Sama Veda

FIRST PART

BOOK IV

Chapter I

Decade III Indra

1

Pressed is the juice divine with milk commingled: thereto hath Indra ever been accustomed.
We wake thee, Lord of bays, with sacrifices: mark this our laud in the wild joys of Soma!

2

A home is made for thee to dwell in, Indra: O much-invoked one, with the men go thither!
Thou, that thou mayest guard us and increase us, givest us wealth and joyest in the Somas.

3

The well thou clavest, settest free the fountains, and gavest rest to floods that were obstructed.
Thou, Indra, laying the great mountain open, slaying the Ddnava, didst loose the torrents.

4

When we have pressed the juice we laud thee, Indra, most valorous! even about to win the booty.
Bring us prosperity, and by thy great wisdom, under thine own protection, may we conquer!

5

Thy right hand have we grasped in ours, O Indra, longing, thou very Lord of wealth, for treasures.
Because we know thee, hero, Lord of cattle: vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches!

6

Men call on Indra in the armed encounter that he may make the hymns they sing decisive.
Hero in combat and in love of glory, give us a portion of the stall of cattle!

7

Like birds of beauteous wing the Priyamedhas, Rishis, imploring, have come nigh to Indra.
Dispel the darkness and fill full our vision: deliver us as men whom snares entangle!

8

They gaze on thee with longing in their spirit, as on a strongwinged bird that mounteth sky-ward;
On thee with wings of gold, Varuna's envoy, the Bird that hasteneth to the home of Yama.

9

First in the ancient time was Prayer engendered: Vena disclosed the bright ones from the summit,
Laid bare this world's lowest and highest regions, womb of the existent and the non-existent.

10

They have prepared and fashioned for this hero words never matched, most plentiful, most auspicious,
For him the ancient, great, strong, energetic, the very mighty wielder of the thunder.