Sukta 30

Mantra 1

इच्छन्ति त्वा सोम्यासः सखायः सुन्वन्ति सोमं दधति प्रयांसि । तितिक्षन्ते अभिशस्तिं जनानामिन्द्र त्वदा कश्चन हि प्रकेतः ॥

The Soma-inspired comrades desire you; they press the Soma and set forth the offerings of advance. They endure the assaults and ill-will of men, for, O Indra, apart from you none possesses the true discerning power.

Mantra 2

न ते दूरे परमा चिद्रजांस्या तु प्र याहि हरिवो हरिभ्याम् । स्थिराय वृष्णे सवना कृतेमा युक्ता ग्रावाणः समिधाने अग्नौ ॥

Not even the highest worlds are far from you; come then, drive forward with your two tawny powers. For the steadfast Bull the Soma-pressings are made ready; the pressing-stones are yoked where Agni is being kindled into the flame.

Mantra 3

इन्द्रः सुशिप्रो मघवा तरुत्रो महाव्रातस्तुविकूर्मिॠघावान् । यदुग्रो धा बाधितो मर्त्येषु क्व त्या ते वृषभ वीर्याणि ॥

Indra of the fair lip, the bountiful, the rescuer, of vast host and mighty surge, possessed of the straight-going force—when the fierce one seems pressed back among mortals, where then, O Bull, are those hero-powers of yours?

Mantra 4

त्वं हि ष्मा च्यावयन्नच्युतान्येको वृत्रा चरसि जिघ्नमानः । तव द्यावापृथिवी पर्वतासोऽनु व्रताय निमितेव तस्थुः ॥

For you indeed, shaking the unshakable, move alone against the Vṛtra-forces, striking them down. For you, Heaven and Earth and the mountains stand, as if measured out, in obedience to the law of your truth-working.

Mantra 5

उताभये पुरुहूत श्रवोभिरेको दृळ्हमवदो वृत्रहा सन् । इमे चिदिन्द्र रोदसी अपारे यत्संगृभ्णा मघवन्काशिरित्ते ॥

And even in fear, O much-invoked, by your powers of fame you alone upheld the firm foundation, being the slayer of Vṛtra. Even these two boundless worlds, O Indra, are as if held together when you, O bounteous one, gather them into a single beam of light for your action.

Mantra 6

प्र सू त इन्द्र प्रवता हरिभ्यां प्र ते वज्रः प्रमृणन्नेतु शत्रून् । जहि प्रतीचो अनूचः पराचो विश्वं सत्यं कृणुहि विष्टमस्तु ॥

Go forth then, O Indra, with your two tawny powers in the forward course; let your thunderbolt go out, crushing the enemies. Strike those who oppose from the front, from behind, and from afar; make the whole being true—let the right settlement be established.

Mantra 7

यस्मै धायुरदधा मर्त्यायाभक्तं चिद्भजते गेह्यं सः । भद्रा त इन्द्र सुमतिर्घृताची सहस्रदाना पुरुहूत रातिः ॥

To whom you grant the fostering power for the mortal, he shares even what was unshared and wins the wealth of the inner home. Auspicious is your goodwill, O Indra—flowing with the richness of the ghee; a thousand-giving is your bounty, O much-invoked.

Mantra 8

सहदानुं पुरुहूत क्षियन्तमहस्तमिन्द्र सं पिणक्कुणारुम् । अभि वृत्रं वर्धमानं पियारुमपादमिन्द्र तवसा जघन्थ ॥

O much-invoked Indra, you shattered Kūṇāru—Sahadānu, the wasting one, the handless. You struck down with your force the Vṛtra that was growing, the swollen dark resistance, footless and unable to move in the light.

Mantra 9

नि सामनामिषिरामिन्द्र भूमिं महीमपारां सदने ससत्थ । अस्तभ्नाद्द्यां वृषभो अन्तरिक्षमर्षन्त्वापस्त्वयेह प्रसूताः ॥

O Indra, thou hast taken thy seat in the vast and boundless Earth, the firm foundation of the harmonies. As the Bull of power thou didst uphold Heaven and the mid-world; may the Waters, set in motion by thee here, flow—streams of awakened energies—towards their true working.

Mantra 10

अलातृणो वल इन्द्र व्रजो गोः पुरा हन्तोर्भयमानो व्यार । सुगान्पथो अकृणोन्निरजे गाः प्रावन्वाणीः पुरुहूतं धमन्तीः ॥

Indra, the Vala-cavern—encloser of the Rays—was shattered; before the slayer it broke apart in fear. Thou madest good paths and drove forth the Cows of light from the dark confinement; the inspired utterances, blowing like strong breaths, bore forward the much-invoked Power.

Mantra 11

एको द्वे वसुमती समीची इन्द्र आ पप्रौ पृथिवीमुत द्याम् । उतान्तरिक्षादभि नः समीक इषो रथीः सयुजः शूर वाजान् ॥

One, O Indra, thou fillest the two rich realms that face each other—Earth and Heaven; and from the mid-region too thou comest near us to our meeting. O hero, bring the impelling energies and the yoked powers of the chariot—plenitudes of force for the victorious journey.

