Rig Veda · 284 of 1027
Mandala 3: HYMN L. Indra.
1.LET Indra drink, All-hail! for his is Soma,—the mighty Bull come, girt by Maruts, hither. Far-reaching, let him fill him with these viands, and let our offering sate his body’s longing.
2.I yoke thy pair of trusty Steeds for swiftness, whose faithful service from of old thou lovest. Here, fair of cheek! let thy Bay Coursers place thee: drink of this lovely welleffused libation.
3.With milk they made Indra their good Preserver, lauding for help and rule the bounteous rainer. Impetuous God, when thou hast drunk the Soma, enraptured send us cattle in abundance.
4.With kine and horses satisfy this longing with very splendid bounty still extend it. Seeking the light, with hymns to thee, O Indra, the Kuśikas have brought their gift, the singers.
5.Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered; The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vṛtras, wins and gathers riches.
Asked of Guide
Why do the Kuśikas keep offering Soma to Indra in this hymn?
The Kuśikas offer Soma to Indra to secure his favor: the hymn repeatedly asks him to “drink, All-hail!” and to satiate his bodily longing so he will grant cattle, horses, and victory. The ritual libation links Indra’s drinking with concrete gifts—“send us cattle in abundance” and “satisfy this longing with very splendid bounty”—so the offering functions as both praise and transactional petition.
The hymn also frames Indra as a protector and warrior whose power is renewed by Soma: he is “the mighty Bull” girded by Maruts and “who slays the Vṛtras,” so nourishing him sustains the cosmic and social order. This reflects the same exchangeal logic found in other Rigvedic hymns, where ritual giving secures divine action, as in many verses of Mandala 1 that pair sacrificial gifts with requested boons.
Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.