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Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

The Dual Sovereignty of Mitra and Varuṇa

📜 9 Verses

Act 1

The Birth of the Cosmic Keepers

Verses 1, 2

Verse 1

मि॒त्रं न यं शिम्या॒ गोषु॑ ग॒व्यवः॑ स्वा॒ध्यो॑ वि॒दथे॑ अ॒प्सु जीज॑नन् । अरे॑जेतां॒ रोद॑सी॒ पाज॑सा गि॒रा प्रति॑ प्रि॒यं य॑ज॒तं ज॒नुषा॒मवः॑ ॥

mitrám ná yám śímyā góṣu gavyávaḥ svādhyó vidáthe apsú jī́janan ǀ árejetām ródasī pā́jasā girā́ práti priyám yajatám janúṣāmávaḥ ǁ

Verse 2

यद्ध॒ त्यद्वां॑ पुरुमी॒ळ्हस्य॑ सो॒मिनः॒ प्र मि॒त्रासो॒ न द॑धि॒रे स्वा॒भुवः॑ । अध॒ क्रतुं॑ विदतं गा॒तुमर्च॑त उ॒त श्रु॑तं वृषणा प॒स्त्या॑वतः ॥

yáddha tyádvām purumīḷhásya somínaḥ prá mitrā́so ná dadhiré svābhúvaḥ ǀ ádha krátum vidatam gātúmárcata utá śrutam vṛṣaṇā pastyā́vataḥ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Welcome, seeker, to the sublime realm of Mitra and Varuṇa, the twin pillars of cosmic and moral order (Ṛta). In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi recalls how these great deities were brought forth into manifestation through the dedicated efforts of wise, devoted souls—those eager for divine illumination, symbolized by the milking cows and flowing waters. They are forged in the sacrificial fires of human aspiration, arising with such tremendous majesty that even heaven and earth (Rodasī) tremble before their radiant presence. The poet invokes their great capacity and urges them to look kindly upon the human endeavor. Moving into the second verse, the poet recalls the profound devotion of Purumīḷha, a master of the Soma sacrifice. The worshippers have firmly established Mitra and Varuṇa in their hearts as helpers who naturally dwell close to human homes. The Ṛṣi asks the divine pair to grant the right inner impulsion (kratu) and to lead the sacrificer along the radiant path of spiritual progress, bestowing abundance upon the seeker of truth.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: Like Mitra, whom eager seekers with well-directed minds brought forth in the sacrifice through wondrous acts and flowing waters, heaven and earth trembled before your majesty and song, turning toward your precious and worshipful grace.

Verse 2: As Purumīḷha, the presser of Soma, firmly established you both, self-manifesting as true friends, so grant us the divine will and lead the chanting worshipper along the auspicious path, O mighty lords of the homestead.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa interprets the birth (jījanan) as the invocation and manifestation of the gods through ritual fire and hymns. Sri Aurobindo views Mitra and Varuṇa as psychological powers of light, harmony (Mitra), and vast purity (Varuṇa) that awaken within the human consciousness.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
मित्रम्	mitram	Mitra, the deity of harmony and contract
शिम्या	śimyā	by sacred action or industrious skill
गव्यवः	gavyavaḥ	seeking spiritual light or cows
विदथे	vidathe	in the ritual or gathering

Verse 2

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
पुरुमीळ्हस्य	purumīḷhasya	of Purumīḷha (a specific royal sage/sacrificer)
सोमिनः	sominaḥ	the presser of the Soma juice
स्वाभुवः	svābhuvaḥ	self-becoming, naturally helpful
क्रतुम्	kratum	willpower, divine intent, or mental capacity

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture twin mountain peaks catching the first golden rays of dawn, representing Mitra and Varuṇa rising through human devotion and shaking the heavens and earth with their majesty.

Act 2

The Chariot of Truth and Cosmic Streams

Verses 3, 4, 5

Verse 3

आ वां॑ भूषन्क्षि॒तयो॒ जन्म॒ रोद॑स्योः प्र॒वाच्यं॑ वृषणा॒ दक्ष॑से म॒हे । यदी॑मृ॒ताय॒ भर॑थो॒ यदर्व॑ते॒ प्र होत्र॑या॒ शिम्या॑ वीथो अध्व॒रं ॥

ā́ vām bhūṣankṣitáyo jánma ródasyoḥ pravā́cyam vṛṣaṇā dákṣase mahé ǀ yádīmṛtā́ya bháratho yádárvate prá hótrayā śímyā vītho adhvarám ǁ

