Sukta 18

Mantra 1

त्वे ह यत्पितरश्चिन्न इन्द्र विश्वा वामा जरितारो असन्वन् । त्वे गावः सुदुघास्त्वे ह्यश्वास्त्वं वसु देवयते वनिष्ठः ॥

In you indeed, O Indra, even our fathers found all desirable boons as singers. In you are the cows of rich yield and in you the horses of force; you are the wealth most to be won by the one who seeks the divine.

Mantra 2

राजेव हि जनिभिः क्षेष्येवाव द्युभिरभि विदुष्कविः सन् । पिशा गिरो मघवन्गोभिरश्वैस्त्वायतः शिशीहि राये अस्मान् ॥

As a king among peoples you rule; as a knower, a seer, you encompass by your luminous days. O bountiful one, with brightening words, with cows and horses, sharpen us—turn us toward plenitude of being and spiritual wealth.

Mantra 3

इमा उ त्वा पस्पृधानासो अत्र मन्द्रा गिरो देवयन्तीरुप स्थुः । अर्वाची ते पथ्या राय एतु स्याम ते सुमताविन्द्र शर्मन् ॥

These inspired utterances, eager to reach the Divine, press towards you here, O Indra, with a glad force. May the rightful path of plenitude turn towards us; may we abide in your luminous goodwill, in your sheltering peace.

Mantra 4

धेनुं न त्वा सूयवसे दुदुक्षन्नुप ब्रह्माणि ससृजे वसिष्ठः । त्वामिन्मे गोपतिं विश्व आहा न इन्द्रः सुमतिं गन्त्वच्छ ॥

As one milks a cow for rich pasture, so Vasiṣṭha has pressed out and set forth the mantras towards you. All proclaim you as the lord of the rays (cows of light); may Indra come to us with the grace of right understanding.

Mantra 5

अर्णांसि चित्पप्रथाना सुदास इन्द्रो गाधान्यकृणोत्सुपारा । शर्धन्तं शिम्युमुचथस्य नव्यः शापं सिन्धूनामकृणोदशस्तीः ॥

Even when the flood-waters had spread wide, Indra for Sudās made the fords and the safe crossings. He, ever new in his inspired utterance, subdued the hostile Śimyu who pressed in ranks, and turned the curse of the rivers into a movement that cannot malign.

Mantra 6

पुरोळा इत्तुर्वशो यक्षुरासीद्राये मत्स्यासो निशिता अपीव । श्रुष्टिं चक्रुर्भृगवो द्रुह्यवश्च सखा सखायमतरद्विषूचोः ॥

Turvaśa and Yakṣu became as the offering-cake itself for the gaining of plenitude; the Matsyas, sharpened like a blade, moved as if to drink it in. The Bhṛgus and the Druhyus raised the clamor of assault; friend crossed beyond friend amid the diverging currents of conflict.

Mantra 7

आ पक्थासो भलानसो भनन्तालिनासो विषाणिनः शिवासः । आ योऽनयत्सधमा आर्यस्य गव्या तृत्सुभ्यो अजगन्युधा नॄन् ॥

The Pakthas, the Bhalānas, the Alinas, the horn-bearing Śivas pressed on. But he who led forth the comrades of the Arya—bringing the luminous herds—made men come to the Tṛtsus for the battle.

Mantra 8

दुराध्यो अदितिं स्रेवयन्तोऽचेतसो वि जगृभ्रे परुष्णीम् । मह्नाविव्यक्पृथिवीं पत्यमानः पशुष्कविरशयच्चायमानः ॥

Hard to master, they sought to violate Aditi; without right awareness they seized the Paruṣṇī apart. But he, by greatness, made earth wide and held mastery; the seer, though as if a bound beast, laid low the assailant even while being pursued.

