Hymn to Indra
Rigveda VIII.45 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. Those who kindle Agni, who spread the sacred grass out in order — theirs is youthful Indra as a friend.
2. Great indeed is their kindling-wood, abundant their praise, wide their sacrificial post — theirs is youthful Indra as a friend.
3. Unchallenged in battle, the hero drives back the encircling foe with his warriors — theirs is youthful Indra as a friend.
4. The Vṛtra-slayer, no sooner born, seized his weapon and asked his mother: "Who are the mighty ones? Who are they that are spoken of?"
5. Śavasī answered you: he shall go forth to fight like a warrior on the mountain — whoever seeks enmity against you.
6. And you, bounteous one, listen: what he desires of you, that you have granted; what is firm, you make firmer still.
7. When Indra, maker of the contest, goes to the race, wanting good horses of his own, he is the finest charioteer of charioteers.
8. Tear apart, O wielder of the thunderbolt, all attackers on every side, uprooting them; be for us the one of greatest renown.
9. May Indra make our chariot foremost for winning gain — one that deceivers cannot harm.
10. May we turn aside from those who hate you; we stand ready, mighty one, for your giving; may we indeed reach one rich in cattle.
11. Even coming slowly, O wielder of the stone, you who have horses, who number a hundredfold, eager and faultless.
12. For day after day your generous gifts rise up — thousands, hundreds — you give them to the singers.
13. For we know you, Indra, as winner of wealth, breaker even of what is firm, splitting it open like a house.
14. Let the soma-drops delight even you, the lofty one, bold sage, when we come before you as one comes before a trader.
15. Whatever wealthy man who withholds his gift has forgotten to give for your bounty — bring us knowledge of his goods.
16. These friends of yours, Indra, who possess the soma, look upon you as prosperous men look upon their cattle.
17. And you, though not deaf, whose ear hears well, we call here from far away for your help.
18. If you would hear this unforgettable call and act on it, you would be our nearest kin.
19. Even though, wandering into confusion about you, we have thought wrongly — be mindful of us still, Indra, giver of cattle.
20. Like old men grasping a staff for support, we have grasped hold of you, lord of strength; we long for you here at the gathering.
21. Sing the hymn of praise to Indra, of great manly power, the warrior whom no one can withstand in battle.
22. To you, bull, I pour out the pressed soma for drinking; be satisfied, take your fill of exhilaration.
23. Let not the foolish who seek only their own gain deceive you, nor the mockers; do not favor those who hate the sacred word.
24. Here let the soma, rich as cattle-abundance, delight you toward great generosity; drink as a wild ox drinks at a pool.
25. The deeds, old and new, that the Vṛtra-slayer has done in the far place — proclaim those in the assemblies.
26. Indra drank the soma pressed by Kadru, in the contest of the thousand-armed one; there he showed his manly power.
27. True is this, known among Turvaśa and Yadu, undeniable: he attained it in the struggle to overcome, through his labor.
28. I proclaim him: the one who carries your people across, their protector, winner of the prize rich in cattle, the same for all.
29. Like Ṛbhukṣan, hard to turn back, strengthened by the hymns in the affair of Tugra's son — Indra, together with the pressed soma.
30. He who indeed cut open the wide mountain at its source for Triśoka, to let a path go forth for the cows.
31. Whatever you resolve on, whatever you intend, delighting, pressing eagerly forward — do not do that; have mercy, Indra.
32. For even a small deed of one such as you is heard of over all the earth; let your mind come toward us, Indra.
33. Yours would be that good fame and those praises, Indra, if you show us mercy.
34. Do not slay us for one offense, nor for two, nor for three, hero — nor for many.
35. For I fear one such as you: fierce, all-crushing, wondrous, overpowering in attack.
36. Let me not know the emptiness of losing a friend, nor of losing a son, lord of abundance; let your mind turn toward us.
37. What young man, without quarrel, ever spoke against a friend as a friend? Who now withdraws himself from us?
38. So indeed, bull, at the pressed soma, insatiable, with much to give, moving through the lowland like a gambler at play.
39. I take hold of these your two bay horses, yoked by the word, with their good chariot, since you give your bounty to the priests.
40. Split apart all our enemies, drive off those who oppress us, strike down the scorners; bring us that desirable wealth.
41. Whatever wealth, Indra, lies hidden in the firm ground, in the solid rock, in the mountain-cleft, carried off far away — bring us that desirable wealth.
42. Whose abundant gift all humankind comes to know — bring us that desirable wealth.
Translator's note: a few words resist certain rendering. "Bunda" (v. 4) is an obscure term, here left as "weapon" by context. "Apso" (v. 5) is uncertain and rendered conservatively as "warrior." "Paṇi" (v. 14) names the miser/trader figure common in the Rigveda; kept literal rather than moralized. "Kadru" (v. 26) is treated as a proper name, its referent unclear. "Śvaghnī" (v. 38, literally "dog-slayer," a term for a dice-player) is rendered "gambler at play"; the verse as a whole is syntactically difficult and the rendering here is conservative.
Colophon
Rigveda VIII.45 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.
🌲
Source Text: ṛgveda VIII.45
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.
