Sukta 77

Mantra 1

जज्ञानो नु शतक्रतुर्वि पृच्छदिति मातरम् । क उग्राः के ह शृण्विरे ॥

New-born, the hundred-powered Will (Indra) questioned his Mother within: “Who are the formidable ones, who indeed will hear (my call)?”—as if seeking the allies of the true battle.

Mantra 2

आदीं शवस्यब्रवीदौर्णवाभमहीशुवम् । ते पुत्र सन्तु निष्टुरः ॥

Then the mighty Mother spoke of him—‘the wool-webbed, the serpent-impelling’: “Let those, my son, become your overthrowers of resistance, your sure conquerors.”

Mantra 3

समित्तान्वृत्रहाखिदत्खे अराँ इव खेदया । प्रवृद्धो दस्युहाभवत् ॥

Then the Vṛtra-slayer pressed upon them and wore them down, as one grinds the spokes in the axle-space; growing in force, he became the slayer of the Dasyu within.

Mantra 4

एकया प्रतिधापिबत्साकं सरांसि त्रिंशतम् । इन्द्रः सोमस्य काणुका ॥

Indra, the keen one, drank the Soma by a single steady arrangement, together (in one act) thirty streams—taking into himself a vast plenitude of delight-force.

Mantra 5

अभि गन्धर्वमतृणदबुध्नेषु रजस्स्वा । इन्द्रो ब्रह्मभ्य इद्वृधे ॥

Indra overthrew the Gandharva in the bottomless spaces of the worlds; and for the seers’ sacred word he grows—expanding as the protector and fulfiller of the mantra.

Mantra 6

निराविध्यद्गिरिभ्य आ धारयत्पक्वमोदनम् । इन्द्रो बुन्दं स्वाततम् ॥

Indra drilled it out from the mountains and brought forth the cooked nourishment; he won the well-formed store—spread out in fullness—for the being’s sustenance.

Mantra 7

शतब्रध्न इषुस्तव सहस्रपर्ण एक इत् । यमिन्द्र चकृषे युजम् ॥

Yours is the hundred-knotted arrow, thousand-feathered, one and yet sufficient—by which, O Indra, you have made your yoked instrument of victory.

Mantra 8

तेन स्तोतृभ्य आ भर नृभ्यो नारिभ्यो अत्तवे । सद्यो जात ऋभुष्ठिर ॥

With that (victorious power), bring to the singers—bring to men and women—the food of fulfilment to be enjoyed; for you are steadfast in skill, born at once (ready in the moment).

Mantra 9

एता च्यौत्नानि ते कृता वर्षिष्ठानि परीणसा । हृदा वीड्वधारयः ॥

These are your luminous impulsions—your most abundant works—fashioned out of plenitude; and by the heart’s inner holding you have sustained the firm, resistant strength.

Mantra 10

विश्वेत्ता विष्णुराभरदुरुक्रमस्त्वेषितः । शतं महिषान्क्षीरपाकमोदनं वराहमिन्द्र एमुषम् ॥

Indeed Vishnu of the wide strides brought all these to you, urged by your blazing will: a hundred powerful energies, the milk-cooked nourishment, and the boar—Emuṣa—O Indra, as a force to be mastered and transformed.

Mantra 11

तुविक्षं ते सुकृतं सूमयं धनुः साधुर्बुन्दो हिरण्ययः । उभा ते बाहू रण्या सुसंस्कृत ऋदूपे चिदृदूवृधा ॥

Yours is the far-reaching, well-fashioned bow, full of glad force; the golden-pointed stroke is straight and true. And both your arms are delight-giving, perfectly formed—growing even in the gentle ways, increasing the gentle power.