Sukta 32

Mantra 1

इन्द्रस्य नु वीर्याणि प्र वोचं यानि चकार प्रथमानि वज्री । अहन्नहिमन्वपस्ततर्द प्र वक्षणा अभिनत्पर्वतानाम् ॥

Now I proclaim the heroic powers of Indra, the Thunder-bearer—those first deeds he accomplished. He struck down the Serpent and released the waters; he split open the fastnesses of the mountains.

Mantra 2

अहन्नहिं पर्वते शिश्रियाणं त्वष्टास्मै वज्रं स्वर्यं ततक्ष । वाश्रा इव धेनवः स्यन्दमाना अञ्जः समुद्रमव जग्मुरापः ॥

He struck the Serpent who had taken refuge upon the mountain; Tvaṣṭṛ fashioned for him the heaven-winning thunder-force. Then the waters, streaming like lowing cows, went swiftly down to the ocean.

Mantra 3

वृषायमाणोऽवृणीत सोमं त्रिकद्रुकेष्वपिबत्सुतस्य । आ सायकं मघवादत्त वज्रमहन्नेनं प्रथमजामहीनाम् ॥

Growing into the force of the Bull, he chose the Soma; in the triple-pressing seats he drank of the expressed delight. Then the Bounteous One took up the missile, he laid hold of the thunderbolt; and he smote that first-born of the serpentine powers of obstruction.

Mantra 4

यदिन्द्राहन्प्रथमजामहीनामान्मायिनाममिनाः प्रोत मायाः । आत्सूर्यं जनयन्द्यामुषासं तादीत्ना शत्रुं न किला विवित्से ॥

When Indra struck down the first-born of the serpents, then he broke the powers of the magicians and their enchantments. From that he brought the Sun to birth, and the Heaven and the Dawn; thus indeed he sought no enemy thereafter.

Mantra 5

अहन्वृत्रं वृत्रतरं व्यंसमिन्द्रो वज्रेण महता वधेन । स्कन्धांसीव कुलिशेना विवृक्णाहिः शयत उपपृक्पृथिव्याः ॥

Indra smote Vṛtra, the more Vṛtra-like, the spreader-out (of blockage), with the thunderbolt, with the great act of slaying. Like shoulders hewn by an axe, the serpent lay torn apart, clinging low upon the Earth—power of obstruction brought to collapse.

Mantra 6

अयोद्धेव दुर्मद आ हि जुह्वे महावीरं तुविबाधमृजीषम् । नातारीदस्य समृतिं वधानां सं रुजानाः पिपिष इन्द्रशत्रुः ॥

Like a fighter in drunken pride he challenged—he challenged the great hero, the mighty smiter, the straight-driving force. He could not cross beyond the onset of those blows; being shattered, the foe of Indra was crushed to powder.

Mantra 7

अपादहस्तो अपृतन्यदिन्द्रमास्य वज्रमधि सानौ जघान । वृष्णो वध्रिः प्रतिमानं बुभूषन्पुरुत्रा वृत्रो अशयद्व्यस्तः ॥

Footless and handless, he yet fought against Indra; he struck at his thunderbolt upon the summit. Seeking to match the Bull’s measure, the impotent one—Vṛtra—lay cast down in many places, scattered.

Mantra 8

नदं न भिन्नममुया शयानं मनो रुहाणा अति यन्त्यापः । याश्चिद्वृत्रो महिना पर्यतिष्ठत्तासामहिः पत्सुतःशीर्बभूव ॥

Like a river whose dam is broken, the waters pass beyond him as he lies there; they rise, as it were, in the mind and surge over. Even those waters which Vṛtra with his might had held all around—of them the serpent became a dust-heap at the feet.

Mantra 9

नीचावया अभवद्वृत्रपुत्रेन्द्रो अस्या अव वधर्जभार । उत्तरा सूरधरः पुत्र आसीद्दानुः शये सहवत्सा न धेनुः ॥

Low indeed became the mother of Vṛtra’s offspring; Indra brought down upon her the stroke. The upper was the mother, the lower became the son; Dānu lay like a cow with her calf—power fallen into inert dependence.

Mantra 10

अतिष्ठन्तीनामनिवेशनानां काष्ठानां मध्ये निहितं शरीरम् । वृत्रस्य निण्यं वि चरन्त्यापो दीर्घं तम आशयदिन्द्रशत्रुः ॥

Among the standing posts that have no resting-place, in the midst of the timbers, the body lay hidden. The waters move freely through the secret lair of Vṛtra; the foe of Indra lay stretched into a long darkness—power of obstruction turned into inert night.

Mantra 11

दासपत्नीरहिगोपा अतिष्ठन्निरुद्धा आपः पणिनेव गावः । अपां बिलमपिहितं यदासीद्वृत्रं जघन्वाँ अप तद्ववार ॥

The waters, with the Dāsa as husband and the serpent as guardian, stood held back—like cows penned by the Paṇi. When the cavern of the waters was shut, Indra, slaying Vṛtra, uncovered and opened that barrier away.

Mantra 12

अश्व्यो वारो अभवस्तदिन्द्र सृके यत्त्वा प्रत्यहन्देव एकः । अजयो गा अजयः शूर सोममवासृजः सर्तवे सप्त सिन्धून् ॥

A horse-like enclosure became that for you, O Indra, in the struggle, when the one god confronted you. You won the cows; you won, O hero, the Soma; you let loose to flow the seven rivers—seven currents of plenitude set free for the journey.

Mantra 13

नास्मै विद्युन्न तन्यतुः सिषेध न यां मिहमकिरद्ध्रादुनिं च । इन्द्रश्च यद्युयुधाते अहिश्चोतापरीभ्यो मघवा वि जिग्ये ॥

Neither lightning nor thunder held him back, nor the cloud-mist that poured its roaring flood. When Indra and the Serpent came to grips in battle, the bountiful One won through, beyond all enclosing powers that would limit the soul’s advance.

Mantra 14

अहेर्यातारं कमपश्य इन्द्र हृदि यत्ते जघ्नुषो भीरगच्छत् । नव च यन्नवतिं च स्रवन्तीः श्येनो न भीतो अतरो रजांसि ॥

O Indra, what pathway of the Serpent did you perceive, when after the slaying fear entered your heart? Yet you crossed the nine-and-ninety flowing streams—like a falcon unafraid—passing beyond the worlds of division.

Mantra 15

इन्द्रो यातोऽवसितस्य राजा शमस्य च शृङ्गिणो वज्रबाहुः । सेदु राजा क्षयति चर्षणीनामरान्न नेमिः परि ता बभूव ॥

Indra has come as king of the settled foundation and of the peace; horned in power, with the thunder-weapon in his arm. He indeed rules as king over the peoples, encompassing them as the rim encircles the spokes—holding the order of the movement together.