Rig Veda Sukta 55
Mandala 4Sukta 5510 Mantras

Sukta 55

Sukta 4.55

Rishi

Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional for much of Mandala 4; hymn 4.55 often attributed within Vāmadeva cycle—verify per Anukramaṇī)

Devata

Multi-deity: Vasus, Dyāvāpṛthivī, Aditi, Varuṇa, Mitra (collective appeal)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

Dieser Hymnus ist ein gemeinschaftlicher Anruf an die Vasu‑Mächte, an Dyāvā‑Pṛthivī (Himmel und Erde), an Aditi und die Ādityas — besonders Varuṇa und Mitra —, den Opfernden zu schützen und im Opfer das „varivas“ (freien Raum, ungehindertes Wohlergehen) zu weiten. Er schreitet von dringlichen Fragen nach wahrer Bewahrung vor bedrückenden menschlichen Gewalten zu einer kosmischen Schau der Weltkräfte, die ihrem Ziel zuströmen, und schließt mit einer knappen Invokation heilsamer göttlicher Wirkkräfte, die Fülle bringen sollen.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 4.55

Mantras

Mantra 1

को वस्त्राता वसवः को वरूता द्यावाभूमी अदिते त्रासीथां नः । सहीयसो वरुण मित्र मर्तात्को वोऽध्वरे वरिवो धाति देवाः ॥

Wer ist euer Schützer, o Vasus, wer eure wahre Wehr? O Himmel und Erde, o Aditi, behütet uns. Vor dem übermächtigen Sterblichen, o Varuṇa und Mitra — wer von euch Göttern stiftet uns im Opfer (adhvará) weiten Freiraum, weite Gunst (várivas)?

Mantra 2

प्र ये धामानि पूर्व्याण्यर्चान्वि यदुच्छान्वियोतारो अमूराः । विधातारो वि ते दधुरजस्रा ऋतधीतयो रुरुचन्त दस्माः ॥

Vorwärts besangen sie die uralten Stätten; als sie aufstiegen, öffneten die klarblickenden Scheider, ungetäuscht, die Wege. Die Ordner setzten sie an ihre verschiedenen Plätze; unablässig, das ṛta sinnend, leuchteten die Wundervollen (dasmá) hervor.

Mantra 3

प्र पस्त्यामदितिं सिन्धुमर्कैः स्वस्तिमीळे सख्याय देवीम् । उभे यथा नो अहनी निपात उषासानक्ता करतामदब्धे ॥

Mit Hymnen erhebe ich im Haus Aditi und Sindhu; die Göttin verehre ich um Heil und um Freundschaftsbund — damit uns beide Tage, bei ihrem Niederstieg, Uṣas (Morgenröte) und Naktā (Nacht), die Untrüglichen, den rechten Zustand bereiten.

Mantra 4

व्यर्यमा वरुणश्चेति पन्थामिषस्पतिः सुवितं गातुमग्निः । इन्द्राविष्णू नृवदु षु स्तवाना शर्म नो यन्तममवद्वरूथम् ॥

Mögen Aryaman und Varuṇa den Pfad klären; möge Agni, Herr des Opferdrangs, uns zum guten Durchgang führen. Indra und Viṣṇu, mit Manneskraft gepriesen, bringt uns Frieden — wirksamen, schützenden Schutz.

Mantra 5

आ पर्वतस्य मरुतामवांसि देवस्य त्रातुरव्रि भगस्य । पात्पतिर्जन्यादंहसो नो मित्रो मित्रियादुत न उरुष्येत् ॥

Mögen zu uns die starken Stützen des Parvata kommen — das aufwärtsdrängende Fundament — und die hilfreichen Kräfte der Maruts; möge Bhaga, der göttliche Zuteiler, zu unserer Rettung seinen gehüteten Reichtum auftun. Möge der Herr schützen; möge er uns aus Bedrängnis hervorbringen. Möge Mitra uns im Einklang der Freundschaft wachsen lassen und uns behüten.

