Atharva Veda · 505 of 724

BOOK XVII

HYMN I A prayer to Indra, Identified with Vishnu and the Sun, for the love of Gods, men, and beasts, general protection and prosperity, and all earthly and heavenly blessings 1. Vanquishing, overpowering, a conqueror, exceeding strong,   Victorious, winner of the light, winner of cattle and of spoil,.   Indra by name, adorable, I call: a long, long life be mine! 2. Vanquishing etc.   Indra by name, adorable I call: May I be dear to Gods. 3. Vanquishing, etc.   Indra by name, adorable, I call: may creatures love me well. 4. Vanquishing, etc.   Indra by name, adorable, I call: may cattle hold me dear. 5. Vanquishing, etc.   Indra by name, adorable, I call: may equals love me well. 6. Rise up, O Sūrya, rise thou up; with strength and splendour    rise on me.   Let him who hates me be my thrall; let me not be a thrall to him.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu.   Sate us with cattle of all forms and colours: set me in happiness,    in loftiest heaven. 7. Rise up, O Sūrya, rise thou up; with strength and splendour rise    on me.   Make me the favourite of all, of those I see and do not see.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 8. Let not the fowlers who are standing ready injure thee in the    flood, within the waters.   Ascend this heaven, leaving each curse behind thee, Favour us:    let thy gracious love attend us.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 9. Do thou, O Indra, for our great good fortune, with thine in-    violable rays protect us.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 10. Be thou most gracious unto us, Indra, with favourable aid,   Rising to heaven's third sphere, invoked with song to quaff the   Soma juice, loving thy home to make us blest. p. 171   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 11. Thou art the vanquisher of all, O Indra, omniscient Indra, and    invoked of many.   Indra, send forth this hymn that fitly lauds thee. Favour us    let thy gracious love attend us.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 12. In heaven and on the earth thou art uninjured, none reach thy    greatness in the air's mid region.   Increasing by inviolate devotion as such in heaven grant us pro-    tection, Indra.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 13. Grant us protection, Indra, with that body of thine that is on    earth, in fire, in waters,   That dwells within light-finding Pavamana, wherewith thou hast    pervaded air's mid region.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 14. Indra, exalting thee with prayer, imploring, Rishis have sat them    down in holy Session.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu, 15. Round Trita, round the spring with thousand currents thou    goest, round the light-finding assembly.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 16. Thou guardest well the four celestial regions, pervading heaven,    and earth with light and splendour.   Thou givest help to all these living creatures, and, knowing,.    followest the path of Order.   Manifold are thy great deed, thine, O Vishnu. 17. With five thou sendest heat: with one removing the curse thou    comest in bright sunshine hither.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 18. Indra art thou, Mahendra thou, thou art the world, the Lord of   Life.   To thee is sacrifice performed: worshippers offer gifts to thee.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu. 19. What is based on what is not: the present lies on that which is..   Present on future is imposed and future on the present based.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu.   Sate us with cattle of all varied colour. Set me in happiness, in    loftiest heaven. 20. Bright art thou, and refulgent: as thou shinest with splendour    so I fain would shine with splendour. 21. Lustre art thou, illuming: as thou glowest with lustre so I too    would shine with cattle, with all the lustre of a Brāhman's    station. 22. Glory to him when rising, when ascending! Glory to him when    he hath reached the zenith!   To him far-shining, him the self-refulgent, to him the Sovran   Lord and King be glory! 23. Worship to him when he is turning westward, to him when set-    ting, and when set be worship!   To him far-shining, him the self-refulgent, to him the Sovran   Lord and King be glory! 24. With all his fiery fervour this Āditya hath gone up on high,   Giving my foes into my hand. Let me not by my foeman's prey.   Manifold are thy great deeds, thine, O Vishnu.   Sate us with cattle of all varied colours. Set me in happiness, in    loftiest heaven. 25. Thou for our weal, Āditya, hast mounted thy ship with hundred    oars.   Thou hast transported me to day: so bear me evermore to    night. 26. Thou for our weal, O Sūrya, hast mounted thy ship with hundred    oars.   Thou hast transported me to night: so bear me evermore to    day. 27. Encompassed by Prajāpati's devotion as shield, with Kasyapa's    bright light and splendour,   Reaching old age, may I made strong and mighty live through a    thousand years with happy fortune. 28. Compassed am I with prayer, my shield and armour; compassed    with Kasyapa's bright light and splendour.   Let not shafts reach me shot from heaven against me, nor those    sent forth by men for my destruction. 29. Guarded am I by Order and the Seasons, protected by the past    and by the future.   Let not distress, yea, let not Death come nigh me: with water    of my speech have I o'erwhelmed them. 30. On every side let Agni guard and keep me; the rising Sun drive    off the snares of Mrityu! p. 173   Let brightly flushing Mornings, firm-set mountains, and lives a    thousand be with me united.