices, Thunderer!
Are offered from the heart with lauds.
9 Drink, Indra, with thy Marut Friends, pressed Soma at the
morning rites,
Whetting thy thunderbolt with strength.
10 Arising in thy might, thy jaws thou shookest, Indra, having
quaffed
The Soma which the mortar pressed.
11 Indra, both worlds complained to thee when uttering thy
fearful roar,
What time thou smotest Dasyus dead.
12 From Indra have I measured out a song eight-footed with
nine parts,
Delicate, faithful. to the Law.
HYMN LXVI. Indra.
1. SCARCELY was Satakratu, born when of his Mother he
inquired,
Who are the mighty? Who are famed?
2. Then Savassi declared to him Aurnavabha, Ahisuva:
Son, these be they thou must o'erthrow
3 The Vrtra-slayer smote them all as spokes are hammered into
naves:
The Dasyu-killer waxed in might.
4 Then Indra at a single draught drank the contents of thirty
pails,
Pails that were filled with Soma juice.
5 Indra in groundless realms of space pierced the Gandharva
through, that he
Might make Brahmans' strength increase.
6 Down from the mountains Indra shot hither his well-directed
shaft:
He gained the ready brew of rice.
7 One only is that shaft of thine, with thousand feathers,
hundred barbs,
Which, Indra, thou hast made thy friend.
8 Strong as the gbhus at thy birth, therewith to those who
praise thee, men,
And women, bring thou food to eat.
9 By thee these exploits were achieved, the mightiest deeds,