Sukta 52

Mantra 1

त्यं सु मेषं महया स्वर्विदं शतं यस्य सुभ्वः साकमीरते । अत्यं न वाजं हवनस्यदं रथमेन्द्रं ववृत्यामवसे सुवृक्तिभिः ॥

Him, the impelling ram of force, I magnify—the finder of the luminous world—of whom the swift-shining powers rise together in a hundredfold movement. Like a steed of plenitude, like a chariot that sits at the call, may we turn Indra towards us for help by well-fashioned utterances.

Mantra 2

स पर्वतो न धरुणेष्वच्युतः सहस्रमूतिस्तविषीषु वावृधे । इन्द्रो यद्वृत्रमवधीन्नदीवृतमुब्जन्नर्णांसि जर्हृषाणो अन्धसा ॥

He stands like a mountain, unshaken in his foundations; the thousand-aided grows in his mights. When Indra slew Vṛtra who held back the rivers, he pressed out the flood-waters, exulting in the Soma-delight.

Mantra 3

स हि द्वरो द्वरिषु वव्र ऊधनि चन्द्रबुध्नो मदवृद्धो मनीषिभिः । इन्द्रं तमह्वे स्वपस्यया धिया मंहिष्ठरातिं स हि पप्रिरन्धसः ॥

For he is the opener of the doors; in the doorways he is the covering that holds the treasure in the udder; moon-based, increased by ecstasy through the sages’ thoughts. That Indra I call with a will of right work and a luminous intelligence—him of the most bountiful giving, for he is filled full of the Soma-delight.

Mantra 4

आ यं पृणन्ति दिवि सद्मबर्हिषः समुद्रं न सुभ्वः स्वा अभिष्टयः । तं वृत्रहत्ये अनु तस्थुरूतयः शुष्मा इन्द्रमवाता अह्रुतप्सवः ॥

Him whom the dwellers on the divine seat fill full in heaven—like the ocean—by their own swift-shining fulfillments and desires; him, in the slaying of Vṛtra, the helps followed after—powers of force around Indra, unwearied in their ardour.

Mantra 5

अभि स्ववृष्टिं मदे अस्य युध्यतो रघ्वीरिव प्रवणे सस्रुरूतयः । इन्द्रो यद्वज्री धृषमाणो अन्धसा भिनद्वलस्य परिधीँरिव त्रितः ॥

Towards his own outpouring, as he battles in ecstasy, the succours ran like swift streams down a slope. When Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, daring in the Soma-delight, split the enclosures of Vala as one breaks the rims—then the hidden plenitudes were opened.

Mantra 6

परीं घृणा चरति तित्विषे शवोऽपो वृत्वी रजसो बुध्नमाशयत् । वृत्रस्य यत्प्रवणे दुर्गृभिश्वनो निजघन्थ हन्वोरिन्द्र तन्यतुम् ॥

Around him moves the burning splendour; his strength flashes. Having encompassed the waters, he laid them down at the foundation of the world-space. When, in the slope of Vṛtra, amid harsh clashing, thou didst strike down the thunder from his jaws, O Indra, thou madest the obstruction fall.

Mantra 7

ह्रदं न हि त्वा न्यृषन्त्यूर्मयो ब्रह्माणीन्द्र तव यानि वर्धना । त्वष्टा चित्ते युज्यं वावृधे शवस्ततक्ष वज्रमभिभूत्योजसम् ॥

As waves cannot shake the deep heart-lake, so the mantras of affirmation that are thine, O Indra, cannot be overthrown; they increase thee. Even Tvaṣṭṛ has strengthened for thee the fitting force, and has fashioned the thunderbolt—powerful with conquering might.

Mantra 8

जघन्वाँ उ हरिभिः सम्भृतक्रतविन्द्र वृत्रं मनुषे गातुयन्नपः । अयच्छथा बाह्वोर्वज्रमायसमधारयो दिव्या सूर्यं दृशे ॥

Slaying Vṛtra with thy tawny steeds, O Indra of gathered will, desiring a path for man thou didst set free the waters. Thou didst grasp in thy arms the iron thunderbolt; thou didst uphold in heaven the divine Sun for vision.

Mantra 9

बृहत्स्वश्चन्द्रममवद्यदुक्थ्यमकृण्वत भियसा रोहणं दिवः । यन्मानुषप्रधना इन्द्रमूतयः स्वर्नृषाचो मरुतोऽमदन्ननु ॥

They made the hymn vast and bright, full of force; through awe they fashioned the ascent to heaven. When in the human battles the Maruts, companions of men, rejoiced following Indra—helpers of the luminous world.

Mantra 10

द्यौश्चिदस्यामवाँ अहेः स्वनादयोयवीद्भियसा वज्र इन्द्र ते । वृत्रस्य यद्बद्बधानस्य रोदसी मदे सुतस्य शवसाभिनच्छिरः ॥

Even heaven, strong, recoiled in fear at the roar of that serpent; so terrible was thy thunderbolt, O Indra. When the two worlds were being bound by Vṛtra, in the ecstasy of the pressed Soma thou didst cleave his head with force.

Mantra 11

यदिन्न्विन्द्र पृथिवी दशभुजिरहानि विश्वा ततनन्त कृष्टयः । अत्राह ते मघवन्विश्रुतं सहो द्यामनु शवसा बर्हणा भुवत् ॥

When, O Indra, the Earth with ten arms stretched out all the days for the peoples, then indeed here, O bountiful one, thy far-heard power became a vast uplift by force, reaching up to heaven.

Mantra 12

त्वमस्य पारे रजसो व्योमनः स्वभूत्योजा अवसे धृषन्मनः । चकृषे भूमिं प्रतिमानमोजसोऽपः स्वः परिभूरेष्या दिवम् ॥

Thou art beyond this mid-region, wide in thy being, self-born in might, for our help, O daring-minded. Thou hast made Earth a measure of thy power; encompassing the waters and the luminous world, thou movest toward Heaven.

Mantra 13

त्वं भुवः प्रतिमानं पृथिव्या ऋष्ववीरस्य बृहतः पतिर्भूः । विश्वमाप्रा अन्तरिक्षं महित्वा सत्यमद्धा नकिरन्यस्त्वावान् ॥

Thou hast become the measure of Earth’s being, the lord of the vast and of the high-heroic power. By thy greatness thou hast filled all the mid-world. Truly, in truth, none other is the equal of thee in power and protection.

Mantra 14

न यस्य द्यावापृथिवी अनु व्यचो न सिन्धवो रजसो अन्तमानशुः । नोत स्ववृष्टिं मदे अस्य युध्यत एको अन्यच्चकृषे विश्वमानुषक् ॥

Whose wideness neither Heaven-and-Earth can follow, nor the rivers reach the end of his mid-space. Nor in his rapture of battle can one match his own rain of power. Alone he has made the whole world to move in the human order.

Mantra 15

आर्चन्नत्र मरुतः सस्मिन्नाजौ विश्वे देवासो अमदन्ननु त्वा । वृत्रस्य यद्भृष्टिमता वधेन नि त्वमिन्द्र प्रत्यानं जघन्थ ॥

Here in this battle the Maruts sang, and all the gods rejoiced following thee. When with the gleaming weapon of death against Vṛtra, thou, O Indra, didst strike down the resisting adversary.