Rig Veda 6.67.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 67, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.67
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ यातं मित्रावरुणा सुशस्त्युप प्रिया नमसा हूयमाना । सं यावप्नःस्थो अपसेव जनाञ्छ्रुधीयतश्चिद्यतथो महित्वा ॥
ā́ yātam mitrāvaruṇā suśásty úpa priyā́ námasā hūyámānā | sáṃ yā́v apnáḥ-stho apásāiva jánāñ chrudhīyátas cíd yatatho mahitvā́ ||
मित्र और वरुण, आओ हमारी अच्छी प्रार्थना में। लोग तुम्हे नमस्ते के साथ बुला रहे हैं। तुम काम करने वाले हो, लोगों को साथ लाओ जैसे कोई काम हो रहा हो। तुम इतने बड़े हो कि नीचे से भी कोई पुकारे तो सुन लो।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towards (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (गत्यर्थक)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- यातम्
- come (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole (कर्तृ-आह्वान)Root या (धातु) / yā ‘to go, come’
- मित्रावरुणा
- Mitra and VaruṇaNoun (dual compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (द्वन्द्व-समास)Role Kartā (आहूतौ देवौ)Root मित्र + वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुशस्ति
- good praise, fair invocationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (पद-रूपे ‘सुशस्तिः/सुशस्तिम्’—वेदे रूप-पर्याय)Role Karaṇa (स्तुत्या/प्रशस्त्या सह)Root सु- + शस्ति (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक) < √शंस् ‘to praise’
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableनिपात (समीपार्थक)Root उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- प्रियाः
- dear, belovedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (हूयमानाः—‘प्रियाः’ इति विशेषणम्)Root प्रिय (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- नमसा
- with reverence, with homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot नमस् (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- हूयमानाः
- being invoked, being calledParticipleवर्तमान-कर्तरि/कर्मणि? (कर्मणि प्रयोगः), शानच्-प्रत्यय (मध्यम/आत्मनेपदीय-भाव), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (येषां विषये आह्वानः क्रियते)Root √ह्वे (धातु) ‘to call, invoke’
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (समवाय/सम्यक्-अर्थ)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- यावप्नःस्थः
- standing at the full reach/at the farthest extentCompound (adj.)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-भाव: ‘यावप्ने स्थितः’)Role Kartā (श्रुधीयत इत्यस्य)Root यावप्न (प्रातिपदिक; ‘यावप्न’ = यावत्-आप्न/आप्न- ‘extent, reach’—वेदिक) + √स्था ‘to stand’
- अपसे
- for the work (ritual task)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (कार्याय/कर्मणे)Root अपस् (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक) ‘work, sacred act’
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक निपातRoot इव (निपात)
- जनान्
- the peopleNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot जन (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रुधीयतः
- may you two hear/listenVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक ‘श्रुधीयत’), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (कर्तृ-आह्वान)Root √श्रु (धातु) ‘to hear’
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableअवधारण/अपि-अर्थक निपातRoot चित् (निपात)
- यतथः
- you two strive/actVerbलट्/लिट्-सम्भाव्य (वेदिक रूप), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot यत्/यम्? (धातु) ‘to strive, exert’ (वेदिक) / or √यत् ‘to control, set in motion’
- महित्वा
- with greatness, by (your) majestyNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (भावे ‘महित्वेन’)Role KaraṇaRoot महि-त्व (नपुं. भाव-प्रातिपदिक) < मह्/मह ‘great’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (principal): आ या॑तं → आ + यातम्
- मित्रावरुणा (dvandva) stands as one pada
- सुश॒स्त्युप॑ → सुशस्ति + उप
- हू॒यमा॑ना → हूयमानाः (pāda-final visarga often not written in saṃhitā)
- सं याव॑प्न॒:स्थो → सम् + यावप्नःस्थः (ḥ + sth → ḥsth)
- अ॒पसे॑व॒ → अपसे + इव
- जना॑ञ्छ्रु- → जनान् + श्रुधीयतः (n + śr → ñch in saṃhitā)
- य॒तश्चि॑द् → यतथः + चित् (saṃhitā shows assimilation/phonetic joining)
- महि॒त्वा remains separate
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hymn calls Mitra–Varuṇa to come to the beautiful praise and to what is dear, invoked with reverence. They stand in the accomplishment of works, unite the peoples by effective action, and hear even those who call from below through their greatness.
