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Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

The Garments of Truth and the Cosmic Order of Mitra and Varuṇa

📜 7 Verses

Act 1

Act I: The Seamless Garments and the Upholding of Cosmic Law

Verses 1, 2

Verse 1

यु॒वं वस्त्रा॑णि पीव॒सा व॑साथे यु॒वोरच्छि॑द्रा॒ मंत॑वो ह॒ सर्गाः॑ । अवा॑तिरत॒मनृ॑तानि॒ विश्व॑ ऋ॒तेन॑ मित्रावरुणा सचेथे ॥

yuvám vástrāṇi pīvasā́ vasāthe yuvórácchidrā mántavo ha sárgāḥ ǀ ávātiratamánṛtāni víśva ṛténa mitrāvaruṇā sacethe ǁ

Verse 2

ए॒तच्च॒न त्वो॒ वि चि॑केतदेषां स॒त्यो मंत्रः॑ कविश॒स्त ऋघा॑वान् । त्रि॒रश्रिं॑ हंति॒ चतु॑रश्रिरु॒ग्रो दे॑व॒निदो॒ ह प्र॑थ॒मा अ॑जूर्यन् ॥

etáccaná tvo ví ciketadeṣām satyó mántraḥ kaviśastá ṛ́ghāvān ǀ triráśrim hanti cáturaśrirugró devanído há prathamā́ ajūryan ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi Dirghatamas introduces the twin sovereign deities Mitra and Varuṇa, who stand as the eternal guardians of Ṛta (Cosmic Truth and Harmony). They are adorned with brilliant, shining garments woven from the rich forces of existence, completely free from flaws or tears (acchidrāḥ). By the power of this supreme truth, they effortlessly cast away and dissolve all forms of falsehood, crookedness, and deceit (anṛtāni) from the cosmos and the human heart. Building upon this vision, the poet reveals that even among mortals, those who possess true insight can perceive this profound mystery. The sacred utterance or mantra, inspired by the seers (kaviśastaḥ), carries inherent truth and dynamic power. The fierce, multifaceted divine energy strikes down the malicious detractors of the divine order, ensuring that the foundational principles of reality remain unblemished and triumphant.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: O Mitra and Varuṇa, you wear shining, flawless garments woven by rich energies, and through the cosmic law of Ṛta, you completely dispel all forms of falsehood.

Verse 2: Someone among mortals perceives this truth: the seer-inspired mantra is unfailing. The fierce, many-cornered divine power crushes those who mock the gods.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa interprets the garments and corners through ritualistic and meteorological symbolism, viewing the three and four corners as sacrificial fires or seasonal divisions. Sri Aurobindo views them as psychological states, where the seamless garments represent the unbroken continuity of divine Truth (Ṛta) overcoming the fragmented nature of human falsehood (Anṛta).

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
युवम्	yuvam	you two (referring to Mitra and Varuṇa)
वस्त्राणि	vastrāṇi	garments, clothing
पीवसा	pīvasā	with fat, richness, or abundance
वसाथे	vasāthe	you two wear or clothe yourselves
अच्छिद्राः	acchidrāḥ	seamless, unbroken, flawless
मन्तवः	mantavaḥ	plans, thoughts, or wise courses
अनृतानि	anṛtāni	falsehoods, untruths, violations of cosmic law
ऋतेन	ṛtena	by Ṛta, the cosmic order and truth
मित्रावरुणा	mitrāvaruṇā	O Mitra and Varuṇa

Verse 2

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
एतत्	etat	this
सत्यः	satyaḥ	true, real, unfailing
मन्त्रः	mantraḥ	sacred utterance, thought, prayer
कविशस्तः	kavi-śastaḥ	praised or recited by the seers (kavis)
त्रिऽअश्रिम्	tri-aśrim	three-cornered, triple-angled
चतुःऽअश्रिः	catuḥ-aśriḥ	four-cornered
उग्रः	ugraḥ	fierce, mighty, formidable
देवनिदः	deva-nidaḥ	scorners or revilers of the gods

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture two magnificent kings wearing shining, unbreakable garments of light that instantly burn away all shadows of falsehood. That is how Mitra and Varuṇa uphold the universe.

