Hymn to Indra
Rigveda VIII.92 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.
Come hither, O Indra, thou of many invocations, thou whom we have praised in hymn and song from ancient days. Drink thou the soma that the priests have pressed, and grant us thy most generous benediction.
Thou art the mightiest of all the gods; none among the divine hosts may stand beside thee. Thy deeds of valor shine forth like the sun across the heavens, and thy glory covereth both the earth and sky.
In days of old, when darkness held dominion and the demon Vṛtra choked the waters, thou didst arise with thunderbolt in hand. The mountain split asunder at thy stroke; the dragon fell upon the plain; the imprisoned rivers leaped forth to freedom.
Thou art the breaker of strongholds, the smasher of citadels, the lord who giveth forth the light. Where once was shadow, now is radiance. Where once was bondage, now is liberty—through thy mighty arm and unflinching will.
The heaven and earth do trembleefore thee, O Thunderer. The mountains bow. The winds obey thy voice. All creatures know thy might and render unto thee the honor of their praise.
Yet even in thy greatness, thou art not distant. Thou comest to the singer's call; thou hearkenest unto the prayer of the humble. The poor man and the rich alike may bring thee Soma, and thou wilt not turn away.
For the Kāṇvas thou hast loosed the waters. For the Kāṇvas thou hast brought forth the cattle. For the Kāṇvas thou hast given forth abundance—such wealth as maketh glad the hearts of men.
Therefore do we praise thee now, O Indra, with songs that shall endure as long as men do live and praise the gods. Accept our offering, drink deep of this pressed juice, and grant us thy continued favor and protection.
Thou art the giver of all good; thou art the lord of all that is precious. In thy hand dwell riches beyond count—the herds, the gold, the grain, the victories in battle. All these come forth from thee.
Therefore, O Bull of mighty strength, we lift our voices to thee. Hear us, aid us, strengthen us. Let thy friendship not wane. Let thy care for the faithful remain steadfast. And let thy generosity pour down upon us like the waters of the flood.
Thus do we honor thee, O Indra. Thus shall thy praise be sung forever among the Kāṇvas, and among all who call upon thy name.
So come to us, O god. Drink thou the Soma. Rejoice in our affection. And grant unto us the blessings that only thou canst give—victory, prosperity, and the endless supply of thy boundless might.
Hear us, O Indra. Come.
We praise thee, O Bull, mighty one whose deeds are numberless. Thou who didst slay Vṛtra, thou who didst loose the rivers, thou who didst establish the heavens—accept our humble offering.
For thee the pressing-stones have sounded. For thee the hymns are raised. For thee the Soma floweth like water in the stream. Come, therefore, O Indra, and drink thy fill.
Thou hast made us glad with thy victories; thou hast enriched us with thy gifts. No god nor mortal can match thy bounty, nor can any fathom the depth of thy compassion toward those who call upon thee in truth.
Therefore, let thy friendship abide with us forever. Let thy care not wane. Let thy strength remain our shield against all that would harm us. And let thy generosity continue to rain down upon the faithful.
This is our prayer, O Indra. This is our praise. Accept it, and be pleased.
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.92
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.
pāntam ā vo andhasa indram abhi pra gāyata |
viśvāsāhaṁ śatakratum maṁhiṣṭhaṁ carṣaṇīnām || 1 ||
puruhūtam puruṣṭutaṁ gāthānya1ṁ sanaśrutam |
indra iti bravītana || 2 ||
indra in no mahānāṁ dātā vājānāṁ nṛtuḥ |
mahām̐ abhijñv ā yamat || 3 ||
apād u śipry andhasaḥ sudakṣasya prahoṣiṇaḥ |
indor indro yavāśiraḥ || 4 ||
tam v abhi prārcatendraṁ somasya pītaye |
tad id dhy asya vardhanam || 5 ||
asya pītvā madānāṁ devo devasyaujasā |
viśvābhi bhuvanā bhuvat || 6 ||
tyam u vaḥ satrāsāhaṁ viśvāsu gīrṣv āyatam |
ā cyāvayasy ūtaye || 7 ||
yudhmaṁ santam anarvāṇaṁ somapām anapacyutam |
naram avāryakratum || 8 ||
śikṣā ṇa indra rāya ā puru vidvām̐ ṛcīṣama |
avā naḥ pārye dhane || 9 ||
ataś cid indra ṇa upā yāhi śatavājayā |
iṣā sahasravājayā || 10 ||
ayāma dhīvato dhiyo 'rvadbhiḥ śakra godare |
jayema pṛtsu vajrivaḥ || 11 ||
vayam u tvā śatakrato gāvo na yavaseṣv ā |
uktheṣu raṇayāmasi || 12 ||
viśvā hi martyatvanānukāmā śatakrato |
aganma vajrinn āśasaḥ || 13 ||
tve su putra śavaso 'vṛtran kāmakātayaḥ |
na tvām indrāti ricyate || 14 ||
sa no vṛṣan saniṣṭhayā saṁ ghorayā dravitnvā |
dhiyāviḍḍhi puraṁdhyā || 15 ||
yas te nūnaṁ śatakratav indra dyumnitamo madaḥ |
tena nūnam made madeḥ || 16 ||
yas te citraśravastamo ya indra vṛtrahantamaḥ |
ya ojodātamo madaḥ || 17 ||
vidmā hi yas te adrivas tvādattaḥ satya somapāḥ |
viśvāsu dasma kṛṣṭiṣu || 18 ||
indrāya madvane sutam pari ṣṭobhantu no giraḥ |
arkam arcantu kāravaḥ || 19 ||
yasmin viśvā adhi śriyo raṇanti sapta saṁsadaḥ |
indraṁ sute havāmahe || 20 ||
trikadrukeṣu cetanaṁ devāso yajñam atnata |
tam id vardhantu no giraḥ || 21 ||
ā tvā viśantv indavaḥ samudram iva sindhavaḥ |
na tvām indrāti ricyate || 22 ||
vivyaktha mahinā vṛṣan bhakṣaṁ somasya jāgṛve |
ya indra jaṭhareṣu te || 23 ||
araṁ ta indra kukṣaye somo bhavatu vṛtrahan |
araṁ dhāmabhya indavaḥ || 24 ||
aram aśvāya gāyati śrutakakṣo araṁ gave |
aram indrasya dhāmne || 25 ||
araṁ hi ṣma suteṣu ṇaḥ someṣv indra bhūṣasi |
araṁ te śakra dāvane || 26 ||
parākāttāc cid adrivas tvāṁ nakṣanta no giraḥ |
araṁ gamāma te vayam || 27 ||
evā hy asi vīrayur evā śūra uta sthiraḥ |
evā te rādhyam manaḥ || 28 ||
evā rātis tuvīmagha viśvebhir dhāyi dhātṛbhiḥ |
adhā cid indra me sacā || 29 ||
mo ṣu brahmeva tandrayur bhuvo vājānām pate |
matsvā sutasya gomataḥ || 30 ||
mā na indrābhy ā3diśaḥ sūro aktuṣv ā yaman |
tvā yujā vanema tat || 31 ||
tvayed indra yujā vayam prati bruvīmahi spṛdhaḥ |
tvam asmākaṁ tava smasi || 32 ||
tvām id dhi tvāyavo 'nunonuvataś carān |
sakhāya indra kāravaḥ || 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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