Verse 4

प्र सा क्षि॒तिर॑सुर॒ या महि॑ प्रि॒य ऋता॑वानावृ॒तमा घो॑षथो बृ॒हत् । यु॒वं दि॒वो बृ॑ह॒तो दक्ष॑मा॒भुवं॒ गां न धु॒र्युप॑ युंजाथे अ॒पः ॥

prá sā́ kṣitírasura yā́ máhi priyá ṛ́tāvānāvṛtámā́ ghoṣatho bṛhát ǀ yuvám divó bṛható dákṣamābhúvam gā́m ná dhuryúpa yuñjāthe apáḥ ǁ

Verse 5

म॒ही अत्र॑ महि॒ना वार॑मृण्वथोऽरे॒णव॒स्तुज॒ आ सद्म॑न्धे॒नवः॑ । स्वरं॑ति॒ ता उ॑प॒रता॑ति॒ सूर्य॒मा नि॒म्रुच॑ उ॒षस॑स्तक्व॒वीरि॑व ॥

mahī́ átra mahinā́ vā́ramṛṇvatho’reṇávastúja ā́ sádmandhenávaḥ ǀ sváranti tā́ uparátāti sū́ryamā́ nimrúca uṣásastakvavī́riva ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Here the horizon broadens. All dwellings of humankind bow in reverence to the birth of Mitra and Varuṇa, acknowledging their grandeur. The sacrificers load their poetic offerings and ritual actions onto the chariot of truth, driving toward the great divine capacity (dakṣa). The Ṛṣi vividly describes how these two lords of Ṛta proclaim the vast, sublime truth of existence, yoking the divine waters and the supreme energies of being to the pole of their cosmic chariot like a draught horse. As we enter verse five, the imagery turns wonderfully lush. The two deities sweep across the atmosphere with an unblemished, dustless momentum. Like milk-giving cows in their stable, their abundant grace roars and resounds. This celestial stream flows continuously, guarding the passage of time from the rising of the sun down to the very edge of night, swift as falcons flying across the sky.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 3: All human settlements honor your birth from heaven and earth, worthy of high praise, to increase your supreme mastery. You bear your offerings toward the Truth, and with sacred song and skill, you speed along the path of sacrifice.

Verse 4: Vast and dear is that divine dwelling where you, lords of truth, proclaim the mighty cosmic law. Like a horse to the chariot pole, you yoke the waters of heaven to your all-accomplishing divine will.

Verse 5: By your greatness you traverse the supreme realm; dustless and impetuous like milch-cows in their stall, they resound. They ring out until sunset, moving like swift hawks from the break of dawn.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Yāska and Sāyaṇa focus on the meteorological and ritual aspects—how Mitra and Varuṇa control rain, clouds, and day-night cycles. Aurobindo reads the 'yoking of waters' as the direction of higher spiritual consciousness and pure emotional currents into the human soul.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 3

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
क्षितयः	kṣitayaḥ	dwellings, peoples, or earths
दक्षसे	dakṣase	for the increase of power or skill
ऋताय	ṛtāya	for the sake of Ṛta (Truth/Cosmic Order)
अध्वरम्	adhvaram	the uninjured sacrifice

Verse 4

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
ऋतवानौ	ṛtavānau	the two possessors and guardians of Ṛta
धुरि	dhuri	at the pole or yoke (of a chariot)
युञ्जाथे	yuñjāthe	you yoke or harness together

Verse 5

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
महिना	mahinā	by greatness or majesty
अरेणवः	areṇavaḥ	dustless, pure
धेनवः	dhenavaḥ	milch cows (symbols of nourishing streams)
तक्ववीरिह्व	takvavīr-iva	like swift birds or falcons

🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine a magnificent golden chariot driven across the cosmos by two radiant kings, hitching the ocean waters to their yoke like powerful steeds while sacred cows moo in the background.

Act 3

The Rivers of Inspiration and the Seeker's Crown

Verses 6, 7, 8, 9

Verse 6

आ वा॑मृ॒ताय॑ के॒शिनी॑रनूषत॒ मित्र॒ यत्र॒ वरु॑ण गा॒तुमर्च॑थः । अव॒ त्मना॑ सृ॒जतं॒ पिन्व॑तं॒ धियो॑ यु॒वं विप्र॑स्य॒ मन्म॑नामिरज्यथः ॥

ā́ vāmṛtā́ya keśínīranūṣata mítra yátra váruṇa gātúmárcathaḥ ǀ áva tmánā sṛjátam pínvatam dhíyo yuvám víprasya mánmanāmirajyathaḥ ǁ