Act 2

Act II: The Footless Traveller and the Loom of Existence

Verses 3, 4, 5

Verse 3

अ॒पादे॑ति प्रथ॒मा प॒द्वती॑नां॒ कस्तद्वां॑ मित्रावरु॒णा चि॑केत । गर्भो॑ भा॒रं भ॑र॒त्या चि॑दस्य ऋ॒तं पिप॒र्त्यनृ॑तं॒ नि ता॑रीत् ॥

apā́deti prathamā́ padvátīnām kástádvām mitrāvaruṇā́ ciketa ǀ gárbho bhārám bharatyā́ cidasya ṛtám pípartyánṛtam ní tārīt ǁ

Verse 4

प्र॒यंत॒मित्परि॑ जा॒रं क॒नीनां॒ पश्या॑मसि॒ नोप॑नि॒पद्य॑मानं । अन॑वपृग्णा॒ वित॑ता॒ वसा॑नं प्रि॒यं मि॒त्रस्य॒ वरु॑णस्य॒ धाम॑ ॥

prayántamítpári jārám kanī́nām páśyāmasi nópanipádyamānam ǀ ánavapṛgṇā vítatā vásānam priyám mitrásya váruṇasya dhā́ma ǁ

Verse 5

अ॒न॒श्वो जा॒तो अ॑नभी॒शुरर्वा॒ कनि॑क्रदत्पतयदू॒र्ध्वसा॑नुः । अ॒चित्तं॒ ब्रह्म॑ जुजुषु॒र्युवा॑नः॒ प्र मि॒त्रे धाम॒ वरु॑णे गृ॒णंतः॑ ॥

anaśvó jātó anabhīśúrárvā kánikradatpatayadūrdhvásānuḥ ǀ acíttam bráhma jujuṣuryúvānaḥ prá mitré dhā́ma váruṇe gṛṇántaḥ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Here the Ṛṣi enters a deeply enigmatic and mystical register. He speaks of a wondrous entity that moves without feet, yet outpaces all creatures that possess feet. Who truly comprehends this divine mystery? The hidden germ or embryo carries an immense cosmic burden, steadily nourishing the path of truth while casting falsehood down into oblivion. Continuing this rich imagery, the poet beholds the mysterious youthful lover of the maidens moving continuously across the sky, watched by all yet never resting in one place. He wears the wide-woven, unmarred vesture, which is the very divine home and nature of Mitra and Varuṇa. In the fifth verse, this cosmic power is envisioned as a wondrous, self-born steed—without a physical horse body, without reins, yet neighing aloud, soaring upward with a high ridge, eagerly accepting the uncomprehended hymns of human aspiration.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 3: Footless, it moves first among the footed ones; who among you, O Mitra and Varuṇa, truly understands this? The embryo bears the heavy load, nourishing truth and subduing falsehood.

Verse 4: We behold him as he moves about—the lover of the maidens, never lying down to rest, wearing the wide-woven, seamless garment of Mitra and Varuṇa's dear abode.

Verse 5: Born without a physical horse body or reins, the neighing steed soars upward with high shoulders. The youthful seekers delight in this unformed prayer, chanting praises to Mitra and Varuṇa.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Traditional commentators like Sāyaṇa identify the 'footless traveller' and 'horse' as the Sun, Wind, or Agni moving through the atmosphere. Sri Aurobindo interprets these symbols esoterically as the dynamic, self-born movement of divine consciousness (Sūrya or Agni) traversing the psychological realms of the human soul without the ordinary instruments of sensory limitation.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 3

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
अपात्	apāt	footless, lacking feet
एति	eti	goes, moves, walks
प्रथमा	prathamā	first, foremost
पत्वतीनाम्	pat-vatīnām	of those possessing feet
गर्भः	garbhaḥ	embryo, womb, inner germ
भारम्	bhāram	burden, load
ऋतम्	ṛtam	truth, cosmic order
अनृतम्	anṛtam	falsehood, untruth

Verse 4

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
प्रयन्तम्	prayantam	moving forward, advancing
जारम्	jāram	lover, wooer
कनीनाम्	kanīnām	of the maidens (representing dawns or rays)
पश्यामसि	paśyāmasi	we see, we behold
वितता	vitatā	extended, spread out, woven wide
वसानम्	vasānam	wearing, clothing oneself
धाम	dhāma	abode, dwelling, supreme seat

Verse 5

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
अनश्वः	anaśvaḥ	horse-less, without a horse
जातः	jātaḥ	born, manifested
अनभीशुः	anabhīśuḥ	without reins or bridle
अर्वा	arvā	steed, charger, runner
कनिक्रदत्	kanikradat	neighing loudly, roaring
ऊर्ध्वसानुः	ūrdhva-sānuḥ	having high ridges or shoulders
अचित्तम्	acittam	unconscious, unformulated, profound mind
ब्रह्म	brahma	sacred word, prayer, spiritual force

🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine a ghostly, magnificent sun-horse leaping across the sky without legs or reins, carrying the hidden spark of creation while wearing the glowing cloak of dawn.

