The Rig Veda/Mandala 3/Hymn 53

1. ON a high car, O Parvata and Indra, bring pleasant viands, with brave heroes, hither. Enjoy the gifts, Gods, at our sacrifices wax strong by hymns, rejoice in our oblation. 2. Stay still, O Maghavan, advance no farther. a draught of well-pressed Soma will I give thee. With sweetest song I grasp, O Mighty Indra, thy garment's hem as a child grasps his father's. 3. Adhvaryu, sing we both; sing thou in answer: make we a laud acceptable to Indra. Upon this sacrificer's grass he seated: to Indra shall our eulogy be uttered. 4. A wife, O Maghavan is home and dwelling: so let thy Bay Steeds yoked convey thee hither. Whenever we press out for thee the Soma, let Agni as our Herald speed to call thee. 5. Depart, O Maghavan; again come hither: both there and here thy goat is Indra, Brother, Where thy tall chariot hath a place to rest in, and where thou loosest thy loud-neighing Courser. 6. Thou hast drunk Soma, Indra, turn thee homeward; thy joy is in thy home, thy gracious Consort; Where thy tall chariot hath a place to rest in, and thy strong Courser is set free with guerdon. 7. Bounteous are these, Angirases, Virupas: the Asura's Heroes and the Sons of Heaven. They, giving store of wealth to Visvamitra, prolong his life through countless Soma-pressings. 8. Maghavan weareth every shape at pleasure, effecting magic changes in his body, Holy One, drinker out of season, coming thrice, in a moment, through fit prayers, from heaven. 9. The mighty sage, God-born and God-incited, who looks on men, restrained the billowy river. When Visvamitra was Sudas's escort, then Indra through the Kusikas grew friendly. 10. Like swans, prepare a song of praise with pressing-stones, glad in your hymns with juice poured forth in sacrifice. Ye singers, with the Gods, sages who look on men, ye Kutikas drink up the Soma's savoury meath. 11. Come forward, Kusikas, and be attentive; let loose Sudas's horse to win him riches. East, west, and north, let the King slay the foeman, then at earth's choicest place perform his worship. 12. Praises to Indra have I sung, sustainer of this earth and heaven. This prayer of Visvamitra keeps secure the race of Bharatas. 13. The Visvamitras have sung forth this prayer to Indra Thunder-aimed: So let him make us prosperous. 14. Among the Kikatas what do thy cattle? They pour no milky draught, they heat no caldron. Bring thou to us the wealth of Pramaganda; give up to us, O Maghavan, the low-born. 15. Sasarpari, the gift of Jamadagnis, hath lowed with mighty voice dispelling famine. The Daughter of the Sun hath spread our glory among the Gods, imperishable, deathless. 16. Sasarpari brought glory speedily to these, over the generations of the Fivefold Race; Daughter of Paksa, she bestows new vital power, she whom the ancient Jamadagnis gave to me. 17. Strong be the pair of oxen, firm the axles, let not the pole slip nor the yoke be broken. May Indra, keep the yoke-pins from decaying: attend us, thou whose fellies are uninjured. 18. O Indra, give our bodies strength, strength to the bulls who draw the wains, Strength to our seed and progeny that they may live, for thou art he who giveth strength. 19. Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar timber, in the car wrought of Sinsapa put firmness. Show thyself strong, O Axle, fixed and strengthened: throw us not from the car whereon we travel. 20. Let not this sovran of the wood leave us forlorn or injure us. Safe may we be until we reach our homes and rest us and unyoke. 21. 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. They urge their own steed as it were another's, and take him, swift as the bow's string, to battle.