ā ghā ye agnim indhate stṛṇanti barhir ānuṣak |
yeṣām indro yuvā sakhā || 1 ||
bṛhann id idhma eṣām bhūri śastam pṛthuḥ svaruḥ |
yeṣām indro yuvā sakhā || 2 ||
ayuddha id yudhā vṛtaṁ śūra ājati satvabhiḥ |
yeṣām indro yuvā sakhā || 3 ||
ā bundaṁ vṛtrahā dade jātaḥ pṛcchad vi mātaram |
ka ugrāḥ ke ha śṛṇvire || 4 ||
prati tvā śavasī vadad girāv apso na yodhiṣat |
yas te śatrutvam ācake || 5 ||
uta tvam maghavañ chṛṇu yas te vaṣṭi vavakṣi tat |
yad vīḻayāsi vīḻu tat || 6 ||
yad ājiṁ yāty ājikṛd indraḥ svaśvayur upa |
rathītamo rathīnām || 7 ||
vi ṣu viśvā abhiyujo vajrin viṣvag yathā vṛha |
bhavā naḥ suśravastamaḥ || 8 ||
asmākaṁ su ratham pura indraḥ kṛṇotu sātaye |
na yaṁ dhūrvanti dhūrtayaḥ || 9 ||
vṛjyāma te pari dviṣo 'raṁ te śakra dāvane |
gamemed indra gomataḥ || 10 ||
śanaiś cid yanto adrivo 'śvāvantaḥ śatagvinaḥ |
vivakṣaṇā anehasaḥ || 11 ||
ūrdhvā hi te dive-dive sahasrā sūnṛtā śatā |
jaritṛbhyo vimaṁhate || 12 ||
vidmā hi tvā dhanaṁjayam indra dṛḻhā cid ārujam |
ādāriṇaṁ yathā gayam || 13 ||
kakuhaṁ cit tvā kave mandantu dhṛṣṇav indavaḥ |
ā tvā paṇiṁ yad īmahe || 14 ||
yas te revām̐ adāśuriḥ pramamarṣa maghattaye |
tasya no veda ā bhara || 15 ||
ima u tvā vi cakṣate sakhāya indra sominaḥ |
puṣṭāvanto yathā paśum || 16 ||
uta tvābadhiraṁ vayaṁ śrutkarṇaṁ santam ūtaye |
dūrād iha havāmahe || 17 ||
yac chuśrūyā imaṁ havaṁ durmarṣaṁ cakriyā uta |
bhaver āpir no antamaḥ || 18 ||
yac cid dhi te api vyathir jaganvāṁso amanmahi |
godā id indra bodhi naḥ || 19 ||
ā tvā rambhaṁ na jivrayo rarabhmā śavasas pate |
uśmasi tvā sadhastha ā || 20 ||
stotram indrāya gāyata purunṛmṇāya satvane |
nakir yaṁ vṛṇvate yudhi || 21 ||
abhi tvā vṛṣabhā sute sutaṁ sṛjāmi pītaye |
tṛmpā vy aśnuhī madam || 22 ||
mā tvā mūrā aviṣyavo mopahasvāna ā dabhan |
mākīm brahmadviṣo vanaḥ || 23 ||
iha tvā goparīṇasā mahe mandantu rādhase |
saro gauro yathā piba || 24 ||
yā vṛtrahā parāvati sanā navā ca cucyuve |
tā saṁsatsu pra vocata || 25 ||
apibat kadruvaḥ sutam indraḥ sahasrabāhve |
atrādediṣṭa pauṁsyam || 26 ||
satyaṁ tat turvaśe yadau vidāno ahnavāyyam |
vy ānaṭ turvaṇe śami || 27 ||
taraṇiṁ vo janānāṁ tradaṁ vājasya gomataḥ |
samānam u pra śaṁsiṣam || 28 ||
ṛbhukṣaṇaṁ na vartave uktheṣu tugryāvṛdham |
indraṁ some sacā sute || 29 ||
yaḥ kṛntad id vi yonyaṁ triśokāya girim pṛthum |
gobhyo gātuṁ niretave || 30 ||
yad dadhiṣe manasyasi mandānaḥ pred iyakṣasi |
mā tat kar indra mṛḻaya || 31 ||
dabhraṁ cid dhi tvāvataḥ kṛtaṁ śṛṇve adhi kṣami |
jigātv indra te manaḥ || 32 ||
taved u tāḥ sukīrtayo 'sann uta praśastayaḥ |
yad indra mṛḻayāsi naḥ || 33 ||
mā na ekasminn āgasi mā dvayor uta triṣu |
vadhīr mā śūra bhūriṣu || 34 ||
bibhayā hi tvāvata ugrād abhiprabhaṅgiṇaḥ |
dasmād aham ṛtīṣahaḥ || 35 ||
mā sakhyuḥ śūnam ā vide mā putrasya prabhūvaso |
āvṛtvad bhūtu te manaḥ || 36 ||
ko nu maryā amithitaḥ sakhā sakhāyam abravīt |
jahā ko asmad īṣate || 37 ||
evāre vṛṣabhā sute 'sinvan bhūry āvayaḥ |
śvaghnīva nivatā caran || 38 ||
ā ta etā vacoyujā harī gṛbhṇe sumadrathā |
yad īm brahmabhya id dadaḥ || 39 ||
bhindhi viśvā apa dviṣaḥ pari bādho jahī mṛdhaḥ |
vasu spārhaṁ tad ā bhara || 40 ||
yad vīḻāv indra yat sthire yat parśāne parābhṛtam |
vasu spārhaṁ tad ā bhara || 41 ||
yasya te viśvamānuṣo bhūrer dattasya vedati |
vasu spārhaṁ tad ā bhara || 42 ||
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).