Invitation to, and praise of Indra

Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895], at sacred-texts.com

p. a37

HYMN V

Invitation to, and praise of Indra

1Indra, 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.
2O 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.
3Swift-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.
4O 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.
5Now 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.
6He 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.
7Impetuous as a bull he chose the Soma, and quaffed the juices
   in three sacred beakers. p. a38
  Maghavan grasped the thunder for his weapon, and smote to
   death this first-born of the dragons.