Act 3

Act III: The Overflowing Udder and the Prayer for Divine Grace

Verses 6, 7

Verse 6

आ धे॒नवो॑ मामते॒यमवं॑तीर्ब्रह्म॒प्रियं॑ पीपय॒न्त्सस्मि॒न्नूध॑न् । पि॒त्वो भि॑क्षेत व॒युना॑नि वि॒द्वाना॒साविवा॑स॒न्नदि॑तिमुरुष्येत् ॥

ā́ dhenávo māmateyámávantīrbrahmapríyam pīpayantsásminnū́dhan ǀ pitvó bhikṣeta vayúnāni vidvā́nāsā́vívāsannáditimuruṣyet ǁ

Verse 7

आ वां॑ मित्रावरुणा ह॒व्यजु॑ष्टिं॒ नम॑सा देवा॒वव॑सा ववृत्यां । अ॒स्माकं॒ ब्रह्म॒ पृत॑नासु सह्या अ॒स्माकं॑ वृ॒ष्टिर्दि॒व्या सु॑पा॒रा ॥

ā́ vām mitrāvaruṇā havyájuṣṭim námasā devāvávasā vavṛtyām ǀ asmā́kam bráhma pṛ́tanāsu sahyā asmā́kam vṛṣṭírdivyā́ supārā́ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Sūkta culminates in a pastoral and deeply devotional pastoral metaphor. The nourishing streams of divine grace—symbolized as milch cows—come forward to swell and enrich the descendant of Mamatā (Dirghatamas), filling his heart with sweetness from the supreme heavenly udder. The wise seeker, longing for spiritual sustenance, invokes Aditi (the undivided infinite consciousness) to protect and shelter him. In the final verse, the Ṛṣi offers a direct, heartfelt supplication to Mitra and Varuṇa. With bowed reverence (namasā), he draws down their benevolent attention and gracious acceptance of the oblations. He prays that the sacred word (brahma) spoken by his community may triumph in every battle and trial of life, and that the divine rain of heaven—both literal and spiritual—may pour down upon them in a safe, easy-to-cross stream.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 6: May the milch cows, flowing with abundance, swell the beloved prayer of Mamatā's son from that supreme udder. Wise and seeking sustenance, may he worship Aditi and attain her protection.

Verse 7: With reverence, O Mitra and Varuṇa, I turn your acceptance of our offerings toward us. May our prayer prevail in conflicts, and may our divine rain be safe and easy to cross.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa explains the cows and udder as rain-clouds yielding physical water and ritual prosperity. Aurobindo and modern spiritual interpreters view the 'dhenavaḥ' (cows) as streams of higher illumination flowing from the infinite consciousness (Aditi) to nourish the seeker's inner spiritual capacity (brahma).

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 6

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
धेनवः	dhenavaḥ	milch cows, nourishing streams
मामतेयम्	māmateyam	the son of Mamatā (epithet of Ṛṣi Dīrghatamas)
अवन्तीः	avantīḥ	protecting, favoring, helping
पीपयन्	pīpayan	they made to swell or overflow
ऊधन्	ūdhan	in the udder
वयुनानि	vayunāni	paths, laws, knowledge
अदितिम्	aditim	Aditi, the indivisible infinite mother of the gods

Verse 7

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
हव्यजुष्टिम्	havya-juṣṭim	enjoyment or acceptance of the oblation
नमसा	namasā	with bowing, reverence, adoration
अवसा	avasā	with help, protection, favor
पृतनासु	pṛtanāsu	in battles, struggles, clashes
सह्याः	sahyāḥ	may prevail, may be victorious
वृष्टिः	vṛṣṭiḥ	rain, shower of blessings
सुपारा	su-pārā	easy to cross, safe to navigate

🧠

Memory Hook

Visualize a divine cow heavy with celestial milk, pressing its overflowing udder over a devoted sage to nourish his prayer into a victorious shield.