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Dhammapada · narration sample

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Rig Veda · 129 of 1027

Mandala 1: HYMN CXXIX Indra.

1.THE car which Indra, thou, for service of the Gods though it be far away, O swift One, bringest near, which, Blameless One, thou bringest near, Place swiftly nigh us for our help: be it thy will that it be strong. Blameless and active, hear this speech of orderers, this speech of us like orderers.

2.Hear, Indra, thou whom men in every fight must call to show thy strength, for cry of battle with the men, with men of war for victory. He who with heroes wins the light, who with the singers gains the prize, Him the rich seek to gain even as a swift strong steed, even as a courser fleet and strong.

3.Thou, Mighty, pourest forth the hide that holds the rain, thou keepest far away, Hero, the wicked man, thou shuttest out the wicked man. Indra, to thee I sing, to Dyaus, to Rudra glorious in himself, To Mitra, Varuṇa I sing a far-famed hymn to the kind God a far-famed hymn.

4.We wish our Indra here that he may further you, the Friend, beloved of all, the very strong ally, in wars the very strong ally In all encounters strengthen thou our prayer to be a help to us. No enemy—whom thou smitest down—subdueth thee, no enemy, whom thou smitest down.

5.Bow down the overweening pride of every foe with succour like to kindling-wood in fiercest flame, with mighty succour, Mighty One. Guide us, thou Hero, as of old, so art thou counted blameless still. Thou drivest, as a Priest, all sins of man away, as Priest, in person, seeking us.

6.This may I utter to the present Soma-drop, which, meet to be invoked, with power, awakes the prayer, awakes the demon-slaying prayer. May he himself with darts of death drive far from us the scorner’s hate. Far let him flee away who speaketh wickedness and vanish like a mote of dust.

7.By thoughtful invocation this may we obtain, obtain great wealth, O Wealthy One, with Hero sons, wealth that is sweet with hero sons. Him who is wroth we pacify with sacred food and eulogies, Indra the Holy with our calls inspired and true, the Holy One with calls inspired.

8.On, for your good and ours, come Indra with the aid of his own lordliness to drive the wicked hence, to rend the evil-hearted ones! The weapon which devouring fiends cast at us shall destroy themselves. Struck down, it shall not reach the mark; hurled forth, the fire-brand shall not strike.

9.With riches in abundance, Indra, come to us, come by an unobstructed path, come by a path from demons free. Be with us when we stray afar, be with us when our home is nigh. Protect us with thy help both near and far away: protect us ever with thy help.

10.Thou art our own, O Indra, with victorious wealth: let might accompany thee, the Strong, to give us aid, like Mitra, to give mighty aid. O strongest saviour, helper thou, Immortal! of each warrior’s car. Hurt thou another and not us, O Thunder-armed, one who would hurt, O Thunder-armed!

11.Save us from injury, thou who art well extolled: ever the warder-off art thou of wicked ones, even as a God, of wicked ones; Thou slayer of the evil fiend, saviour of singer such as I. Good Lord, the Father made thee slayer of the fiends, made thee, good Lord, to slay the fiends.

Asked of Guide

Why do the singers keep asking Indra to come quickly and protect them in this hymn?

The hymn repeatedly petitions Indra to arrive swiftly because he is the warrior-god who secures victory and wealth: ‘‘bringest near… Place swiftly nigh us for our help’’ and ‘‘come Indra with the aid of his own lordliness to drive the wicked hence.’’ The singers present him as protector, destroyer of fiends, and grantor of riches and sons, so his timely presence makes their prayers effective and their community safe.

Those requests also reflect the ritual context: the Soma-drop and invocations awaken ‘‘the demon-slaying prayer,’’ and the worshippers call Indra to act now so the sacrificial power can be realized. This chapter matches the wider Rig Veda theme of Indra as deliverer found across Mandala 1, where hymns tie his martial acts to immediate communal welfare and sacrificial reward.

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