Rig Veda · Mandala 4 · Sukta 23
Rig Veda 4.23 — Indra
Deity: Indra. Rishi family (Mandala 4): Vamadeva Gautama and his lineage. This Sukta contains 11 verses presented below in Devanagari Sanskrit, IAST romanisation, and Ralph T. H. Griffith's English translation. Click any verse to read a fuller explanation.
Verses
Rig Veda 4.23.1
कथा महाम अव्र्धत कस्य होतुर यज्ञं जुषाणो अभि सोमम ऊधः | पिबन्न उशानो जुषमाणो अन्धो ववक्ष रष्वः शुचते धनाय
kathā mahām avṛdhat kasya hotur yajñaṃ juṣāṇo abhi somam ūdhaḥ | pibann uśāno juṣamāṇo andho vavakṣa ṛṣvaḥ śucate dhanāya
Rig Veda 4.23.2
को अस्य वीरः सधमादम आप सम आनंश सुमतिभिः को अस्य | कद अस्य चित्रं चिकिते कद ऊती वर्धे भुवच छशमानस्य यज्योः
ko asya vīraḥ sadhamādam āpa sam ānaṃśa sumatibhiḥ ko asya | kad asya citraṃ cikite kad ūtī vṛdhe bhuvac chaśamānasya yajyoḥ
What hero hath been made his feast-companion? Who hath been partner in his loving-kindness? What know we of his wondrous acts? How often comes he to aid and speed the pious toiler?
Rig Veda 4.23.3
कथा शर्णोति हूयमानम इन्द्रः कथा शर्ण्वन्न अवसाम अस्य वेद | का अस्य पूर्वीर उपमातयो ह कथैनम आहुः पपुरिं जरित्रे
kathā śṛṇoti hūyamānam indraḥ kathā śṛṇvann avasām asya veda | kā asya pūrvīr upamātayo ha kathainam āhuḥ papuriṃ jaritre
How heareth Indra offered invocation? How, hearing, marketh he the invoker's wishes? What are his ancient acts of bounty? Wherefore call they him One who filleth full the singer?
Rig Veda 4.23.4
कथा सबाधः शशमानो अस्य नशद अभि दरविणं दीध्यानः | देवो भुवन नवेदा म रतानां नमो जग्र्भ्वां अभि यज जुजोषत
kathā sabādhaḥ śaśamāno asya naśad abhi draviṇaṃ dīdhyānaḥ | devo bhuvan navedā ma ṛtānāṃ namo jaghṛbhvāṃ abhi yaj jujoṣat
How doth the priest who laboureth, ever longing, win for himself the wealth which he possesseth? May he, the God, mark well my truthful praises, having received the homage which he loveth.
Rig Veda 4.23.5
कथा कद अस्या उषसो वयुष्टौ देवो मर्तस्य सख्यं जुजोष | कथा कद अस्य सख्यं सखिभ्यो ये अस्मिन कामं सुयुजं ततस्रे
kathā kad asyā uṣaso vyuṣṭau devo martasya sakhyaṃ jujoṣa | kathā kad asya sakhyaṃ sakhibhyo ye asmin kāmaṃ suyujaṃ tatasre
How, and what bond of friendship with a mortal hath the God chosen as this morn is breaking? How, and what love hath he for those who love him, who have entwined in him their firm affection?
Rig Veda 4.23.6
किम आद अमत्रं सख्यं सखिभ्यः कदा नु ते भरात्रम पर बरवाम | शरिये सुद्र्शो वपुर अस्य सर्गाः सवर ण चित्रतमम इष आ गोः
kim ād amatraṃ sakhyaṃ sakhibhyaḥ kadā nu te bhrātram pra bravāma | śriye sudṛśo vapur asya sarghāḥ svar ṇa citratamam iṣa ā ghoḥ
Is then thy friendship with thy friends most mighty? Thy brotherhood with us,—when may we tell it? The streams of milk move, as most wondrous sunlight, the beauty of the Lovely One for glory.
Rig Veda 4.23.7
दरुहं जिघांसन धवरसम अनिन्द्रां तेतिक्ते तिग्मा तुजसे अनीका | रणा चिद यत्र रणया न उग्रो दूरे अज्ञाता उषसो बबाधे
druhaṃ jighāṃsan dhvarasam anindrāṃ tetikte tighmā tujase anīkā | ṛṇā cid yatra ṛṇayā na ughro dūre ajñātā uṣaso babādhe
About to stay the Indra-less destructive spirit he sharpens his keen arms to strike her. Whereby the Strong, although our debts’ exactor, drives in the distant mornings that we know not.
Rig Veda 4.23.8
रतस्य हि शुरुधः सन्ति पूर्वीर रतस्य धीतिर वर्जिनानि हन्ति | रतस्य शलोको बधिरा ततर्द कर्णा बुधानः शुचमान आयोः
ṛtasya hi śurudhaḥ santi pūrvīr ṛtasya dhītir vṛjināni hanti | ṛtasya śloko badhirā tatarda karṇā budhānaḥ śucamāna āyoḥ
Eternal Law hath varied food that strengthens; thought of eternal Law, removes transgressions. The praise-hymn of eternal Law, arousing, glowing, hath oped the deaf ears of the living.
Rig Veda 4.23.9
रतस्य दर्ळ्हा धरुणानि सन्ति पुरूणि चन्द्रा वपुषे वपूंषि | रतेन दीर्घम इषणन्त पर्क्ष रतेन गाव रतम आ विवेशुः
ṛtasya dṛḷhā dharuṇāni santi purūṇi candrā vapuṣe vapūṃṣi | ṛtena dīrgham iṣaṇanta pṛkṣa ṛtena ghāva ṛtam ā viveśuḥ
Firm-seated are eternal Law's foundations in its fair form are many splendid beauties. By holy Law long lasting food they bring us; by holy Law have cows come to our worship.
Rig Veda 4.23.10
रतं येमान रतम इद वनोत्य रतस्य शुष्मस तुरया उ गव्युः | रताय पर्थ्वी बहुले गभीरे रताय धेनू परमे दुहाते
ṛtaṃ yemāna ṛtam id vanoty ṛtasya śuṣmas turayā u ghavyuḥ | ṛtāya pṛthvī bahule ghabhīre ṛtāya dhenū parame duhāte
Fixing eternal Law he, too, upholds it swift moves the might of Law and wins the booty. To Law belong the vast deep Earth and Heaven: Milch-kine supreme, to Law their milk they render.
Rig Veda 4.23.11
नू षटुत इन्द्र नू गर्णान इषं जरित्रे नद्यो न पीपेः | अकारि ते हरिवो बरह्म नव्यं धिया सयाम रथ्यः सदासाः
nū ṣṭuta indra nū ghṛṇāna iṣaṃ jaritre nadyo na pīpeḥ | akāri te harivo brahma navyaṃ dhiyā syāma rathyaḥ sadāsāḥ
Now, Indra! lauded,—glorified with praises, let power swell high like rivers to the singer. For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays, is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.
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