Mantra 12

दिशः सूर्यो न मिनाति प्रदिष्टा दिवेदिवे हर्यश्वप्रसूताः । सं यदानळध्वन आदिदश्वैर्विमोचनं कृणुते तत्त्वस्य ॥

As the Sun does not violate the appointed directions, so day by day the powers driven by Indra’s tawny steeds keep to their true ordinance. When he has reached the road’s end, then by the horses he makes the release—this indeed is his law: to loosen what was bound and set the movement free.

Mantra 13

दिदृक्षन्त उषसो यामन्नक्तोर्विवस्वत्या महि चित्रमनीकम् । विश्वे जानन्ति महिना यदागादिन्द्रस्य कर्म सुकृता पुरूणि ॥

Seeking to behold, the Dawns in the journey of Night look upon the vast and marvellous face of the radiant One. All know, by his greatness, when he has come: the many well-shaped works of Indra—his victorious formations in the soul.

Mantra 14

महि ज्योतिर्निहितं वक्षणास्वामा पक्वं चरति बिभ्रती गौः । विश्वं स्वाद्म सम्भृतमुस्रियायां यत्सीमिन्द्रो अदधाद्भोजनाय ॥

A great Light is lodged within the breasts; the Cow that bears it moves, carrying the raw and the ripened. In the shining womb of the Dawn all sweetness is gathered; for Indra has set it there for our nourishment—food of delight and luminous increase.

Mantra 15

इन्द्र दृह्य यामकोशा अभूवन्यज्ञाय शिक्ष गृणते सखिभ्यः । दुर्मायवो दुरेवा मर्त्यासो निषङ्गिणो रिपवो हन्त्वासः ॥

O Indra, be firm; the coverings of the journey have arisen. Teach for the sacrifice, for the singer and for the comrades. For there are mortals of evil craft and evil way—armed adversaries, enemies bent on striking: break their assault and make the path secure.

Mantra 16

सं घोषः शृण्वेऽवमैरमित्रैर्जही न्येष्वशनिं तपिष्ठाम् । वृश्चेमधस्ताद्वि रुजा सहस्व जहि रक्षो मघवन्रन्धयस्व ॥

The clamour is heard from the lower hostile powers; smite them—cast down among them thy most burning thunderbolt. Cut them off from below, shatter them apart, prevail by force; slay the Racksha, O bounteous one, and bring the obstructors to subjection.

Mantra 17

उद्वृह रक्षः सहमूलमिन्द्र वृश्चा मध्यं प्रत्यग्रं शृणीहि । आ कीवतः सललूकं चकर्थ ब्रह्मद्विषे तपुषिं हेतिमस्य ॥

Tear out the Raksha with its very root, O Indra; cut away its middle, strike off its front. Thou hast made an end of the miserly and the crooked; against the hater of the sacred word thou hast forged a burning weapon—an edge of tapas for his undoing.

Mantra 18

स्वस्तये वाजिभिश्च प्रणेतः सं यन्महीरिष आसत्सि पूर्वीः । रायो वन्तारो बृहतः स्यामास्मे अस्तु भग इन्द्र प्रजावान् ॥

For our well-being, O leader, come with the powers of victory; since thou hast approached and joined to us the great impulsions from of old. May we be possessors of the vast richness of being; in us let there be Bhaga—thy portion of delight—O Indra, with progeny, a continuing increase.

Mantra 19

आ नो भर भगमिन्द्र द्युमन्तं नि ते देष्णस्य धीमहि प्ररेके । ऊर्व इव पप्रथे कामो अस्मे तमा पृण वसुपते वसूनाम् ॥

Bring to us, O Indra, a luminous share of plenitude. In the wide expanse of thy giving we set our thought. As a broad field spreads out, so may the will of fulfilment widen in us; fill that in us to the full, O Lord of riches among riches.

Mantra 20

इमं कामं मन्दया गोभिरश्वैश्चन्द्रवता राधसा पप्रथश्च । स्वर्यवो मतिभिस्तुभ्यं विप्रा इन्द्राय वाहः कुशिकासो अक्रन् ॥

Make this our will of fulfilment glad with rays and with powers of movement, with a shining abundance that widens. The seers, seeking the Sun-world, by their thoughts have fashioned for thee a carrying-path, a vehicle for Indra—these Kuśikas.

Mantra 21

आ नो गोत्रा दर्दृहि गोपते गाः समस्मभ्यं सनयो यन्तु वाजाः । दिवक्षा असि वृषभ सत्यशुष्मोऽस्मभ्यं सु मघवन्बोधि गोदाः ॥

Break open for us the cow-stalls, O Lord of the herds; let the gains of plenitude come together to us. Thou art the heaven-impelling Bull with true force; awaken for us, O bounteous one, as the giver of rays of knowledge.

Mantra 22

शुनं हुवेम मघवानमिन्द्रमस्मिन्भरे नृतमं वाजसातौ । शृण्वन्तमुग्रमूतये समत्सु घ्नन्तं वृत्राणि संजितं धनानाम् ॥

For good fortune we call Indra the bounteous, the most man-powerful in this battle, in the winning of plenitude. Hearing us, fierce for our help in the clashes, slaying the obstructers, he is the conqueror who gathers the riches.