Rig Veda 5.63.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 63, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.63
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सम्राजावस्य भुवनस्य राजथो मित्रावरुणा विदथे स्वर्दृशा । वृष्टिं वां राधो अमृतत्वमीमहे द्यावापृथिवी वि चरन्ति तन्यवः ॥
sam-rājā́v asyá bhúvanasya rājatho mitrā́varuṇā vidáthe svàr-dṛśā́ | vṛṣṭíṃ vāṃ rā́dho amṛta-tvám īmahe dyā́vā-pṛthivī́ ví caranti tanyávaḥ ||
Als Mitkönige herrscht ihr über diese Welt, o Mitra und Varuṇa, mit dem Licht des Himmels sehend in den Opfer-Versammlungen. Von euch erbitten wir Regen, Fülle und unsterbliches Sein; und Himmel und Erde schreiten weithin, von den Mächten des Donners durchzogen.
Word by Word
- सम्राजौ
- the two joint-sovereignsNoun (title)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-द्विवचनRole KartāRoot सम्-राज् (प्रातिपदिक: सम्राज्)
- अस्य
- of thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनस्य
- of the world / of existenceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; from √भू)
- राजथः
- you two ruleVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यम-पुरुष, द्विवचनRole (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √राज् (राजते/राजति) अथवा denominative from राजन्; Vedic finite form
- मित्रावरुणा
- O Mitra and VaruṇaNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-द्विवचनRole SambodhanaRoot मित्र + वरुण (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विदथे
- in the rite/assembly (vidatha)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वर्दृशा
- with heaven-seeing (vision) / as heaven-beholdersAdjective(पुं.) तृतीया-द्विवचन (विशेषणम्—मित्रावरुणयोः)Role Karaṇa (instrumental/characterizing)Root स्वर्दृश् (प्रातिपदिक; स्वः + दृश्)
- वृष्टिम्
- rainNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; from √वृष्)
- वाम्
- of you twoPronounषष्ठी-द्विवचन (enclitic)Role Sambandha (genitive)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- राधः
- gift, bountyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृतत्वम्
- immortalityNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अमृतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; अमृत + त्व)
- ईमहे
- we seek / we requestVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √यम् (आत्मनेपद; Vedic: ईमहे < यामहे)
- द्यावापृथिवी
- Heaven and EarthNoun (dvandva)स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्वन्द्व-समास), प्रथमा-द्विवचनRole KartāRoot द्याव् + पृथिवी (देवनाम/प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व)
- वि
- apart, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- चरन्ति
- move, roamVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √चर्
- तन्यवः
- thunders / thunderingsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तन्यु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘thunder’/‘thundering ones’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: सम्राजा॑व॒स्य → सम्राजौ + अस्य
- मित्रा॑वरुणा → मित्रावरुणा (समास/द्वन्द्व, voc. du.)
- स्व॒र्दृशा॑ retained as compound (स्वः+दृश्) in instr. du.
- वां॒ retained as enclitic gen. du. of युष्मद्
- द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी → द्यावापृथिवी (द्वन्द्व)
- वि च॑रन्ति → वि + चरन्ति
The meaning
Outer meaning
As joint sovereigns you rule this world, O Mitra and Varuṇa, seeing by heaven’s light in the assemblies. We seek from you rain, plenitude, and immortality; Heaven and Earth move wide with the thunders.
Inner meaning
Mitra–Varuṇa are the inner kingship of the being: the harmonizing and the truth-binding powers that can truly ‘rule’ the world-nature. Their seeing is svardṛśā—by the light of svar, the illumined mind. The seeker asks not merely for outer rain but for the descent of force and delight (vṛṣṭi), abundance of right energies (rādhas), and amṛtatva—deathless consciousness, the enduring spiritual poise. The thunder moving through Heaven and Earth signifies the dynamic release of power that widens the mind (dyauḥ) and stabilizes the embodied field (pṛthivī) for transformation.
Universal truth
True sovereignty is inner governance by truth and harmony; from that governance come abundance, renewal, and a taste of the deathless.
Themes
Divine kingship, Descent and abundance, Heaven-Earth polarity
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 5.63.1, RV 5.62.8, RV 7.86
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s tradition links ṛta with kingship: the gods are sovereigns because they see by svar and establish law in life.
Significance
The seer asks for the triple boon—descent (vṛṣṭi), plenitude (rādhas), immortality (amṛtatva)—as outcomes of inner sovereignty.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- samrājā (joint sovereigns), svardṛśā (heaven-seeing), ṛta-sustainers (implied)
- Related deities
- Dyāvāpṛthivī, Parjanya/Indra (thunder/rain), Aditi
Cosmic role
They govern the world-order, ensuring harmony, truth, and the right distribution of powers (rain/wealth).
Inner power
They enthrone a higher discernment in the being; their rule brings balanced energies and opens toward the deathless poise.
In ritual
Where it is used
Śrauta invocations for rain/prosperity and cosmic order; Mitra–Varuṇa offerings in Soma rites
स॒म्राजा॑व॒स्य भुव॑नस्य राजथो॒ मित्रा॑वरुणा वि॒दथे॑ स्व॒र्दृशा॑ । वृ॒ष्टिं वां॒ राधो॑ अमृत॒त्वमी॑महे॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी वि च॑रन्ति त॒न्यव॑: ॥
स॒म्ऽराजौ॑ । अ॒स्य । भुव॑नस्य । रा॒ज॒थः॒ । मित्रा॑वरुणा । वि॒दथे॑ । स्वः॒ऽदृशा॑ । वृ॒ष्टिम् । वा॒म् । राधः॑ । अ॒मृ॒त॒ऽत्वम् । ई॒म॒हे॒ । द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी इति॑ । वि । च॒र॒न्ति॒ । त॒न्यवः॑ ॥
sam-rājau | asya | bhuvanasya | rājathaḥ | mitrāvaruṇā | vidathe | svaḥ-dṛśā | vṛṣṭim | vām | rādhaḥ | amṛta-tvam | īmahe | dyāvāpṛthivī iti | vi | caranti | tanyavaḥ
44
4 × 11 syllables
Sovereign proclamation followed by a petition; ends with expansive movement (vi caranti).