Inner meaning
Mitra (harmonising light, right relation) and Varuṇa (vastness, law, purity) are invoked to descend into the seeker’s consciousness where aspiration offers “namas” (self-giving). They preside over the fulfilment of inner works (apnaḥ/apas): the disciplined movements of thought, life-force, and will. They ‘join the peoples’—the scattered parts of the being—into a single consenting order (ṛta). They also hear the cry ‘from below’: the subconscient and vital nature that cannot yet articulate the truth, but can still be lifted by their mahitvā (greatness).
Universal truth
When the powers of harmony and truth-law are welcomed with sincere self-offering, they organise the fragmented personality into a coherent order and respond even to imperfect aspiration arising from the lowest layers of the psyche.
Themes
Divine approach, Hearing and response, Fulfilment of works
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.62 (Aśvins), RV 6.75 (weapons/force of battle, inner and outer), RV 6.45 (Indra), RV 6.61 (Sarasvatī)
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa lineage; Bharadvāja hymns often stress right action (apas), truth-order (ṛta), and the descent of divine powers into human striving.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s vision frequently unites disciplined effort with divine governance: the gods are not only praised but invited to organise the seeker’s works into ṛta—an inner yoga of effective action.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Epithets
- ṛtāvṛdhā (in the wider tradition: increasers of ṛta), pūtabandhū (pure in their bond, cf. 6.67.4), adabdha (unbeguiled, cf. 6.67.5)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Aryaman, Bhaga, Indra (illumination that works within ṛta)
Cosmic role
Guardians and upholders of ṛta (cosmic order), social concord, moral truth, and the vast law that binds worlds and beings.
Inner power
The capacity to harmonise inner movements (Mitra) and to widen/purify consciousness by truth and law (Varuṇa), enabling the fulfilment of works without ego-deformation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mitra-Varuṇa offerings in Soma and Haviryajña contexts (general invocation within a sūkta).
आ या॑तं मित्रावरुणा सुश॒स्त्युप॑ प्रि॒या नम॑सा हू॒यमा॑ना । सं याव॑प्न॒:स्थो अ॒पसे॑व॒ जना॑ञ्छ्रुधीय॒तश्चि॑द्यतथो महि॒त्वा ॥
आ । या॒त॒म् । मि॒त्रा॒व॒रु॒णा॒ । सु॒ऽश॒स्ति । उप॑ । प्रि॒या । नम॑सा । हू॒यमा॑ना । सम् । यौ । अ॒प्नः॒ऽस्थः । अ॒पसा॑ऽइव । जना॑न् । श्रु॒धि॒ऽय॒तः । चि॒त् । य॒त॒थः॒ । म॒हि॒त्वा ॥
ā | yātam | mitrāvaruṇā | su-śasti | upa | priyā | namasā | hūyamānā | sam | yau | apnaḥ-sthaḥ | apasāiva | janān | śrudhi-yataḥ | cit | yatathaḥ | mahitvā
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, declarative, suited to invocation and command of order.
Creates a steady pressure of aspiration; supports a sense of descent and organisation—calling, then gathering the being into coherence.
- मित्रावरुणा (mitrāvaruṇā)
- Literal: Mitra and Varuṇa. Symbolic: Twin powers of harmony/rightness (Mitra) and vast truth-law/purity (Varuṇa) governing ṛta in the being
- सुशस्ति (suśasti)
- Literal: good praise, fair invocation. Symbolic: Right-formulated aspiration and illumined speech (vāc) that can call down higher powers
- नमसा (namasā)
- Literal: with reverence, bowing. Symbolic: Self-giving, surrender of ego-sense enabling descent of the divine influence
- अप्नःस्थः (apnaḥ-sthaḥ)
- Literal: standing in the attainment/fulfilment (of works). Symbolic: Established in the accomplishment of inner yajña—effective spiritual labour (apas)
- अपसा इव (apasā iva)
- Literal: as by action/work. Symbolic: By conscious force of will and right method; tapas applied without distortion
- श्रुधीयतः (śrudhīyataḥ)
- Literal: of those who call/cry to be heard. Symbolic: The inarticulate prayer of the vital/subconscient seeking help
- अधः/‘from below’ (implicit)
- Literal: lower place. Symbolic: Subconscient/vital layers, darkness beneath waking mind
- महित्वा (mahitvā)
- Literal: by greatness. Symbolic: Vastness of truth-consciousness that can uplift and integrate
Āhvāna (invitation) and request for attentive hearing; emphasizes divine responsiveness and capacity to bring works to fulfilment (apnas).
