Sukta 12

Mantra 1

य इन्द्र सोमपातमो मदः शविष्ठ चेतति । येना हंसि न्यत्रिणं तमीमहे ॥

That ecstasy, O Indra—most perfect in the drinking of Soma—by which, O most puissant, your consciousness is kindled, and by which you strike down and cast away the devourer of light: that very power of yours we seek.

Mantra 2

येना दशग्वमध्रिगुं वेपयन्तं स्वर्णरम् । येना समुद्रमाविथा तमीमहे ॥

That power by which you stirred into trembling the Daśagva, the firm-held one who brings the light, and that power by which you helped across the oceanic foundation—this very might of yours we seek.

Mantra 3

येन सिन्धुं महीरपो रथाँ इव प्रचोदयः । पन्थामृतस्य यातवे तमीमहे ॥

That power by which you drove the great waters of the river like chariots in their surge, opening the path for the journey of ṛta—this very force of yours we seek.

Mantra 4

इमं स्तोममभिष्टये घृतं न पूतमद्रिवः । येना नु सद्य ओजसा ववक्षिथ ॥

For our victory and right attainment, accept this hymn, clarified like purified ghee, O wielder of the pressing-stone; by it may you at once grow strong in force and bear us forward.

Mantra 5

इमं जुषस्व गिर्वणः समुद्र इव पिन्वते । इन्द्र विश्वाभिरूतिभिर्ववक्षिथ ॥

Take delight in this (hymn), O Indra, lover of the word; like an ocean that swells, may you grow full—Indra—by all your powers of help and protection.

Mantra 6

यो नो देवः परावतः सखित्वनाय मामहे । दिवो न वृष्टिं प्रथयन्ववक्षिथ ॥

The god whom we call from the far reaches for friendship—spreading like the rain of heaven—may he grow mightily and widen his outpouring for us.

Mantra 7

ववक्षुरस्य केतवो उत वज्रो गभस्त्योः । यत्सूर्यो न रोदसी अवर्धयत् ॥

His rays grew, and also the thunderbolt in his hands, when—like the Sun—he made the two worlds widen and increase.

Mantra 8

यदि प्रवृद्ध सत्पते सहस्रं महिषाँ अघः । आदित्त इन्द्रियं महि प्र वावृधे ॥

If, O greatly increased lord of the true, you have smitten a thousand violent assailants, then indeed your indriya—your sovereign power—has grown vast and mighty.

Mantra 9

इन्द्रः सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिर्न्यर्शसानमोषति । अग्निर्वनेव सासहिः प्र वावृधे ॥

Indra, with the Sun’s rays, dries up and withers the creeping obscurity; and Agni, like a conquering force in the forest, grows mightily.

Mantra 10

इयं त ऋत्वियावती धीतिरेति नवीयसी । सपर्यन्ती पुरुप्रिया मिमीत इत् ॥

This ever-new thought of yours, rich in the right season and the law of the rite, moves forward—adoring and dear to many; it indeed measures out (for us) the true portions.

Mantra 11

गर्भो यज्ञस्य देवयुः क्रतुं पुनीत आनुषक् । स्तोमैरिन्द्रस्य वावृधे मिमीत इत् ॥

The divine-seeking embryo of the sacrifice purifies the will (kratu) continually; by the hymns it increases Indra’s power—and truly it measures out the right formation.

Mantra 12

सनिर्मित्रस्य पप्रथ इन्द्रः सोमस्य पीतये । प्राची वाशीव सुन्वते मिमीत इत् ॥

The gaining power in the harmony of Mitra has spread out; Indra (moves) for the drinking of Soma—pressing forward like a calling cry toward the presser; truly he measures out the attainment.

Mantra 13

यं विप्रा उक्थवाहसोऽभिप्रमन्दुरायवः । घृतं न पिप्य आसन्यृतस्य यत् ॥

He whom the seers, bearers of the uplifted word, seeking the way, gladden and press toward—he has drunk as it were the clarified ghee: the thunder-seat of ṛta, that (foundation) of Truth-Order.

Mantra 14

उत स्वराजे अदितिः स्तोममिन्द्राय जीजनत् । पुरुप्रशस्तमूतय ऋतस्य यत् ॥

And Aditi, for the self-ruling One, has brought forth a hymn for Indra—much-praised, for help: that which belongs to ṛta, the true order.

Mantra 15

अभि वह्नय ऊतयेऽनूषत प्रशस्तये । न देव विव्रता हरी ऋतस्य यत् ॥

The bearers of the flame have cried out toward help, toward praise; O god, your two tawny steeds do not deviate from the law—(they move) in that of ṛta.

Mantra 16

यत्सोममिन्द्र विष्णवि यद्वा घ त्रित आप्त्ये । यद्वा मरुत्सु मन्दसे समिन्दुभिः ॥

Whether you take delight in Soma, O Indra, in the wide stride of Vishnu, or with Trita Āptya, or among the Maruts—may you rejoice together with the drops (of delight) here.

