O Indra, the all-pervading lord of the household, you gather together even those who lag behind, making all your followers shine in unity. With the poets, you purify the sweet Soma, passing it through the filters, and with the passing days, gifts are fashioned through acts of worship. When the darkness is dispelled, the riches of the earth are revealed; both the night and the day, by the greatness of the sun, are worthy of reverence. Around your greatness, Indra, the longed-for and praiseworthy, your friends strive, seeking to encompass your glory. Be, O slayer of Vṛtra, the lord of true speech and all words, the mighty bull who bestows strength. Come to us with auspicious friendships, O great and swift one, bringing mighty and generous aid. With reverence, we honor you, Angiras, offering a new hymn to the ancient one. Drive away the abundant deceits of the ungodly, and, O generous one, establish your own blessings for our benefit. The shining rains have spread forth, granting well-being and protection from dangers. Indra, as our charioteer, guard us from harm, and swiftly grant us victory in the wealth of cattle. The slayer of Vṛtra, protector of cattle, has drawn near; within the darkness, he moved with the red dawns, sending forth true words and, by truth, opening all difficult and good places. Let us call upon generous Indra in this contest, the best of men in winning prizes, the mighty one who hears and helps in battle, the slayer of Vṛtras, the conqueror of riches. Indra, drink this Soma, O lord of Soma, at this midday pressing, delighting in it. O generous, mighty one with loosened hair, rejoice here, releasing your steeds. Drink the bright, churned Soma, Indra, prepared for your exhilaration, with the company of those who perform sacred utterances, with the Maruts and Rudras, be strengthened in threefold measure. The Maruts increased your power, O Indra, magnifying your strength. At the midday pressing, O thunderer, drink with the Rudras and your troop, O beautiful-haired one. These Maruts, wise and honeyed hosts of Indra, were present when, at your urging, you discovered the joints of Vṛtra, the arrogant one, at his vital spot. Like a man delighting in the pressing, Indra, drink the Soma for ever-renewed strength. Come, O swift-horsed one, with sacrifices and helpers, and drive away the obstructed waters. When you slew Vṛtra, you released the waters as racing steeds in a contest. Indra, with your weapon, you struck down the moving and the resting, driving away the godless from among the gods. We worship with reverence the mighty Indra, great, lofty, ageless, and ever-youthful, whose beloved greatness neither heaven nor earth can contain. Indra’s well-performed and manifold deeds are such that even the gods do not transgress his commands. With wise intent, he upheld the earth and heavens, creating the sun and the dawn. Your greatness, O Indra, is true and without falsehood; newly born, you at once drank the Soma. Neither heaven, nor the power of your strength, nor days, nor months, nor years can reach its limit. Newly born, Indra, you drank Soma for exhilaration in the highest heaven. Upon entering the realms of heaven and earth, you became the ancient one for the work of the seer. You struck down the serpent coiled around the waters, O mighty-born, growing in strength. Not even the sky could match your greatness when, with another’s support, you held the earth firm. For you, Indra, the sacrifice has become an increaser, and the pressed Soma, dear to you, brings delight. By sacrifice, O worthy of sacrifice, support the sacrifice; by sacrifice you brought the thunderbolt for slaying the serpent. By sacrifice and with help, men have brought Indra near; may we draw him to our new favor, he who has grown with ancient hymns, with those of the middle time, and with new ones. When my inspiration gave birth to this hymn for Indra, the ancient one, it was for praise and deliverance, as you rescue those who call upon you, like voyagers in a boat from distress. His vessel is filled to the brim with offerings, as one pours into a cup for drinking. The beloved ones have gathered together for exhilaration; the Somas encircle Indra, moving to the right. Neither deep river nor mountains, though they surround you, can confine you, O much-invoked one. Thus, urged by your companions, O Indra, you broke even the firm enclosure to win the cattle-rich expanse. May we call upon generous Indra in this contest, the foremost among men in prize-winning, the mighty one who listens for help in battles, the slayer of adversaries, the conqueror of riches. Swiftly the rivers hasten to the lap of the mountains, like horses released, rejoicing. Like two bright cows longing for their calf, Vipāś and Śutudrī flow with nourishing waters. Urged by Indra, seeking their course, they proceed toward the ocean like chariots, swelling with waves, striving together, each surpassing the other. We have come to the most motherly Sindhu, to the wide and blessed Vipāś. Like two mothers caressing their calf, the rivers move together, following the same channel. With these, filled with your waters, we move along the path made by the gods; the current, set in motion, does not turn aside. What does the inspired priest call upon you rivers for? Delight, O righteous ones, in my speech for Soma; come for a moment. To the great Sindhu I call with lofty praise—I, the son of Kuśika, seeking your favor. Indra, with his thunder-armed might, has cleared a path for us, striking down Vṛtra, the barrier of the rivers. The god Savitṛ, with fair hands, has led us—by his impulse we go to the wide lands. This heroic deed of Indra must always be proclaimed: the act when he split the serpent. With the thunderbolt, he struck down the encircling one, and the waters, desiring to flow, rushed onward. Let not this word, O singer, be in vain, for your praises have reached through many generations. Accept our hymn, O poet, and may no strength turn away your favor. O rivers, listen to Kārava, who has come from afar with his cart and chariot; bow down, become easy to cross, O rivers, sink below the axles with your flowing streams. To you, Kārava, we listen to your words, as you have come from afar; we bow down to you, swelling like a woman to her lover, like a maiden to a young man, always for you. If, O Indra-guided one, the Bharatas should cross over with their cattle and troop, then let the current, set in motion, flow forth. I choose for you the good favor of those worthy of sacrifice. The Bharatas have crossed with their cattle; the inspired one has shared the good favor of the rivers. Flow forth, you abundant ones, granting boons; fill your channels and go in prosperity. Let the wave rise up for you with gentleness; release the bonds, O waters. Do not, by your force, cause harm or injury; let there be no misfortune or distress. Indra, breaker of barriers, has torn open the fortress of the Dasa with his might; granting wealth, he, compassionate, scattered the enemies. Guided by prayer and growing in strength, the generous one filled both heaven and earth. For your sacrifice and power, I send forth praise, adorned for immortality. Indra, you are lord among human peoples, among the divine hosts, and among those who came before. Indra chose to shatter Vṛtra, the destroyer; he struck down the deceivers and the arrogant, slew the obstructers in the forests, and revealed the cows for the seekers. Thus, the greatness and compassion of Indra, the mighty lord, shines forth in all the worlds, upholding truth, granting blessings, and leading his devotees to victory and abundance.