Hinduism

The Rig Veda in Sanskrit: Rig Veda Book 3: Hymn 53

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This is Hymn 53 from the third book of the Rig Veda, one of the oldest surviving Sanskrit religious texts and a foundational scripture of the Hindu tradition. The hymn is a ritual invocation composed primarily in the voice of the sage Vishvamitra, calling on the god Indra (and briefly Parvata) to attend a soma sacrifice, accept offerings, and bestow blessings on his clan, the Kushikas, and the Bharata people. The hymn is notably composite in character, stitching together several distinct ritual moments: a summons to Indra to arrive by chariot, soma-pressing rites with instructions to the adhvaryu priest, praise of Vishvamitra's role in protecting the Bharata tribe, a polemical verse against the non-Aryan Kīkaṭa people (asking Indra to seize their wealth), and closing benedictions over a ceremonial chariot-mat (sasarparī) and draft animals. A distinctive claim runs through it — that Vishvamitra's sacred formulas personally secured Indra's favor for king Sudas and the Bharatas, positioning the sage as indispensable mediator between humans and the divine. The closing verses shift register to practical blessings: strength for bodies and cattle, protection for the chariot axle, and destruction of enemies.

The Rig Veda in Sanskrit: Rig Veda Book 3: Hymn 53

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