Hymn to Indra
Rigveda X.89 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 10 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 by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
I shall uplift the praise of Indra, most manful and strong, who by his greatness did sunder the realms of light and stretch the ends of earth apart—who set bounds in their places and filled the vastness between, out-reaching the rivers by his mighty power.
As the sun doth wheel about the farthest breadths, so let Indra cause to turn in like wise the coursing of this day, as wheels upon a chariot, for the sun, ever restless, standeth not still. He hath shattered the blackness of night with the blaze of his flame.
Sing unto him anew with the ancient tongue—a sacred speech that turneth not aside, without match in the skies or upon the ground—unto Indra, who hath marked the tribes of the stranger as one may behold the backs of horses, straight and bent, and needeth no friend to aid him.
For Indra I have sent forth my songs, as waters arise from the deep in surging unrest, for him who with his strength did cleave the sky from the soil, even as wheels are held asunder by their axle.
He who draweth war-might from his draught, whose first onset cutteth keen—the loud, fierce shooter, whose drink is the silver-bright Soma—know ye, no thicket nor tree hath ever beguiled Indra with false likeness to that holy draught.
To him, whom not the sky nor the earth, nor the firm land, nor the air between, nor the hills may match, hath Soma flowed. When his wrath is drawn out in battle, he breaketh the hard and scattereth the stout.
He smote Vṛtra as an axe felleth trees. He brought down the holds of the foe. He hewed out river-paths through the stone. As one breaketh a fresh-made pot, so split he the mount. With his yokemates, he won the kine.
Thou alone, Indra, art the wise repayer of what is owed. As a blade cleaveth the joint, so cleavest thou the crooked ways of those who trespass against the law of Mitra and of Varuṇa, as men break their sworn bond.
Those of foul walk who cross the will of Mitra, and of Aryaman, who break troth and spurn Varuṇa—on them, O bull-strong Indra, grind thy red, swelling death-weapon. Let them feel the weight of wrath who are not joined with us.
Indra is lord of the sky, Indra of the earth, Indra of the waters, Indra of the hills. Indra is master of the strong and of the wise; in peace call upon him, and in war likewise.
Indra, the mighty, reacheth beyond the day and beyond the night, beyond the midst between, and beyond the deep spring of the sea. Beyond the winds' broad goings he goeth, beyond the earth’s last edge, beyond the streams and the lands of men.
As the torch of ever-kindled dawn, let thy unsated bolt, O Indra, roll forth. As a rock cast from the sky, let thy hottest dart strike the breakers of bonds and faith.
The months gave place to him, the trees gave place, the herbs gave place, the mountains gave place. The twin halves of the world made way for Indra in his birthing hour. The waters, too, stepped aside for him.
When shall thy vengeance come, O Indra, that thou may rend the might of the fiend who presseth hard upon us? Let them who draw blood from their own lie strewn like kine at the slaughter, as fell Vṛtra, the earth-embracer.
They who have struck at us in pride and strength, seeking to match us, let them, O Indra, who are friendless, be cast into sightless night. Let the good stars of night have the better of them.
For the many soma-pourings of the folk and the holy words of the seers gladden thee. Hearken to this call held in one accord; with thy help, bear us onward over all who stand against.
Even so, O Indra, may we behold thy fresh gifts that bring forth good. And with thy help, Indra, may we of the house of Viśvāmitra know these favors, as now we lift our voice at dawn.
For blessing we call upon generous Indra, most manful, here at this raid, at the winning of the prize—on the strong hearer, for battle’s aid, the breaker of hindrance, the taker of spoil.
