Hymn to Indra
Rigveda VIII.12 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 8 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. That exhilaration, Indra, mightiest one, most given to soma-drinking, which is felt — by which you strike down the devouring demon — we ask for that.
2. By which you made Daśagva, Adhrigu, and Svarṇara tremble — by which you helped the ocean — we ask for that.
3. By which you drove the river, the great waters, forward like chariots, to travel the path of ṛta (cosmic order) — we ask for that.
4. This praise-song, for your favor, purified like ghee, O wielder of the pressing-stone — by which indeed you have swiftly grown in strength.
5. Accept this hymn, O lover of song — it swells like the ocean; Indra, by all your aids you have grown strong.
6. The god who from afar has given himself to us for friendship — spreading out like rain from heaven, you have grown strong.
7. His rays have grown, and the thunderbolt in his two arms, as the sun strengthens the two world-halves.
8. If, O greatly grown lord of the true, you have devoured a thousand buffaloes, then indeed your great Indra-power has grown still further.
9. Indra, with the rays of the sun, burns down the surging one, as fire burns the woods; all-conquering, he has grown strong.
10. This seasonal thought of yours comes ever new, worshipful, dear to many — it takes shape indeed.
11. The germ of the sacrifice, devoted to the gods, purifies the ritual intention continuously; by praises Indra's power has grown — it takes shape indeed.
12. The gain of friendship has spread wide; Indra comes to drink the soma; forward, like a blade, for the presser — it takes shape indeed.
13. Whom the inspired ones, bearers of hymns, the descendants of Āyu, have gladdened; like ghee it has swelled in the mouth, that which belongs to ṛta.
14. And for the self-ruling one, Aditi has brought forth a hymn of praise for Indra, much-praised, for his help — that which belongs to ṛta.
15. They have cried out to the bearer for help, for renown; the two bay steeds do not diverge in their course, O god — that which belongs to ṛta.
16. Whether, Indra, you delight in the soma within Viṣṇu, or indeed within Trita Āptya, or whether you rejoice among the Maruts, together with the soma-drops —
17. Or whether, O mighty one, you rejoice far away, upon the ocean — delight instead in our pressed soma, together with the drops.
18. Or whether you are the strengthener of the presser, of the sacrificer, O lord of the true — or in whose hymn you delight — together with the drops.
19. Each god, for your help, each form of Indra, I will praise; then for the sacrifice, to overcome the foe, they have fully attained it.
20. With sacrifices they strengthened the bearer of the sacrifice, with soma-offerings the best soma-drinker; with invocations they have magnified Indra — they have fully attained it.
21. Great are his guiding powers, and many his glories; all treasures for the one who gives offerings they have fully attained.
22. The gods set Indra in front to slay Vṛtra; the hymning voices have cried out to Indra together, for his strength.
23. The great one, in his greatness, who hears our call, we loudly extol with praises and songs of light, together, for his strength.
24. Whom the two world-halves do not contain, nor the atmospheres — the wielder of the thunderbolt — from his very impetuosity his strength has blazed forth, together.
25. When, Indra, in the clash of battle the gods set you in front, then indeed your two dear bay steeds grew strong.
26. When you struck down Vṛtra, the obstructer of the rivers, by your might, O wielder of the thunderbolt, then indeed your two dear bay steeds grew strong.
27. When Viṣṇu, by your strength, strode out his three steps, then indeed your two dear bay steeds grew strong.
28. When your two dear bay steeds grow strong day by day, then indeed all beings hold themselves in order for you.
29. When the Marut-tribes submit themselves to you, Indra, then indeed all beings hold themselves in order for you.
30. When you set that bright light, the sun, in the sky, then indeed all beings hold themselves in order for you.
31. This fine praise-hymn to you, Indra, the inspired poet sends forth with his thoughts, like a kinswoman filling the steps, at the rite.
32. When, in his dear domain, gathered together, they have sung out, at the navel of the sacrifice, yielding milk, at the rite.
33. Good heroism, good horses, good cattle, Indra — grant these to us, like a Hotṛ priest, for foreknowing, at the rite.
Translator's note: several words in this hymn are obscure or occur rarely in the Rigveda — "arśasānam" (v.9, rendered here conservatively as "the surging one"), "vāśīva" (v.12, "like a blade," from vāśī, an axe or chisel), and the sense of "mimīte" ("takes shape" / "fashions," vv.10–12) — where the Sanskrit itself resists a single confident reading, the rendering stays close to the literal sense of the root rather than smoothing it into fluent English.
