Mahanyasam – 7.4. Apratiratham
ā̠śu-śśiśā̍nō vṛṣa̠bhō na yu̠dhmō gha̍nāgha̠naḥ, kṣōbha̍ṇa-ścharṣaṇī̠nām ।
sa̠̠ṅkranda̍nō-‘nimi̠ṣa ē̍ka vī̠raśśa̠tagṃ sēnā̍ ajayathsā̠-kamindra̍ḥ ।
sa̠ṅkranda̍nēnā nimi̠ṣēṇa̍ ji̠ṣṇunā̍ yutkā̠rēṇa̍ duśchyava̠nēna̍ dhṛ̠ṣṇunā̎ ।
tadindrē̍ṇa jayata̠ tathsa̍hadhva̠ṃ yudhō̍ nara̠ iṣu̍ hastēna̠ vṛṣṇā̎ ।
sa iṣu̍hastai̠-ssa ni̍ṣa̠ṅgibhi̍ rva̠śī saggsra̍ṣṭā̠ sayudha̠ indrō̍ ga̠ṇēna̍ ।
sa̠gṃ̠sṛ̠ṣṭa̠-jithsō̍ma̠pā bā̍hu śa̠rdhyū̎rdhva-dha̍nvā̠ prati̍hitā-bhi̠rastā̎ ।
bṛha̍spatē̠ pari̍dīyā̠ rathē̍na rakṣō̠hā-‘mitrāgṃ̍ apa̠ bādha̍mānaḥ । 1
English Meaning
Swift and powerful like a charging bull, Indra is the mighty warrior who crushes and overwhelms hostile forces. Roaring fearlessly and never closing His eyes, the heroic Indra conquered hundreds of armies together. Through His victorious cry, His unwavering vigilance, His irresistible strength, and His powerful weapons, He defeats forces that cannot be easily overcome. O warriors, achieve victory through Indra and fight under His protection, bearing strong weapons in your hands. Indra, accompanied by His armed hosts, is the master of those who carry arrows and quivers. May the mighty Soma-drinking forces, strong-armed and bearing their bows, stand ready for battle. O Bṛhaspati, move around us in Your chariot, destroy harmful forces, and drive away our enemies. 1
pra̠bha̠ñja-nthsēnā̎ḥ pramṛ̠ṇō yu̠dhā jaya̍nna̠smāka̍-mēddhyavi̠tā rathā̍nām ।
gō̠tra̠bhida̍-ṅgō̠vida̠ṃ vajra̍bāhu̠-ñjaya̍nta̠majma̍ pramṛ̠ṇanta̠-mōja̍sā ।
i̠magṃ sa̍jātā̠ anu̍vīra-yadhva̠mindragṃ̍ sakhā̠yō-‘nu̠ sara̍bhadhvam ।
ba̠la̠vi̠jñā̠ya-ssthavi̍ra̠ḥ pravī̍ra̠-ssaha̍svān vā̠jī saha̍māna u̠graḥ ।
a̠bhivī̍rō a̠bhisa̍tvā sahō̠jā jaitra̍mindra̠ ratha̠māti̍ṣṭha gō̠vit । 2
English Meaning
May our forces break through and crush the opposing armies in battle, achieving victory, while protecting our chariots and warriors. May Indra, the breaker of strongholds, the knower and protector of the cows, and the wielder of the Vajra, advance with great strength and overcome the hostile forces. O companions and members of the same community, follow Indra courageously and move forward with Him. May the mighty, experienced, heroic, powerful, and fierce warrior prevail over every opposing force. O Indra, brave and victorious Lord, born of strength and endowed with power, mount Your victorious chariot and lead us to triumph and prosperity. 2
a̠bhi gō̠trāṇi̠ saha̍sā̠ gāha̍mānō-‘dā̠yō vī̠ra śśa̠ta-ma̍nyu̠rindra̍ḥ ।
du̠śchya̠va̠naḥ pṛ̍tanā̠ṣāḍa̍ yu̠ddhyō̎-‘smāka̠gṃ̠ sēnā̍ avatu̠ prayu̠thsu ।
indra̍ āsā-nnē̠tā bṛha̠spati̠ rdakṣi̍ṇā ya̠jñaḥ pu̠ra ē̍tu̠ sōma̍ḥ ।
dē̠va̠sē̠nānā̍-mabhibha-ñjatī̠nā-ñjaya̍ntīnā-mma̠rutō̍ ya̠ntvagrē̎ ।
indra̍sya̠ vṛṣṇō̠ varu̍ṇasya̠ rājña̍ ādi̠tyānā̎-mma̠rutā̠gṃ̠ śardha̍ u̠gram ।
ma̠hāma̍nasā-mbhuvanachya̠vānā̠-ṅghōṣō̍ dē̠vānā̠-ñjaya̍tā̠ muda̍sthāt ।
