Hymn to Indra
Rigveda VIII.57 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.
Swiftly, O Indra, come unto this pressing! The soma flows in rivers rich with sweetness; the sacrificial drink is mixed and ready. Hasten thy chariot hitched with noble horses—come swift as wind, as lightning's flash, to join us.
The priests invoke thee with their sacred verses, the singers raise their hymns of mighty power. The Agni blazes hot upon the altar; the wooden bowls are filled with soma bright. Hear thou our call and come, O Bull of Heaven—thy people wait to greet thee with their praise.
What foe can stand before thee in the battle when thou art clad in thy resplendent armour? No demon's fort can hold against thy thunder; no hostile power may withstand thy coming. The mortal who hath pressed the soma here—thou keepest him, thy chosen one, secure.
We praise thy deeds, O Indra, mighty hero—the Aśvins, Vāyu, Agni, all rejoice with thee. The mountains shake when thy great bolt descendeth; the demon-host doth flee before thy face. Come swift to us, receive our songs and gifting, and grant us victory and the blessed light.
The pressing of the soma calls upon thee, O Indra, lord and king of all existence. Thou whom the earth and heaven both obey—come now to hear the songs that we have fashioned. The ancient rites are fresh upon our altar; the priests await thy presence and thy blessing.
Grant us, O Indra, riches and strong offspring, that we may live in peace and strength eternal. Protect us from all evil, foes, and sickness; keep fast the doors against the powers of darkness. Receive our hymns and gifts with heart rejoicing.
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.57
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.
yuvaṁ devā kratunā pūrvyeṇa yuktā rathena taviṣaṁ yajatrā |
āgacchataṁ nāsatyā śacībhir idaṁ tṛtīyaṁ savanam pibāthaḥ || 1 ||
yuvāṁ devās traya ekādaśāsaḥ satyāḥ satyasya dadṛśe purastāt |
asmākaṁ yajñaṁ savanaṁ juṣāṇā pātaṁ somam aśvinā dīdyagnī || 2 ||
panāyyaṁ tad aśvinā kṛtaṁ vāṁ vṛṣabho divo rajasaḥ pṛthivyāḥ |
sahasraṁ śaṁsā uta ye gaviṣṭau sarvām̐ it tām̐ upa yātā pibadhyai || 3 ||
ayaṁ vām bhāgo nihito yajatremā giro nāsatyopa yātam |
pibataṁ somam madhumantam asme pra dāśvāṁsam avataṁ śacībhiḥ || 4 ||
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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