Hear, then, the story of mighty Indra, as sung by the seers and invoked by the hymns of the Rig Veda. Indra, with a surge of power, burst forth from the very edges of heaven. No realm of earth could hinder his advance; he embraced his own true nature, unrestrained by any boundary. His generosity knows no limit—wherever he turns his favor, joy springs forth among his worshippers. Indra, the awakener, is called upon to grant the highest strength. The Maruts, companions of the storm, are urged to sing aloud to Indra, the great slayer of Vṛtra. By his might, the righteous gods—ever-growing in their divinity—awakened the divine light for the gods themselves. Indra, destroyer of curses and dispeller of reproach, rose to glory. The gods, radiant in their brilliance, chose Indra for their friendship, as did the Maruts. With hymns, the Maruts are called to praise the mighty Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, who wields a hundred powers. With his thunderbolt of a hundred joints, he struck down Vṛtra, the foe of light and life. The Maruts are urged to bring forth resolute minds and let great fame fill their hearts, for the swift waters themselves rush toward Indra as mothers to their child. Indra is called to strike down Vṛtra and win the heavens. When Indra was born, generous and strong, it was for the very purpose of slaying Vṛtra. He made the earth vast and upheld the sky above. In that moment, sacrifice itself was born; the hymn and ritual act came into being. Indra surpassed all that is—whatever has come into being and whatever is yet to be. Now, the priests are called to bring forth the cooked offering, to raise the sun in the sky. Just as heat arises at the edge of a song, so may the great and well-praised gift please the god who delights in hymns. May Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, adorn every offering in every assembly. Let him come to the hymns and libations, supreme in might, eager for praise. He is the first giver of riches, sovereign in power. The worshippers choose him as their ally, the mighty one, for he is the companion of the powerful and the strong. Songs are composed for Indra, lover of hymns—wondrous and unsurpassed. The people offer these hymns, prepared for him, along with tawny steeds. Indra is steadfast and does not turn away; he has destroyed many Vṛtras. Therefore, the worshippers call upon him, thunderbolt in hand, to grant wealth to those who are near. Indra is renowned as the lord of might, swift in action, upholder of peoples. He alone strikes down all Vṛtras without resistance. Now, the wise seek Indra as their portion of wealth, as their share. They ask that his great protection, broad as a covering, may reach them, and that his favor may come to them. In the ritual, the maiden, skilled in her task, finds the well-filtered Soma. As she brings it to the sacred place, she declares, “I will press you for Indra, I will press you for Śakra.” The young hero, shining from house to house, is invited to drink the Soma, pressed with barley, mixed with curds and cakes, and accompanied by hymns. The worshippers promise to tend and cherish the Soma, urging it to flow gently for Indra, as if step by step. They ask, “Who knows, who acts, who brings wealth?”—and pray that, with Indra, they may overcome those who hate them. Indra is called to make the three realms grow, to place the head of the foe below and the worshipper’s own realm in the heart. Even the field that rejects the worshipper’s presence, and the head of the one who opposes, are to be made hairy—set apart and marked. In the sky of the chariot, the sky of the axle, and the sky of the yoke, Indra of a hundred powers purified Apālā thrice, making her skin shine like the sun. All are called to sing to Indra for the protection of their Soma; he is praised as the all-powerful, the most mighty among peoples. The people are urged to call upon the much-invoked, much-praised Indra, ancient and famed in song. Indra is the great giver of prizes, the leader of heroes. By his great might, he has subdued the foe. From the pressed Soma of the wise, skillful, and generous one, Indra with the barley beard drank. The worshippers invoke Indra for the drinking of Soma, for that is his nourishment. Having drunk this exhilarating Soma, Indra, by his divine strength, became lord over all the worlds. He is invoked as the subduer of hosts, with all songs, to stir up his help. Mighty and unconquered, Indra drinks the Soma, unshaken, ever resolute. The worshippers pray that Indra, knowing their praise, will grant them wealth and protect them in their quest for further treasures. They call upon him to come with a hundredfold prize, with food and a thousandfold reward. With the wise and the swift, they pray to win battles for the wealth of cows, wielding the thunderbolt. They praise Indra in hymns, as cows praise the pasture. For all their mortal desires, they come to Indra, the thunderer, for protection. In Indra, son of strength, the desires of the victorious are fulfilled. No one surpasses him. They ask that, with his most eager and fierce power, he grant them wisdom. The exhilaration that Indra enjoys, the most glorious and abundant in strength, is invoked again and again. The worshippers know well that dazzling, exhilarating draught, which Indra, the true Soma-drinker, has accepted among all peoples. Thus is Indra praised: the slayer of Vṛtra, the upholder of the worlds, the friend of the gods and the generous giver to mortals—invoked by hymns, delighted by Soma, and ever victorious.