The Secret of the Veda

Hymn to Indra:I.10

I.10

गायन्ति त्वा गायत्रिणोऽर्चन्त्यर्कमर्किणः ।
ब्रह्माणस्त्वा शतकत उद् वंशमिद येमिरे ॥१॥

1) Thee the Gayatrins¹ chant, the Arkins² begin their action; the mind movements, O Shatakratu, strive up by thee as they that climb a trunk.

यत् सानोः सानुमारुहद् भूर्यस्पष्ट कर्त्वम् ।
तदिन्द्रो अर्थं चेतति यूथेन वृष्णिरेजति ॥२॥

2) When one climbeth from plateau to plateau, a rich activity expresses itself, then Indra bringeth the substance of thought into consciousness, he moves a lover³ with his mate.⁴

युक्ष्वा हि केशिना हरी वृषणा कक्ष्यप्रा ।
अथा न इन्द्र सोमपा गिरामुपश्रुतिं चर ॥३॥

3) Yoke thou thy maned steeds, covering with mastery fill the containing soul, then, O Indra, drinker of the nectar, respond with the Sruti to our words.

एहि स्तोमाँ अभि स्वरा ऽभि गृणीह्या रुव ।
ब्रह्म च नो वसो सचेन्द्र यज्ञं च वर्धय ॥४॥

4) Come, vibrate⁵ to our songs of praise, speak them out as they rise, cry out thy response; attach thyself to our mind, O King, O Indra, and increase in us the Yajna.

उक्थमिन्द्राय शंस्यं वर्धनं पुरुनिष्षिधे ।
शको यथा सुतेषु णो रारणत् सख्येषु च ॥५॥

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5) I form fully the prayer I have to declare towards Indra, the prayer that giveth increase, that potent Indra may have ecstasy in our nectar-yieldings and in our friendlinesses.⁶

तमित् सखित्व ईमहे तं राये तं सुवीर्ये ।
स शक उत नः शकदिन्द्रो वसु दयमानः ॥६॥

6) Him we desire in comradeship, him in delight, him in strong energy; therefore this puissant Indra in his kindliness hath power to give us his substance.⁷

सुविवृतं सुनिरजमिन्द्र त्वादातमिद्यशः ।
गवामप व्रजं वृधि कृणुष्व राधो अद्रिवः ॥७॥

7) O Indra, wide and untroubled⁸ success has been won, remove the veil⁹ over these rays, create delight, O dweller on the hill.

नहि त्वा रोदसी उभे ऋघायमाणमिन्वतः ।
जेषः स्वर्वतीरपः सं गा अस्मभ्यं धूनुहि ॥८॥

8) Over thee the two obstructing firmaments have no power when thou goest stiffly upward¹⁰; victorious pour down for us on our earths the waters of heaven.

आश्रुत्कर्ण श्रुधी हवं नू चिद्दधिष्व मे गिरः
इन्द्र स्तोममिमं मम कृष्वा युजश्चिदन्तरम् ॥९॥

9) Lend attentive ear and hear my call, now uphold¹¹ my words; O Indra, draw this my song of praise into Thy innermost part of the state of Yoga.

विद्मा हि त्वा वृषन्तमं वाजेषु हवनश्रुतम् ।
वृषन्तमस्य हूमह ऊतिं सहस्त्रसातमाम् ॥१०॥

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10) We know thee most supreme in the substantial strengths of being, a hearer of our call; because thou art thus supreme we call to thee for expansion of being strong in stability.

आ तू न इन्द्र कौशिक मन्दसानः सुतं पिब।
नव्यमायुः प्र सू तिर कृधी सहस्त्रसामृषिम् ॥११॥

11) O Indra, of the sheaths, drink then the Soma, be steadfast in delight, give us wholly a new being and create for us the Knowledge that preserveth utterly our force.

परि त्वा गिर्वणो गिर इमा भवन्तु विश्वतः ।
वृद्धायुमनु वृद्धयो जुष्टा भवन्तु जुष्टयः ॥१२॥

12) O delighter in our words, may these our words be all around thee; may all increase follow the increase of our being and all love cling to it.

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