Sukta 53

Mantra 1

इन्द्रापर्वता बृहता रथेन वामीरिष आ वहतं सुवीराः । वीतं हव्यान्यध्वरेषु देवा वर्धेथां गीर्भिरिळया मदन्ता ॥

O Indra and Parvata, come on the vast chariot bringing desirable streams of nourishment and energies that beget heroic strength. Enjoy the offerings in the workings of sacrifice, O gods; grow by our inspired words, and in that growth become intoxicated with the delight that carries you into action.

Mantra 2

तिष्ठा सु कं मघवन्मा परा गाः सोमस्य नु त्वा सुषुतस्य यक्षि । पितुर्न पुत्रः सिचमा रभे त इन्द्र स्वादिष्ठया गिरा शचीवः ॥

Stand here in peace, O bountiful one; do not depart. Now I invoke you for the well-pressed Soma. Like a son reaching for the father’s portion, I reach for your outpouring, O Indra, with the sweetest speech, O master of effective power.

Mantra 3

शंसावाध्वर्यो प्रति मे गृणीहीन्द्राय वाहः कृणवाव जुष्टम् । एदं बर्हिर्यजमानस्य सीदाथा च भूदुक्थमिन्द्राय शस्तम् ॥

O Adhvaryu, respond to my call and utter the word of affirmation: we will make the offering-path (vāhaḥ) delightful and acceptable to Indra. Sit upon this sacred seat (barhis) of the one who seeks by sacrifice; then let the inspired utterance become a true praise shaped for Indra.

Mantra 4

जायेदस्तं मघवन्त्सेदु योनिस्तदित्त्वा युक्ता हरयो वहन्तु । यदा कदा च सुनवाम सोममग्निष्ट्वा दूतो धन्वात्यच्छ ॥

O bounteous one, let the home-going be a true resting-place, a womb of renewal; then may your yoked tawny powers bear you to us. Whenever we press the Soma, Agni as your messenger hastens across the wide spaces toward you.

Mantra 5

परा याहि मघवन्ना च याहीन्द्र भ्रातरुभयत्रा ते अर्थम् । यत्रा रथस्य बृहतो निधानं विमोचनं वाजिनो रासभस्य ॥

Go forth, O bounteous Indra, and also come back—O brother—your purpose is in both movements: where the great chariot’s placing is, and where the release of the forceful bearer is found.

Mantra 6

अपाः सोममस्तमिन्द्र प्र याहि कल्याणीर्जाया सुरणं गृहे ते । यत्रा रथस्य बृहतो निधानं विमोचनं वाजिनो दक्षिणावत् ॥

Having drunk the Soma, go forth, O Indra, to your home—where the fair, fortunate consort dwells, rich in gladness, in your house. There is the placing of the vast chariot and the freeing of the forceful one, attended by right giving (dakṣiṇā).

Mantra 7

इमे भोजा अङ्गिरसो विरूपा दिवस्पुत्रासो असुरस्य वीराः । विश्वामित्राय ददतो मघानि सहस्रसावे प्र तिरन्त आयुः ॥

These beneficent Angirases, manifold in form—sons of the luminous heaven, heroes of the Asura (the Lord)—giving gifts of plenitude to Viśvāmitra, extend the life-force forward through a thousand outpourings.

Mantra 8

रूपंरूपं मघवा बोभवीति मायाः कृण्वानस्तन्वं परि स्वाम् । त्रिर्यद्दिवः परि मुहूर्तमागात्स्वैर्मन्त्रैरनृतुपा ऋतावा ॥

Form after form the bounteous One becomes, shaping his own body with powers of creative measure. Thrice he moved around the heaven in a moment, by his own mantras—guardian against disorder, establisher of the Truth-Order.

Mantra 9

महाँ ऋषिर्देवजा देवजूतोऽस्तभ्नात्सिन्धुमर्णवं नृचक्षाः । विश्वामित्रो यदवहत्सुदासमप्रियायत कुशिकेभिरिन्द्रः ॥

The great seer, born of the gods and impelled by the gods, the human-seeing one, held firm the oceanic river. When Viśvāmitra bore Sudās across, Indra moved with the Kuśikas, turning against what was hostile.

Mantra 10

हंसा इव कृणुथ श्लोकमद्रिभिर्मदन्तो गीर्भिरध्वरे सुते सचा । देवेभिर्विप्रा ऋषयो नृचक्षसो वि पिबध्वं कुशिकाः सोम्यं मधु ॥

Like swans, fashion the clear chant; intoxicated with the pressing-stones, with the hymns, together in the sacrifice where Soma is pressed. O inspired seers, human-seeing, with the gods—drink fully, Kuśikas, the honeyed Soma-delight.

Mantra 11

उप प्रेत कुशिकाश्चेतयध्वमश्वं राये प्र मुञ्चता सुदासः । राजा वृत्रं जङ्घनत्प्रागपागुदगथा यजाते वर आ पृथिव्याः ॥

Advance, O Kuśikas; awaken your awareness; release the steed for plenitude—Sudās. The king smote the coverer (Vṛtra) forward, backward, upward; then he sacrifices for the chosen boon from the Earth’s wideness.

