Hymn to Indra
Rigveda VIII.13 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. Indra refines his praise-worthy purpose amid the pressed soma. The strength of the one who thrives is known — for he is great.
2. He, the strengthener, in the first heaven, in the seat of the gods — easily-crossing, most glorious, victorious among the waters.
3. I have called him — Indra, the impetuous one — for the winning of spoils, for battle. Be our closest friend in goodwill, for our thriving.
4. This gift of the presser flows for you, Indra, lover of song. Gladdened, you shine forth over this sacred grass.
5. Now, Indra, give us that which we, pressing soma, ask of you. Bring us brilliant wealth that finds the light.
6. When your vigorous praiser makes his songs surge forth boldly, they grow up like branches, as they are enjoyed.
7. As of old, beget songs; hear the call of the singer. In every intoxication you have grown mighty, for the one who acts well.
8. His generous gifts sport like waters running downhill — by this thought he is called the lord of heaven.
9. And he who is called lord of the peoples — he alone is sovereign. Rejoice in the pressed soma with those who prosper through homage, seeking your favor.
10. Praise the famed, wise one, whose two bay steeds, all-conquering, go to the house of the worshipper who offers homage.
11. Hastening, O great-minded one, with your dappled horses — come to the sacrifice with your swift steeds; that is truly good for you.
12. Indra, mightiest, lord of the good — place wealth among those who praise you; give the patrons imperishable fame and riches.
13. I call you at sunrise, I call you at midday of the sky. Delighting, Indra, come here with your steeds.
14. Come indeed, hasten forth; delight in the pressed soma mixed with milk. Extend the ancient thread, as it is known [how to do].
15. Whether you, mighty one, are far away or near, O slayer of Vṛtra, or at the sea of soma-juice — you are indeed our protector.
16. May our songs strengthen Indra; may the pressed drops strengthen Indra. The oblation-offering people have found delight in Indra.
17. Him indeed the inspired poets, seeking his help, with sweeping favors — the multitudes strengthened Indra, as branches grow.
18. At the Trikadruka rites, the gods extended the sacrifice to the perceptive one. May our songs strengthen him, who ever grows.
19. When your praiser, devoted to your ordinance, sets forth the hymns in due season, he is called pure and purifying — he is wondrous.
20. That indeed is known — the mighty, youthful one of Rudra's nature, in the ancient abodes, where the wise have set their minds upon it.
21. If you have chosen my friendship, drink of this juice, by which we may pass beyond all our foes.
22. When, Indra, lover of song, will your praiser be most blessed? When will you set us amid wealth of cattle and horses?
23. And your two well-praised bay steeds, mighty as bulls, draw the chariot — toward the most intoxicating draught of the unaging one, which we long for.
24. Him we invoke, the much-praised, mighty one, with ancient favors — may he sit down upon the beloved sacred grass, then a second time.
25. Grow strong indeed, O much-praised one, through the favors praised by the sages. Milk out abundant refreshment, and favor us.
26. Indra, you are indeed the protector of him who praises you thus, O wielder of the stone. From the order of truth I send up to you a thought yoked to my mind.
27. Here, yoking those two feast-companions for the drinking of soma — your bay steeds, Indra, bringers of wealth — call out toward us.
28. Let those Rudras of yours, who have won splendor, roar out toward us; and let the clans accompanied by the Maruts come toward the offering.
29. These his swift advances delight in the place that is in heaven; at the navel of the sacrifice they have joined together, as is known.
30. This one, for far-reaching vision, in the sacrifice proceeding eastward, measures out the rite in due order, having looked closely.
31. Mighty is this chariot of yours, Indra, and mighty your two bay steeds. Mighty are you, O hundred-powered one, and mighty is our call.
32. Mighty is the pressing stone, mighty the exhilaration, mighty this pressed soma. Mighty the sacrifice that you drive forward, mighty is the call.
33. Mighty, I call you, the mighty one, O wielder of the thunderbolt, with brilliant aids — for you have cherished our answering praise. Mighty is the call.
Translator's note: verses 19–20 and 24 turn on compressed, ambiguous phrasing (rudrasya... yahvam pratneṣu dhāmasu in 20; ni barhiṣi priye sadad adha dvitā in 24) whose precise referents are debated among Vedicists; the renderings above stay close to the Sanskrit word order rather than resolving the ambiguity by conjecture. The recurring word vṛṣan (literally "bull," here idiomatically "mighty, virile, potent") is rendered "mighty" throughout verses 31–33 to keep the hymn's closing repetition audible in English.
