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 by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
Glorify Indra, the mighty Bull, the unconquered, the breaker of strongholds. Sing ye his praise, for he alone is worthy. The heavens tremble at his name; the earth trembles at his footfall. No god hath matched his power, no demon his strength.
This is Indra, whom the wise ones know—the slayer of Śuṣṇa, the slayer of Vṛtra, the slayer of all demons. He hath smashed a hundred cities with his thunder. He hath loosed the waters that were bound in stone. The mountains bow before him; the rivers flow at his command.
The Kāṇvas call upon thee, O Indra, with lifted voices. We pour the Soma for thy draught; we kindle the sacred fires. Hear us, O Bull of might! Come down from thy throne on high and drink deeply of this offering.
Thou art the giver of all gifts—cattle and horses, gold and grain. The man who praiseth thee shall never lack. The singer who maketh the Soma flow shall reap a hundredfold return. Thy generosity knoweth no bound, thy bounty no measure.
When first the dawn appeared and the light was young, thou didst already work thy deeds of power. Thou didst slay the firstborn of dragons; thou didst pierce his heart with thy thunderbolt. The serpent fell, and from his body the waters rushed forth like a flood.
Thou didst shatter the fortresses of Śambara, that demon of the mountain. A hundred cities of stone and gold he had built, and thou didst crush them all like ancient jars. No rampart could withstand thee; no stronghold endure thy wrath. Thy bolt went through them as water floweth through a sieve.
The demon Pipru thou didst slay; Cumuri and Dhuni fell before thy might. The Paṇis, who had stolen the cattle and hidden the waters in their caves, were put to flight by thy roar. The kine came forth; the rivers ran free. Thou hast brought salvation to the Ārya peoples.
The heavens and the earth were created by thy power. The sun riseth at thy word; the moon moveth according to thy will. The stars obey thee; the wind bloweth at thy command. All things in the three worlds are held in thy hand.
When thou dost move forth to battle, thy bay steeds shake the earth. Thy chariot rolleth like thunder across the heavens. Lightning flasheth before thee; thy roar shaketh the mountains. The demons flee at thy approach; the wicked tremble at thy name.
Yet thou art gracious unto those who honour thee, who make the Soma flow, who sing thy hymns with pure hearts. Unto them thou givest victory in battle, abundance in the home, sons of might, daughters of wisdom. Thy friendship remaineth steadfast; thy care never faileth.
O Caster of the Stone, I would not sell thee for a mighty price. Not for a thousand should I give thee up, O Thunderer. Not for ten thousand, not for all the riches of the earth, would I trade away thy friendship. For thou art the true protector, the shining champion of the faithful, the fortress none may break.
The singer crieth unto thee as the calf to its mother. The priest calleth upon thee with offerings and hymns. The ploughman in the fields prayeth for thy rains. The warrior in the battle calleth upon thy name. All creatures look to thee; all things depend upon thy will.
Indra, thou art the first among the gods, the mightiest in strength. No god can match thy glory; no demon can withstand thy might. The heaven and earth cannot contain thy greatness; thy deeds reach to every quarter. Who among all the gods is thine equal? No one. Thou art alone, matchless and eternal.
The Soma floweth forth for thee; the pressing-stones ring out thy praise. The ten sisters ply their task; the wooden vessel groweth full of the sacred juice. The priests arrange the altar; the fires are kindled. Come, O Indra, from thy dwelling place on high! Come swift and drink. Let thy belly be filled with this draught of immortality.
When thou hast drunk, thy strength shall grow beyond all measure. Thy thunderbolt shall ring louder than before. Thy chariot shall speed swifter across the heavens. The mountains shall shudder at thy passing; the earth shall quake beneath thy wheels. No foe shall stand before thee; no demon shall dare to contest thy power.
Thus do the Kāṇvas praise thee, O Indra. Thus do we sing thy glory, day upon day. Hear us, O Bull of might! Be gracious unto us in our songs. Let thy favour rest upon the singers, upon the priests, upon all who pour the Soma for thy draught. Give unto us victory in battle, abundance in the home, and a name that shall endure forever.
And may we ever praise thee, O mighty one, as long as the sun doth shine upon the earth. May thy blessing remain upon us; may thy friendship never wane. For thou art the guardian of the Ārya peoples, the protector of all who call upon thy name. To thee we give our praise, now and always, unto the end of all days.
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 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).
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