Rigveda 1.178

1.178.1

यद्ध॒ स्या त॑ इन्द्र श्रु॒ष्टिरस्ति॒ यया॑ ब॒भूथ॑ जरि॒तृभ्य॑ ऊ॒ती | मा न॒: कामं॑ म॒हय॑न्त॒मा ध॒ग्विश्वा॑ ते अश्यां॒ पर्याप॑ आ॒योः ||

IF, Indra, thou hast given that gracious hearing where with thou helpest those who sang thy praises. Blast not the wish that would exalt us may I gain all from thee, and pay all man's devotions.

If you have given that gracious hearing by which you help praise-singers, do not blast our exalting wish—may I gain all from you and fulfill human devotion.

Gracious hearing as Indra's gift. The singer asks that the wish for elevation not be destroyed—and pledges to complete human devotion. Hearing creates obligation both ways.

When someone truly listens, don't punish aspiration. Listening leadership enables people to complete their responsibilities.

1.178.2

न घा॒ राजेन्द्र॒ आ द॑भन्नो॒ या नु स्वसा॑रा कृ॒णव॑न्त॒ योनौ॑ | आप॑श्चिदस्मै सु॒तुका॑ अवेष॒न् गम॑न्न॒ इन्द्र॑: स॒ख्या वय॑श्च ||

Let not the Sovran Indra disappoint us in what shall bring both Sisters to our dwelling. To him have run the quickly flowing waters. May Indra come to us with life and friendship.

Let sovereign Indra not disappoint us in what brings both Sisters to our dwelling; waters have run to him—may Indra come with life and friendship.

Two Sisters often Night-Dawn or Heaven-Earth approaching the home. Waters running to Indra; prayer for life-force plus friendship.

Deliver on the relational promise that makes a house whole; show up with vitality and friendliness.

1.178.3

जेता॒ नृभि॒रिन्द्र॑: पृ॒त्सु शूर॒: श्रोता॒ हवं॒ नाध॑मानस्य का॒रोः | प्रभ॑र्ता॒ रथं॑ दा॒शुष॑ उपा॒क उद्य॑न्ता॒ गिरो॒ यदि॑ च॒ त्मना॒ भूत् ||

Victorious with the men, Hero in battles, Indra, who hears the singer's supplication, Will bring his car nigh to the man who offers, if he himself upholds the songs that praise him.

Victorious with men, battle-hero who hears the singer—he will bring his car near the offerer if he upholds the songs of praise.

Conditional nearness: the car approaches the offerer when praise is upheld. Reciprocity of attention—divine response tracks human fidelity to praise-practice.

Support shows up where craft and contribution are sustained—not where they are abandoned midstream.

1.178.4

ए॒वा नृभि॒रिन्द्र॑: सुश्रव॒स्या प्र॑खा॒दः पृ॒क्षो अ॒भि मि॒त्रिणो॑ भूत् | स॒म॒र्य इ॒षः स्त॑वते॒ विवा॑चि सत्राक॒रो यज॑मानस्य॒ शंस॑: ||

Yea, Indra, with the men, through love of glory consumes the sacred food which friends have offered. The ever-strengthening song of him who worships is sung in fight amid the clash of voices.

With the men, love of glory makes Indra consume sacred food friends offered; the worshipper's strengthening song is sung amid the clash of voices.

Love of glory and friends' offerings: Indra feeds on offerings given in friendship during competitive noise. Stoma as strengthener in contested spaces.

Keep feeding shared purpose even in noisy competition; a strengthening narrative matters most when voices clash.

1.178.5

त्वया॑ व॒यं म॑घवन्निन्द्र॒ शत्रू॑न॒भि ष्या॑म मह॒तो मन्य॑मानान् | त्वं त्रा॒ता त्वमु॑ नो वृ॒धे भू॑र्वि॒द्यामे॒षं वृ॒जनं॑ जी॒रदा॑नुम् ||

Aided by thee, O Maghavan, O Indra, may we subdue our foes who count them mighty. Be our protector, strengthen and increase us. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.

Aided by you, Maghavan, may we subdue foes who think themselves mighty; protect, strengthen, increase us; may we find strengthening food in abundance.

Foes' arrogance versus Maghavan-aid; threefold ask—protect, strengthen, increase. Closing food-refrain of the Agastya Indra set.

Counter arrogance with grounded alliance; seek protection, growth, and real nourishment—not only the thrill of winning.