Hymn to Indra
Rigveda IX.7 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.
The drops have surged along the path of truth, set firm upon its shining ground, the glorious ones discerning its course with wise delight.
Forth flows the stream—the very head of sweetness— diving through the mighty waters, to be praised as offering above all offerings.
Forth he fares, the foremost voice of speech, his yoke-fellow beside him; the bull hath bellowed into the wooden bowl, seeking his seat—for he is the rite made real.
When the poet doth gird himself with songcraft and manly might, and doth whirl about the fleece in haste, the steed of the sun strives ever to seize the light.
The self-cleansing one sitteth above his rivals, as a king above his tribes, when the wise in ritual stir him to his course.
Having encircled the fleece of sheep, the fair tawny one resteth in wooden bowls; his voice is rough, his thought keen—he longeth to prevail.
He goeth in rapture unto Vāyu, Indra, and the twin horsemen, his joy in step with sacred law.
The honeyed waves, through their bright washing, draw unto this place Mitra and Varuṇa, and Bhaga— by strength they are known and named.
Ye two Halves of the World, for our sake, win us the sweet prize:
seize us riches, seize us renown, and all good things.
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.7
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.
asṛgram indavaḥ pathā dharmann ṛtasya suśriyaḥ |
vidānā asya yojanam || 1 ||
pra dhārā madhvo agriyo mahīr apo vi gāhate |
havir haviṣṣu vandyaḥ || 2 ||
pra yujo vāco agriyo vṛṣāva cakradad vane |
sadmābhi satyo adhvaraḥ || 3 ||
pari yat kāvyā kavir nṛmṇā vasāno arṣati |
svar vājī siṣāsati || 4 ||
pavamāno abhi spṛdho viśo rājeva sīdati |
yad īm ṛṇvanti vedhasaḥ || 5 ||
avyo vāre pari priyo harir vaneṣu sīdati |
rebho vanuṣyate matī || 6 ||
sa vāyum indram aśvinā sākam madena gacchati |
raṇā yo asya dharmabhiḥ || 7 ||
ā mitrāvaruṇā bhagam madhvaḥ pavanta ūrmayaḥ |
vidānā asya śakmabhiḥ || 8 ||
asmabhyaṁ rodasī rayim madhvo vājasya sātaye |
śravo vasūni saṁ jitam || 9 ||
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).
🌲