Prapāṭhaka 5

5.1 I praise that might of yours, O Indra, supreme among the divine — that by which you, O lord of power, smash Vṛtra with your strength.

5.2 In whose exhilaration you subdued that Śambara for Divodāsa — this is that Soma, O Indra, pressed out for you; drink.

5.3 Come to us, O Indra, dear one, unconquerable winner of all, broad on every side like a mountain, lord of the sky.

5.4 That rapture of yours, O Indra, mightiest Soma-drinker, which wakens within you — by which you strike down the devourer — that we implore.

5.5 For nourishment and vigor, grant us therefore a longer life to live. O Ādityas of equal power, make it so.

5.6 For you, O thunderbolt-handed one, know how to ward off the snares of destruction, day by day, as the purifier wards off the encircling dangers.

5.7 Drive away disease, drive away the oppressor of the household, drive away ill will. O Ādityas, keep distress far from us.

5.8 Drink the Soma, O Indra; let it gladden you — the Soma that the stone has well-pressed for you, O driver of bay horses, well-drawn from the presser's arms like a swift steed.

5.9 Even in battle you seek fellowship.

5.10 Him who in former times brought us this and this abundance — him I now praise before you, O friends, Indra, for his protection.

5.11 Come, do not be harmed, you who are ready to depart; do not fall back, you of equal zeal — you who strive to hold even what is firm.

5.12 Come here for the Soma-drop, O lord of horses, lord of cattle, lord of fertile fields. Drink the Soma, O lord of Soma.

5.13 With you truly as ally, O bull, we would challenge the snorting foe in the gathering of the cattle-rich folk.

5.14 Even the cows of equal zeal, the Maruts bound by common kinship, lick the peaks in turns.

5.15 Bring us, O Indra, strength and manly power, O lord of a hundred plans, all-seeing one — a hero who can withstand battles.

5.16 And so, O Indra, lover of hymns, we approach you in desire, we rush toward you — like waters rising upward to the heights.

5.17 They settle in you as birds settle in a cow-enriched, sweet, intoxicating, spreading place. We bow before you again and again, O Indra.

5.18 We, too, O incomparable one, carrying you like some great unsupported load, desiring help, call upon you, O brilliant thunderbolt-bearer.

5.19 Those who together with Indra, the bull, exult in joy, the splendid ones rich in treasure — following him in his own sovereign rule.

5.20 For thus indeed this Soma-intoxication made the sacred word a source of increase. O mightiest thunderbolt-bearer, you cut the serpent out of the earth by your strength, singing praise — following your own sovereign rule.

5.21 Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, has grown great with exhilaration and strength, with his heroes. We invoke his aid in great combats and in small — may he drive us forward to victories.

5.22 For you alone, O Indra, O stone-wielder, O thunderbolt-bearer, is that valor unconquerable. Indeed with that your magic you slew that magic beast — singing praise, following your own sovereign rule.

5.23 Go forward, rush on, be bold — your thunderbolt shall not be laid down. O Indra, for manly power is your strength; slay Vṛtra, win the waters — singing praise, following your own sovereign rule.

5.24 When the battles break forth, wealth is bestowed on the bold one. Yoke your two bay steeds, shaken by rapture — whom will you strike? Whom will you place in wealth? Place us, O Indra, in wealth.

5.25 They have eaten their fill, they have been gladdened; the beloved ones have bent down. The self-luminous poets have praised with the newest thought. Now yoke your two bay steeds, O Indra.

5.26 Listen closely to these words, O bountiful one, as to a mother's. When will you render us, who possess true speech, to our purpose here? Now yoke your two bay steeds, O Indra.

5.27 The moon within the waters, the fair-winged one runs through the sky. The lightnings with golden rims do not find your footprint. Know this, O heaven and earth, on my behalf.

5.28 The praiser adorns with his hymns your most beloved chariot, O Aśvins — the bull-like one, wealth-carrying. Hear my sweet invocation in return.

5.29 That praiseworthy blazing one of yours glows in battle. Bring forth quickly for the praisers.

5.30 Like Agni, with our own hymns we choose you as the invoking priest — swift, of purifying flame. In your exhilaration you speak out in the sacrifices where the ritual grass is spread.

