Sukta 137
Sukta 1.137
This brief hymn invites Mitra and Varuṇa—heaven-touching royal guardians of ṛta—to come near and drink the freshly pressed Soma. It highlights Soma prepared with pressing-stones and mixed with “cow” radiance (light/knowledge) and with curd, aligning the offering with dawn and the Sun’s rays. The purpose is to secure the gods’ presence, their joyful acceptance of the libation, and the establishment of truth-order in the sacrificer’s sphere.
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
सुषुमा यातमद्रिभिर्गोश्रीता मत्सरा इमे सोमासो मत्सरा इमे । आ राजाना दिविस्पृशास्मत्रा गन्तमुप नः । इमे वां मित्रावरुणा गवाशिरः सोमाः शुक्रा गवाशिरः ॥
सोम रस को खुशी से लेके आओ, पत्थर से निचोड़ के। यह सोम रस रोशनी के किरण पे चल रहा है। मित्र और वरुण, तुम दोनों राजा हो, आसमान तक तुम्हारा हाथ है। हमारे पास आओ, हमारे पास आओ। यह सोम रस तुम्हारे लिए है, गाय के दूध जैसा चमक रहा है।
Mantra 2
इम आ यातमिन्दवः सोमासो दध्याशिरः सुतासो दध्याशिरः । उत वामुषसो बुधि साकं सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिः । सुतो मित्राय वरुणाय पीतये चारुॠताय पीतये ॥
सोम के बूंद आ रहे हैं, दही के साथ मिलाए हुए। सुबह की रोशनी के साथ सूरज की किरण भी जग रही है। यह सोम रस मित्र और वरुण के लिए निकाला है। वो पिएं, यह अच्छा रस है।
Mantra 3
तां वां धेनुं न वासरीमंशुं दुहन्त्यद्रिभिः सोमं दुहन्त्यद्रिभिः । अस्मत्रा गन्तमुप नोऽर्वाञ्चा सोमपीतये । अयं वां मित्रावरुणा नृभिः सुतः सोम आ पीतये सुतः ॥
सोम का डाल गाय के दूध जैसा है, पत्थर से निचोड़ के निकालते हैं। पत्थर से निचोड़ के सोम निकालते हैं। हमारे पास आओ, हमारी तरफ देख के आओ, सोम पीने के लिए। यह सोम मित्र और वरुण के लिए है, लोगों ने निचोड़ के रखा है, पीने के लिए रखा है।
Inside Sukta 137
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
A joyful call for Mitra–Varuṇa to come with the pressing-stones present and Soma-joys prepared in radiant support.
- Development
The hymn specifies Soma mixtures (radiance/cow-enriched and curd-mixed) and links the gods’ awakening to dawn and solar beams, tying ritual timing to cosmic rhythm.
- Climax
The direct invitation: “come here to us… for the drinking of Soma,” presenting the pressed Soma as a pleasing draught for Mitra–Varuṇa and for ṛta itself.
- Where it settles
It closes by reaffirming that the Soma is pressed by the people for the two gods to drink, sealing the offering and the desired alignment with ṛta.
The deity: Mitra–Varuṇa
- Cosmic functionThey stabilize ṛta (truth-order), oversee oaths and right conduct, and harmonize the rhythms of dawn and sunlight with the sacrificial order so that the worlds remain aligned.
- Inner significanceMitra–Varuṇa symbolize the inner governance of life: truthful speech, ethical restraint, fidelity to one’s word, and the calm clarity that comes when one’s inner order matches the cosmic order.
Famous verses
सुषुमा यातमद्रिभिर्गोश्रीता मत्सरा इमे सोमासो मत्सरा इमे । आ राजाना दिविस्पृशास्मत्रा गन्तमुप नः । इमे वां मित्रावरुणा गवाशिरः सोमाः शुक्रा गवाशिरः ॥इम आ यातमिन्दवः सोमासो दध्याशिरः सुतासो दध्याशिरः । उत वामुषसो बुधि साकं सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिः । सुतो मित्राय वरुणाय पीतये चारुॠताय पीतये ॥तां वां धेनुं न वासरीमंशुं दुहन्त्यद्रिभिः सोमं दुहन्त्यद्रिभिः । अस्मत्रा गन्तमुप नोऽर्वाञ्चा सोमपीतये । अयं वां मित्रावरुणा नृभिः सुतः सोम आ पीतये सुतः ॥Attributes of the deity
- Guardians of ṛta (cosmic truth-order)
- Royal sovereignty and protection
- Association with dawn (Uṣas) and solar rays (Sūrya)
- Moral oversight (oaths, vows, right conduct)
- Bestowers of harmony, peace, and right relationships
Also by this seer
- No additional attributions can be stated with certainty from the given data; the sukta is preserved as part of Mandala 1’s Mitra–Varuṇa Soma-invocations.
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the Soma stalks and set the pressing-stones (adri).
- Press Soma with the stones; filter and ready the draughts.
- Mix Soma as indicated: with ‘gavāśira’ (interpreted as cow/radiance—luminous enrichment) and with curd (dadhyāśira).
- Invoke Mitra–Varuṇa as heaven-touching kings; invite them to come near and turn toward the sacrificer.
- Offer the Soma in proper vessels; recite the verses at the moment of offering.
- Conclude with the request that they drink and thereby uphold ṛta and the rite’s success.
Offerings
- Pressed Soma (indavaḥ)
- Soma mixed with curd (dadhyāśira)
- Soma described as gavāśira (cow/radiance-enriched draught)
Frequently Asked Questions
They are paired Vedic “kings” who guard ṛta (truth-order). Mitra represents harmony and right agreements, while Varuṇa represents moral oversight and the binding power of cosmic law.
Freshly pressed Soma, prepared with pressing-stones and described in special mixtures—one enriched with “cow/radiance” (gavāśira) and another mixed with curd (dadhyāśira)—for Mitra–Varuṇa to drink.
It links the ritual to the cosmic schedule: dawn (Uṣas) and sunlight (Sūrya) symbolize awakening and clarity, fitting the idea that Soma-drinking supports ṛta and right order in both cosmos and life.
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