Rig Veda · 8 of 1027
Mandala 1: HYMN VIII. Indra.
1.INDRA, bring wealth that gives delight, the victor’s ever-conquering wealth, Most excellent, to be our aid;
2.By means of which we may repel our foes in battle hand to hand, By thee assisted with the car.
3.Aided by thee, the thunder-armed, Indra, may we lift up the bolt, And conquer all our foes in fight.
4.With thee, O India, for ally with missile-darting heroes, may We conquer our embattled foes.
5.Mighty is Indra, yea supreme; greatness be his, the Thunderer: Wide as the heaven extends his power
6.Which aideth those to win them sons, who come as heroes to the fight, Or singers loving holy thoughts.
7.His belly, drinking deepest draughts of Soma, like an ocean swells, Like wide streams from the cope of heaven.
8.So also is his excellence, great, vigorous, rich in cattle, like A ripe branch to the worshipper.
9.For verily thy mighty powers, Indra, are saving helps at once Unto a worshipper like me.
10.So are his lovely gifts; let lauds and praises be to Indra sung, That he may drink the Soma juice.
Asked of Guide
Why does this hymn keep asking Indra for wealth and victory?
The hymn treats Indra as the source of “ever-conquering wealth” and strength that lets worshippers “repel our foes in battle hand to hand,” so requests for wealth and victory are literal petitions for protection and social success. The poem ties Indra’s generosity to his Soma-drinking power—“His belly, drinking deepest draughts of Soma”—which makes him both mighty and able to confer cattle, sons, and praise upon devotees.
This emphasis reflects the Vedic world where prosperity, martial success, and praise are intertwined religious goods; praise and ritual (offerings of Soma) sustain Indra’s potency so he will grant favors. For a comparable focus on reciprocity between deity and ritual gifts see the Bhagavata and the ritual reciprocity discussed in Patrick Olivelle’s work on Vedic ritual.
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