5.31 Awaken us today, O Uṣas, for great wealth, O celestial one. Just as you have awakened us, O one of true renown, O airy one, O well-born one, O dawn with horses and truth.

5.32 Blow into us a blessed mind, discernment, and resolve. Then in your friendship, in the exhilaration of the Soma drink, you speak out — the cows rejoice as if at pasture.

5.33 By his might the great, terrible strength returns again and again in due course. The handsome one, with his helmet, set the iron thunderbolt in the hands of the two glorious ones nearby.

5.34 He indeed mounts that bull-like chariot that wins cattle — he who perceives the full bowl yoked with bay steeds. Now yoke your two bay steeds, O Indra.

5.35 I regard as Agni the one who is a treasure-home, to whom the milch-cows go home, to whom the swift horses go home, the constant prize-winners. Bring nourishment quickly for the praisers.

5.36 No distress, no evil reaches that mortal, O gods, whom Aryaman, Mitra, and Varuṇa, with one accord, lead beyond hatred.

5.37 Run forth all around for the winning of prizes, overcoming obstacles on every side. You go to overcome enemies, as if to discharge a debt.

5.38 Flow, O Soma, great as the ocean, the father of gods, encompassing all dwellings.

5.39 Flow, O Soma, for great discernment — like a horse rubbed clean, a prize-winner for wealth.

5.40 The lovely drop has entered the filter, for exhilaration — the seer in the lap of the waters, for good fortune.

5.41 For we rejoice in you, O pressed Soma, in the great sovereign rule of battle. You, O Pavamāna, plunge forward toward the prizes.

5.42 Who are these manifest men, nest-mates, the youths of Rudra — then those with good horses?

5.43 O Agni, today with hymns, like a horse, may we succeed in that blessed resolve that touches the heart — may we thrive through your urgings.

5.44 The youths have come forth, the prize-winning ones have come toward the prize at the impulsion of god Savitṛ. Win the heavenly track, O steeds.

5.45 Flow, O Soma, full of brilliance, of fine streams, great, unobstructed, in due order.

5.46 O all-giving one, bring to us from all sides — you whom we implore as most mighty.

5.47 This is the sacred priest who is in season — I praise the one famed as Indra by name.

5.48 The priests, magnifying Indra with hymns, strengthened him for the slaying of the serpent.

5.49 They fashioned the chariot for the horse; Tvaṣṭā forged the brilliant thunderbolt for the much-invoked one.

5.50 Auspicious is the step, the bounty, the desire of the wealthy man; the one who lacks vows neither impels nor touches riches.

5.51 Ever pure are the cows, nourishing all things; ever blameless are the gods.

5.52 Come with the forest; the cows with their udders follow the path.

5.53 Dwelling beside the honey-sweet refreshment, may we thrive in wealth; we hold meditation on you, O Indra.

5.54 The Maruts sing the hymn of praise; the youthful, renowned Indra responds with his shout of glory.

5.55 Sing forth to Indra, the foremost slayer of Vṛtra, the inspired sage — sing the song that he delights in.

5.56 O Agni, you are our nearest kin and our protector; be auspicious, be our shelter.

5.57 Agni, brilliant like Bhaga, bestows the gem upon those of great might.

5.58 Shout forth before all things; whether it was won of old or is won here now.

5.59 Dawn, most beneficent of sisters, rolls the path along by her noble birth.

5.60 May we prosper these worlds — both Indra and all the gods together.

5.61 As rivers spread along their courses, O Indra, so may your gifts flow forth.

5.62 By this may we win the prize established by the gods; may we rejoice for a hundred winters, rich in brave sons.

5.63 Mitra and Varuṇa make the refreshing draughts swell with strength; make our nourishment rich, O Indra.

5.64 Indra reigns over all things.

5.65 He rejoiced to perform the great deed; the great, vast one — the god accompanied the god, the true Soma the true Indra.

5.66 This one, the thought of the seers, is visible to a thousand men, a light that upholds the law; the mighty one set the Dawns in alignment — the blameless, like-minded ones, ardent in their day, discerning of the cow.