Colophon
This hymn is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated independently from the Sanskrit. Reference translations consulted during original translation are to be documented during audit.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ṛgveda X.89
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.
indraṁ stavā nṛtamaṁ yasya mahnā vibabādhe rocanā vi jmo antān |
ā yaḥ paprau carṣaṇīdhṛd varobhiḥ pra sindhubhyo riricāno mahitvā || 1 ||
sa sūryaḥ pary urū varāṁsy endro vavṛtyād rathyeva cakrā |
atiṣṭhantam apasya1ṁ na sargaṁ kṛṣṇā tamāṁsi tviṣyā jaghāna || 2 ||
samānam asmā anapāvṛd arca kṣmayā divo asamam brahma navyam |
vi yaḥ pṛṣṭheva janimāny arya indraś cikāya na sakhāyam īṣe || 3 ||
indrāya giro aniśitasargā apaḥ prerayaṁ sagarasya budhnāt |
yo akṣeṇeva cakriyā śacībhir viṣvak tastambha pṛthivīm uta dyām || 4 ||
āpāntamanyus tṛpalaprabharmā dhuniḥ śimīvāñ charumām̐ ṛjīṣī |
somo viśvāny atasā vanāni nārvāg indram pratimānāni debhuḥ || 5 ||
na yasya dyāvāpṛthivī na dhanva nāntarikṣaṁ nādrayaḥ somo akṣāḥ |
yad asya manyur adhinīyamānaḥ śṛṇāti vīḻu rujati sthirāṇi || 6 ||
jaghāna vṛtraṁ svadhitir vaneva ruroja puro aradan na sindhūn |
bibheda giriṁ navam in na kumbham ā gā indro akṛṇuta svayugbhiḥ || 7 ||
tvaṁ ha tyad ṛṇayā indra dhīro 'sir na parva vṛjinā śṛṇāsi |
pra ye mitrasya varuṇasya dhāma yujaṁ na janā minanti mitram || 8 ||
pra ye mitram prāryamaṇaṁ durevāḥ pra saṁgiraḥ pra varuṇam minanti |
ny a1mitreṣu vadham indra tumraṁ vṛṣan vṛṣāṇam aruṣaṁ śiśīhi || 9 ||
indro diva indra īśe pṛthivyā indro apām indra it parvatānām |
indro vṛdhām indra in medhirāṇām indraḥ kṣeme yoge havya indraḥ || 10 ||
prāktubhya indraḥ pra vṛdho ahabhyaḥ prāntarikṣāt pra samudrasya dhāseḥ |
pra vātasya prathasaḥ pra jmo antāt pra sindhubhyo ririce pra kṣitibhyaḥ || 11 ||
pra śośucatyā uṣaso na ketur asinvā te vartatām indra hetiḥ |
aśmeva vidhya diva ā sṛjānas tapiṣṭhena heṣasā droghamitrān || 12 ||
anv aha māsā anv id vanāny anv oṣadhīr anu parvatāsaḥ |
anv indraṁ rodasī vāvaśāne anv āpo ajihata jāyamānam || 13 ||
karhi svit sā ta indra cetyāsad aghasya yad bhinado rakṣa eṣat |
mitrakruvo yac chasane na gāvaḥ pṛthivyā āpṛg amuyā śayante || 14 ||
śatrūyanto abhi ye nas tatasre mahi vrādhanta ogaṇāsa indra |
andhenāmitrās tamasā sacantāṁ sujyotiṣo aktavas tām̐ abhi ṣyuḥ || 15 ||
purūṇi hi tvā savanā janānām brahmāṇi mandan gṛṇatām ṛṣīṇām |
imām āghoṣann avasā sahūtiṁ tiro viśvām̐ arcato yāhy arvāṅ || 16 ||
evā te vayam indra bhuñjatīnāṁ vidyāma sumatīnāṁ navānām |
vidyāma vastor avasā gṛṇanto viśvāmitrā uta ta indra nūnam || 17 ||
śunaṁ huvema maghavānam indram asmin bhare nṛtamaṁ vājasātau |
śṛṇvantam ugram ūtaye samatsu ghnantaṁ vṛtrāṇi saṁjitaṁ dhanānām || 18 ||
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).
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