Rig Veda

RIG VEDA – BOOK TEN
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4 O Indra, beat our foes away, humble the men who challenge
us:
Send down to nether darkness him who seeks to do us injury.
5 Baffle the foeman's plan, ward off his weapon who would
conquer us.
Give shelter from his furious wrath, and keep his murdering
dart afar.
HYMN CLIII. Indra.
1. SWAYING about, the Active Ones came nigh to Indra at his
birth,
And shared his great heroic might.
2 Based upon strength and victory and power, O Indra is thy
birth:
Thou, Mighty One, art strong indeed.
3 Thou art the Vrtra-slayer, thou, Indra, hast spread the
firmament:
Thou hast with might upheld the heavens.
4 Thou, Indra, bearest in thine arms the lightning that accords
with thee,
Whetting thy thunderbolt with might.
5 Thou, Indra, art preeminent over all creatures in thy might:
Thou hast pervaded every place.
All Indra's enemies were slain and passed away like froth and
foam.
5 These men have led about the cow, have duly carried Agni
round,
And raised their glory tg the Gods. Who will attack them with
success?
HYMN CLVI. Agni.
1. LET songs of ours speed Agni forth like a fleet courser in
the race,
And we will win each prize through him.
2 Agni the dart whereby we gain kine for ourselves with help
from thee,-
That send us for the gain of wealth.
3 O Agni, bring us wealth secure, vast wealth in horses and in
kine:
Oil thou the socket, turn the wheel.
4 O Agni, thou hast made the Sun, Eternal Star, to mount the
sky,
Bestowing light on living men.
5 Thou, Agni, art the people's light, best, dearest, seated in thy
shrine:
Watch for the singer, give him life.
HYMN CLIV. New Life.
1. FOR some is Soma purified, some sit by sacrificial oil:
To those for whom the meath flows forth, even to those let him
depart.
2 Invincible through Fervour, those whom Fervour hath
advanced to heaven,
Who showed great Fervour in their lives, -even to those let him
depart.
3 The heroes who contend in war and boldly cast their lives
away,
Or who give guerdon thousandfold, -even to those let him
depart.
4 Yea, the first followers of Law, Law's pure and holy
strengtheners,
The Fathers, Yama! Fervour-moved,even to those let him
depart.
5 Skilled in a thousand ways and means, the sages who protect
the Sun,
The Rsis, Yama! Fervour-moved,-even to those let him depart.
HYMN CLV. Various.
1. ARAYI, one-eyed limping hag, fly, ever-screeching, to the
hill.
We frighten thee away with these, the heroes of Sirimbitha.
2 Scared from this place and that is she, destroyer of each germ
unborn.
Go, sharp-horned Brahmanaspti and drive Arayi far away.
3 Yon log that floats without a man to guide it on the river's
edge,-
Seize it, thou thing with hideous jaws, and go thou far away
thereon.
4 When, foul with secret stain and spot, ye hastened onward to
the breast,
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HYMN CLVII. Visvedevas.
1. WE will, with Indra and all Gods to aid us, bring these
existing worlds into subjection.
2 Our sacrifice, our bodies, and our offspr. let Indra form
together with Adityas.
3 With the Adityas, with the band of Maruts, may Indra be
Protector of our bodies.
4 As when the Gods came, after they had slaughtered the
Asuras, keeping safe their Godlike nature,
5 Brought the Sun hitherward with mighty powers, and looked
about them on their vigorous Godhead.
HYMN CLVIII. Surya.
1. MAY Surya guard us out of heaven, and Vata from the
firmament,
And Agni from terrestrial spots.
2 Thou Savitar whose flame deserves hundred libations, be
thou pleased:
From failing lightning keep us safe.
3 May Savitar the God, and may Parvata also give us sight;
May the Creator give us sight.
4 Give sight unto our eye, give thou our bodies sight that they
may see:
May we survey, discern this world.
5 Thus, Surya, may we look on thee, on thee most lovely to
behold,
See clearly with the eyes of men.
HYMN CLIX. Saci Paulomi.
1. YON Sun hath mounted up, and this my happy fate hate
mounted high.
I knowing this, as conqueror have won my husband for mine
own.