Hear now a flowing tale woven from the sacred hymns of the Rig Veda, where the voices of the sages rise in reverence to Soma, the divine nectar, and Indra, the mighty lord. The worshippers, with hearts full of longing, call upon Soma, the radiant king. “Be gracious to us when you are drunk, O Soma, as a father is kindly to his son, as a wise friend is gentle to a friend. O much-praised one, carry us across to long life, sheltering us in your compassion. May those who partake of your essence—glorious and strong, like swift horses harnessed to a chariot—protect us from all that would diminish our character. Let your sacred drops keep us from exhaustion and weakness. Shine forth for us, Soma, as fire kindled bright. Do not let our wealth diminish; your exhilaration is our prosperity—lead us onward to abundance. With eager minds, let us partake of your pressed juice, treasuring it as ancestral wealth. O Soma, king, carry us across to long life, as the sun carries the days from dawn to dusk. Grant us well-being, O king Soma, for we are devoted to your command—know this, O Indu. May skill and strength never fail us, and may no noble one turn us away. You, Soma, are the guardian of our bodies, present in every limb, all-seeing. If we have strayed from your laws, forgive us, O good friend, O god, for our well-being. Let us share friendship with generous hearts, especially with those who, under Soma’s influence, would never harm us. For this Soma, poured for us, we seek Indra, that he may restore our life. Let hostile ones, powerless, depart from us; let diseases flee far away. O Soma, ascend to us with your help—lead us where life is renewed. That immortal drop, O Soma, which our fathers drank and which entered the hearts of mortals, to that Soma we offer our oblation. May we remain in your gracious favor. United with the fathers, you, Soma, have stretched across heaven and earth. To you, Indu, we offer with devotion—may we be masters of riches. O gods, declare yourselves our protectors; let not sleep or slander rule over us. May we, ever dear to Soma, strong and eloquent, speak forth in the assembly. Soma, you are the giver of all life; you, all-seeing, bring light to the peoples. You, Indu, with your companions, protect us from behind and before. Now the hymns turn to Indra, the generous lord. “Raise your voices in praise of Indra, the bountiful Maghavan, who grants abundant wealth to the singers, as if by the thousand. Like one with a hundred followers, he advances boldly, striking down obstacles for his worshippers. His gifts, rich and plentiful, flow like streams from a mountain. To you, Indra, the pressed Soma flows, O singer of praises; like waters filling a lake, the offerings fill your strength, O hero. Drink the sweetest, most delightful honey, free from sin, crossing over to us. Come as you please, with your own power, bold and mighty, overcoming all that is small. Our hymn approaches you swiftly, like a horse with its riders. The gifts that delight you, O Indra, are bestowed among the Kanvas, like cows giving milk. We approach you, mighty hero, with reverence, unfailing and abundant lord. Like water pouring from a vessel, your thoughts flow forth, O thunderbolt-wielder. Whether now, or in sacrifice, or upon the earth, come to our offering swiftly, O mighty one, with your powerful companions. Your horses are swift and eager, moving like the wind; with them you encompass all of humankind and behold the heavens. With these, O Indra, we seek your favor, rich in cows. As you have protected the generous guest, as you have guarded the guest in wealth, so protect us. As you have done for Kanva in the assembly, for Paktha in the ten clans, for Gosarya and Asana, O Indra, with wealth of cows and gold, so may you do for us. Sing forth the renowned, generous lord, Shakra, for your desire. He who is praised by the one who presses and sings, the desired wealth, is honored as if by the thousand. His mighty deeds, difficult to overcome, belong to Indra, whose powers are vast. Like a mountain, his riches flow among the generous when the pressed Soma delights him. When the pressed Soma flows to delight you, O beloved Indra, the waters pour into the offering place, like milch cows to the worshipper. For the sinless, the invoked, the thoughts pour forth honey; to you, O lord, the invoked Soma streams, and the praises are set before you. May the Soma, with its proper rites, come to us like a horse delighting in its riders. The songs that delight you, O Indra, are praised in the city, as you choose the invocation. Proclaim the mighty, fierce, discerning, wealth-giving lord, the glory of great generosity. Like water pouring from a vessel, may you always nourish the worshipper with wealth, O thunderbolt-wielder. Whether now, in distant lands, or on earth, or in heaven, harness your horses, Indra, and come swiftly, exalted one, with your exalted companions. Your horses are chariot-bearers, unwearied, their strength surpassing the wind. With them you strike down the enemy of men and encompass the heavens. O generous one, we know your favor, as you brought Etaśa to success in his quest for wealth, as you brought the ten herds under your control. As you have done for Kanva in the sacrifice, in the long-lasting ritual, O subduer of enemies, as you have granted protection in the cow-stall, O stone-wielder, bestow upon us the lineage and radiant wealth of the Hari. As you, O Indra, drank the pressed Soma with Manu and Sāṃvaraṇa, O Maghavan, guest at the sacrifice, honored at the feast, bringing nourishment and prosperity together, so come to us. You led Praskaṇva, who was lying down, to safety, awakening him from sleep. You, strong one, sought thousands of cows, a wolf to the Dasyu. He who does not find us with hymns, though urged by the seer’s inspiration—speak to him of Indra, with a new song, for Indra is eager to bestow gifts. He for whom the seven-headed hymn was composed, the flawless one, in the highest abode of the triple realm—he made all these worlds resound and first gained manly strength. He who is our giver of treasures, that Indra we invoke, for we know his most recent favor. May we reach the herd rich in cows. To whom, O generous one, you grant gifts, he attains abundance of wealth. You, Maghavan, Indra, singer of praises, we, who have pressed Soma, call upon you. When, O Indra, will you ever be more abundant? When will you accompany the worshipper? May your gift, O Maghavan, come again and again; your divine generosity is sought. He who, with surpassing might, struck down Krivi with weapons, proclaiming the defeat of Śuṣṇa—when he propped up and spread out that distant heaven, then he first became lord of the earth. Thus, the sages sing: Soma, the immortal nectar, brings life, and Indra, the mighty lord, bestows strength, wealth, and protection to those who praise them with devotion and truth. Their blessings flow like rivers, their power resounds through heaven and earth, and their favor is sought by all who seek prosperity and well-being.