Indra

“ To magnify the God, the God, Indra, yea, Indra for your help, And promptly end the sacrifice-this have they gained. 20. With worship, him whom men adore, with Soma, him who drinks it most, Indra with lauds have they increased this have they gained. 21. His leadings are with power and might and his instructions manifold: He gives the worshipper all wealth: this have they gained. 22. For slaying Vrtra have the Gods set Indra in the foremost place. Indra the choral bands have sung, for vigorous strength. ”

“ With might hath Indra spread out heaven and earth, with power hath Indra lighted up the Sun. In Indra are all creatures closely held; in him meet the distilling Soma-drops. 7. Men with their lauds are urging thee, Indra, to drink the Soma first. The Rbhus in accord have lifted up their voice, and Rudras sung thee as the first. 8. Indra increased his manly strength at sacrifice, in the wild rapture of this juice. And living men to-day, even as of old, sing forth their praises to his majesty. ”

“ When, Indra, thou dost yoke thy Steeds, there is no better charioteer: None hath surpassed thee in thy might, none with good steeds o'ertaken thee. 7. He who alone bestoweth on mortal man who offereth gifts, The ruler of resistless power, is Indra, sure. 8. When will he trample, like a weed, the man who hath no gift for him? When, verily, will Indra hear our songs of praise? 9. He who with Soma juice prepared amid the many honours thee,-- Verily Indra gains thereby tremendous might. ”

“ Indra.—The sun, Indra, the mighty one, "king of the world and master of creatures," bright and warm, traverses the heavens on a car drawn by azure steeds; he it is who hurls the thunderbolt, sends the rain, and banishes the clouds. India is a country of violent tempests; the Hindoo struck with this phenomenon explained it in his own fashion. ”

“ In strength and wisdom all the Gods, Indra, have yielded unto thee. Be thou the Guard of all, O thou whom many praise. 8. Praised, Indra, is this might of thine, best for the service of the Gods, That thou with power dost slay Vrtra, O Lord of Strength. 9. He makes the races of mankind like synods of the Beauteous One. Indra knows this his manifest deed, and is renowned. 10. Thy might, O Indra, at its birth, thee also, and thy mental power, In thy care, Maghavan rich in kine! they have increased exceedingly. ”

“ To Indra Dyaus the Asura hath bowed him down, to Indra mighty Earth with wide-extending tracts, to win the light, with wide-spread tracts. All Gods of one accord have set Indra in front preeminent. For Indra all libations must be set apart, all man's libations set apart. 2. In all libations men with hero spirit urge the Universal One, each seeking several light, each fain to win the light apart. Thee, furthering like a ship, will we set to the chariot-pole of strength, As men who win with sacrifices Indra's thought, men who win Indra with their lauds. ”

“ And all acknowledge, when she comes in glory, the manifold and goodly works of Indra. 14. A mighty splendour rests upon her bosom: bearing ripe milk the Cow, unripe, advances. All sweetness is collected in the Heifer, sweetness which Indra made for our enjoyment. 15. Barring the way they come. Be firm, O Indra; aid friends to sacrifice and him who singeth. These must be slain by thee, malignant mortals, armed with ill arts, our quiver bearing foemen. 16. A cry is beard from enemies most near us: against them send thy fiercest-flaming weapon. ”

“ ALL sacred songs have magnified Indra expansive as the sea, The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the very Lord of strength. 2. Strong in thy friendship, Indra, Lord of power and might, we have no fear. We glorify with praises thee, the never-conquered conqueror. 3. The gifts of Indra from of old, his saving succours, never fail, When to the praise-singers he gives the boon of substance rich in kine. 4. Crusher of forts, the young, the wise, of strength unmeasured, was he born Sustainer of each sacred rite, Indra, the Thunderer, much-extolled. ”

“ Wishes for wealth have gone to Indra, longing for him in war for light and at libation, Eager for glory, labouring with praisesongs: he is like home, like sweet and fair nutrition. 16. Call we for you that Indra, prompt to listen, him who hath done so much for men's advantage; Who, Lord of envied bounty, to a singer like me brings quickly booty worth the capture. 17. When the sharp-pointed arrow, O thou Hero, flieth mid any conflict of the people, When, Faithful One, the dread encounter cometh, then be thou the Protector of our body. ”