Mantra 12

य इमे रोदसी उभे अहमिन्द्रमतुष्टवम् । विश्वामित्रस्य रक्षति ब्रह्मेदं भारतं जनम् ॥

He who upholds these two worlds—I have strengthened Indra with my praise. This brahman (the mantric power) protects the Bharata people of Viśvāmitra.

Mantra 13

विश्वामित्रा अरासत ब्रह्मेन्द्राय वज्रिणे । करदिन्नः सुराधसः ॥

The Vishvāmitras have fashioned the Word (brahman) for Indra the wielder of the thunder-force; may that luminous act indeed make for us a rich and beautiful felicity of right giving.

Mantra 14

किं ते कृण्वन्ति कीकटेषु गावो नाशिरं दुह्रे न तपन्ति घर्मम् । आ नो भर प्रमगन्दस्य वेदो नैचाशाखं मघवन्रन्धया नः ॥

What do thy rays of Light do among the Kīkaṭas, where they yield no rich essence and kindle not the warm ghr̥ta-heat? Bring to us the true knowing from the one who moves in a distorted fragrance, and, O Maghavan, subject for us the branchless/alien growth that does not belong to the right lineage of truth.

Mantra 15

ससर्परीरमतिं बाधमाना बृहन्मिमाय जमदग्निदत्ता । आ सूर्यस्य दुहिता ततान श्रवो देवेष्वमृतमजुर्यम् ॥

Sasarparī, pressing back the unright mind, measured out the Vast; given by Jamadagni, the daughter of the Sun extended among the gods an immortal, unaging glory of hearing.

Mantra 16

ससर्परीरभरत्तूयमेभ्योऽधि श्रवः पाञ्चजन्यासु कृष्टिषु । सा पक्ष्या नव्यमायुर्दधाना यां मे पलस्तिजमदग्नयो ददुः ॥

Sasarparī swiftly brought and set the inspired hearing-glory upon the fivefold peoples; she, winged, establishing a new life-force—she whom the Palasti-Jamadagnis have given to me.

Mantra 17

स्थिरौ गावौ भवतां वीळुरक्षो मेषा वि वर्हि मा युगं वि शारि । इन्द्रः पातल्ये ददतां शरीतोररिष्टनेमे अभि नः सचस्व ॥

May the two powers (the yoked energies) be firm; may the axle be strong; let not the traces slip, let not the yoke be shattered. May Indra grant stability on the uneven path; O unbroken-naved one, join to us and move with us.

Mantra 18

बलं धेहि तनूषु नो बलमिन्द्रानळुत्सु नः । बलं तोकाय तनयाय जीवसे त्वं हि बलदा असि ॥

Put strength into our embodied being, O Indra—strength in our unbroken energies; strength for the child and the growing soul for the sake of living: for thou indeed art the giver of strength.

Mantra 19

अभि व्ययस्व खदिरस्य सारमोजो धेहि स्पन्दने शिंशपायाम् । अक्ष वीळो वीळित वीळयस्व मा यामादस्मादव जीहिपो नः ॥

Spread out and take up the essence of the khadira; set force into the vibrating movement in the śiṃśapā-wood. O axle, be firm—firmly fixed, strengthen thy firmness; do not slip away from this course; do not abandon us, O holder of the movement.

Mantra 20

अयमस्मान्वनस्पतिर्मा च हा मा च रीरिषत् । स्वस्त्या गृहेभ्य आवसा आ विमोचनात् ॥

May this Lord of the Forest guard us—let him not abandon, let him not harm. With well-being may he bring us to our inner homes, with protection, with release from every binding.

Mantra 21

इन्द्रोतिभिर्बहुलाभिर्नो अद्य याच्छ्रेष्ठाभिर्मघवञ्छूर जिन्व । यो नो द्वेष्ट्यधरः सस्पदीष्ट यमु द्विष्मस्तमु प्राणो जहातु ॥

May Indra today come to us with his many helps, with the best aids; O Maghavan, O hero, set us in the forward surge. Whoever hates us, low in consciousness—let him fall away; whom we oppose, let his very breath abandon him.

Mantra 22

परशुं चिद्वि तपति शिम्बलं चिद्वि वृश्चति । उखा चिदिन्द्र येषन्ती प्रयस्ता फेनमस्यति ॥

Even an axe she makes blaze; even a śimbala she cuts apart. Even the hearth-pot, O Indra, when driven forward and set to work, flings out the froth—so may thy force make the inert instruments active and victorious in our being.

Mantra 23

न सायकस्य चिकिते जनासो लोधं नयन्ति पशु मन्यमानाः । नावाजिनं वाजिना हासयन्ति न गर्दभं पुरो अश्वान्नयन्ति ॥

Men of discernment do not take the dull-witted one as their guide, imagining him to be a leader. They do not let the strong be mocked by the strong; they do not place the donkey in front of the horses. (So too in the inner march, ignorance must not lead the powers of progress.)

Mantra 24

इम इन्द्र भरतस्य पुत्रा अपपित्वं चिकितुर्न प्रपित्वम् । हिन्वन्त्यश्वमरणं न नित्यं ज्यावाजं परि णयन्त्याजौ ॥

These sons of Bharata, O Indra, have learned the art of not falling away, not of decline. They drive the horse that does not grow weary, not the one that is constantly failing; in the battle they lead around the bow-strong force of plenitude toward victory.