5.67 Come to us, O Indra, from afar, onward toward us as a true lord of the assembly, as a king who is a true lord. We invoke you, offering forth at the pressings, as sons invoke a father, the most bountiful one, for the winning of the prize.

5.68 I loudly call on that Indra, the bountiful, the mighty, who holds undivided and unchallenged fame in abundance; most generous, he has turned back with our hymns, the worshipful one; may the wielder of the thunderbolt make all good paths open to us for wealth.

5.69 Let there be a call to hear; set Agni forward with thought; now we choose that divine host, we choose Indra and Vāyu. When the active ones bind at the navel for Vivasvat renewed, then now the prayers go forth toward the gods, as prayers indeed.

5.70 Let your great praises go forth to Viṣṇu accompanied by the Maruts, born of the mountain — Evayāmarut. Forward to the host, to the worshipful one, to the joyous one, to the powerful, to the glorious purpose, to the one of roaring vows, for strength.

5.71 Purifying himself with this golden radiance, he crosses all hatreds along with his yokemates, like the sun with his yokemates. The stream of his back shines as the tawny, ruddy one purifies himself. As he passes through all forms with the Ṛk verses, with the seven-mouthed Ṛk verses.

5.72 I hymn that god Savitṛ, of bold resolve, with both my hands — the true impeller, dwelling in gems — with the dear thought; he whose thought blazed upward in radiance at the impulse; golden-handed, of bright resolve, he measured out the sky with grace.

5.73 I honor Agni the Hotṛ, generous, son of strength, the all-knowing, inspired like the all-knowing one; who, upright and well-sacrificing, a god by divine grace, follows the blazing of ghee, the bright-flaming one, as the clarified butter is poured.

5.74 That heroic deed of yours, O manly Indra, was done first of all in heaven, worthy to be proclaimed; you who by the god's strength set the rivers flowing as you caused the waters to flow. You have become all things beyond the gods in power; the hundred-crafted one has found strength, has found refreshment.

5.75 What is born of your invigorating draught, high in heaven, dwelling on the earth — mighty shelter, great renown.

5.76 Flow with your sweetest, most exhilarating stream, O Soma; pressed, you flow for Indra to drink.

5.77 Flow forth as a bull with your stream, and exhilarating for him who has the Maruts, bearing all things with your might.

5.78 With that exhilaration of yours which is most choice, flow forth with your juice — slayer of the demon, defender of the divine hero.

5.79 Three voices rise up; the cows low, the milch cows cry; the tawny one comes lowing aloud.

5.80 Purify yourself, O drop, for Indra accompanied by the Maruts, most rich in sweetness; sit down in the womb of the hymn.

5.81 The shoot has been pressed for exhilaration; the dexterous one stands on the mountains in the waters; like a falcon he has sat down in his birthplace.

5.82 Purify yourself, accomplishing power, O tawny one, for the gods to drink — exhilaration for the Maruts, for Vāyu.

5.83 The roaring one standing on the mountains, Soma has flowed around the filter; in exhilarations you are the bearer of all things.

5.84 The seer, dear to heaven, placed among the grandchildren's birds, goes forth with his sounds, the one of bold resolve.

5.85 The pressed drops have stepped forward at the sacred assembly.

5.86 The wise Soma juices flow forth, the waves lead the waters, like great buffaloes through the forests.

5.87 Purify yourself, O drop, a bull when pressed; make us glorious among the people; smite away all enemies.

5.88 For you are truly a bull by your radiance; we invoke you, the brilliant one, O self-purifying one, who sees the heavenly light.

5.89 The drop has entered the filter, the conscious one, dear as the thought of the seers; he releases the horse as a charioteer.

5.90 The vigorous Soma juices have been released forward, seeking cattle, seeking horses; the bright, swift ones seeking heroes.

5.91 Purify yourself, O god, extending life; let your exhilaration go to Indra; mount Vāyu by the law.

5.92 The self-purifying one has begotten the brilliant light of heaven, like thunder; the great light belonging to all men.

5.93 The drops, the Indu juices, flow around for exhilaration with powerful song; they rush with their stream of sweetness.

5.94 The seer has flowed around and settled on the wave of the river; bearing the singer, much-desired.