Page:The Hymns of the Rigveda Vol 1.djvu/64

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HYMN 33.]
THE RIGVEDA.
45
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.


HYMN XXXIII.
Indra.
Come, fain for booty[1] let us seek to Indra: yet more shall he increase his care that guides us.
Will not the Indestructible endow us with perfect knowledge of this wealth, of cattle?

2 I fly to him invisible Wealth-giver as flies the falcon to his cherished eyrie,
With fairest hymns of praise adoring Indra, whom those who laud him must invoke in battle.

3 Mid all his host, he bindeth on the quiver: he driveth cattle from what foe he pleaseth:
Gathering up great store of riches, Indra, be thou no trafficker with us[2], most mighty.

4 Thou slewest with thy bolt the wealthy Dasyu[3], alone, yet going with thy helpers, Indra!
Far from the floor of heaven in, all directions, the ancient riteless ones[4] fled to destruction.

5 (illegible text) the riteless turned and fled, Indra! with averted faces,
When thou, fierce Lord of the Bay Steeds, the Stayer[5], blewest from earth and heaven and sky the godless.

6 They met in fight the army of the blameless: then the Navagvas[6] put forth all their power.
They, like emasculates with men contending, fled, conscious, by steep paths from Indra, scattered.

  1. ↑ Fain for booty : gavyántaḥ, literally seeking or eager for kine, that is, booty or wealth consisting chiefly of cattle.
  2. ↑ Be thou no trafficker with us: Do not deal illiberally with us like a petty trader: do not give sparingly, nor demand too much in return.
  3. ↑ The wealthy Dasyu: according to Sâyana, ‘Vritra the robber,' the withholder of the fertilizing rain. The Dasyus are also a class of demons, enemies of gods and men, and sometimes the word means a savage, a barbarian.
  4. ↑ The ancient riteless ones: the followers of Vritra; here (illegible text) with indigenous races who had not adopted, or were hostile (illegible text) the Veda.
  5. ↑ The Stayer: he who stands firm in battle. The word in the text sthâtar appears to correspond exactly with the Latin Stator (Jupiter Stator). See Benfey, Orient und Occident, 1. 48.
  6. ↑ The Navagvas: the name of a mythological family often associated with that of Angiras, and described as (illegible text) in Indra's battles, regulating the worship of the Gods, etc.
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