Sukta 49

Mantra 1

अहं दां गृणते पूर्व्यं वस्वहं ब्रह्म कृणवं मह्यं वर्धनम् । अहं भुवं यजमानस्य चोदितायज्वनः साक्षि विश्वस्मिन्भरे ॥

I give the ancient plenitude to the one who chants; I make for myself the Brahman—an increase. I become the impeller of the sacrificer, and the witness of the one who does not sacrifice, in every bringing of the burden.

Mantra 2

मां धुरिन्द्रं नाम देवता दिवश्च ग्मश्चापां च जन्तवः । अहं हरी वृषणा विव्रता रघू अहं वज्रं शवसे धृष्ण्वा ददे ॥

The gods set me as ‘Indra’ by name—those of heaven, of earth, and of the waters, the beings. I (yoke) the two tawny steeds, two mighty ones of free course and swift movement; I take up the thunderbolt for the force of daring.

Mantra 3

अहमत्कं कवये शिश्नथं हथैरहं कुत्समावमाभिरूतिभिः । अहं शुष्णस्य श्नथिता वधर्यमं न यो रर आर्यं नाम दस्यवे ॥

I shattered Atka for the seer with my blows; I saved Kutsa with my helpings. I was the breaker of Śuṣṇa, a death like Yama for the one who would barter away the Aryan name to the Dasyu.

Mantra 4

अहं पितेव वेतसूँरभिष्टये तुग्रं कुत्साय स्मदिभं च रन्धयम् । अहं भुवं यजमानस्य राजनि प्र यद्भरे तुजये न प्रियाधृषे ॥

Like a father for aid, I won the Vetasus; I subdued Tugra and the Smadibha for Kutsa. I become the kingly power of the sacrificer whenever he bears forward the battle-burden, pressing on without being checked by what is merely pleasing.

Mantra 5

अहं रन्धयं मृगयं श्रुतर्वणे यन्माजिहीत वयुना चनानुषक् । अहं वेशं नम्रमायवेऽकरमहं सव्याय पड्गृभिमरन्धयम् ॥

I subdued Mṛgaya for Śrutarvan when he assailed me with stratagems again and again. I made the clan-settlement bow down to Āyava; I subdued Paṭgṛbhi for Savya.

Mantra 6

अहं स यो नववास्त्वं बृहद्रथं सं वृत्रेव दासं वृत्रहारुजम् । यद्वर्धयन्तं प्रथयन्तमानुषग्दूरे पारे रजसो रोचनाकरम् ॥

I am he who, as the slayer of the Coverer, shattered the hostile obstructer—like Vṛtra—who had seized the new dwelling and the vast chariot. When that force was growing and spreading through human nature, I carried the luminous widenesses far beyond the dim mid-worlds, to the distant shore of the inner heavens.

Mantra 7

अहं सूर्यस्य परि याम्याशुभिः प्रैतशेभिर्वहमान ओजसा । यन्मा सावो मनुष आह निर्णिज ऋधक्कृषे दासं कृत्व्यं हथैः ॥

I move around the Sun, borne by swift powers, drawn by the bright steeds, carried by might. When the human impeller calls me for the revealing splendour, I separate out and crush the hostile dark force, the one fit to be made powerless, by decisive blows.

Mantra 8

अहं सप्तहा नहुषो नहुष्टरः प्राश्रावयं शवसा तुर्वशं यदुम् । अहं न्यन्यं सहसा सहस्करं नव व्राधतो नवतिं च वक्षयम् ॥

I am the slayer of the Seven, stronger than Nahusha; by my force I drove forth Turvaśa and Yadu. I, with might, pressed down the other power that makes force against us; I made nine and ninety of the disturbers fall away.

Mantra 9

अहं सप्त स्रवतो धारयं वृषा द्रवित्न्वः पृथिव्यां सीरा अधि । अहमर्णांसि वि तिरामि सुक्रतुर्युधा विदं मनवे गातुमिष्टये ॥

I, the Bull-force, held the seven streams in their course and set the plough-lines upon the earth for the bringers of abundance. I, of good will and right discernment, cross over the floods of being; by battle I find for the human a path for the fulfilment of the seeking.

Mantra 10

अहं तदासु धारयं यदासु न देवश्चन त्वष्टाधारयद्रुशत् । स्पार्हं गवामूधस्सु वक्षणास्वा मधोर्मधु श्वात्र्यं सोममाशिरम् ॥

I upheld that in them which no god at all—not even Tvaṣṭṛ—could uphold: the shining, desirable sweetness. I brought the honey of honey, the Soma-mixture, into the udders and breasts of the cows—into the radiant sources—so the nourishment of delight might be drawn.

Mantra 11

एवा देवाँ इन्द्रो विव्ये नॄन्प्र च्यौत्नेन मघवा सत्यराधाः । विश्वेत्ता ते हरिवः शचीवोऽभि तुरासः स्वयशो गृणन्ति ॥

Thus Indra has pervaded the gods and the human powers; by his impelling energy the bountiful one fulfils in truth. Therefore all the strong ones, O lord of the tawny steeds, O power of effective intelligence, sing to you—self-luminous in glory.