Sukta 86

Mantra 1

धीरा त्वस्य महिना जनूंषि वि यस्तस्तम्भ रोदसी चिदुर्वी । प्र नाकमृष्वं नुनुदे बृहन्तं द्विता नक्षत्रं पप्रथच्च भूम ॥

By the greatness of That One, the steadfast powers of insight are awakened—he who set firm even the two wide worlds. He thrust forth the lofty, vast heaven; he spread out the double seat of the stars and the foundation of earth—establishing the ordered wideness in which consciousness can grow.

Mantra 2

उत स्वया तन्वा सं वदे तत्कदा न्वन्तर्वरुणे भुवानि । किं मे हव्यमहृणानो जुषेत कदा मृळीकं सुमना अभि ख्यम् ॥

And I speak with my own being about this: when shall I come within you, O Varuṇa? What offering of mine will you accept without displeasure? When, with a gracious mind, shall I behold your mercy—your healing release within my heart?

Mantra 3

पृच्छे तदेनो वरुण दिदृक्षूपो एमि चिकितुषो विपृच्छम् । समानमिन्मे कवयश्चिदाहुरयं ह तुभ्यं वरुणो हृणीते ॥

I ask about that fault, O Varuṇa, desiring to see it clearly; I go near to question the one who knows. Even the sages tell me the same: ‘This Varuṇa is indeed offended with you’—as if the law within has turned away from my present state.

Mantra 4

किमाग आस वरुण ज्येष्ठं यत्स्तोतारं जिघांससि सखायम् । प्र तन्मे वोचो दूळभ स्वधावोऽव त्वानेना नमसा तुर इयाम् ॥

What was the great offence, O Varuṇa, that you would strike down your singer, your companion? Tell me that, O hard-to-harm, O self-lawed one; I come swiftly to you with obeisance, seeking that the knot of error be loosened by truth.

Mantra 5

अव द्रुग्धानि पित्र्या सृजा नोऽव या वयं चकृमा तनूभिः । अव राजन्पशुतृपं न तायुं सृजा वत्सं न दाम्नो वसिष्ठम् ॥

Release from us the ancestral distortions and the wrongs we ourselves have fashioned in our embodied nature. O King, let go the seeker who has gone astray, like one who has fed on another’s herd; release Vasiṣṭha from the binding cord, as a calf is freed from its tether.

Mantra 6

न स स्वो दक्षो वरुण ध्रुतिः सा सुरा मन्युर्विभीदको अचित्तिः । अस्ति ज्यायान्कनीयस उपारे स्वप्नश्चनेदनृतस्य प्रयोता ॥

It is not truly my own right discernment, O Varuṇa, nor a steady holding; it is intoxication, anger that drives to fear, it is unawareness. The elder can slip into the state of the younger; even sleep can become a prompter of untruth—there are forces in us that bend the will away from the right.

Mantra 7

अरं दासो न मीळ्हुषे कराण्यहं देवाय भूर्णयेऽनागाः । अचेतयदचितो देवो अर्यो गृत्सं राये कवितरो जुनाति ॥

Let me be fit, like a servant to the generous giver; I—without guilt—would work for the divine Power that turns and moves all. The noble god awakens the unknowing; the more-seeing poet impels the eager seeker toward the riches of fullness.

Mantra 8

अयं सु तुभ्यं वरुण स्वधावो हृदि स्तोम उपश्रितश्चिदस्तु । शं नः क्षेमे शमु योगे नो अस्तु यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥

This hymn, O Varuṇa, self-lawed, is set within the heart for you. Let there be peace for us in our secure abiding and peace in our joining and effort; guard us always with states of well-being and right passage.