Sukta 129

Mantra 1

यं त्वं रथमिन्द्र मेधसातयेऽपाका सन्तमिषिर प्रणयसि प्रानवद्य नयसि । सद्यश्चित्तमभिष्टये करो वशश्च वाजिनम् । सास्माकमनवद्य तूतुजान वेधसामिमां वाचं न वेधसाम् ॥

The chariot which you, O Indra, lead forward for the winning of the intelligence—though it is still unripe—you, the impeller, guide it onward, you lead it faultlessly forward. Even at once you make it for the desired fulfilment, obedient and victorious in plenitude of force. So, O faultless one, you who speed us on, make this our word a word of the seers, a formation of inspired knowledge.

Mantra 2

स श्रुधि यः स्मा पृतनासु कासु चिद्दक्षाय्य इन्द्र भरहूतये नृभिरसि प्रतूर्तये नृभिः । यः शूरैः स्वः सनिता यो विप्रैर्वाजं तरुता । तमीशानास इरधन्त वाजिनं पृक्षमत्यं न वाजिनम् ॥

Hear, you who in whatever battles are capable, O Indra; with men you are for the bearing of the call, with men for the forward overcoming. You who with heroes win the luminous world, you who with the seers carry through the plenitude of force—may the masters strengthen that victorious one, like a well-fed steed, the victorious one.

Mantra 3

दस्मो हि ष्मा वृषणं पिन्वसि त्वचं कं चिद्यावीरररुं शूर मर्त्यं परिवृणक्षि मर्त्यम् । इन्द्रोत तुभ्यं तद्दिवे तद्रुद्राय स्वयशसे । मित्राय वोचं वरुणाय सप्रथः सुमृळीकाय सप्रथः ॥

For you are indeed the wonderful one: you swell the Bull-force and even the skin of some weak mortal; O hero, you encompass and cover the mortal. Indra, this I speak for you—also for Heaven, and for Rudra of self-glory; for Mitra I speak, for Varuṇa wide in law, for the gracious one wide in grace.

Mantra 4

अस्माकं व इन्द्रमुश्मसीष्टये सखायं विश्वायुं प्रासहं युजं वाजेषु प्रासहं युजम् । अस्माकं ब्रह्मोतयेऽवा पृत्सुषु कासु चित् । नहि त्वा शत्रुः स्तरतेः स्तृणोषि यं विश्वं शत्रुं: स्तृणोषि यम् ॥

For our desired fulfilment we long for Indra—our friend, universal in life, the overpowering yoke-fellow in the battles for plenitude, the overpowering yoke-fellow. For the help of our inspired word, come down to us in whatever conflicts. No enemy can overpass you; whom you strike down, you strike down every enemy—whom you strike down.

Mantra 5

नि षू नमातिमतिं कयस्य चित्तेजिष्ठाभिररणिभिर्नोतिभिरुग्राभिरुग्रोतिभिः । नेषि णो यथा पुरानेनाः शूर मन्यसे । विश्वानि पूरोरप पर्षि वह्निरासा वह्निर्नो अच्छ ॥

Cast down, indeed, the over-measuring mind of whosoever it may be, by thy most keen kindlings and by thy fierce, forceful helps. Lead us as in the ancient way, O Hero, as thou knowest. Drive away from Pūru all hostile powers; O Bearer of the flame, come—be the Flame that comes to us.

Mantra 6

प्र तद्वोचेयं भव्यायेन्दवे हव्यो न य इषवान्मन्म रेजति रक्षोहा मन्म रेजति । स्वयं सो अस्मदा निदो वधैरजेत दुर्मतिम् । अव स्रवेदघशंसोऽवतरमव क्षुद्रमिव स्रवेत् ॥

I will speak forth that word, fit for the growing Indu (Soma/Delight): like an oblation, a thought that quivers with the arrow-force— a thought that quivers as a slayer of the dark powers. May he himself drive away from us, by his smitings, the evil-mindedness; may the ill-speaker flow down and away, sink lower and lower, like something petty that drains off.

Mantra 7

वनेम तद्धोत्रया चितन्त्या वनेम रयिं रयिवः सुवीर्यं रण्वं सन्तं सुवीर्यम् । दुर्मन्मानं सुमन्तुभिरेमिषा पृचीमहि । आ सत्याभिरिन्द्रं द्युम्नहूतिभिर्यजत्रं द्युम्नहूतिभिः ॥

May we win that by the thoughtful priestly offering; may we win the plenitude (rayi), O lords of plenitude, the glad and existent heroic force. The ill-thought we would meet and overcome by good intentions, joining to it the seeking impulse. With true callings we bring near Indra, the adorable, with luminous invocations.

Mantra 8

प्रप्रा वो अस्मे स्वयशोभिरूती परिवर्ग इन्द्रो दुर्मतीनां दरीमन्दुर्मतीनाम् । स्वयं सा रिषयध्यै या न उपेषे अत्रैः । हतेमसन्न वक्षति क्षिप्ता जूर्णिर्न वक्षति ॥

Forward, forward for you—here for us—by his self-glorious help, Indra is the over-turner, the splitter of the evil-minded. That which would harm us and press upon us is itself to be made to fail by the Atris’ power of vision; once struck, it cannot carry on—like a cast-down worn thing, it cannot bear itself onward.

Mantra 9

त्वं न इन्द्र राया परीणसा याहि पथाँ अनेहसा पुरो याह्यरक्षसा । सचस्व नः पराक आ सचस्वास्तमीक आ । पाहि नो दूरादारादभिष्टिभिः सदा पाह्यभिष्टिभिः ॥

Thou, O Indra, go before us with thy plenitude of being; go by the path without distress, go in front with a guarding that admits no harm. Be with us from afar and be with us close at hand; protect us from distance and from nearness by thy sure assistances—always protect by thy assistances.

Mantra 10

त्वं न इन्द्र राया तरूषसोग्रं चित्त्वा महिमा सक्षदवसे महे मित्रं नावसे । ओजिष्ठ त्रातरविता रथं कं चिदमर्त्य । अन्यमस्मद्रिरिषेः कं चिदद्रिवो रिरिक्षन्तं चिदद्रिवः ॥

Thou, O Indra, by thy plenitude overcomest; even thy fierce greatness is able to help—like a mighty friend who comes to our aid. O most puissant, saviour and best helper, Immortal, thou guardest any chariot-force whatsoever; thou leavest another to be harmed, but from us thou keepest safe even one who is in peril, O wielder of the stone.

Mantra 11

पाहि न इन्द्र सुष्टुत स्रिधोऽवयाता सदमिद्दुर्मतीनां देवः सन्दुर्मतीनाम् । हन्ता पापस्य रक्षसस्त्राता विप्रस्य मावतः । अधा हि त्वा जनिता जीजनद्वसो रक्षोहणं त्वा जीजनद्वसो ॥

Protect us, O Indra well-praised, coming down upon the crooked resistances; ever as a god thou art the crusher of evil-mindedness. Slayer of sinful darkness, saviour of the seer who is rich in the word: for indeed thy begetter brought thee forth, O Vasu, as a slayer of the rakṣas; as a rakṣas-slayer he brought thee forth.