Energizes will and aspiration; evokes widening and dynamic release (thunder).
- samrājā
- Literal: joint kings/sovereigns. Symbolic: paired governing powers establishing inner order
- bhuvanasya
- Literal: of the world. Symbolic: the whole field of one’s nature (mind-life-body) and its movements
- vidathe
- Literal: in the assembly/rite. Symbolic: in the gathered inner sacrifice; collective orientation of energies
- svardṛśā
- Literal: seeing by heaven’s light. Symbolic: illumined perception; higher mind-vision
- vṛṣṭim
- Literal: rain. Symbolic: descent of force/inspiration/grace
- rādhaḥ
- Literal: wealth, plenitude. Symbolic: right abundance of energies, capacities, and supports for the path
- amṛtatvam
- Literal: immortality. Symbolic: deathless consciousness; stable spiritual being beyond decay
- dyāvāpṛthivī
- Literal: Heaven-and-Earth. Symbolic: mind and embodied nature; upper and lower planes of the being
- tanyavaḥ
- Literal: thunders. Symbolic: dynamic power-release breaking inertia; transformative vibration
Invoked in vidatha (ritual assemblies) for rulership of Ṛta manifesting as rain, prosperity (rādhas), and the movement toward amṛtatva.
During rites seeking prosperity and stability of order; also seasonally when rain is desired.
Recitation accompanying offerings; requesting vṛṣṭi and rādhas; affirming divine sovereignty.
Chant when seeking balanced abundance and resilience—especially during transitions, leadership burdens, or collective projects needing harmony.
sam-rāj ‘co-ruler’ from sam ‘together’ + rājan ‘king’ (√rāj ‘to rule, shine’). svàr ‘heaven-light’ (cognate field with ‘sun/sky’ lexicon) + √dṛś ‘to see’. rā́dhas ‘gift, bounty’ from √rādh ‘to succeed, prosper, accomplish’ → ‘plenitude/fulfilment’. amṛta ‘not-death’ (a- + mṛta from √mṛ ‘to die’). tanyú ‘thunder’ from √tan ‘to stretch, resound’ in Vedic thunder lexicon.
amṛtatva (immortal consciousness), svàr (heaven-light), Ṛta as governance
Sovereignty is legitimate only as ṛta-governance; svardṛśā indicates rule by truth-light.
Seeing by svar implies truth-perception guiding action.
Order and abundance flow from higher seeing; thunder indicates release of creative power into manifestation.
Integral yoga orientation: immortality as a consciousness-state accessible through alignment with higher law (not merely post-mortem).
rainy/monsoon symbolism (implied by vṛṣṭi/tanyavaḥ)
Rain = descent of force; thunder = breaking of inertia; Heaven–Earth = mind-body integration and widening.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘dual sovereignty’ mythologem: Mitra and Varuṇa as co-kings who rule the cosmos and the rite, granting rain and immortality. In inner sense, harmony (Mitra) and vast law (Varuṇa) together establish the conditions for the descent of force and the growth into deathless consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyā́us ‘heaven’ continues PIE *dyew- ‘sky, daylight’ (cf. Greek Zeus, Latin Iūpiter < *Dyēus-ph₂tēr). The Heaven–Earth pair is a widely inherited Indo-European cosmological dyad, here psychologized as higher/lower poles of being.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi approaches them in vidatha (the place of shared knowing) acknowledging their supramental sight (svardṛśā). The exchange sought is not only outer rain but rādhas (fulfilment) and amṛtatva (inner immortality), indicating a soteriological aim beyond ritual utility.
Invoke inner ‘sovereigns’: harmonize relationships (Mitra) and commit to truth (Varuṇa). Then receive the descent of energy (rain) and the vibration that breaks inertia (thunder).
Maṇipūra (sovereignty/will) supported by Ājñā (svardṛśā vision)
Kapalabhāti (mild, if suitable) to clear inertia, followed by quiet inhalation ‘receiving rain’ and long exhalation grounding into Earth.
Empowered clarity with widening; sense of stable, deathless witness behind movements.
Chant 3–6 times. Reflect: ‘Where is my inner kingdom divided?’ Make one harmonizing action (Mitra) and one truth-binding vow (Varuṇa) for the day. Sit 2 minutes feeling Heaven (mind) and Earth (body) widen together.
Maintain Vedic accents; highlight udātta on samrājā́v, mitrā́varuṇā, svàr-dṛ́śā; allow the final ‘vi caranti tanyavaḥ’ to expand in tone.
Let the first pāda sound declarative (sovereignty), second visionary (svardṛśā), third petitionary, fourth expansive.
samrājāv: ‘sam-rā-jāv’ with long ā, vidathe: ‘vi-da-the’ (aspirated th), svardṛśā: ‘svar-dṛ-śā’ (palatal ś), amṛtatvam: ‘a-mṛ-ta-tvam’ with vocalic ṛ, dyāvāpṛthivī: keep both long ā; split dyāva- pṛthivī, tanyavaḥ: ‘ta-nya-vaḥ’ (soft v)
Firm, kingly resonance; broaden the final line as if ‘widening’ space.
3
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
