Rig Veda 8.25.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 25, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.25
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
मित्रा तना न रथ्या वरुणो यश्च सुक्रतुः । सनात्सुजाता तनया धृतव्रता ॥
mitrā́ tanā́ na rathyā́ varúṇo yáś ca sukrátūḥ | sanā́t sujātā́ tanáyā dhṛtávratā ||
मित्र और वरुण साथ चलें, जैसे रथ के घोड़े जुड़े हुए हों। वरुण और वो जो चमकदार इच्छा वाला है। दोनों पुराने स्रोत से पैदा हुए, सच्चे बेटे, अपने धरम को पक्के से पकड़े हुए।
Word by Word
- मित्रा
- Mitra (the god), the pair Mitra (and Varuṇa)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/सम्बोधन द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तना
- by extension; in due course; indeed (emphatic/continuative)Indeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकारण/प्रकार (क्रियाविशेषण)Root तना (अव्यय; तन्-सम्बद्ध)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-निर्देशक (तुलना)Root न (अव्यय)
- रथ्या
- the chariot-road; chariot-way (as a simile)Noun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-पद)Root रथ्य (प्रातिपदिक; रथ-सम्बद्ध)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्ध/अन्वयः वरुणे)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (अव्यय)
- सुक्रतुः
- of good resolve/power; wise, strong in willAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वरुणस्य विशेषणम्)Root सु-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय: ‘सु’+‘क्रतु’)
- सनात्
- from of old; since ancient timesIndeclinableअव्ययRole अपादान/काल (क्रियाविशेषण)Root सनात् (अव्यय)
- सुजाता
- well-born; nobly bornAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (तनयाः विशेषणम्)Root सु-जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जन् ‘to be born’ + क्त)
- तनयाः
- offspring; daughters/childrenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
- धृतव्रता
- holding fast to vows; steadfast in ordinancesAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (तनयाः इति सह)Role कर्तृ (तनयाः विशेषणम्)Root धृत-व्रत (कृदन्त-समास; √धृ ‘to hold’ + क्त + व्रत)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विच्छेद): मित्रा | तना | न | रथ्या | वरुणः | यः | च | सुक्रतुः || सनात् | सुजाता | तनयाः | धृतव्रताः || 1) ‘मित्रा’ द्विवचन-रूपम् (मित्रौ इत्यर्थे देवद्वन्द्व-प्रयोगः)
- 2) ‘रथ्या’ उपमानरूपे प्रथमा एकवचनम्
- 3) ‘यश्च’ = ‘यः’ + ‘च’ (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते)
- 4) ‘धृतव्रता’ छन्दसि/संहितायां बहुवचन-रूप ‘धृतव्रताः’ इत्यस्य विसर्ग-लोपः (पदान्ते) — ‘तनयाः’ इति सह विशेषणम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Mitra and Varuṇa move together like charioteers; Varuṇa and he who has luminous will; born from the ancient source, true offspring, holding firmly their law.
Inner meaning
The twin powers act in coordinated movement (rathyā): harmony and vast law yoke the being like well-matched chariot forces. ‘Sukratu’ (luminous will) points to Mitra’s clear intentionality (and/or the pair’s bright executive power) that makes ṛta workable in life. ‘Sanāt sujātā’—born from the ancient—indicates these are primordial principles in consciousness, not social conventions. ‘Dhṛtavratā’—holding the vow—teaches sādhanā as fidelity: the inner law must be kept steadily for the transformation to endure.
Universal truth
Lasting growth comes from coordinated faculties under a steadfast inner law: harmony without discipline is weak; discipline without harmony is harsh. The ancient principles of truth-order must be lived as a vow.
Themes
twin deities, cosmic law, harmony and vastness, right governance
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.63 (Mitra-Varuṇa and ṛta), Rig Veda 7.66 (dhṛtavrata epithets)
Family tradition
Mitra-Varuṇa hymn sequence typical of family recensions; this verse continues the paired invocation emphasizing vrata (law/vow).
Significance
The seer emphasizes that ṛta is dynamic (movement like charioteers) and demands fidelity (vrata) for inner realization.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Epithets
- sukratu (luminous-willed), dhṛtavrata (firm in law), sanāt sujāta (ancient-born)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Aryaman, Bhaga, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Yoke and steer the cosmic movement according to ṛta; uphold bonds that keep worlds coherent.
