Bibliotheca Polyglotta

1 I WILL declare the manly deeds of Indra, the first that he achieved, the Thunder-wielder. He slew the Dragon, then disclosed the waters, and cleft the channels of the mountain torrents.

áhann áhim párvate śiśriyāṇáṃ tváṣṭāsmai vájraṃ svaríyaṃ tatakṣa |
vāśrā́ iva dhenávaḥ syándamānā áñjaḥ samudrám áva jagmur ā́paḥ ||

2 He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of thunder Tvaṣṭar fashioned. Like lowing kine in rapid flow descending the waters glided downward to the ocean.

vr̥ṣāyámāṇo avr̥ṇīta sómaṃ tríkadrukeṣu apibat sutásya |
ā́ sā́yakam maghávādatta vájram áhann enam prathamajā́m áhīnām ||

3 Impetuous as a bull, he chose the Soma and in three sacred beakers drank the juices. Maghavan grasped the thunder for his weapon, and smote to death this firstborn of the dragons.

yád indrā́han prathamajā́m áhīnām ā́n māyínām ámināḥ prótá māyā́ḥ |
ā́t sū́riyaṃ janáyan dyā́m uṣā́saṃ tādī́tnā śátruṃ ná kílā vivitse ||

4 When, Indra, thou hadst slain the dragon's firstborn, and overcome the charms of the enchanters, Then, giving life to Sun and Dawn and Heaven, thou foundest not one foe to stand against thee.

áhan vr̥tráṃ vr̥tratáraṃ víaṃsam índro vájreṇa mahatā́ vadhéna |
skándhāṃsīva kúliśenā vívr̥kṇā áhiḥ śayata upapŕ̥k pr̥thivyā́ḥ ||

5 Indra with his own great and deadly thunder smote into pieces Vṛtra, worst of Vṛtras. As trunks of trees, what time the axe hath felled them, low on the earth so lies the prostrate Dragon.

ayoddhéva durmáda ā́ hí juhvé mahāvīráṃ tuvibādhám r̥jīṣám |
nā́tārīd asya sámr̥tiṃ vadhā́nāṃ sáṃ rujā́nāḥ pipiṣa índraśatruḥ ||

6 He, like a mad weak warrior, challenged Indra, the great impetuous many-slaying Hero. He, brooking not the clashing of the weapons, crushed—Indra's foe—the shattered forts in falling.

apā́d ahastó apr̥tanyad índram ā́sya vájram ádhi sā́nau jaghāna |
vŕ̥ṣṇo vádhriḥ pratimā́nam búbhūṣan purutrā́ vr̥tró aśayad víastaḥ ||

7 Footless and handless still he challenged Indra, who smote him with his bolt between the shoulders. Emasculate yet claiming manly vigour, thus Vṛtra lay with scattered limbs dissevered.

nadáṃ ná bhinnám amuyā́ śáyānam máno rúhāṇā áti yanti ā́paḥ |
yā́ś cid vr̥tró mahinā́ paryátiṣṭhat tā́sām áhiḥ patsutaḥśī́r babhūva ||

8 There as he lies like a bank-bursting river, the waters taking courage flow above him. The Dragon lies beneath the feet of torrents which Vṛtra with his greatness had encompassed.

nīcā́vayā abhavad vr̥tráputrā índro asyā áva vádhar jabhāra |
úttarā sū́r ádharaḥ putrá āsīd dā́nuḥ śaye sahávatsā ná dhenúḥ ||

9 Then humbled was the strength of Vṛtra's mother: Indra hath cast his deadly bolt against her. The mother was above, the son was under and like a cow beside her calf lay Danu.

átiṣṭhantīnām aniveśanā́nāṃ kā́ṣṭhānām mádhye níhitaṃ śárīram |
vr̥trásya niṇyáṃ ví caranti ā́po dīrgháṃ táma ā́śayad índraśatruḥ ||

10 Rolled in the midst of never-ceasing currents flowing without a rest for ever onward. The waters bear off Vṛtra's nameless body: the foe of Indra sank to during darkness.

dāsápatnīr áhigopā atiṣṭhan níruddhā ā́paḥ paṇíneva gā́vaḥ |
apā́m bílam ápihitaṃ yád ā́sīd vr̥tráṃ jaghanvā́m̐ ápa tád vavāra ||

11 Guarded by Ahi stood the thralls of Dāsas, the waters stayed like kine held by the robber. But he, when he had smitten Vṛtra, opened the cave wherein the floods had been imprisoned.

áśviyo vā́ro abhavas tád indra sr̥ké yát tvā pratyáhan devá ékaḥ |
ájayo gā́ ájayaḥ śūra sómam ávāsr̥jaḥ sártave saptá síndhūn ||

12 A horse's tail wast thou when he, O Indra, smote on thy bolt; thou, God without a second, Thou hast won back the kine, hast won the Soma; thou hast let loose to flow the Seven Rivers.

nā́smai vidyún ná tanyatúḥ siṣedha ná yā́m míham ákirad dhrādúniṃ ca |
índraś ca yád yuyudhā́te áhiś ca utā́parī́bhyo maghávā ví jigye ||

13 Nothing availed him lightning, nothing thunder, hailstorm or mist which had spread around him: When Indra and the Dragon strove in battle, Maghavan gained the victory for ever.

áher yātā́raṃ kám apaśya indra hr̥dí yát te jaghnúṣo bhī́r ágachat |
náva ca yán navatíṃ ca srávantīḥ śyenó ná bhītó átaro rájāṃsi ||

14 Whom sawest thou to avenge the Dragon, Indra, that fear possessed thy heart when thou hadst slain him; That, like a hawk affrighted through the regions, thou crossedst nine-and-ninety flowing rivers?

índro yātó ávasitasya rā́jā śámasya ca śr̥ṅgíṇo vájrabāhuḥ |
séd u rā́jā kṣayati carṣaṇīnā́m arā́n ná nemíḥ pári tā́ babhūva ||

15 Indra is King of all that moves and moves not, of creatures tame and horned, the Thunder-wielder. Over all living men he rules as Sovran, containing all as spokes within the felly.

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