a̠smāka̠-mindra̠ḥ-samṛ̍tēṣu-dhva̠jē-ṣva̠smāka̠ṃ yā iṣa̍va̠stā ja̍yantu । 3
English Meaning
Indra, the mighty and courageous warrior, advances with irresistible force, breaking through strongholds and overcoming hostile powers. May He protect our armies in every battle and make them difficult to defeat. May Indra lead from the front, with Bṛhaspati, the sacrificial power, and Soma accompanying Him. May the Maruts, the victorious divine hosts, proceed at the forefront and overcome opposing forces. May the mighty hosts of Indra, Varuṇa, the Ādityas, and the Maruts advance with great strength. May the victorious cry of these powerful divine forces, capable of shaking the worlds, arise in triumph and joy. May Indra stand with us beneath our banners in battle, and may all the arrows released by us strike their intended targets successfully. 3
a̠smāka̍ṃ vī̠rā utta̍rē bhavantva̠smānu̍ dēvā avatā̠ havē̍ṣu ।
uddha̍rṣaya maghava̠nnā-yu̍dhā̠-nyuthsatva̍nā-mmāma̠kānā̠-mmahāgṃ̍si ।
udvṛ̍trahan vā̠jinā̠ṃ vā̠jinā̠-nyudrathā̍nā̠-ñjaya̍tāmētu̠ ghōṣa̍ḥ ।
upa̠prēta̠ jaya̍tā nara-ssthi̠rā va̍-ssantu bā̠hava̍ḥ ।
indrō̍ va̠-śśarma̍ yachChatvanā-dhṛ̠ṣyā yathā-‘sa̍tha ।
ava̍sṛṣṭā̠ parā̍pata̠ śara̍vyē̠ brahma̍ sagṃśitā ।
gachChā̠mitrā̠-npravi̍śa̠ maiṣā̠-ṅkañcha̠nōchChi̍ṣaḥ ।
marmā̍ṇi tē̠ varma̍bhiśChā-dayāmi̠ sōma̍stvā̠ rājā̠-‘mṛtē̍nā̠-bhiva̍stām ।
u̠rō rvarī̍yō̠ vari̍vastē astu̠ jaya̍nta̠-ntvāmanu̍ madantu dē̠vāḥ ।
yatra̍ bā̠ṇā-ssa̠mpata̍nti kumā̠rā vi̍śi̠khā i̍va ।
indrō̍ na̠statra̍ vṛtra̠hā vi̍śvā̠hā śarma̍ yachChatu ॥ 4 ॥
English Meaning
May our heroes prevail and may the gods protect us in every struggle. O generous Maghavan, raise and strengthen our weapons and drive away the great dangers confronting us. O Slayer of Vṛtra, raise the strength of the victorious warriors, horses, and chariots, and let the triumphant battle cry resound. O warriors, advance together and achieve victory; may your arms remain firm and powerful. May Indra grant you protection so that you remain fearless and unconquered.
O arrow released from the bow, fly forth toward the enemy; sharpened and empowered by sacred knowledge, enter the hostile forces and accomplish your purpose. I cover your vital parts with protective armor; may King Soma surround and protect you with immortality. May your chest receive broad and abundant protection, and may the gods rejoice in your victory. Wherever the arrows fall, like young warriors advancing with sharp weapons, may Indra, the Slayer of Vṛtra, grant us protection and security at all times. 4
ō-nnamō bhagavatē̍ rudrā̠ya ॥ āśuśśiśānō-‘pratiratha-ṅkavachāya hum ॥
English Meaning
Om. Salutations to the Blessed Lord Rudra. May the swift and powerful divine force, the unconquerable warrior who has no equal in battle, become our protective armor. Hum.