“ With various aids this day come to us, Indra, with best aids speed us, Maghavan, thou Hero. Let him who hateth us fall headlong downward: him whom we hate let vital breath abandon. 22. He heats his very axe, and then cuts a mere Semal blossom off. O Indra, like a caldron cracked and seething, so he pours out foam. 23. Men notice not the arrow, O ye people; they bring the red beast deeming it a bullock. A sluggish steed men run not with the courser, nor ever lead an ass before a charger. 24. These men, the sons of Bharata, O Indra, regard not severance or close connexion. ”

“ King of both worlds, hating the high and haughty, Indra protects the men who are his people. 17. He loves no more the men he loved aforetime: he turns and moves away allied with others. Rejecting those who disregard his worship, Indra victorious lives through many autumns. 18. In every figure he hath been the mode: this is his only form for us to look on. Indra moves multiform by his illusions; for his Bay Steeds are yoked, ten times a hundred. 19. Here Tvastar, yoking to the car the Bay Steeds, hath extended sway. ”

“ So may we in this One be well befriended, well aided as it were through praise of chieftains, That Indra still may linger at our worship, as one led swift to work, to hear our praises. 10. Like men in rivalry extolling princes, our Friend be Indra, wielder of the thunder. Like true friends of some city's lord within them held in good rule with sacrifice they help him. 11. For every sacrifice makes Indra stronger, yea, when he goes around angry in spirit; As pleasure at the ford invites the thirsty, as the long way brings him who gains his object. ”

“ Become firm as a rock, firm as an axe, pure as gold. Thou art the Vēda called a son; live thou a hundred years. May Indra bestow on thee his best treasures. May Sāvitri, may Sarasvati, may the Asvins grant thee wisdom.”
At the Nāmakaranam, or naming ceremony, the parents of the child pronounce its name close to its ear, and repeat the Vēdic prayer to Indra and Agni “May Indra give you lustre, and Indra semen, wisdom, and children.” ”

“ May Indra come to us with life and friendship. 3. Victorious with the men, Hero in battles, Indra, who hears the singer's supplication, Will bring his car nigh to the man who offers, if he himself upholds the songs that praise him. 4. Yea, Indra, with the men, through love of glory consumes the sacred food which friends have offered. The ever-strengthening song of him who worships is sung in fight amid the clash of voices. 5. Aided by thee, O Maghavan, O Indra, may we subdue our foes who count them mighty. Be our protector, strengthen and increase us. ”

“ Indra wins wealth and deals it out to other's: men in the strife for booty call on Indra. 8. The humble hath invoked thee for protection, thee, Lord of great felicity, O Indra. Thou with a hundred aids hast been our Helper: one who brings gifts like thee hath his defender. ”

“ Indra with might shook earth and her foundation as the wind stirs the water with its fury. Striving, with strength he burst the firm asunder, and tore away the summits of the mountains. 5. They ran to thee as mothers to their offspring: the clouds, like chariots, hastened forth together. Thou didst refresh the streams and force the billows: thou, Indra, settest free obstructed rivers. ”

“ I WILL extol the most heroic Indra who with his might forced earth and sky asunder; Who hath filled all with width as man's Upholder, surpassing floods and rivers in his greatness. 2. Surya is he: throughout the wide expanses shall Indra turn him, swift as car-wheels, hither, Like a stream resting not but ever active he hath destroyed, with light, the black hued darkness. 3. To him I sing a holy prayer, incessant new, matchless, common to the earth and heaven, Who marks, as they were backs, all living creatures: ne'er doth he fail a friend, the noble Indra. ”

“ Wax strong, O performer of a hundred sacrifices, and slay all thy foes. Rise, O Indra! Behold, here are assembled the gods and the saints. O Indra, O great lord, by slaying Asuras, thou hast delivered the worlds. Having got the froth of waters, strengthened with Vishnu’s energy, thou formerly slew Vritra. Thou art the refuge of all creatures and art adorable. There is no being equal to thee. All the creatures, O Indra, are supported by thee. Thou didst build the greatness of the gods. Deliver all, together with the worlds by assuming thy strength, O great Indra. ”

