Hymn to Indra
Rigveda IX.90 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.
Urged onward, the Sire of both the worlds rolleth forth as a triumphal car, eager for the prize. To mighty Indra he hasteth, whetting his keen-bladed shafts, and gathereth all rich bounty into his hands.
Unto the triple-back’d Bull, the life-bestower, our voices bellow and resound. He, array’d in the forest as Varuṇa is girt with the rivers, flingeth wide desired treasure and choicest gifts.
Mustering a host of champions and heroes full of strength, cleanse thou thyself as the sure conqueror, the taker of the stake. With edge of sword and twanging bow, unconquer’d in the fray, cast down thine every rival.
Spread broad the pastures; fashion havens void of fear; by thine own purging win the twin-joined stores of Heaven and Earth. Striving for the waters, the dawns, the flaming sun, and the hornèd kine, together ye have thunder’d forth great prizes for our lot.
Gladden Varuṇa, O Soma; gladden Mitra. Kindle gladness in Indra, self-cleansing drop, and in Vishṇu. Cheer the stormy troop of Maruts, cheer all the gods; uplift great Indra, sweet drop, unto his heart’s delight.
So, like a resolute king that smiteth all hindrance, purge ever thyself with ringing onset. O sparkling drop, breathe life into our speech, and keep us ever beneath the shadow of thy blessing.
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 IX.90
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.
pra hinvāno janitā rodasyo ratho na vājaṁ saniṣyann ayāsīt |
indraṁ gacchann āyudhā saṁśiśāno viśvā vasu hastayor ādadhānaḥ || 1 ||
abhi tripṛṣṭhaṁ vṛṣaṇaṁ vayodhām āṅgūṣāṇām avāvaśanta vāṇīḥ |
vanā vasāno varuṇo na sindhūn vi ratnadhā dayate vāryāṇi || 2 ||
śūragrāmaḥ sarvavīraḥ sahāvāñ jetā pavasva sanitā dhanāni |
tigmāyudhaḥ kṣipradhanvā samatsv aṣāḻhaḥ sāhvān pṛtanāsu śatrūn || 3 ||
urugavyūtir abhayāni kṛṇvan samīcīne ā pavasvā puraṁdhī |
apaḥ siṣāsann uṣasaḥ sva1r gāḥ saṁ cikrado maho asmabhyaṁ vājān || 4 ||
matsi soma varuṇam matsi mitram matsīndram indo pavamāna viṣṇum |
matsi śardho mārutam matsi devān matsi mahām indram indo madāya || 5 ||
evā rājeva kratumām̐ amena viśvā ghanighnad duritā pavasva |
indo sūktāya vacase vayo dhā yūyam pāta svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ || 6 ||
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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