Rig Veda · 1017 of 1027
Mandala 10: HYMN CLXXX. Indra.
1.O MUCH-INVOKED, thou hast subdued thy foemen: thy might is loftiest; here display thy bounty. In thy right hand, O Indra, bring us treasures: thou art the Lord of rivers filled with riches.
2.Like a dread wild beast roaming on the mountain thou hast approached us from the farthest distance. Whetting thy bold and thy sharp blade, O Indra, crush thou the foe and scatter those who hate us.
3.Thou, mighty Indra, sprangest into being as strength for lovely lordship o’er the people. Thou drovest off the folk who were unfriendly, and to the Gods thou gavest room and freedom.
Asked of Guide
Why does this hymn ask Indra to bring treasures and act like a warrior at once?
The hymn presents Indra as both provider and warrior because the rishis credit his rulership with securing abundance: they call him “Lord of rivers filled with riches” and ask him to “bring us treasures” as the outcome of his victory. The poem treats prosperity as inseparable from military success, so asking for bounty and for the crushing of foes are two sides of invoking Indra’s power.
This pairing echoes other Rig Veda hymns where Indra’s heroic deeds create space and freedom for the gods and people; here the poet says he “gave room and freedom” after driving off the unfriendly folk. If you want a close parallel, see Mandala 1, Hymn 32, which also links Indra’s slaying of enemies with the release of spoils and the establishment of lordship.
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