HYMN XXIX Visvedevas.
1. ONE is a youth brown, active, manifold he decks the golden one with ornament.
2. Another, luminous, occupies the place of sacritice, Sage, among the Gods.
3. One brandishes in his hand an iron knife, firm, in his seat amid the Deities.
4. Another holds the thunderbolt, wherewith he slays the Vrtras, resting in his hand.
5. Another bears a pointed weapon: bright is he, and strong, with healing medicines.
6. Another, thief-like, watches well the ways, and knows the places where the treasures lie.
7. Another with his mighty stride hath made his three steps thither where the Gods rejoice.
8. Two with one Dame ride on with winged steeds, and journey forth like travellers on their way.
9. Two, highest, in the heavens have set their seat, worshipped with holy oil, imperial Kings.
10. Some, singing lauds, conceived the Sama-hymn, great hymn whereby they caused the Sun to shine.
HYMN XXX. Visvedevas.
1. NOT one of you, ye Gods, is small, none of you is a feeble child:
All of you, verily, are great.
2. Thus be ye lauded, ye destroyers of the foe, ye Three-and-Thirty Deities,
The Gods of man, the Holy Ones.
3. As such defend and succour us, with benedictions speak to us:
Lead us not from our fathers’ and from Manu’s path into the distance far away.
4 .Ye Deities who stay with us, and all ye Gods of all mankind,
Give us your wide protection, give shelter for cattle and for steed.
HYMN XXXI. Various Deities.
1. THAT Brahman pleases Indra well, who worships, sacrifices, pours Libation, and prepares the meal.
2. Sakra protects from woe the man who gives him sacrificial cake.
And offers Soma blent with milk.
3. His chariot shall be glorious, sped by Gods, and mighty shall he be,
Subduing all hostilities.
4. Each day that passes, in his house flows his libation, rich in milk,
Exhaustless, bringing progeny.
5. O Gods, with constant draught of milk, husband and wife with one accord
Press out and wash the Soma juice.
6. They gain sufficient food: they come united to the sacred grass,
And never do they fail in strength.
7. Never do they deny or seek to hide the favour of the Gods:
They win high glory for themselves.
8. With sons and daughters by their side they reach their full extent of life,
Both decked with ornaments of gold.
9. Serving the Immortal One with gifts of sacrificial meal and wealth,
They satisfy the claims of love and pay due honour to the Gods.
10. We claim protection from the Hills, we claim protection of the Floods,
Of him who stands by Visnu’s side.
11. May Pusan come, and Bhaga, Lord of wealth, All-bounteous, for our weal
Broad be the path that leads to bliss:
12. Aramati, and, free from foes, Visva with spirit of a God,
And the Adityas’ peerless might.
13. Seeing that Mitra, Aryaman, and Varuna are guarding us,
The paths of Law are fair to tread.
14. I glorify with song, for wealth, Agni the God, the first of you.
We honour as a well-loved Friend the God who prospereth our fields.
15. As in all frays the hero, so swift moves his car whom Gods attend.
The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.
16. Ne’er are ye injured, worshipper, presser of juice, or pious man.
The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.
17. None in his action equals him, none holds him far or keeps him off.
The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.
18. Such strength of heroes shall be his, such mastery of fleet-foot steeds.
The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.
1. KANVAS, tell forth with song the deeds of Indra, the Impetuous,
Wrought in the Soma’s wild delight.
2. Strong God, he slew Anarsani, Srbinda, Pipru, and the fiend,
Ahisuva, and loosed the floods.
3. Thou broughtest down the dwelling-place, the height of lofty Arbuda.
That exploit, Indra, must be famed.
4. Bold, to your famous Soma I call the fair-visored God for aid,
Down like a torrent from the hill.
5. Rejoicing in the Soma-draughts, Hero, burst open, like a fort,
The stall of horses and of kine.
6. If my libation gladdens, if thou takest pleasure in my laud,
Come with thy Godhead from afar.
7. O Indra, Lover of the Song, the singers of thy praise are we:
O Soma-drinker, quicken us.
8. And, taking thy delight with us bring us still undiminished food:
Great is thy wealth, O Maghavan.
9. Make thou us rich in herds of kine, in steeds, in gold: let us exert
Our strength in sacrificial gifts.
10. Let us call him to aid whose hands stretch far, to whom high laud is due.
Who worketh well to succour us.
11. He, Satakratu, even in fight acts as a Vrtra-slayer s,till:
He gives his worshippers much wealth.
12. May he, this A;akra, strengthen us, Boon God who satisfies our needs,
Indra, with all lhis saving helps.
13. To him, the mighty stream of wealth, the Soma-presser’s rescuing Friend,
To Indra sing your song of praise;
14. Who bringeth what is great and firm, who winneth glory in his wars,
Lord of vast wealth through power and might.
