Rig Veda on Temptation

2 Drink thou of this whereof at birth, O Indra, thou drankest, Mighty One for power and rapture. 3 The fire is kindled, Soma pressed, O Indra: let thy Bays, best to draw, convey thee hither. 4 Indra, come hither: evermore thou camest through our great strong desire to drink the Soma. 5 Mayst thou, O Indra, on the day of trial, present or absent, wheresoe'er thou dwellest, 2 With that well−formed most wide−extending palate, wherewith thou ever drinkest streams of sweetness, 3 This drop, steer−strong and omniform, the Soma, hath been made ready for the Bull, for India. 4 Soma when pressed excels the unpressed Soma, better, for one who knows, to give him pleasure. 5 We call on thee, O Indra: come thou hither: sufficient be the Soma for thy body. 2 With Soma go ye nigh to him chief drinker of the Soma's juice: 3 What time, with Soma, with the juice effused, ye come before the God, 4 To him, Adhvaryu! yea, to him give offerings of the juice expressed.

2 Bring swift, for offering, the snare that suits the time, to the pure−drinker Vayu, roaring as he goes, 3 May Savitar the God send us full life, to each who sacrifices, lives aright and pours the juice 4 May Indra evermore be gracious unto us, and may King Soma meditate our happiness, 5 Indra hath given the body with its song and strength: Brhaspati, thou art the lengthener of life. 6 Indra possesseth might celestial nobly formed: the singer in the hotise is Agni, prudent Sage. 7 Not often have we sinned against you secretly, nor, Vasus, have we openly provoked the Gods. 8 May Savitar remove from us our malady, and may the Mountains keep it far away from where 9 Ye Vasus, let the stone, the presser stand erect: avert all enmities and keep them far remote. 10 Eat strength and fatness in the pasture, kine, who are balmed at the reservoir and at the seat of Law. 11 The singer fills the spirit: all mens, love hath he. Indra takes kindly care of those who pour the juice. 12 Wondrous thy spirit−filling light, triumpliant; thy hosts save from decay and are resistless.

8 May the fleet Courser's halter and his heel−ropes, the head−stall and the girths and cords about him. 9 What part of the Steed's flesh the fly hath eaten, or is left sticking to the post or hatchet, 10 Food undigested steaming from his belly, and any odour of raw flesh remaining, 11 What from thy body which with fire is roasted, when thou art set upon the spit, distilleth, 12 They who observing that the Horse is ready call out and say, the smell is good; remove it; 13 The trial−fork of the flesh−cooking caldron, the vessels out of which the broth is sprinkled, 14 The starting−place, his place of rest and rolling, the ropes wherewith the Charger's feet were fastened, 15 Let not the fire, smoke−scented, make thee crackle, nor glowing caldron smell and break to pieces. 16 The robe they spread upon the Horse to clothe him, the upper covering and the golden trappings, 17 If one, when seated, with excessive urging hath with his heel or with his whip distressed thee, 18 The four−and−thirty ribs of the. Swift Charger, kin to the Gods, the slayer's hatchet pierces. 19 Of Tvastar's Charger there is one dissector,−this is the custom−two there are who guide him. 20 Let not thy dear soul burn thee as thou comest, let not the hatchet linger in thy body. 21 No, here thou diest not, thou art not injured: by easy paths unto the Gods thou goest. 22 May this Steed bring us all−sustaining riches, wealth in good kine,good horses, manly offspring.

2 All men are joyful in thy power, O God, that living from the dry wood thou art born. 3 Strong is the thought of Law, the Law's behest; all works have they performed; he quickens all. 4 Seated as Priest with Manu's progeny, of all these treasures he alone is Lord. 5 Eagerly they who hear his word fulfil his wish as sons obey their sire's behest.