Mantra 6

नू रोदसी अहिना बुध्न्येन स्तुवीत देवी अप्येभिरिष्टैः । समुद्रं न संचरणे सनिष्यवो घर्मस्वरसो नद्यो अप व्रन् ॥

Nun sollen die beiden Göttinnen, Himmel und Erde, mit den ersehnten Opfergaben gepriesen werden, mit der tiefgründigen, schlangenartigen Kraft aus dem Grund (budhnya). Wie Ströme, vom Klang der Glut und der Stärke erfüllt, nach Gewinn verlangend, drängen sie in ihrem Lauf dem Ozean zu.

Mantra 7

देवैर्नो देव्यदितिर्नि पातु देवस्त्राता त्रायतामप्रयुच्छन् । नहि मित्रस्य वरुणस्य धासिमर्हामसि प्रमियं सान्वग्नेः ॥

Möge die Göttin Aditi uns mit den Göttern behüten; möge der göttliche Schützer uns retten, ohne nachzulassen. Denn wir sind nicht würdig, die festgesetzten Satzungen Mitras und Varuṇas zu mindern, noch von der festen Höhe des Feuers Agnis herabzusinken.

Mantra 8

अग्निरीशे वसव्यस्याग्निर्महः सौभगस्य । तान्यस्मभ्यं रासते ॥

Agni waltet über die Reichtümer, die wahres Wohnen verleihen; Agni waltet über das große Glück. Diese Mächte der Fülle möge er uns schenken.

Mantra 9

उषो मघोन्या वह सूनृते वार्या पुरु । अस्मभ्यं वाजिनीवति ॥

O Uṣas, reich an Gaben, bringe uns – o Sūnṛtā, Macht der lichtvollen rechten Rede – viele begehrenswerte Schätze; bringe sie uns, o vājīnīvatī, erfüllt von der Fülle der Kraft.

Mantra 10

तत्सु नः सविता भगो वरुणो मित्रो अर्यमा । इन्द्रो नो राधसा गमत् ॥

Möge jenes göttliche Wirken zu uns kommen: Savitar, der Antreiber; Bhaga, der Zuteiler; Varuṇa, die weite Reinheit; Mitra, der Einende; Aryaman, das edle Gesetz. Und möge Indra mit der Fülle der Erfüllung zu uns kommen.

Inside Sukta 55

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A questioning invocation: who truly protects—Vasus, Heaven–Earth, Aditi, Varuṇa–Mitra—and who grants ‘varivas’ (wide freedom) within the sacrifice against oppressive mortal forces.

  2. Development

    The hymn expands from immediate protection to cosmic process: the sustaining divinities are praised as deep, foundational powers, and the world’s currents are pictured as purposeful movement toward their goal.

  3. Climax

    The cosmic image of forces pressing onward like rivers toward the ocean—suggesting irresistible, ordered movement under divine governance and the inevitability of ṛta when properly invoked.

  4. Where it settles

    A compact concluding petition calling Savitṛ, Bhaga, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman—and Indra—to come with rādhas (bounty/fulfillment), sealing protection with prosperity.

The deity: Collective deities: Vasus

  • In the VedaThe hymn addresses multiple divine functions as a single protective field: the Vasus as stabilizing powers, Heaven-and-Earth as sustaining parents, Aditi as boundless unbinding shelter, and Varuṇa–Mitra as guardians of ṛta who restrain harm and establish right relationships; the closing remembrance gathers Savitṛ, Bhaga, Aryaman and Indra as impellers and givers of fulfillment.
  • Cosmic functionTo uphold order and cohesion in the cosmos—stability (Vasus), support and fertility (Dyāvā-Pṛthivī), boundless protection (Aditi), moral-cosmic law and harmony (Varuṇa–Mitra and the Ādityas), and victorious enabling power (Indra).
  • Inner significancePsychologically, the hymn seeks an inner ‘wide space’—freedom from constriction, fear, and oppression—by aligning thought, speech, and action with ṛta; spiritually, it is a movement from anxiety to trust in a unified divine governance that clears the path for right sacrifice and right living.