Mantra 9

ईयुरर्थं न न्यर्थं परुष्णीमाशुश्चनेदभिपित्वं जगाम । सुदास इन्द्रः सुतुकाँ अमित्रानरन्धयन्मानुषे वध्रिवाचः ॥

They moved for the true aim, not for the aimless; swiftly indeed they came to the near-settlement by the Paruṣṇī. For Sudās, Indra subdued the well-striking foes, silencing in the human field the voices that speak division and mutilation.

Mantra 10

ईयुर्गावो न यवसादगोपा यथाकृतमभि मित्रं चितासः । पृश्निगावः पृश्निनिप्रेषितासः श्रुष्टिं चक्रुर्नियुतो रन्तयश्च ॥

They moved like cattle from the pasture, unguided; by what was done they pressed even upon Mitra, the luminous-minded. Spotted with mixed impulses, driven by the spotted force, they made the assault; yoked together, the Rantayas too joined the clamor.

Mantra 11

एकं च यो विंशतिं च श्रवस्या वैकर्णयोर्जनान्राजा न्यस्तः । दस्मो न सद्मन्नि शिशाति बर्हिः शूरः सर्गमकृणोदिन्द्र एषाम् ॥

He who set down the king—one and twenty—of the Vaikarṇa peoples, for the winning of fame. Like a wonder-worker in the home he lays the sacred seat in order; Indra the hero made for them the casting-forth, the decisive release.

Mantra 12

अध श्रुतं कवषं वृद्धमप्स्वनु द्रुह्युं नि वृणग्वज्रबाहुः । वृणाना अत्र सख्याय सख्यं त्वायन्तो ये अमदन्ननु त्वा ॥

Then the thunder-armed chose out Druhyu in the waters, and cast down the famed old Kavaṣa. Here, choosing friendship for friendship, they came to you; those who delighted followed after you in the wake of your force.

Mantra 13

वि सद्यो विश्वा दृंहितान्येषामिन्द्रः पुरः सहसा सप्त दर्दः । व्यानवस्य तृत्सवे गयं भाग्जेष्म पूरुं विदथे मृध्रवाचम् ॥

Indra, by his force, breaks at once all the hardened strongholds before them—sevenfold barriers of the obstructing powers. For the striving Tṛtsu-soul he wins the ‘Gaya’ (the field of life-energy) as a share; and in the assembly of consciousness he overcomes Pūru, the one of perverse and hostile speech.

Mantra 14

नि गव्यवोऽनवो द्रुह्यवश्च षष्टिः शता सुषुपुः षट् सहस्रा । षष्टिर्वीरासो अधि षड्दुवोयु विश्वेदिन्द्रस्य वीर्या कृतानि ॥

The gavyas, the anavas, and the druhyus—whole masses—are cast down into sleep and inertia, thousands upon thousands. These are indeed Indra’s accomplished hero-powers: he stills the violent impulsions and reduces the hostile multitudes to powerless quiet.

Mantra 15

इन्द्रेणैते तृत्सवो वेविषाणा आपो न सृष्टा अधवन्त नीचीः । दुर्मित्रासः प्रकलविन्मिमाना जहुर्विश्वानि भोजना सुदासे ॥

With Indra these Tṛtsus, exulting in the surge of power, rushed downward upon the lower planes like released waters. The ill-allied forces, measuring out crookedly, abandon all their enjoyments and capacities of nourishment to Sudās—the good giver—within the being.

Mantra 16

अर्धं वीरस्य शृतपामनिन्द्रं परा शर्धन्तं नुनुदे अभि क्षाम् । इन्द्रो मन्युं मन्युम्यो मिमाय भेजे पथो वर्तनिं पत्यमानः ॥

Indra drove back the half-strength of the warrior—those who are without the Indra-force—pressing upon the earth-field. He measured out wrath against wrath, and, mastering the ways, he took his chosen path and movement of advance.

Mantra 17

आध्रेण चित्तद्वेकं चकार सिंह्यं चित्पेत्वेना जघान । अव स्रक्तीर्वेश्यावृश्चदिन्द्रः प्रायच्छद्विश्वा भोजना सुदासे ॥

Even with the ‘weak’ instrument he made it a single decisive act; even the leonine force he struck down with a mere blow. Indra cut away the hanging fetters of the common life and delivered all the powers of enjoyment and nourishment to Sudās, the right giver in us.