2 In all libations men with hero spirit urge the Universal One, each seeking several light, each fain to win 3 Couples desirous of thine aid are storming thee, pouring their presents forth to win a stall of kine, pouri 4 This thine heroic power men of old time have known, wherewith thou breakest down, Indra, autumnal f 5 And they have bruited far this hero−might when thou, O Strong One, in thy joy helpest thy suppliants, 7 O Indra, waxen strong and well−inclined to us, thou very mighty, slay the man that is our foe, slay the

2 Your Soma−drinker keeps afar your furious rush, Indra and Visnu, when ye come with all your might. T

2 Lead us anew to happiness, O Agni; lead us beyond all danger and affliction. 3 Far from us, Agni, put thou all diseases let them strike lauds that have no saving Agni. 4 Preserve us, Agni, with perpetual succour, refulgent in the dwelling which thou lovest. 5 Give not us up a prey to sin, O Agni, the greedy enemy that brings us trouble; 6 Such as thou art, born after Law, O Agni when lauded give protection to our bodies, 7 Thou, well discerning both these classes, comest to men at early morn, O holy Agni. 8 To him have we addressed our pious speeches, I, Mana's son, to him victorious Agni.

2 Worship, thou hero, chase the arrogant afar: put on auspicious courage for the fight with foes. 3 He with his folk, his house, his family, his sons, gains booty for himself, and, with the heroes, 4 Whoso hath honoured him with offerings rich in oil, him Brahmanaspati leads forward on his way,

2 Not at his own free pleasure did he bear me: he conquered with his strength and manly courage. 3 When with loud cry from heaven down sped the Falcon, thence hasting like the wind he bore the Bold 4 The Falcon bore him from heaven's lofty summit as the swift car of Indra's Friend bore Bhujyu. 5 And now let Maghavan accept the beaker, white, filled with milk, filled with the shining liquid;

2 Men have obtained his strength by sacrificing, and ever urged him, on to hero valour. 3 Associate with him, as teams of horses, help, manly might, and vigour follow Indra. 4 Lauded by us, let flow the spring, O Indra, of excellent and brightly−shining riches. 5 Hear what thou mayst hear, thou who, fain for worship, as heaven girds earth, guardest thy servant's 2 Forth to the vat the brown drops flow for service, and purified proceed directly forward. May I

2 Tlou shalt be Aditi as thou hast entered within, appeaser of celestial anger. 3 We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered. 4 Absorbed into the heart, be sweet, O Indu, as a kind father to his son, O Soma, 5 These glorious drops that give me freedom have I drunk. Closely they knit my joints as straps secure a c 6 Make me shine bright like fire produced by friction: give us a clearer sight and make us better. 7 May we enjoy with an enlivened spirit the juice thou givest, like ancestral riches. 8 King Soma, favour us and make us prosper: we are thy devotees; of this be mindful. 9 For thou hast settled in each joint, O Soma, aim of men's eyes and guardian of our bodies. 10 May I be with the Friend whose heart is tender, who, Lord of Bays! when quaffed will never harm me 11 Our maladies have lost their strength and vanished: they feared, and passed away into the darkness. 13 Associate with the Fathers thou, O Soma, hast spread thyself abroad through earth and heaven. 14 Give us your blessing, O ye Gods' preservers. Never may sleep or idle talk control us. 15 On all sides,. Soma, thou art our life−giver: aim of all eyes, light−finder, come within us.

2 Crush with thy foot the niggard churls who bring no gifts. Mighty art thou 3 Thou art the Lord of Soma pressed, Soma impressed is also thine. 4 Come, go thou forth, dwelling in heaven and listening to the prayers of men: 5 Even that hill with rocky heights, with hundreds, thousands, held within. 6 We call on thee both night and day to taste the flowing Soma juice: 7 Where is that ever−youthful Steer, strong. necked and never yet bent down? 8 To whose libation doth the Steer, betake him with delight therein? 9 Whom, Vrtra−slayer, have thy gift and hero powers accompanied? 10 For thee among mankind, among the Purus is this Soma shed. 11 This, growing by Soma and by Saryanavan, dear to thee, 12 Hasten thou hitherward, and drink this for munificence to−day,