Colophon
Rigveda VIII.12 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 VIII.12
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.
ya indra somapātamo madaḥ śaviṣṭha cetati |
yenā haṁsi ny a1triṇaṁ tam īmahe || 1 ||
yenā daśagvam adhriguṁ vepayantaṁ svarṇaram |
yenā samudram āvithā tam īmahe || 2 ||
yena sindhum mahīr apo rathām̐ iva pracodayaḥ |
panthām ṛtasya yātave tam īmahe || 3 ||
imaṁ stomam abhiṣṭaye ghṛtaṁ na pūtam adrivaḥ |
yenā nu sadya ojasā vavakṣitha || 4 ||
imaṁ juṣasva girvaṇaḥ samudra iva pinvate |
indra viśvābhir ūtibhir vavakṣitha || 5 ||
yo no devaḥ parāvataḥ sakhitvanāya māmahe |
divo na vṛṣṭim prathayan vavakṣitha || 6 ||
vavakṣur asya ketava uta vajro gabhastyoḥ |
yat sūryo na rodasī avardhayat || 7 ||
yadi pravṛddha satpate sahasram mahiṣām̐ aghaḥ |
ād it ta indriyam mahi pra vāvṛdhe || 8 ||
indraḥ sūryasya raśmibhir ny arśasānam oṣati |
agnir vaneva sāsahiḥ pra vāvṛdhe || 9 ||
iyaṁ ta ṛtviyāvatī dhītir eti navīyasī |
saparyantī purupriyā mimīta it || 10 ||
garbho yajñasya devayuḥ kratum punīta ānuṣak |
stomair indrasya vāvṛdhe mimīta it || 11 ||
sanir mitrasya papratha indraḥ somasya pītaye |
prācī vāśīva sunvate mimīta it || 12 ||
yaṁ viprā ukthavāhaso 'bhipramandur āyavaḥ |
ghṛtaṁ na pipya āsany ṛtasya yat || 13 ||
uta svarāje aditiḥ stomam indrāya jījanat |
purupraśastam ūtaya ṛtasya yat || 14 ||
abhi vahnaya ūtaye 'nūṣata praśastaye |
na deva vivratā harī ṛtasya yat || 15 ||
yat somam indra viṣṇavi yad vā gha trita āptye |
yad vā marutsu mandase sam indubhiḥ || 16 ||
yad vā śakra parāvati samudre adhi mandase |
asmākam it sute raṇā sam indubhiḥ || 17 ||
yad vāsi sunvato vṛdho yajamānasya satpate |
ukthe vā yasya raṇyasi sam indubhiḥ || 18 ||
devaṁ-devaṁ vo 'vasa indram-indraṁ gṛṇīṣaṇi |
adhā yajñāya turvaṇe vy ānaśuḥ || 19 ||
yajñebhir yajñavāhasaṁ somebhiḥ somapātamam |
hotrābhir indraṁ vāvṛdhur vy ānaśuḥ || 20 ||
mahīr asya praṇītayaḥ pūrvīr uta praśastayaḥ |
viśvā vasūni dāśuṣe vy ānaśuḥ || 21 ||
indraṁ vṛtrāya hantave devāso dadhire puraḥ |
indraṁ vāṇīr anūṣatā sam ojase || 22 ||
mahāntam mahinā vayaṁ stomebhir havanaśrutam |
arkair abhi pra ṇonumaḥ sam ojase || 23 ||
na yaṁ vivikto rodasī nāntarikṣāṇi vajriṇam |
amād id asya titviṣe sam ojasaḥ || 24 ||
yad indra pṛtanājye devās tvā dadhire puraḥ |
ād it te haryatā harī vavakṣatuḥ || 25 ||
yadā vṛtraṁ nadīvṛtaṁ śavasā vajrinn avadhīḥ |
ād it te haryatā harī vavakṣatuḥ || 26 ||
yadā te viṣṇur ojasā trīṇi padā vicakrame |
ād it te haryatā harī vavakṣatuḥ || 27 ||
yadā te haryatā harī vāvṛdhāte dive-dive |
ād it te viśvā bhuvanāni yemire || 28 ||
yadā te mārutīr viśas tubhyam indra niyemire |
ād it te viśvā bhuvanāni yemire || 29 ||
yadā sūryam amuṁ divi śukraṁ jyotir adhārayaḥ |
ād it te viśvā bhuvanāni yemire || 30 ||
imāṁ ta indra suṣṭutiṁ vipra iyarti dhītibhiḥ |
jāmim padeva pipratīm prādhvare || 31 ||
yad asya dhāmani priye samīcīnāso asvaran |
nābhā yajñasya dohanā prādhvare || 32 ||
suvīryaṁ svaśvyaṁ sugavyam indra daddhi naḥ |
hoteva pūrvacittaye prādhvare || 33 ||
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).