Sukta 84

Mantra 1

असावि सोम इन्द्र ते शविष्ठ धृष्णवा गहि । आ त्वा पृणक्त्विन्द्रियं रजः सूर्यो न रश्मिभिः ॥

The Soma is pressed out for thee, O Indra, most potent; come with thy bold force. Let the luminous world fill thee with Indra-power, as the Sun fills the spaces with his rays.

Mantra 2

इन्द्रमिद्धरी वहतोऽप्रतिधृष्टशवसम् । ऋषीणां च स्तुतीरुप यज्ञं च मानुषाणाम् ॥

It is Indra indeed whom the two tawny steeds bear—he whose force none can withstand—towards the seers’ hymns and towards the human sacrifice.

Mantra 3

आ तिष्ठ वृत्रहन्रथं युक्ता ते ब्रह्मणा हरी । अर्वाचीनं सु ते मनो ग्रावा कृणोतु वग्नुना ॥

Mount, O slayer of obstruction, thy chariot; yoked by the word of power are thy two tawny steeds. Let the pressing-stone with its driving impulse turn thy mind wholly towards us.

Mantra 4

इममिन्द्र सुतं पिब ज्येष्ठममर्त्यं मदम् । शुक्रस्य त्वाभ्यक्षरन्धारा ऋतस्य सादने ॥

Drink, O Indra, this pressed Soma, the foremost immortal ecstasy. The bright streams flow towards thee in the seat of ṛta.

Mantra 5

इन्द्राय नूनमर्चतोक्थानि च ब्रवीतन । सुता अमत्सुरिन्दवो ज्येष्ठं नमस्यता सहः ॥

Now sing to Indra and speak the solemn hymns. The pressed Soma-drops have exulted; do homage to the foremost Power.

Mantra 6

नकिष्ट्वद्रथीतरो हरी यदिन्द्र यच्छसे । नकिष्ट्वानु मज्मना नकिः स्वश्व आनशे ॥

None is a better charioteer than thou with thy two tawny steeds, when, O Indra, thou choosest to give. None follows thee in thy greatness; none with his own horses attains thee.

Mantra 7

य एक इद्विदयते वसु मर्ताय दाशुषे । ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुत इन्द्रो अङ्ग ॥

He who alone indeed apportions the true wealth to the mortal who gives himself in offering—Indra, the sovereign Master, whom none can turn back or outmatch: yes, that Indra.

Mantra 8

कदा मर्तमराधसं पदा क्षुम्पमिव स्फुरत् । कदा नः शुश्रवद्गिर इन्द्रो अङ्ग ॥

When will Indra, with his foot, shake down the mortal who is without right offering—like a dried stump—and when will he hear our cry and word?

Mantra 9

यश्चिद्धि त्वा बहुभ्य आ सुतावाँ आविवासति । उग्रं तत्पत्यते शव इन्द्रो अङ्ग ॥

For whoever indeed, having pressed the Soma, calls thee down amid the many, to him that fierce force is granted and becomes masterful—yes, that is Indra.

Mantra 10

स्वादोरित्था विषूवतो मध्वः पिबन्ति गौर्यः । या इन्द्रेण सयावरीर्वृष्णा मदन्ति शोभसे वस्वीरनु स्वराज्यम् ॥

Thus the bright ones drink the honeyed sweetness, moving wide and free; those who, journeying together with Indra, exult with the Bull for beauty, rich in plenitude, following his self-sovereignty.

Mantra 11

ता अस्य पृशनायुवः सोमं श्रीणन्ति पृश्नयः । प्रिया इन्द्रस्य धेनवो वज्रं हिन्वन्ति सायकं वस्वीरनु स्वराज्यम् ॥

These, his dappled youthful powers, mix and prepare the Soma; the dear milk-cows of Indra drive on the thunderbolt, the dart, rich in plenitude, following his self-sovereignty.

Mantra 12

ता अस्य नमसा सहः सपर्यन्ति प्रचेतसः । व्रतान्यस्य सश्चिरे पुरूणि पूर्वचित्तये वस्वीरनु स्वराज्यम् ॥

These, with adoration and with strength, serve him—clear in consciousness; they have followed his many laws of working, for the ancient awareness, rich in plenitude, following his self-sovereignty.

Mantra 13

इन्द्रो दधीचो अस्थभिर्वृत्राण्यप्रतिष्कुतः । जघान नवतीर्नव ॥

Indra, irresistible, with the bones of Dadhīca, smote the Vṛtras—nine-and-ninety of them—breaking the repeated coverings of obstruction.

Mantra 14

इच्छन्नश्वस्य यच्छिरः पर्वतेष्वपश्रितम् । तद्विदच्छर्यणावति ॥

Seeking the head of the Horse that had been hidden away among the mountains, he found it at Śaryāṇāvat—recovering the lost power of swift movement.

Mantra 15

अत्राह गोरमन्वत नाम त्वष्टुरपीच्यम् । इत्था चन्द्रमसो गृहे ॥

Here indeed they traced the hidden name of the Cow—of Tvaṣṭṛ—thus, in the house of the Moon: the secret light-knowledge recovered in the luminous mind.

Mantra 16

को अद्य युङ्क्ते धुरि गा ऋतस्य शिमीवतो भामिनो दुर्हृणायून् । आसन्निषून्हृत्स्वसो मयोभून्य एषां भृत्यामृणधत्स जीवात् ॥

Who today yokes on the yoke-pole the steeds of the Truth—impetuous, flaming, hard to restrain? Those seated with arrows, breathing from the heart, bringing delight: whoever can win them to service, may he live.

Mantra 17

क ईषते तुज्यते को बिभाय को मंसते सन्तमिन्द्रं को अन्ति । कस्तोकाय क इभायोत रायेऽधि ब्रवत्तन्वे को जनाय ॥

Who is it that strains forward, who is it that is driven to the clash, who fears? Who indeed can hold in thought the Real Indra who is near? Who speaks of him for the child-soul, who for the strong powers, and for the plenitude of being—who for the body and who for the people within us?

Mantra 18

को अग्निमीट्टे हविषा घृतेन स्रुचा यजाता ऋतुभिर्ध्रुवेभिः । कस्मै देवा आ वहानाशु होम को मंसते वीतिहोत्रः सुदेवः ॥

Who kindles aspiration to Agni with the offering and with clarified sweetness, with the ladle, by sacrifices that are rightly born in the fixed seasons? For whom do the gods swiftly come driving to the oblation? Who conceives the true rite of reception, the godward one of luminous order?

Mantra 19

त्वमङ्ग प्र शंसिषो देवः शविष्ठ मर्त्यम् । न त्वदन्यो मघवन्नस्ति मर्डितेन्द्र ब्रवीमि ते वचः ॥

Thou indeed, O god, most puissant, increasest the human; none other than thee, O bounteous Indra, is a rescuer and healer. To thee I speak this word of affirmation.

Mantra 20

मा ते राधांसि मा त ऊतयो वसोऽस्मान्कदा चना दभन् । विश्वा च न उपमिमीहि मानुष वसूनि चर्षणिभ्य आ ॥

Let not thy bounties, let not thy succours, O rich one, ever fail us. Measure out to us in full all treasures for the human being, bring them here for the peoples—powers of ordered life and substance of light.