Sukta 39

Mantra 1

इन्द्रं मतिर्हृद आ वच्यमानाच्छा पतिं स्तोमतष्टा जिगाति । या जागृविर्विदथे शस्यमानेन्द्र यत्ते जायते विद्धि तस्य ॥

To Indra the fashioned hymn-thought, uttered from the heart, goes straight—toward the Lord. She, wakeful and luminous in the session of seeking, is proclaimed: O Indra, whatever is being born in thee (as response and power), know that as thine own manifestation within us.

Mantra 2

दिवश्चिदा पूर्व्या जायमाना वि जागृविर्विदथे शस्यमाना । भद्रा वस्त्राण्यर्जुना वसाना सेयमस्मे सनजा पित्र्या धीः ॥

Even from the heaven she is born, ancient yet ever-new; wakeful she widens in the session of seeking when she is voiced. Wearing auspicious bright raiment, this ancestral-born Insight—age-old in the fathers—becomes ours here.

Mantra 3

यमा चिदत्र यमसूरसूत जिह्वाया अग्रं पतदा ह्यस्थात् । वपूंषि जाता मिथुना सचेते तमोहना तपुषो बुध्न एता ॥

Even here, where the constraining twin-force was born, the tongue’s foremost point sprang forth and took its stand. The forms that are born as a paired power come to mutual union—these are the slayers of darkness, rooted in the deep foundation of Tapas (concentrated heat of will).

Mantra 4

नकिरेषां निन्दिता मर्त्येषु ये अस्माकं पितरो गोषु योधाः । इन्द्र एषां दृंहिता माहिनावानुद्गोत्राणि ससृजे दंसनावान् ॥

None among mortals can reproach those—our fathers—who were warriors in the Light (the Cows). Indra, mighty in his greatness, made them firm and released upward the hidden herds (the enclosed rays) by his power of effective deed.

Mantra 5

सखा ह यत्र सखिभिर्नवग्वैरभिज्ञ्वा सत्वभिर्गा अनुग्मन् । सत्यं तदिन्द्रो दशभिर्दशग्वैः सूर्यं विवेद तमसि क्षियन्तम् ॥

As a comrade, there where with comrades—the Navagvas—knowing the way with powers of being, they followed the Rays (Cows). That indeed is Truth: Indra with the ten—Dashagvas—found the Sun dwelling within the darkness.

Mantra 6

इन्द्रो मधु सम्भृतमुस्रियायां पद्वद्विवेद शफवन्नमे गोः । गुहा हितं गुह्यं गूळ्हमप्सु हस्ते दधे दक्षिणे दक्षिणावान् ॥

Indra found the honey gathered in the shining Cow; he found it as one who knows the track, at the hoof-mark, in the raw force of the ray. Hidden in the cave, secret and concealed in the waters, he set it in his right hand—he who is rich in the right-giving power.

Mantra 7

ज्योतिर्वृणीत तमसो विजानन्नारे स्याम दुरितादभीके । इमा गिरः सोमपाः सोमवृद्ध जुषस्वेन्द्र पुरुतमस्य कारोः ॥

Choosing the Light, discerning it from the Darkness, may we be far from distress, even when it presses near. These utterances—O Soma-drinker, O Soma-increased—accept, O Indra, from the doer of many works (of wide and manifold striving).

Mantra 8

ज्योतिर्यज्ञाय रोदसी अनु ष्यादारे स्याम दुरितस्य भूरेः । भूरि चिद्धि तुजतो मर्त्यस्य सुपारासो वसवो बर्हणावत् ॥

May Light follow the sacrifice, and Heaven-and-Earth attend it; may we be far from the abundant distress. For many indeed are the pressures upon the mortal who is assailed; but you, O Vasus, are good-crossers, bearing the power to lift and widen.

Mantra 9

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

For well-being we call Indra the bountiful, in this bearing of the struggle, the most manly in the winning of plenitude. Hearing us, fierce for our help in the battles, slaying the obstructers, conquering the riches (the spiritual felicities).