Mantra 18

शश्वन्तो हि शत्रवो रारधुष्टे भेदस्य चिच्छर्धतो विन्द रन्धिम् । मर्ताँ एनः स्तुवतो यः कृणोति तिग्मं तस्मिन्नि जहि वज्रमिन्द्र ॥

For the enemies are persistent and they press you; even in the breaking they swarm—find for us the cleft, the opening. Whoever among mortals brings sin upon the one who hymns, on him strike down the sharp thunder-force, O Indra.

Mantra 19

आवदिन्द्रं यमुना तृत्सवश्च प्रात्र भेदं सर्वताता मुषायत् । अजासश्च शिग्रवो यक्षवश्च बलिं शीर्षाणि जभ्रुरश्व्यानि ॥

The Yamunā and the striving Tṛtsus brought Indra’s help; here Sarvatātā stole away the breaking (the means of division) from the foe. The Ajās, the Śigrus, and the Yakṣus brought tribute—heads and swift horse-powers—yielding their vital strengths to the victorious order.

Mantra 20

न त इन्द्र सुमतयो न रायः संचक्षे पूर्वा उषसो न नूत्नाः । देवकं चिन्मान्यमानं जघन्थाव त्मना बृहतः शम्बरं भेत् ॥

O Indra, your good discernments and your plenitudes are not exhausted—like the dawns, ever ancient and ever new. Even Devaka, who deemed himself great, you struck down; and by your own vast self you broke Śambara, the massive enclosure.

Mantra 21

प्र ये गृहादममदुस्त्वाया पराशरः शतयातुर्वसिष्ठः । न ते भोजस्य सख्यं मृषन्ताधा सूरिभ्यः सुदिना व्युच्छान् ॥

Those who, from the home of being, have gladdened you—Parāśara and Vasiṣṭha of the hundred pathways—do not violate your friendship with the Lord of enjoyment. Then may bright days dawn wide for the seers, the leaders of the journey.

Mantra 22

द्वे नप्तुर्देववतः शते गोर्द्वा रथा वधूमन्ता सुदासः । अर्हन्नग्ने पैजवनस्य दानं होतेव सद्म पर्येमि रेभन् ॥

Sudās wins two hundreds of luminous cows from the divine-minded descendant, and two chariots rich with brides—powers of fulfilled union. O Agni, I honor the gift of Paijavana; like a priest I move around the sacred seat, singing the inspired word.

Mantra 23

चत्वारो मा पैजवनस्य दानाः स्मद्दिष्टयः कृशनिनो निरेके । ऋज्रासो मा पृथिविष्ठाः सुदासस्तोकं तोकाय श्रवसे वहन्ति ॥

Four are the gifts of Paijavana that bear me forward—well-directed, keen-edged energies in the decisive separation. The straight-going, earth-founded powers of Sudās carry for me the ‘child’ of the soul, for the child’s growth and for the widening of luminous fame.

Mantra 24

यस्य श्रवो रोदसी अन्तरुर्वी शीर्ष्णेशीर्ष्णे विबभाजा विभक्ता । सप्तेदिन्द्रं न स्रवतो गृणन्ति नि युध्यामधिमशिशादभीके ॥

Indra—whose inspired renown fills the two worlds within their vastness, distributing its mastery from summit to summit—seven seers praise him like flowing streams. In the close encounter he has pressed down the battling assailant and made the conflict yield.

Mantra 25

इमं नरो मरुतः सश्चतानु दिवोदासं न पितरं सुदासः । अविष्टना पैजवनस्य केतं दूणाशं क्षत्रमजरं दुवोयु ॥

O Maruts, O strong ones, accompany this Sudās as sons follow a father, even as (men) follow Divodāsa. You have willed into being the banner-sign of Paijavana—an unbroken, unconquered sovereignty, ageless, eager for the work of offering and service.