Listen

Dhammapada · narration sample

A one-minute narration sample. Every book in the library is narrated end to end — hear the rest in the app.

Rig Veda · 970 of 1027

Mandala 10: HYMN CXXXIII. Indra.

1.SING strength to Indra that shall set his chariot in the foremost place. Giver of room in closest fight, slayer of foes in shock of war, be thou our great encourager. Let the weak bowstrings break upon the bows of feeble enemies.

2.Thou didst destroy the Dragon: thou sentest the rivers down to earth. Foeless, O Indra, wast thou born. Thou tendest well each choicest thing. Therefore we draw us close to thee. Let the weak bowstrings break upon the bows of feeble enemies.

3.Destroyed be all malignities and all our enemy’s designs. Thy bolt thou castest, at the foe, O Indra, who would srnite us dead: thy liberal bounty gives us wealth.

4.The robber people round about, Indra, who watch and aim at us,— Trample them down beneath thy foot; a conquering scatterer art thou.

5.Whoso assails us, Indra, be the man a stranger or akin, Bring down, thyself, his strength although it be as vast as are the heavens.

6.Close to thy friendship do we cling, O Indra, and depend, or, thee. Lead us beyond all pain and grief along the path of holy Law.

7.Do thou bestow upon us her, O Indra, who yields according to the singer’s longing, That the great Cow may, with exhaustless udder, pouring a thousand streams, give milk to feed us.

Asked of Guide

Why does the hymn ask Indra to break the enemies' bowstrings and also to grant wealth and the great Cow?

The hymn pairs martial victory with pastoral prosperity because Indra is both war‑lord and provider: lines 1 and 4 call him to “set his chariot in the foremost place” and “Trample them down beneath thy foot,” securing safety, while lines 3 and 7 ask for his “liberal bounty” and the “great Cow… pouring a thousand streams,” which symbolize wealth and sustenance. Victory clears the communityʼs path so sacrificial life and cattle economy can flourish, making protection and plenty two aspects of the same divine action.

This linkage matches how the Rig Veda treats gods as custodians of social order: the hymn’s request that Indra “Lead us beyond all pain and grief along the path of holy Law” echoes the way power enforces ṛta (cosmic and social order). For a parallel on divine provision tied to ritual order see Hymn 1.90, where gift and sacrifice secure communal wellbeing.

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.