Sukta 1

Mantra 1

मा चिदन्यद्वि शंसत सखायो मा रिषण्यत । इन्द्रमित्स्तोता वृषणं सचा सुते मुहुरुक्था च शंसत ॥

Speak of nothing else, O comrades; do not fall away into harm. Praise Indra alone—the Mighty Bull—together with the pressed Soma; again and again utter the hymns, so the force in us grows and is upheld.

Mantra 2

अवक्रक्षिणं वृषभं यथाजुरं गां न चर्षणीसहम् । विद्वेषणं संवननोभयंकरं मंहिष्ठमुभयाविनम् ॥

Indra is the Bull who drives down the hostile pressure, untiring in his rush, overpowering like a strong beast among the peoples. He dissolves enmities, he compels union, he can bring fear to both sides, yet he is the most bountiful—holding and fulfilling both powers in us when we turn to him.

Mantra 3

यच्चिद्धि त्वा जना इमे नाना हवन्त ऊतये । अस्माकं ब्रह्मेदमिन्द्र भूतु तेऽहा विश्वा च वर्धनम् ॥

Even though these peoples call you in many ways for help, let this our word of truth, O Indra, become yours—today and always—an increasing of the whole being.

Mantra 4

वि तर्तूर्यन्ते मघवन्विपश्चितोऽर्यो विपो जनानाम् । उप क्रमस्व पुरुरूपमा भर वाजं नेदिष्ठमूतये ॥

They press forward in their striving, O Maghavan—those seers of insight, the noble inspired among men. Step near in your many forms; bring to us the vāja, the plenitude of force, nearest for our uplift and protection.

Mantra 5

महे चन त्वामद्रिवः परा शुल्काय देयाम् । न सहस्राय नायुताय वज्रिवो न शताय शतामघ ॥

Even for a great price, O holder of the stone, I would not give you away—neither for a thousand nor for ten thousand, O wielder of the thunder; not even for a hundred, O lord of a hundred riches. You are the indispensable force of the soul’s victory.

Mantra 6

वस्याँ इन्द्रासि मे पितुरुत भ्रातुरभुञ्जतः । माता च मे छदयथः समा वसो वसुत्वनाय राधसे ॥

O Indra, you are dearer to me than father and than brother who shares the enjoyment; you are also as a mother who covers and shelters. O Vasu, be with me for the gaining of true wealth—fullness of being and accomplished felicity.

Mantra 7

क्वेयथ क्वेदसि पुरुत्रा चिद्धि ते मनः । अलर्षि युध्म खजकृत्पुरंदर प्र गायत्रा अगासिषुः ॥

Where indeed do you set your movement, and where do you truly abide? For your consciousness ranges in many directions. O impetuous warrior, breaker of enclosures, the Gayatrī-powers have surged forth in song toward you, to awaken your force within us.

Mantra 8

प्रास्मै गायत्रमर्चत वावातुर्यः पुरंदरः । याभिः काण्वस्योप बर्हिरासदं यासद्वज्री भिनत्पुरः ॥

Offer to him the Gayatrī-hymn—the swift-rushing breaker of enclosures—by whose powers he comes near to the Kāṇva’s seat upon the sacred grass; the wielder of the thunder-force arrives and splits the closed holds.

Mantra 9

ये ते सन्ति दशग्विनः शतिनो ये सहस्रिणः । अश्वासो ये ते वृषणो रघुद्रुवस्तेभिर्नस्तूयमा गहि ॥

Those of your powers that are tenfold, those that are hundredfold, those that are thousandfold; those swift stallions of yours, strong and firmly-driven—come quickly to us with them, for our upliftment.

Mantra 10

आ त्वद्य सबर्दुघां हुवे गायत्रवेपसम् । इन्द्रं धेनुं सुदुघामन्यामिषमुरुधारामरंकृतम् ॥

Today I call you, the abundant-milking power, the Gayatrī-impelled. I call Indra as a cow of plenitude, a well-milking Nourishment—another and wider stream of force, made ready for our being.

Mantra 11

यत्तुदत्सूर एतशं वङ्कू वातस्य पर्णिना । वहत्कुत्समार्जुनेयं शतक्रतुः त्सरद्गन्धर्वमस्तृतम् ॥

When the Sun’s goad drives the Etaśa, and the wind-wing bears him onward—then Śatakratu, carrying Kutsa the Ārjuneya, passes beyond the unspread Gandharva, crossing the subtle limit that would bind the journey.

Mantra 12

य ऋते चिदभिश्रिषः पुरा जत्रुभ्य आतृदः । संधाता संधिं मघवा पुरूवसुरिष्कर्ता विह्रुतं पुनः ॥

He who, even without the usual supports, long ago struck down the oppressions that weigh upon the shoulders—Maghavan, rich in many treasures, is the joiner who remakes the broken junction; he restores again what has been dislocated in us.

Mantra 13

मा भूम निष्ट्या इवेन्द्र त्वदरणा इव । वनानि न प्रजहितान्यद्रिवो दुरोषासो अमन्महि ॥

Let us not become as those who are cast out, O Indra—nor like the lost ones separated from you; not like forests left forsaken. O wielder of the stone-force, we have held ourselves as those who seek your shelter and do not abandon the path.

Mantra 14

अमन्महीदनाशवोऽनुग्रासश्च वृत्रहन् । सकृत्सु ते महता शूर राधसा अनु स्तोमं मुदीमहि ॥

We have held ourselves not failing in the race, and able to follow; O slayer of obstruction, even once, by your great bounty, O hero, we rejoice along the hymn—carried by your largeness into gladness.

Mantra 15

यदि स्तोमं मम श्रवदस्माकमिन्द्रमिन्दवः । तिरः पवित्रं ससृवांस आशवो मन्दन्तु तुग्र्यावृधः ॥

If he hears my hymn—our Indra—then may the Soma-streams, swift in their flow, running through the purifier, gladden him; may the Tūgrya-strengthening raptures increase, uplifting the inner warrior.

Mantra 16

आ त्वद्य सधस्तुतिं वावातुः सख्युरा गहि । उपस्तुतिर्मघोनां प्र त्वावत्वधा ते वश्मि सुष्टुतिम् ॥

Come today to our steady praise, O swift one, as a friend. Let the near-praise of the givers lead you forward; then I would win for you a well-shaped hymn, establishing your force in us by right utterance.

Mantra 17

सोता हि सोममद्रिभिरेमेनमप्सु धावत । गव्या वस्त्रेव वासयन्त इन्नरो निर्धुक्षन्वक्षणाभ्यः ॥

For the presser indeed, with the pressing-stones, washes this Soma in the waters; and the men, clothing it as with a cow-born garment, draw it forth and make it flow out from the vats—so the delight is purified into a form fit for the god within us.

Mantra 18

अध ज्मो अध वा दिवो बृहतो रोचनादधि । अया वर्धस्व तन्वा गिरा ममा जाता सुक्रतो पृण ॥

Then, whether from earth here or from the wide shining realm of heaven, grow by this—by my word and by thy body; O well-willed Power, once born in us, fill us with thy plenitude.

Mantra 19

इन्द्राय सु मदिन्तमं सोमं सोता वरेण्यम् । शक्र एणं पीपयद्विश्वया धिया हिन्वानं न वाजयुम् ॥

Press for Indra the most rousing Soma, worthy of choice; may the Strong One make it swell in us with the all-embracing thought, driving it forward like a seeker of plenitude-force.

Mantra 20

मा त्वा सोमस्य गल्दया सदा याचन्नहं गिरा । भूर्णिं मृगं न सवनेषु चुक्रुधं क ईशानं न याचिषत् ॥

May I not always beg thee with the scant measure of Soma, with my speech; lest I provoke thee in the pressings like a restless wild creature—for who would not entreat the Lord of mastery?

Mantra 21

मदेनेषितं मदमुग्रमुग्रेण शवसा । विश्वेषां तरुतारं मदच्युतं मदे हि ष्मा ददाति नः ॥

A fierce ecstasy driven by ecstasy, by a fierce power of strength—he, the overcomer of all, whose delight does not fall away: in the rapture indeed he surely gives to us.

Mantra 22

शेवारे वार्या पुरु देवो मर्ताय दाशुषे । स सुन्वते च स्तुवते च रासते विश्वगूर्तो अरिष्टुतः ॥

Many are the desirable boons, gracious and saving, which the god gives to the mortal who offers; he grants to the presser and to the praiser—he whom all acclaim, unhurt and unassailed by hostile praise.

Mantra 23

एन्द्र याहि मत्स्व चित्रेण देव राधसा । सरो न प्रास्युदरं सपीतिभिरा सोमेभिरुरु स्फिरम् ॥

O Indra, come and take thy joy by thy shining bounty; like a lake filling its belly, fill wide and firm with Soma-draughts taken together in comradeship.

