Hymn to Indra
Rigveda IX.1 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 9 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.
Cleanse thyself, O Soma, in the fairest and most gladdening stream, when thou art pressed for Indra's draught.
Breaker of fiends, held by all the lands in common, he hath come to rest upon the hammered womb of metal, his rightful seat, borne by the wooden vessel.
Be thou the noblest founder of the broad kingdom, most free in giving, mightiest in sundering every hindrance.
Bring unto us the riches of the generous.
Hasten with thy stalk to chase the mighty gods, unto the prize of triumph and the name of renown.
To thee do we draw nigh—for this is ever our daily seeking.
O shining drop, our longings are folded in thee.
The Sun’s own Daughter maketh thee pure, as thou whirlest in thy course, strained through the golden fleece, in measure that faileth not.
The tender ones lay hold of thee in the time of clash— the ten maidens, sisters of hand, upon the fated day.
The unwed maids drive thee forth, as they blow the skin of wind, thee, thrice-sweet wild honey.
And thee the holy kine prepare, as their very youngling— the soma—for Indra's drink.
For the rapture of this very draught, doth Indra, the mighty, shatter all that bars the way, and raineth down his gifts.
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.
🌲
Source Text: ṛgveda IX.1
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.
svādiṣṭhayā madiṣṭhayā pavasva soma dhārayā |
indrāya pātave sutaḥ || 1 ||
rakṣohā viśvacarṣaṇir abhi yonim ayohatam |
druṇā sadhastham āsadat || 2 ||
varivodhātamo bhava maṁhiṣṭho vṛtrahantamaḥ |
parṣi rādho maghonām || 3 ||
abhy arṣa mahānāṁ devānāṁ vītim andhasā |
abhi vājam uta śravaḥ || 4 ||
tvām acchā carāmasi tad id arthaṁ dive-dive |
indo tve na āśasaḥ || 5 ||
punāti te parisrutaṁ somaṁ sūryasya duhitā |
vāreṇa śaśvatā tanā || 6 ||
tam īm aṇvīḥ samarya ā gṛbhṇanti yoṣaṇo daśa |
svasāraḥ pārye divi || 7 ||
tam īṁ hinvanty agruvo dhamanti bākuraṁ dṛtim |
tridhātu vāraṇam madhu || 8 ||
abhī3mam aghnyā uta śrīṇanti dhenavaḥ śiśum |
somam indrāya pātave || 9 ||
asyed indro madeṣv ā viśvā vṛtrāṇi jighnate |
śūro maghā ca maṁhate || 10 ||
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).
🌲