Colophon
Rigveda VIII.13 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.13
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.
indraḥ suteṣu someṣu kratum punīta ukthyam |
vide vṛdhasya dakṣaso mahān hi ṣaḥ || 1 ||
sa prathame vyomani devānāṁ sadane vṛdhaḥ |
supāraḥ suśravastamaḥ sam apsujit || 2 ||
tam ahve vājasātaya indram bharāya śuṣmiṇam |
bhavā naḥ sumne antamaḥ sakhā vṛdhe || 3 ||
iyaṁ ta indra girvaṇo rātiḥ kṣarati sunvataḥ |
mandāno asya barhiṣo vi rājasi || 4 ||
nūnaṁ tad indra daddhi no yat tvā sunvanta īmahe |
rayiṁ naś citram ā bharā svarvidam || 5 ||
stotā yat te vicarṣaṇir atipraśardhayad giraḥ |
vayā ivānu rohate juṣanta yat || 6 ||
pratnavaj janayā giraḥ śṛṇudhī jaritur havam |
made-made vavakṣithā sukṛtvane || 7 ||
krīḻanty asya sūnṛtā āpo na pravatā yatīḥ |
ayā dhiyā ya ucyate patir divaḥ || 8 ||
uto patir ya ucyate kṛṣṭīnām eka id vaśī |
namovṛdhair avasyubhiḥ sute raṇa || 9 ||
stuhi śrutaṁ vipaścitaṁ harī yasya prasakṣiṇā |
gantārā dāśuṣo gṛhaṁ namasvinaḥ || 10 ||
tūtujāno mahemate 'śvebhiḥ pruṣitapsubhiḥ |
ā yāhi yajñam āśubhiḥ śam id dhi te || 11 ||
indra śaviṣṭha satpate rayiṁ gṛṇatsu dhāraya |
śravaḥ sūribhyo amṛtaṁ vasutvanam || 12 ||
have tvā sūra udite have madhyaṁdine divaḥ |
juṣāṇa indra saptibhir na ā gahi || 13 ||
ā tū gahi pra tu drava matsvā sutasya gomataḥ |
tantuṁ tanuṣva pūrvyaṁ yathā vide || 14 ||
yac chakrāsi parāvati yad arvāvati vṛtrahan |
yad vā samudre andhaso 'vited asi || 15 ||
indraṁ vardhantu no gira indraṁ sutāsa indavaḥ |
indre haviṣmatīr viśo arāṇiṣuḥ || 16 ||
tam id viprā avasyavaḥ pravatvatībhir ūtibhiḥ |
indraṁ kṣoṇīr avardhayan vayā iva || 17 ||
trikadrukeṣu cetanaṁ devāso yajñam atnata |
tam id vardhantu no giraḥ sadāvṛdham || 18 ||
stotā yat te anuvrata ukthāny ṛtuthā dadhe |
śuciḥ pāvaka ucyate so adbhutaḥ || 19 ||
tad id rudrasya cetati yahvam pratneṣu dhāmasu |
mano yatrā vi tad dadhur vicetasaḥ || 20 ||
yadi me sakhyam āvara imasya pāhy andhasaḥ |
yena viśvā ati dviṣo atārima || 21 ||
kadā ta indra girvaṇaḥ stotā bhavāti śaṁtamaḥ |
kadā no gavye aśvye vasau dadhaḥ || 22 ||
uta te suṣṭutā harī vṛṣaṇā vahato ratham |
ajuryasya madintamaṁ yam īmahe || 23 ||
tam īmahe puruṣṭutaṁ yahvam pratnābhir ūtibhiḥ |
ni barhiṣi priye sadad adha dvitā || 24 ||
vardhasvā su puruṣṭuta ṛṣiṣṭutābhir ūtibhiḥ |
dhukṣasva pipyuṣīm iṣam avā ca naḥ || 25 ||
indra tvam avited asītthā stuvato adrivaḥ |
ṛtād iyarmi te dhiyam manoyujam || 26 ||
iha tyā sadhamādyā yujānaḥ somapītaye |
harī indra pratadvasū abhi svara || 27 ||
abhi svarantu ye tava rudrāsaḥ sakṣata śriyam |
uto marutvatīr viśo abhi prayaḥ || 28 ||
imā asya pratūrtayaḥ padaṁ juṣanta yad divi |
nābhā yajñasya saṁ dadhur yathā vide || 29 ||
ayaṁ dīrghāya cakṣase prāci prayaty adhvare |
mimīte yajñam ānuṣag vicakṣya || 30 ||
vṛṣāyam indra te ratha uto te vṛṣaṇā harī |
vṛṣā tvaṁ śatakrato vṛṣā havaḥ || 31 ||
vṛṣā grāvā vṛṣā mado vṛṣā somo ayaṁ sutaḥ |
vṛṣā yajño yam invasi vṛṣā havaḥ || 32 ||
vṛṣā tvā vṛṣaṇaṁ huve vajriñ citrābhir ūtibhiḥ |
vāvantha hi pratiṣṭutiṁ vṛṣā havaḥ || 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).