“ With hundred-eyed oblation, hundred-autumned, bringing a hundred lives, have I restored him, That Indra for a hundred years may lead him safe to the farther shore of all misfortune. 4. Live, waxing in thy strength, a hundred autumns, live through a hundred springs, a hundred winters. Through hundred-lived oblation Indra, Agni, Brhaspati, Savitar yield him for a hundred! ”

“ Why dost thou not rejoice thee? Why dost thou not delight thyself with giving? 10. So Indra is the truthful Lord of treasure. Freedom he gave to man by slaying Vrtra. Much-lauded! help us with thy power to riches: may I be sharer of thy Godlike favour. 11. Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let power swell high, like rivers, for,the singer. For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays! is fashioned. May we, care-borne, through song be victors ever. ”

“ Thou hast spread out wide earth, a mighty marvel, and, high thyself, propped lofty heaven, O Indra. Both worlds, whose Sons are Gods, thou hast supported, young, Mothers from old time ofholy Order. 8. Yea, Indra, all the Deities installed thee their one strong Champion in the van for battle. What time the godless was the Gods' assailant, Indra they chose to win the light of heaven. 9. Yea, e'en that heaven itself of old bent backward before thy bolt, in terror of its anger, When Indra, life of every living creature, smote down within his lair the assailing Dragon. ”

“ Indra is strong to save, rich in assistance may he, possessing all, be kind and gracious. May he disperse our foes and give us safety, and may we be the lords of hero vigour. 7. May we enjoy his favour, his the Holy may we enjoy his blessed loving kindness. May this rich Indra, as our good Protector, drive off and keep afar all those who hate us. ”

“ The contest between the god and the demon goes on for ever. Indra is also the giver of good things of every kind, he keeps the heavenly bodies in their places, he is the author and preserver of all life, the inspirer of all noble thoughts and the answerer of pious prayers, the rewarder of all who trust in him, and the forgiver of the penitent. It is good to sacrifice to him and to offer him soma in abundance; for it strengthens him to take up afresh his conflicts and labours as the champion of man. Indra is surrounded by the Maruts, the storm-gods, who are separately invoked in many hymns. ”

“ We will tell, Indra, when we pour libation, what mighty deeds thou hast performed to please us. Let him who knows not learn, who knows them listen: hither rides Maghavan with all his army. 4. Indra, when born, thou madest firm thy spirit: alone thou seekest war to fight with many. With might thou clavest e'en the rock asunder, and foundest out the stable of the Milch-kine. 5. When thou wast born supremest at a distance, bearing a name renowned in far-off regions, Since then e'en Gods have been afraid of Indra: he conquered all the floods which served the Dasa. ”

“ Couples desirous of thine aid are storming thee, pouring their presents forth to win a stall of kine, pouring gifts, Indra, seeking thee. When two men seeking spoil or heaven thou bringest face to face in war, Thou showest, Indra, then the bolt thy constant friend, the Bull that ever waits on thee. 4. This thine heroic power men of old time have known, wherewith thou breakest down, Indra, autumnal forts, breakest them down with conquering might. Thou hast chastised, O Indra, Lord of Strength, the man who worships not, And made thine own this great earth and these water-floods ”

“ This doest thou, and art not harmed, O Indra, e'en in the anger of the strongest mortal. Lay thou the race-course open for our horses: as with a club, slay, Thunder-armed! our foemen. 6. Hence men invoke thee, Indra, in the tumult of battle, in the light-bestowing conflict. This aid of thine, O Godlike One, was ever to be implored in deeds of might in combat. ”

“ Thy loftiest glories claim our lauds beside the juice, O Indra, Lover of the Song. 3. Turning, as 'twere, to meet the Sun, enjoy from Indra all good things. When he who will be born is born with power we look to treasures as our heritage. 4. Praise him who sends us wealth, whose bounties injure none: good are the gifts which Indra. grants. He is not worth with one who satisfies his wish: he turns his mind to giving boons. 5. Thou in thy battles, Indra, art subduer of all hostile bands. ”

“ Indra is a god of the people, particularly of the fighting man, a glorified type of the fair-haired, hard-fighting, hard-drinking forefathers of the Indian Aryans and their distant cousins the Hellenes; and therefore he is the champion of their armies in battles. He is not a fiction of hieratic imagination, whom priests regale with hyperbolic flattery qualified only by the lukewarmness of their belief in their own words. He is a living personality in the faith of the people ”