The following hymn brings into especial prominence the more warlike functions of Indra, and may be regarded as a prayer "in the time of war and tumults:"—
8. "May Indra be the leader of these (our armies); may Brihaspati,
Largess, Sacrifice and Soma march in front; may the host of Maruts
precede the crushing, victorious armies of the gods. May the fierce host
of the vigorous Indra, of King Varuna, of the Adityas, and the Maruts
(go before us); the shout of the great-souled, conquering, world-shaking
gods, has ascended. . . . 10. Rouse, O opulent god, the weapons,
rouse the souls of our warriors, stimulate the power of the mighty men;
may shouts arise from the conquering chariots. 11. May Indra be ours
when the standards clash; may our arrows be victorious: may our
strong men gain the upper-hand; preserve us, O gods, in the fray. 12.
Bewildering the hearts of our enemies, O Apvâ (Apvâ is explained as a
disease or fear), take possession of their limbs and pass onward; come
near, burn them with fires in their hearts; may our enemies fall into
blind darkness" (O. S. T., vol. v. p. 110.—Rig-Veda, x. 103).
Indra's Soma-drinking propensities are not particularly alluded
to in these verses: elsewhere they form the ever-recurring
burden of the chants of which he is the hero. Thus, to take
but one specimen, which, by its resemblance to others, may
fitly stand for all, he is thus lauded:—
1. "May the Somas delight thee! bestow grace, O hurler of lightning!
destroy him who hates the priest. 2. Thou who art praiseworthy,
drink our drink! thou art sprinkled with streams of honey! from
thee, O Indra, glory is derived. . . . 4. The Indus (the Somas)
stream into thee, like rivers, Indra! into the sea, and never overfill
thee" (S. V., i. 1. 1).
Indra is, in fact, the Zeus of Indian mythology; the thunderer,
the god of the sky, the all-powerful protecter of men and destroyer
of the demons of darkness. His functions are easily
understood, but it is curious that the Soma, which is offered to
him in sacrifice, and which he drinks with all the avidity of a
confirmed toper, is itself celebrated as a god of very considerable
powers. Soma appears to be regarded as a sort of mediator
between the greatest gods and men, especially between man and