Mantra 17

यद्वा शक्र परावति समुद्रे अधि मन्दसे । अस्माकमित्सुते रणा समिन्दुभिः ॥

Or if, O Shakra, far away upon the ocean you take delight—yet in our pressed Soma, O fighter, rejoice together with the drops.

Mantra 18

यद्वासि सुन्वतो वृधो यजमानस्य सत्पते । उक्थे वा यस्य रण्यसि समिन्दुभिः ॥

Or if you are the increaser of the presser, O lord of the true, of the sacrificer—if in his uktha you take joy—then rejoice here together with the drops.

Mantra 19

देवंदेवं वोऽवस इन्द्रमिन्द्रं गृणीषणि । अधा यज्ञाय तुर्वणे व्यानशुः ॥

For your succour we would praise Indra again and again, the god ever anew; then, for the sacrifice that hastens onward, they have widely attained (the opening).

Mantra 20

यज्ञेभिर्यज्ञवाहसं सोमेभिः सोमपातमम् । होत्राभिरिन्द्रं वावृधुर्व्यानशुः ॥

By the inner sacrifices they increase Indra, the Bearer of the offering; by the soma-powers they widen him as the most perfect drinker of delight; by the calling-energies they make him grow and enter fully into manifestation.

Mantra 21

महीरस्य प्रणीतयः पूर्वीरुत प्रशस्तयः । विश्वा वसूनि दाशुषे व्यानशुः ॥

Vast are his leadings and his ancient guidances, and great too are his affirming praises; to the giver they bring and make manifest all riches of being.

Mantra 22

इन्द्रं वृत्राय हन्तवे देवासो दधिरे पुरः । इन्द्रं वाणीरनूषता समोजसे ॥

The gods set Indra in front to slay the Coverer; and the inspired utterances chanted Indra into union with force—so that the power may be gathered and made effective.

Mantra 23

महान्तं महिना वयं स्तोमेभिर्हवनश्रुतम् । अर्कैरभि प्र णोनुमः समोजसे ॥

Him the Vast, great by his greatness, the Hearer of our call, we press forward with hymns; with illumined chants we drive him on and make him gather into effective force.

Mantra 24

न यं विविक्तो रोदसी नान्तरिक्षाणि वज्रिणम् । अमादिदस्य तित्विषे समोजसः ॥

Not the two worlds can set him apart, nor the mid-regions separate the wielder of the thunderbolt; from his very birth his blazing intensity gathers into a single force.

Mantra 25

यदिन्द्र पृतनाज्ये देवास्त्वा दधिरे पुरः । आदित्ते हर्यता हरी ववक्षतुः ॥

When, O Indra, in the pressing of the battle the gods set you in front, then indeed your two eager bay steeds bore you forward.

Mantra 26

यदा वृत्रं नदीवृतं शवसा वज्रिन्नवधीः । आदित्ते हर्यता हरी ववक्षतुः ॥

When you, O thunderbolt-bearer, by your force struck down Vṛtra who had hemmed in the rivers, then indeed your eager bay steeds bore you onward.

Mantra 27

यदा ते विष्णुरोजसा त्रीणि पदा विचक्रमे । आदित्ते हर्यता हरी ववक्षतुः ॥

When for you Viṣṇu by his force strode out the three steps, then indeed your eager bay steeds bore you onward.

Mantra 28

यदा ते हर्यता हरी वावृधाते दिवेदिवे । आदित्ते विश्वा भुवनानि येमिरे ॥

When your eager bay steeds increase day by day, then indeed all worlds are held and ordered by you.

Mantra 29

यदा ते मारुतीर्विशस्तुभ्यमिन्द्र नियेमिरे । आदित्ते विश्वा भुवनानि येमिरे ॥

When the Marut-hosts, the peoples of the storm-force, yoke themselves to you, O Indra, then indeed all worlds are held and harmonized by you.

Mantra 30

यदा सूर्यममुं दिवि शुक्रं ज्योतिरधारयः । आदित्ते विश्वा भुवनानि येमिरे ॥

When thou didst set that Sun—pure luminous Light—firmly in the heaven of the being, then indeed all the worlds and states of existence came to their right order and restraint under thy power.

Mantra 31

इमां त इन्द्र सुष्टुतिं विप्र इयर्ति धीतिभिः । जामिं पदेव पिप्रतीं प्राध्वरे ॥

This well-shaped hymn of praise for thee, O Indra, the seer sets in motion by his inspired thoughts—nourishing it step by step like a kinsman—forward in the course of the inner sacrifice.

Mantra 32

यदस्य धामनि प्रिये समीचीनासो अस्वरन् । नाभा यज्ञस्य दोहना प्राध्वरे ॥

When, in his beloved seat of power, the rightly-turned ones sounded forth together—then the milch-cows of the sacrifice at its navel yielded their streams, pressing forward in the sacrificial movement.

Mantra 33

सुवीर्यं स्वश्व्यं सुगव्यमिन्द्र दद्धि नः । होतेव पूर्वचित्तये प्राध्वरे ॥

Give us, O Indra, the good heroic power, the good force of the steed, the good wealth of the luminous herds—like a Hotṛ of ancient knowing, set it forward for us in the sacrificial journey.