Atharva Veda · 40 of 724

HYMN V

Invitation to, and praise of Indra 1. Indra, be gracious, drive thou forth, come, Hero, with thy two    bay steeds.   Taste the libation, hither, enjoying meath and the hymn, come,    fair, to the banquet. 2. O Indra, even as one athirst, fill thee with meath as ’twere from    heaven.   Sweet-toned, the raptures of this juice have come to thee as to    the light. 3. Swift-conquering Indra, Mitra like, smote, as a Yati, Vritra    dead.   Like Bhrigu he cleft Vala through, and quelled his foes in Soma’s    rapturous joy. 4. O Indra, let the juices enter thee. Fill full thy belly, sate thee,    mighty one! Let the hymn bring thee.   Hear thou my call, accept the song I sing, here, Indra, with thy    friends enjoy thyself, to height of rapture. 5. Now will I tell 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. 6. He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of    thunder Tvashtar fashioned.   Like lowing kine in rapid flow descending the waters glided    downward to the ocean. 7. Impetuous as a bull he chose the Soma, and quaffed the juices    in three sacred beakers.   Maghavan grasped the thunder for his weapon, and smote to    death this first-born of the dragons.