Rig Veda

RIG VEDA – BOOK TEN
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Lead thou and further him to higher fortune, to bliss bestowed
by Gods, O thou Most Youthful.
10 Endow him, Agni, with a share of glory, at every song of
praise sung forth enrich him.
Dear let him be to Surya, dear to Agni, preeminent with son
and children's children.
11 While, Agni, day by day men pay thee worship they win
themselves all treasures worth the wishing.
Allied with thee, eager and craving riches, they have disclosed
the stable filled with cattle.
12 Agni, the Friend of men, the Soma's keeper, Vaisvanara,
hath been lauded by the Rsis.
We will invoke benignant Earth and Heaven: ye Deities, give
us wealth with hero children.
HYMN XLVI. Agni.
1. STABLISHED for thee, to lend thee vital forces, Giver of
wealth, Guard of his servant's body.
The Great Priest, born, who knows the clouds, Abider with
men, is seated in the lap of waters.
2 Worshipping, seeking him with adoration like some lost
creature followed by its footprints,
Wise Bhrgus, yearning in their hearts, pursued him, and found
him lurking where the floods are gathered.
3 On the Cow's forehead, with laborious searching, Trita, the
offspring of Vibhiavas, found him.
Born in our houses, Youthful, joy-bestower, he now becomes
the central point of brightness.
4 Yearning, with homage, they have set and made him blithe
Priest among mankind, oblation-bearer,
Leader of rites and Purifier, envoy of men, as sacrifice that still
advances.
5 The foolish brought the ne'er-bewildered forward, great,
Victor, Song-inspirer, Fort-destroyer.
Leading the Youth gold-bearded, like a courser gleaming with
wealth, they turned their hymn to profit.
6 Holding his station firmly in the houses, Trita sat down
within his home surrounded
Thence, as Law bids, departs the Tribes' Companion having
collected men with no compulsion.
7 His are the fires, eternal, purifying, that make the houses
move, whose smoke is shining,
White, waxing in their strength, for ever stirring, and sitting in
the wood; like winds are Somas.
8 The tongue of Agni bears away the praisesong, and, through
his care for Earth, her operations.
Him, bright and radiant, living men have stablished as their
blithe Priest, the Chief of Sacrificers.
9 That Agni, him whom Heaven and Earth engendered, the
Waters. Tvastar, and with might, the Bhrgus,
Him Matarisvan and the Gods have fashioned holy for man
and first to be entreated.
10 Agni, whom Gods have made oblationbearer, and muchdesiring
men regard as holy,
Give life to him who lauds thee when he worships, and then
shall glorious men in troops adore thee.
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HYMN XLVII. Indra Vaikuntha.
1. THY right hand have we grasped in ours, O Indra, longing
for treasure, Treasure-Lord of treasures!
Because we know thee, Hero, Lord of cattle: vouchsafe us
mighty and resplendent riches.
2 Wealth, fully armed, good guard and kind protector, sprung
from four seas, the prop and stay of treasures,
Fraught with great bounties, meet for praise and glory;
vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.
3 Wealth, with good Brahmans, Indra! God-attended, high,
wide, and deep, arid based on broad foundations,
Strong, with famed Rsis, conquering our foemen: vouchsafe us
mighty and resplendent riches.
4 Victorious, winning strength, with hero sages, confirmed in
power, most useful, wealth-attracting,
True, Indra! crushing forts and slaying Dasyus: vouchsafe us
mighty and resplendent riches.
5 Wealthy in heroes and in cars and horses, strength
hundredfold and thousandfold, O Indra,
With manly sages, happy troops, Iight-winning: vouchsafe us
mighty and resplentdent riches.
6 To Saptagu the sage, the holy-minded, to him, Brhaspati, the
song approaches,
Angiras' Son who must be met with homage: vouchsafe us
mighty and reslendent riches.
7 My lauds, like envoys, craving loving-kindness, go forth to
Indra with their strong entreaty,
Moving his heart and uttered by my spirit: vouchsafe us
mighty and resplendent riches.
8 Grant us the boon for which I pray, O Indra, a spacious home
unmatched among the people.
To this may Heaven and Earth accord approval: vouchsafe us
mighty and resplendent riches.
HYMN XLVIII. Indra Vaikuntha.
1. I WAS the first possessor of all precious gear: the wealth of
every man I win and gather up.
On me as on a Father living creatures call; I deal enjoyment to
tho. man who offers gifts.
2 I, Indra, am Atharvan's stay and firm support: I brought forth
kine to Trita from the Dragon's grasp.
I stripped the Dasyus of their manly might, and gave the cattlestalls
to Matarigvan and Dadhyac.
3 For me hath Tvastar forged the iron thunderbolt: in me the
Gods have centred intellectual power.
My sheen is like the Sun's insufferably bright: men honour me
as Lord for past and future deeds.
4 I won myself these herdi of cattle, steeds and kine, and gold
in ample store, with my destructive bolt.
I give full many a thousand to the worshipper, what time the
Somas and the lauds have made me glad.
5 Indra am I none ever wins my wealth from me never at any
time am I a thrall to death.
Pressing the Soma, ask riches from me alone: ye, Purus, in my
friendship shall not suffer harm.
6 These, breathing loud in fury, two and two, who caused
Indra to bring his bolt of thunder to the fray,