Sukta 63
Sukta 5.63
Vasiṣṭha
Mitra-Varuṇa
Triṣṭubh
This hymn praises Mitra and Varuṇa as the vigilant guardians of Ṛta (cosmic order), enthroned in the highest heaven and upholding truthful law and sacred ordinances. It links their governance to visible cosmic processes—especially the Sun’s course and the sending of rain—showing that divine order becomes nourishment, prosperity, and moral stability for those they favor.
Mantras
Mantra 1
ऋतस्य गोपावधि तिष्ठथो रथं सत्यधर्माणा परमे व्योमनि । यमत्र मित्रावरुणावथो युवं तस्मै वृष्टिर्मधुमत्पिन्वते दिवः ॥
तुम दोनों सच्चाई के रखवाले हो। सबसे ऊपर आसमान में अपनी रथ पे खड़े हो। जो इंसान को तुम सपोर्ट करते हो, उसके लिए आसमान से मीठी बारिश आती है। यह बारिश उसकी आत्मा के लिए पोषण लाती है।
Mantra 2
सम्राजावस्य भुवनस्य राजथो मित्रावरुणा विदथे स्वर्दृशा । वृष्टिं वां राधो अमृतत्वमीमहे द्यावापृथिवी वि चरन्ति तन्यवः ॥
मित्र और वरुण, तुम दोनों मिलके इस दुनिया के राजा हो। यज्ञ की जगह पे आसमान की रोशनी से सब देखते हो। हम तुमसे यह माँगते हैं, बारिश दो, खुशियों की भरपूर दे, और अमर जीवन का वरदान दो। आसमान और धरती दोनों बिजली की ताकत से चले।
Mantra 3
सम्राजा उग्रा वृषभा दिवस्पती पृथिव्या मित्रावरुणा विचर्षणी । चित्रेभिरभ्रैरुप तिष्ठथो रवं द्यां वर्षयथो असुरस्य मायया ॥
मित्र और वरुण दोनों मिलके राज करते हैं। वो बहुत ताकतवर हैं, जैसे बैल। यह आसमान और धरती के मालिक हैं और लोगों के बीच घूमते हैं। चमकदार बादल लेके वो बादल के ऊपर खड़े होते हैं। अपनी ताकत से वो आसमान से बारिश बरसाते हैं।
Mantra 4
माया वां मित्रावरुणा दिवि श्रिता सूर्यो ज्योतिश्चरति चित्रमायुधम् । तमभ्रेण वृष्ट्या गूहथो दिवि पर्जन्य द्रप्सा मधुमन्त ईरते ॥
मित्र और वरुण की ताकत आसमान में है। सूरज रोशनी की तरह चमकता है, जैसे कोई चमकदार हथियार। बादल और बारिश से तुम उसे ढाक देते हो। फिर बारिश की बूंदें आती हैं जो मीठी हैं। यह बूंदें धरती और लोगों के लिए अच्छी हैं।
Mantra 5
रथं युञ्जते मरुतः शुभे सुखं शूरो न मित्रावरुणा गविष्टिषु । रजांसि चित्रा वि चरन्ति तन्यवो दिवः सम्राजा पयसा न उक्षतम् ॥
मरुत लोग अपनी रथ जोड़ते हैं। वो अच्छी और खुशी से चलते हैं, जैसे योद्धा रोशनी ढूंढते हैं। बिजली चमकती है और आसमान में गूंजती है। मित्र और वरुण, आसमान के राजा, तुम हमें अपनी ताकत से पानी दो। यह हमें जीवन देता है।
Mantra 6
वाचं सु मित्रावरुणाविरावतीं पर्जन्यश्चित्रां वदति त्विषीमतीम् । अभ्रा वसत मरुतः सु मायया द्यां वर्षयतमरुणामरेपसम् ॥
मित्र और वरुण, बारिश का शब्द बोलता है। वो शब्द चमकता है और ताकत से भरा है। मरुत लोग बादल में रहते हैं अपनी ताकत से। वो आसमान से साफ पानी बरसाते हैं। यह पानी बिखरा हुआ नहीं है, बिल्कुल साफ है।
Mantra 7
धर्मणा मित्रावरुणा विपश्चिता व्रता रक्षेथे असुरस्य मायया । ऋतेन विश्वं भुवनं वि राजथः सूर्यमा धत्थो दिवि चित्र्यं रथम् ॥
मित्र और वरुण, तुम धरम के हिसाब से काम करते हो। तुम समझदार हो और नियमों को बचाते हो। सच्चाई के साथ तुम सारी दुनिया पर राज करते हो। तुम सूरज को आसमान में उसकी चमकदार रथ पर बिठाते हो। यह सच्चाई का काम है।
Inside Sukta 63
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Mitra and Varuṇa are hailed as the guardians of Ṛta, standing on their chariot in the highest heaven, firmly established in truth-law.
