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Dhammapada · narration sample

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Rig Veda · 717 of 1027

Mandala 9: HYMN V. Indra.

1.As highest of the Maghavans, preeminent among the Bulls, Best breaker-down of forts, kine-winner, Lord of wealth, we seek thee, Indra Maghavan.

2.Thou who subduedst Āyu, Kutsa, Atithigva, waxing daily in thy might, As such, rousing thy power, we invocate thee now, thee Śatakratu, Lord of Bays.

3.The pressing-stones shall pour for us the essence of the meath of all, Drops that have been pressed out afar among the folk, and those that have been pressed near us.

4.Repel all enmities and keep thern far away: let all win treasure for their own. Even among Sistas are the stalks that make thee glad, where thou with Soma satest thee.

5.Come, Indra, very near to us with aids of firmly-based resolve; Come, most auspicious, with thy most auspicious help, good Kinsman, with good kinsmen, come!

6.Bless thou with progeny the chief of men, the lord of heroes, victor in the fray. Aid with thy powers the men who sing thee lauds and keep their spirits ever pure and bright.

7.May we be such in battle as are surest to obtain thy grace: With holy offerings and invocations of the Gods, we mean, that we may win the spoil.

8.Thine, Lord of Bays, am I. Prayer longeth for the spoil. Still with thy help I seek the fight. So, at the raiders’ head, I, craving steeds and kine, unite myself with thee alone.

Asked of Guide

Why does the speaker keep calling Indra names like 'Lord of Bays' and 'Maghavan'?

The speaker uses titles—Maghavan, Lord of Bays, Śatakratu—to summon distinct powers and favors that Indra embodies: generosity (Maghavan), wealth and horses (Lord of Bays), courageous deeds (Śatakratu). Naming those roles focuses the prayer on concrete needs the hymn lists—meath and pressings, progeny, victory, spoil—and links ritual action to expected results.

This technique matches other Vedic hymns that enumerate epithets to mobilize a deity’s capacities, as in Rig Veda Mandala 1 where Agni’s many names are invoked to secure hearth and sacrifice. The repetition makes the request specific and makes Indra present in those functions for the worshippers’ sake.

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