Inner power
Integration of relational harmony (Mitra) with vast truth-binding (Varuṇa), producing luminous executive will (sukratu).
In ritual
Where it is used
Mitra-Varuṇa offering verses used to establish correct order and vows within rite (vrata motifs).
मि॒त्रा तना॒ न र॒थ्या॒३॒॑ वरु॑णो॒ यश्च॑ सु॒क्रतु॑: । स॒नात्सु॑जा॒ता तन॑या धृ॒तव्र॑ता ॥
मि॒त्रा । तना॑ । न । र॒थ्या॑ । वरु॑णः । यः । च॒ । सु॒ऽक्रतुः॑ । स॒नात् । सु॒ऽजा॒ता । तन॑या । धृ॒तऽव्र॑ता ॥
mitrā | tanā | na | rathyā | varuṇaḥ | yaḥ | ca | su-kratuḥ | sanāt | su-jātā | tanayā | dhṛta-vratā
44
4 × ~11
Rolling, ‘chariot-like’ forward motion with firm closures (vrata).
Encourages inner coordination and resolve; stabilizes commitment.
- रथ्या (rathyā)
- Literal: charioteers/chariot-wise. Symbolic: coordinated guidance of life-forces; yoked powers directing the journey
- सुक्रतु (sukratu)
- Literal: of good/luminous will. Symbolic: clear, effective intention aligned with truth
- सनात् (sanāt)
- Literal: from of old, ancient. Symbolic: primordial origin in consciousness; eternal principles
- धृतव्रता (dhṛtavratā)
- Literal: holding the vow/law. Symbolic: steadfast adherence to inner discipline and truth-order
Hymnic characterization used in invocations to Mitra-Varuṇa for harmony, law, and right governance of the sacrifice and life.
At points of consecration, vow-taking, or when seeking protection of law and harmony in the sacrifice.
Recitation with offerings (ghee/oblations) to secure ṛta and vrata.
Use when setting a discipline: study, sobriety, truthfulness, relational harmony—yoke them together like a chariot team.
kratu is ‘will-intelligence’ (not mere ‘ritual resolve’): a formative power of conscious intention. vrata is ‘law/vow’—a fixed mode of action sustaining ṛta. The chariot simile encodes coordinated governance of movement (psychic and cosmic).
Rita and Vrata (order and its law), Kratu (will-intelligence), ancient origin (sanāt)
Mitra-Varuṇa are engines of ṛta in motion—order that travels and acts.
Vrata is satya embodied as practice.
Primordial principles steer manifestation; without them, motion becomes chaos.
Ṛta-centered dharmic psychology; supports Aurobindo’s notion of ‘law of the being’ guiding evolution.
Yoke = integration; chariot = embodied journey; sun = clear intention; sky/ocean = wideness and law.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The twin charioteers of cosmic order: Mitra-Varuṇa as coordinated rulers who guide movement and maintain law (vrata) rooted in the ancient foundation (sanāt).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Varuṇa relates to the ‘encompassing/binding’ sovereignty type (cf. IE juridical-binding motifs). vrata ‘vow/law’ is Indo-Iranian (Avestan uruuata-/vrata-). The chariot governance image is a classic IE poetic vehicle for ordered control (cf. Greek and Indo-Iranian chariot metaphors).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi recognizes the deities’ inherent coordinated motion and firm law-holding; by naming their kratu and vrata, the human consciousness aligns to their governance, inviting harmony (Mitra) and vast lawful containment (Varuṇa) to shape the seeker’s life and sacrifice.
Unify life-direction: let harmony and truth-law steer decisions; renew a simple vow.
Vishuddha (truth) with Anahata (harmony).
Inhale ‘Mitra’ (harmony), exhale ‘Varuṇa’ (truth-law) for 27 cycles; then chant once aloud.
Steady, integrated, quietly powerful.
Choose one vrata for 7 days (truthful speech, disciplined sleep, non-reactivity). Use the mantra to yoke intention and wideness; review nightly without guilt, with sincerity.
Let the middle of each pāda ‘roll’ (rathyā) and land firmly on dhṛtavratā.
Highlight: MITRĀ … RATHYĀ … SUKRATUḤ … SANĀT … DHṚTAVRATĀ.
mitrā: clear dental t; long ā., varuṇaḥ: retroflex ṇ; final ḥ audible but light., dhṛta: vocalic ṛ; avoid ‘dhrita’.
Even, resolute, slightly ‘march-like’ but not harsh.
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