During praise/invocation sequences for Mitra–Varuṇa; also adaptable as a daily recitation for truthfulness and inner order.
Āvāhana (invitation), namas (reverent offering), mental ‘samyamana’ (gathering) of faculties into ṛta.
Use as a mantra for integrating conflicting parts of oneself; recite before work/decision-making to align action with truth and harmony.
hūyámānā from √hū ‘to call, invoke’; apnás ‘work/attainment’ related to √āp ‘to reach, obtain’ (fulfilment); apás ‘work’ from √ap ‘to work/act’ in Vedic usage; śrudhīyátas from √śru ‘to hear’ (the gods as hearers/responders).
apnas (accomplishment), effective action (apas), greatness (mahitva) as wideness of consciousness
Explicit: Mitra–Varuṇa as powers who unite beings and fulfil works in accord with ṛta.
Hearing the call from below indicates truth’s capacity to redeem even obscured nature.
Descent of cosmic order into human multiplicity; integration of ‘peoples’ (janān) as a microcosmic creation.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: cosmic powers as psychological functions enabling transformation.
Dawn-to-day transition (implicit: ‘coming’ of the powers into waking consciousness).
A descent of wide truth and luminous harmony into the waking mind, reaching down into subconscient inertia to organise life and thought.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘coming’ and ‘hearing’ of the sovereign pair: gods descend to the rightly formed praise and make human multiplicity cohere through effective action. Inner sense: when truth-speech is established, harmony-law powers respond and bring the seeker’s works to completion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ continues PIE *ḱleu- ‘to hear’ (cf. Greek klýō, English ‘loud’ via related developments). The prominence of ‘hearing’ in invocation reflects an inherited Indo-European ritual pragmatics: the deity is the one who hears and therefore can act.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers suśasti (right praise) and namas (alignment). Mitra-Varuṇa, established in accomplishment (apnas), respond by joining and ordering the movements of life and by hearing even the imperfect call, lifting it by their greatness.
Invoke harmony (Mitra) and vast truth-discipline (Varuṇa) to integrate scattered parts of the psyche into one ordered will.
Anāhata (harmonising relation) and Ājñā (truth-governance) as a combined axis.
Nādī-śodhana-like slow alternate breathing while mentally offering ‘namas’ on exhale; feel ‘descent’ on inhale.
Quiet, widened, law-abiding awareness; receptive descent (āvaraṇa thinning) into lower layers.
Before recitation, collect attention in the heart; chant once slowly, then sit 3–5 minutes sensing a wide, clear presence organising thoughts and impulses; end with a brief resolve to act in ṛta.
Use Vedic svara as marked in the saṃhitā text: observe udatta on accented syllables (e.g., ā yā́tam; namásā; hūyámānā), with dependent svarita following udatta where applicable; keep anudatta low and steady.
Maintain a clear rise on marked acute (udatta) and avoid stress-accenting English-style; let the pitch contour carry emphasis.
mitrāvaruṇā: keep long ā; retroflex ṇ in varuṇa, suśasty: ś is palatal; keep cluster -sty light, hūyamānā: hū- long ū; avoid ‘hoo-ya’ diphthong, apnaḥstho: visarga ḥ before s as a light aspiration; articulate sth clearly, śrudhīyataḥ: śru- with palatal ś; long ī; cerebral ṭ not present—keep dental tḥ at end as light release
Steady, resonant, dignified; slightly softened tone on ‘namasā’ to embody surrender.
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