Many−named with this same thought that longs for milk, 18 Much−honoured by libations, may the Vrtra−slayer wake for us: 19 O Hero, with that aid dost thou delight us, with what succour bring 20 With whose libation joys the Strong, the Hero with his team who quells 21 Rejoicing in thy spirit bring thousandfold opulence to us: 22 These juices with their wedded wives flow to enjoyment lovingly: 23 Presented strengthening gifts have sent Indra away at sacrifice, 24 These two who share his feast, Bay Steeds with golden manes, shall bring him to 25 For thee, O Lord of Light, are shed these Soma−drops, and grass is strewn 26 May Indra give thee skill, and lights of heaven, wealth to his votary 27 O Satakratu, wondrous strength and all our lauds I bring to thee: 28 Bring to us all things excellent, O Satakratu, food and strength: 30 Bearing the Soma juice we call, best Vrtra−slayer, unto thee: 31 Come, Lord of rapturous, joys, to our libation with thy Bay Steeds, come 32 Known as best Vrtra−slayer erst, as Indra Satakratu, come 33 O Vrtra−slayer, thou art he who drinks these drops of Soma: come 34 May Indra give, to aid us, wealth handy that rules the Skilful Ones:

2 Fiend−queller, Friend of all men, he hath with the wood attained unto 3 Be thou best Vrtra−slayer, best granter of bliss, most liberal: 4 Flow onward with thy juice unto the banquet of the Mighty Gods: 5 O Indu, we draw nigh to thee, with this one object day by day: 6 By means of this eternal fleece may Surya's Daughter purify 7 Ten sister maids of slender form seize him within the press and hold 8 The virgins send him forth: they blow the the skin musician−like and fuse 9 Inviolable milch−kine round about him blend for Indra's drink, 10 In the wild raptures of this draught, Indra slays all the Vrtras: he,

2 He with his friend is active, lauded, good to man, Indra who must be glorified by one like me. 3 Who are the men whom thou wilt further, Indra, who strive to win thy bliss allied with riches? 4 Thou, Indra, through the holy prayer art mighty, worthy of sacrifice at all libations. 5 Help now, as Highest, those who toil at sacrifice: well do the people know thy great protecting might. 6 All these libations thou makest effectual, of which thou art thyself supporter, Son of Power. 7 They who with flowing Soma pray to thee, O Sage, to pour on them thy gifts of opulence and wealth,

2 Here is the psalm for wealth, and food, in plenty: let us do many deeds to bring us glory. 3 May we o'ercome our foes with acts of valour, as heaven is over earth, hills over lowlands. 4 Give us not up as prey to death, O Sorna still let us look upon the Sun arising. 5 O Asuniti, keep the soul within us, and make the days we have to live yet longer. 6 Give us our sight again, O Asuniti, give us again our breath and our enjoyment. 7 May Earth restore to us our vital spirit, may Heaven the Goddess and mid−air restore it. 8 May both Worlds bless Subandhu, young Mothers of everlasting Law. 9 Health−giving medicines descend sent down from heaven in twos and threes, 10 Drive forward thou the wagon−ox, O Indra, which brought Usinarani's wagon hither.

2 Press the libation out, most excellent of all: the Pressing−stone is grasped like a hand−guided steed. 3 Juice that this Stone pours out removes defect of ours, as in old time it brought prosperity to man. 4 Drive ye the treacherous demons far away from us: keep Nirrti afar and banish Penury. 5 To you who are more mighty than the heavens themselves, who, finishing your task with more than 6 Stirred be the glorious Stones: let it press out the juice, the Stone with heavenly song that reaches up to 7 The Stones press out the Soma, swift as car−borne men, and, eager for the spoil, drain forth the sap ther 8 Ye, present men, have been most skilful in your work, even ye, O Stones who pressed Soma for Indra's

2 His eyes are turned away, his head is hidden: unsated with his tongue he eats the fuel. 3 Seeking, as 'twere, his Mother's secret bosom, he, like a child, creeps on through wide−spread bushes. 4 This holy Law I tell you, Earth and Heaven: the Infant at his birth dovours his Parents. 5 This man who quickly gives him food, who offers his gifts of oil and butter and supports him, − 6 Agni, hast thou committed sin or treason among the Gods? In ignorance I ask thee. 7 He born in wood hath yoked his horses rushing in all directions, held with reins that glitter.