Verse 7

यो वां॑ य॒ज्ञैः श॑शमा॒नो ह॒ दाश॑ति क॒विर्होता॒ यज॑ति मन्म॒साध॑नः । उपाह॒ तं गच्छ॑थो वी॒थो अ॑ध्व॒रमच्छा॒ गिरः॑ सुम॒तिं गं॑तमस्म॒यू ॥

yó vām yajñáiḥ śaśamānó ha dā́śati kavírhótā yájati manmasā́dhanaḥ ǀ úpā́ha tám gácchatho vīthó adhvarámácchā gíraḥ sumatím gantamasmayū́ ǁ

Verse 8

यु॒वां य॒ज्ञैः प्र॑थ॒मा गोभि॑रंजत॒ ऋता॑वाना॒ मन॑सो॒ न प्रयु॑क्तिषु । भरं॑ति वां॒ मन्म॑ना सं॒यता॒ गिरोऽदृ॑प्यता॒ मन॑सा रे॒वदा॑शाथे ॥

yuvā́m yajñáiḥ prathamā́ góbhirañjata ṛ́tāvānā mánaso ná práyuktiṣu ǀ bháranti vām mánmanā saṃyátā gíró’dṛpyatā mánasā revádāśāthe ǁ

Verse 9

रे॒वद्वयो॑ दधाथे रे॒वदा॑शाथे॒ नरा॑ मा॒याभि॑रि॒तऊ॑ति॒ माहि॑नं । न वां॒ द्यावोऽह॑भि॒र्नोत सिंध॑वो॒ न दे॑व॒त्वं प॒णयो॒ नान॑शुर्म॒घं ॥

revádváyo dadhāthe revádāśāthe nárā māyā́bhiritáūti mā́hinam ǀ ná vām dyā́vó’habhirnótá síndhavo ná devatvám paṇáyo nā́naśurmaghám ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

In this final movement, the streams of inspiration (the 'manmanāmsi' and 'dhiyo') are personified as radiant, flowing forces praising Mitra and Varuṇa. The Ṛṣi asks the twin gods to release their inner streams, to swell the channels of human understanding, and to direct the mental expressions of the inspired sage. Whoever worships them with sincere sacrifices finds the gods coming directly to his house, bringing sweet benevolence and supreme wisdom. The Sūkta culminates in an ecstatic realization of the unmatched glory of Mitra and Varuṇa. They are the primeval guardians of truth, honored by the first sages. Their wealth, sustenance, and divine power (magha) are so immense that neither the shining heavens through all their days, nor the flowing rivers, nor even the miserly Panis can ever diminish or comprehend their supreme magnificence. They stand alone in absolute divine sovereignty.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 6: The bright-maned streams of thought resound for your truth where you, Mitra and Varuṇa, show your path. Release from your very selves the flowing insights, and rule directly over the mind of the inspired sage.

Verse 7: He who honors you with sacrifices and brings offerings—the wise priest who performs rites with well-shaped prayers—to him you draw near, entering his sacrifice, and grant him your gracious, benevolent wisdom.

Verse 8: You two were the first to adorn the sacrifice with offerings and cattle, just as the primeval impulses of the mind. Aligned in purpose, the hymns bear their offerings to you, and with an undimmed mind, you richly enjoy them.

Verse 9: You bestow rich sustenance, O leaders, and you enjoy rich abundance through your wondrous divine arts. Neither the shining heavens across their days, nor the rivers, nor the miserly Panis can ever measure or attain your supreme bounty.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa explains the Panis here as niggardly demons who hoard wealth and cannot touch the divine grace of the gods. Traditional commentators view the hymn as an endorsement of Vedic ritual precision, while spiritual commentators see it as the ultimate surrender of the human ego to cosmic harmony and purity.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 6

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
केशिनीः	keśinīḥ	long-haired ones (referring to flowing waters or rays)
पिन्वतम्	pinvatam	cause to swell, make overflow
इरज्यताः	irajyathaḥ	you govern, rule, or guide

Verse 7

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
शशमानः	śaśamānaḥ	toiling in worship, striving in devotion
मन्मसाधनः	manma-sādhanaḥ	accomplishing through prayer/thought
सुमतिम्	sumatim	benevolence, good mind, grace

Verse 8

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
प्रथमा	prathamā	the first ones
गोभिः	gobhiḥ	with lights, cows, or rays
अदृप्यता	adṛpyatā	undeluded, sober, clear-minded

Verse 9

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
वयः	vayaḥ	food, vigor, nourishment
मायाभिः	māyābhiḥ	through wondrous creative powers
पणयः	paṇayaḥ	withholding misers, niggards
मघम्	magham	gift, treasure, or divine grace

🧠

Memory Hook

Visualize an endless treasure chest guarded by twin kings of light, so vast that all the rivers and skies combined cannot fill or exhaust it.