Mantra 24

आ त्वा सहस्रमा शतं युक्ता रथे हिरण्यये । ब्रह्मयुजो हरय इन्द्र केशिनो वहन्तु सोमपीतये ॥

A thousand and a hundred yoked—may they bring thee on the golden chariot: the tawny steeds, joined to the brahman, maned with power, O Indra, to the drinking of Soma.

Mantra 25

आ त्वा रथे हिरण्यये हरी मयूरशेप्या । शितिपृष्ठा वहतां मध्वो अन्धसो विवक्षणस्य पीतये ॥

May the two tawny ones bring thee on the golden chariot, with peacock-like beauty; dapple-backed, let them carry thee to the drinking of the honeyed Soma-essence, the wide-uttered delight.

Mantra 26

पिबा त्वस्य गिर्वणः सुतस्य पूर्वपा इव । परिष्कृतस्य रसिन इयमासुतिश्चारुर्मदाय पत्यते ॥

Drink then of this pressed Soma, O lord of the word, as one who has drunk before; of the well-prepared, sapful essence—this fair libation is ready and strives toward ecstasy.

Mantra 27

य एको अस्ति दंसना महाँ उग्रो अभि व्रतैः । गमत्स शिप्री न स योषदा गमद्धवं न परि वर्जति ॥

He who is One—mighty in his effective power and fierce in the force of his law—may he come. Like the radiant-lipped one, he consents; he comes to the call and does not turn away from our invocation, as a steadfast support that does not circle aside.

Mantra 28

त्वं पुरं चरिष्ण्वं वधैः शुष्णस्य सं पिणक् । त्वं भा अनु चरो अध द्विता यदिन्द्र हव्यो भुवः ॥

Thou didst shatter with thy strokes the moving stronghold of Śuṣṇa. Thou didst follow after the Light; and then again, O Indra, thou becomest one to be invoked—returning for the offering when the call is made.

Mantra 29

मम त्वा सूर उदिते मम मध्यंदिने दिवः । मम प्रपित्वे अपिशर्वरे वसवा स्तोमासो अवृत्सत ॥

Mine are the hymns that choose thee at the Sun’s uprising; mine at the mid-day of heaven; mine in the approaching dusk and in the enfolding night: O Vasu, the chants have turned themselves to thee, taking thee for their home.

Mantra 30

स्तुहि स्तुहीदेते घा ते मंहिष्ठासो मघोनाम् । निन्दिताश्वः प्रपथी परमज्या मघस्य मेध्यातिथे ॥

Praise, praise indeed—these are thy most bountiful powers of the generous. O Medhyātithi, press forward on the path: the ‘horses’ that were blamed become the highest yokings when the force of the Gift is rightly kindled in us.

Mantra 31

आ यदश्वान्वनन्वतः श्रद्धयाहं रथे रुहम् । उत वामस्य वसुनश्चिकेतति यो अस्ति याद्वः पशुः ॥

When the conquering horses are brought near, with faith I mount the chariot. And I discern the desirable treasure: the living wealth that is ours—an inner possession that knows its way.

Mantra 32

य ऋज्रा मह्यं मामहे सह त्वचा हिरण्यया । एष विश्वान्यभ्यस्तु सौभगासङ्गस्य स्वनद्रथः ॥

He who is straight and luminous, whom I magnify for my good, together with his golden covering—may this one prevail over all things: the chariot that resounds, bearer of fortunate attachment to the divine plenitude.

Mantra 33

अध प्लायोगिरति दासदन्यानासङ्गो अग्ने दशभिः सहस्रैः । अधोक्षणो दश मह्यं रुशन्तो नळा इव सरसो निरतिष्ठन् ॥

Then Plāyogi, passing beyond, bestowed—O Agni—ten thousands to Āsaṅga. Then ten bright bulls were set forth for me, like reeds rising out from a lake: energies emerging from the depth into the open.

Mantra 34

अन्वस्य स्थूरं ददृशे पुरस्तादनस्थ ऊरुरवरम्बमाणः । शश्वती नार्यभिचक्ष्याह सुभद्रमर्य भोजनं बिभर्षि ॥

I saw his massive form in front, as he leaned down with a firm thigh, unshaken. A constant woman, seeing him, spoke: ‘O noble one, thou bearest a fortunate nourishment’—the sustaining fullness that supports the journey.