He who the earth made firm as it was shaking,
And made repose the forward tottering mountains;
Who measured wide the inter-space aerial,
And heaven established; he, ye folk, is Indra.
Who slew the dragon, loosed the rivers seven,
And drove from Vala's hiding place the cattle;[3]
Who fire between the two stones[4] hath engendered,
Conqueror in conflicts; he, ye folk, is Indra.
Who all things here, things changeable, created;
Who lowered and put to naught the barbarous color,[5]
And, like victorious gambler, took as winnings
His foe's prosperity; he, ye folk, is Indra.
Whom, awful, they (yet) ask about: 'where is he?'
And speak thus of him, saying, 'he exists not'—
He makes like dice[6] his foe's prosperity vanish;
Believe on him; and he, ye folk, is Indra.
In whose direction horses are and cattle;
In whose, the hosts (of war) and all the chariots;
Who hath both S[=u]rya and the Dawn engendered,
The Waters' leader; he, ye folk, is Indra.
Both heaven and earth do bow themselves before him,
And at his breath the mountains are affrighted;
Who bolt in arms is seen, the soma-drinker,
And bolt in hand; ('tis) he, ye folk, is Indra.
Who helps the soma-presser, (soma)-cooker,
The praiser (helps), and him that active serveth;
Of whom the increase brahma is and soma,
And his this offering; he, ye folk, is Indra.
Here brahma, which word already in the Yajur Veda has taken to itself the later philosophical signification, is merely prayer, the meaning which in the Rig Veda is universal.
The note struck in this hymn is not unique: