Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VI/Hymn 98

98. To Indra: for victory.

[Atharvan.—āindram. trāiṣṭubham: 2. bṛhatīgarbhā ”stārapan̄ktiḥ.]

Found also in Pāipp. xix. Besides the uses in Kāuç. of hymns 97-99, as stated under 97, hymn 98 is further applied, with vi. 67, in another battle rite (16. 4); and the schol. add it to vii. 86, 91, etc., in the indramahotsava (note to 140. 6). Vāit. also (34. 13) has it in the sattra, when the king is armed.

Translated: Griffith, i. 299.

1. May Indra conquer, may he not be conquered; may he king it as over-king among kings; be thou here one to be famed, to be praised, to be greeted, to be waited on, and to be reverenced.

The verse is found also in TS. (ii. 4. 14²) and MS. (iv. 12. 3), but with a very different second half: c, TS. víçvā hí bhūyā́ḥ pṛ́tanā abhiṣṭī́r, MS. víçvā abhiṣṭíḥ pṛ́tanā jayaty; d, both upasádyo namasyò yáthā́ ’sat. In the first half, at end of a, MS. jayate; at end of b, TS. rājayāti, MS. -yate. The last pāda occurs again as iii. 4. 1 d. The comm. regards the king as identified with Indra through the hymn. ⌊MS. has jayati for jayāti.⌋

2. Thou, O Indra, art over-king, ambitious (çravasyú), thou art the overcomer of people; do thou rule over these folk (viçás) of the gods; long-lived, unfading (ajára) dominion be thine.

The verse is mutilated in Ppp. MS. (in iv. 12. 2) has a corresponding verse: tvám indrā ’sy adhirājás tvám bhavā́ ’dhtpatir jánānām: dāívīr víças tvám utā́ ví rājāú ’jasvat kṣatrám ajáraṁ te astu. The metrical definition of the Anukr. is not very successful.

3. Of the eastern quarter thou, O Indra, art king; also of the northern quarter art thou, O Vritra-slayer, slayer of foes; where the streams go, that is thy conquest; in the south, as bull, thou goest worthy of invocation.

The verse is found in TS. (ii. 4. 14¹) and MS. (iv. 12. 2). Both begin with prā́cyāṁ diçí, and have údīcyām (without ⌊the meter-disturbing⌋ diçáḥ) in b, ending with vṛtrahā́ ’si; in d, TS. has (better) edhi for eṣi, and MS. the same, with hávyas before it. Ppp. is mutilated, but has evidently prācyāṁ diçi. The third pāda evidently describes the west; that does not suit the basin of central India.