A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s2.215

v1.c8.s2.215

It is still more significant that also some apparently quite secular poems have got mixed amongst the sacred songs and sacrificial chants of the Ṛgveda. Thus, we find, for example, Ṛv. IX, 112, in the midst of the Soma songs a satirical poem, which derides the manifold desires of mankind. It is probably an old popular song of the “labour song” type. It could be sung as an accompaniment to any kind of work, and here the refrain “Flow, Indu,[^2) ] flow, for Indra’s sake”[^3) ] indicates that it was adapted for the work of pressing Soma.[^4) ]