- Development
Their support manifests as tangible blessing: sweet rain from heaven, and the divine governance that structures the world through ordinances (vrata). The hymn moves from praise of their station to their operational power—Sun, cloud, rain, and fertility.
- Climax
The revelation of their ‘māyā’ (formative sovereign power): they set the Sun as a radiant ‘weapon’ and can veil it with cloud, releasing Parjanya’s sweet drops—cosmic control serving life and order.
- Where it settles
It concludes by reaffirming that by dharma and Ṛta they reign over all becoming, guarding ordinances and establishing the Sun’s radiant chariot—order restored and upheld.
The deity: Mitra-Varuṇa
- In the VedaA paired sovereignty: Mitra embodies covenant, friendship, and social concord; Varuṇa embodies vastness, moral oversight, and the binding power of law. Together they are ‘guardians of Ṛta,’ wise and discerning, maintaining vrata (ordinances) and ordering the heavens—especially the Sun’s path and the rains.
- Cosmic functionThey stabilize cosmic and social order: setting the Sun in heaven, regulating day and night, and releasing rain through cloud and Parjanya’s waters, so that Ṛta becomes fertility and continuity in the world.
- Inner significanceMitra-Varuṇa symbolize inner truthfulness and ethical self-regulation: the capacity to keep one’s word (Mitra) and to submit the ego to a higher law of conscience and clarity (Varuṇa). Their ‘vrata’ becomes disciplined integrity, leading to inner nourishment (the ‘sweet’ rain) and luminous vision (the Sun).
The seer
- VasiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-gotra), one of the Saptarṣi; chief seer of the Vasiṣṭha family · Renowned as the brahmarṣi of the Rig Veda’s 7th Maṇḍala and as a paradigmatic priest-seer who articulates Ṛta, truth, and right kingship; closely associated with hymns to Varuṇa, Mitra-Varuṇa, and royal consecratory themes.
Famous verses
ṛtasya gopāv (Guardians of Ṛta)
माया वां मित्रावरुणा दिवि श्रिता सूर्यो ज्योतिश्चरति चित्रमायुधम् । तमभ्रेण वृष्ट्या गूहथो दिवि पर्जन्य द्रप्सा मधुमन्त ईरते ॥ṛtena viśvam bhuvanaṃ vi rājathaḥ
Attributes of the deity
- Guardians of Ṛta (cosmic order)
- Satyadharma (established in truth-law)
- Protectors of vrata (sacred ordinances)
- All-seeing, discerning (vipaścit)
- Regulators of the Sun’s course
- Givers of rain and sweetness (madhu)
- Sovereign power (āsurī māyā: formative mastery)
Also by this seer
- Primary seer of most of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 7 (Vasiṣṭha Maṇḍala)
- Numerous Rigvedic hymns to Varuṇa and Mitra-Varuṇa emphasizing Ṛta and vrata (ordinance)
- Hymnic material connected with royal legitimacy and priestly counsel (purohita function)
The rite, step by step
- Establish the āhavanīya fire and perform preliminary purification (ācamana, pavitras) with an intention of satya and ṛta.
- Recite the sukta as an invocation (āvāhana) to Mitra-Varuṇa, visualizing them ‘in the highest heaven’ guarding Ṛta.
- Offer ghee into Agni with short invocatory formulas, aligning the rite with vrata (right rule).
- If in Soma context: accompany pressing/offerings with the hymn, asking for ‘madhu’ (sweet nourishment) and orderly rains.
- Conclude with a quiet affirmation of truthfulness (satya-vrata) and a closing oblation for harmony in community and household.
Offerings
- Ghṛta (clarified butter)
- Soma (where applicable)
- Milk/curds as sweet offerings (symbolic of madhu)
- Water libation (for rain/ṛta symbolism)
Frequently Asked Questions
They are a paired Vedic divinity of order: Mitra represents harmony and covenant, and Varuṇa represents moral oversight and the binding power of law. Together they guard Ṛta, the cosmic right order.
The hymn shows that divine order is not abstract: Mitra-Varuṇa regulate the Sun’s course and also release rain through clouds and Parjanya. Light and water become signs that Ṛta is functioning in the world.
Live by truth and right rule (satya, dharma, vrata). The hymn teaches that when order is upheld inwardly and socially, the same divine order supports well-being—symbolized by sweet, nourishing rain.
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