The seer

  • Vāmadeva GautamaGautama gotra (Vāmadeva of the Gautamas) · A principal seer of Maṇḍala 4, noted for hymns that unify cosmic order (ṛta), ethical protection, and inner illumination; later tradition also remembers him among the great ṛṣis associated with profound spiritual realization.

Famous verses

varivo dhāti
Verse 4.55.1Sets the hymn’s core problem and prayer: protection, true defense, and the granting of ‘varivas’ (wide, unobstructed well-being) in the sacrifice, especially against human hostility.Read verse 4.55.1 →
नू रोदसी अहिना बुध्न्येन स्तुवीत देवी अप्येभिरिष्टैः । समुद्रं न संचरणे सनिष्यवो घर्मस्वरसो नद्यो अप व्रन् ॥
Verse 4.55.6Provides the hymn’s most vivid cosmological movement—Heaven and Earth praised with deep foundational power, and the ordered flow toward the ‘ocean’ as an image of ṛta and successful attainment.Read verse 4.55.6 →
indro no rādhasā gamat
Verse 4.55.10A memorable closing roll-call of beneficent powers (Savitṛ, Bhaga, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman) culminating with Indra’s abundance—useful as a standalone prosperity-protection invocation.Read verse 4.55.10 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Protection and refuge (trāṇa, varūta)
  • Ṛta (truth-order) and ethical restraint
  • Vastness and “wide space” (varivas)
  • Cosmic parenthood and support (Heaven–Earth)
  • Boundlessness and non-constriction (Aditi)
  • Harmony and right alliance (Mitra)
  • Law and purification/containment of disorder (Varuṇa)
  • Distribution of shares and prosperity (Bhaga)
  • Impulsion and right timing (Savitṛ)
  • Noble social order and hospitality (Aryaman)
  • Strength and attainment of abundance (Indra)

Also by this seer

  • Majority of Rigveda Maṇḍala 4 (Vāmadeva cycle), including many Indra hymns (e.g., RV 4.16–4.18) and other multi-deity compositions
  • Hymns engaging ṛta and Āditya themes (Varuṇa–Mitra order and protection) within Maṇḍala 4

The rite, step by step

  • Saṅkalpa: state the intention for protection, removal of constriction, and successful sacrifice (varivas).
  • Ācamana and purification; establish a calm, truthful disposition aligned with ṛta.
  • Agni-kindling (or lamp/fire establishment) and preliminary oblations to open the rite.
  • Recite RV 4.55 sequentially (or selected key verses), with special emphasis on the opening protective appeal and the closing collective invocation.
  • Offer oblations while naming the addressed deities (Vasus; Dyāvā-Pṛthivī; Aditi; Varuṇa–Mitra; Ādityas; Indra), requesting ‘wide space’ and safeguarding.
  • Conclude with śānti-style closure: gratitude, circumambulation (if customary), and distribution/consumption of consecrated remnants (if applicable).

Offerings

  • Ghee (ghṛta) oblations
  • Soma substitute where appropriate (e.g., herbal juice) in symbolic form
  • Grain/anna offerings (barley/rice) as prosperity tokens
  • Water libations for Aditi/Dyāvā-Pṛthivī themes

Frequently Asked Questions

It asks multiple divine powers to protect the worshipper and to create “varivas”—a wide, unobstructed space of safety and well-being—so the sacrifice and life-path can proceed without hindrance.

Because the hymn treats protection and success as a shared divine function: stability (Vasus), support (Heaven–Earth), boundless shelter (Aditi), moral order and harmony (Varuṇa–Mitra), and prosperous distribution and strength (other Ādityas and Indra).

Varivas means “wide space” or “free room”—both outer freedom from obstacles and inner relief from constriction—so that one can act rightly, worship effectively, and live without oppressive interference.

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