15. There liveth none to cheek or stay his energies and gracious deeds:
None who can say, He giveth not.
16. No debt is due by Brahmans now, by active men who press the juice:
Well hath each Soma-draught been paid.
17. Sing ye to him who must be praised, say lauds to him who must be praised,
Bring prayer to him who must be praised.
18. May be, unchecked, strong, meet for praise, bring hundreds, thousands forth to light,
Indra who aids the worshipper.
19. Go with thy God-like nature forth, go where the folk are calling thee:
Drink, Indra, of the drops we pour.
20. Drink milky draughts which are thine own, this too which was with Tugrya once,
This is it, Indra, that is thine.
21. Pass him who psours libations out in angry mood or after sin:
Here drink the juice we offer thee.
22. Over the three great distances, past the Five Peoples go thy way,
O Indra, noticing our voice.
23. Send forth thy ray like Surya: let my songs attract thee hitherward,
Like waters gathering to the vale.
24. Now to the Hero fair of cheek, Adhvaryu, pour the Soma forth:
Bring of the juice that he may drink
25. Who cleft the water-cloud in twain, loosed rivers for their downward flow,
And set the ripe milk in the kine.
26. He, meet for praise, slew Vrtra, slew Ahisuva, Urnavabha’s son,
And pierced th:rough Arbuda with frost.
27. To him your matchless Mighty One, unconquerable Conqueror,
Sing forth the prayer which Gods have given:
28. Indra, who in the wild delight of Soma juice considers here
All holy Laws among the Gods.
29. Hither let these thy Bays who share thy banquet, Steeds with golden manes,
Convey thee to the feast prepared.
30. Hither, O thou whom many laud, the Bays whom Priyamedha praised,
Shall bring thee to the Soma-draught.
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.
1.. WE compass thee like waters, we whose grass is trimmed and Soma pressed.
Here where the filter pours its stream, thy worshippers round thee, O Vrtra-slayer, sit.
2. Men, Vasu! by the Soma, with lauds call thee to the foremost place:
When comest thou athirst unto the juice as home, O Indra, like a bellowing bull?
3. Boldly, Bold Hero, bring us spoil in thousands for the Kanvas’ sake.
O active Maghavan, with eager prayer we crave the yellow-hued with store ol kine.
4. Medhyatithi, to Indra sing, drink of the juice to make thee glad.
Close-knit to his Bay Steeds, bolt-armed, beside the juice is he: his chariot is of gold.
5. He Who is praised as strong of hand both right and left, most wise and hold:
Indra who, rich in hundreds, gathers thousands up, honoured as breaker-down of forts.
6. The bold of heart whom none provokes, who stands in bearded confidence;
Much-lauded, very glorious, overthrowing foes, strong Helper, like a bull with might.
7. Who knows what vital ower he wins, drinking beside the flowing juice?
This is the fair-checked God who, joying in the draught, breaks down the castles in his strength.
8. As a wild elephant rushes on this way and that way, mad with heat,’
None may compel thee, yet come hither to the draught: thou movest mighty in thy power.
9. When he, the Mighty, ne’er o’erthrown, steadfast, made ready for the fight,
When Indra Maghavan lists to his praiser’s call, he will not stand aloof, but come.
10. Yea, verily, thou art a Bull, with a bull’s rush. whom none may stay:
Thou Mighty One, art celebrated as a Bull, famed as a Bull both near and far.
11. Thy reins are very bulls in strength, bulls’ strength is in thy golden whip.
Thy car, O Maghavan, thy Bays are strong as bulls: thou, Satakratu, art a Bull.
12. Let the strong presser press for thee. Bring hither, thou straight-rushing Bull.
The mighty makes the mighty run in flowing streams for thee whom thy Bay Horses bear.
13. Come, thou most potent Indra, come to drink the savoury Soma juice.
Maghavan, very wise, will quickly come to hear the songs, the prayer, the hymns of praise.
14. When thou hast mounted on thy car let thy yoked Bay Steeds carry thee,
Past other men’s libations, Lord of Hundred Powers, thee, Vrtra-slayer, thee our Friend.
15. O thou Most Lofty One, accept our laud as nearest to thine heart.
May our libations be most sweet to make thee glad, O Soma-drinker, Heavenly Lord.
16. Neither in thy decree nor mine, but in another’s he delights,-
The man who brought us unto this.
17. Indra himself hath said, The mind of woman brooks not discipline,
Her intellect hath little weight.
18. His pair of horses, rushing on in their wild transport, draw his car:
High-lifted is the stallion’s yoke.
19. Cast down thine eyes and look not up. More closely set thy feet. Let none
See what thy garment veils, for thou, a Brahman, hast become a dame.
