Hymn to Indra, with the Maruts
Rigveda III.47 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 3 of the Rigveda, one of the 1,028 hymns organized within the ten books of the oldest Veda. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in Vedic Sanskrit and preserved through oral transmission across millennia.
This is a Good Works Translation produced for the Good Works Library from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
1. O Indra, bull, accompanied by the Maruts — drink the soma at will for battle, for exhilaration. Pour the wave of sweetness into your belly; you are the king of the soma-draughts pressed since ancient days.
2. Of one accord, Indra, with your troop, with the Maruts, drink the soma, slayer of Vṛtra, hero, knowing one. Strike down the enemies, drive off the scorners, and then make us fearless on every side.
3. And you who guard the seasons, drink the soma with the seasons, Indra, with the gods, your friends, pressed here for us — you who gave the Maruts their share, who followed close behind you, who set down Vṛtra, who gave their strength to you.
4. Those who made you grow strong in the slaying of the serpent, bounteous one; who made you strong against Śambara, lord of bay steeds; who made you strong in the quest for cattle; the inspired ones who now exult with you — drink the soma, Indra, with your troop of Maruts.
5. The bull who grows strong with the Maruts, never grudging, the heavenly ruler, Indra who commands; the all-conquering, for fresh help now, the mighty one, the giver of strength — let us call him here.
Translator's note: "sahodām" (verse 5) is rendered "giver of strength," a compound whose exact force (bestower of strength/victory) is not fully certain. "akavāriṁ" is rendered "never grudging" (i.e., generous, not niggardly).
Colophon
Rigveda III.47 is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation rendered verse by verse from the Sanskrit text printed below. Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation.
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Source Text: ṛgveda III.47
Sanskrit source text from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
marutvām̐ indra vṛṣabho raṇāya pibā somam anuṣvadham madāya |
ā siñcasva jaṭhare madhva ūrmiṁ tvaṁ rājāsi pradivaḥ sutānām || 1 ||
sajoṣā indra sagaṇo marudbhiḥ somam piba vṛtrahā śūra vidvān |
jahi śatrūm̐r apa mṛdho nudasvāthābhayaṁ kṛṇuhi viśvato naḥ || 2 ||
uta ṛtubhir ṛtupāḥ pāhi somam indra devebhiḥ sakhibhiḥ sutaṁ naḥ |
yām̐ ābhajo maruto ye tvānv ahan vṛtram adadhus tubhyam ojaḥ || 3 ||
ye tvāhihatye maghavann avardhan ye śāmbare harivo ye gaviṣṭau |
ye tvā nūnam anumadanti viprāḥ pibendra somaṁ sagaṇo marudbhiḥ || 4 ||
marutvantaṁ vṛṣabhaṁ vāvṛdhānam akavāriṁ divyaṁ śāsam indram |
viśvāsāham avase nūtanāyograṁ sahodām iha taṁ huvema || 5 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).